From Zeus to Trinity: The Complete Guide to Wonder Woman's Godly Bloodline
Wonder Woman has one of the most complicated family trees in all of DC Comics. This isn't just because of how large and wide her family stretches, but because that family tree tends to include some contradictions and retcons whenever DC reboots into a new era. It's just the nature of how a shift in continuity can change everything for a character and their lore.
However, that does not make the character's lore any less fascinating. For Wonder Woman, her lineage is littered with characters of godhood and god essence, and depending on the continuity at the time, that godly family makes Wonder Woman a god herself. Sometimes just by association, other times by direct bloodline in her veins. In any case, her big family tree is worth delving into in hopes of understanding it in all of its complicated, intricate glory.
Hippolyta, Wonder Woman's Mom
First Appearance in All-Star Comics #8 by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter
If there is only one constant in DC lore, it is that Hippolyta always has been the mother of Wonder Woman in its main lore, in one way or another. Depending on the writer, story, and era of DC Comics, how Hippolyta bore Diana is different. As one of the first two souls to emit from the Well of Souls, Hippolyta was born to found the island of Themyscira, where she molded a baby out of clay using the enchanted clay of the Gods. The first child of Themyscira would grow up to become Diana, Princess of Themyscira.
Elsewhere, other tales speak of Hippolyta merely having a tryst with Zeus to deliver more of a natural birth for Diana, though that narrative has been discarded as more of a fable in more recent years. The more natural birth was a staple of the New 52 era of DC.
Trinity, Wonder Woman's Clay Daughter
Wonder Woman #14 by Tom King, Daniel Sampere, Tomeu Morey, and Clayton Cowles
The most recent addition to Diana's family tree, the possible futures of Lizzie as Wonder Girl had been seen in previously released issues and backup stories. These futures often depict Liz as having befriended Jonathan Kent's Superman and Damian Wayne's Batman, forming a new age DC Trinity (one where she also adopts the namesake for herself as a superhero). That being said,Trinity does not officially enter the canon of DC until Wonder Woman #14. After The Sovereign kills her lover, Steve Trevor, Diana mourns, but decides that the best way to eulogize his death is to bring new life.
Like her mother before her, DIana molds a baby out of clay using a golden thread infused with the soul of Steve Trevor. Just like that, Elizabeth Marston Prince was born.
Hunter Prince, Wonder Woman's Son
Justice League #26 by Bryan Hitch and Fernando Pasarin
With a name like Hunter Prince, this is a hero who doesn't need a codename, but one who can't say the same is his father, The Darkness. The Darkness is a wicked cosmic entity that infects Diana, and during that infection, she becomes pregnant with Hunter. In this alternate timeline, Diana gives her son to Superman to raise alongside the Kents under the impression that this is where he'd be the most protected, though Hunter felt as if his mother abandoned him merely because he wasn't a female Amazon.
At age 20, The Darkness returns and slays Hunter's entire adopted family. To prevent the Darkness from rising to power, he goes back in time to kill his mother before she's infected. He failed, but was able to work with the League to defeat the Darkness and plunge it from this world. He also makes peace with Diana once he understands why she really gave up her child. He then returns to his timeline, unsure of how changing this one would affect his future.
Zeus, Wonder Woman's Father
First Appearance in Superman #28 by Jerry Siegel and Ira Yarbrough
Truth be told, Zeus' connection varies from continuity to continuity. Not every version of DC's canon frames him as the father who actually birthed Wonder Woman, but if not, he is still viewed as Diana's creator. Much like how he is portrayed in classic Greek mythology, Zeus tends to spread his wings - to put it mildly - with multiple suitors, and as such, he tends to father multiple gods and superheroes across the DC Universe.
In this instance, Zeus quite literally birthed Diana with Hippolyta, though modern DC stories have put a twist on that origin story. Nowadays, in official canon, that story is treated as more of an urban legend if nothing else in favor of once again canonizing being made from clay by Hippolyta. Timelines that accept that an affair between Hippolyta and Zeus gave birth to Diana reframe her as a demigod.
Atalanta, Wonder Woman's Aunt, Founder of the Bana-Mighdall Amazons
Wonder Woman #317 by Joey Cavalieri, Mark Beachum, Gary Martin, Nansi Hoolahan, and Ben Oda
There have been numerous versions of Atalanta within DC continuity, including one that was part of The Pantheon, a supergroup that has been criticized as one of the worst additions to 90s comics. Whichever version that readers lean more towards is up to the eye of the beholder, but at her core, Atalanta has always been Wonder Woman's aunt and Hippolyta's sister.
