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The two heroes have had their ups and downs throughout history. Our favorite muscular Kryptonian Clark Kent had both strangled and impregnated the Amazon princess Diana Prince in separate stories. And so it’s no surprise that, while watching the Justice League animated series, we get to see what everyone had dreamed of seeing on their television: Superman vs Wonder Woman, punching each other in the face and throwing body parts around like candy at a parade.
It all takes place in part one of “Paradise Lost”, the tenth episode in the first season. Long story short, Diana is black-mailed by the villain Felix Faust to retrieve artifacts. Once The Justice League discovered her dilemma, they offered to help. Along with Superman, Diana recovers one of the artifacts buried beneath a shopping mall. However, it was obvious that something was amiss when she made contact with the object. Suddenly, both of these heroes looked like monsters to each other. This misunderstanding led to a glorious battle of Superman vs Wonder Woman. Diana strikes first, punching Clark across the face, and follows with an uppercut.
Although Superman gets a few hits in, most of the fighting is from Wonder Woman. As she strangles him with her lasso, Clark hallucinates an animal’s tail in its place. Diana then takes a car (which is inside the mall with no explanation) and throws it at Superman, exploding as he is wedged against a wall. She then electrocutes him with some thick wires, kicks and elbows him, then plummets him into the ground. After seeing Wonder Woman’s true reflection in a pool of water, he tries to reason with her. Instead, she punches his head so hard that it shatters the foundation beneath it.
We see the conclusion of Superman vs Wonder Woman when Diana holds Clark up by his neck and demands to know where Superman is. He points behind her at a mirror, revealing that the monster she had been fighting was him all along. In a bit of irony, she was fighting for him, thinking that the monster had taken him.
It’s hard to pin down what is so appealing about watching these two heroes fight each other. I guess they seem to be evenly matched, or at least as much as they can be in a magical comic book fantasy world. This makes them evenly paired for any situation, to be honest. Only with comparable strength and abilities can they have the ability to cave in one another’s face or snap a collar bone.
To watch part one of “Paradise Lost” from the 2001 Justice League show, (the tenth episode in season one) you can head on over to Amazon (affiliate link). Not only will you be able to see Superman vs Wonder Woman, but also the sinister plot of Felix Faust. Oh, and a shopping mall getting destroyed as well.
Why Their Fighting Would Be Troublesome
Let us first take into account the irony that lies within the scenario. Superman and Wonder Woman are well-recognized icons for their impenetrable moral compass and dedication to doing what is right. They are held up as paragons of virtue and the highest protectors of truth and peace. Therefore, it is quite laughable to consider these two engaging in an actual physical confrontation. Just think about how stunned the people of Metropolis would be when they saw their cherished superheroes brawling with each other.
However, let us not overlook that Superman and Wonder Woman have superhuman strength, which is incomparable. Superman possesses the power of flight, super speed, and unimaginable strength; while Wonder Woman is gifted with super agility, speed, and the ability to repel bullets with her bracelets. Such powers bring great responsibility upon themselves, as they are tasked with using these powers for benevolence. Nevertheless, these same powers can lead to terrible destruction in any fight between the two, most likely caused inadvertently by them.
They have distinct backgrounds, with Superman being an alien from the planet Krypton but living as a regular human on Earth, and Wonder Woman being an Amazonian princess from Themyscira. Consequently, they may have diverse views concerning fighting methods since they were taught differently. While Superman can use his strength to overpower opponents with force, Wonder Woman, who is endowed with an agile and sharp mind, can employ her agility and skills of hand-to-hand combat to win battles. Thus, this can result in making the fight more complex and unpredictable at some points.
On top of that, the fact that Superman and Wonder Woman both have an emotional connection would definitely add more tension to the fight. In some versions of their stories, they have been shown as romantic lovers, while in others they may not be, but regardless, there exists a strong bond and a great deal of mutual admiration between the two. Therefore, if these characters were to engage in combat, it would have a deep psychological effect on how their fans view their relationship.
It is important to appreciate the subtleties of this situation in the ever-evolving world of superhero comics, where advancement and innovation are always moving forward. It is very profound for Superman and Wonder Woman to be at odds with one another. What happens here is that it brings into focus the issue of responsibility that comes with having superpowers, as well as their ill effects when applied selfishly or towards revenge. Moreover, it calls into question whether superheroes are forever good guys who share the same perspective because they too can face dissension and strife. This additional layer of depth creates verisimilitude and empathy in their characters, making them more human-like.