Four years ago, lots of people engaged in some pretty idiotic conversations about bringing Wonder Woman to the big screen. The character, one of DC Comics’ most popular and most recognized heroes of all time, was deemed by many — without any real evidence — to be too “tricky” or “challenging” to get her own movie.

But what everything really came down to was that studio executives weren’t convinced that a Wonder Woman film could make enough money to be a worthwhile investment. They thought audiences might not believe the character’s origin story (she’s an Amazonian princess from a mystical island), or would write off her trademark weapons — a magical golden lasso and bulletproof gauntlets — as too silly.

Never mind that around the same time, The Hunger Games was hauling in piles of cash at the box office. Or that Marvel was making movies about the Norse god of Thunder and an American hero frozen in time, while also planning the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie — complete with a talking raccoon and a sentient tree capable of saying only three words. Despite Wonder Woman’s status as the most famous female superhero of all time, DC and Warner Bros. couldn’t be convinced to give her her own movie.

By the goddess, they were so stupidly wrong.

If any superhero won 2017, it was Wonder Woman, who finally got her starring vehicle and really made it count.

In yet another year when movies were punctuated by superheroes — or cluttered with them, depending on how you feel about comic book films — none shined brighter than Diana Prince, played by Gal Gadot. Wonder Woman broke records, ignited a passionate fan base, and shattered expectations. The film renewed fans’ hope that Warner Bros. could make a good superhero film and left them begging for a sequel. It also captured the spirit of Wonder Woman — characterized by compassion, love, and determination — and conveyed that spirit to its audience.

And while the movie contained many great moments, there was none more powerful and defining than the scene where Wonder Woman charges through “No Man’s Land.”

What makes “No Man’s Land” such a fantastic scene

Throughout our pop culture history of superheroes, there are iconic, indelible moments that are intertwined with our heroes. For Batman, it’s witnessing the murder of his parents, which makes him feel utterly helpless and inspires him to fight back. For Spider-Man, it’s the death of his Uncle Ben and his regret over the role he played in it, which burns the “with great power comes great responsibility” mantra into his brain. For the X-Men, it’s watching their friend Jean Grey become the Dark Phoenix and realizing the primal evil she’s capable of.

These pivotal moments tell us who our heroes are, what they stand for, and what drives their heroism. So it’s no surprise that movies repeatedly return to them, and to the themes they explore. Conversely, it’s usually a surprise when a movie featuring these characters avoids such well-known story points (like Spider-Man: Homecoming omitting the death of Uncle Ben).

“No Man’s Land” is Wonder Woman’s pivotal moment.

In the film, we see that Diana has a very concrete idea of what war looks like. She believes it to be a mythic battle where good and evil are distinctly divided. Soon after traveling to London, and then continuing through the different parts of Europe where World War I is raging on, she begins to learn that war is much different and much more complicated than she thought it to be. She and her handlers arrive at the edge of a place known as “No Man’s Land,” and their initial plan is to bypass it. That plan changes after Diana speaks to a woman who tells Diana that her village has been seized.

Diana, so frustrated by not being able to help, takes a stand, as all the men around her try to explain that she can’t cross “No Man’s Land.” They try to talk her out of trying.

“It means no man can cross it,” Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) tells her. “This is not something you can cross. This is not possible.”

Steve’s warning to Diana plainly telegraphs what she’s going to do next. But in the hands of Gadot and director Patty Jenkins, a scene that might’ve otherwise come off as cheesy or saccharine is instead infused with dignity and humanity.

In glorious slow motion, Diana shrugs off her costume and appears in her Amazonian battle armor. She emerges from a bunker, shield in tow. Then she deflects a bullet. Then one more. Then the German army begins to focus all their fire on her, as she digs her heels into the ground, tightens her grip on her shield, and deflects a storm of gunfire.

What’s brilliant about this scene is that it’s not only representative of Diana standing up for what she believes in, nor is it solely an instance where she succeeds in doing what was previously thought to be impossible — all while inspiring her handlers and her allies to push forward. Rather, it’s a beautiful combination of those things.

It’s compassion, determination, inspiration, and love rolled into one moment: Diana is taking fire and protecting those who can’t protect themselves. And she’s doing it with a small smirk that sharpens on her lips, as if she knows she’s got this.

All of it just melts my cold, dark heart.

“No Man’s Land” crystallizes Wonder Woman’s heroism in such a beautiful way that as of that moment, you don’t need to know anything about the character’s past to understand her. You almost don’t even need to see the rest of the movie. This amazing scene tells you all you need to know about Wonder Woman’s place in the world.

It’s hard to name another scene from one of 2017’s many superhero movies that’s as indelible as this one. Of course, I was amazed when Captain America bicep-curled a helicopter in Civil War. And I cheered when Thor realized his full potential in Ragnarok.

But those moments still weren’t as powerful as “No Man’s Land.”

In just a short pocket of time, Wonder Woman reminded us of what it’s like to do good. She showed us how to be brave in the face of impossibility. She demonstrated the power of determination and resiliency. And every time I rewatch the scene, I remember how wondrous superheroes can truly be.