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Since the release of the Wonder Woman: 1984 trailer over the weekend, fans have had one question: How is Steve Trevor alive? Did he survive his plane crash? Is he a clone? Is he the Martian Manhunter in disguise? These Wonder Woman: 1984 theories try to answer those questions, as well as other curiosities that may have come up after the explosive trailer.
If you didn’t watch 2017’s Wonder Woman (in which case, who even are you?), Steve (Chris Pine) dies at the end of the film after he flies an explosive plane into the sky and sacrifices himself to prevent a poison from killing the public—or so we thought. The Wonder Woman: 1984 trailer, which was released on Sunday, Dec. 8, shows Steve alive and well as he surprises Diana a.k.a. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) at an event.
“I can’t tell you [how he’s back], but here’s what I will say: We didn’t put Steve Trevor in this movie because we just wanted to put Steve Trevor in this movie,” director Patti said at Comic-Con Experience in Brazil. “When we thought of the story for this film while we were making the first film, a eureka moment came and it couldn’t have been told without Chris Pine playing Steve Trevor. So I promise you it’s not a gimmick, it’s integral to the story, it was incredibly important that we had him and we just super enjoyed it. So it was great having Chris back but it’s also important to the story that I can’t wait for you to see.”
But, of course, Steve’s presence isn’t the only mystery in the Wonder Woman: 1984 trailer. The teaser also introduces D.C. Comics villains Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) and Max Lord (Pedro Pascal), as well as other threats that may prove difficult for our beloved Amazon Princess. Ahead, read up on the theories we can’t stop thinking of.
Wonder Woman: 1984 hits theaters June 5, 2020.
Steve Is a Figment of Diana’s Imagination
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
This is one of the most popular theories as to how Steve is still alive. Wonder Woman: 1984 introduces Max Lord, a villain from the DC Comics who can telepathically influence people’s minds. The trailer shows the character as a businessman on TV who promises that they can have anything they dream of as long as they “want” it. According to CinemaBlend, Max may have tapped into Diana’s “dream” of wanting Steve Back—and thus, brought him back in her mind.
Diana Accidentally Brings Steve Back to Life
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
In the trailer, Max is seen at his desk with a mysterious crystal as his voiceover says, “Now, I take what I want in return.” Several Redditors believe that the crystal is a magic gem that grants wishes with a Monkey Paw effect (a.k.a. serious side effects.) Fans theorize that Diana used the gem accidentally to bring Steve back to life—however, there’s a twist. Instead of Steve returning to his own form, Redditors speculate that his spirit was put into the body of a random person. While Diana can see him as Steve, others view him as someone else.
Diana’s Armor Is to Protect Her From Cheetah’s Claws
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
One of the most badass moments from the trailer is when Wonder Woman puts on her gold eagle armor: a head-to-toe gold suit that allows her to fly and gives her invulnerability in the comics. Given the introduction of Cheetah (who is known for speed, strength and razor sharp claws), Wonder will need something special to protect her, and fans theorize that the suit will provide her with that extra durability to go head-to-head with Cheetah.
Diana and Barbara Met as Employees at a Museum
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
2017’s Wonder Woman shows Diana as a museum curator and art historian. The recent Wonder Woman: 1984 trailer also shows her and Steve at a museum where he makes fun of a modern trash can (more on that later). Considering that Barbara Minerva (a.k.a. Cheetah) is an archaeologist in the comics, fans theorize that she met Wonder Woman as employees at a museum, which is why the trailer shows the two bonding over their experiences with love.
Max Uses a Satellite to Infect the Public With a Virus
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The trailer shows Max in some sort of machine or chamber. It also shows a satellite in space, and fans believe that these two scenes are connected. Redditors theorize that Max will use the satellite via a machine on earth to infect the public with a virus and mind-control them. Many believe that this theory is a nod to George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, which portrays a dystopian future where omnipresent government surveillance is everywhere. The novel’s title also the same year that Wonder Woman: 1984 takes place in.
Barbara Will Become Cheetah With Max’s Crystal
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Along with bringing Steve back to life for Diana, fans also theorize that Max’s crystal will be a crucial part in Barbara becoming Cheetah. According to IGN, Barbara also uses the crystal to make wish, which could be to be as fast and as strong as Wonder Woman. Her wish is granted, but, like Steve, there’s a Monkey’s Paw effect, which could be that her form becomes more cheetah-like and less like a human.
Max Makes White House Security Think Diana Is a Threat to the President
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
One of the more confusing scenes in the trailer is Diana and Steve’s fight with White House security, which shows the Amazon Princess lassoing guards and deflecting their bullets with her cuffs. Why does the battle ensue? Well, some fans theorize that it’s because of Max’s telepathy, which makes the secret service think that Diana and Steve are threats to the president.
Steve Is Martian Manhunter
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Instead of Steve being a dream or back from the dead, this out-there theory believes that Steve is actually Martian Manhunter in disguise. Martian Manhunter (a.k.a. J’onn J’onzz) is, as his name explains, an alien from Mars. The character has the ability to shapeshift, which could be how he looks like Steve and deceives Diana. The superhero is also a member of the Justice League, so his appearance in Wonder Woman: 1984 could be a way to set up his own role in the cinematic universe.
Diana Can Swing From Lightning Because She’s the Daughter of Zeus
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Another badass moment from the trailer shows Diana using her lasso to swing from one lightning bolt to the next. As Insider explains, the moment is from the comics, where Diana has the ability to ride actual lightning bolts. The reason is because she is the daughter of Zeus, king of the Greek gods and the sky and thunder god.
Diana and Steve Will Ride in Her Invisible Jet
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Wonder Woman: 1984 trailer shows a brief scene of Diana and Steve in a plane. The moment seems innocuous until fans pointed out that Wonder Woman was famous for her invisible jet, which Steve, a pilot, also steered in the comics. If Wonder Woman: 1984 is pulling from the Wonder Woman comics as much as fans assume, there’s a good chance that the plane Diana and Steve are riding is totally invisible.