[CENTER][COLOR=goldenrod][B]C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T P R O P O S A L[/B][/COLOR][color=goldenrod][h1][b]WONDER WOMAN[/b][/h1][/color][hr] [img] https://comicvine1.cbsistatic.com/uploads/scale_medium/11133/111333824/6077963-9k4yaluw4vey.jpg [/img][h3][sup][sub][color=goldenrod]Diana of Themiscrya ♦ Unemployed ♦ London ♦ Unaffiliated[/color][/sub][/sup][/h3][/center] [Color=Goldenrod][INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3]C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T:[/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr] [center][sup][b]"The Blade itself incites to deeds of violence."[/b][/sup][/CENTER][/color] [INDENT][INDENT][i] Millennia ago the Amazons stood as one of the God’s chosen people on earth, a high standard for all others to aim for. Their warriors were mighty, their philosophers wise, and their artists could inspire such emotion that they almost challenged the Muse's themselves. So when the Olympians realised that their time of primacy over the mortals was coming to an end they tasked the Amazonians with choosing one amongst their number to step forth and become humanities champion, a hero that would protect Prometheus favorite children when the God's where gone. Realising the enormity of the task, and the importance of the role, the greatest of the Amazons stepped forward to be chosen. It was decreed that a great contest would be held, and the winner would become the Wonderous Woman that the God’s where seeking for. Among the many prospective contestants was Diana, daughter of the Amazon’s queen, Hippolyta. At first Hippolyta forbade the young Princess from competing, stating that due to her youth Diana did not have the requisite experience for the role. However, Diana beseeched the Gods to intervene on her behalf, and together Grey-Eyed Athena, Foam-Kissed Aphrodite, Dew-Fingered Demeter and Stern-Willed Hera manage to convince the Amazonian queen to allow her daughter to compete. The games lasted two weeks, but eventually Diana stood triumphant. The Olympians assembled to witness her great victory, and soon after combined their might to transform the young Princess into a statue of magical clay, such that she will remain until humanity has greatest need of her. The statue of Diana was transported onto the mainland of Greece, and there she stood, sleeping through the centuries while the fate of the God’s and her Amazonian sisters faded from the ken of man. Eventually Diana’s statue was discovered and transported to London, where she was installed into the British Museum. Several generations passed while she remained petrified, little more than an interesting diversion for half-bored tourists. And then, something changed. All of a sudden, and with know idea as to why, Diana awakes, ready to meet whatever evil it is that threatens mankind, but unsure as to [i]which[/i] evil it is she should be facing. [/i][/indent][/indent] [INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3][color=Goldenrod]C H A R A C T E R M O T I V A T I O N S & G O A L S:[/color][/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][INDENT][INDENT][i] While I write this CS my new daughter sleeps in her crib not five feet from my me. I think of her, and all the things that I can’t wait to share with her as she gets older. All of my passions that I hope one day become hers. Classic rock, Lord of the Rings, writing, the MCU, mountain climbing, revivalist blues, boxing, cooking, video games, annoying her mother, and of course comic books. That’s where this Wonder Woman concept and the story I have planned for her has come from. I thought about what kind of story I hope my daughter will one day enjoy, the kind of tale that would hopefully light the passion in her that we all share, maybe have her saying "I want to be like Wonder Woman", or maybe even inspire her to write her own stories. That's what I thought about, and that's what I’m setting out to write. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll even tell it to her. I’m not going to change much about Wondie’s backstory, at least not the obvious stuff. She’s still going to be a Princess of the Amazons, she’ll still journey into Man’s World and discover herself there. Probably the only real noticeable change will be that she was actually born during the Classical Greek Period and has been transported through time to our present day. I want to use this to explore the evolution of heroism, namely what the ancient Greeks found just and moral, and what we do. Through that exploration I’d like to see Diana develop from a warrior princess into the world’s premier heroine. I want to have her interact with Steve Trevor, Etta Candy, Ares, and Cheetah, Superman, Batman, and all the rest of your characters, and see how those experiences change her. As far as inspiration goes, I’m dipping into a few sources. Greg Rucka and Brian Azzarello for sure, the recent movie version, the Iliad, Odyssey, and a few other ancient poems. My biggest inspiration might actually be Steven Fry’s books about Greek Mythology though. I think his efforts in humanising the larger than life figures from Greek Mythology would be quite interesting applied to the larger than life figures of the DC Pantheon, so hopefully I’m equal to the task.[/i][/indent][/indent] [INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3][Color=Goldenrod]C H A R A C T E R N O T E S:[/color][/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][INDENT][INDENT][i]None at present.[/i][/indent][/indent] [INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3][color=GoldenRod]S A M P L E P O S T:[/color][/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][INDENT][INDENT][i] [sub][u][b]Then[/b][/u][/sub] The swords came together with a metal song, sparks dancing as the blades scraped against one another. The two warriors grunted as their bodies slammed together, each jostling for position, twisting like furious polecats. Diana growled through gritted teeth, grabbing for the other’s wrist, attempting to force her opponents’ blade away and leave her defenceless. Her rival was too cunning a warrior to fall for such simple tricks though. A lifetime of experience provides tricks that youthful confidence struggles to contend with. The grip was reversed, Diana feeling the ground fly from under her feet as she was thrown bodily over the other warrior’s shoulder. She slammed onto the warm sand floor, treacherous breath fleeing her body like cowards from a battle when the tide turns against them. Before Diana could make another move her opponent’s sword tapped against her throat. “Yield.” She was commanded. A fool’s command. Amazonians do not [i]yield[/i]. Her sword was just out of reach, but as good as miles away. The sand though, that was close enough. Just as the plan formed itself in her mind the sword at her throat shifted, almost imperceptibly, pressing down harder, a silent warning. A glance at her opponents’ cold eyes could neither confirm nor deny that she had divined Diana’s plan. She almost stopped then, the fear that she had been out-gambited enough to turn her muscles to marble. Could she risk it, and lose all? No, her spirit wilted. She was beaten, and the only thing left was to admit it. [i][b][color=silver]Winning isn’t just about what you stand to gain, but also about what you are willing to sacrifice.