The Plane Crash And A Glimpse Of Diana
Very soon, Diana (Gal Gadot) is all grown up and training with the Amazonian Warriors, under the mentorship of Antiope (Robin Wright). She’s confused by the unusual abilities she seems to have though, which set her apart from her fellow warriors. As she heads to a clifftop viewpoint to clear her head and gather her thoughts, a propeller plane suddenly bursts through the protective energy shield that hides Themyscira from the view of the world, and it crashes into the ocean.
Without hesitation, Diana dives from the cliff into the water and swims at speed toward the stricken aircraft. Inside, an airman struggles to free himself from his seat and begins to sink with the wreckage as the fuselage splits from the tail end of the plane. As he descends through the water, he sees the outline of the tail resting on the surface, and can suddenly make out a figure standing on it, watching him.
This is a beautiful, fleeting moment that’s a feast for the eyes and also shifts our relationship with Diana. It’s the first time that we see her through the eyes of an outsider, and she appears as an unclear, vaguely human shaped outline – distorted by the currents of the deepening water. The airman – later revealed to be Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) – is unable to make out any detail, since she’s standing against the light. This creates a sense of distance and detachment which contrasts with the closeness we’ve felt to her up to this point. But, despite this feeling of apprehension on his part – caused by a lack of knowledge and understanding about who or what she is – the mere fact of her presence provides a feeling of hope in what’s doubtless a terrifying moment for him, which is a precursor for the way in which she’s first perceived upon arrival in Man’s World.
This moment also gives us a visually spectacular scene. Themyscira is a notably colourful and aesthetically rich setting – filled with blue and gold hues, and bathed in glorious sunshine. We’ve enjoyed, up until this point, this unusual palette – but Steve Trevor’s descent through the depths offers the first disruption of that artistic clarity. He’s penetrated the sanctity of the Amazon’s hidden location, and this is mirrored in the visual distortions offered by the waters into which he’s crashed.