Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie primarily takes place in two contrasting settings. Themyscira is a mythical island hidden from the world, home to the Amazons and known for its beauty and warrior strength. The other main setting is Washington, D.C., where Diana Prince works as an anthropologist at the Smithsonian Institute, representing the blend of ancient history and contemporary society.

• themyscira
• amazon
• washington dc
• setting
• locations

The film is set in 1984, during the Cold War era. This period was marked by significant political tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, rapid technological advances, and cultural shifts. The 1980s setting brings a distinctive aesthetic and backdrop of global anxiety that influences the story's stakes.

• 1984
• cold war
• time period
• 1980s
• era

Barbara Ann Minerva is a shy and insecure colleague of Diana Prince at the Smithsonian. She represents the theme of transformation, as she eventually becomes the villain Cheetah after succumbing to her desires for power and recognition. Her character arc serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked aspirations and envying others' abilities.

• barbara minerva
• cheetah
• villain
• transformation
• character

Maxwell Lord is a suave and manipulative businessman who becomes a major antagonist in the film. Driven by his yearning for power and success, he obtains a magical artifact called the Dreamstone that grants wishes but at a terrible cost. His character represents the dangers of unchecked ambition and greed, though he ultimately finds redemption through his love for his son.

• maxwell lord
• dreamstone
• villain
• ambition
• character

Themyscira is a mythical, hidden island in the DC Universe where the Amazons live. It is depicted as a paradise of ancient beauty and strength, home to warrior women trained to be the strongest fighters. In Wonder Woman 1984, the island serves as Diana Prince's birthplace and the source of her identity as Wonder Woman.

• themyscira
• amazon
• island
• hidden realm

The film explores several interconnected themes. Sacrifice is central, as Diana must give up her wish to revive her lost love Steve. Transformation drives Barbara's evolution from insecure to the powerful predator Cheetah. Truth is prominent through Diana's Lasso of Truth, which she uses to confront villains and emphasize the importance of honesty. The movie warns that desires, while alluring, can lead to catastrophic consequences.

• sacrifice
• transformation
• truth
• themes
• desire
• wish

The Dreamstone is a powerful magical artifact that appears in the film, capable of granting any wish but with a devastating cost. Characters who use it must sacrifice something precious in return. This object drives much of the conflict as wishes made by various characters lead to global chaos and personal tragedy.

• dreamstone
• magic artifact
• wish
• power

Diana Prince sacrifices her personal wish to keep her revived lover Steve alive. After the world's wishes cause global chaos through Maxwell Lord, Diana must give up her own deep desire to restore balance and save humanity. This sacrifice embodies the film's message that true heroism lies in selflessness and prioritizing the greater good over personal happiness.

• diana prince
• sacrifice
• steve
• heroism
• selflessness

The Lasso of Truth is Wonder Woman's signature weapon, an unbreakable rope that forces anyone caught in it to tell the truth. In this film, Diana uses it to confront both Maxwell Lord and the world, highlighting the theme that honesty and integrity are essential for overcoming personal and global crises. The Lasso serves as a symbol of truth's power over deception.

• lasso of truth
• weapon
• truth
• compulsion

Barbara Minerva transforms into Cheetah after making a wish on the Dreamstone to be like Wonder Woman. Her desire for power and recognition manifests physically, granting her superhuman abilities including enhanced strength, speed, and agility. However, the transformation comes at the cost of her humanity, turning her into a fierce predator who becomes one of Wonder Woman's most dangerous adversaries.

• barbara
• cheetah
• transformation
• superpowers
• wish

The film presents wishes and desires as double-edged swords. While the Dreamstone can seemingly grant anything, the cost of each wish proves catastrophic. The movie argues that unchecked desires, even ones that seem harmless or deserved, can lead to destruction. Only by surrendering personal wishes and embracing truth and sacrifice can characters find redemption and restore balance.

• wishes
• desires
• dreamstone
• consequences
• human nature