Who Is The Brazilian Wonder Woman? Meet 7 Wonder Woman Legacy Characters You Never Knew About

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When comic book fans discuss superhero legacies, Batman and The Flash usually dominate the conversation. The Bat-Family, featuring numerous Robin sidekicks and Bat-Allies, has become an institution. Multiple generations of Flashes have carried the mantle with widespread acclaim. Superman, Shazam!, Green Lantern, and many other DC superheroes have legacy characters. Yet one of DC Comics' richest and most fascinating legacies often gets overlooked: the extended family of Wonder Woman legacy characters.

Over the decades, Diana Prince has inspired warriors, champions, protégés, sisters, rivals, and even successors who have carried Themysciran ideals into entirely new eras. Some have briefly worn Wonder Woman's armor, while others have forged their own unique identities.

Wonder Woman Legacy Characters

Diana's former twin sister and mother once assumed her mantle. Donna Troy, the former Wonder Girl, has a backstory full of canon complications. However, Donna has taken the role of Wonder Woman, albeit briefly. In 2023, when the Justice League was apparently dead, Donna was the Wonder Woman analog when the Titans became the premier superhero team on Earth.

Wonder Woman legacy characters have a deep history in DC Comics lore. Unfortunately, many of these characters remain overshadowed by Diana herself, despite starring in memorable stories and adding important layers to Wonder Woman mythology.

Here are seven of the most underrated Wonder Woman legacy characters and the stories that best showcase their potential.

1. Yara Flor

First appearing in Future State: Wonder Woman #1 in 2021, Yara Flor immediately became one of DC's most exciting new heroes. Created by Joëlle Jones, Yara is a Brazilian Amazon with connections to both Themyscira and South American mythology, giving her a unique identity that differs significantly from Diana Prince.

Including a young Diana Prince, Yara Flor is the last of four characters to use the Wonder Girl mantle. In the 2021 Future State storyline, Yara Flor was the official Wonder Woman of a future DC Comics Timeline. Yara began life in Boise, Idaho, and didn't find out until adulthood that she was born from the union of a Themysciran and a Brazilian river God.

As a Wonder Woman legacy character, Yara has all the powers of Diana Prince as well as the power of hydrokinesis. The striking aesthetic inspiration for Yara Flor was Brazilian actress and model Suyane Moreira.

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2. Nubia

Nubia holds a special place in comic book history. No, not because many consider her the Black Wonder Woman. First appearing in Wonder Woman #204 in 1973, Nubia was introduced as Diana's long-lost twin sister. Nubia as a character is historically important as one of DC's earliest Black female superheroes.

The character's history underwent many changes throughout the decades. Nubia was originally Diana's twin sister, but that history was later retconned. She became a villain for a while and an agent of Ares. In recent years, Nubia has fought under the mantle of Wonder Woman and was the Queen of Themyscira for a short while.

In addition to Diana's powers, Nubia has a special breastplate armor that allows for teleportation. She can turn enemies into stone with her“cold sight.” Nubia can heal her body and rid it of poison and toxins by channeling energy from the Earth.

Recent DC stories have elevated Nubia to leadership roles within Themyscira, finally recognizing her importance within Wonder Woman mythology. Among all Wonder Woman legacy characters, few have a richer combination of historical significance and untapped storytelling potential.

3. Donna Troy

Donna Troy may have one of the most complicated histories in comic book history, but she remains one of the most beloved members of Wonder Woman's extended family. First appearing in The Brave and the Bold #60 in 1965, Donna was either known as Wonder Girl or Diana. Her confusing introduction to readers was originally as the younger sister of Diana.

By the 1960s, during the height of the moral panic by censorship authorities of the era, Donna's origins would change. Donna became a younger variant version of Diana, not necessarily her younger sister. Her origin changes again: she was an orphan whom Diana saved from a fire and took to Themyscira Island.

Donna Troy did not get the official name 'Donna Troy” until Teen Titans #22 in 1969. By the 1980s, Donna's history would change many times. Depending on the era, she has been portrayed as an orphan rescued by Diana, a magical duplicate, and even a cosmic being connected to vast universal forces. Despite the confusion, Donna has remained popular because of her personality and relationships.

Among all Wonder Woman legacy characters, Donna arguably possesses the deepest connections throughout the broader DC Universe, making her an essential figure in multiple generations of stories.

4. Cassie Sandsmark

Cassie Sandsmark, the young, blonde, denim jacket-wearing Wonder Girl of the 1990s, first appeared in Wonder Woman #105 in 1996. Cassie quickly became the canonically second and definitive Wonder Girl for an entire new generation of readers. Unlike Donna Troy, Cassie began as an ordinary teenager fascinated by heroes and determined to become one herself.

