There have been several arguments over which superhero is stronger than the other, but these are largely up to interpretation. This is why it’s fairer to consider the social impact, execution of the character, and performance as the benchmark for success rather than in-universe measures of power.
For this reason, the two live-action versions of Wonder Woman come to mind, seeing as these are considered as the absolute examples of female superhero successes. And since both of these are the same character, it’s appropriate to check out who achieved something the other didn’t. With that in mind, here are 5 reasons each to support either Lynda Carter’s version of Wonder Woman or the one in the DCEU played by Gal Gadot.
Gal: Her Love Story With Steve Trevor
This romance angle was executed in such a manner that it fits Wonder Woman’s character development, where her growing love for Steve contributed to her realizing that simply fighting wars wasn’t the answer. Her actions in Justice League as a leader were also brought forward due to Diana realizing that she’d learned leadership qualities through her time with Steve.
The original Wonder Woman also had an association with Steve Trevor, but this only lasted one season before the main character's adventures were switched over three decades in the future, and Steve was replaced by his son.
Lynda: Didn't Have To Rely On Special Effects
Sure, there were still special effects during the Wonder Woman series, but these were only as good as the technology at the time could make them. The everlasting quality of the series surviving around forty years later has been possible because of the genuine action sequences.
We’re not saying the fight choreography was better in Lynda’s version than Gal’s, but the former deserves more points since the impacts of her actions weren’t bolstered by special effects, which we all know greatly contribute toward the experience of watching a superhero.
Gal: Her Version Can Be Considered The Main Character Of The DCEU
Batman and Superman were both characters that had great potential, but Wonder Woman was the one who brought life into the DCEU with her titular film. It’s an enormous feat for just one character to bring an entire cinematic universe back from the bottom, and that was possible because of her solo hero journey.
Only a few films and series have been able to achieve success by bringing in something different from their individual characters, and a franchise the size of the DCEU was something Lynda’s Wonder Woman never got to steer, which makes Gal’s version something of the lead character of the DCEU.
Lynda: Inspired The DCAU Version
The DCAU Wonder Woman was a superb character that formed part of the main trio in the Justice League Unlimited series, and quite a few of her character qualities were derived from the Lynda Carter version.
This Wonder Woman looked, dressed, and even had some of the mannerisms of the 1970s Wonder Woman, which means most of the children who grew up watching the DCAU Wonder Woman only got this character because Lynda’s version had set the legacy for it to be adapted from.
Gal: A Mix Of Dorky And Strong Moments
Most of the positive reception around Lynda’s version is that she had been a strong character, but Gal’s version did one better by having her be an adorable one as well. After all, one can’t realistically be a fierce person all the time, and it brought more layers behind Wonder Woman when she was shown adapting into the human world.
This made the sequences where she did go all out in superhero mode more special because we’d seen the character in her timid mode as well. It also brought in an air of relatability to her, since people understand the challenges there are when struggling to adapt to a new place.
Lynda: She Didn't Need The Justice League To Be Established
While Gal’s solo film was responsible for leading the DCEU back into critical acclaim territory, the fact of the matter is that her launching pad was still attached to Batman and Superman, and the larger Justice League plotline in the works.
Lynda’s version only had herself to establish when she first came into the scene, which is more impressive since the pilot film that preceded the series was only met with a mixed response. This means Lynda’s version built up the Wonder Woman character from scratch and without the need for fellow big names to introduce her.
Gal: Her Action Is Better Executed
This is something you can’t really do much about, seeing as the 1970s obviously wasn’t a time where the Wonder Woman TV series could’ve had the budget to spend on fight choreography, meaning the action was generally one-note in nature.
Gal’s version is a better treat to watch during her fight scenes, seeing as the stunt work behind it is exceptional and the actress herself has done a splendid job in getting into shape and pulling off the fight scenes to bring in a sense of realism.
Lynda: Has A Close Resemblance To The Comic Book Version
The DCEU version has taken its liberties and separated itself a bit from the comic book version of Wonder Woman; this is a great thing, but one could argue that it doesn’t qualify her completely as the superhero that originally came from the comics.
For this reason, Lynda’s version is usually considered as the definitive interpretation of Wonder Woman, since she looks fit for the part. If you were to imagine a live-action version of Wonder Woman straight out of the pages of the comics, then it would be Lynda’s character that will be brought into form due to her appearance, style, and characterization.
Gal: Huge Potential For Future Appearances
It doesn’t feel as if we’ve even seen half of what Gal’s version is capable of, with Wonder Woman 1984 taking place more than thirty years in the past. This means there’s a world of possibility with this character, as she can have more adventures with the Justice League and have a further film set in the present day.
As far as her character goes, we’ve seen Diana learn what it’s like to adapt into the human world and take the reins as a leader, but both of these haven’t yet been embraced by her in full, leaving out stories where we can see Diana truly be in charge of the Justice League and become a renowned figure in the DCEU.
Lynda: She Was The First Mainstream Popular Female Superhero
Of course, there’s no beating the reality that Lynda Carter was always the name touted when the topic of an iconic female superhero came up. The truth is that the 1970s Wonder Woman really did set the stage for future diversity in superhero movies. It is only in very recent times that Lynda isn’t used as the sole example of a leading female superhero; her Wonder Woman carried this burden for quite a few decades, which makes her a legend in this landscape.
Gal had the advantage of social media, the rise of feminism, and a prior solid role in The Fast and the Furious to make her version noticeable, but Lynda pulled all of this off in what was simply a male-dominated genre.