When Supergirl lands on The CW this Monday, she will join a network that is already home to quite a few superheroes.
Lining up alongside The Flash, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl will further establish DC’s dominance in The CW’s lineup. At this point, the network that was borne from the merger of The WB and UPN could probably be called the DC Network.
But for comic book fans who love seeing their favorite heroes and villains in live action, her arrival represents more than just the cementing of the network’s status as a one-stop superhero shop. Kara Zor-El’s trip from CBS to The CW opens up all kinds of possibilities for her (and her supporting cast) to meet, interact and maybe even come to blows with the heroes and villains that have been established in what has become known as the Arrowverse. The shows’ creators may be hesitant to include her in the rest of the Arrowverse, but it’s only a matter of time before we see some more crossovers.
How can Supergirl find her home in the Arrowverse? Read on for a few of our ideas - 15 Ways To Bring Supergirl Into The Arrowverse.
15. FLASHPOINT (merge the universes)
First things first. Last year’s Supergirl/Flash crossover episode, ‘World’s Finest’, established that the two shows currently occupy different universes, or ‘Earths’. The Flash had previously established the concept of parallel universes with its visits to ‘Earth 2’, and Supergirl’s world represented another.
The Flash used his incredible speed to break through the barriers between worlds, and that worked fine for a one-off visit. But if Supergirl is truly to become part of the Arrowverse, they will have to find a way to bring her and the world she lives in together with the ‘Earth 1’ that we see every week in the network’s slate of super shows.
Luckily, The Flash may have provided the answer. With Barry’s decision to run back through time and stop Reverse Flash from killing his mother, he created a whole new timeline. Even after his attempt to fix what he had done in last week’s Season 3 premiere, untold changes have remained. Could it be that one of those changes resulted in the merger of two or more universes? We’ll have to wait and see.
14. DEO/ARGUS crossover
Now that all of our favorite characters are under one proverbial roof, it’s time to think of how they can interact with each other. Both Arrow and Supergirl have established government organizations that oversee the world of meta-humans and aliens. Kara works closely with her sister Alex and Hank Henshaw (aka J’onn J’onzz) at the Department of Extra-Normal Operations (DEO). Over on Arrow, Oliver Queen and John Diggle have had numerous run-ins with A.R.G.U.S., a somewhat shadowy and morally flexible organization once under the oversight of Amanda Waller. After her death, the leadership role fell to John’s wife Lyla Michaels.
With the kind of threats Supergirl, Green Arrow and The Flash routinely face, it stands to reason that one day these two organizations might have to work together, or at the very least cross paths. Alex Danvers might chase a DEO fugitive to Star City, while John and Lyla could offer their expertise on a particularly tricky case in National City.
13. Maxwell Lord visits S.T.A.R. Labs and/or Palmer Tech
Maxwell Lord has alternately helped and hassled Supergirl during her time in National City. A billionaire and certified genius, Lord fosters a deep distrust of the government and powered individuals like Supergirl. In spite of that, in moments of crisis he has worked alongside Kara and the DEO.
His business and scientific interests could easily take him to either S.T.A.R. Labs or Palmer Tech. It would be interesting to see Lord match wits with Harrison Wells (whichever version happens to be around at the time) or Felicity.
Alternately, his suspicion of superpowered individuals could easily lead him into conflict with The Flash, Firestorm or any other ‘meta-human’ he encounters. If he can distrust someone as pure and idealistic as Supergirl, there’s no hero he can’t at least have a philosophical disagreement with.
12. Traveling reporters
The job of a reporter is hardly a stationary one. Clark Kent will prove that much when he visits National City on Supergirl this week. Go to any bustling metropolis (pun intended) and you will find no shortage of reporters searching for the latest scoop, especially when their city is home to a superhero.
As a result, it’s no surprise that the Arrowverse shows have prominent roles for reporters, like Iris West on The Flash. Even before she knew the Scarlet Speedster’s true identity, Iris was committed to telling his story of heroism. Once Supergirl enters the picture, it’s hard to imagine she won’t be equally as fascinated with the amazingly powerful Kara Zor-El (not to mention her famous cousin). If nothing else, you can be sure she’ll ask for an interview when Supergirl visits Central City, though she might even make the trip to see this new hero for herself.
Similarly, Supergirl has introduced us to the media conglomerate that is CatCo. Naturally, Cat Grant’s news outlet has been all over Supergirl’s story since she first emerged, even giving the heroine her name. James “Jimmy” Olsen has a well established relationship with Superman himself, having moved to National City to keep an eye on the big guy’s cousin. Both Olsen and Grant will chase a story if they have to, so it would make sense for either of them to appear on Arrow, The Flash, or even Legends of Tomorrow. A team of heroes battling the forces of evil throughout time? That’s definitely front page material.