She also carries the authority to rule over her very own Amazon tribe. During the Bronze Age, she commandeered a lost tribe called the Amazons of the Amazon, while modern stories have rechristened that tribe as the Amazons of the Bana-Mighdall. Much like Wonder Woman herself, Atalanta is often framed as an inherently good-natured hero with the natural skill of a warrior.
General Antiope, Wonder Woman's Aunt
Wonder Woman #312 by Dan Mishkin, Don Heck, Nansi Hoolahan, and Phil Felix
Hippolyta's other sister has origins as one of the original Queens of the Amazon. That same origin varies a bit from era to era within the DC Universe. In the Silver Age, Antiope was a villain through and through, jealous of Hippolyta who, in this world, wasn't related to her. Before being killed during Crisis on Infinite Earths, this Antiope was merely an Amazon general who had plotted to kill Hippolyta.
Alternatively, there is also the New Earth version of Antiope that arrives during the Heroic Age of comics. In this post-Crisis revamp, both she and Hippolyta serve as the two Amazon Queens, both of whom still found conflict with each other. Hippolyta was always the more peace-bringing of the two, while Antiope leaped at the chance dish out vengeance. Their disagreements led to Antiope leaving their Amazon paradise with half of the Amazons following her out of protest.
Astarte, Wonder Woman's Aunt
Wonder Woman #42 by Gail Simone, Nicola Scott, Fernando Dagnino, Doug Hazlewood, BIT, Brad Anderson, and Travis Lanham
Astarte is the oldest sister of Hippolyta, but when she was first introduced into DC Comics lore, she was a villain to her niece. Once the leader of nomads calling themselves The Citizenry, this group first came to the planet Earth 3000 years ago, specifically to Greece. Astarte volunteered to be one of 100 young girls taken away from the planet. She hoped to bring knowledge back to the Amazons, but instead was mind-wiped and trained to become a killer. Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth revealed the 3000-year old memories that were forgotten and deprived of Astarte. In an effort to reconcile with her misdeeds, she goes to Themyscira.
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Alternatively, the current iteration of the DC Universe has framed Astarte as one of Wonder Woman's former mentors during her upbringing on Themyscira. She sacrifices her life to save Paradise Island from an onslaught through the gates of Hell.
Jason, Wonder Woman's Brother
Justice League #50 by Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Brad Anderson, and Rob Leigh
In Greek mythology, the name Jason has always been associated with the leader of the Argonauts, but in the DC Universe, this Jason is best known as The Chosen One. He's Diana's long-lost twin brother, and son of Zeus and Hippolyta. While Hippolyta knew her daughter could easily call home the island of Themyscira, a son would have a harder time on a Paradise Island that forbids males from entering. As such, she entrusted Jason with Glaucus, one of the Argonauts.
Despite being prophesied as the true Chosen One, he did bear jealousy towards a sister who lived among the gods freely, when he was hidden as a fisherman on Earth. These feelings prompted him to betray his sister, which he'd soon come to regret when his actions led to Darkseid killing Zeus.
Ares, Wonder Woman's Half-Brother
Wonder Woman #1 by William Moulton Marston and Harry G. Peter
Ares has battled Wonder Woman dating as far back as her original origins, but framing him as a brother to her is a more recent addition to his character. Both Ares and Diana share a father in Zeus, but Ares was birthed by Hera, the goddess of marriage. Being framed as her brother has helped further personalize the conflict between these two archrivals. It gives Diana all the more of a reason to kill enemies like him.
Their half-brother connection specifically relates to DC's current canon through the Prime Earth iteration. In some continuities, their family tree is further complicated by the idea of Ares and Diana being related, as in New Earth, Ares is actually Diana's grandfather in a world where his daughter is Hippolyta.
Sweetheart, Wonder Woman's Other Self
Wonder Woman #783 by Michael W. Conrad, Becky Cloonan, Marcio Takara, Tamra Bonvillain, and Pat Brosseau
Sweetheart would, technically and essentially, be considered a twin sister to Wonder Woman, but in actuality is a sentient reflection of her from the Mirror World. She was created by the Mirror-World's Image-Maker as a gift to Dr. Psycho to serve as his instrument in the battle against the real Diana. She boasts all of the physical attributes that makes Wonder Woman instantly recognizable, including her signature costume, muscular build, etc. But character-wise, one can take one look at her face and tell that something is off.
This is a far more twisted version of Wonder Woman than ever seen before, but there was once potential for her to reform. In Wonder Woman #790, Diana asks her reflection what her true name is, not the one Dr. Psycho calls her, and she admits she never had a real name. Diana nearly gets through to the opposite Wonder Woman, until Dr. Psycho accidentally kills her.
