Themyscira
Themyscira is an island that features in DC Comics.
Contents |
History
Pre-Crisis
Paradise Island was an isolated hidden island located on Earth that was inhabited by the Amazons. It was created by the Amazons back in the times of Ancient Greece many centuries ago when their nation of Amazonia was the foremost one in the world. This was until Hercules came to be taunted that he could not conquer the Amazon women leading to him gathering his fiercest and strongest warriors to their shore. Upon arriving, Hippolyta challenged him and won using the power of her Magic Girdle. However, Hercules came to steal it through deceit and trickery whereupon he ushered in the Amazons into slavery. Their submission eventually came to be unbearable to them until Hippolyta appealed to the goddess Aphrodite who responded by helping her reclaim the Magic Girdle. With it, the Amazons were able to overcome their slave masters but a condition from Aphrodite was that the warrior women set sail for new shores as they could no longer remain within the man-made world. They sailed for many days and nights until they eventually discovered an isolated land that they named Paradise Island which became their new home. (All-Star Comics v1 #8)
Running low on fuel, the aircraft piloted by U.S. Army Intelligence Service Captain Steve Trevor crashed on Paradise Island. (All-Star Comics v1 #8)
During the war the Amazons came into conflict with the Valkyries, as the winged women were supporting the Nazi Party in the war. The Amazons were ultimately the victors and incorporated their defeated foes into their own society. (Wonder Woman v1 #23)
A young Amazon named Dalma who looked to travel to Man's World came to instigate the Rebellion on Paradise Island which she used the confusion to escape the isle. The rebels were sentenced to Reform Island as punishment with Wonder Woman later tracking down and capturing Dalma who was judged under Aphrodite's law. (Comic Cavalcade v1 #12)
In the aftermath, Queen Hippolyta decided to withdraw from the world and go into isolation with this being a position opposed by a group of Amazons led by Atalanta. She took her followers and left Paradise Island where they settled in the lands of South America. (Wonder Woman v1 #319)
Post-Crisis
Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events.
At some point, an Amazon priestess of the Necropolis went mad during her thousand year service as caretaker of Themyscira's dead leading her to resent her own comrades. As a result, she began consulting ancient rituals that led her to use magic to animate the dead in her care turning them into her servants. Such a practice she made in secret and had the dead built her the city of the dead underground that was linked to the underworld. As Amazons were immortal, she was forced to take the bodies of the dead from the rest of the world that were brought to Necropolis. She was eventually discovered by a young Princess Diana who was drawn to the underground city by dreams concerning her dead comrade Ariadne. Diana learnt of the priestess's plans to use her undead army to conquer the living but it was her undead comrade Ariadne who resisted the priestess' commands and wounded her. The wounded priestess was then killed by her undead army as they resented the servitude that had been forced on them and with her dead the Necropolis collapsed as it was magically sustained by her. Following the revelation of the priestess's plot, the practice of appointing an Amazon as guardian of their dead ended and instead their dead were cremated. (Wonder Woman Annual v2 #6)
In 1932, a young Julia Kapatelis as a child was onboard a ship at sea that succumbed to a brutal storm with the girl being washed into the sea only to be saved by the sea god Thetis who brought her to Themyscira. She was treated by the Amazons who imbued her with feelings of peace and equality as one among hundreds of girls that had been saved by them to be returned to Patriarch's World. The silver haired Pythia was selected to be Julia's Guardian of Inspiration until she was returned to the beach where the sea deities brought her back to Man's World to her family in the hopes that she would promote peace in humanity. Kapatelis was the last of the children that were saved as part of this honored duty. (Wonder Woman Annual v2 #1)
The island was invaded by the forces of Apokolips when Darkseid sought to find the location of the Olympian gods that empowered Wonder Woman. (Wonder Woman v2 #103)
Following its destruction, Themyscira was rebuilt and relocated once again, this time to the Bermuda Triangle. Designed by the likes of Julia Kapatelis, the Martian Manhunter, the second Doctor Light, Steve Trevor, Canadian architect Henri Claude Tibet, and Amazon master designer Kaleeza Fashed, the new Themyscira was built with the help of alien technology and was restored by the combined might of the Greek and Egyptian goddesses the Amazons worshiped, with each one bestowing a blessing over the land and the Amazons. (Wonder Woman v2 #177)
