A page for characters who have, at one point in their careers, have been called Supergirl, a supporting character in the Superman mythos, their allies and their enemies.
open/close all folders
Supergirl (Pre-Crisis) (Linda Lee Danvers / Kara Zor-El)
Superman's younger cousin, Kara Zor-El survived the destruction of Krypton thanks to her father, Zor-El, putting a protective dome around Argo City that sent it hurtling into space. However, the citizens of Argo were quickly dying from kryptonite poisoning, so before they died, Zor-El and his wife Alura placed their daughter in a spaceship and sent her to Earth where she could flourish under Superman's guidance.At first acting as Superman's "secret weapon" while she developed her powers in secret under the assumed name of Linda Lee Danvers, Supergirl eventually burst onto the superhero scent as the Maid of Might. She had a long and illustrious career fighting evil—she became best friends with fellow superheroine Batgirl I (Barbara), became a member of the Legion Of Super-Heroes (and struck up a romance with Brainiac 5), and even saved her parents from the past and helped them found New Krypton on the distant planet of Rokyn. She gained her own sidekicks in the form of Streaky the Super-Cat and Comet the Super-Horse.In the end, Kara died a hero. When the Anti-Monitor attempted to destroy The Multiverse, she sacrificed her own life so that her cousin might live. In so doing, however, she severely set back the Anti-Monitor's plans, making victory possible for the heroes of the surviving Earths. The greatest tragedy of all, however, was that with the destruction of the Multiverse and changes to the timestream, Kara was erased from history, and no one at all remembered her heroic life and death.
Guardian Angel: After her death and subsequent erasure from the DCU, Kara seemed to have taken up this role. The first time she appeared to a despondent Deadman during a Christmas special, the second time she appeared towards Linda Danvers. However, both times the person in question was only identified as Kara and not Supergirl.
A purple shape-shifting creature from a Pocket Dimension, she was created by that universe's Lex Luthor and patterned after the New Earth Superman. When that universe was attacked by Phantom Zone escapees that she was no match for, Pocket Universe Lex sent Matrix to recruit New Earth Superman, but was too late to save the universe. Matrix was later taken in by Superman to be raised by Supes' adoptive parents and eventually became the first Post Crisis Supergirl. She later accidentally fused with Linda Danvers below, and made her the next Supergirl.
Tin Man: Part of what drove her was her perceived lack of humanity. After Matrix merged with Linda Danvers, she was given the opportunity to live as a regular human. Although, most everyone who knew it really was Matrix stated she had more of a soul than Linda did up to that point.
Mama Bear: Was willing to let the universe fall apart if her daughter wasn't spared from being retconned.
Mythology Gag: Pre-Crisis, Linda Danvers was Kara Zor-El's secret identity and the Danvers, Fred and Edna, were her adoptive parents. Post-Crisis, Linda and Kara Zor-El are two separate people, and the Danvers, Fred and Sylvia, are Linda's biological parents.
Put on a Bus: After her series ended, Linda pretty much dropped out of The DCU. She hasn't been consigned to Canon Discontinuity, but she's barely ever mentioned anymore, either.
Secret Identity: As Linda, though by the end of the series, pretty much everyone knows.
To add insult to injury, she had erased herself, was brought back to do a major crossover event, then was subsequently sent away again right afterward.
Supergirl IV (Linda Lang / Kara Zor-El [Post-Crisis])
Superman's older cousin, Kara Zor-El survived the destruction of Krypton thanks to her father, Zor-El, putting a protective force-field around Argo City that sent it hurtling into space. However, the citizens of Argo came under attack from the evil alien Brainiac, so before they were conquered, Zor-El and his wife Alura placed their daughter in a spaceship and sent her to Earth where she would care for her young cousin Kal-El.Arriving on Earth, Kara found that she had been in suspended animation for decades and her cousin was now an adult while she was still a teenager. Adopting her cousin's mantle as Supergirl, she trained under both Batman and Wonder Woman.
Abusive Parents: In her first origin, her father made her kill her classmates, sent her to murder her cousin and stood around with her while she was naked. WHY. See Retcon below.
In contrast to the previous origin, it's her mother who verges on this at points after her father's death. She never goes farther than being verbally abusive to Kara, though. Her father, on the other hand, was a doting Nice Guy.
