When we heard that Greg Berlanti was adding a female-led superhero show to his empire roster, we were excited. When we learned that the superhero show in question would be Supergirl, we were elated. The Superman mythos has been at the heart of DCTV since Smallville, and since the DC Extended Universe had only offered up Man of Steel at the time, we were interested to see how Berlanti would bring the Girl of Steel to the small screen.
Yet what started as an ode to feminism, led by the versatile Melissa Benoist in the role of Kara Danvers, has since been marred by onscreen ship wars and offscreen sexual harassment allegations. Not just that, but combined with the lack of intersectionality and the detours in Kara’s character development, there are quite a few things holding the show back. But it is still a story near and dear to our hearts, and one we wish to see reach its full potential. So without further ado, here are seven ways to put the “super” back in Supergirl.
And you’re right on that; she was perfectly dark. Unfiltered enough to actually address all that anger and hurt squirreled away, mean enough not to care who her feelings hurt.
Although I am gonna argue the godhood and delusions of grandeur, because, like. Comparatively speaking, she is a god, and her grandeur and ability isn’t delusional; she IS ACTUALLY capable of everything she claims. That’s part of what’s so scary about it. She could literally raze the city to the ground. The only difference is she’s flouting that ability now.
But on that same vein of thought, that’s why I say she’s mild. She’s mild for a Kryptonian.
Imagine Astra or Non altered by RedK. Imagine them crackling with power, with a dozen other just-as-powerful Kryptonians, their heads full of thoughts like, “All it would take is one, well-coordinated attack to upset the human’s power structure long enough to seize control.”
They could punch through the ceiling of a global conference and full-on Ghost Ship a room full of world leaders and diplomats with just their heat-vision. They could destroy the companies ruining the environment by just breaking them apart.
And because they’re human-size and can fly faster than the speed of sound, even last-ditch options like nuclear weapons wouldn’t be effective in stopping them. They could just as easily lure war-ready nations like the US into doing half the work for them, just by tricking smart-bombs into following them to their chosen targets.
The only reason Astra and Non didn’t consider those options before is because there are so many humans on Earth that their best option was to force global compliance, but on RedK, and having just lost his wife, Non wouldn’t have freaking cared anymore. “Just kill em all,” would’ve been his go-to.
Now you compare ability to what Kara did. She acted out. Threw a tantrum. Gave in to, and let free, all those selfish, self-serving thoughts that hit all of us in our worst moments, but that’s all they are; selfish moments.
She was forced to be something she’s not for most of her life on earth, so RedKara made sure everyone who looked at her knew she wasn’t like them.
Her softness has lead people to take advantage of her, so RedKara made people afraid to cross her.
Her actions are all backed up by insecurity, more comparable to what you’d seen in kids and people acting out in mourning, in stress, in fear. Not malice. If they were, she would’ve killed Cat. She would’ve killed Alex.
When she wakes up, she has to ask Alex if she killed anyone. Not because she doesn’t remember, but because, if someone had been killed, it would’ve happened as a result of her not paying attention while having her fun; not because she’d willed their death to be so.
And yeah, as a tv show that doesn’t want to put long-lasting consequences on their character in the middle of a story-arc they hadn’t yet concluded, there were restrictions to what they could and could not have her do, but I also argue that a majority of that restriction exists only because of who her character actually is.
For all her darkness, RedKara didn’t cross lines she had the ability (and possibly drive) to do so. Like that unconscious part of your brain that won’t let you bite through someone’s finger, even though you could. She was dialed back. Too good at her core to be truly evil, even then. Angry, yes. Frustrated and loud, vindictive, even, yes. But for all her power, she doesn’t actually use it. Shows it off, but doesn’t wield it.
Even when she was advancing on Alex with her heat vision, there’s not a single part of me that believes she would’ve done it. There was probably a voice telling her to just do it, but she couldn’t. Didn’t want to. Was angry at Alex, but didn’t do anything with it.
When I say she’s mild, I say that because she didn’t have to be. She could’ve done anything she wanted, and she did do whatever she wanted. She just didn’t want evil things.
No one died. No one was hurt except Alex’s broken arm (which RedKara didn’t even know had happened, and thus wasn’t her strict intention [and also probably was only included because Chyler had an injury at the time]).
I was rewatching old episodes because I miss Cat Grant and I remembered how much it bothered me that Kara got a job working directly under the CEO and founder of a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate when THIS was her resume.
Anyway here are my thoughts:
First things first Kara has no contact information
No address
No phone number
NOT EVEN AN EMAILLLLLL
How did they set up an interview????
She doesn’t put job descriptions under her past work experiences
Like ffs Kara if you’ve only had 3 jobs at least expand upon your responsibilities!!!