Transformed into a mighty series of floating islands dedicated to the free exchange of information and ideas, the new Themyscira was governed by Philippus, the political leader, and Artemis serving as the military commander and co-leader. This Themyscira was nearly destroyed in a jealous fit of rage by the goddess Hera. Because of her actions, the islands ceased to float, and resumed being a cluster of traditional islands. The islands were positioned just off the East Coast of the United States. (Wonder Woman v2 #200)
Post-Flashpoint
Following the Flashpoint, a new version of reality was created with a different history of events. Themyscira
Centuries ago, a Spaniard priest travelling to the New World had his ship visited by naked Amazon's that tempted the crew except for him. After the night, the Amazon's proceeded to kill the crew and commandeer the ship though the priest survived this purge where he disguised himself as a dead body whereupon he fled on a boat. The Spaniard was also a mapmaker and managed to recall the journey allowing him to pinpoint the location of Themyscira though none would believe him. In this time, Ra's al Ghul heard his tales and took the map afterwards he killed the mapmaker allowing him knowledge on the location of the legendary lost island. (Batman and Robin v2 #30)
After the death of Damian Wayne, Ra's al Ghul acquired his grandson's body along with that of his daughter Talia where he sought to resurrect them. He sought to find an active Lazarus Pit and came to believe that the mysterious Cavern of Neekta on the fabled isle of Themyscira held such a pit. Thus, he travelled with a retinue of assassin's but were confronted by Batman and Wonder Woman when they opened the pit. However, the pit did not hold a Lazarus Pit but rather the Neekta imprisoned by Zeus that was a creature of darkness who sought to consume everyone in its search from freedom. Ra's al Ghul would manage to escape with the bodies of Damian and Talia whilst Batman along with Diana allowed the Neetka's its presence where it faded from existence after seeing the sun rise. (Batman and Robin v2 #30)
The Greek god Hephaestus hired Deathstroke with the goal of journeying into Tartarus and assassinating the captured Titan Lapetus. To accomplish this goal, Wilson was gifted a god-forged sword where he was confronted by Wonder Woman. (Deathstroke v3 #7) The power of the sword caused Slade to shatter the onyx statue that served as Lapetus's prison whereupon his essence began to gather his scattered body parts to his chained corpse in order to revive himself again. Once reborn, he took his army with the intention of killing the Amazons where he was confronted by Deathstroke who allied with Wonder Woman against the Titan. (Deathstroke v3 #8)
An incident occurred on Themyscira when a multiversal warlord named Brutus arrived from a portal on the island. This saw him attacking the Amazons when he was then confronted by Hippolyta who fought him off and caused him to escape through another portal that took them to Central City. (Justice League v4 #60)
Overview
Notable locations on the isle included:
- Astronomical Observatory :
- Delian Hill :
- Doom's Doorway :
- Cavern of Neekta : also known as the Cavern of Night that held the darkness covered creature known as the Neekta that Zeus imprisoned and purged the world's memory of it except for a few records. (Batman and Robin v2 #30)
- Temple of Athena :
- Temple of The Patrons :
The waters around the island were said to be protected by the children of Ketos Aithiopios that were predator sea creatures. (Countdown v1 #30)
There were said to be records on the island that contained the number of times that humanity had failed to embrace each other and respect the bounty given by Gaea. (JLA v1 #100)
Inhabitants
- Hippolyta :
- Diana :
- Myrina :
- Phillipus :
- Artemis :
- Kaleeza Fashed :
Notes
- Paradise Island was created by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter where it made its first appearance in All-Star Comics v1 #8 (December, 1941).
- It was named Themyscira in Wonder Woman v2 #1 (February, 1987).
Alternate Versions
- In the Flashpoint universe, Themyscira was sunk as act of spite against the invading forces of Atlantis leading to the Amazons conquering the United Kingdom which they named New Themyscira.
In other media
Television
- In Justice League, Themyscira or Paradise Island made its first appearance in the DC Animated Universe television series starting with the pilot episode. It was later shown that an infant child came to be shipwrecked on Themyscira where she was adopted by the Amazons and given the name Aresia.
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Themyscira appeared in the 2011 animated television series in the episode "Triumverate of Terror!".
- In Legends of Tomorrow, Themyscira appeared in the live-action television series set in the Arrowverse where it was shown in the episode "Helen Hunt". Zari took the time displaced Helen of Troy to the island after returning her to her point in history but sent her to live there among the warrior women to be free from the constant conflicts men fought for Helen.
