What to Know About Themyscira Before Wonder Woman's Paradise Lost

There's more to the island than its most famous members.

Themyscira is known as the home of Wonder Woman, but there's more to civilization than its most famous member. The nation of Themyscira has previously appeared on television and film, and has appeared on screen several times, including those in the animated series Justice League, Wonder Woman: Bloodlines, and the most recent DCEU films. But with Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman 3 cancelled, and the DC movie reboot, Themyscira seems to be playing a bigger role than before.

James Gunn and Peter Safran announce their new roster for the DCU, including news of a show called Paradise Lost that will be about the Amazons before Diana was born. By portraying the country as more than Diana's home, the new show will be allowed to explore Themyscira's culture and history in a way that's often untouched. But many fans may not be aware of the rich history the DCU has to draw from. Even though the show doesn't have a release date yet, there's a lot that can be gleaned from Themyscira's comic book history, which can give us an idea of ​​what the show's plot will be.

All the Basic Information About Themyscira

any knowledge Themyscira, or Wonder Woman herself, would explain that this is an all-female civilization of the Amazons, closely tied to Greek mythology. What might not be obvious is that the Amazons appeared in Greek mythology long before the Wonder Woman character even existed, though DC did add its own to the story. The most common origin sees the Amazon as the sole of a woman killed by a man, created by the goddess Artemis (sometimes with the help of other goddesses such as Athena, Aphrodite, Demeter and Hestia) ) body reincarnated out of clay. As a result, the Amazons gained enhanced capabilities and combat effectiveness. The island kingdom is called Themyscira and Paradise Island, but regardless of the name, the story is the same. Locations vary, sometimes near the Aegean, Bermuda, or occasionally not rooted in one place at all. Wherever it is located, Themyscira is almost always isolated from the human world. The island is also home to the Doom Gate, allowing the Amazons to protect the world from monsters.

While Paradise Lost can create a lot of culture for itself, there are elements borrowed from ancient Greece, and many more in comics. One of the cultural elements that may appear in the show is the common practice of same-sex relationships. (Of course, what other types of relationships could happen on an island inhabited only by women, but somehow this seemed to surprise people.) Another notable Amazonian custom is rescuing and blessing girls from a man's world As Send Forths do. This process was done by the goddess Thetis, who brought baby girls lost at sea to Themyscira for healing. The Amazons blessed the girls, made them honorary Amazons, and sent them home through Thetis. But perhaps most important to the Wonder Woman mythology is the title itself. While Diana herself won't be alive during the show, there could be a Wonder Woman. This title is given to the greatest warriors of the Amazons. Usually, a contest is held to determine who will be Wonder Woman. Whatever the show is about, it's sure to have enough turmoil to justify the revered title for the champion.

The Origins of the Amazons

By the time of Diana's story, Themyscira was a well-established isolated society, but it wasn't always like that. The earliest settlements of the Amazons would later become turkey. This was in ancient Greece. The all-female city-state, also known as Themyscira, went to ruin after Hercules attacked them. In one version, he stole Hippolyta's magic belt, which Aphrodite gave her, which saved her from getting lost. Furious that Hippolyta fell for Hercules' tricks, Aphrodite abandoned the women and made them slaves to men. Ultimately, Hippolyta pleads for help, and Aphrodite shows mercy, though she makes the condition that the Amazons leave their homes for untouched islands. In another version, after Hercules' attack, Hippolyta turned to Athena for help, and Athena released the Amazons on the condition that she would not retaliate. Both iterations of the story end with Hippolyta taking the Amazons to an island where they found the island nation, named after their native land, based on Diana's story. But in the second version of the story, the Amazons don't leave together. While Hippolyta left for a new civilization, her sister Antiope stayed behind along with several other Amazons to seek revenge on Hercules.

Other Amazon Tribes Outside Themyscira

Eventually, the Amazons following Antiope settled a new city in Egypt, isolated from the rest of the world. Bana-Mighdall, as they say It's full of Amazons, but their cultures are different. They abandoned the Greek gods in favor of the Egyptian gods. Without their connection to the Olympians, the Bana-Mighdall Amazons did not receive the gift of immortality like their Themyscirian sisters. Themyscirian Amazons considered other sects to be barbaric, and when the two sects finally reunited (after Diana became Wonder Woman), there was much discord. One Amazon, Malaga, feeds the division in the absence of Diana and Hippolyta, and maneuvers the two into the Amazon Civil War.

While this was eventually resolved, it was the result of growing tension between different groups at Amazon. While the Civil War itself takes place after the upcoming show's time frame, Paradise Lost could explore the fractured relationship between the two factions. A third group of Amazons broke away from the Bana-Mighdall Amazons and lived in the Amazon rainforest. Founded by Atlanta, the group recognizes gods from the Greek pantheon, Egyptian gods of the Bana-Migdal Amazon, and Inca gods who were worshiped in the region.

What to Expect From 'Paradise Lost'

Since the show is set before Diana, it must center on other Amazons. Hippolyta and Antiope are almost guaranteed as Paradise Lost is described as Game of Thrones, of course, will involve the rulers of the Amazons in political intrigue. Atlanta and Phillips are also likely candidates. The setting excludes the Wonder Girl character, but otherwise, anything is possible. Most named Amazons are traditionally Diana's contemporaries, but their immortality means they may appear.

While the exact content of the series has not been announced, Safran claims the story will include "all the darkness, drama and political intrigue behind this women-only society". Gunn went on to say that the show will answer questions like, "How did this women's society come about? What does it mean? What is their politics like? What are their rules? Who is in charge? What are the games they play? ? Playing with each other to get to the top?" So the origins and fragmentation of Amazonian society seems likely to have been a factor. Regardless, the show will delve into details that Amazon isn't often explored on-screen, and the vague announcements that have piqued the interest of fans are a good sign for the series as a whole.