The amount of blank space is honestly giving me anxiety
is the local paper in Midvale really called the Midvale Newspaper
if so, why couldn’t they have come up with something a little snazzier
like the Midvale Gazette
or The Midvale Times
It doesn’t even matter because Kara didn’t even italicize it
Part of her job at Catco was editing copy and she couldn’t even properly edit her own resume smh
who are the Quintons and why does Kara think a future employer will care which random Midvale family she used to babysit for?????
Also while we’re there, I need to point out that there is no need for an apostrophe before the “s” in Quintons
For those counting at home that is now two glaring typos
With that in mind, I’m now questioning Kara’s claim that she has an “Eye for Detail”
Love the lack of a graduation year Kara, keep them guessing
wouldn’t want to overload them with too much info -__-
Also, I’m really skeptical that Cat wouldn’t have a minimum GPA requirement but at this point apparently nothing matters anyway
Honestly, if Kara getting hired after submitting this nonsense doesn’t prove Supercat is real…
So here’s the thing: I loved this scene. Like, it was actually one of my all-time favorites from s2, BUT PART OF ME ACTUALLY WANTED KARA TO FAIL.
Hear me out: If she’d failed, they could have spent the rest of the season completely centered around the Danvers sisters trying to get back to each other because they love each other more than anyone in the entire universe. So we could’ve gotten back to the s1 roots of having the major story arcs revolve around the two of them and their relationship with each other. PLUS A FEW NEW THINGS TOO, GET THIS:
So we’d get this split in screentime of Kara trying to track Alex down, and then we’d also get to see Alex like crash-landing on some planet somewhere and trying everything in her power to get back home, or at least get a message to Kara that she’s alive. AND THEN, while she’s trying to bop from planet to planet, who does she run into???? THAT’S RIGHT, SHE FUCKING RUNS INTO ASTRA, WHO DIDN’T DIE AFTER ALL, SHE JUST TOOK THAT SPACE NAP WE’RE ALL CONVINCED ABOUT. So then the two of them begrudgingly work together to get home to Kara, and they get closer together as time goes by. And definitely fall in love. Because duh.
Meanwhile, Kara is doing everything in her power to find Alex NOT EVEN SURE IF SHE’S ALIVE…and just like…if she had failed to save the one person she loves MORE THAN ANYONE IN THE UNIVERSE, just THINK about how much more her character could have been developed. It wouldn’t revolve around pining over that dumb Daxamite dude, it would be about KARA and who she is, and how her failure to save Alex almost DESTROYS her because Alex has always been her strength. So now she has to learn to be strong even without Alex, and she and J’onn have to find a way to have HOPE again…because you KNOW J’onn would be terrified that he’d just lost another daughter to the effects of intolerance and violence between different alien races.
And then we can bring in some SUPERCORP as well, because Lena’s mom was the one who sent the ship with Alex et al across the fucking universe, so Lena can probably find or develop some kind of tracking device SO SHE AND KARA CAN GO ON A ROMANTIC SPACE RESCUE MISSION to save Alex. So now we’ve got a side Supercorp romance, and a side General Danvers romance, while still having the MAIN focus of the story be on our Danvers sisters and the strength of their relationship. That way at its heart, the show still has those underlying themes of HOPE and FAMILY, only now it’s fucking ELEVATED FOR THIS NEW SEASON…not only that, but it makes Kara and Alex’s relationship more DYNAMIC again…like…CAN YOU IMAGINE THE ANGST??? But also the humor of watching Alex and Astra try to get along, and Lena being like, Kara, we’re on a space ship together I FUCKING KNOW YOU’RE SUPERGIRL, JFC.
And then everyone’s all reunited, and ASTRA GETS TO HAVE HER REDEMPTION ARC which is rooted in her love for her niece, and in this newfound love for Alex. PLUS with hers and Lena’s help, you could rope this all back into the CADMUS storyline when they return home so we actually get some closure on that…and everything’s all about hope, and love, and family, and EVERYBODY BEING STRONGER TOGETHER AND SHIT…
Bulletproof pastel cardigans. Cute tan flats with steel tips. Ponytails with razor blades in them that fall out occasionally and Kara goes “Oop! Watch the razor blades! Sorry! Golly.”
But really it’s gay button ups but in cute “girly” colors. Plaid shirts with pants but with high-maintenence hair styles. Hell, she could wear a bow tie, but it’d have like little flowers or polkadots or something on it.
Pan Pants and a Bi Belt but an attemptedly Straight Shirt:
So much plaid (but usually- though not always- in dress or skirt form or paired with a skirt.)
And then there’s the original and most iconic of Kara’s half-butch half-femme looks, the gay sweater with collar poking out paired with a bright ass skirt that only a straight should wear.
Don’t even get me started on those neutral-ass shoes.
“Kara, doing your hair nicely will not negate the fact that turtlenecks are gay and that that is a gay jacket”
“Oooooooh. Well what about the jeans?” “Well they’re not helping.”
