Wonder Woman stands high up in the pantheon of great DC superheroes, easily holding her own against the other big heavyweights of the publishing giant and indeed, the genre as a whole. But what is a good hero without some truly memorable villains to battle against?
The more depraved those wrong-doers who cause chaos and mayhem are, the brighter our heroes shine. Fortunately, Wonder Woman has a rogue’s gallery as vast and as colorful as any of the other big-hitters in the comic-book universe. Let’s delve into the world of Diana Prince, and explore some of her most powerful foes.
10 Giganta
First appearing way back in 1944, Giganta has been a persistent problem for Diana Prince both physically and intellectually ever since. A woman of immense strength and one who can grow to the size of a giant (hence the name), Giganta is also fiercely intelligent and has even been portrayed as a more sympathetic character in recent years.
Her villainy is certainly appreciated by her fellow criminals, as she was once recruited as a member of the Secret Society. An ultra-powerful being with the brains to match? Definitely an asset to any supervillain team!
9 Queen Clea
The Queen of a dying world, Clea of Atlantis is a truly twisted denizen of the DC Universe. Driven by a desire for total power, Clea eventually became the leader of Villainy, Inc., and often teamed up with other villains in her bid for total domination.
As an Atlantean, Clea can breathe underwater as well as on land and is never more powerful than when she’s wielding the Trident of Poseidon. Due to her eternally youthful features, rumors persist that Clea might well be immortal.
8 Veronica Cale
A more recent edition to Wonder Woman lore, Veronica Cale is a ruthless businesswoman whose power lies in both her money and her connections. Cale’s hatred of Wonder Woman is truly personal. She envies the Amazonian Princess, believing that her message of peace and goodwill is facile.
Veronica Cale wants Wonder Woman’s power for herself, and the conflict between the two mirrors that of Lex Luthor and Superman. Despite having no supernatural ability, Cale is a force to be reckoned with. No wonder she was included in the sequel to the 2017 movie.
7 Devastation
With a name like Devastation, there’s no wonder this villain has caused Wonder Woman so much grief over the years. Created by the titan Cronus as a sort of dark mirror of Diana Prince, Devastation (or Deva, as she was known) used Wonder Woman’s friends against her with some twisted games of mind manipulation.
She later discovered that she and Prince share the same DNA, which repulsed her enough to join forces with Doctor Poison, in a bid to create a new breed of monsters to seek revenge.
6 Doctor Poison
Doctor Poison was Wonder Woman’s first-ever costumed super-villain, with a truly disturbing modus operandi. As her name suggests, the depraved Doctor often experiments with various chemicals dangerous to humans, usually while wearing surgical gear and a ghoulish grimace.
Initially believed to be a man, Doctor Poison was eventually revealed to be one Princess Maru, and in later comics, her granddaughter took over the family business. Such is Doctor Poison’s popularity that she made an appearance in the 2017 film adaptation.
5 Circe
Based on the mythological figure who imprisoned Odysseus, Circe is an evil sorceress with numerous wicked abilities at her disposal. She believes (wrongly) that Wonder Woman wants to reclaim her soul, and this drives Circe’s hatred of the Amazonian.
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One of Circe’s most ambitious moves was when she caused a colossal war between a whole host of Gods from across the DC multiverse, hoping to take control of their empires once they had wiped each other out. There is no limit to her power or ambition.
4 Ares
Ares is literally the God of War. He has appeared throughout every era of Wonder Woman history, and was perhaps even central to the birth of Amazonia; the race he hates so much. He created a world of men built for war and bloodshed, where women were treated as slaves.
In response to this, the Goddess Aphrodite molded her own civilization of women on Amazonia, spreading the gospel of love and understanding. Ares is a warmonger through and through and continues to rain destruction down upon the DC Universe.
3 The White Magician
Born Asquith Randolph, the White Magician (as he decided to call himself) claims to have been present at the creation of the United States of America and believes himself to be a descendant of Thomas Jefferson.
He began his career as a hero, before turning to the dark side in a bid to retain a hold of his fading magical abilities. He soon clashed with Wonder Woman when she took offense to his bigoted views and tried his best to steal her power for his own.
2 Cyborgirl
Boasting a connection to a member of the Justice League, Cyborgirl is related to Sarah Charles, one of the women who helped to repair Cyborg. LeTonya Charles was almost killed by a deadly drug known as Tar, before being rebuilt in order to save her life, her vital organs replaced by cyber-technology.
Featuring all of the same abilities as Cyborg, Cyborgirl has a selfish streak which has brought her into conflict with Wonder Woman on more than one occasion.
1 Cheetah
The Joker to Wonder Woman’s Batman, Cheetah is perhaps Diana Prince’s greatest foe of all. The most recognized version of the character is that of Barbara Minerva, a woman conflicted by both her human and animal nature.
Once a friend of Wonder Woman’s, Cheetah blames her former friend for not rescuing her from the dreaded curse that continues to afflict her psyche. Intelligent, agile, and ruthless, Cheetah is more than a match for Diana Prince, with an appetite for revenge driving her ever onward.