It's Personal: With Reactron after he kills her father. It doesn't end well, and he eventually blows up her mother and almost every surviving member of her race.
Ms. Fanservice: To a vomitous point at first, especially considering she was underage. This was, thankfully, later dropped.
Panty Shot: Though her skirt might have been a Magic Skirt considering that is covered anything at all most of the time, when it really physically couldn't. When Jamal Igle took over art duties, he finally gave her some shorts.
Retcon: That thing about her father raising her as an assassin and having her stand around naked all the time? It was just a hallucination she experienced due to latent kryptonite poisoning.
The Tease: She liked taunting Captain Boomerang Jr. about his obvious crush on her. She eased up on it when she realized it was a real Jerk Ass thing to do.
Enfante Terrible: How everyone else views her, as this six-year-old is too naive and innocent to realize that she destroys everything around her whenever she moves.
Goo Goo Godlike: Comes with being the daughter of Linda Danvers and an alternate Silver Age Superman. She is most likely second only to Superboy-Prime when it comes to raw power.
Strange Girl: Her spaciness and acting out get her pegged as one by her classmates.
Supergirl (New 52) (Kara Zor-El)
Superman's older cousin, Kara Zor-El survived the destruction of Krypton thanks to her father, Zor-El, who put her in a spaceship to save his only daughter.
Aliens Speaking English: Averted and later played straight: Kara could only speak Kryptonian at first and was taking English lessons from Siobhan. When she met fellow kryptonian H'el in Issue #14, he gave her the ability to understand and speak English perfectly.
Most Common Superpower: Averted. She has a rather modest bust to match her slim teenage physique.
No Social Skills: Unlike Superman, she arrives on Earth as a teenager instead of being raised amongst humans as a young child. As a result she is unfamiliar to Earth customs and can only speak Kryptonian.
In Issue #8, Kara meets Siobhan, who can speak any language after hearing a few words of a language. She's able to communicate with Kara and helps her adjust to life on Earth.
It gets really showcased in Issue #11 when she goes on a date with Siobhan's brother. She walks in on him while he was getting dressed and took a pizza without paying for it.
Older Than They Look: Kara was a teenager when her father put her in a spaceship. The ship put her body in stasis and landed on Earth years later; which is why her baby cousin Kal-El looks older than her.
Superpower Lottery: Since she's a Kryptonian like Superman, she has the same powers as him.
Underwater Base: In issue #13, she gains the Sanctuary: a Kryptonian base at the bottom of the ocean. It's basically her version of Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
A.I. Is a Crapshoot: Sanctuary is programmed to eradicate any Kryptonian double in her presence. When Supergirl and her Earth 2 counterpart Power Girl enter Sanctuary in issue #19, it deems Supergirl the double and tries to eliminate her. The two Karas must destroy Sanctuary to save Supergirl. However, the A.I. survives in a robot body; hellbent on destroying Supergirl.
Unskilled, but Strong: She may be as powerful as Superman, but she doesn't have his years of experience or combat skills. Her lack of skill is remarked upon during her fight with Wonder Woman.
A mysterious woman wearing an S-shield whom Supergirl encounters in New Krypton. She at first seems to be one of the heroes, but is eventually revealed as a villain when she not only attacks Supergirl, but saves Reactron from her, killing the supervillain's ex-girlfriend in order to cover up his survival. She is actually Lucy Lane, implanted in New Krypton as General Lane's spy.
Death Is Cheap: Seemingly killed and resurrected several times now, thanks to her existence as an energy being.
Evil Knockoff: Meant to stir up anti-Kryptonian sentiment, and turn people against the House of El.
Just Following Orders: Tries to use this as an excuse for her crimes. Neither Supergirl nor Lois is buying it. For that matter, even Reactron laughs at her hypocrisy.
Once a sociopathic ex-soldier gifted with the ability to produce radiation, Reactron was rebuilt as a cyborg with a Gold Kryptonite heart by Lex Luthor and went onto play a major role during the New Krypton story arc, ultimately destroying New Krypton. Having faced Supergirl on numerous occasions pre-and-post-Crisis, and being the man responsible for the death of her father, Zor-El in the post-Crisis continuity, Reactron is one of the rare villains who can legitimately claim to be a member of Supergirl's Rogues Gallery.
