Wonder Woman’s New Girlfriend Is a Second Chance At Her Best Relationship

In DC Comics’ Dark Knights of Steel by Tom Taylor and Yasmine Putri, Wonder Woman has her first Kryptonian partner since her relationship with Superman during the New 52 era. Back in 2016, when DC Rebirth was just getting started, writer Greg Rucka implied that Diana had other same-sex relationships as a young adult on Themiscyra. This revelation officially made Wonder Woman an LGBTQ+ character, which has led to a relationship between Diana and Zala Jor-El—Superman’s sister from a fantasy reality.

Zala recently shared a kiss with Wonder Woman in the second issue of Dark Knights of Steel. This new Elseworlds story conveys Diana’s first same-sex kiss with a known character. In addition, Zala being a Kryptonian reminds DC fans of Diana’s time with the Man of Steel during the New 52. Although Steve Trevor is essentially Wonder Woman’s version of Lois Lane, as she’s spent most of her history in a relationship with him, Zala has the potential to be the Amazing Amazon’s best relationship yet.

Because the Wonder Woman comics by Brian Azzarello and Cliff Chiang from the New 52 era mostly feature her among characters from Greek mythology, joining the Justice League is Diana’s first real introduction to life outside of her comfort zone. From the beginning, she is drawn to Superman, not just due to physical attraction, but because the two are undoubtedly similar. Eventually, Superman and Wonder Woman enter a romantic relationship after sharing a deep talk and a kiss, remote from the rest of the Justice League. In Charles Soule and Tony S. Daniel’s Superman/Wonder Woman comics, the couple explore their unique relationships with humanity together, making each other excellent partners.

Most fans believe Lois Lane is still the best love interest for Clark Kent, especially since Superman and Lois are happily married with their son Jon in current DC comics. However, Wonder Woman’s best partner of all time is still most likely Superman. Wonder Woman learns to be an Amazon in her youth on Themiscyra, but her time with Clark introduces her genuine empathy with humanity for the first time. Clark’s heritage as a super-powered Kryptonian mixed with his pure-hearted, humble, and human upbringing gives Diana a chance to empathize with Superman more than any other character she’s dated. Her learning experiences in the first six issues of Superman/Wonder Woman show Diana’s transformation into a superhero who understands the responsibilities of serving and defending humanity. It’s with Superman that she learns the value of life.

Diana’s relationship with Kryptonians, like Zala Jor-El and Superman, has the potential to give Wonder Woman a clearer understanding of what it means to be a superhero. Unfortunately, Zala’s recent actions have shown she’s nothing like her brother. Dark Knights of Steel #3 shows Zala is becoming more and more like a villain after slaughtering opposing members of a royal family; she has a long road ahead of her if she gets a chance to redeem herself. If Wonder Woman doesn’t bring her back to the path of justice, it’s likely nothing will.

While the version of Wonder Woman in Dark Knights of Steel doesn’t seem as inexperienced as she was during the New 52 comics, Diana is likely able to empathize with Zala similarly to how she felt about Superman. While Zala doesn’t have the same humble upbringing as Clark Kent, nor the giving heart, she still has a set of powers that allows the Kryptonian and the Amazon to relate to each other. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Wonder Woman‘s relationship with Zala will be as wholesome as her New 52 relationship with Superman.

About The Author