I guess I hadn’t realized until I joined certain Wonder Woman discussions groups on Facebook – No, not that there ARE Wonder Woman discussion groups – I was surprised by a certain topic of debate. That topic being whether or not Wonder Woman should be wielding a sword.
Yeah, did you know it’s a thing? I guess it’s a thing. I suppose it didn’t ever make much difference to me, as she has had swords and shields come and go over the years. It seems she mainly adorned these items during special occasions, like epic battles or alternate reality tales.
Personally, I think it’s okay if the situation calls for it. (You, know . . . “When in Rome, grab a sword!”) If you know in advance that you may or may not be coming into contact with a gang of dead zombie sailors, I’d grab the sword.
I do have a problem, however, with the sword and shield being canon. They don’t need to be part of her permanent garb. It makes it seem like she’s Wonderful because of these weapons, when that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Batman has a ton of gadgets, but they’re usually tucked away safely in his utility belt. WW hardly needs these weapons as she possesses many gifts to begin with. Why does she need a shield? She has non-cumbersome bracelets that deflect anything as well as any old shield could (with respect to Captain America). But, hey, that’s his thing.
Why does she need a sword? She has a tiara with a razor-sharp edge capable of decapitating a gorgon for the love of Haphestus! And don’t you think people look kind of cray with a sword? Whenever you see a news or true crime story and the weapon used was a sword, that always makes it seem that much more psychotic. I can’t believe Wonder Woman would just start hacking away at Dr. Psycho or Egg Fu. (Well, maybe Egg Fu.) Not to mention she’s trained in hand-to-hand combatant – trained by the toughest broads this side of The Bermuda Triangle.
Frankly, I blame the laziness of the writers. I just listed a plethora of things that make Wonder Woman unique. Coming up with new and exciting ways to utilize those gifts keeps the character interesting and fresh. Handing her a sword and shield is cliche. Anyone can walk into a sword shop and pick up a sword, right?
In summary, I think it’s okay to use catastrophe-appropriate weapons but not necessary as an image builder. It could be worse. She could have a gun . . .
That wraps it up for this week’s Wonder Woman Wednesday. Come back next week and we’ll discuss WW’s role in Rebirth out today. And, as always, check out the I Am Wonder Fan Facebook page.
