Wonder Woman: New Gods

***Wonder Woman: New Gods*** is a 2011 superhero film, a sequel to *Wonder Woman, Wonder Woman: Cold War* and *Justice League: Siege*. It is the fourteenth installment in the DC Cinematic Universe.

It was directed by Rob Marshall and stars Gal Gadot, Josh Keaton, Blake Lively, Chris Pine, Kelsey Grammer, Farrah Forke, Julian Lewis Jones, and Richard Chamberlain.

## Plot

Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, an agent of A.R.G.U.S. learns of an intergalactic war between the gods of New Genesis and Apokolips. She learns the war could possibly spread into Earth's atmosphere and is assigned to make peace with them along with Agents Steve Trevor, John Peril, and Dale Gunn. However, the four are shot out of space and rescued by Carol Ferris, a Star Sapphire. Together, the five learn that the gods plan to fight until either side is completely obliterated, any casualites, human or god, are accepted. They make it aboard the Genesis gods' main HQ and try to make peace. The leader, Highfather, accepts as long as they help fight the war on their side. Diana disagrees until she learns that Darkseid is the main force on the other side. She agrees to fight.

Diana asks what happened to the old gods. The Highfather reveals he and a man named Uxas are the only living old gods left. They lived on the planet Urgund with the other old gods until Uxas became fascinated with darkness and it absorbed him. Uxas killed his brother who was about to claim the throne, leaving his parents and older brother, the Highfather, in despair. Uxas and Highfather fought over it and eventually tore apart their world. The Highfather built New Genesis out of it's remains while Uxas built Apokolips and became it's ruler. Diana asks what Darkseid did to Uxas to become the planet's ruler. Highfather reveals Uxas is Darkseid.

Diana, Steve, John, Dale, and Carol meet Highfather's adopted son Orion. They learn that Highfather only has regularly trained troops while Darkseid has had Granny Goodness train an all-female team since a young age. Highfather initiates a battle and Diana nearly kills Darkseid's son Grayven. Carol fights Big Barda, the leader of the Female Furies, Granny's team. Big Barda almost kills Carol but unexpectedly stops. Lashina, another Female Fury is angered by this. Darkseid learns from his minion Desaad that ally Metron has arrived to show Darkseid a device he built. Metron reveals the Anti-Life Equation, an equation that can control the minds of others. Darkseid decides he can use it on the Highfather to retreat.

Carol asks the Highfather where Orion's real parents are. The Highfather does not answer so Carol forces it out of him using his ring. After learning Orion is the son of Darkseid she is thrown in the prison and Diana is told she was killed by Lashina. Diana travels to Apokolips and attacks the Female Furies. She nearly kills Lashina but another fury, Bernadeth, stops her. Darkseid's son Scott Free arrives and is punished for leaving by Granny Goodness. Diana realizes Scott is Highfather's son in the trade years ago. Scott learns of this and escapes with Diana. He brings Diana to an underground base led by Darkseid's main commander, Himon. Himon is revealed to be leading a rebel cell within Apokolips waiting for Highfather's call to come out. Big Barda is also a rebel.

Diana returns to the Highfather's HQ where she meets with Orion, who reveals a prophecy stating Darkseid's son is destined to kill him. Diana thinks this means Scott but the Highfather reveals the picture shows Orion. Orion learns of his true heritage and runs away. Diana chases after him and they have sex. Orion realizes that he needs to kill Darkseid and Diana accompanies him to Darkseid. Steve and John find Carol in the prison and free her. She reveals that the Highfather has been lying and the prophecy states that Darkseid's son will attempt to kill Darkseid but will be killed by Darkseid. They ask Highfather why he would keep this from them. The Highfather reveals he has planned for all this. Orion is the son of one of the darkest beings in the universe and he believes there is nothing that can keep Orion from turning dark and he sent Orion to kill him so Darkseid would kill him and end the darkness from reaching Orion. The Highfather attempts to kill them for learning this but Carol escapes with Steve. John is killed.

Diana and Orion confront Darkseid and Orion attempts to slay his father until Darkseid snaps his son's neck. Diana is horrified and Carol and Steve arrive too late. Darkseid sends his forces to the Highfather's base but Himon leads Scott, Barda, and his rebel cell against the Apokoliptian troops. Darkseid is angered by this and Diana learns from Steve and Carol what the Highfather has done and she finds him being absorbed by the darkness, like he thought his son would be. He tells Diana to slay him before he completely transforms. Diana kills the Highfather. His remaining troops are severely weakened. Himon is killed by Darkseid and Diana finally makes peace by showing them what they could be; one planet together. Darkseid denies this and continues fighting. However, his slaves rise up against him and Darkseid, Granny, Desaad, Grayven, and the Furies escape in a ship and they disappear. Diana leads the slaves and remaining gods to New Genesis where she begins a new beginning for the gods. Steve and Dale return home while Carol puts a protection shield over the planet and returns to Zamaron.

In a mid-credits scene, Granny reveals to Darkseid she has found the objects he has been searching for, and they are all on Earth. In a post-credits scene, Barda and Scott are married, while Diana sees Orion in the sky watching over her.

## Cast

* Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman
* Josh Keaton as Orion
* Blake Lively as Carol Ferris/Star Sapphire
* Chris Pine as Steve Trevor IV
* Kelsey Grammer as Grayven
* Farrah Forke as Big Barda
* Meta Golding as Lashina
* Ewen Bremner as John Peril
* Steve Byers as Desaad
* Zak Orth as Himon
* Saïd Taghmaoui as Dale Gunn
* Daniel Dae Kim as Metron
* Phyllis Diller as Granny Goodness
* Ioan Gruffudd as Scott Free/Mister Miracle
* Julian Lewis Jones as Darkseid
* Richard Chamberlain as Highfather

## Reception

### **Box office**

The film grossed $1,341,511,219 worldwide.

### **Critical reception**

On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 311 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10.