Is Kristen Wiig ’s Cheetah really the main baddie ofWonder Woman 1984 ? Sure , Cheetah is a classicWonder Womanvillain and will play a villainous theatrical role , she does n’t seem like main baddie material . It seems Wiig is actually play an adaptation of the third incarnation of Cheetah from the comics , Dr. Barbara Ann Minerva . The character was create by Len Wein and George Perez back in 1987 , but the picture show seems to be basing the Cheetah on a more late , retconned history .
An expert in the written report of mythology , Minerva reveal proof of the Amazons , and actually launched several attempts to discover the island of Themyscira . It was only when Wonder Woman arrived in the world of men that Minerva ’s theories were proven correct ; she and Diana became firm friends . Unfortunately , Minerva ’s continued obsession with the ancient deity left her under the influence of the fictitious African deity Urzkartaga . She was anathemize with the office , and the cannibalistic appetency , of the Cheetah ; although Diana had predict to come to her friend ’s aid , she failed to do so in metre , and the twisted Minerva pick Diana for her bad luck .
It ’s easy to see how Minerva ’s tale could be adapt to the DCEU in a very like fashion . She ’s an archaeologist renowned for the work of mythology , perhaps even attempting to rule Themyscira . After so many decades in the world of man , no doubt Wonder Woman would be lancinating to revisit her home , and would get hold Minerva ’s theories profoundly exciting . The two could easy become friends - and then , of course of action , cataclysm would follow , as Minerva is transformed into Cheetah . But that does n’t really make Cheetah the principal villain ofWonder Woman 1984.So who will be the one ultimately draw out the strings ?
We already know that the DCEU ’s adaptation of Cheetah will be heavy act upon by the pop run of comic script writer Greg Rucka . As part of DC ’s pop " Rebirth " opening move , Rucka subtly retconned the line of descent of Cheetah . He revealed that Dr. Minerva ’s African expedition had actually been fund by the wealthyVeronica Cale , who was being push to work for the twin sons of Ares , Phobos and Deimos . know that Minerva ’s expeditiousness was doom to tragedy , Cale ensured a high-pitched - technical school communicator Diana had given her friend was turned off . Cale was really the one who was responsible for make Cheetah ; she was the one who had advance Cale on her slip , and whose money had made it possible . She was also the one who ensured Wonder Woman would get too later to aid .
This is the perfect way to use Cheetah . She works best as a secondary character , one who wavers between the light and the dark , with Diana desperately essay to pay off her friend . Cheetah is most effective when she ’s a " shade of grayish " theatrical role , straddling the worlds of wedge and villainy , and could potentially even become an friend in Wonder Woman ’s conflict against the real villain . In the grammatical case of Rucka ’s " Rebirth " run , Cale was the real villain . In just the same agency , Wonder Woman 1984could use Cheetah as apartof the story , rather than its chief focus . Minerva could be as much a dupe as an antagonist , one who has been damn as part of a minacious plot against Wonder Woman and against the world .
There ’s in reality some evidence to put up this melodic theme . The reality is that , so far , the marketing approach for theWonder Womansequel has but seemed rather left . Even the film ’s title -Wonder Woman 1984- just does n’t quite make sense . While we ’ve known for a year thatWonder fair sex 2would be set in the Cold War Era , there ’s nothing particularly pregnant about the twelvemonth 1984 - certainly nothing that explains why that year is so important as to be part of the moving picture ’s claim .
But it ’s possible the title of respect is significant for another reason.1984was a dystopian novel published by George Orwell in 1949 . It imagine a populace in which Great Britain ( " Airstrip One " ) had strike under the sway of a fascist regime , led by " Big Brother . " Big Brother used surveillance techniques to monitor everything a person did , and the book always repeat the paranoid stanza : " expectant Brother is watch you . " Many scholar consider1984to be one of the most influential books ever written , and it ’s very much shaped how we perceive the ideas of fascism and the surveillance land . Could the title of theWonder Womansequel in reality be evoking Orwell ’s novel ?
Supporting this idea , notice the graphic Warner Bros. used to tease the title . The text is fizz and popping , as though showing on an old TV concealment . The " snow " effect is pretty typical and certainly points to the idea that this film is somehow connected to surveillance , to being look out upon a monitor . If the title ofWonder Woman 1984is intended to bespeak to an Orwellian dystopia , then Cheetah is indeed a lower-ranking character - most belike manipulated by the main villain . But who could that villain be ?
The first possibility is Veronica Cale herself . A beautiful blonde - hirsute industrialist , Cale was create by Greg Rucka and Drew Johnson as a " Lex Luthor " physical body to take on Wonder Woman . As Rucka excuse in an audience withNewsarama , Cale ’s problem with Wonder Woman is primarily philosophical .
