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Making A Hero: Supergirl

Making A Hero will be an ongoing series of articles taking a closer look at the characters that surround our favorite heroes, some of these people surround them for their own personal gain the fair majority are there because the love and support our heroes in one way or another. We are living in the golden age of super hero television, CW is doing fantastic things with DC properties while Netflix is consistently raising the bar with Marvel properties. Fox and ABC are both turning out quality comic book television as well the first two just have higher volumes of heroes! We started this series with Charlie Cox’s Daredevil, lets change it up and go to the DC side of the world and talk about Supergirl!

Most heroes we see on TV’s stories start with something dramatic happening to them and that event starts them on the path to hero. Kara Zor El’s story is only different in that her traumatic event was the destruction of her planet. She was sent to earth to protect her baby cousin, though lets be honest for a moment…maybe they should have put them in the same pod…just sayin.  While  Kara’s baby cousin Cal aka Clark Kent arrived as planned Kara’s pod got lost in the phantom zone and she was stuck out of time for years, so when she arrives Clark has grown up and become Superman while she is still a young girl. While Matt Murdock becoming Daredevil was formed by as many villains as friends, Kara’s ascension to Supergirl is inspired by the good in her life.

Alex Danvers is Kara’s adopted older sister who’s entire life has been about protecting Kara’s identity from the world. She gave up a medical career to go work for the DEO, and while there have been times Alex becomes bitter about everything she has given up for Kara to be safe there is nothing she wouldn’t do for her. Alex ties Kara to humanity which is important for any character protecting a planet that is not their own. Alex is also one of the only characters that tells Kara how it is even when she doesn’t want to hear it. Even though they were teens when they became sisters the sister relationship is so strong and absolutely believable between the two.

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Clark Kent the most obvious influence on Kara’s choice to take on the cape and S. Clark was already flying around the planet saving people before Kara even arrived, he had grieved for being the last of his kind by the time she landed. He openly shows her respect for her accomplishments as Supergirl and generally does not interfere unless the fate of the world is at stake. Clark gave Kara something to strive to be, which starting out in the super hero gig must be a lot smoother if you have a template. Being the last two of your kind and cousins makes their relationship something special that I hope we see more of in the future.

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Cat Grant started out as almost a threat to Supergirl’s identity and was one of the first people to figure out who she really was, though with the help of J’onn J’onzz they were able to convince her she was incorrect. Cat coined the girl in Supergirl and if you have a problem with the use of girl take it up with her! Cat has always represented the confidence that the people have in Supergirl. She has confidence in Supergirl when Kara has lost it herself, without Cat I think Kara would have hung up the cape in season one and went back to mild mannered Kara the assistant.

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Every super hero needs a tech guy and someone to confide in. Winn Schott is that person for Kara and while Jimmy Olson also fills that role, Winn is the first person Kara shares her secret with Jimmy is given that information by Superman. Winn makes her costume which is one of the greatest costume montages I have had to pleasure of laughing at!  He also has an excitement for all of the things happening in their lives that it keeps Kara from being consumed by how terrible a lot of it really is, that excitement defiantly is a mirror of us fans. Winn gets excited about aliens and tech and nerds out for real over both Clark and Barry. His dad is a great B villain and he dated a villain too, they did a fantastic job keeping the character interesting last season!

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Last but not least is J’onn J’onzz the Martian Manhunter or his human identity Hank Henshaw, his story is tied closely to the loss of the Davners patriarch which made him very suspicious for much of the first season. Once Kara is aware of his identity, J’onn is instrumental in the finishing touches of the formation of the Supergirl persona, he teaches Kara a little about flying techniques and strategy in general. J’onn cares the same weight that Clark and Kara do of being the last of his kind, and while Kara does share that with Clark J’onn understand the feeling better as Clark left Kyrpton when he was just a little baby. J’onn’s understanding of her feelings really allows Kara to embrace her alienness which is an important distinction between Kara and Clark.

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Supergirl is now airing its second season on its new home the CW Monday’s at 8pm eastern. Catch the fanfest review for the latest episode here

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