Wonder Woman 1984

Diana uses the Dreamstone to wish for her lost lover Steve Trevor. Instead of literally resurrecting him, the stone brings his essence back by occupying the body of a random man who was at the Smithsonian. This allows Steve to return, but in a different physical form.

Barbara uses the Dreamstone to wish for the same strength and beauty that Diana has. The stone grants her wish by transforming her into a superhuman cheetah-like predator with incredible speed, strength, and agility. Her wish essentially makes her a dangerous apex predator.

The film's opening scene establishes that the Amazons value truth, foreshadowing how wishes based on envy and deception lead to monstrous transformations.

Every wish granted by the Dreamstone requires a significant sacrifice. Diana gives up her superpowers while Steve exists in someone else's body. Maxwell's health deteriorates as his power grows. The only way to undo a wish is to renounce it willingly, and the person must genuinely let go of what they wished for.

Barbara's jealousy and insecurity drive her to betray Diana. After gaining powers from her wish, she becomes confident and ruthless. When Maxwell offers her a way to keep her powers and defeat Diana, she sides with him. Her transformation has made her more aggressive and willing to harm her former friend.

Maxwell Lord plans to use a U.S. satellite broadcast system to grant wishes to everyone on Earth simultaneously. He intends to become like a god by fulfilling the world's desires, but the resulting chaos nearly triggers nuclear war between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Diana renounces her wish for Steve, which restores her powers. She then dons the legendary armor of Asteria, another Amazon warrior. This gives her the strength and protection needed to fight Barbara's cheetah-like powers and eventually defeat her in battle.

The Dreamstone is an ancient artifact forged by the god of treachery and mischief, Dechalafrea Ero. It has the power to grant any wish but always extracts a terrible price. The stone has existed for centuries and corrupts those who use it.

Diana wraps Maxwell Lord with her Lasso of Truth and uses him as a conduit to broadcast to the entire world. She shows everyone, through Maxwell, a vision of what their unchecked wishes are doing to the planet. This emotional appeal convinces Maxwell himself to renounce his wish and inspires others to do the same.

Steve's existence was the result of Diana's wish, and keeping him alive required her to sacrifice her powers. To stop Barbara and save the world, Diana must renounce her wish, which means Steve must leave again. His second departure is the bittersweet cost of restoring her abilities and saving humanity.

As a child on Themyscira, Diana competes in an athletic event against older Amazons. After falling from her horse, she tries to take a shortcut to recover. She gets disqualified, and her mother Queen Hippolyta and aunt Antiope admonish her, teaching her that no hero is born from lies. This establishes the film's theme that truth and honesty are essential to heroism.

This early lesson directly foreshadows the film's conclusion, where Diana must give up her wish to save the world, choosing truth over personal desire.

Asteria is a legendary Amazon warrior who, according to history, died fighting centuries ago. At the end of the film, Diana discovers that Asteria has actually been living in secret among humans, much like Diana herself. This reveals another protector has been hiding in the world, maintaining the Amazon legacy.

Through the Lasso of Truth, Diana shows Maxwell a vision of his son Alistair, who has been lost and traumatized by the chaos caused by Maxwell's wishes. Seeing the harm he has done to his own child breaks Maxwell's resolve and motivates him to renounce his wish, ultimately saving the world.