DC Just Made a Major Change to an Underrated Villain (And It Makes No Sense)

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In 2025, DC Comics launched a compelling miniseries called Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League. The story centers around the villains Cheetah and Cheshire, who team up to rob the Justice League’s satellite headquarters, the Watchtower. Over six issues, the series delivers a captivating heist plot and explores the dynamics between some of DC’s lesser-known villains. It’s a rare opportunity to see Cheetah take center stage, beyond her appearances in Wonder Woman comics. Unfortunately, the final issue introduces a significant plot flaw that undermines the entire story and highlights a recurring challenge for DC Comics writers: consistently portraying the character of Cheetah.

Cheetah, one of Wonder Woman’s main enemies in DC Comics, doesn’t always get the attention she deserves, unlike villains like Lex Luthor or the Joker. Her story has the potential for both exciting action and deeply emotional moments, as seen in the story ‘Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League.’ Originally, Barbara was an archaeologist and a friend to Wonder Woman, but a dangerous cult forced her to participate in a ritual that transformed her into the wife of a dark god named Urzkartaga. This deity then turned her into the ferocious, cannibalistic creature known as Cheetah. Despite having a compelling look, abilities, and history, a recent storyline has unfortunately highlighted a major weakness within the character.

Cheetah and Cheshire’s Entire Heist is Practically Pointless

Cheetah and Cheshire teamed up and gathered a group of villains – including Klarion, Hazard, Lian Harper, and Featherweight – to break into the Justice League’s Watchtower. They successfully stole a room full of valuable treasures and artifacts, but Cheetah wasn’t interested in the loot. Her real goal was to find the cursed plant of Urzkartaga. Throughout the story, it’s revealed that Cheetah wants to destroy the abusive god who turned her into a beast. Using Klarion’s magic and the plant, she summons Urzkartaga and finally kills her tormentor. With Urzkartaga defeated, the curse is lifted, and Cheetah returns to her human form.

The heist is exciting and full of surprises, but the ending feels weak and almost ruins the whole story. It doesn’t make sense that Cheetah, despite being in so much pain and wanting to escape Urzkartaga’s control, wouldn’t ask Wonder Woman for help. Throughout their history, Wonder Woman has consistently tried to find a cure for Cheetah. She even succeeded in freeing Cheetah from the curse in 2016, but the villain quickly fell under its control again. After that, Cheetah willingly accepted her monstrous side and rejected Wonder Woman’s attempts to help her become human again.

The conclusion feels illogical, especially considering the previous storyline where Cheetah and Wonder Woman teamed up against a common enemy, the Sovereign. That story even referenced their newfound understanding. There’s no reason given for why Cheetah would risk a difficult heist on the heavily guarded Watchtower instead of simply explaining her situation to Wonder Woman and asking for help. She even meets Wonder Woman on the Watchtower but remains silent about her true intentions. Given Wonder Woman’s established compassion and willingness to help others, it’s highly likely she would willingly give Cheetah what she needs to save her friend from Urzkartaga’s curse, rendering the entire heist pointless.

Wonder Woman and Cheetah Have the Most Frustrating Rivalry in DC Comics

As a longtime comic book and movie fan, I’ve always found the Wonder Woman/Cheetah rivalry fascinating. Cheetah isn’t just another villain; she’s been a truly dangerous opponent since she first appeared in the ’80s. What really sets their conflict apart, though, is their history before Cheetah became the villain we know. They have a personal connection that rivals like Superman and Luthor, or Batman and the Joker, just don’t possess. It’s almost like they’re two sides of the same coin – Wonder Woman blessed by the gods, and Cheetah cursed. But honestly, the biggest issue with their dynamic, and something I noticed particularly in the animated film Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League, is a frustrating lack of consistency in how their relationship is portrayed.

DC Comics hasn’t consistently shown whether Cheetah hates or enjoys becoming her animalistic alter ego. Sometimes she desperately seeks a cure for her transformation, while at other times she embraces the power it gives her. Though this internal struggle could be compelling over time, writers often skip over these changes, having them happen quickly and without much detail. As a result, Cheetah’s personal growth and her complex connection with Wonder Woman rarely feel earned or explored. The different versions of Cheetah presented in the ‘Sovereign’ storyline and the ‘Cheetah and Cheshire in the Justice League’ miniseries feel particularly disconnected and unnatural.

DC Comics skipped over explaining why Cheetah suddenly lost trust in Wonder Woman, despite being allies earlier that year, and simply changed their relationship without showing us how it fell apart. Considering their past friendship and Wonder Woman’s efforts to help Cheetah, it feels abrupt to have them act like enemies without understanding what happened. Now that Cheetah is cured and human again, it leaves fans wondering what DC has planned for her. She could realistically try to rebuild a life as a human, but Wonder Woman will likely be surprised – and possibly upset – to learn her enemy has been cured without her knowing.

DC Comics could greatly improve Wonder Woman and Cheetah’s stories by developing a clear, long-term plan for their characters. This would address inconsistencies in Wonder Woman’s portrayal and give Cheetah, a surprisingly compelling villain, the attention she deserves. However, it’s possible the writers will simply repeat past storylines, with Barbara Minerva once again becoming Cheetah through the plant of Urzkartaga, ignoring the complex relationship she shares with Wonder Woman.

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2026-01-13 23:18