‘Supergirl’ may have quietly created one of the most complicated heroes in the new DCU. Kara Zor-El begins the movie as someone who has almost completely given up on the idea of being a traditional hero. She drinks, lashes out, and keeps people at a distance, with Krypto being one of the few things she genuinely cares about.
Her journey with Ruthye slowly changes that, but the movie’s final decision leaves Kara in a surprisingly uncomfortable place. Instead of simply becoming another version of Superman, Kara could be heading toward a much darker and more complicated path.
Kara’s Victory Came With A Cost
Kara’s relationship with Ruthye is arguably the emotional heart of ‘Supergirl’. Ruthye wants revenge against Krem after he destroys her family, while Kara initially tries to stop her from becoming consumed by that anger. That makes Kara’s eventual decision to kill Krem particularly striking.
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After encouraging Ruthye to walk away from revenge, Kara takes the responsibility upon herself and kills Krem. The moment can be interpreted as Kara protecting Ruthye from carrying that burden. However, it also reveals that Kara hasn’t completely escaped the anger that defined her at the beginning.
And honestly, that may be more interesting than giving her a perfectly clean heroic transformation. Kara doesn’t suddenly become Clark Kent. She still carries years of pain, and Supergirl seems determined to make that difference matter.
‘Supergirl’ Could Become A Very Different Hero
The most fascinating consequence is what this could mean for Kara’s future in the DCU. Clark represents hope, restraint, and the belief that power should be used to protect people. Kara is much messier. She understands that ideal, but she doesn’t always arrive at the same conclusions.
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Her decision with Krem suggests that she may be willing to cross lines that Clark refuses to cross. That doesn’t necessarily make her evil. If anything, it makes her more human. The real question is whether Kara learns from that decision or becomes increasingly comfortable with it.
Her relationship with Superman could become far more interesting because of that contrast. After all, the most compelling version of Supergirl isn’t simply that she’s Superman, but with a different costume. She’s someone who has survived a completely different kind of tragedy and is still figuring out what kind of person she wants to become. And that messy journey could make Kara one of the DCU’s most unpredictable heroes.
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