If you’ve been living under a rock today, you might have missed the internet suddenly finding their feelings over Henry Cavill as Superman. Namely the fact that it looks like we won’t be seeing his version of Clark Kent again any time soon. It’s not entirely surprising, as he’s signed on to star in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of the popular game series The Witcher. Warner Bros. has made their intentions to bring in the Maiden of Might, aka Supergirl to their rapidly redefining DC franchise, so it’s not as though DC movies will be lacking for a member from the House of El. With that being said, here are five things we need to see in the upcoming Supergirl movie.
Kara Needs to Live the Immigrant Experience
Some of us have argued that Kara as she’s now been settled on in the comics and over on her DCTV incarnation on the CW, is a far more poignant figure for today’s audiences than her cousin Clark. After all, while Kal-El is an immigrant, he arrived on Earth as an infant and grew up immersed in small-town Americana. He has no memories of Krypton, and everything he knows is second hand from what his father left him. This is still a moving story of acclimated immigrants feeling a sense of detachment from a culture they never truly knew.
However, Kara is the immigrant experience writ large. She’s not just an immigrant, she’s a refugee. She grew up on Krypton. Breathed its air, spoke its language, lived in accordance with its customs. Everything she knows about Krypton is from lived, firsthand experience. And now Krypton is gone, violently and traumatically, and Kara literally can never go home. She’s in a new land, with new customs, new smells, a new language… everything is new. And she’s in a world of people who may potentially fear her as a stranger. In today’s world with every heightening refugee crises, imprisonment of children, and xenophobic immigration views, Kara has the potential to reach viewers as a superhero on a totally new level.
Lose the Cynicism
One of the biggest complaints about Cavill’s turn in the red cape was that the Snyder Superman was far too cynical. Man of Steel seems to spend half the movie trying to work up to Clark deciding he actually cares and wants to help people. This isn’t what the crest stands for. Let Kara, in spite of all of the horrors that happened to her, still want to see the best in people. To believe in hope and want to help others with her newfound powers. That is the magic of the House of El and why they’ve endured for decades. It’s what has made her television incarnation such a delight to watch over the years. Kara, in spite of everything that has happened to her, still wants to be and do good, and give people hope. Don’t bury that under the cynical rubble that Man of Steel and Batman vs. Superman left scattered over the DC franchise.
Ditch Lex Luthor
Yeah, yeah, you could technically recast Jesse Eisenberg (does anyone really want his version of Lex back?), but the whole point of eschewing Cavill’s run as Superman is to provide a bit of a clean slate. Luthor has been Superman’s greatest foe. Kara deserves to have her fresh start, as does the Super franchise. There are other villains in the DC universe that can be a good counter to the House of El.
Also, please, just don’t give us anymore Eisenberg Luthor.
Bring in Lobo
What, you thought we didn’t have a villain in mind? Lobo as a complete and utter bastich mercenary, out to bring the last of the House of El to whoever contracted him for the job. Lobo is antithetical to everything Supergirl stands for and more than a match for her as an opponent. His sometimes anti-hero status can come into play, so we could see him cropping up repeatedly, though never know for sure whether it’s as a temporary friend or foe.
For the Love of G-d, Leave Comet Out
Kara’s comic history and love interests have been… colorful, to say the least. Every time a new comic title or incarnation of Kara springs up, there are those who wonder if Comet the super Horse/Man/WhateverTheWritersHaveMadeThem is going to make an appearance. Look, the Golden Age comics can be fun. But some things need to stay in their rather problematic past. Same goes for the Comet of the Matrix/Linda Danvers era. Actually, just leave the romance angle out for at least the first movie. Our girl is going to have plenty to deal with as it is.
