Apparently the character of Kara Zor-El, Superman’s Kryptonian cousin and fellow superhero, doesn’t quite fit in the DC Universe being created over on the CW, so CBS has taken up the fledgling heroine’s show.

Below is an unconfirmed release regarding the show, which was repeated (almost word for word) by host Tiffany Smith of ‘DC All Access’ and IGN:

“Based on the characters from DC Comics, Supergirl will follow Kara Zor-El. Born on the planet Krypton, Kara escaped amid its destruction years ago. And since arriving on Earth, she’s been hiding the powers she shares with her famous cousin. But now at age 24, she decides to embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be.”

Which, of course, is where the new origin story comes in. Classic Supergirl comics and media always have her arriving on Earth many years after her cousin, finding him a grown man already come into his own as a superhero, while she is a teenager first discovering her powers. Superman acts as her mentor and teaches her how to become a hero, and her story is one of a teenager learning responsibility and how to take up the mantle of a superhero.

And yet, now that’s all thrown out the window. The new show seems to essentially be the exact same story and arc of ‘Man of Steel,’ only on the small screen and with Superman now a woman. It could be a brilliant move, or it could be a colossal failure by writers who do not seem to grasp the appeal and point of the character.

However, I must point out that despite the origin rewrite, the show’s Executive Producers are Greg Berlanti (‘Arrow,’ ‘The Flash’), and Ali Adler (‘Chuck’), both of whom have been involved in phenomenal television shows that are / were known for pleasing both fanboys and casual viewers alike. So there is hope. Potentially the whole origin change was solely to write Superman out of the story, which does make sense, as having Superman there would clearly overshadow Supergirl. Here’s to hoping this latest addition to the DC television family proves to be as successful as those that came before.

Source: Screenrant