The gods of mythology often represent the best and worst of humanity. Some of the stories surrounding these mythical figures are pretty fucked up. I imagine some of them weren't told while in a completely sober state of mind. That's not entirely wrong. An entirely sober mind is not a full human mind in my opinion. That said, there are a number of themes that have played out in these mythological tales that have found their way into stories about Superman and Wonder Woman.
Part of what makes these two so compelling as characters and as lovers is how they represent the ideals they espouse. Superman is the epitome of a male hero. Wonder Woman is the epitome of a female hero. They are the standard by which their peers are measured. And some of the greatest stories about them occur when their peers fail miserably to measure up.
That's what's happening in Strangers In Paradise right now. Superman and Wonder Woman have been trying to build a strong, lasting relationship. They came together after being torn apart by forces beyond their control. Now some of those forces are trying to destroy them. With Superman, it's Lex Luthor trying to prove himself again. For Wonder Woman, it's her sisters and the gods she once served abandoning the ideals that she championed. Neither one of them did anything wrong in making the decisions that brought them together. But to those around them, doing the right thing just isn't enough.
Now they have to pay the price for being in love and making the right decisions. That's exactly as unfair as it sounds, but you won't hear Superman or Wonder Woman complain about it. They will still do the right thing, even if it means testing their relationship and confronting those who gave a big middle finger to the values they champion. The price of doing the right thing is about to get very high for them, but they won't be without hope. It's part of what makes their relationship so compelling. And it's going to be the key to overcoming the challenges before them.
Being the embodiment of an ideal and being in love is supposed to be a challenge. However, in the same way real relationships encounter problems that can't be foreseen, Superman and Wonder Woman will have to do the same. And these are problems that they might not be able to overcome on their own. If they're to have any hope at all, they need to rely on each other and trust each other. That's what makes them true embodiments of modern legend. It also makes them even sexier on so many levels. Nuff said!
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