Dark Angel's true past is revealed in
DC SPECIAL: THE RETURN OF
DONNA TROY #4 [2005] |
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| Dark Angel visits Donna Troy and erases her from existence in WONDER WOMAN #131 [1998] |
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The Anti-Donna Troy
Dark Angel's origins reach across time and space of the vast multiverse. Originally an alternate reality Donna Troy from Earth-7, the young girl was raised by the villainous Anti-Monitor to be his harbinger of doom - and adopted the name Dark Angel. But Dark Angel proven uncontrollable, and vanished.
The Crisis On Infinite Earths came and collapsed the universe - merging thousands of alternate worlds into one single earth. But while most souls were formed into a single existence after the great Crisis, Donna's soul proved to be an exception. Instead, the cataclysm attempted to compress Donna's various lives into one existence. Unknown to Donna, she became a living link to the multiverse in this new reality. Dark Angel, however, was the one alternate-Donna that escaped this compression. Instead, she became a wandering spirit of vengeance with a subconscious hatred for Donna, her opposite number.
Dark Angel Is Summoned
Dark Angel's spirit wandered throughout time and space to possesses the forms of those mortals foolish enough to summon it. In a mad bid for power, Baroness Paula Von Gunther summoned the evil sorceress. Dark Angel manifested and became an evil force secretly aiding the Axis Powers during World War II.
Although the summoning spell forced her to serve the Axis Powers, Dark Angel relished any opportunity to create mayhem and destruction. Her schemes were often thwarted by The Justice Society, and more specifically, the Golden Age Wonder Woman [the time-displaced Amazon Queen Hippolyta]. Indeed, Hippolyta was instrumental in imprisoning Dark Angel - scattering her across an interdimensional void for many years.
Enter Donna Troy
Over time, Dark Angel's hatred of Hippolyta grew, and she vowed to exact a horrible revenge. Years later, when Hippolyta's daughter Diana (Wonder Woman) was a child, the Amazon sorceress Magala weaved a spell that created a magical duplicate of young Princess Diana, fashioning a young playmate for her. This magical playmate was kidnapped by Dark Angel, who thought the girl to be the real Diana. This double was actually a reborn Donna Troy.
Believing this to be Hippolyta's real daughter, Dark Angel placed a horrible curse on the girl. She sent Hippolyta's "daughter" through a cascade of multiple lives, each ending in a horrible tragedy. Through each of these lives, the girl was known as "Donna Troy." And, in actuality, these multiple lives simulated Donna's past lives throughout the multiverse.
The effect of these multiple tragedies was an attempt to torture Hippolyta. But since Hippolyta remained unaware of Donna's existence, Dark Angel's spell had another effect. It is said that what does not destroy us makes us stronger. In Donna Troy's case, this was literally so. Reliving each lifeline strengthened Donna's soul. Donna's subsequent rebirth became her most definitive.
Donna's touch seemingly destroys Dark Angel in WONDER WOMAN #131 [1998] |
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The Kingdom Titans try to save Donna Troy in TITANS #25 [2000] |
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In that lifeline, Donna Troy became the super-heroine known as Wonder Girl. Through her career, she became a long-standing member of the Teen Titans, adopted a new identity as Troia, abandoned her godlike powers, only later to became a member of the interplanetary peace keeping Darkstars, and later still gave up super-heroing entirely.
Then, Dark Angel's horrible curse struck. Donna's ex-husband, step daughter and her infant son died in a horrible car accident. Again at her lowest ebb, Dark Angel appeared, erasing Donna's previous life, and sending her on the vicious cycle once again. But this time, traces and clues were left of her previous life. Because of being outside of time/space as we know it at the time of Dark Angel new spell, The Flash (Wally West, Donna's former team mate in the Titans), Hippolyta and Princess Diana all remembered Donna Troy having existed. The heroes were able to track down Dark Angel, and Donna's touch defeated the evil sorceress, seemingly destroying her.
But Dark Angel proved to be more resilient and survived.
Who Is Troia?
