Flashback images narrated by Warrior Woman
'I was dead. And then I was not' Hippolyta a.k.a. Warrior Woman announces. She reveals that Hela bargained for her soul and the Death-Lords struck a deal. So, she lived and was more powerful than ever before – the gifts of strength and invulnerability, speed and flight were hers to command. But for what reason did the gods grant her those powers? For her rebirth, she owes each of the Gods of a Death a boom – the Twelve Labors of Hippolyta. For Hela, she stood against the Doom Maidens. And now, Pluto urges her to rebuild the ranks of the Amazons – of course she would have done this anyway on her own terms. But Hippolyta does not know the other tasks that will be set before her, but she has come to understand her ultimate purpose – she has seen it in a dream. They wish for her, and for her people, to become their instruments of destruction. They want her to ascend to her father's vacant throne – they want a God of War whose fury will bolster the ranks of the dead.
Present
New Amazonia, night has fallen as Hippolyta tells that story around a small fire where her teammates Dani Moonstar, Elsa Bloodstone and Ren Kimura are sitting along with the human host of Valkyrie, Dr Annabelle Riggs, and Moonstar's friend and fellow New Mutant Amara “Magma” Aquilla. 'And is that what you want?' Annabelle asks. 'Does it matter, Lady Annabelle?' Hippolyta replies. 'Do the newly reborn have any say in matters of fate?' she adds. 'So... that's why you're building an army out here in the middle of the Mediterranean?' Annabelle asks. Hippolyta declares that she is raising a nation – of warrior women. 'I seem to recall you fancying Warrior Women' Hippolyta reminds Annabelle, who smiles. Hippolyta states that the Amazons are her people, her family, and everyone here is welcomed among them. 'I want to see them rise to glory again... not for the warmongering of the gods... but because I love them' Hippolyta starts to move away from the fire, and asks Annabelle and the others to come, 'We do not make war. Tonight – we celebrate!' Hippolyta shouts, and suddenly, fireworks erupt in the sky, turning it brilliant colors, while dozens of Amazons mingle and dance across the steps of a large temple.
Music plays, and Annabelle watches as Ren dances. Magma and Moonstar wrap their arms around each other’s shoulders and carry a goblet of wine in their free hands. They clink the goblets together. 'What did I tell you, Amara? Pretty great, right? Worth the flying horse ride?' Moonstar asks her friend. 'This is... something. It reminds me of home' Amara replies.
Ren urges Annabelle to come and dance, but Annabelle replies that she can't. But Ren pulls her closer, 'Looks like you're doing just fine to me' Ren points out as she moves back, and Annabelle starts to dance. Hippolyta smiles, before turning to Elsa Bloodstone and asking her why she does not enjoy herself. 'What makes you think I'm not enjoying myself?' Elsa replies. 'Watching a bunch of Amazons flounce around like common trollops... waiting for the other boot to drop... or end up planted in someone's backside. That's how I relax' Elsa scowls. 'As long as you are having a good time' Hippolyta tells her, adding that she wishes Misty Knight and Clea could have been here to share in the festivities.
But at that very moment, Misty Knight and Clea are in a room interrogating the young Enchantress – playing a game of “Bad cop / Demonically empowered cop” as it were. It appears that a strange shadow looms behind them, although this could be an effect of Clea's power.
'No matter. There will be plenty of opportunities for them' Hippolyta points out, adding that New Amazonia will be here for eons to come.
Nearby, Ren and Annabelle have ceased to dance, and walking through a garden, they see a green-skinned woman with snakes for hair ahead of them. 'Wow. Just... wow' Ren utters, before announcing that her folks would hate this. 'They'd hate me being around anything so...' her voice trails off. 'Bacchanalian?' Annabelle suggests. 'That sounds dirty' Ren grins. 'You're an adult, Ren. Your parents can worry about you all they want, but they can't control you' Annabelle declares, adding that Hippolyta is the daughter of the God of War, but she's not all about destruction – she is creating something here.
