Supergirl Repeats Superman’s Worst Mistake (And It’s So Much More Tragic)

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Supergirl might be making the same big error as Superman, and it could be even more problematic. The recent Supergirl series has been a delightful experience for fans, successfully updating Kara Zor-El’s sometimes outlandish backstory for a modern audience. Now back in her hometown of Midvale, Supergirl is facing unexpected consequences from her past.

A debated decision in the series was bringing back Supergirl’s original Silver Age backstory, which also explained Superman’s strange behavior towards her. Instead of raising Kara himself, Superman sent her to an orphanage to keep their identities secret. This has been a recurring theme on Supergirl, with the show often criticizing Superman for the pain this caused Kara. Now, the story is evolving, as Kara is repeating the same mistake by abandoning someone who needs her help.

Supergirl Abandoned A Sentient Duplicate for Years

The latest issue of Supergirl, written by Sophie Campbell and Haining, takes place at Christmas in Midvale. Supergirl’s friend, Lesla-Lar, is experiencing the holiday for the first time, but notices Kara isn’t very enthusiastic. Determined to cheer her up, Lesla-Lar tries to help Kara find the Christmas spirit, which proves difficult because Supergirl is feeling down. Before they can focus on that, though, a strange intruder arrives at Supergirl’s home.

Supergirl and Lesla followed the clues left by the strange visitor, which led them back to Supergirl’s childhood home, the Midvale Orphanage. Returning to the orphanage brought up painful memories for Kara. However, she realized who had been following her when she noticed a window was open, just as she remembered it. They tracked the stalker to a nearby forest, where Supergirl discovered an old robot that looked just like her, but was now broken and falling apart.

The robot attacks Supergirl, desperately wanting to know why Kara left it behind. Supergirl lets the robot express its years of built-up anger, offering an apology. Finally, the robot breaks down and powers off, long after its intended shutdown date. Before it goes silent, the robot, which is a duplicate of Linda Danvers, asks one last time why Supergirl abandoned her, but Supergirl doesn’t have a satisfying answer. Afterward, Supergirl explains to Lesla that even the best heroes can’t help everyone.

Neither Supergirl nor Superman is Perfect, and That’s OK

One of the strengths of this series is how it deepens the characters of Supergirl and Superman by drawing on elements from the Silver Age of comics. Although it feels strange that Superman would canonically send Supergirl to an orphanage, it adds complexity to his character, demonstrating that even someone who appears perfect can be flawed. I also admire the creative team for doing something similar with Kara, not only having her forget the living beings who relied on Supergirl, but completely erasing their existence from her memory.

This book doesn’t show Superman or Supergirl as bad people. They genuinely believed they were doing the right thing, but it turned out to be a huge error in judgment. It’s almost unavoidable that you’ll hurt loved ones sometimes, and that doesn’t necessarily mean someone is a bad person. Just like Superman, Supergirl made a serious mistake and let someone down who relied on her. It’s a sad situation, definitely, but that very sadness is what makes Supergirl such an interesting and relatable character.

Everyone makes mistakes, even heroes like Supergirl. Sometimes those mistakes cause pain to others. The show didn’t shy away from showing Supergirl making a poor decision with the Linda robot and forcing Kara to relive a difficult experience. This was a smart choice, as it’s rare to see superhero stories admit that heroes can fail. By acknowledging this failure and its consequences, the show makes Supergirl a more realistic and relatable character. While her actions weren’t ideal, this moment ultimately adds depth to her personality.

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2025-12-15 01:15