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From this answer,

... the lasso compelled obedience on anyone who was bound by it and telling the truth was a side effect ...

However, in several on-screen appearances (animated or otherwise) of Wonder Woman, the Lasso has demonstrated that it can be used to make someone tell the truth. Of course in that case, the wielder of the Lasso (be it Diana or anyone else) demanded them to speak the truth.

But the truth can be interpreted in two ways. Does the Lasso compel a person bound by it to speak the truth or what he/she "believes" to be the truth?

Is there any such occurrence in Wonder Woman source media (comics, movies, animated series etc.) where it is explained?


NOTE: Related to, but not a dupe of: Does the Lasso of Truth compel you to speak?

Another related question: Can anyone, including Wonder Woman, resist the Lasso of Truth?

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    I believe it would be the latter, else couldn't she just wrap it around herself and then ask herself the question? Also there are times when villains say "and that's all I know" (example in your first linked question) or "I don't know" which wouldn't be possible in the first case.
    – TheLethalCarrot
    Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 9:29
  • @Carrot, yes you're right. I even remember seeing something like this related to The Joker which said- since he's so crazy, his mind doesn't what is right or wrong and the Lasso doesn't work on him.
    – Shreedhar
    Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 13:24
  • 1
    Probably on-topic for Philosophy.SE.
    – RonJohn
    Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 17:54

1 Answer 1

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From Wonder Woman #755 (2020):

This lasso only proves you're saying what you think is true. But you could be retelling an old lie. You want to believe the Amazons are above such an attack... but are they truly so above savagery? [...] A whole culture can be built on a lie... if the lie is strong enough.

Wonder Woman submitted to the golden lasso

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  • I haven't read much of WW comics, great find though.
    – Shreedhar
    Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 13:25
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    It really couldn't work any other way. If the lasso could cause the person to speak actual truth even if the person affected doesn't know, you could seriously exploit that - use the lasso on just any random person, and ask "Where is [villain's name] hiding? What are his plans?". If there was no requirement for the person to actually know the truth, it wouldn't matter who you choose to ask. Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 18:47
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    @DarrelHoffman - See, when I think of "seriously exploit"ing the lasso of truth, I think of asking "Is P = NP?" or "What are the prime factors of this integer?", but I guess that's why Wonder Woman is a superhero and I am a guy who types things into computers on the internet. :P
    – Steve V.
    Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 19:15
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    @DarrelHoffman: An awesome exploit if "I don't know" wouldn't still be a valid answer. (I like paradoxes.)
    – Joshua
    Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 22:34
  • Not the first time Wonder Woman learned that lesson, and I'm sure she will forget it again the next time a writer needs her to. (The Golden Perfect, anyone?) Commented Dec 16, 2020 at 23:49

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