The DC Universe's Wonder Woman prequel Paradise Lost will likely put more focus on a key element that the DCEU forgot about. Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman is a crucial part of the DC Extended Universe given her roles in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and her two Wonder Woman solo movies. However, there's a lot of potential in Wonder Woman's DC lore that the franchise didn't explore to the fullest.
Wonder Woman isn't just a main member of the Justice League. She's also Amazon royalty, Zeus' daughter, an important figure in DC's version of Greek mythology, and one of many female warriors such as Donna Troy, Nubia, Yara Flor, and Artemis of Bana-Mighdall. Besides, she has starred in many stories far away from the world of men. In fact, Wonder Woman's homeland, Themyscira a.k.a. Paradise Island, is just as important to her story as the human world, if not more — which is why it requires a bigger role in the DC Universe.
Paradise Lost Can Fix The DCEU's Wonder Woman & Themyscira Mistakes
Wonder Woman accurately established Themyscira as a utopian island inhabited exclusively by warrior women. However, it was quickly left behind once Diana Prince met Steve Trevor, after which Wonder Woman made little to no effort to return home. From that point on, there were very few well-developed female characters surrounding Wonder Woman, and the men around her kept seeing her as an object of attraction. With a fantastical land full of strong female characters somewhere in the background, the DCEU missed the opportunity to tell an innovative story starring Wonder Woman and her ing cast of Amazons.
Instead of rebooting Wonder Woman with a new actor right away, the DC Universe will take its time to develop Themyscira in the Paradise Lost prequel series, which will serve as a prelude to Wonder Woman's DCU story. Even with minimal information about Paradise Lost revealed so far, the fact that the show is set in Themyscira already improves on Wonder Woman's big-screen story, as it promises to take full advantage of her unique background and make the Amazons a central part of the franchise. Since its creation, Themyscira's appeal lies on its isolation from the world of men, so focusing on the Amazons may finally do the iconic DC location justice.
Getting Themyscira Right Is Crucial To The DC Universe & Wonder Woman's Future
Geographical settings are key to a superhero's journey, especially in DC properties. Just like Metropolis helps define Superman's idealism and Gotham City helps define Batman's cynicism, Themyscira informs Wonder Woman's sense of order and justice. Themyscira is a strict and disciplined society that's forged by their peaceful seclusion just as much as by their brutal warfare against divine and supernatural threats. Its fantastical nature also sets it apart from DC's more grounded fictional cities, and its link to mythology opens the door for a wide variety of stories, from self-contained events involving the Old Gods to interconnected landmarks of DC lore, possibly involving figures like the New Gods.
Most importantly, Themyscira and the Amazons' history before Wonder Woman's introduction lay the foundations for Diana Prince's new journey in the DC Universe, as they set the tone for a revamped character arc more closely connected to her people than to Steve Trevor and the Justice League. Even without Wonder Woman present, Paradise Lost can reveal plenty of information about the DC Universe's version of the Amazon hero. Therefore, when Wonder Woman finally returns to the big screen, the audience will already be more than familiar with her updated origins and background.