The green-skinned woman turns to Annabelle and Ren and announces that Queen Hippolyta is lucky to have friends like them, as not all of the Amazons share her beliefs. She adds that she worries the days ahead will not be easy for Hippolyta, as some of them crave bloodshed. 'And they can be difficult to control when they don't get what they want. I know'. Her name is Delphyne Gorgon, and for a time, she was the ruler of the Amazons. Delphyne adds that she is sure this little party has rubbed more than a few of them the wrong way.
Ren assures Delphyne that they didn't mean to kick the hornet's nest, to which Delphyne replies 'Please. We're talking about Amazons. They're bound to be upset about something'. Delphyne then opens a tent and informs Ren and Annabelle that they have arrived at their quarters. 'Oh. You mean...' Annabelle begins, looking at Ren. 'Share. Sure...that'll be great' Ren remarks, adding that it is a big tent. But inside the tent, there is only one double bed. They sit on a side of the bed each, not looking at each other, until Ren exclaims 'Huh. Who would've thought. A girl with snakes for hair could be...' she begins, and they both say in unison 'Strangely hot', then burst into laughter. Annabelle nervously tells Ren that she doesn't want to scare her off, but explains that she has a tendency, or more of a character flaw, to fall hard an fast. 'I can handle it' Ren replies, before they start to kiss.
The next morning, Dani and Magma sit on a blanket on the beach. Amazons busy themselves nearby, some setting up tables of exotic fruits. Elsa is still in costume and sits on the sand next to Dani and Magma, while Hippolyta watches from nearby. 'Really... uh... this is too much. I'd be all right with a bagel' Moonstar says, two large bowls of fruit sitting before her. 'Is there coffee? Please tell me there's Amazonian coffee' Annabelle calls out as she and Ren walk side by side to the others. Magma and Moonstar observe them, 'Well, hello, you two' Dani calls out, asking them where they disappeared to last night. 'Hit the sack early, I guess?' Dani asks. 'Really, Dani. You're so mean' Magma utters as she turns to her friend. 'You dated the Devil' Dani reminds Magma. Suddenly, there is a loud rumbling 'WHU -' Hippolyta begins, and everyone turns to the water where enormous mutated sea creatures rise up to the shore, roaring, and two woman float above them. 'Who DARES?' Hippolyta cries out, to which Aradnea exclaims 'Greetings, Amazons! Greetings servants of a dead queen! This is your lucky day!' The Atlantean witch then offers the Amazons a chance to cast aside their false queen and follow one who knows how to quench their thirst for blood. 'Join us!' comes the voice of the mermaid-like Echidna. 'For though you are the daughters of Ares... I've always thought of you as my own offspring!' she reveals.
'Friend of yours?' Elsa asks Hippolyta, who explains that Echidna is the mother of all monsters. 'Ooooh. Maybe this is my kind of party after all' Elsa declares. 'Warriors of Hippolyta! ATTACK!' the Amazon Queen order her followers. 'Rock' Elsa adds as she readies her guns. Annabelle looks up at the monsters, 'Ren – no heroics. Just be careful' she asks. 'You too' Ren replies. 'Get a tent, will ya' Moonstar tells them, pointing out that they have got giant sea monsters to fight. 'I'll take the big one' Magma announces as she switches to her fiery form. Moonstar's Asgardian-New Mutants costume materializes, while Annabelle vanishes and is replaced by Valkyrie, and Ren's razor-sharp ribbons around her arms extend outwards into long claws. 'They're all big' Moonstar tells Magma as the heroes rush towards the approaching monstrosities, with a number of Amazon warriors following them.
