A request that this article title be changed to Kara Danvers is under discussion. Please do not move this article until the discussion is closed. |
Kara Danvers | |
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Full name | Kara Zor-El |
Species | Kryptonian |
Gender | Female |
Title | Supergirl |
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Origin | Krypton |
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 the D.E.O., a massive underground anti-alien organization secretly under the control of the Martian Manhunter.
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 Invasion! , Crisis on Earth-X , Elseworlds , and Crisis on Infinite Earths . The character's civilian identity, "Kara Danvers", is one original to the series, later integrated into the mainstream DC Comics Supergirl comic book series to tie-in with the series in 2016's DC Rebirth , before returning to their original surname "Zor-El" with 2021's Infinite Frontier .
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 portrays present-day Kara for all six seasons of Supergirl. [11] In addition in the third season, she portrays Earth-X doppelganger Overgirl, and in the fourth season, a clone of Kara called Red Daughter. [12]
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?". [13] 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." [14] 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. [15] 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." [16] Queller concurred, adding that the season would investigate, "How can [Supergirl] be a beacon of hope when she represents what people are afraid of?" [17]
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. [18] 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. [19] The seventeenth episode of the fifth season marks Benoist's directorial debut. [20] 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". [21]
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 Silver Banshee and Livewire.
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 2019-2020 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.
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.
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.
The Guardian praised the series, and Melissa Benoist's performance. [22] The Atlantic reviewed the series positively, saying: "A lot of the credit has to go to the casting of Benoist as Kara—she’s as perfect a fit as Grant Gustin was for The Flash." [23] Chicago Tribune complimented the casting, stating: "Benoist nails the title role." [24] 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." [25] IGN praised both Benoist's performance and the character, saying: "Melissa Benoist [... ] totally encapsulated the lead role and portrayed both the vulnerability of Kara Danvers and the determination of Kara Zor-El," and calling the character "strong, capable, upbeat" despite some flaws. [26]
The relationship between the Danvers sisters has been among the things praised about the Supergirl character. [27] [28] 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." [29]
Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
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2016 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress on Television | Melissa Benoist | Nominated | [30] |
Breakthrough Performance | Melissa Benoist | Won | |||
2017 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress on a Television Series | Melissa Benoist | Won | [31] |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Action TV Actress | Melissa Benoist | Won | [32] | |
Choice Liplock | Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood | Nominated | |||
Choice TV Ship | Melissa Benoist and Chris Wood | Nominated | |||
2018 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress on a Television Series | Melissa Benoist | Nominated | [33] |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Action TV Actress | Melissa Benoist | Won | [34] | |
2019 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress on Television | Melissa Benoist | Nominated | [35] |
Teen Choice Awards | Choice Action TV Actress | Melissa Benoist | Nominated | [36] | |
2021 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actress in a Superhero Series | Melissa Benoist | Nominated | [37] |
Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of the superhero Superman. The character made her first appearance in Action Comics #252 and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.
Kara Zor-El, also known by her adoptive names of Linda Lee Danvers, Kara Kent, Linda Lang, and Kara Danvers, and the superhero name of Supergirl, is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She was created by Otto Binder and designed by Al Plastino. Danvers first appeared in Action Comics #252 's "The Supergirl from Krypton" story. Kara is the biological cousin of Kal-El, who went on to adopt the name of Clark Kent and the superhero Superman. During the 1980s and the revolution of the Modern Age of Comics, Superman editors believed the character's history had become too convoluted, thus killing Supergirl during the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and retconning her out of existence.
The fictional superheroine Supergirl has been adapted into pop culture several times since 1984. This includes a feature film and several animated and live-action television programs.
"Worlds Finest" is the eighteenth episode in the first season of the CW television series Supergirl, which aired on March 28, 2016. The episode's teleplay was written by Andrew Kreisberg and Michael Grassi, and directed by Nick Gomez.
Melissa Marie Benoist is an American actress and singer. Her first major role was Marley Rose on the Fox musical comedy drama Glee (2012–2014), where she was a series regular during the fifth season. She rose to widespread prominence for portraying the title character on the CBS / CW superhero series Supergirl (2015–2021), along with related media in the Arrowverse franchise.
Supergirl is an American superhero television series developed by Ali Adler, Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg that aired on CBS and later The CW that ran from October 26, 2015, to November 9, 2021. It is based on the DC Comics character Supergirl, created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino with Melissa Benoist in the title role. Supergirl is a costumed superheroine who is Superman's cousin and one of the last surviving Kryptonians from the planet Krypton. Starting with its third season, the show was retroactively established to be set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the franchise.