Axe Crazy: A violent psychopath who gets off on hurting and killing others.
The Brute: Like Metallo, Reactron has the persona down pat, and often plays this role in team ups.
Cold-Blooded Torture: Enjoys inflicting it and was on the recieving end of it courtesy of Alura.
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: He wears gold to signify his Gold K heart, while Metallo wears green to represent his Green K one.
Cyborg: After being rebuilt by Lex Luthor on General Lane's orders. How much of him is man and how much is machine is open to interpretation.
Dirty Coward: Subverted. He begs for his life when Supergirl and Alura capture him, and again when Gor is torturing him, but it is all revealed to be a ploy by he and Lane to hide the fact that they want him to be captured.
Dissonant Serenity: Smiles peacefully as he announces to Kara and Alura that he is a living nuclear bomb.
I Surrender, Suckers: How he got into New Krypton to kill Zor-El. He does it again in order to blow up the planet.
It's Personal: After numerous clashes, and particularly after the events on New Krypton, it was very personal for he and Kara.
Jerkass: When not being a monster, he tends to just act like a dick.
Kick Them While They Are Down: His whole motif after he gainst the Gold K heart. He powers down Kryptonians, then irradiates them.
Killed Off for Real: In the Post-Crisis, Pre-Flashpoint world he never recovered from his death in New Krypton.
Lack of Empathy: Reactron cares only about himself and how famous his killing is going to make him.
Majorly Awesome: Fomrerly Major Benjamin Martin Krull, US Army, and still referred to as such by Lane and Luthor.
Man of Kryptonite: His Gold K heart deactivates a Kryptonian's powers for fifteen seconds.
Not-So-Harmless Villain: In his first Post-Crisis attack on her, Supergirl notes that for a guy with near limitless power, Reactron isn't thinking very big, or using his powers very intelligently. Cue the events of New Krypton.
Nuclear Nasty: Emits nuclear radiation, and with help from Luthor, can transform into a bomb.
Sociopathic Soldier: Enjoys murder, torture, and the occasional threat of rape.
Suicide Attack: On New Krypton. Reactron let himself be captured and tortured, with the intention of letting Luthor convert him into a nuke so that he could blow the entire planet apart.
Those Two Bad Guys: He and Metallo enter New Krypton this way. They don't end it that way, with Reactron going on to be far more significant to the story.
Ungrateful Bastard: Kara saves him from being tortured by Alura. He pays her back by detonating himself, killing her mother and her entire race in an attempt at getting to her. "Glad I got the whole family set."
You Killed My Father: During the events of New Krypton Reactron kills Supergirl's father, Zor-El, in front of her. He later gets her mother, and the rest of her race.
Bizarrogirl
The Bizarro counterpart of Post-Crisis Kara, Bizarrogirl was rocketed to Earth by Bizarro #1 when he believed that the Godship was going to destroy Bizarroworld. Here she hurt or killed several people, before being defeated by Supergirl; Kara retunred Bizarrogirl to Bizarroworld, befriending her in the process.
Bad Is Good and Good Is Bad: As is the usual case for Bizarros. Bizarrogirl is a little smarter than most, however, and is eventually able to get her head around the notion that killing people is bad.
Dumb Muscle: Though not to the same degree as the usual Bizarros. Bizarrogirl is capable of learning from her mistakes and doesn't get everything backwards.
Evil Knockoff: Of Supergirl, whom she believes to be the real Bizarro.
Eye Beams: Like Bizarro #1 she can fire freezing beams from her eyes. She also has stone vision to contrast Supergirl's X-Ray vision, something that no other Bizarro has.
Heel Face Turn: Has a better understanding of good, evil, life, and death at the end of her arc, and tries to become a hero (or as much of one as a Bizarro can be).
Hero with an F in Good: She's more genuinely stupid than suffering from the usual Bizarro backwards logic. As she grows to understand other people she becomes more genuinely heroic.
I'm a Humanitarian: Threatens to eat Jimmy, though she may not understand the implications of the threat.
Not So Different: She and Kara have a lot more in common than Superman and Bizarro #1 do.
Obliviously Evil: Has no idea that she's really hurting people, and is horrified once the Godship's attack forces her to understand what death is really about.
