The Circle was a band of four Amazons that severed as Queen Hippolyta's personal bodyguards until they were imprisoned for trying to murder Princess Diana.
History
The Queens Royal Guard was founded by Hippolyta to be her own personal guard. She selected four Amazons who loved her the most, the hunter Philomela, the fisherwoman Myrto, Charis who was keeper of the Royal menagerie, and lastly the armoury keeper Alkyone how was made captain of the guard. After being given their duties the four met in private and made a blood pact naming themselves 'the Circle'. Their fanaticism garnered the suspicions of the Captain of the regular guard, Philippus. Her suspicion were proved right when Alkyone learnt that the Amazon Gennes had been seen singing to a baby. The Circle raided her house and found that Gennes possessed a baby doll that she was treating as a real child. Terrified that Gennes madness would spread Alkyone had the over members of the Circle kill Gennes and destroyed any dolls they came across.[1]
When the Circle later learned that Queen Hippolyta intended to creator herself a daughter out of clay and bring it to life they were distraught. Not only did they fear Hippolyta would abandon them in favour of her new daughter but they also became paranoid that other Amazons would grow envious of Hippolyta's motherhood and betray her, although the later was based on Alkyone's own insecurities. When Hippolyta's daughter, Diana, was born the same night as a lunar eclipse and a lighting storm, the Circle took it as an omen of evil and resolved to kill Diana that night.[2] They attacked Philippus when she tried to stop them and snuck into Hippolyta's chambers but when they saw the sleeping Diana they got cold feet except for Alkyone who tried to strike the child. At the last moment Hippolyta awoke to stop Alkyone and Philippus returned with the Amazon guard to arrest and imprison the four would be assassins.[3]
The members of the Circle were subsequently each kept in their own cells on the most Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western points of Themyscira. Each year Hippolyta would visit them on the day of Diana's birthday and ask them is they repented. Each time the four replied 'never'.[4] They remained imprisoned for many years and were eventually the last Amazons on the island alongside Hippolyta. They were eventually able to free themselves when a group of neo-nazis attempted to invade the island, an event that also drew Diana to the island. After learning that the nazis had gravely wounded Hippolyta, the Circle claimed her unconscious body to burn at Themyscira's pyre. Charis, Myrto, and Philomela tried to stall Diana but she was eventually able to defeat them and stop Alkyone from burning Hippolyta. The defeated Alkyone requested Diana to kill her but when she instead spared her, Alkyone threw herself into the ocean. The three reaming members of the Circle where subsequently returned to their cells.[3]
See Also
- 5 Appearances of Circle II (New Earth)
- 1 Images that include Circle II (New Earth)
- Team Gallery: Circle II (New Earth)