New Wonder Woman 1984 images reveal a crucial plot MacGuffin
What is Maxwell Lord's greatest wish?
New images of Wonder Woman 1984 seem to emphasize a very crucial plot detail that may actually reveal how Steve Trevor returns from the dead. And it all has to do with a rock.
On Tuesday, Entertainment Weekly released new photos from Wonder Woman 1984, one of which includes the affluent entrepreneur Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) showing archeologist Barbara Ann Minerva (Kirsten Wiig) a mysterious glowing rock on his desk. Previously, Maxwell held the rock in the trailer in quick blink-and-you'll-miss-it flashes.
Comic book fans may recognize the rock as the Chaos Shard, a powerful relic from another reality that can grant a wish to whoever's reflection appears on the surface. It's also a pretty new invention, having made its comic book debut in 2013 in the pages of Batman/Superman by Greg Pak.
Entertainment Weekly's tweets containing some new images of 'Wonder Woman 1984.'
If the Shard has enough energy, the deepest desire of that person is granted. So you can see why someone like Maxwell Lord would want to hoard the Chaos Shard all to himself.
Is the Chaos Shard how Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) brings back Steve Trevor? Recall that ace World War I spy and pilot Steve Trevor died in 2017's Wonder Woman, a heartbreak that haunted Diana for years. (A passing comment from Bruce Wayne in Justice League suggested Diana is still feeling hurt from Steve's death even decades later.)
The Chaos Shard, in its debut in 'Batman/Superman' #3 (2013).
It's not a new theory that the Chaos Shard is the one to "bring back" someone like Steve Trevor because that's Wonder Woman's deepest desire. But with the photos from Entertainment Weekly emphasizing the Chaos Shard so much, it's now more than just a theory. It's now pretty likely that the Chaos Shard is Wonder Woman 1984's story MacGuffin, the plot item that drives the story forward and brings Wonder Woman into conflict with Maxwell Lord and Barbara Minerva, who will transform into the supervillain Cheetah.
Other photos from EW aren't as revealing about the plot but they're no less fun. In one, Diana and Steve have a "date" in a fighter plane flying through fireworks, likely because it's the Fourth of July (which also happens to be the movie's theatrical release). Another picture shows Steve proudly rocking a fanny pack. Ah, the '80s.
A final picture shows Diana at the White House using her Lasso of Truth. If only we could have that tool for real in the real White House. Maybe we can wish it into existence using the Chaos Shard.
Wonder Woman 1984 will open in theaters on June 4, 2020.
