Supergirl Just Set Up Another Huge DC Retcon (& An Even More Tragic Origin For Kara Zor-El)

DC Comics is known for giving its characters difficult beginnings. Bruce Wayne starts as a privileged but down-to-earth young man with dreams of helping the world. However, those dreams are shattered when his parents are tragically murdered. Instead of taking over the family business, Wayne dedicates himself to training with experts worldwide, ultimately becoming the masked crimefighter, Batman. It’s a particularly heartbreaking origin story, but at least Batman knows who his parents were.

Superman escapes the destruction of his home planet, Krypton, as a baby and lands in Kansas, where he’s raised by loving parents who teach him to be good. Despite this fortunate upbringing, he feels like something is missing. In James Gunn’s new DC Universe, Superman discovers a troubling truth about his Kryptonian heritage: his birth parents intended for him to rule Earth, not protect it. But this revelation is just the beginning, as the story unfolding in Supergirl promises even bigger challenges for Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El.

The Supergirl Trailer Teases the True Fate of Krypton

In the DC Universe, Superman’s main link to his home planet, Krypton, is the Fortress of Solitude, which contains a final message from his parents. When Lex Luthor discovers the message’s origin, it deeply affects Clark Kent and causes the public to distrust him. Interestingly, Clark doesn’t question his cousin about the message, even when she comes to retrieve Krypto. However, the trailer for Supergirl hints that life on Krypton was complicated for her, potentially explaining Clark’s reluctance to press the issue.

The latest preview of the new movie introduces Kara’s new friend, Ruthye Marye Knoll, who is very curious about Kryptonians. Kara is hesitant to share details, but reveals a striking line: “Krypton didn’t die in a day. The gods aren’t that kind.” This could suggest the planet’s leaders were aware of the impending disaster, but there’s also a possibility, rooted in the original comics, that offers a completely different interpretation.

Supergirl’s Parents Have a Very Different Journey Than Superman’s

DC Comics has restarted its universe many times, and the new DC Studios has the freedom to select elements from different storylines for its movies. It appears the upcoming Supergirl film will draw inspiration from a specific story arc featuring Krypton. In this version, Supergirl’s father, Zor-El, protects the city of Argo City with a dome before Krypton is destroyed, saving most of its people. Argo City then travels through space until it encounters a yellow sun, which gives its inhabitants superpowers. However, not everyone handles these powers well, and the city is eventually damaged and destroyed from within.

Kara’s parents, Zor-El and Allura, sent her to Earth hoping she’d reach her cousin, knowing their home world was doomed. Sadly, the rest of their city, Argo, was destroyed about fifteen years after Krypton. The new DC Universe might change the exact timing, but it seems Kara is more affected by the loss of Argo and her parents than by the destruction of Krypton itself. This could explain why she doesn’t often talk about Jor-El; her focus is on the parents she knew, who were likely focused on protecting their own community on Argo, not on any future galactic leadership.

Supergirl hits theaters on June 26, 2026.

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2025-12-13 20:41

The Supergirl Trailer Teases the True Fate of Krypton

Supergirl’s Parents Have a Very Different Journey Than Superman’s

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