Amazons. What are they?

[a13506]

So Wonder Woman comes from the amazonian society. But what are the amazons exactly? We know that they are immortal, but is it a racial trait or a consequence of living in Themyscira? Because the Bana weren't immortal before moving to the island right? And are they meta human or not? Some like Diana, Donna and Grace, are obviously so, but the others? Are they biologically human or not? Do they farm, mine or such? Because we mostly see the royals, the warriors and occasionally a artist, healer, oracle or blacksmith, but nothing more. Have the Banas ever been portrait worshiping their specific deities (Isis, Neith,etc)?

[coveredinbees]

At least one of them is a librarian.

[artemisboy]

Amazons are not human. They are magical constructs. Originally the Olympian Gods created them from clay, inserted past life souls into them and then transformed the clay bodies into flesh and blood ones. The Themyscirian Amazons are from this first generation Amazon creation. The Banas are decendents of these magical constructs and must carry some trace of this magic somewhere in their DNA, despite the fact they have genetically integrated with mortals for 3,000 years.

Their immortality was never a part of their creation. This came later for both tribes.

- Peter

[dshipp17]

From my various studies of the Wonder Woman comics, I'd say they are a type of human with exceptionally long lifespan. I say that because the Amazons have been injured and fatally wounded by weapons of mortals. As such, the Amazons cannot be immortal, despite claims to the contrary. Nothing in the physical world can harm a being that is immortal, which would include demons; if the Amazons are able to harm the creatures from dooms doorway, than there's something there that's much more than meets the eye, which would likely suggest that the demons are violating some form of taboo, making it appear that the Amazons are able to inflict harm. But that can only be attributed to various facets of God's protection of the mortal plain of existence. That was features that Loebs’ run illustrated so creatively at points, even if it was done inadvertently. You raised a very good question, however. :wink:

[ben c]

"immortal" and "invulnerble" are two different things. not only can immortals like the greek gods and titans be hurt (including: prometheus, dionysius, cronus, uranous, aphrodite, and ares) or killed (uranous), but in the case of aphrodite and ares, they were very badly hurt by the mortal warrior diametes in the trojan war. it's actually one of the coolest scenes in the iliad.

[dshipp17]

"immortal" and "invulnerble" are two different things. not only can immortals like the greek gods and titans be hurt (including: prometheus, dionysius, cronus, uranous, aphrodite, and ares) or killed (uranous), but in the case of aphrodite and ares, they were very badly hurt by the mortal warrior diametes in the trojan war. it's actually one of the coolest scenes in the iliad.

Then think of the creatures I'm referring to, such as angels and demons, as immortal and invulnerable. Of course angels and demons can harm each other, but that's far different from a mortal being able to harm them, so cronus could harm uranous. The various Greek mythologies are sort of an offshoot and misinterpretation of biblical writing (a good example was provided in the book of Acts, when Paul encountered an isolated group of Romans who were worshiping the various pantheons that are associated with the Wonder Woman stories, but they were distantly aware of God, but was referring to Him by another name; they just had no explanation for Him, so they begin to ignore Him in a way). In other words, it's an attempt by humans to make angels, demons, and God far less awesome than they really are; this concept goes all the way back to the time of Abraham, years after the great flood, back to the time of Moses, when the Israelites were left alone for an extended period of time, and then, at various points after that. The constant has been humans wishing God was less awesome, due to lack of patience.

Immortality lends to the conclusion that the being can live forever, with the understanding that various attacks and accidents which could be lethal to a mortal; such will not affect their lifespan. Therefore, if the creature can be fatally wounded, than it has an exceptionally long lifespan which is different from immortality. Immortality implies invulnerability to mortals. There’s just no means for a mortal being (e.g. humans) to craft weapons to fatally wound an immortal creature, notwithstanding the immortal being’s ability to anticipate and defend itself against attack, considering their likely superior intellect and accompanying supernatural abilities.