The Arrowverse is an American superhero media franchise and a shared universe that is centered on various interconnected television series based on DC Comics superhero characters, primarily airing on The CW as well as web series on CW Seed. The series were developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, Geoff Johns, Ali Adler, Phil Klemmer, Salim Akil, Caroline Dries and Todd Helbing. Set in a shared fictional multiverse much like the DC Universe and DC Multiverse in comic books, it was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast and characters that span seven live-action television series and two animated series.
"Pilot" is the first episode of the television series Supergirl, which premiered on CBS on October 26, 2015. It was written by series developers/creators Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler and Andrew Kreisberg, and directed by Glen Winter.
"Duet" is the seventeenth episode of the third season of The CW television series The Flash, which aired on March 21, 2017. The episode was written by Aaron Helbing and Todd Helbing from a story by Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg, and was directed by Dermott Daniel Downs. The episode features a musical crossover with Supergirl and reunites Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist with their former Glee co-star Darren Criss, who portrays the Music Meister. Jesse L. Martin also reunites with Jeremy Jordan, with whom he previously worked in the 2012 musical film Joyful Noise. The story begins at the end of the Supergirl episode "Star-Crossed", which aired on March 20, 2017, which saw Kara Danvers / Supergirl (Benoist) hypnotized into a coma by Music Meister, with Mon-El and J'onn J'onzz / Martian Manhunter bringing her to Earth-1 in hope that Team Flash can save her.
The first season of the American television series Supergirl, which is based on the DC Comics character Supergirl / Kara Zor-El, a costumed superheroine who is the cousin to Superman and one of the last surviving Kryptonians.
"Crisis on Earth-X" is the fourth annual Arrowverse crossover event, featuring episodes of the live-action television series Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow on The CW. The crossover began on November 27, 2017, with Supergirl and Arrow, and concluded on November 28, with The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. In "Crisis on Earth-X", Barry Allen and Iris West's friends come to Central City for their wedding, only for the proceedings to be interrupted by interlopers from the analogous universe of Earth-X, where the Axis powers claimed victory in World War II.
Alexandra Danvers Ph.D. M.D., also known as Sentinel, is a fictional character from the Arrowverse television series Supergirl, portrayed by actress Chyler Leigh. Created by executive producers Greg Berlanti, Ali Adler, and Andrew Kreisberg, the character was introduced in the pilot episode as the elder adoptive sister of protagonist Kara Danvers / Supergirl. Alex is a bioengineer, physician, scientist and a field agent of the DEO, a secret government agency that works to protect the Earth from extraterrestrial threats. She later becomes the director of the organization at the end of season three, after having been J'onn's second-in-command for years, and remains so through season five. Alex is also featured in the show's digital tie-in comic book series, Adventures of Supergirl, as well as the 2017 four-part Arrowverse crossover event "Crisis on Earth-X", with Leigh reprising her role across The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow.
"Elseworlds" is the fifth annual Arrowverse crossover event that features episodes of the live-action television series The Flash, Arrow, and Supergirl on The CW. The crossover event began on December 9, 2018, with The Flash, continued on Arrow on December 10, and concluded on Supergirl on December 11. "Elseworlds" introduces the characters Batwoman and Lois Lane, and the fictional Gotham City, to the universe. In the crossover, Green Arrow, Flash, and Supergirl are drawn to Gotham City to confront Dr. John Deegan over his work at Arkham Asylum.
The fourth season of the American television series Supergirl, which is based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, premiered on The CW on October 14, 2018. The season follows Kara, a reporter and superpowered alien who fights against those who threaten Earth, and the fallout of her use of mysticism and time traveling. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The season is produced by Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment, with Robert Rovner and Jessica Queller serving as showrunners.
The third season of the American television series Supergirl, which is based on the DC Comics character Supergirl / Kara Zor-El, focuses on a costumed superhero who is the cousin to Superman and one of the last surviving Kryptonians.
The fifth season of the American television series Supergirl, which is based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, premiered on The CW on October 6, 2019, and consisted of 19 episodes. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the franchise. The season is produced by Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television, and DC Entertainment.
The sixth and final season of the American television series Supergirl, which is based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl which premiered on The CW on March 30, 2021, and consisted of 20 episodes. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The season is produced by Berlanti Productions, Warner Bros. Television and DC Entertainment, with Jessica Queller and Robert Rovner serving as showrunners.
"It's a Super Life" is the thirteenth episode of the fifth season of the American television series Supergirl, based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The episode was written by Derek Simon & Nicki Holcomb from a story by showrunners Robert Rovner & Jessica Queller, directed by Jesse Warn, and is the series' 100th episode.
"Kara" is the series finale of the American TV series Supergirl, based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. It is set in the Arrowverse, sharing continuity with the other television series of the universe. The twentieth episode of the sixth season, it was written by Rob Wright & Derek Simon from a story by showrunners Robert Rovner & Jessica Queller, and directed by Jesse Warn.