" Veronica Cale looks at Diana and look her as a fraud . Diana is a prevaricator . She thinks that Diana is selling the world a bill of trade good . She look at Wonder Woman and see a six foot - tow , drop dead gorgeous woman – who flies and bounces bullets off of her watchband – and her answer is that everyone should just be nice to each other . For Veronica , that ’s entire dogshit * * * * . It all derive leisurely for Diana , but what about the the great unwashed who have to itch and tear and bleed and fight and ferment for everything that they get ? What about the citizenry who were n’t molded out of clay and sign by gods ? What about the people who have to make sucky , nine - to - five jobs , physical exertion twice a day , and still ca n’t get free of fifteen British pound ? citizenry can be just like Diana if they just want to be ? For Veronica , that ’s just bull * * * * . "
The firstWonder Womanmovie was in reality a struggle of competing philosophies . The final battle between Diana and Areswas as much a philosophic struggle as a physical one . Ares believe that humanity was corrupted to the effect , but Wonder Woman insisted that people are neither intrinsically good nor high-risk , but rather are a bit of both . It would hardly be a surprise to seeWonder Woman 1984continue this philosophical movement , with Cale as a Modern philosophic counterpoint to Wonder Woman .
One further detail make Veronica Cale quite attractive to the DCEU . In the comics , she was manipulated by Phobos and Deimos , twin children of Ares . AndWonder Womandeliberately stressed that Ares ’s baby , daemon like Phobos and Deimos , are out there in the human race .
It ’s crucial to note that Veronica Cale has association to advance technology - include a sinister practical intelligence information who calls herself Cyber . This intelligence is visualise as decades ahead of our time , able to tapdance into countless electrical systems at a notion . In Rucka ’s " Rebirth " narrative , it was Cyber who ensured Wonder Woman did n’t learn her protagonist Dr. Minerva was in trouble until it was too late . It would n’t take much to adapt Cyber into the digital and surveillance scourge taunt by the firstWonder Woman 1984title card .
Another theory , though , is industrialist Maxwell Lord . A classic Justice League villain , for decades Maxwell Lord was actually believed to be a friend of the League - even working alongside the Justice League International squad . In reality , though , Lord ’s motives were very dissimilar . He possessed the ability to cook minds , and actualise that ifhecould fake superheroes - so could other citizenry . To Lord , being like Superman and Wonder Woman were a terrifying threat , and over the course of years he collected every superhero ’s greatest secrets , and identified their weakness .
Lord work alongside a computer system called " Brother Eye,“actually make by Batman . Brother Eye was the most advanced monitoring system of rules ever , able to tap into every computer system in the earthly concern . It was even able to take ascendancy of some cybernetic zep , overthrow their own will . With Lord ’s aid , Brother Eye developed tools known as the OMACs - the One Man Army Corps . Nanobots transform innocent men and women into cybernetic OMACs , brawny warriors who can really take on even the likes of Superman and Green Lantern .
Maxwell Lord at last used his powers to make headway restraint of Superman , and manipulate the Man of Steel into attempt to kill Wonder Woman , believing he was fighting Doomsday . Diana beguile Lord in her lariat of accuracy , and asked if there was any way to disclose his ascendance ; Lord ’s response was breathtakingly simple . " pour down me . " That was what Diana did to rid Superman , but footage of this murder was broadcast across the world by Brother Eye . In revenge for the killing of its master , Brother Eye actually launch its OMACs in an attack upon Themyscira .
While an adaptation of this story forWonder charwoman 1984would require to take some clear liberties , it ’s still well-heeled to see how this concept could be applied . Maxwell Lord could have recognized Diana as the first of a unexampled age of heroes , predicting that where there are one or two metahumans , there will be others . As such , he could have create Brother Eye to seek them out , like a sort of Cerebro . replace Cheetah for Superman , and you could even get the classic scene where Diana kills Lord at the end of the film . Meanwhile , Brother Eye was explicitly inspired by1984 ’s " Big Brother , " so would fit well with the merchandising to date .
Whoever it is , Wonder Woman 1984seems to have a major villain that has yet to be annunciate . One that poses a larger threat than Cheetah and ties into the1984theme of the title . There have been a figure of villain that fit that theme , so it could be Veronica Cale and the Children of Ares , Maxwell Lord and Brother Eye , both or neither , but there ’s still a fate to learn about the moving-picture show ’s true patch , and maybe some high profile project news is also on the way .
product has only latterly get onWonder Woman 1984 , and it ’s far too soon to say for sealed what wrench director Patty Jenkins has in store . The film ’s selling has already hinted that Cheetah is n’t actually the main baddie - and has potentially gear up up some terrify novel threats for inadequate Diana .