11. Legends visit/protect young Superman in Smallville
When Legends of Tomorrow premiered, it blew the doors of the Arrowverse wide open. Suddenly all eras of history were open to superhero storytelling. In the first season alone, we saw our heroes visit ancient Egypt, the wild West, and the far future, to name just a few. Now that the Time Masters are out of the picture, the Legends must govern their own adventures across time.
It remains to be seen what mission they will find themselves on in Season Two, having vanquished Vandal Savage. Now that Supergirl has introduced the Man of Steel, however, it would be interesting to see the Legends make a trip to Smallville, maybe 20 to 25 years in the past. Maybe some escapee from the Phantom Zone arrives in the small town to threaten the Last Son of Krypton, with only the likes of White Canary, The Atom and Firestorm protecting him? Rip Hunter will certainly know the importance of protecting the young boy known as Clark Kent.
Another, darker idea; perhaps the Legends find themselves in Gotham City on a particular night, and are forced to stand aside and allow a particular tragedy to occur, knowing that if a certain little boy doesn’t lose his parents in the most violent fashion, he won’t grow up to be one of our greatest heroes.
10. Martian Manhunter mentors Barry
The man the world knows as the DEO’s Hank Henshaw is actually J’onn J’onzz, an alien and the last survivor of the Green Martians. Like many superheroes, he has a tragic past, having been forced to watch the fearsome White Martians destroy not only his family, but his entire race.
Hiding out on Earth, he eventually took on the persona of Henshaw in order to keep watch over the DEO and ensure fair treatment for benevolent aliens like himself. It was in this role that he encountered Kara Zor-El, and eventually revealed his true identity to her. Once there were no secrets between them, J’onn became something of a mentor for Kara, assisting her in the development of her superpowers and encouraging her to embrace her role as protector of National City.
Comic fans know that Martian Manhunter is a valued member of the Justice League of America, so it’s only natural that J’onn should encounter Earth’s other superheroes. In particular, he could provide guidance to Barry Allen, who is undoubtedly a hero in his guise of The Flash, but still makes the occasional poor choice (Flashpoint, for example). And the Legends could certainly use his help from time to time.
9. Supergirl meets Team Arrow
Everyone loves a good crossover, and last year’s Flash/Supergirl episode only scratched the surface. With Kara joining the Arrowverse, there are all sorts of fan favorite characters we want to see her interact with.
Arrow is the show that started it all (hence, you know, Arrowverse) so it’s only fitting that Supergirl make a visit to Star City to meet the Emerald Archer. For one thing, she can help Team Arrow deal with a villain that might be a little out of their league. It would also be fun to see the bright and cheery Kara bounce off of the (usually) equally peppy Felicity, or maybe take Thea under her wing.
Also, like her cousin Kal-El, Kara might just take exception to the occasionally brutal methods Oliver has been known to use in his war on crime. During the course of their team-up, the two might have cause for a friendly (or not so friendly) debate over whether or not the ends justify the means.
8. Supergirl in the future/past (Legends of Tomorrow)
Since Supergirl is now part of the Arrowverse, you can bet that she’ll be making visits to all the different shows when it makes sense. With the Justice Society of America playing a part in Season 2 of Legends, has there ever been a better time for Kara to make her presence felt?
As noted earlier, Legends is a series with infinite possibilities that are only limited by what the writers can imagine. Add the supremely powerful Supergirl into the mix and just imagine what they can come up with. There is bound to be a villain the Legends face against whom they could use a little extra power. If Superman isn’t available (heck, even if he is) there’s no better choice than Supergirl. Kara’s courage and heroism were proven time and again during the first season of her show, so there’s no doubt she’d jump into action to protect Earth at whatever point in the timeline it is being threatened.
This scenario provides even more opportunities for unique team ups and interactions. Rip Hunter will certainly have heard of her. Ray Palmer will be only too happy to suit up as The Atom next to her (and there would have to be a little wink to Brandon Routh’s time as Superman). And then there’s White Canary…
7. All-female super team
Obviously, Supergirl is one of the most powerful female characters in all of comics. As such, she is a terrific role model for young girls and women, and that aspect of her character was touched on in the show’s first season. Kara doesn’t take her status as a role model lightly.
The Arrowverse shows have established a number of powerful heroines. On Arrow, Laurel Lance took up the mantle of Black Canary. Oliver’s sister Thea took up the role of Speedy. Then there’s Laurel’s sister Sara, now known as the White Canary. Felicity has an “Oracle-esque” persona, Overwatch. Nyssa al Ghul is still out there somewhere. The Flash has Jesse Quick, who may herself one day become a speedster, and Caitlin Snow, who is a brilliant scientist on one Earth, and the dangerous Killer Frost on another. Legends introduced Hawkgirl, and will soon feature the Justice Society of America’s Stargirl.
Point is, there are no shortage of female superheroes in the Arrowverse, so why not team them up? It would be great to see one of the shows (or maybe its own separate show/mini-series) focus on these characters, and their unique challenges in standing as protectors of Earth.
