Through this lens, Themyscira seems less like a distant Amazonian island and more like a stand-in for America itself — a place that has immense privilege and power, and that is only occasionally touched by the horrors of the wars and conflicts that take place beyond its misty shores. Real-life America is, of course, more complex than this, being far from paradise for many. However, this is how America often chooses to see itself: a shining land both removed from and superior to the rest of the world.

Here, Hippolyta is an infinitely more palatable and impressive Donald Trump (forgive me for the comparison, Hippolyta), a leader intent on keeping her people removed from a larger world that does not deserve their help. “Be careful of mankind, Diana. They do not deserve you,” she tells her daughter again and again, through her words and through her actions, ignoring the Amazonians’ age-old duty as the guardians of mankind.

Hippolyta’s lack of compassion for mankind is informed as much by experience as it is by prejudice, but it is still subtly derided by the themes of the film. If Steve’s parent challenges his son to use his privilege to help others, then Diana’s situation is the opposite. She is a daughter who is desperate to help, but who is actively encouraged by her mother to use her privilege to stay away. “If you choose to leave, you may never return,” Hippolyta tells Diana, trying to wield the emotional power she has over Diana to try to keep her on Themyscira forever. “Who will I be if I stay?” Diana asks her mother, herself, and the audience.

Of course Diana is not without her doubts. Once she leaves the safety of Themyscira and sees the horrors of war for herself, she is frustrated and angry. “Is there any point fighting, or is humanity just intent on destroying itself?” she asks. Thoughout the film, the question of whether it is Diana’s “responsibility” to help comes up again and again. She is not from the world of men, many argue. Why should she have to play a part in saving it?