Maybelle Crabtree here. There are an awful lot of superhero movies making their way to the theaters these past few years. Not complaining. Just an observation. They make a bundle of cash for the studios so why wouldn’t they make more of them. Not my cup of tea but somebody seems to enjoy them. If I picked who my favorite superhero, the choice would be obvious: Wonder Woman, AKA Diana Prince.
Saturday Mornings Meant Watching Wonder Woman
I first heard of Wonder Woman when I was a kid. The Saturday morning animated series, Super Friends, to be exact. My Saturday mornings consisted of me curling up on the couch wrapped in a blanket and eating my bowl of cereal while while watching Superman, Batman, Robin, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman along with a variety of other superheroes fight mad scientists and aliens to a peaceful and moralizing ending.
Now I am a fan of Wonder Woman but not of the her movies. In the first movie, set in the wrong time period, Wonder Woman fought the Greek god of war, Ares instead of the Nazis in World War II. And (spoiler alert) Steve Trevor dies at the end of the movie.
The second movie set about 40 years later, in 1984, revealed Wonder Woman still mourned her lost love, Steve Trevor. Accidently wishing on the Dreamstone, Wonder Woman resurrected Steve into another man’s body. Watching this movie shortly after Tom died and not knowing the premise of the film, tears streamed down my face as I identified with Wonder Woman’s grief. My heart leaped for joy watching Wonder Woman and Steve reunited once again. How I longed for more time with Tom. But in the end, (another spoiler alert) Wonder Woman sacrificed Steve to save the world. That is why she’s a super heroine and I’m not. Because I would never give up Tom again.
But what I admire most about Wonder Woman is not her strength, agility, and courage. It is the cool accessories at her disposal. Let me refresh your memory.
Lasso of Truth
First, there is the Lasso of Truth, also known as the Lariat of Truth, the Magic Lasso, the Lasso of Hestia, and the Golden Prefect. It has special powers. It forces anyone it captures into submission, compelling them to obey the wielder of the lasso and tell the truth. Legend says it was made from Aphrodite’s girdle which is why it is indestructible and possesses magical powers. The lasso is unbreakable and infinitely elastic. Wonder Woman twirls it to create air currents she floats on. Or she spins it to emit frequencies that disrupts spells. And it is so strong that even Hercules cannot break it.
Bracelets of Victory
Next, there are the metal cuffs known as the Bracelets of Victory. They are used primarily as a method of defense. They are able to deflect gunfire, blasts, small missiles, arrows, and other projectile weaponry. Also, when the bracelets are crossed in front of Wonder Woman, they form a semi-visible spherical force field twice her height.
Projectile Tiara
Also there is her special tiara which has a two-fold purpose. First it is a throwing weapon similar to a boomerang and is capable of cutting very durable substances. Second, it gives Wonder Woman the ability to understand any language from the past, present, and future. That would have come in handy during my high school Spanish classes.
Invisible Plane or Jet
Finally, she has an invisible plane which cannot be seen by the human eye nor be detected by any form of radar. She uses it for long-distance travel such as into space and whenever she needs to transport groups of people and/or cargo. It is super durable because it withstands underwater pressures, the vacuum of outer space, and the high temperatures of volcanoes.
Could I Be a Wonder Woman?
I spent many afternoons in the backyard during my childhood chasing the bad guys with my roll of string as a lasso and plastic headband as a tiara wishing I was Wonder Woman. But those days are far behind me now. They are fond memories that I look back on with a smile on my face. But now I realize I didn’t need to be Wonder Woman at all or have any of her fancy devices. I just needed to be a mom.
After all, I didn’t need a lasso to know whether my kids are lying to me or not. Their mannerisms, body language, and tone of voice always gave them away. Somehow I deflected those deadly looks and heated words that were hurled at me without any kind of bracelets. Internet searches assisted me in all the latest teen-language slang words. And lastly, my invisible plane was actually a very visible, impenetrable minivan with all the bells and whistles that transported groups of children and their paraphernalia to whatever activity or event that was on the calendar.
In short, moms have their own superpowers and attributes unique to their families and situations. Be proud, moms of the world. We are jugglers of an overbooked calendar but able to get each child to the place they have to be at the time they have to be there. We are a wonder to our families fueled by love and caffeine. Or as Tom always told me with a bewildered look on his face, “You’re a wonder, woman.”
So what do you think? Are you a wonder woman or a wonder, woman. Leave a comment down below and let’s discuss. Maybelle Crabtree signing off.