Kara Danvers (Arrowverse)

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Kara Danvers
Arrowverse character
BenoistSupergirl.jpg
Melissa Benoist as Kara Danvers/Kara Zor-El in a promotional image from season one of Supergirl
First appearance
Last appearance
  • "Kara"
  • Supergirl
  • November 9, 2021 (2021-11-09)
Based on
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
by
  • Otto Binder
  •     Al Plastino
Adapted by
  • Greg Berlanti
  • Ali Adler
  • Andrew Kreisberg
Portrayed by
  • Melissa Benoist (adult)
  • Malina Weissman (teenager)
  • Izabela Vidovic (child)
In-universe information
Full nameKara Zor-El
SpeciesKryptonian
GenderFemale
TitleSupergirl
Affiliation
Relatives
  • Alura Zor-El (mother)
  • Zor-El (father)
  • Clark Kent (cousin)
  • Jor-El (uncle)
  • Jeremiah Danvers (adoptive father)
  • Eliza Danvers (adoptive mother)
  • Alex Danvers (adoptive sister)
OriginKrypton

Kara Danvers, also known as Kara Zor-El on her homeworld, is a fictional character in the Arrowverse franchise, mainly the television series Supergirl. Created by executive producers Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler, and Andrew Kreisberg, the character was introduced in the pilot episode as the adopted younger sister of main character Alex Danvers. Kara Danvers is portrayed by Melissa Benoist as an adult, and Malina Weissman and Izabela Vidovic as a child.[1][2] After her planet, Krypton, was destroyed, Kara and her Cousin Superman came to Earth. There, she became the adopted sister of Alex Danvers, and, later, after deciding to use her powers, equal to Superman's, to help others under the persona of Supergirl, she discovers that her sister is part of a massive underground organization called the D.E.O.

Kara's powers and abilities include superstrength, superspeed, heat vision, freeze breath, flight, and many other powers also achievable by the superhero Superman, who is Kara's cousin; however she is weakened when she comes into contact with Kryptonite, fragments of her home planet Krypton that came to Earth after its destruction. Benoist has reprised her role in other series that take place in the same franchise, including The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman, via crossovers Crisis on Earth-X, Elseworlds, and Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Creation and casting[]

For the role of Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, the producers wanted a Caucasian actress aged between 22 and 26 years.[3] In January 2015, it was announced by The Hollywood Reporter that Melissa Benoist would star as the character.[4] Benoist later revealed that auditioning for the part "was a long, drawn-out, three-month process";[5] she was the first actress looked at for the role,[6] although Claire Holt and Gemma Atkinson were also considered.[7][8] Other performers include her stunt double Jennifer Clarke, who performed stunts for the Supergirl character throughout the entire show.[9] In flashbacks, Malina Weissman and Izabela Vidovic portray Kara as a teenager and child, respectively. Benoist expressed her excitement over portraying the character, and being able to "[tell] a story about a human being really realizing their potential and their strength".[10] Benoist returns for the second and third seasons as Kara.[11] In the fourth season, Benoist portrays both Kara Danvers / Supergirl and a clone of herself, called Red Daughter.[12] Kara appears in a main role, still portrayed by Benoist in the fifth season and the sixth and final one.[13]

Characterization[]

For the second season, regarding the end of Kara and James Olsen's relationship, Andrew Kreisberg said "We realized that the best scenes between [Kara and James] were just the nice, sweet scenes where they were being friends." He also said that while the theme of the first season was "how does Kara become Supergirl?", the theme of the second would be "how does Supergirl become Kara?".[14] Speaking to the ending of Mon-El and Kara's relationship in season four, Jessica Queller compared this separation to that of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman's characters in the ending of Casablanca (1942), saying, "They both have destinies in different times as heroes. What they did was the sort-of Casablanca decision of putting what's most important to them – which is saving the world – first."[15] For season four, Melissa Benoist joined filming following the conclusion of her run on Broadway as the star of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical on August 4, 2018.[16] Also for that season, Melissa Benoist commented that, "I think their main premise is that fear itself is a villain, and can hope conquer it? Supergirl stands for hope, so we'll see."[17] Queller concurred, adding that the season would investigate, "How can [Supergirl] be a beacon of hope when she represents what people are afraid of?"[18]

In season five, the series introduces a new Supergirl suit which eschews the skirt seen in the older suit in favor of a bodysuit with trousers. Benoist and the showrunners said giving Supergirl pants was something they discussed since the first season.[19] Querl Dox is credited with creating a new microscopic motion-activator for the new suit that attaches to Kara's glasses and unleashes the suit when she whips off the glasses, resulting in Supergirl being fully dressed in her costume.[20] The seventeenth episode of the fifth season marks Benoist's directorial debut.[21] Benoist said the sixth season serves as a "self-exploration" for her character, "looking in the mirror and [contemplating] what her power means because it's almost limitless and it makes her so strong on Earth".[22]

Storylines[]

Supergirl[]

Season 1[]

Season 2[]

Season 3[]

Season 4[]

Season 5[]

Season 6[]

Crossovers[]

As of 2021, Benoist has appeared as Kara Danvers in five Arrowverse shows Supergirl, The Flash, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman.