In her original comic book introduction, Cassie was the daughter of an archeologist. Cassie took mystical artifacts from her mother, which gave her Wonder Woman-like powers. In later retcons, Cassie became a demigoddess, with Zeus first being her father and then later her grandfather.

What made Cassie stand out was her youthful enthusiasm. She wasn't an Amazon princess or cosmic warrior. She was, at first, before her demigoddess retcons, a Wonder Woman fan who desperately wanted to help. That relatable quality helped readers connect with her immediately.

As her powers developed and her role expanded, Cassie became a cornerstone of teams like Young Justice and the Teen Titans. Her stories frequently explore themes of growing up, responsibility, friendship, and self-discovery.

5. Queen Hippolyta

Most comic fans know Hippolyta as Wonder Woman's mother, but she has also carried the Wonder Woman mantle herself. First appearing in All Star Comics #8 in 1941, Hippolyta has been part of the Wonder Woman legacy characters of mythology from the very beginning. The Greek goddess Hippolyta was the inspiration for the character.

Unlike younger champions eager to prove themselves, Hippolyta fights with centuries of wisdom and experience. She understands the responsibilities of leadership in ways few heroes can. She is Queen of Themyscira and mother to Wonder Woman. In some retcons, Hippolyta is the adoptive mother of Donna Troy.

One of the most fascinating periods in Wonder Woman history occurred when Hippolyta temporarily served as Wonder Woman while Diana pursued other adventures. These stories gave readers a rare opportunity to see the mantle through the eyes of someone who was a queen, a warrior, and a mother.

Most casual comic book fans know of this character through Connie Nielsen's portrayal of Queen Hippolyta in the former DCEU films.

6. Artemis

Artemis of Bana-Mighdall is an Egyptian-Amazonian and a contemporary of Diana Prince. First appearing in Wonder Woman #90 (1994), Artemis emerged as a fierce rival to Diana during one of the most controversial periods in Wonder Woman history. A member of the Bana-Mighdall Amazons, Artemis possesses a far more aggressive worldview than the traditional Amazons of Themyscira.

After the events of 1991's War of the Gods and conflict with demons from another dimension, Hippolyta began having visions of Wonder Woman's death. Artemis later won a competition to become Wonder Woman. Her brash personality and warrior mentality created compelling conflict while highlighting Diana's strengths.

What makes Artemis interesting is that she often challenges assumptions about what a Wonder Woman should be. She is less diplomatic, more direct, and frequently willing to use force when Diana would seek another solution. However, Artemis would later die, fulfilling the prophecy that Queen Hippolyta was dreaming about.

She remains one of the most underrated Wonder Woman legacy characters and deserves far greater recognition.

7. Orana

Among the most overlooked Wonder Woman legacy characters, Orana may be the most totally forgotten. First appearing in Wonder Woman #250 in 1978, Orana was an Amazon who challenged Diana for the right to serve as Wonder Woman in the outside world.

After winning the contest, Orana briefly became Wonder Woman even over the objections of Queen Hippolyta. Orana would tragically lose her life during her first major mission. Diana was able to reclaim the Wonder Woman mantle again. Although her tenure was short, her legacy proved surprisingly important.

The forgotten Orana may also have been a story template for Artemis in the 1990s.

What makes Orana memorable is the concept she introduced. Before temporary mantle replacements became common throughout comics, Orana demonstrated that Wonder Woman's role could be inherited or passed to another worthy champion. That trope was not a common story concept in the 1970s, as it is today.

Her story helped lay the groundwork for later successors like Artemis and others who would follow. Mayling Ng portrays a version of Orana in 2017's Wonder Woman.

The Wonder Woman Legacy Characters of Themyscira

Legacy characters thrive when they bring something unique to an established mythology, and the world of Wonder Woman is filled with remarkable examples. From Yara Flor's modern energy and Nubia's leadership to Donna Troy's heroism, Cassie Sandsmark's growth, Hippolyta's wisdom, Artemis's warrior spirit, and Orana's historical significance, these heroes have each expanded Diana's world in meaningful ways.

The greatest Wonder Woman legacy characters don't exist simply to replace Diana Prince. They enrich her legacy by showing how Amazon ideals can inspire different people across different generations. Each offers a unique perspective on courage, compassion, justice, and strength.

As DC continues to expand Wonder Woman's universe, hopefully more readers will discover these underrated heroes. Their stories prove that Wonder Woman's greatest legacy isn't just one hero. It's an entire family of champions who continue to carry her ideals forward into the future.

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