Films
- In Wonder Woman, Themyscira appeared as part of the setting in the 2009 animated movie. It was gifted to the weary Amazons by the Olympian gods following the heavy losses they had suffered at the hands of Ares army. Hera stated that this Paradise Island was an idyllic land whereby the Amazons could live in peace, mystically cloaked from the outside world and never grow old. In addition, Queen Hippolyta and the Amazons were to serve as jailers to the defeated Ares who remained locked away with his god-like power suppressed by shackles for centuries. Such was the state of affairs for centuries until the modern day when a fighter jet brought American pilot Steve Trevor to the island.
- In Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, Paradise Island featured in the animated film adaptation of the comic storyline. Kara Zor-El who had recently arrived on Earth was taken there for training by the Amazons to allow her better control of her Kryptonian powers. Another reason was because Harbinger had a vision that showed the forces of Apokolips sought to kidnap the girl.
- In Justice League: the Flashpoint Paradox, Themyscira is shown in the flashback sequences that show the start of the war between the Amazons and Atlanteans. Initially, it served as the site where the marriage between Aquaman and Wonder Woman was to take place until Diana killed Mera. This saw an aggressive response from Atlantis who invaded the island and saw Diana sinking it to kill the invaders whilst the Amazons fled their home. Afterwards, they conquered the United Kingdom which they named New Themyscira and continued their war against Atlantis.
- In Justice League: War, Paradise Island was referenced in the setting of the 2014 animated film with Wonder Woman said to be coming from there.
- In the DC Extended Universe, Themyscira made multiple appearances in the shared continuity setting.
- In Wonder Woman, Themyscira appeared in the 2017 live-action film where it was the home of the Amazons. It was created for them thousands of years ago and enchanted by the Olympian Gods where it remained hidden from the rest of the world. Once there, the immortal female warriors remained there where they trained and lived in peace. During World War I, American pilot Steve Trevor was being pursued by German forces and accidently passed through the barrier onto Themyscira. The Germans landed in order to kill him but were confronted by the Amazons with many of their number being killed before defeating the invaders.
- In Justice League, Themyscira appeared in the 2017 live-action film. It was shown that after defeating Steppenwolf that the Amazons claimed one of his three Mother Boxes which they kept on a temple on their island. In the modern age, the Mother Box summoned Steppenwolf back to Earth where he emerged in the temple through a Boom Tube and sent forth his Parademons to reclaim the relic. The Amazons fought him and attempted to take it away but failed with their army converging on Steppenwolf but he managed to depart through a Boom Tube in search for the other boxes.
- In Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, Themyscira appeared in the setting of the 2019 animated film. It was shown to be an island populated by the immortal Amazon warriors where at the command of the gods they were to avoid contact with Man's World with this edict continuing in the reign of Queen Hippolyta. A magical barrier surrounded the island that caused anyone that left it to forget its location as a security measure.
Video games
- In Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Themyscira appeared as a playable stages in the 2008 fighting video game.
- In Injustice: Gods Among Us, Themyscira appeared as an arena in the game and part of the storyline. An alternate reality version of Earth saw Superman going mad with grief after he was tricked into killing Lois Lane by the Joker. In a rage, he killed the Joker and established the One Earth Regime with himself as the High Councilor. This world's Wonder Woman sided with High Councilor Superman with the Amazons of Themyscira following her. Due to the Insurgency, High Councilor Superman grew to hate the people of his world as not appreciating his efforts at enforcing the peace and decided to punish them. This saw him decide to level both Metropolis and Gotham with Diana going to Themyscira preparing the Amazon army. The alternate Ares warned the main reality version of Wonder Woman of this plot where she was transported to Themyscira to defeat her counterpart and brought the Amazons to support the Insurgency against the Regime Superman.
- In DC Legends, Themyscira or Paradise Island served as a setting in the iOS video game setting when the characters journeyed their to find where Nekron was hiding himself during his invasion of the mortal world.
- In DC: Unchained, Themyscira was referenced in the setting of the mobile video game.
Appearances
- All-Star Comics v1: (1941)
- Wonder Woman v1:
- Wonder Woman v2:
- Countdown v1:
- Batman and Robin v2:
- Deathstroke:
- Wonder Woman v5:
- Justice League v4:
External Link
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