Rifan Muazin
The landscape of the Absolute Universe continues to shift beneath the feet of its heroes, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the pages of Absolute Wonder Woman. Following the recent publication of issue #21, written by Kelly Thompson with art by Dillon Snook, readers are left to contemplate a chilling development regarding one of Diana’s most iconic adversaries: the Cheetah. With the death of the previous iteration and the mysterious circumstances surrounding the incarceration of Barbara Minerva, the narrative has pivoted toward an unsettling "evolutionary" threat that promises to redefine the relationship between goddess, academic, and predator.
The State of Play: A New Reality for the Cheetah
In the mainstream DC Universe, the mantle of the Cheetah has long been synonymous with Barbara Minerva. However, the Absolute imprint has consistently challenged these established norms, recontextualizing classic figures through a darker, more visceral lens.
In Absolute Wonder Woman #17, the creative team of Kelly Thompson and artist Hayden Sherman provided a definitive narrative pivot: the revelation that the entity known as the "Absolute Cheetah" was not, in fact, Barbara Minerva. This distinction was confirmed through a sequence depicting both characters in the same space, effectively debunking fan theories that sought to merge the two identities. Instead, the mantle was held by Priscilla Rich—a name that echoes through the annals of DC history, though her Absolute incarnation follows a significantly more tragic trajectory.
A Chronology of Conflict: From Socialite to Pawn
To understand the weight of the current storyline, one must look at the divergent paths of Priscilla Rich. In the traditional DC canon, Rich was introduced as a wealthy socialite whose internal struggles—often framed through the lens of mental illness—manifested as an obsessive, violent hatred for Wonder Woman. Over decades of storytelling, her arc saw her descend into recluse status within the confines of Arkham Asylum, eventually meeting a grim end, often at the hands of her successor, Barbara Minerva.
The Absolute continuity, however, has stripped away the slow decline of the traditional version, replacing it with a more calculated exploitation. In this reality, Priscilla Rich did not merely wither away; she was murdered by Zatara, the father of Zatanna, as part of a cold-blooded scheme to harness magical power to challenge Wonder Woman. This shift transforms Rich from a tragic, fractured villain into a casualty of a larger, systemic magical power grab.
Supporting Data: The Convergence at Area 41
The narrative tension escalated further when it was revealed that the mortal remains of this iteration of the Cheetah were secured by the enigmatic Veronica Cale. Currently, these remains are being held within the high-security confines of Area 41, alongside the imprisoned Barbara Minerva.
This proximity is not a narrative coincidence; it is a catalyst. Cale’s machinations suggest a desperate, perhaps even reckless, attempt to force a transformation. By placing the body of the deceased Cheetah in the presence of Minerva—an expert classicist and archaeologist—Cale is effectively inviting the influence of the gods into a controlled, volatile environment. Given the history of the "gods" in the Absolute universe, this is not merely a scientific experiment; it is a spiritual summoning.
The inclusion of plant-based deities and the historical context of Urzkartega—the god who originally empowered the Cheetah—hints that the upcoming threats may extend far beyond the animalistic. Speculation is already mounting regarding the potential emergence of an Absolute Swamp Thing, or perhaps a more parasitic form of the Cheetah that exists as a hybrid of human ambition and divine wrath.
The Role of Barbara Minerva: From Ally to Architect?
Historically, Barbara Minerva has occupied a precarious middle ground, often serving as a scholarly ally to Diana. Yet, the events of recent issues indicate that Minerva is no longer content to be a passive participant. Following the developments in DC Prime, where Minerva successfully renegotiated her deal with the gods to secure a measure of agency, her Absolute counterpart appears to be taking a similar, if more aggressive, approach.
Minerva is currently leveraging her knowledge of the occult and her deep connection to the history of the Cheetah mantle to navigate her imprisonment. Rather than allowing herself to be a pawn in Cale’s game, she is maneuvering through the "negotiations" with both human captors and celestial entities. Her "upfront" role suggests that she is not merely surviving in Area 41—she is preparing to emerge as something entirely different.
The dialogue in issue #21 between the various forces involved in this power struggle highlights a shift from "abuse" to "mutually beneficial" (albeit terrifying) partnerships. Minerva’s unique position allows her a window into the life, the history, and the tragic failures of Priscilla Rich, giving her a blueprint for how to manipulate the forces that destroyed her predecessor.
Implications: An Evolutionary Leap
As we look toward the future of the series, the question remains: what does the "evolutionary threat" promised for next month entail?
- The Hybridization of Power: The evidence suggests that we are witnessing the birth of a "Cheetah 2.0." This would not be a simple resurrection of Priscilla Rich, but rather a new, optimized predator that integrates the archaeological knowledge of Minerva with the raw, divine-fueled speed and bloodlust of the Cheetah.
- The Fragmentation of the Pantheon: The involvement of the gods in this specific, forced resurrection implies that the Absolute pantheon is losing control over their avatars. If mortals like Veronica Cale and Barbara Minerva can "negotiate" with deities to repurpose their weapons, the power dynamic in the Absolute Universe is fundamentally broken.
- Diana’s Dilemma: For Wonder Woman, the threat is twofold. She faces not only a physical enemy that has been "evolved" to counter her specific strengths but also a moral crisis. If she has to fight a creature that contains the remnants of the individuals she once sought to help or understand, it complicates her position as a protector.
Conclusion: The Horizon of Conflict
The narrative architecture built by Kelly Thompson and the Absolute editorial team is designed to keep the reader off-balance. By grounding the supernatural horror of the Cheetah in the grounded, cold-science setting of Area 41, they have raised the stakes for every character involved.
Whether this upcoming threat is a literal physical evolution or a systemic change in how magic is weaponized in the Absolute universe, one thing is clear: the status quo for Wonder Woman’s rogues’ gallery has been permanently dismantled. As Barbara Minerva stands on the precipice of her own transformation, the line between hero and monster, between researcher and subject, and between god and human, is blurring into something far more dangerous.
The fans who have been following the series since its inception know that Absolute Wonder Woman is a title defined by its risks. With issue #21 serving as a dark prelude to the "evolutionary" climax, the coming months promise to be the most consequential in the history of this young, volatile imprint. Whatever emerges from Area 41, it will not be the Cheetah we once knew; it will be something designed to survive, to evolve, and ultimately, to dominate.
Asro
Muslim
