Wonder Woman is one of DC Comics' most iconic heroes due to her quest to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. She's battled mythological beasts, alien overlords, Nazis, gods, and human master criminals, and she often emerges victorious where others have failed.

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During her 80-year run, Wonder Woman has saved the planet and her team by creatively using her demigod powers and divinely crafted weapons. She's consistently proven she'll do what's necessary to protect those who are innocent, giving her the required edge in specific situations.

10 Maxwell Lord Can Only Be Stopped By Wonder Woman

DC Comics' Maxwell Lord holds up a champagne glass and cigar.

Maxwell Lord is a human criminal mastermind and leader of the villainous organization, Checkmate. Lord possesses telepathic abilities that he has used to place powerful superheroes under his suggestive control.

In Wonder Woman Volume 2 #219 by Greg Rucka, Mark Propst, Dexter Vines, David Lopez, Rags Morales, and Nelson DeCastro, Lord combats the Justice League by placing Superman under his influence. Wonder Woman was ultimately the only person who could stop him, using her lasso of truth and lack of aversion to killing.

9 Defeating Medusa Required A Sacrifice Only Wonder Woman Could Make

Wonder Woman Holds Up The Severed Head Of Medusa

Medusa is one of the most rarely seen villains in the DC Comics Universe. However, she is the most frightening and unrelenting adversary imaginable. Unique in her villainy, Medusa strikes at those closest to Wonder Woman, forcing Diana to make major decisions under desperate measures.

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In Wonder Woman Volume 2 #210 by Greg Rucka, Richard and Tanya Horie, Drew Johnson, and Ray Snyder, Medusa challenges Wonder Woman to a fight to the death at Yankee Stadium after she murders Diana's eight-year-old friend by turning him into stone. The gorgon tells Wonder Woman that she will turn those watching into stone via live broadcast if she refuses to fight. Wonder Woman battles Medusa blindfolded until her mask is ripped off. In that split second, Wonder Woman gouges her own eyes out before decapitating her foe in one fail swoop.

8 Only Wonder Woman Can Stop Doctor Poison's Venomous Spread

Doctor Poison Masked Up And Looking Vengeful

Doctor Poison isn't physically imposing, however, she is one of the most powerful adversaries in the DC Comics Universe. This underrated villain first appeared in Sensation Comics Volume One #2 by William Moulton Marston, Sheldon Mayer, and Harry G. Peter, but was later fully introduced in Wonder Woman Volume Two #151.

Doctor Poison is a former Nazi scientist who revels in killing innocent people. Because of how Doctor Poison operates, Wonder Woman often needs to be in multiple different places in order to defeat her. While traveling quickly is easier for The Flash or Superman, only Wonder Woman has supernatural immunity that protects her from Doctor Poison's venomous skin.

7 Circe Is An Immortal Witch With Vast Abilities Only Wonder Woman Can Match

An image of Circe, grinning with a menacing smirk as she activates her powers in DC Comics

Circe, like her counterpart in Greek mythology, is one of the most dangerous female villains in the DC Comics Universe. She is an ancient witch more than five thousand years old who made a blood pact with Hecate, the mother of all magic in the multiverse.

Besides immortality, Circe can slow down time, mind control, teleport, create magic shields and control the dead. Despite the Justice League battling her on multiple occasions, the only person able to truly beat her is Wonder Woman. This is because, at the time of her pact, Hecate placed a portion of her power inside both her and Diana, making the two mortal enemies and the only ones who can stop one another.

6 The White Magician Challenges Wonder Woman On Multiple LevelsThe White Magician Reeling With Anger After Being Covered In Arrows

The White Magician was once a hero who worked off and on with Wonder Woman on several occasions. However, as he grew older, his magic-wielding abilities diminished. He successfully trapped Wonder Woman in space for several months, which allowed him to devise a plan to boost his mystical powers. In Wonder Woman Volume Two #100 by William Messner-Loebs, Patricia Mulvihill and Mike Deodato Jr., The White Magician sold his soul for increased power.

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The exchange transformed the White Magician from a man into a demonic-looking figure. Wonder Woman escaped her space prison with the help of fellow Amazon, Artemis, and donned the gauntlets of Atlas which granted its wielder increased strength times ten. Diana's access to divinely crafted weaponry proved useful as this ultimately became the instrument of the White Magician's demise as Wonder Woman beat him to a fiery pulp.

5 Genocide Is An Organic Biological Weapon And Rival's Wonder Woman's Strength

Genocide Strikes A Pose In DC Comics

First Appearing in DC Universe #0 by Gail Simone and Aaron Lopresti, Genocide was created by the villain Cheetah, using soil from places on earth where genocides have taken place. She created Genocide as a biological weapon capable of killing members of the Justice League.

Genocide was invulnerable to most physical based attacks and equaled Wonder Woman in strength and durability. The creature nearly defeated Wonder Woman by surgically grafting her Lasso of Truth to her body. However, Diana narrowly escaped and stopped the powerful killer.

4 Grail's Demigod Status Means Only Wonder Woman Can Defeat Her

An image of comic art depicting Grail from DC Comics

Grail is a demigod similar to Wonder Woman. She is the daughter of the New God, Darkseid, and the Amazon Myrina. Grail helps boost Darkseid's power by killing Zeus and his other demigod children and later absorbing their powers. She is a brutal combatant with incredible strength and speed.

In a meeting with the Justice League, Grail bested Superman, The Flash, and Green Lantern using a combination of hand-to-hand combat, energy manipulation, and teleportation. Wonder Woman finally restrained her, ending the fight. However, Grail escaped using Boom Tube. Since the two shared a similar DNA, Wonder Woman was only of the only League members who could truly stand toe-to-toe with Grail.

3 Wonder Woman Is Most Familiar With Cheetah's Strengths

Cheetah slashes Wonder Woman with the Godkiller sword

Veronica Cale might be Wonder Woman's archenemy, but Cheetah is her biggest rival. Her ruthless strength, speed, and feral fighting ability often gives her an edge over Wonder Woman who simply doesn't want to hurt her former friend.

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Cheetah was once a human archeologist and scientist who was transformed by an African deity when she made a barter for powerful abilities and immortality. She matched the Flash in speed and even defeated him on several occasions. Cheetah also bested Superman using her magical and poisonous claws. Wonder Woman typically had to work outside of the box to defeat Cheetah.

2 Decay Can Only Be Defeated Using Wonder Woman's Unique Power

Decay Pin Up By George Perez

Decay first appeared as a Wonder Woman villain in the pages of Wonder Woman Volume Two #4 by Len Wein, George Perez, Bruce D. Patterson, and Tatjana Wood. In the issue, Ares teamed with Medusa and her daughter Decay to wreak havoc in Boston.

Decay feeds off of death and rage by rapidly aging those around her. She accomplishes this feat by siphoning the life force of others. Wonder Woman defeated Decay by countering her siphoning abilities, using her own unique ability to harness the planet's life force kinetically.

1 Wonder Woman Has An Advantage When Battling The Upside-Down Man

The Upside-Down Man licks his lips in DC Comics

The Upside-Down Man was one of the first magical beings who came into existence at the same time as Hecate. He is made of Dark Magic while Hecate is composed of light. The two are separated by a veil that was created to keep them both on opposite sides of the multiverse.

Besides being the progenitor of dark magic in the DC Comics Universe, The Upside-Down Man has a slew of abilities that make him a formidable and terrifying foe. Wonder Woman's magic ability granted to her by Hecate grants her both the protection and strength needed to war against the wicked being.

NEXT: 10 Weaknesses You Didn't Know Wonder Woman Had