Soon after, Dark Angel returned, vowing to destroy every incarnation of Donna Troy in every timeline - so only she would remain! The sorceress was able to erase Troia from the memories of all who knew her. Eventually, with the help of the Titans' children from an alternate timeline [Nightstar, Aquagirl, Darkstar, Red Hood and Kid Flash from the Kingdom Come timeline], the Titans were able to prevent Dark Angel's mad scheme and trap her in Nightstar's treehouse fortress.
Dark Angel is an incredibly powerful sorceress, able to generate various magical spells, transverse through time and space and is seemingly impossible to destroy.
DC Secret Files, supplemented by titanstower.com
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Wonder Woman #131-136 [1998]: Donna Troy is erased from existence by the evil Dark Angel. As Flash and Wonder Woman race to restore the Donna Troy they knew, Donna's true origin is revealed: Magala created a mystical twin as a playmate for Princess Diana; Dark Angel abducted the twin and cursed her to live multiple tragic lives, one of which as Donna Troy [Wonder Girl]. Donna is defeats Dark Angel and is restored through Flash's memories and Wonder Woman's lasso of truth. First appearance of Dark Angel in issue #131. Origins of Donna Troy and Dark Angel revealed in this story.
Wonder Woman Secret Files #2 [1999]: Featuring "Who is Troia", a 6-page story by Devin Grayson and Phil Jimenez. This is the definitive Donna origin story.
Titans #23-25 [2000-2001]: The "Who's Troia?" trilogy. The evil Dark Angel is erasing Donna from existence throughout Hypertime. But how can Donna save herself, when none of her teammates recognize her? It's up to Nightstar, Kid Flash, the Red Hood and the rest of the sons and daughters of the Titans save Troia from being erased from existence forever. The Titans are joined by the Titanic team from The Kingdom -- traveling through different points in Donna's history before the evil Dark Angel can erase them. The Titans are ultimately successful, as Dark Angel is defeated and Troia is restored at last! Marv Wolfman and George Pérez create a 6-page segment.
DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy #4 [2005]: Donna Troy learns of her multiple lives in the multiverse; Donna also discovers Dark Angel is the Donna Troy of Earth-7.
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Donna Troy's Revised Origin
Sisters Again: Wonder Woman #132-136 [1998]
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Magala's ancient secret - and the truth behind Donna Troy - revealed
at last in WONDER WOMAN #136 [1998] |
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Donna Troy's Post-Crisis Origin remained intact, but when John Byrne took over on WONDER WOMAN, he decided to re-define Donna Troy. His strongest contribution was to re-forge her ties as Wonder Woman's 'sister.' In Byrne's revisionist add-on, Diana longed for a companion her own age. The Amazon sorceress Magala used her magics, she created a magical double of Diana. The evil sorceress, Dark Angel, kidnapped the duplicate princess and forced her to live multiple tragic lives [including the life of Donna Troy]. So Byrne preserved the Titans of Myth origins, but added a stronger tie to Wonder Woman and Paradise Island. Upon discovering her true 'origin' as Wonder Woman's magical 'sister,' Donna Troy has been accepted as an Amazon. It all happened in WONDER WOMAN #132-136.
Synopsis: Donna Troy is erased from existence by the evil Dark Angel. As Flash and Wonder Woman race to restore the Donna Troy they knew, Donna's true origin is revealed: Magala created a mystical twin as a playmate for Princess Diana; Dark Angel abducted the twin and cursed her to live multiple tragic lives, one of which as Donna Troy [Wonder Girl]. Donna defeats Dark Angel and is restored through Flash's memories and Wonder Woman's lasso of truth. First appearance of Dark Angel in issue #131. Origins of Donna Troy and Dark Angel revealed in this story.