The desire to one day overcome a leader is an instinctive trait of survival usually associated with humans, but some things are just a bit too far beyond eventual defeat. :wink:

[CarolStrick]

Amazons are not human. They are magical constructs. Originally the Olympian Gods created them from clay...

And humans, according to Greek myth, were also created by the gods, which makes them magical constructs as well.

WW vol 2, issue #1: Origin of Amazons: 1200 BC: "Men WORSHIP the gods -- and THROUGH THEIR WORSHIP, we grow strong," Apollo says at a council of the gods on Mt. Olympus. "WITHOUT their good will, we shall become AS NOTHING in man's world!"

Artemis has proposed that the gods create a new race of mortals to "set an EXAMPLE -- to show man and woman's true place with each other..." She sees such a superior race being all-female (?? Why? Doesn't this negate the whole idea?). Ares counters that the mortals merely need to be crushed into eternal submission by war. Zeus doesn't believe that mankind will ever forget the gods, so he tells everyone to settle the dispute themselves; he doesn't care one way or the other. Hera uncharacteristically sides with her husband.

This leaves Artemis, Athena, Hermes and Apollo to proceed to create this new race, yet the males are left behind for an unstated reason as goddesses meet in Hades. They are joined by Aphrodite, Demeter and Hestia and travel across the River Styx to the Cavern of Souls, also known as the Womb of Gaea, where the "souls of women -- their lives cut short by man's fear and ignorance" spin like lights. [This is an instance of "sad feminism."] "Gaea took them under her care before she LEFT this plane," Athena explains. Though all the five goddess are participating in some way, Athena is singled out as actually triggering the opening of the Cavern of Souls to drop its contents onto Greece.

The souls fall into a lake and take on human form. Hippolyte is the first to rise, followed by the blonde "sister" (that term will be redefined as the series goes on) Antiope, and then a second wave of thousands more. There is a third wave of rebirthed women as well, but this may merely be due to narrative expediency. At this stage we see no non-whites in the crowd, but it may be that the "camera" merely misses them. Certainly the Amazon nation is by far primarily white. (We see the first Amazon of color in the crossing of the ocean to Paradise.)

The five goddesses appear before the nation and give them their mission and gifts: Artemis says, "You are a CHOSEN RACE -- born to lead humanity in the ways of VIRTUE -- THE WAY OF GAEA! Through you, all men shall know us better -- AND WORSHIP US ALWAYS! Therefore does ATHENA grant you WISDOM, that you may be guided by the light of TRUTH and JUSTICE! I, ARTEMIS, grant you skill in the HUNT! [I just think it's often overlooked that the Amazons have superhuman powers besides that of strength.] DEMETER shall make your FIELDS fruitful! HESTIA shall build you a city and warm your hearths and it is fair APRHODITE who grants you THE GREAT gift of love!"

The Themyscirans are given immortality by the gods for agreeing to guard the earth against invasions through Doom's Doorway. When that was finally sealed, the gods kept the immortality thing going.

The Banas got immortality by making an eeevil deal with Circe to massacre the population of Themyscira in their sleep. They failed, but supposedly remain immortal. So far, at least.

Of course Zeus was recently jabbering about how he was going to give the Amazons the peace of the grave, so he may have rescinded the immortality clause and no one knows it yet.

[a13506]

So the amazons are humans(genetically speaking), with magical eternal youth? And their physical capabilities? Meta human or not?

[dshipp17]

So the amazons are humans(genetically speaking), with magical eternal youth? And their physical capabilities? Meta human or not?

You got right on the mark. :wink:

[Freakzeek]

American Terrorists

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/marvel_dc/images/thumb/4/44/Amazons_Attack_1.jpg/300px-Amazons_Attack_1.jpg

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

They are women that live on an Island.

[Xeres]

Shrug. I don't know what to make of the Amazons. I've stopped trying to figure them out.

[dreyga2000]

Shrug. I don't know what to make of the Amazons. I've stopped trying to figure them out.

Ain't it true about all women....:wink: