Home/Entertainment/Should the 'Supergirl' Finale Have Made Supercorp Canon?
Should the 'Supergirl' Finale Have Made Supercorp Canon?
SongdepNovember 10, 2021
When you ask just about any fan of The CW's Supergirl, which completed its run after six seasons tonight with the episodes "The Final Gauntlet" and "Kara", the query "ought to Supergirl have made Supercorp canon?" is a silly one, at greatest. The fan 'shipped coupling of Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist) and Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath) has overwhelmed virtually some other dialog in regards to the collection for the reason that latter character was launched in Season 2. However — and this is a crucial distinction — the query is whether or not Supergirl ought to have made Supercorp canon within the ultimate episode, and the reply to that's much more difficult.
Not like her brother Lex (Jon Cryer), Lena was by no means actually evil. A Luthor, for positive, however with an advanced morality. The collection rapidly arrange the dynamic between Kara and Lena as allies, each related not simply although shared pursuits however (although they didn't understand it) by shared secrets and techniques. Lena all the time had some kind of scientific schemes happening within the background, whereas Kara wasn't only a mild-mannered reporter at CatCo; she was additionally Supergirl.
The 2 additionally shared an simple chemistry, one which launched a deep analyzation of the present by followers in search of clues as to whether the duo had been supposed be simply gal friends, or maybe one thing extra romantic was within the offing. Do a seek for Supercorp on any social media platform and also you'll discover the requisite slo-mo 'transport montages set to weepy music, side-by-side with deep dives into how particular pictures and exchanges on the collection parallel not Lex Luthor and Superman in different media appearances, as you would possibly count on, however Lois Lane and Superman.
Whether or not you agree that the present has been teasing out Supercorp as a romantic relationship for the previous 5 seasons or not, the proof that the collection has used these prior scenes as visible reference is simple. Add in that the present already has an LGBTQ+ couple in Kara's sister Alex Danvers (Chyler Leigh) and Kelly Olsen (Azie Tesfai), and The CW's common openness to all varieties of pairings, and it's not out of the realm of risk that Supergirl may very well be romantically tied to a different girl.
Nonetheless, it hasn't occurred. Each characters have sometimes been tied to males: Kara after which Lena had romantic curiosity in Jimmy Olsen (Mechad Brooks) earlier than he left the present; and Kara dated Mon-El (performed by Benoist's real-life husband Chris Wooden) earlier than he left the present, as properly. However for essentially the most half each characters have been single whereas practically each different character had a extra long-term love curiosity, additional including gas to the fireplace.
That fireside grew to become an explosion throughout the ultimate season particularly, when phrases like "SUPERCORP IS CANON" and "SUPERGIRL IS GAY" often trended on Twitter; not with the thousand to 2 thousand tweets you count on from these kinds of microtrends, however usually 40 to 50 thousand tweets or extra. It was a concentrated effort, and a passionate one. It was additionally fruitless (one thing even the trenders needed to know) for the reason that collection was already filmed and achieved by the point these ultimate episodes have been airing.
And to clear it out of the best way right here: no, Supercorp was not made canon within the ultimate episode of the collection. Lena and Kara didn't kiss, they didn't profess their romantic love for one another, they didn't even maintain fingers whereas strolling right into a spirit portal a la the considerably complicated ending of Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra. However that doesn't imply the episode wasn't fully Supercorp free, and as normal, it's as much as fan interpretation what all of it meant.
Photograph: THE CW
After dispelling with the battle that has consumed many of the season — fifth-dimensional imp Nyxly (Peta Sergeant) and Lex Luthor teaming as much as management a mystical artifact known as the AllStone — many of the episode was as an alternative taken up with the preparations for Alex and Kelly's wedding ceremony. It additionally featured the shock return of Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) via the magic of green-screen and a particularly gauzy filter as she known as Kara and supplied her the job of her desires, Editor-in-Chief of the rebooted CatCo.
Whereas the (lovely and emotional) wedding ceremony ran within the foreground, resulting in closure for all the characters, from an upcoming proposal to a shock baby, Kara was grappling with how she might settle for this job whereas nonetheless being Supergirl. A big a part of the season itself has dealt along with her realizing that she will't be an excellent reporter and in addition mysteriously run away from her job at a second's discover to avoid wasting individuals. Mendacity and journalism usually don't combine, so she made the choice to depart her place and focus on being Supergirl full time. That, after all, didn't work both, and one after the other her associates inform her she must take the provide from Cat and determine all of it out later.
The ultimate, climactic dialog of not simply the episode, however your complete collection, is between Kara and Lena. Seeing her pal sitting alone on the wedding ceremony, Lena grabs a chair and asks her what's mistaken. What follows is a dialogue of how one can be your true self if you're hiding a part of your self from the world, and albeit, it's laborious to not learn the strains as a thinly veiled reference to popping out.
For Lena, it's all about how she found she's been a magical witch her complete life, one thing that was revealed on this ultimate season. She explains that her adoptive mom "principally programmed the magic out of me as a toddler," which is a brief leap to metaphorically discussing homosexual conversion remedy. Now, at this lesbian wedding ceremony she's speaking about how she's "dwelling my very own life" to not point out sporting goth make-up and a purple pantsuit that… Properly, you'll be able to determine that one out.
For Kara, it's all about how she's been hiding "behind these glasses," and that "I don't even know what that might really feel like for me. Connecting with somebody as my complete self. To not be afraid. To simply be who I'm."
Photograph: Katie Yu/THE CW
Once more, it's very straightforward to interpret all this as hiding behind being straight, if you're homosexual. And the entire dialog appears like a pal who got here out, gently teaching one other pal who desires to come back out, however isn't positive find out how to begin.
That every one stated? The phrases "friendship" and "associates" are dropped into the dialog at key moments, and Lena emphasizes how all the characters are a part of one large household. That is, to offer credit score the place it's due, one of many strengths of superhero fiction, that you should utilize these kinds of conflicts — on this case, revealing your superhero identification to the world — as a metaphor for a lot of various things, primarily based on how they relate to the person viewer.
But it surely's additionally laborious to not view this scene understanding in regards to the Supercorp 'ship, and watch with slowly rising eyes and gaping jaw because the duo draw nearer and nearer bodily, questioning if that is all going to finish in a kiss. Once more: it doesn't finish in a kiss. As a substitute, Kara cries, they hug, after which head off to observe Alex and Kelly journey to their honeymoon in a flying automotive. And as they do, Kara leaves her glasses behind, her choice made.
The ultimate scene of the collection, only for closure's sake, is your complete solid at Kara's condominium ingesting wine and enjoying video games, like they've so many instances earlier than. Everyone seems to be pleased, no person's story is totally over, and in the meantime, on screens throughout Nationwide Metropolis, Cat Grant introduces the world to Kara Danvers as Supergirl for the primary time in a sit down interview. The collection ends with Kara smiling, a complete individual for the primary time ever.
So to loop again to the unique query, ought to Supercorp have develop into canon within the ultimate episode? The reply (and bear with me for a second right here) is, I feel: no. Ought to Supercorp have develop into canon earlier within the season, or a number of seasons in the past? Sure. I'm a bit of biased right here, however I feel the hundredth episode would have been a perfect time for the collection to at the least experiment with the couple via the magic of alternate realities. It wouldn't have been satisfying, essentially, however it might have helped loosen the stress valve that's certainly exploding on-line as we communicate. And even higher, earlier this season when the Tremendous Mates had been attempting to unlock the secrets and techniques of a mystical love totem, why not use that MacGuffin to disclose that Lena and Kara had emotions for one another that went past friendship?
As a substitute, so far as the continuity of the present is worried, Supercorp by no means occurred. It's irritating not simply when it comes to the general plot of the collection, which arguably would have been stronger if it had taken this narrative leap, but in addition as a result of it's [checks calendar] 2021. The Legend of Korra was talked about earlier, and since then animation has developed in leaps and bounds: from that hand-holding second in 2014 which needed to be defined by the showrunners after the finale aired; to Catra (AJ Michalka) and Adora (Aimee Carero) actually saving the universe by kissing and confessing their love for one another within the finale of Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Energy in 2020; and plenty of, many different examples in between.
