Spoilers for Wonder Woman #14!DC Comics’Wonder Womanhas been one of the company’s flagship heroes for over eight decades now, with the skilled military colonel known asSteve TrevorbeingWonder Woman’s fellow confidant, warrior, and one true love, solidifying him as a character who fans can always get behind. Having followed the ups, downs, retcons, and refreshes of Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor’s relationship over the years,DC floored me in 2024 by killing Steve off,a tragic event that has profoundly affected the entire DC Universe.
Introduced in 1941’sAll-Star Comics #8, by William Moulton Marston and H.G. Peter — the same issue Wonder Woman made her debut in — Steve, after crash-landing on Paradise Island, aka Themyscira, home of the secluded Amazonian warriors, became the first man to step foot on their soil and immediately became a pivotal character in Wonder Woman lore.
But in 2024’sWonder Woman #14, by Tom King and Daniel Sampere,after 83 years of being one of the best non-powered characters at DC,Steve was killed,single-handedly destroying Wonder Woman in a way that shattered her mentally and emotionally.
DC Comics Killed off Steve Trevor in 2024, Changing Wonder Woman Lore Forever
Steve Trevor Died inWonder Woman #14
Letting his guard down when meeting with Henry Charles — the secret King of the United States of America — who, unknowingly to Steve, acts as a hidden monarch that pulls the country’s strings,Steve is shot by Henry and left to bleed out— an abrupt and brutal ending for this iconicWonder Woman-affiliated character. Wanting to exploit what he sees as Diana’s only weakness, Henry, villainously known as the Sovereign, succeeds in his nefarious goals, with Wonder Woman’s utterly heartbreaking reaction to the news, along with her defiance in accepting Steve’s fate, only furthering the impact of this moment for me.
Wonder Woman Knows Sacrifice, And Her Latest Offering to Save Steve Trevor Crosses a Line
As Absolute Wonder Woman heats up with the arrival of Steve Trevor, Diana proves she’s still a hero despite her dark new origin in Hell.
Jumping across the days following Steve’s death, this issue continually pulled and then broke my heartstrings, withthe panel depicting Wonder Woman curled up with Steve’s flag while crying alone silently, making his loss feel incredibly real and affective.But it’s not until Diana quite literally swims to the Underworld tointercept Steve’s boat on the River Styxthat it hits even harder. Greeting Diana with a sweet “Hey, pretty girl. I missed you,” the following few pages show what Steve meant to Diana but, more poignantly, what she meant to him, with their exchanges being nothing short of perfect.
Steve Trevor’s Legacy Will Live on in His and Wonder Woman’s Baby Daughter, Trinity
Shown passing through the afterlife unimpressed and still thinking of Diana inWonder Woman #15(a journey whichcouldlead to Steve finding his way back to life at some point), the final page ofWonder Woman #14seesDiana create a newborn out of the sands of Themyscira and pieces of her and Steve’s essence, “birthing” theirbaby daughter named Trinity.Acting as living proof of Steve’s memory, Trinity, in the near-future-set backup stories featured in recentWonder Womanissues, carries on her mother’s superhero legacy while showing that Steve Trevor still lives on in spirit rather than body.
It’s worth noting thatSteve Trevorhasdied and been revived before, with his first death at the hands of Doctor Cyber in 1969’sWonder Woman #180, by Dennis O’Neil and Mike Sekowsky, only lasting a few years until Steve returned to life in an expectedly convoluted comic book way, a resurrection that will hopefully be repeated in future Wonder Woman stories. ThoughSteve Trevormay not walk amongst the living any longer,Wonder Womanand her allies are aggressively hunting down the Sovereign, ensuring that 2025 could top last year as one of the character’s toughest years yet.
Steve Trevor
Steve Trevor is a key character in theWonder Womanfranchise, serving as both a love interest and a heroic figure in his own right. His character’s bravery, loyalty, and moral integrity make him a vital part of the narrative, particularly in the DCEU filmsWonder Woman(2017) andWonder Woman 1984(2020). Steve’s sacrifice in World War I and his unexpected return in the sequel add layers to his character and the overall storyline.
