Wonder Woman #16 (spoilers)

[Outside_85]

Things we learn and see in this issue:
-Why Milan wears a blindfold.
-How persuasive Diana can be.
-A trendy bar quickly filling up with gods.
-Lennox suggesting Orion is intimate with his robot/bike.
-What Cassandra looks like.
-What the First Born looks like when armed and armored.

Overall it is a talkier issue, the fight between Orion and Diana is postponed because they are all there for the same thing and Milan doesnt like it when people fight. Diana however manages to convince him to use his powers, which is as suspected by most; to see through the eyes of flies, all of them to uncover where Hermes took the baby.
The action however takes place between the First Born and Hades' three giants, however the interesting thing is that we get a look at Cassandra for the first time and she has some weird tech in her neck that's either saved her life or keeping her alive.
Zola and Hera however wind up in a bar where Hera cant decide what to get herself, before Ares shows up and suggests gin to foul her mood (so I suppose we know what he's been pouring into himself since his début). Dionysus isn't far behind and lets the clueless Zola know who and what Ares is and is capable of, which makes Zola toss her cookies before Strife shows up to cheer her up.

[sirjustin86]

Cassandra maybe... but I've an inkling that it may be (and I'm sure I mentioned it on the boards before, but can't find the post) Dr. Cyber, from comic vine: "Doctor Cyber is a brilliant venegeful scientist whose beauty was destroyed, she now wears a power suit that gives her superhuman attributes and employs many powerful high tech weaponry. She is considered one of Wonder Woman's deadliest foes."

Would explain the cybernetic neck-brace anyway, and the whole 'brilliant scientist' angle.

[slvn]

Cassandra maybe... but I've an inkling that it may be (and I'm sure I mentioned it on the boards before, but can't find the post) Dr. Cyber, from comic vine: "Doctor Cyber is a brilliant venegeful scientist whose beauty was destroyed, she now wears a power suit that gives her superhuman attributes and employs many powerful high tech weaponry. She is considered one of Wonder Woman's deadliest foes."

Would explain the cybernetic neck-brace anyway, and the whole 'brilliant scientist' angle.

Whether or not she's also a kind of a reimagined Dr. Cyber--and I can see how that could be--I think Cassandra is the sister whom Lennox hurt (who was mentioned in his conversation with Milan last month).

I liked that Diana was the one who realized that the Queen of Roots is Demeter, and that she gets to say "I told you so" about Hera (though Lennox is the first to realize that Hera may be useful in locating Demeter). It's also great, of course, that Diana's basic goodness makes her so persuasive against Milan. And nice to see the way Orion and Wonder Woman are being played off each other.

Is Dionysus right that Ares is there to kill Wonder Woman?

Sounds like Zeus and the First Born had a deal that when Zeus was gone, the First Born could come back. So is the First Born the one to whom Zeus abandoned faith, who can choose to blow the smoke away, according to the oracles in issue 1? And did Zeus cease to exist because he wanted to bring the First Born back for some reason as part of his twisted plan?

[Don-Jack]

Awesome issue. Diana talking about a baby not being bad at birth, and it's how it is raised that makes the difference, reinforces that the Amazons aren't bad!
Milan's power is really cool, and the thing about the baby being able to see him with the "starry eyes" is very interesting.
Awesome fight with the First Born. Cassandra is becoming really interesting. And YES! THE GORE IS BACK!!!
Finally, funny stuff in the bar. I guess Dionysius is lying about Ares' intentions, under Apollo orders. AND STRIFE! I MISSED YOU!

[Desaad]

Best thing I read this week. LOVED it. Orion was perfect. Wonder Woman was perfect. All the gods were perfect.

Yes.

Yes yes yessss.

[wagthedog]

Awesome issue. Diana talking about a baby not being bad at birth, and it's how it is raised that makes the difference, reinforces that the Amazons aren't bad!
Milan's power is really cool, and the thing about the baby being able to see him with the "starry eyes" is very interesting.
Awesome fight with the First Born. Cassandra is becoming really interesting. And YES! THE GORE IS BACK!!!
Finally, funny stuff in the bar. I guess Dionysius is lying about Ares' intentions, under Apollo orders. AND STRIFE! I MISSED YOU!

When you say that this reinforces that the Amazons aren't bad, are you talking about the entire Amazon race, or just a few, because the sex raid thing is a pretty bad negative to overcome

[Auguste Dupin]

Preeeeetty cool.
Seriously, though, those who didn't like it then won't like it now, we don't have an explanation as to what the bracelets do (but then, considering that Diana obviously doesn't know herself, that's logical), but the plot keeps moving foward,and I must say, I'm intrigued. Orion (who is awesome) obviously thinks he has to fight the baby (while it's most likely this "First Born" person), Wonder Woman uses diplomacy again, and with succes (again), Ares is up to something, and that may involve Hera, who will become useful to the gang apparently.
Plus......blood! Guts! Writing!
I wonder what's up with Casandra.

