Here's Who Lynda Carter Plays In Wonder Woman 1984
Contains major spoilers for Wonder Woman 1984
After an incredibly long gestation period, bolstered by the movie-theater-closing COVID-19 pandemic, Wonder Woman 1984 is finally out. The latest addition to the DCEU is already making waves thanks to its simultaneous theatrical and streaming release — a decision that Warner Bros. has faced plenty of high-profile criticism for — but the majority of fans are just excited to see Gal Gadot's rendition of Diana Prince return for another adventure. Still, for as popular as her interpretation of the iconic comic book heroine has become since her franchise debut in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, she isn't the first live-action Wonder Woman to have captivated audiences everywhere.
That distinct honor belongs to Lynda Carter, who portrayed the DC comics mainstay from 1975 to 1979 in the famous Wonder Woman television series. Her performance as the titular character, while embracing some of the low-budget campiness that one would expect from superhero projects of that era, went on to establish the Wonder Woman show as one of the most inspirational and beloved incarnations in the entire genre. It's unlikely she'll come back to the role in a significant capacity, but that's not to say Carter's time in the DC universe is completely over — as evidenced by her surprise yet welcome cameo in Wonder Woman 1984.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
In Wonder Woman 1984, Lynda Carter brings the legendary Asteria to life
A running theme throughout Wonder Woman 1984 is the idea of what it means to be a hero, and how to reach such a status in an honorable way. To Diana, the core of heroism is putting others — be it those you care about, or strangers in need of a helping hand — before yourself, no matter the lasting effects. At one point in the sequel movie, Diana conveys to a reanimated Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) that, in her eyes, the embodiment of this philosophy is the ancient, legendary Amazonian warrior Asteria.
The story goes that Asteria, donning her set of gold-winged armor, took the brunt of mankind's onslaught, which afforded the Amazons a chance to escape their enslavement to the refuge of Themyscira. Wonder Woman 1984 depicts Asteria's act of selflessness in a brief flashback, although the heat of battle obscures her face for the most part. Thankfully, for those who are itching to know who played the Themysciran idol, the movie's mid-credits scene revealed that the woman responsible is none other than Lynda Carter.
Asteria, who's alive and well in the "modern day", is shown saving a group of pedestrians from a falling flagpole. Afterward, she turns to the audience and says, "I've been doing this all this time" — winking slyly as if speaking directly to longtime fans of her Wonder Woman TV run.
Now knowing Diana's hero is still putting her Amazonian gifts to good use, it'll be interesting to see if Lynda Carter reemerges in her new role as Asteria for future Gal Gadot-led Wonder Woman installments.