WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Wonder Woman #73, from Steve Orlando, Aaron Lopestri, Matt Ryan, Romulo Fajardo Jr. and Pat Brosseau, on sale now.
When DC Rebirth launched, Wonder Woman shocked fans by revealing Diana never actually returned to Themyscira, and that it was all in her mind, thus erasing her New 52 journey. The island still existed, but it remained locked away from existence, which has led to Wonder Woman trying to find a way back to her people.
Wonder Woman #73 finally offers her a potential road home, but it seems that while she might have found a solution, the key lying in the heart of a new, dark version of Themyscira might be tricky to uncover.
Diana's latest adventures lands her, her friend Maggie and Atlantiades (viewed as the successor to Aphrodite as the goddess of love) through a portal and into a realm known as Dimension Chi. At first glance, it looks like Themyscira, but as Diana recalls her experience there, it's a dangerous landscape.
When she was a child, Diana interrupted a ritual by her mother, Queen Hippolyta, and both of them were teleported to Chi. There wasn't a warm welcome, however, as it's a mirror dimension created by her mother that reflected the darkness within her. Here, Hippolyta lived on as a blonde woman driven by war, deeming the concept of motherhood as something that would make her and her legion weak. Without ever having a daughter, she drove the Themyscirans to be bloodthirsty so they could survive as aggressors.
The teenage Diana is imprisoned, because evil Hippolyta thinks they're trying to garner intelligence. Luckily, the real Hippolyta ends up convincing her to engage in a series of physical and mental duels so they can see who's the true leader. They're left to fight to the death in the tiebreaker, only for Atomia and her armies to arrive for war. The two Hippolytas agree a temporary truce and battle the invaders, although it's quickly revealed Atomia is merely seeking revenge, as her region was attacked first.
Diana breaks free from her prison to help her mother out and in the process she takes down Atomia. Thankfully, the evil Hippolyta finally understands what being a true queen means, and she makes peace with everyone. In fact, Diana is angry at her own mother, because she views this dimension as a sign that she regretted having her. However, Hippolyta makes it clear she constructed this dimension only to deal with the guilt of abandoning her sisters, and it has nothing to do with Diana. She had to see how life would have been had she followed through on duty and placed Themyscira first so she could know how to lead as a warrior. They came to an understanding before being teleported home, but this is where Maggie and Atlantiades spot the silver lining.
If Chi still exists, Wonder Woman's mother must still be alive. They believe there's an access point to the real Themyscira, and it will most likely involve reverse-engineering the ritual that permitted the real Hippolyta to create a gateway. It also looks like they're going to have to find the other Hippolyta and her people to help them.
We don't know if peace has been kept in Chi, however, as the queen could have made new enemies. It stands to reason the likes of Ares might also be alive and kicking here, as he was imprisoned on the real Themyscira and guarded by Hippolyta's forces. Either way, Wonder Woman is hoping these folks still hold her in an esteemed light and the kingdom is still intact, ready to aid. It's a last-ditch attempt to find her people but with her friends backing her, for the first time in a while, Diana's optimistic about being able to go home.
Wonder Woman #74 goes on sale July 10.