[Auguste Dupin]

When you say that this reinforces that the Amazons aren't bad, are you talking about the entire Amazon race, or just a few, because the sex raid thing is a pretty bad negative to overcome

Actually, what she most likely means is that the Amazons race aren't "bad to the bone", but have more likely been raised to behave....the way they do.

[slvn]

Preeeeetty cool.
Seriously, though, those who didn't like it then won't like it now

True--they especially won't like that Wonder Woman is only on 8 pages or so--but they may appreciate that there aren't many puns.

Actually, what she most likely means is that the Amazons race aren't "bad to the bone", but have more likely been raised to behave....the way they do.

We probably can also conclude based on Diana's reasoning that there must be actual, not only potential, good in the Amazons, because they raised Diana to be good. The tricentennial sex raids are. as wagthedog says, a pretty big obstacle to overcome, but how they act the other 99+% of the time should probably count for something.

Orion (who is awesome) obviously thinks he has to fight the baby (while it's most likely this "First Born" person)

The First Born is not the last of his line, though. Maybe the First Born is going to use the last born (Zola's kid) in some way that will jeopardize time.

Or maybe the baby really is a danger in his own right. The bit about the baby "seeing" Milan and then killing the fly makes me think the baby has more awareness and agency than we would think--maybe he is the reincarnation of Zeus, as a lot of us guessed way back when.

[jabu46]

One of the best issues of the run yet...there is so much going on, so many intriguing things, it's making my head spin in a good way. The gods showing up at the trendy bar towards the end was great, Diana using compassion to get what she wants again was great, the first born is VERY interesting, and Diana and Orion...lol...I bet they're actually attracted to each other. They're a great pairing.

How stupid is Zola though that she can't figure out what Ares and Dionysus are with What she's seen and Hera sitting right beside her? Was she really actually and stupidly about to have another affair with a god unknowingly again?

[Hound of UIster]

Actually, what she most likely means is that the Amazons race aren't "bad to the bone", but have more likely been raised to behave....the way they do.

All cultures are the result of their surroundings. The same is applicable to the amazons. Their environment and way of life just doesn't emphasize the value of life like a Western 20-21st century high energy input society.

Cassandra maybe... but I've an inkling that it may be (and I'm sure I mentioned it on the boards before, but can't find the post) Dr. Cyber, from comic vine: "Doctor Cyber is a brilliant venegeful scientist whose beauty was destroyed, she now wears a power suit that gives her superhuman attributes and employs many powerful high tech weaponry. She is considered one of Wonder Woman's deadliest foes."

Would explain the cybernetic neck-brace anyway, and the whole 'brilliant scientist' angle.

It's more likely to be a new Silver Swan. Cyber is more Dr. Doomish.

[Nyssane]

Great issue.

I'm worried for Hera... she's been my favorite character of this new run so far. So ridiculously absurd. I would die if Cassandra is supposed to be Doctor Cyber. Azzarello is so insistent on using his own new characters (or the gods) that'd it be nice to see a throwback to WW's old rogues.

True--they especially won't like that Wonder Woman is only on 8 pages or so--but they may appreciate that there aren't many puns.

I disagree. I was one of the ones who didn't fancy the first ten or so issues of this run, but Wonder Woman as a character is definitely starting to shine (despite however many pages she physically appears in). There's been enough time for the minor characters (anyone who isn't WW) to be fleshed out as well. I still don't like Zola or Lennox, but I can understand them better. And yes, the fact that the puns are much less frequent also helps the book.

[Don-Jack]

It's funny how this issue (the 4th from the 2nd year, without counting issue #0) reminds me so much of issue #4.

[slvn]

I disagree.

Just to be clear, I agree with you that she shines, and as long as that's the case, the number of pages she's on doesn't matter much to me. I was only guessing that some other readers probably will say that she should have appeared on more pages. The puns are usually a plus for me, but it's fine that Azz went light on them this month.

Diana and Orion...lol...I bet they're actually attracted to each other.

Yeah--I thought Orion was implying that when he said that it was "understandable" that Diana (aka "Legs") wanted to "jump at" him, but it would have to wait for later. I wouldn't call this a pun, exactly but Orion chooses to hear a double entendre. Or maybe it's me choosing to hear a double entendre. :)

[Outside_85]

Yeah--I thought Orion was implying that when he said that it was "understandable" that Diana (aka "Legs") wanted to "jump at" him, but it would have to wait for later. I wouldn't call this a pun, exactly but Orion chooses to hear a double entendre. Or maybe it's me choosing to hear a double entendre. :)

At his core (even before FP), couldn't Orion be considered the New Gods equal of Heracles; as in the Hero God, who keeps the rest of them safe from monsters and mad counterparts, the one with a reputation and so on. So perhaps it is not entirely unreasonable to think that Orion might not believe a woman could be his equal in the spot he usually shines in.