6. World’s Finest 2 - Supergirl visits Central City
Supergirl has one last stop on her crossover tour. She has to repay Barry’s favor and visit him on his show! Luckily this has already been confirmed, as there will actually be a two-part musical (yes, a musical) crossover of the shows this year. Leaving aside the musical angle, it’s fitting that Kara would make her way to Central City to visit her friend, and make some new ones.
When Flash appeared in National City, it was to help Supergirl deal with the combined threat of Silver Banshee and Livewire. It’s only fitting that the heroic pair have an equally challenging task when they re-team this season. It remains to be seen what form that threat will take. Maybe Gorilla Grodd finds his way back to Central City, this time with some hulking minions in tow? King Shark stands out as another villain that might be a little more than Barry can handle on his own.
There is also the incredibly charming pairing of Kara and Cisco to consider; those two would certainly hit it off. And while she’s in town, Supergirl could always grant an exclusive interview to Iris West.
There’s one other reason why Supergirl coming to town would be good for Barry…
5. Supergirl/Flash love connection
Having worked together on Glee, Grant Gustin and Melissa Benoist have terrific chemistry together, and they proved that in last year’s crossover episode.
Sparks didn’t necessarily fly during their first meeting, but they became fast friends and share what some might consider “adorkable” chemistry. Barry is still trying to work out his relationship with Iris, and Kara seems to finally be embarking on one with James, but you never know how these things are going to turn out. And at the end of the day, who can understand a superhero better than another superhero? That’s an idea that has been explored in many a comic book, with pairings like Superman and Wonder Woman, Batman and Catwoman and Daredevil and Elektra, just to name a few.
It may be a creative risk, and the logistics of two shows would mean it could never last, but a brief romance between the Fastest Man Alive and the Girl of Steel would be one for the ages.
4. Legion of Doom
Heroes aren’t the only ones who can team up. The Arrowverse has established a lot of iconic villains, as has Supergirl. With so many heroes making their presence felt, it’s only a matter of time before villains start teaming up to compete with them.
Word is that just such a team will be menacing the Legends this season, with Damien Darhk, Malcolm Merlyn, Reverse Flash and Captain Cold joining forces. That combination would give any superhero team trouble, but why stop there?
This season, The Flash is introducing some new rogues to its already impressive roster, with Dr. Alchemy and The Rival joining the likes of Weather Wizard and the Trickster. Zoom could still be out there somewhere too, depending on what the Time Wraiths did with him in ‘The Race Of His Life’.
Add in Arrow villains like Deathstroke, Clock King and Captain Boomerang, and Supergirl adversaries like Livewire, Silver Banshee, Non and the White Martian, and you’ve got no shortage of evildoers that could join forces to wreak havoc.
3. Superman vs. Green Arrow (methodology)
On Supergirl’s season premiere, the Man of Steel himself will join the fray, paying a visit to his cousin in National City and become part of the Arrowverse.
Every comic book fan knows that Superman and Batman make a great team, but they often disagree on how to best mete out justice. With Bruce Wayne and his alter ego unlikely to appear on The CW any time soon, Green Arrow is a fitting stand-in for this particular philosophical debate. The two heroes have a number of similarities (rich, no superpowers, playboy by day/vigilante by night), and both are comfortable getting brutal with their crime fighting method should the need arise.
Should Superman ever fly into Star City, he will certainly respect everything Oliver has done to keep his city safe. But when the two actually team up and hit the streets (or rooftops) together, it might not be long before they find themselves disagreeing over how to deal with their common enemy.
2. Superman and The Flash Race
Who truly is the fastest man alive? With Superman on the scene, we can find out. Barry has already met (and had a friendly race with) Supergirl, so it would be exciting to see him face off with the Man of Steel.
This question has been pondered many times in comic books, but we have never seen such a race in live action (unless you count Clark and Bart in Smallville).
Let’s say Clark visits Central City, maybe to meet this speedster his cousin has told him so much about. After their inevitable team-up to dispatch whatever villain is threatening the city, they could answer everyone’s question with a friendly race. For charity, probably, because they’re both such great guys. Around the world and back?
1. Justice League
There are some threats that heroes must face together.
With the power of Superman and Supergirl now added to the Arrowverse, we have a chance to see the kinds of villains that only they could stand up against (with a little help from their friends). We’ve already established the potential for villain team-ups of epic proportions. But some villains are so powerful they don’t need any help.
What if Doomsday finds his way to Earth? Maybe the gathering strength of Earth’s heroes tempts Darkseid to come and put them in their place. Or, perhaps, Brainiac (glimpsed, sort of, via Indigo in Supergirl last season), creates his most powerful form and comes to Earth. And there’s always Zod and his army of Kryptonian radicals, presumably stuck in the Phantom Zone.
When threats like these arrive on Earth, it will be time for Superman and Supergirl to gather Earth’s greatest defenders. The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Firestorm, The Atom, White Canary. The ultimate team-up is yet to happen, and we can’t wait to see it.