In the 2015-16 television season, The Flash accidentally travels into an alternate Earth while testing a new tachyon enhancement device that was meant to power up his speed. He saves Kara from falling from a building. The Flash introduces himself as Barry Allen and explains about the multiverse to Kara and her friends. Before returning home, Barry helps Kara defeat and .

In the 2016-17 television season, Barry and his friend Cisco Ramon teleport to Kara's Earth, coined Earth-38 by Cisco, and recruit Kara for an alien invasion lead by an extra-terrestrial race known as the Dominators on Earth-1. The heroes learn the Dominators plan to kill all metahumans on Earth due to Barry's abilities to alter with the timeline. Barry plans to surrender but the heroes dissuade him from doing so. The heroes discover a bomb from one of the Dominator's ships and destroy it, forcing the Dominators to flee. In March 2017, J'onn J'onzz and Mon-El arrive on Earth-1 with a comatose Kara in hopes that Barry and his team could revive her and warn Barry that one of their escaped prisoners the Music Meister is after him as well. When Meister attacks Barry, he is placed on a shared coma with Kara. In the coma, Barry and Kara are forced in a musical which Meister planned so that Barry and Kara can love their personal loved ones. Kara, J'onn, and Kara return to their Earth. Kara then starts a relationship with Mon-El after.

In the 2017-18 television season, Kara and her sister Alex are invited to Barry and Iris' wedding on Earth-1, however, they are invaded by Nazis from Earth-X lead by Dark Arrow, Overgirl - Kara's Earth-X doppelgänger, and Eobard Thawne / Reverse-Flash from Earth-1. The invaders capture Kara who plan on using Kara to take her heart and give it to Overgirl, who is dying from disproportionate solar irradiance in her heart and Dark Arrow plans to use the Prism, powered by S.T.A.R. Labs' particle accelerator, to create artificial red sunlight that can weaken both Karas' invulnerability, allowing Thawne to transplant Kara's heart to Overgirl. Iris and Felicity rescue Kara and return to Earth-1. Dark Arrow and his team lead a force of Earth-X Nazis to invade Earth-1 but are ultimately defeated with Kara carrying a radioactive Overgirl to space where she explodes and dies. Following Martin Stein's funeral, Kara, and Alex return to Earth-38.

In the 2018-2019 television series, Dr. John Deegan is given the Book of Destiny by the Monitor to rewrite reality in his vision. When he swaps the lives of Barry and Oliver, the two discover the change in reality and seek Kara, whose Earth is unaffected by the change, on Earth-38 for help. They later run into the vigilante Batwoman while confronting Deegan in Gotham City. Eventually, Oliver makes a deal with the Monitor to restore reality back to normal.

In the 2020-21 television series, the multiverse is slowly being erased by the Anti-Monitor. Kara is recruited among other heroes as the chosen Paragons to defeat the Anti-Monitor. When Oliver sacrifices himself to kill the Anti-Monitor, a restored multiverse is put back together combining into one Earth coined "Earth-Prime" including Kara's Earth.

Alternate Earths[]

Overgirl (Earth-X)[]

During the Crisis on Earth-X crossover event, one of the main antagonist is the Earth-X Nazi doppleganger of Kara known as "Overgirl". She served alongside Dark Arrow, who is revealed to be the Earth-X doppleganger of Oliver Queen. Eventually, during a battle with Kara, Overgirl's solar radiation goes nuclear and Kara carries her into space, where her body explodes, killing her.

Tie-in comics and novels[]

Kara Danvers appears in the show's digital tie-in comic book series, Adventures of Supergirl. in 2017 Kara appeared in a trilogy of novels written by Jo Whittemore aimed at middle-grade readers. The first, Supergirl: Age of Atlantis was released on November 7,2017 it features Supergirl dealing with a surge of new powered people in National City, as well as a mysterious humanoid sea creature by the DEO who is seemingly attracted by the new superpowered people. A sequel, Supergirl: Curse of the Ancients was released on May 1, 2018, with the third novel title Supergirl: Master of Illusion,released on January 8, 2019.

