Summary

• Wonder Woman faces her greatest challenge yet as the Sovereign manipulates her mind and heart in an ultimate test.
• Sovereign's plan to use Diana's love for Steve Trevor against her threatens to strip her of independence and power.
• Can Wonder Woman break free from the hold of the Lasso of Lies and overcome the Sovereign's manipulation before it's too late?

One of the most ionate romances in Wonder Woman's life is about to rekindle, but is everything as it appears to be? Diana is going through one of the most trying events of her life and things are about to take a dramatic turn.

The Sovereign, the secret king of America, has been waging a war on Diana. And after throwing everything but the kitchen sink at her, Sovereign finally has Wonder Woman in his grasp. But what does this mean for Diana and the bond she shares with Steve Trevor? And how will the Sovereign's hold affect Wonder Woman going forward?

Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor are Restarting Their Relationship

The Sovereign came after Wonder Woman and hit her hard. He assembled a team composed of her greatest enemies, including Dr. Psycho, Giganta, and Grail, all of whom pushed Diana to her limits. But even under attack from multiple angles, Wonder Woman did her best. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough and Diana ended up overwhelmed by the forces. The dramatic cliffhanger is set up to be followed up on in Wonder Woman #8, which sees Wonder Woman coming face-to-face with the Sovereign for the first time.

Diana's fight with her greatest enemies is seen in the explosive Wonder Woman #6 (2024)!

The solicited information for Wonder Woman #8 implies that the Sovereign is going to use his secret weapon on Diana. Like Diana, Sovereign has his own Lasso of Fate, the Lasso of Lies, which can manipulate people’s thoughts and make them believe in the falsehoods desired by the lasso’s holder. It isn’t clear so far what the Sovereign is going to make Diana believe, but it’s clear that his mental manipulation is going to have a long-lasting impression on Wonder Woman’s psyche.

The Sovereign’s hold on Diana’s mind will continue in Wonder Woman #9. In what is described as “the ultimate test”, Diana is reunited with her former love, Steve Trevor. However, the Sovereign is still influencing Diana. The lies and propaganda about the Amazons continues to grow worse, but Wonder Woman is seemingly distancing herself from the fight to run into Trevor’s arms. With secret king still in control, it’s hard to say if this choice to turn to Steve is Wonder Woman’s choice or if it's part of a greater plan.

How the Sovereign Has Turned Wonder Woman's World Upside Down

Things went from bad to worse in the Amazon world in the blink of an eye. A rogue Amazon named Emelie killed an entire pool hall full of men after being assaulted, igniting a firestorm of controversy. The United States government responded quickly and ed legislation that outlawed Amazons from living in America. To enforce this law, the Amazon Extradition Entity (or A.X.E.) was formed and lead by Sergeant Steel. Since A.X.E.’s formation, Amazons have been detained and even killed over the law.

The Sovereign, threatened by the power Diana holds, did everything he could to turn the public against her

Wonder Woman stayed to fight this unjust law and began investigating into who was behind A.X.E. and the waves of anti-Amazon hysteria. Diana eventually heard whispers of the name Sovereign, a man whose family has been secretly ruling the United States since the country’s inception thanks to the Lasso of Lies. The Sovereign, threatened by the power Diana holds, did everything he could to turn the public against her, including brainwashing a soldier into killing himself and blaming Wonder Woman for it.

Despite the Sovereign working against her, Wonder Woman didn’t back down and kept up her crusade to end the bigotry and hatred towards Amazons. With nothing else working, the Sovereign had Sergeant Steel recruit Wonder Woman’s greatest enemies to form a new team that would finally take her down. While Wonder Woman met up with Steve Trevor to assess her mission, the villains attacked her at the Washington Monument. Diana tried to hold back against the onslaught of her enemies, but they were too much for Wonder Woman to handle.

What Does the Sovereign Want with Wonder Woman?

One would think given the animosity the Sovereign has for Wonder Woman, he’d opt to kill her. But the secret king has made it clear he’s out to destroy the symbol of what Wonder Woman is. He wants to make sure that Diana isn’t out there, threatening his rule or fomenting opposition to him. With the Lasso of Lies, couldn't the Sovereign just as easily brainwash Wonder Woman into turning her over to his side? He could, but that wouldn’t accomplish what the Sovereign wants.

But this manipulation isn’t meant to give Diana a happy ending, but to get Wonder Woman out of the Sovereign’s way for good.

Sovereign and Wonder Woman are complete opposites and view love very differently. Diana sees love as empowering, something that strengthens bonds with others. The Sovereign, on the other hand, is someone who sees love as nothing more than something for him to manipulate. The Sovereign knows that Wonder Woman is someone who loves every living being, and what better way to toy with her and bring Diana under Sovereign’s thrall than by manipulating her deepest feelings? And if Sovereign is going to manipulate Wonder Woman's love, who better to make her focus on than Steve Trevor?

Wonder Woman does love Steve Trevor, but love that isn’t freely given isn’t love. It’s a prison. And that’s exactly why Sovereign would manipulate Diana like this. By making Diana retreat to Steve’s arms, he’s robbing her of her independence and taking away the warrior spirit that makes Wonder Woman the powerful hero she is. Could some part of Wonder Woman want to get back together with Steve? It’s not unlikely. But this manipulation isn’t meant to give Diana a happy ending, but to get Wonder Woman out of the Sovereign’s way for good.

Can Wonder Woman Break the Spell Sovereign Holds on Her?

The current Wonder Woman series has yet to show anyone break the hold the Lasso of Lies has on someone, so Diana is facing an uphill battle. While some may be happy to see Diana and Steve get back together, its not something to be celebrated if it’s just a plot by the Sovereign to take Wonder Woman off the board. Diana’s faced magic manipulation before, but this toying with her heart could be her worst experience yet. Hopefully, Wonder Woman can break the spell Sovereign holds without damaging the love she holds in her heart.

Wonder Woman #9 is available on May 21st from DC Comics.