[/color][/b][/i] The wisdom of Grey-Eyed Athena flooded her senses, providing mettle to stiffen a wilting resolve. [i]She[/i] had to stand now, or risk eternity on her knees. The price would be worth it, come what may. Snake-swift she lashed out, one hand grabbing the tip of her foes weapon, sharp steel cutting into calloused skin, sudden punishment for her desperate gambit. Victory had to paid for, and with the God’s grace that would be all the payment required. A flash of surprise in her enemy’s eyes was early reward, though the expression soured further when a fistful of grit struck her heavily. A moment it bought her, and nothing more, but Diana promised that she would not waste it. With a jerk she heaved her foe’s sword aside, feeling the steel bite deeper. [i][b][color=maroon]Use it[/color][/b][/i] roared battle-proud Ares, [i][b][color=maroon]let it fuel you! Let nothing stop you![/color][/b][/i] To this command, she would listen. A sudden surge and Diana kicked out, stealing her opponents balance out from under her. An eager cry, and she was rising to her feet, letting go of the sword that ruined skin, and struck a titanic blow to the enemy. Was that a joyous clap of thunder she heard, soft in the distance? No time to think, press forward, forward, forward. She [i]felt[/i] rather than observed her foes counterblow. Diana's bracelets, victory captured in God worked metal, moved like a silver blur. Another crash of thunder, this time accompanied by a rain of broken steel. Amazonian swords did not break easy, but they did break, it seemed. Her rival looked on in sickened horror, but Diana was moving too fast to notice, spinning around the arm that once held a sword that just moments ago had threatened to ruin her far-soaring dreams. Like a dancer, she pirouetted around her foe, left petrified in Diana’s wake. With ease that bordered on divine, the Amazonian princess hooked her hands under her opponent’s armpits, and a quick heave rolled the dumbfounded enemy across her hips and forced her onto the ground, face pressed into the sand. Diana quickly positioned her knee across her foes back, stretching one captured arm out at an obscene angle. [B][I][color=goldenrod]“Yield”[/color][/i][/b] She commanded. She expected the fight to continue. Amazonians do not yield. She readied herself to have to visit some terrible ruin upon the warrior beneath her that would end the fight conclusively. She was wrong. The woman beneath her went limp, the surrender sudden. One moment they fought as enemies, the next they were conquered and conqueror. It was probably the swiftness of the transformation that left Diana with the most questions. “I yield. Let me up daughter.” A moment longer and they were no longer conquered and conquereor, but mother and daughter, facing each other in the open Amphitheater of Hera. They were alone, Hippolyta allowing no spectators to this, the final round in the competition to discover which Amazon would stand champion over mankind. At first Diana had been livid that there would be no audience for her grand victory. Now she understood her mothers reasons, and felt nothing but regret for fighting her so hard in even that minor decree. This moment had been just for they alone. Alone except for the God's. To watch was their right. [color=Violet][b][i]There is beauty in all things. Even in this. Especially in this.[/i][/b][/color] The creamy-smooth voice of foam-washed Aphrodite was like being woken with a kiss. Gentle, soft, and undeniably [i]there[/i]. And she was right, there was a beauty here, but it was a cold, final kind of beauty. Someone had to lose for Diana to win. This, she realised, was the true price to be paid for victory. The hurt in her hand had already begun to heal, tortured flesh knitting swiftly together. The hurt this moment caused her mother never would. With a suddenness that matched the ending of their contest Diana understood she was about to sacrifice something perfect. Something irreplaceable. [color=goldenrod]"I am sorry, Mother"[/color] "So am I, Daughter. So am I." [u][b][Sub]Now[/Sub][/b][/u] Doctor Barbara Anne Minerva listened to the tale the beautiful young woman in front of her wove with rapt attention and an open mouth. It all sounded so [i]fantastic[/i], in all the worst kind of ways. Amazons? Swordfights? Gods? What was this, a bad Game of Thrones rip-off? She would have dismissed it as nothing more than the delusions of a mad woman, if said woman hadn’t been a clay statue standing in the British Museum less than two hours ago. Maybe [b]she[/b] was the mad woman. It was a few moments before Barbara had the wherewithal to respond. “And that was the last time you seen your mother, your home?” A nod was all the response she got, Diana hugging herself tightly, seemingly distracted by her old ghosts. Or maybe she was just cold. She was dressed in little better than a towel, and Barbara’s office wasn’t the warmest. After they were finished here she’d see if she could find the young woman something cosier in the lost and found. First she had to figure out what to do with the supposed-Amazonian. “So you’re here to … what … fight some great evil that threatens humanity?” [color=goldenrod]“Yes, Barbara Anne Minerva. That is my task.”[/color] That left just one more question to ask. “So … What evil?” Diana looked towards her, her eyes big and bright and vulnerable, and in that moment Barbara really could believe she was an ancient princess who had lost everything she had once known and loved to the slow, forward march of the centuries. [color=goldenrod]“I don’t know.”[/color] [/i][/indent][/indent] [INDENT][B][SUP][SUB][H3][color=Goldenrod]P O S T C A T A L O G:[/color][/H3][/SUB][/SUP][/B][/INDENT][hr][INDENT][INDENT][i]A list linking to your IC posts as they're created. This can be used for a reference guide to your character or to summarize completed arcs and stories.[/i][/indent][/indent]