The large lobster creature grabs two Amazons with its pincers, while Valkyrie rushes towards it. Hippolyta uses her incredible strength to force the monster's mouth open. 'Brightwind!' Moonstar calls out as her flying horse appears overhead. Magma soars towards a giant mutated sea snail, releasing two beams of molten lava towards it. Riding on top of some sort of large fish that now sports two heads, both filled with sharp teeth, Elsa Bloodstone shoots one of the heads as the fish thrashes about mid-air and exclaims 'This is how the party should have started!' The massive sea serpent creature moves towards the beach and fires something from its mouth at the Amazons on the shore, while up above on Brightwind, Moonstar starts to shoot an arrow at it. Valkyrie's sword is covered in green gunk as she moves away from the now fallen lobster, announcing that this attack stinks of Caroline Le Fay's touch. 'Yes. And she sends her warmest regards' Aradnea calls out, which Echidna suddenly wraps her tail around Valkyrie, causing her to drop her sword, while Echida touches Valkyrie's face and declares that it has been ages since she tasted a Valkyrie's flesh.
'Annabelle!' Ren exclaims as she sees Valkyrie in trouble. Hovering over the water, she extends her razor sharp ribbons, striking Echidna, and causing her to drop Valkyrie. But Echidna manages to grab Ren by her throat and start to strange her – until Hippolyta shoves the massive tooth of one of the sea creatures through Echidna's stomach, causing her to scream, while Ren falls back into the water. 'No. It cannot be. I was promised...' Echidna utters, while Valkyrie goes over to Ren, and they watch the horror sink back into the water. Everyone looks up to where Aradnea hovers over them, 'Enough. We have seen all that we need to' she declares. 'Oh, you haven't seen nearly as much as I'm going to show you, Atlantean hag!' Hippolyta warns her. Aradnea asks Hippolyta to stay her hand, and explains that she is just the messenger – however, her mistress would have a word with them. Aradnea rasies her hand, and a watery image of Caroline Le Fay appears above her. 'Hello, girls' Caroline calls out. 'Le Fay! I knew it!' Valkyrie exclaims. 'Yes, dear. You're very intuitive' Caroline replies. 'You get a gold star. Now...let's get down to business, shall we?'
Hippolyta tells Le Fay that she has no business here. 'Maybe not with you, Butch. But I'm not here for you right now' Caroline responds. 'I'm here for them' she reveals, turning to the Amazons. Delphyne Gorgon and several other Amazons look on, while Caroline tells Hippolyta that she can appreciate what she is trying to do here, and points out she has been Queen of the Amazons for a long time – but they all know that she has gone soft since her rebirth. 'These women...they were bred to make war. Not to defend' Caroline remarks. 'Or worse yet...but the grunts in the Defenders' private militia' Caroline adds, wondering why they should follow a queen who would gladly loan them out for some Asgardian's cause – which is why she has come to offer them an alternative. The Amazons listen as Hippolyta asks them to join her, to heed her promise of all the carnage and bloodshed they desire and so richly deserve. 'Answer only to me... not as a queen... but as she who will lead you to your former glory'. She asks the Amazons to remember when they were feared, and declares that they can be feared once more. The Amazons look at each other, but Caroline tells them not to answer now, of course, and that she can already see the decision playing out across their faces. 'Just hold tight, my Amazons. We'll talk soon'.
Hippolyta responds by angrily punching the watery image of Le Fay. Aradnea drops back into the water, where Echidna has resurfaced. Hippolyta turns to her Amazons and asks 'Is that what you want? Are you nothing without murder in your hearts?' She tells them that if they are going to betray her, to do so now, and if Amazon must go to war with Amazon, then so be it. Valkyrie puts a hand on Hippolyta's shoulder and tells her that Le Fay hopes to confuse her, anger her and sow the seeds of mistrust. 'And she's succeeded' Hippolyta replies. Valkyrie tells Hippolyta that she can't beat her at this game and that her best option is not even to play. 'Have you learned nothing, Valkyrie?' she asks. 'Remember what I said. We are fated. The future is already decided for the likes of us'. With that, Hippolyta starts to walk away from her teammates and the Amazons, the image of her father looming over her.