And then. My absolute favorite. This. Which looks like a gay-ass button up shirt that changed it’s mind halfway through and decided to become a dress instead:
And then it threw in some butch boots with a femme heel and just enough ankle to drive the ladies wild and called it a day.
But the point is, Kara can go anywhere from:
To:
During the span of one daily, non-fancy event day. Especially since her outfit could be damaged during Super Things. If not because she was wearing it when attacked then because she threw it in a bush when changing.
But I bet Kara is most comfortable in just
To conclude, Kara’s style, from soft butch to chill femme, pretty much just looks like:
do you ever think about how much Kara risks being Lena’s friend?
and i mean kara. not some random stranger, or another human, but very specifically kara. if anyone had reason to want to keep their distance from lena it would be her. it’s not just a general fear of Luthors, it’s lex has tried to kill my cousin on multiple occasions and would have tried to kill me as a kid if he know who i was. this is a very concrete and tangible fear to have. and not just of lena but very much of her family.
like. i’m very gay. and if i had a straight friend who i love and cares about me but maybe does the occasional Straight thing but listens to me when i talk about why what they’re doing is wrong and homophobic and changes their behavior that’s great. but you’ve only known that person for like. a month. and then find out that not only their brother but also their mom and probably their dad as well absolutely hate gay people to the point where they actively plot and actually enact those plans to KILL QUEER PEOPLE AND THE SON IS IN PRISON FOR HOMOPHOBIA and sure I really like my friend and dont think she’d do anything to hurt me and is very nice but you know who her family would probably be like “hm you’re next” @ their victims?
hint hint: it’s gonna be the lesbian who dared talk to their sister/daughter, no matter how at odds they are.
i’m gonna be frank. if i’ve known that person for like. a week or a month. i’m probably gonna be like you’re nice but i think your family might kill me bye. Or at the least, be like hey can we. Maybe. like. Keep to a texting relationship for a little while I love you but your family terrifies me and I want to make sure they are Far Away from me
and still kara’s like nope lena is worth it she deserves a chance and a family and friends she didn’t do anything i’m taking that risk TIME TO SPEND A LOT OF VISIBLE TIME WITH HER AND NOT CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT. it’s not “oh she’s a luthor, she’s evil” for all of those concerned, makingalex and james and winn (especially winn) look like massive assholes for warning kara away–because lena might be evil because she’s a luthor isn’t valid, but lillian and lex might come after you“? is.
they would still have a similar level of tension
but without the gross implication that who you’re related to and your genes determines who you are. By being lena’s friend kara is absolutely painting a target on her back. It is dangerous to be Lena’s friend, because how maddening would it be for lex and lillian to see lena constantly hanging out with supergirl, and go after her because lena is theirs, no matter how at odds they are–or so they might think.
Kara then choosing to be Lena’s family is more than just acknowledging Lena as her own person, but making the same decision when she risked her job to reconcile Cat and her son–”It’s worth it. Family always is.”
have you ever thought about how, for kara, the part that she was most involved in for her suit was probably the symbol for the house of el? because winn originally thought it was just “s for super,” he’d probably just redesign the same symbol–yellow background, maybe a bit minimized as his own personal touch, almost a dot at the end of the “s.” except, instead you have the (and yes i am using quotes on purpose) “s” with just a yellow trim lining, with the end instead a rounded dot you have a straight line
this is what i’m talking about–along with the fact that kara has yellow lining on the top. winn doesn’t have any reason to make that change, he just thinks it’s a cool calling card but for kara that is the symbol of her family, it means everything to kara and it very well signify two different things, since they aren’t siblings, they’re cousins, along with the fact that kara is technically the elder one i just think it’s interesting
sometimes i get really angry and frustrated at kara’s birth parents like. especially when it becomes apparent that she not only has this “i was sent to earth to protect it at any cost” mentality but literally had it from the time she was a child and i’m like. alura you know what would’ve been helpful is if you. would have gone to earth with her. to take that burden upon YOURSELF instead of putting it on her and to, you know, protect your own 13 year old daughter instead of expecting her to fend for herself and her baby cousin
like i get that alura felt that she should die along with krypton for her mistakes, but imo that was a selfish choice. the braver and more responsible thing to do would’ve been to live.
hey do y’all think that if alex had seen astra in the black mercy, she wouldn’t have killed her? do you think that if alex realised that in kara’s perfectly happy world, astra was there, that she would’ve done whatever she could to keep astra alive, so that kara didn’t have to lose her aunt? do you think that astra would’ve listened to alex, at once, immediately, the moment she realised that she belonged in kara’s perfect world? that her niece loved her that much? do you think that if alex had seen astra in the black mercy, and told astra, we might’ve got a scene where astra and kara actually got to hug? where kara told astra that she was in the black mercy, not as her enemy, but as her family, and astra might have laughed through her tears, from joy, from happiness, from love, rather than as she lay dying?
because i do
do you also think about how Astra probably had the same fantasy as Kara if she were under the Black Mercy?
Question of Smoke 