Prelude to SuicideWomen of the DC Extended Universe

Batman V Superman is over and justice has apparently dawned. Following from the events of Zack Snyders divisive movie, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is beginning to stretch into new territory: a world without Superman.Its long been rumoured that the Justice League movie will see a reinvigorated Bruce Wayne gathering the titular team of crime-fighters. Recent release footage confirms that the grizzled billionairealong with co-captain Diana Princeis indeed trotting the globe in search of warriors to stand against an as-of-yet unnamed big bad. Theres only a glimpse of Gal Gadot in the trailer, but she retains the abruptness that characterised her interactions with the male protagonists in BVS: Dawn of Justice. In their early encounters, Diana Prince breezes through Waynes advances with a superhuman tolerance for chauvinism and arrogance. We dont see Lois Lane, although thus far shes needed the Man of Steel to save her from literally every single situation shes found herself in. Shes stumbled through the previous two movies begging the question, how did she ever function as an investigative journalist before Clark Kent came along? So, Diana Prince steps seamlessly in as DCs new leading-lady. Short of staring gloomily at each other from across a hallway, a crowded room, and a driveway, Wayne and Prince first properly meet at a fancy gala in a museum. He attempts to impress her with his intricate knowledge of black market antiques dealing, but she finishes his sentence in an amusing parody of that age-old lovers clich. This isnt a meet-cute. Its a threat thinly-veiled with sexual overtones. Bruce Wayne physically takes hold of Diana Prince, who allows a small look of affront before stepping in time with him. He whispers in her ear and makes vague suggestions about her dress, while she gets to end the scene with a wonderful dismissal: I dont think youve ever known a woman like me. This line coupled with her only genuine smile in the scene renders his threats and flirtations impotent. Dianas confidence here has nothing to do with sexuality. It comes from real power, without male bravado or postulating. At Lex Luthors fundraiser, Clarke Kent and Bruce Wayne meet in a similar scene which oozes machismo. Wayne emasculates Kent by calling him boy, and Diana Prince turns that phrase on Bruce himself. It hints at a maturity belied by her apparent age, one that has been through begrudging toleration of unwanted touches in public and creepy attention, like those WHO ARE YOU?? emails which Bruce sends late in the movie. Theres an odd dichotomy to Diana Prince thus far in the DCEU: strength reined in by tolerance and masked with sexuality. Its visually present when she arrives as Wonder Woman, meting out more damage to the catastrophic Doomsday than Batman could ever achieve. Yet she does so in shorts so short that theyre lost beneath her corset. Her costume in the graphic novels isnt exactly modest, but this latest iteration of the Amazons armour is utterly gratuitous. It harbours a toxic suggestion that women can be strong, as long as they look sexy while theyre doing it. The first trailer for the standalone movie Wonder Woman compounds this complaint: the Amazons are a core of empowered women who fight in decoratively revealing armour. It might seem unusual that a martial community would leave so much shoulder, throat, and leg bare when designing their combat gearwe have to take it as a given. These films are driven towards the male gaze, even under the guise of feminism. The trailer delivers on every strong-front presented by the character thus far, however. Love-interest Chris Pine grasps towards her through a culture completely devoid of men. Shes seen fighting in some incredibly gritty scenes: trenches, street battles, bar brawls. And she gets to dismiss Pines attempts to control her: What I do is not up to you. She even offers a candid appraisal of the subservient secretary in a post-title sting that seems to set up the feminist values of the film. The sad realisation, however, is that this origin tale goes back nearly a century before even the events of Man of Steel. By the time she listens to the prattling of the museum curator (BVS: Dawn of Justice Extended Ed.) and stoically endures the awkward flirtations of Bruce Wayne, Prince has come to learn what to expect from men and what society requires of women in response: subservience. This tempers her apparent autonomy within her very gender. Lex Luthor praises the strength of Clark Kents handshake in that same stand-off between Kent and Wayne, alluding to the physical strength beneath his veneer. Diana Prince isnt offered that same courtesy. Its been made painfully clear in the marketing campaign of the upcoming Suicide Squad, where Margot Robbies Harley Quinn and a band of DC baddies are teaming up to tackle something even worse than themselves. Yet, while Will Smiths Deadshot is busy punching mattresses, and Jared Letos Joker is driving fast cars; Margot Robbie is mostly picture dancing in cages, bending over, and undressing. Several moments in a single trailer riff off the humour surrounding Harleys sexuality. Her female teammates have relatively eluded that spotlight thus far, but their outfits have been pared back in ways that are similarly as incongruous as Wonder Womans. It makes you think that these women would be fighting naked if the female nipple wasnt considered so offensive. Time will tell if the DCEU will grant justice to its women. When all is said and done, Wonder Woman will be the first female-fronted superhero movie in the current clash of cinematic universes. In 13 Blockbuster movies, Marvel has yet to produce a single movie fronted by a woman. Maybe one day these studios will strike a balance between showing too much and showing nothing at all.