The Pop Culture Playlist tells the story of a superhero or supervillain through music and captures their greatest moments. From Batman to Wonder Woman, there are songs that can remind you of certain characters. Music is a great way to bring underrated characters into the light and Artemis is one of them. Having lived in the shadow of Wonder Woman, Artemis has struggled to define her own path among women who are all as special as each other. The Pop Culture Playlist features ten tracks that describe her life.
Battle Born by Five Finger Death Punch
Once upon a time I swore I had a heart
Long before the world I know tore it all apart
Once upon a time there was a part of me I shared
Years before they took away the part of me that cared
I’ve been a thousand places
And shook a million hands
I don’t know where I’m going
But I know just where I’ve been
I’ve flown a million miles
And I’ve rode so many more
Every day, a castaway
A vagabond, battle born
I’m battle born
Battle Born is a good song for summing up Artemis’ status as a warrior who lives by her own rules. Growing up among the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall, Artemis felt she had to prove herself even more to stand out. She struggled to feel like an individual among her sisters, but it didn’t stop her from fighting every day to achieve that. Battle Born describes her as an outcast who found a place among other outcasts with Red Hood and Bizarro.
You Want A Battle? by Bullet For My Valentine
We will not take this anymore
These words will never be ignored
You want a battle
Here’s a war
Down eyes of shame
Made to feel dead again
Your words cut deep
Your lies are fuelled by your need for deceit
Too scared to speak
You’re only alive when you torture the weak
Now hear me roar
I will not take this anymore
These words will never be ignored
You want a battle
Here’s a war
This song describes the Amazon way of life and everything Artemis learned while she was training. It’s a fighting song that reflects the warrior spirit that Artemis shows every time she goes into battle.
Bother by Corey Taylor
Wish I was too dead to cry
My self-affliction fades
Stones to throw at my creator
Masochists to which I cater
You don’t need to bother, I don’t need to be
I’ll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on, I won’t let go til it bleeds
Wish I was too dead to care
If indeed I cared at all
Never had a voice to protest
So you fed me shit to digest
I wish I had a reason, my flaws are open season
For this, I gave up trying
One good turn deserves my dying
You don’t need to bother, I don’t need to be
I’ll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on, I won’t let go til it bleeds
From her youngest days, Artemis decided she wanted to become the Shim’Tar, a warrior who could wield the Bow of Ra for the good of her people. She grew up believing that alongside her best friend Akila, who eventually became the Shim’Tar. Artemis and Akila were lovers who trusted each other with their lives. Bother describes the relationship between the two as Artemis lost Akila to the Bow’s influence and she was eventually forced to kill the woman she cared for.
Judas by Fozzy
You are beautiful on the inside
You are innocence personified
And I will drag you down and sell you out
Run away
I am cold like December snow
I have carved out this soul made of stone
And I will drag you down and sell you out
Embraced by the darkness, I’m losing the light
Encircled by demons, I fight
What have I become, now that I’ve betrayed
Everyone I’ve ever loved, I pushed them all away
And I have been a slave to the Judas in my mind
Is there something left for me to save
In the wreckage of my life, my life
Artemis has a hard exterior that she uses to protect herself from being hurt or remembering the past. She carries a lot of self-doubt and Judas is a great song for summing up her feelings.
Through Glass by Stone Sour
I’m looking at you through the glass
Don’t know how much time has passed
Oh God, it feels like forever
But no one ever tells you that forever feels like home
Sitting all alone inside your head
‘Cause I’m looking at you through the glass
Don’t know how much time has passed
All I know is that it feels like forever
When no one ever tells you that forever feels like home
Sitting all alone inside your head
How do you feel? That is the question
But I forget, you don’t expect an easy answer
When something like a soul becomes initialized
And folded up like paper dolls and little notes
You can’t expect a bit of hope
And while you’re outside looking in
Describing what you see
Remember what you’re staring at is me
Through Glass is the perfect song for describing Artemis’ relationship with Wonder Woman. Artemis has felt like she’s lived in Diana’s shadow for a number of years and has wanted to forge a life that’s worthy of remembrance. The two of them can be seen as rivals and friends who challenge each other on a regular basis. Artemis also took up the mantle of Wonder Woman for a time.
Zombie by The Cranberries
But you see, it’s not me
It’s not my family
In your head, in your head, they are fighting
With their tanks, and their bombs
And their bombs, and their guns
In your head, in your head they are crying
In your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie
What’s in your head, in your head
Zombie, zombie, zombie-ie-ie, oh
Artemis has mixed feelings about the world of men and Zombie is a reflection of her opinion. She sees men as mindless and destructive, but also capable of great bravery in the case of Red Hood and Bizarro.
Devils & Dust by Bruce Springsteen
I got my finger on the trigger
But I don’t know who to trust
When I look into your eyes
There’s just devils and dust
We’re a long, long way from home, Bobbie
Home’s a long, long way from us
I feel a dirty wind blowing
Devils and dust
I got God on my side
I’m just trying to survive
What if what you do to survive
Kills the things you love
Fear’s a powerful thing
It can turn your heart black you can trust
It’ll take your God filled soul
When I hear Devils & Dust I think of Artemis remembering her home of Bana-Mighdall. The city was a source of great tragedy and happiness for her.
Downfall by Trust Company
Fear in me so deep
It gets the best of me
In the fear I fall
Here it comes face to face with me
Here I stand
Hold back so no one can see
I feel these wounds
Step down, step down, step
Am I breaking
Can I break away
Push me away
Make me fall
Just to see
Another side of me
Push me away
You can’t see
What I see
The other side of me
Fall back on me
And I’ll be the strength I need
Downfall is a good song for summing up Artemis’ place in the Outlaws. She relies on Red Hood and Bizarro to watch out for her and she does the same.
What I Never Knew I Always Wanted by Carrie Underwood
Never was the kind to think about dressing in white
Wasn’t waiting on a prince to come riding into my life
Thought I was happy on my own
‘Til you came and proved me wrong
I finally found what I never knew I always wanted
I couldn’t see, I was blind ’til my eyes were opened
I didn’t know there was a hole
Something missing in my soul
Artemis has spent most of her life fighting and relying on herself. When she met Jason Todd and Bizarro, they changed her life and she realised she could let her guard down. I think the song also captures the relationship between her and Bizarro because they share a mother and son kind of bond, with Artemis being very protective of him.
Brave by Skillet
My feet were made to march like thunder
My lips to praise in all and wonder
My hands hold power and my lungs breath fire
Holy spirit fire, holy spirit fire
On your love I stand
Because of who you are
I know who I am
Wherever I will go
Wherever you will lead
I’ll never walk alone
Your spirit is with me
oh oh oh oh oh
You’re with me as I go
So I will not be afraid
You call me to be brave
In you, in you
Brave
In you, you call me to be brave
Brave is a good song for describing the relationship between Artemis and Red Hood. They found each other when it was needed and they bring out the best in each other. Artemis sees Jason as someone she can fight beside, while he views her as his confidante. They’ve both suffered a lot and they can find comfort in each other.
To find out more about Artemis, you can read up on The Comic Vault’s analysis of her now!
Be sure to comment below if you’d like to see your favourite hero or villain featured on The Pop Culture Playlist.
The Comic Vault 
One thought on “The Pop Culture Playlist: Artemis”