Photograph: Dean Buscher
Dwell motion is a unique story, after all, and superhero collection and films have been the topic of huge discussions about their common lack of LGBTQ+ illustration, main right through the primary actual canonically homosexual couple in a Marvel film being launched simply this previous weekend in Eternals. The microcosm of The CW's so-called Arrow-verse collection is a bit of stronger on this regard, with characters starting from the aforementioned Alex Danvers and Kelly Olsen, to Sara Lance (Caity Lotz) and Ava Sharpe (Jes Macallan) additionally getting married this yr on DC's Legends of Tomorrow, to 2 completely different lesbian Batwomen (Ruby Rose, Javicia Leslie) on Batwoman over the course of three seasons.
That stated? Regardless of appearances on the contrary, you're really legally allowed to have multiple (1) lesbian couple on a TV collection at a time… However having Kara and Lena profess their love for one another might have overwhelmed the concentrate on Alex and Kelly. That's additionally an excellent argument for why it might have (and will have) occurred just a few episodes again, to permit room for the long-in-the-works wedding ceremony within the finale, as an alternative of hundreds of nervous followers watching the ultimate episodes, desperately hoping Kara and Lena would seal the deal, as an alternative of specializing in the issues at hand.
However so far as the finale goes, on condition that now we have reached that time and Kara and Lena aren't even remotely a pair, and even brazenly homosexual within the ultimate episode, the best way issues are executed refocuses the collection on Kara, and Kara alone. That's the way it must be: the present began with a concentrate on Supergirl, the present is titled Supergirl, and it ends with Supergirl making a monumental choice that ties again to her origin story from the pilot. Once more, having Kara and Lena kiss on the finish of their post-wedding heart-to-heart would have made that the main focus of the scene, not Kara's particular person journey.
And although it virtually definitely is irritating for followers, having Kara metaphorically and interpretively starting her journey as a complete, cohesive character proper on the finish right here permits for the concept that past this level, something is feasible. Will she simply proceed to be friends with Lena, like those skeletons who were buried embracing each other in Modena, Italy 1,500 years ago as a result of they had been such good associates? Or will she profess her love for Lena, they usually'll be buried collectively like these skeletons from Modena, Italy from 1,500 years in the past? Actually, something is feasible.
I'm being glib (and definitely displaying my prejudice for what I imagine occurs after this present ends), however the excellent news right here is that the story, like a lot superhero literature and media, doesn't finish. Kara doesn't die, she doesn't head to the long run, or run away to reside along with her dad and mom on Argo Metropolis, or any variety of endings that would supply extra finality to the collection. As a substitute, Kara is simply beginning out, nonetheless preventing the forces of evil, and because the Arrow-verse is at present nonetheless operating 4 plus completely different collection (The Flash, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Batwoman, Superman & Lois, in addition to DC's Stargirl) there are many alternatives to say Kara and Lena's "present" standing. The dangerous information is that Supercorp wasn't canonized within the context of Supergirl, the TV collection. The excellent news is that via the final moments of the finale, the present did nothing to negate it, both.
Is that sufficient for followers? I doubt it. There'll virtually undoubtedly be calls of "queerbaiting" off this finale, the method the place creators trace at an LGBTQ+ romance with out really delivering. I don't think about myself certified to weigh in on that particularly, although I'm positive loads of viewers have proof stacks a mile excessive they might pull out, if solely this kind of factor had any standing in a court docket of legislation.
And see above re: the strides in animation for notes on why taking a leap to couple up Kara and Lena would haven't simply been progressive, however a completely affordable step for the present. However within the context of the half-hour that make up post-main battle ultimate episode of Supergirl, having the main focus be on Kara, and Kara alone is laudable. And in the end it appears a particular option to have Lena be the ultimate one that helps Kara settle for her true self. Make of it what you'll (and followers assuredly will make quite a lot of it), however that's one thing, at the least.
Additionally necessary? The present acknowledges how significant the 2 characters are to one another, by leaving us with this ultimate second, as Kara cries and takes off her glasses.
"Of all the chums I've ever had, you may have pushed me essentially the most," Kara says, sobbing. "Challenged me essentially the most."
And as they hug, Lena whispers into Kara's ear, "You've made me a greater individual. Thanks."
Maybe it's a romantic second, maybe not. But it surely's inarguable that these two characters have modified one another, and for the higher. If that isn't the core of Supercorp, I don't know what's.
Where to watch Supergirl
https://decider.com/2021/11/09/supergirl-finale-supercorp-canon/ | Ought to the 'Supergirl' Finale Have Made Supercorp Canon?
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