Trinity has arrived, and this mysterious new heroine is a breath of fresh air. Lizzie Prince is the daughter of Wonder Woman and…well…the identity of her father is a story for another time. And really, the identity of her father isn’t what makes her special. Lizzie is special because of her commanding presence, inquisitive nature and undying bravery.
Some of you might be wondering when exactly Diana had a kid. If that’s you, don’t worry, you didn’t miss an issue. So far, Trinity has only appeared in brief flash-forwards throughout Tom King’s run on Wonder Woman. Okay, I’m calling them flash-forwards, but the full nature of these Trinity stories hasn’t been revealed yet. Is this the real future, an alternate future, or somewhere in DC’s multiverse? These answers will come in time. For now, like the future itself, Trinity’s story is still being written.
Let’s go over what we do know about Lizzie. She’s the daughter of Wonder Woman. She spent most of her childhood around Jon Kent and Damian Wayne, who she came to see as older brothers. She took on the heroic identity Trinity when she came of age.
Oh, and when she was five years old, she knocked out Killer Croc with one kick. If it wasn’t for Dr. Mid-Nite, the villain probably wouldn’t have survived.
Everything else is kind of a puzzle. In fact, Lizzie’s story hasn’t even been told in a linear narrative. Trinity first appeared in Wonder Woman #800 in a story written by King and drawn by Daniel Sampere, where we see her as an adult alongside Jon Kent’s Superman and Damian Wayne, who seems to have graduated to Batman. We next saw her as a five-year-old in Wonder Woman #3, in an already classic story that gives us some new insight into her childhood.
Through this story, which is called “World’s Finest, Part 1” and was drawn by Belén Ortega, we discover that Lizzie was frequently left in Jon and Damian’s care while their parents were off doing superhero stuff. And although Lizzie is only five, she seems to have complete control over the older heroes. Both Jon and Damian find themselves often exacerbated by Lizzie’s uncontrollable nature. Don’t get me wrong, she’s not a child who behaves badly, but she has an inquisitive nature and a hunger for combat.
(But not a hunger for macaroni and cheese that has crumbs in it. Damian and Jon learn that one the hard way.)
The story is interesting because it sets up a dynamic between the three heroes that would continue into adulthood. Jon and Damian are the primary voices in these Trinity stories, which is a clever choice by writer Tom King. It allows us to see Lizzie through the eyes of two characters we’re already familiar with. On the one hand, getting the Damian and Jon’s perspective means that Lizzie is still somewhat of an enigma to us, just as she is to the boys. On the other hand, we get a firsthand look at the affection the boys have for her, giving us a stronger emotional connection to her.
It doesn’t matter if Lizzie is five, thirteen or an adult, Jon and Damian struggle to keep up with her. Consider the implications of that for a moment. Damian was raised by the League of Assassins, trained under Batman, and survived an assassin tournament. Jon is a Kryptonian who has traveled the multiverse, fought gods and monsters, and was raised by Superman and Lois Lane.
Yet the two of them struggle to keep up with Lizzie, which on its own, says a lot about her.
Wonder Woman #4 gives us some more insight on who Lizzie is, as the young heroine finds herself under the influence of the Black Mercy—the Alan Moore-created alien plant that takes control of an individual, causing them to dream of a perfect life. When Superman was infected in Superman Annual #11, he dreamed of living a blissful life on Krypton alongside his family. What does Lizzie see when she goes under? Damian and Jon assume that it’s visions of love and peace, since she’s the daughter of Wonder Woman.
Silly boys. Trinity may be the daughter of Wonder Woman, but this is where we learn how she differs from her mother.
While under the influence of the Black Mercy, Lizzie dreams of besting Jon and Damian in combat. This wasn’t an evil fantasy, but it shows Lizzie’s hunger for combat and her desire to be the best. However, like her mother, Lizzie is ruled by love. When the dream versions of Jon and Damian surrender, Lizzie is heartbroken, because her “brothers” would never give up. Yes, she wants to be a better fighter than them, but she loves them dearly. If you have siblings, then you might understand.
All of these stories and more can be found in this week’s Trinity Special #1, which collects all of her appearances. The one-shot also contains a brand-new story by King and Sampere, where we see Trinity interact with her mother for the first time. I won’t spoil how it goes down, but the story demonstrates how Diana’s parenting style differs from Hippolyta’s. It also shows us some of the key differences between Lizzie and Diana, and how each of them approached a key turning point in their lives. Trust me, if you’re as entranced by this new character as I am, you won’t want to miss it.
How will the future of the DC Universe unfold? I don’t know for sure, but if Trinity is a part of it, then the future is looking bright.
Trinity Special #1 by Tom King, Daniel Sampere, Belén Ortega, Tomeu Morey and Alejandro Sánchez is available this week in print and as a digital comic book.
Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Twitter at @TBUJosh.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