Reception[]

The relationship between the Danvers sisters has been among the things praised about the Supergirl character.[23][24] Kara and Alex were named as one of "The 10 Greatest Ride or Die TV Siblings" by TV Guide's Keisha Hatchett, who stated: "These two might not come from the same species, but their unconditional love for each other proves that you don't need to share the same blood in order to be sisters. Both have helped each other through a difficult journey to self-acceptance [...] in a fierce display of sisterhood that keeps us coming back each week."[25] Evan Valentine of Collider called Benoist's adaptation of the character the "best Supergirl we’ve seen in live action" because "it managed to capture a sense of fun among the cast that was infectious."[26]

References[]

  1. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (March 9, 2015). "CBS Casts Young 'Supergirl' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  2. ^ Swift, Andy (September 5, 2017). "Supergirl Recasts Two Key Roles". TVLine. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
  3. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (October 30, 2014). "Meet CBS's Supergirl (and Her Sister), Get Scoop on Kara's Big Entrance". TVLine. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
  4. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (January 22, 2015). "'Glee,' 'Whiplash' Breakout Set as CBS' 'Supergirl'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  5. ^ Abrams, Natalie (July 2, 2015). "Supergirl: Melissa Benoist on landing the role of a lifetime, and empowering women". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  6. ^ Roy, Jessica (July 12, 2015). "Peter Facinelli Has Joined Supergirl – But Will He Be Good or Evil?". TV Guide. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  7. ^ Kenneally, Tim (December 1, 2014). "'Vampire Diaries' Star Claire Holt in Contention for CBS's 'Supergirl' Series (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on December 2, 2014. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
  8. ^ Roffman, Marisa (December 8, 2014). "'The Originals' Boss on the Fallout From the Rebekah Twist". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 2, 2015. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  9. ^ Tessier, Colin (September 15, 2020). "Supergirl's Stunt Double Looks Exactly Like The Star". Looper.com. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  10. ^ Scott Huver (February 25, 2015). "Melissa Benoist Embraces "Supergirl's" Iconic Qualities & Powerful Humanity". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  11. ^ Stanhope, Kate (May 31, 2017). "'Supergirl' Taps Odette Annable as Major DC Villain for Season 3". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  12. ^ Burlingame, Russ (November 30, 2018). "'Supergirl' Star Melissa Benoist Talks Red Daughter". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  13. ^ "The CW Network to Launch Its New Season in January 2021". The Futon Critic. May 14, 2020. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  14. ^ Thomas, Kaitlin (October 11, 2016). "Supergirl Boss Explains Why Kara and James Are Better as Friends". TV Guide. Archived from the original on February 13, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  15. ^ Swift, Andy (June 19, 2018). "Supergirl's Chris Wood Not Returning for Season 4 – EPs Explain Mon-El's 'Bittersweet' Departure". TVLine. Archived from the original on June 19, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
  16. ^ Drum, Nicole (August 7, 2018). "'Supergirl': Melissa Benoist Teases the Start of Filming for Season 4". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  17. ^ Drum, Nicole (August 7, 2018). "'Supergirl': Melissa Benoist Teases the Start of Filming for Season 4". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  18. ^ Gelman, Vlada (July 21, 2018). "Supergirl @ Comic-Con: 'Grounded' Season 4 Brings Back Kara the Reporter". TVLine. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  19. ^ Agard, Chancellor (July 15, 2019). "Melissa Benoist talks ditching the skirt in new 'Supergirl' suit: 'It's more adult'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
  20. ^ Netzley, Sara (October 6, 2019). "'Supergirl' recap: New season, new secrets, new suit". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 7, 2019.
  21. ^ Agard, Chancellor (July 15, 2019). "Supergirl star Melissa Benoist to make her directorial debut in season 5". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  22. ^ Agard, Chancellor (March 29, 2021). "'Supergirl' star Melissa Benoist teases Kara's 'lovely' ending: 'I feel fantastic about it'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 30, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  23. ^ Agard, Chancellor (May 1, 2017). "Supergirl recap: 'Alex'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017.
  24. ^ Drum, Nicole (September 7, 2017). "The Danvers Sisters Will Be the Focus of Arrowverse's Next Crossover". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on May 22, 2018.
  25. ^ Hatchett, Keisha (August 16, 2018). "The 10 Greatest Ride or Die TV Siblings". TV Guide. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  26. ^ Valentine, Evan (May 30, 2016). "All of This Year's Superhero TV Shows, Ranked". Collider. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
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