The Eternal Sidekick Problem
For decades, Supergirl has struggled with a branding issue. Her very name defines her in relation to someone else. Created in 1959, Kara Zor-El has always been “Superman’s cousin,” a character whose power set and origin story are fundamentally a remix
of the original. On-screen adaptations have often leaned into this. The 1984 movie starring Helen Slater was a direct spin-off of the Christopher Reeve films. The CW’s popular *Supergirl* series, led by Melissa Benoist, spent much of its run establishing Kara’s independence, but the Man of Steel’s presence (or conspicuous absence) was a constant narrative force. The core challenge has never changed: How do you make a character compelling when the audience instinctively sees her as a B-side to the world’s most famous hero?
The 'Woman of Tomorrow' Solution
The new DCU’s answer seems to lie in its chosen source material: Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s brilliant 2021 comic series, *Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow*. This isn’t the cheerful, optimistic Kara most people recognize. This version presents a hardened Supergirl who, on her 21st birthday, feels adrift and purposeless. Unlike Superman, who was an infant when Krypton exploded, Kara was a teenager. She watched her world die. She remembers her parents, her friends, and a culture that is now just dust. This trauma has shaped her in a way it never could for Kal-El. The comic sends this weary Supergirl on a gritty, interstellar quest for vengeance with a young alien girl, recasting her not as a hero-in-training but as a veteran grappling with profound loss. It’s a space Western that’s more *True Grit* than Saturday morning cartoon.
More Than Just 'Dark and Gritty'
Simply making a character “dark” isn’t a solution; it’s a trope the DC film universe has stumbled over before. The genius of *Woman of Tomorrow* is that it doesn’t just make Supergirl edgy for the sake of it. Instead, it uses her anger and sorrow to give her a unique point of view. While Superman was raised by loving human parents and embodies the hopeful immigrant story, Kara is a refugee haunted by a life she lost. Her heroism isn’t born from an idealized vision of humanity; it’s forged in spite of her trauma. She fights for others because she knows what it’s like to lose everything. This perspective—cynical but ultimately compassionate—is entirely her own. It repositions her not as a lesser Superman, but as his thematic counterpoint. He represents hope found, while she represents hope rebuilt from ashes.
The Litmus Test for a New Universe
This is why Supergirl is the perfect litmus test for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s entire project. Their stated goal is to build a cohesive universe with a consistent but varied tone. If they can successfully adapt a nuanced, character-driven story like *Woman of Tomorrow*, it proves their creative instincts are sharp. Making Supergirl a compelling, A-list character on her own terms would demonstrate that the new DCU can do more than just deliver another Batman movie. It would show a commitment to finding the best versions of every character, not just the most famous ones. If the DCU can make audiences see Kara Zor-El as a hero defined by her own journey—her own pain and her own triumphs—it will have passed a critical test. It will have proven it knows how to build a universe where every hero, no matter their name, can stand on their own.
