Challenge of the Gods
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Challenge of the Gods is a storyline that occurred in the DC Comics book Wonder Woman between November 1987 and February 1988. It was written by Len Wein and drawn by comic veteran George Pérez and Bruce Patterson. The story took place in Wonder Woman Vol. 2, issues 10 through 13.
[edit] Plot
The storyline takes place shortly after Diana returns to Themyscira from her first visit into Man's World. She safely delivered Steve Trevor to his homeland and stopped Ares from igniting World War III. Upon her return the Olympian god Zeus attempts to rape Diana as a "reward" for championing evil. Threatened for her daughter's safety, Queen Hippolyta confronts the god and thus places the entire island in peril for questioning Zeus. As a penance for their disrespect he charges Diana to go into Doom's Doorway for a series of tests. If she succeeded in the challenge she would be rewarded, but should she fail the entire island would be doomed to Zeus' wishes.
Accepting the challenge, Diana faced a series of obstacles such as the seven-headed Hydra, Polyphemus, the Minotaur, and the Hecatonchires. Also during the challenge Diana discovered Herakles had millenia ago been transformed into a colossal stone statue, positioned to support the island of Themyscira. Though stone, she also discovered that various creatures in Doom's Doorway such as Harpies scarred the demi-god's form and the pain could be felt by Herakles though he could do nothing about it. She eventually forgave the son of Zeus for his past transgressions against the Amazons and he was returned to normal.
At the end of the ordeal Diana was allowed to know several hidden facts from her past. She discovered that a few years before she was born a woman had crash landed on the island from the outside world and immediately helped the Amazons battle a creature trying to escape Doom's Doorway with her life. This woman was revealed to be named Diana Trevor, the mother to Steve Trevor. After she died in battle the Amazons gave her a proper warrior's burial and devoted a section of their memorial building in honor of her. It was from Diana Trevor that the Amazons came to possess a handgun which was used in Diana's initial Bullets and Bracelets trial. And it was from the U.S. decals and patches on Diana Trevor's flight jacket that the original Wonder Woman uniform was based upon.
It was also revelead that the goat god Pan, son of the messenger God Hermes had been slain some time ago by one of the alien Manhunters and was masquerading as him among the other Olympians. Zeus was both enraged by the deception and humbled by his behavior toward the Amazons. After Diana destroyed the Manhunter impostor and returned to the Underworld to help rescue Hippolyta and Herakles, Zeus and the other Olympians appeared and he decreed that Diana had finally fulfilled her destiny and the Amazons were also relinquished from their 3,000 year penance. They were allowed to keep their immortality but free to live their own lives however and where-ever they seen fit. Further signifying this, Zeus permanently sealed the portal to the Underworld beneath Themyscira.
