Supergirl© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. With the release of Supergirl in theaters everywhere this weekend, audiences can now learn more about the character told through the lens of DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebrand. While the Craig-Gillespie-directed film struggles to connect with some critics, there is widespread praise for actress Milly Alcock’s portrayal of the superhero, especially regarding Kara/Supergirl’s origins.During the destruction of Krypton, Kara’s scientist parents, Zor-El (David Krumholtz) and Alura (Emily Beecham), managed to break off a city of Krypton – Argo City – that was protected by a force field. Eight years later, she was born and lived what she considered a normal life as a Kryptonian. She seems to have had a happy, healthy childhood, as this was the only life she knew. After losing her mother to radiation poisoning from the dying city, her father sends her to join her cousin, Ka-El, a.k.a Superman (David Corenswet), on Earth. In this universe, Zor-El disagrees with his brother’s Kryptonian superior complex and tells his daughter to “be good” and protect those who cannot protect themselves.Young Kara was raised with a close bond to her parents and seemed to be a good person. She wanted to go down with her parents and the people of Argo City, but as her parents' “whole world” and her mother’s “life,” she went along with her father’s wishes, taking Krypto with her to Earth. She was a young girl when this happened, saying good-bye to the life she had ever known and knowing they were doomed – and she survived. This survivor’s guilt followed her, and she traveled to Earth not knowing English whatsoever, and could not communicate with her cousin, the only other Kryptonian survivor.Supergirl© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. The film beautifully shows this disconnect, as she is struggling to connect with this new world and language, while carrying this guilt with her, and being so invincible that she can’t even feel pain or get drunk to relieve this mental anguish. It’s why she couldn’t truly be the superhero her cousin is, who was raised by good people his entire life, despite discovering the truth about his biological parents. He had a great support system, working for the media, and being with one of the most influential reporters in the U.S. Sure, he has hurt being the last of his kind, and the pressures of this superpower, but he does not carry those memories of loss, destruction, and leaving your destroyed world and people.MORE FOR YOUKara does.The film does a beautiful job – as does Alcock’s performance – of showing a flawed super-powered person who is aware of their responsibilities but doesn’t want to deal with them. It’s hard to call her human when she’s not, but this is what makes her feel human, therefore, relatable.Supergirl (and the DCU now) followed writer Tom King’s DC Comics 8-issue comic series (with artist Bilquis Everly), Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, which reimagined Supergirl as this anti-hero, who is very much not caring to get involved in any drama, but is forced to when her dog gets involved. Basically, the story “John-Wicked” Kara into becoming involved with Ruthye Marye Knoll(Eve Ridley)’s plot for revenge against the villain and ‘human’-trafficker, Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts).Supergirl© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Despite the crammed screenplay, Kara going to a red-sun planet to feel human and forget about everything is the most human thing ever. She wants to escape this pain and grief, which she eventually begins to process. She has more experience understanding the impact of villains and antagonists, and probably the best street smarts of the two (compared to the cookie-cutter Superman).While Superman feels more like a “supportive dad” and “awe shucks” righteous, Supergirl is willing to do what needs to be done, even if it means killing. Superman and Batman have a known code about killing; they just don’t do it – unless under extreme circumstances. Superman tried to save several of the monsters that the Justice Gang had killed because he has empathy for everyone. It’s not a bad thing, but there are situations when maybe this person is so irredeemable that you just want to prevent the next killing spree.Kara also understood the burden of taking a life. Though she didn’t kill her people, survivor’s guilt collects that weight of those deaths. Also, we don’t know the time between her being found in the pod and leaving for the red sun planets, so she could have killed people before. Either way, she understood that hardship and didn’t want Ruthy to have to go through it.Gunn and Gillespie have both called Supergirl an “antihero” in this story because of her “having demons and baggage,” but they are very wrong in that title. Just because someone has baggage and demons doesn’t mean they’re not a hero or anti-hero; it’s because of these vices that she’s an even better superhero. She was “raised to be good” and a “protector of those who cannot protect themselves.”She didn’t have to help Ruthy get her sword back in the first act. She could have just let it go. None of this needed to happen. But, she is inherently good inside and morally just to step in – even without powers.Supergirl© 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Sure, Superman is just a good dude with superpowers who uses them for good, despite what his biological parents initially wanted him to do. He’s a man with all green flags. But would he be willing to do what needs to be done? The Justice Gang stepped in to be that clutch for Superman in last year’s Superman. Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) killed that brutal, corrupt dictator, which I am really looking forward to Hawkgirl and Supergirl connecting.This story – despite its issues – portrayed Supergirl as more human than the superhero raised on Earth because she was raised by good people, lost everything, was full of trauma and “baggage,” and still came out wanting to be good. Supergirl isn’t defined by her trauma or baggage – just like Batman is defined by his parents’ murder – it’s what she does despite it: being good. With that, Supergirl should be utilized more in future films, especially given Alcock’s stellar acting and the incredible stories that can emerge from this deeply rich, flawed superhero.Supergirl is out in theaters everywhere.