Wonder Woman Appearances in Byrne's Run:
Wonder Woman #121: Terry and Robert Die
Wonder Woman #123: Donna arrives in Gateway City
Wonder Woman #124: Magala laments her ancient spell over a picture of Diana & Donna; Donna locates WW to find her dead
Wonder Woman #125: Many heroes mourn Diana; Donna has a tense moment upon seeing Kyle Rayner;
Wonder Woman #126: Donna and Hippolyta go through a 'fever dream' where Donna sees hints to her true nature
Wonder Woman #127-130: Donna involved in adventures with Artemis & Hippolyta as Diana is re-born as a goddess
Wonder Woman #131: Hippolyta travels to the past and becomes the Golden Age Wonder Woman and Donna is visited by Dark Angel
Wonder Woman #132-133: The Golden Age Wonder Woman & Justice Society defeat Dark Angel; Donna is sent into further tragic lives by Dark Angel, as no one remembers her.
Wonder Woman# 134: Flash remembers Donna and works with Wonder Woman to bring her back
Wonder Woman #135: Donna's full past as avatar to Diana is revealed, along with how it ties to Magala & Dark Angel's curse.The heroes are able to track down Dark Angel, and Donna's touch defeated the evil sorceress... but at a cost.. it turns Donna into a lifeless husk!
Wonder Woman #136: In an effort to restore the Donna Troy they all knew, Wonder Woman uses her magic lasso of truth forged with Wally West's memories of Donna and turned them into a living truth ... restoring Donna Troy as the woman they had all known!
Reunited: JLA/Titans
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| A flashback reveals when Dark Angel kidnapped Donna in WONDER WOMAN #135 [1998] |
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The original Titans were reunited in a mini series that also featured the Justice League of America [JLA/Titans: the Technis Imperative #1-3, December 1998 to February 1999]. With a story by Devin Grayson and Phil Jimenez, and art by Phil Jimenez, everyone who had ever been a Titans was reunited. Former Titan Vic Stone threatened to carry out his Technis Imperative and turn the earth's moon into a new Technis world. The JLA and Titans first clashed, then united to save the earth and Vic Stone. The mini series was designed as a primer to re-start the Titans series with the five original members (Nightwing, Troia, Flash, Arsenal and Tempest) as the core.
Donna is made a full, official Amazon in a coronation ceremony [JLA/Titans #1 (1998)]. She also now regards Diana as a sister and Queen Hippolyta as a mother. Donna decides to resume the nom-de-guerre of Troia in JLA/Titans #3.
Readers demanded the return of the original members of the team, and DC Comics obliged with The Titans #1 in March 1999. Written by Devin Grayson with art by Mark Buckingham, the series returned the team to the feeling of 'family' that made it so popular during the 1980's.
Redefined: Titans #1-25
Writer Devin Grayson: "Donna [first as Wonder Girl, then Troia] used to be the den mother, but we're not going to see a lot of that She's been through a really difficult time lately. Basically, she's been told that she was [wiped from existence in Wonder Woman#134-#136], but then was restored through the memories of Wally [West, aka. Flash]. When we start, she's going to be examining those issues. But she will have her Amazonian powers back... and some new ones."
Troia went through an identity crisis upon rejoining the team. She wondered if she had been fully restored as the woman she truly was upon her 'rebirth' after the defeat of Dark Angel. Furthermore, Donna's memories of her life were vague and incomplete. Donna served as a member of the team and briefly resumed a romantic relationship with fellow Titan, Arsenal (Roy Harper).
Donna confronted her identity crisis in the three-part "Who Is Troia" saga in Titans #23-25 [2000-2001]. Soon after, Dark Angel returned, vowing to destroy every incarnation of Donna Troy in every timeline! With the help of the Titans' children from an alternate timeline [Nightstar, Aquagirl, Darkstar, Red Hood and Kid Flash from the Kingdom Come timeline], the Titans were able to prevent Dark Angel's mad scheme and trap her in Nightstar's treehouse fortress. Upon Dark Angel's defeat, Donna Troy was fully restored with all her previous memories. She resumed her life with renewed confidence and vigor.
Titans #25 features the final part of the three-part "Who Is Troia?" story arc, "a story designed to reinvigorate the character of Troia, and also clear up any confusion about her origin," writer Jay Faerber explained.
"As we get closer to this "Who is Troia?" arc, I should re-emphasize that I'm not changing ANYTHING about Donna's back story. This isn't another ret-con. We're just telling a big story, focusing on Donna, and hopefully clearing up (not changing) some of her history as we go."
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