The Supergirl tv series debuted earlier this week. I re-watched the pilot, after having seen the leaked version 6 months ago. Knowing that it finally aired and having read 2 unrelated but thought-provoking comic series recently (Saga and Irredeemable), I had some thoughts about her, heroism and the world in general.
First – some thoughts on the series:
- It was better than I thought it would be, when it came to action and special effects
- Kara is really soft and insecure for someone with the same powers as Superman
- Its not aimed at my demographic
With that said, initially, I didn’t hate the series, but I didn’t love it either. It was entertaining, but especially after watching Agent Carter and seeing Sun from Sense8 in action, I wanted more. This probably isn’t the series that’s going to give it to me though. Again, demographics.
Now that I’ve seen it a 2nd time, its grown on me. I wasn’t impressed at first, but I can appreciate the construction more, and it was actually smoother after a repeat viewing. I think Kara’s general mousiness at work burrowed more deeply into my memory than her actions as Supergirl. I don’t think any of the women I know in real life are quite that timid yet oddly open with people at work at the same time – its like a strange flavor of bipolar disorder.
Regardless, the dichotomy between working girl Kara and Supergirl is more evenly-balanced to me now. Maybe subsequent episodes will help her grow into a more epically-heroic character.
I’m not going to go into details about the pilot, because the internet is flooded with plot summaries. I do want to acknowledge that I’m viewing it through the eyes of a 40-year old metalhead and father from New York whose family is West Indian by way of Trinidad, so I’m going to come back with different takeaways than people who I think are its intended audience – namely school-age girls and maybe 20-somethings. But, my daughter is 3-years old and my wife is more of a geek and avid reader than I am these days, so I often think about our daughter when I read and watch things. For her, I think this is a step in the right direction. She’s not old enough to follow it yet, but who knows what the next few years will bring.
I spoke with some of my male friends about the series months ago, and all of them said that they weren’t interested in seeing it. Its an interesting observation to me. I’ll have to ask again to see if the rest are of the same mindset. None of my female friends has said anything about the series either, which is equally interesting.
No more heroes
Ok. Here’s the rant:
About 3 mins into the pilot, Kara/Supergirl talks us through (1) her departure from her home planet of Krypton after that of her cousin, Kal-El, (2) the destruction of their homeworld, (3) her being asleep and lost in space for years and (4) her arrival on Earth. She tells us about Kal’s discovery of her, her adopted family, and then says that with him all grown-up and revealed to the world – she not donning a cape and fighting crime alongside him. Instead, she’s going native. “After all, Earth didn’t need another hero.”
This is entirely the wrong conclusion to arrive at, in my opinion. For some reason, Superman hasn’t gone after unstable and openly oppressive powers like North Korea’s leader or any of dozens of warlords who forcibly conscript children into their armies and rape them and their mothers and sisters in Africa. He’s let cartels and militaristic regimes in South America, various SEA and Mid-Eastern countries stand, and, as people more jaded and politically aware than I am might argue, even antagonistic, self-serving US and European figures.
It makes no sense to me that a female superhero would abide the cruelties that so many countries allow their female citizenry to suffer through. India makes the news for rural gang-rapes that result in horrific deaths every few weeks. One of their major politicians dismisses it as, “Boys will be boys.” There are Mid-Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia in which women seemingly exist as nothing more than chattel for men. They’re actually blamed for being attacked by men simply because they were there. After all, what would a decent woman be doing outside, unchaperoned, if not looking to tempt men? Female captives are brutalized everywhere that there’s war – many are children, not adults. Look at Boko Haram or the atrocities being committed in Serbia. There are horrors in the world that no superhero dares confront – either in print or onscreen.
It wasn’t always that way though. Captain America, Bucky, The Human Torch and others used to fight Hitler and Nazi’s. This is even played up in the recent movies from Marvel. I don’t think every hero has to have a political motivation to exist, but the vast majority of them should act on moral ones – and I think its immoral for beings of their power to stand by and allow torture and depravity to continue.
Ok, back to the series and other comics
But, anyway, that’s just my own rant, and has nothing to do with what the series seems to be geared towards, which is bringing a younger, female audience a superhero they can emulate and admire. Lets face it, men have had Superman for decades… at least white men have, although he’s definitely made his mark across the spectrum of ethnicities in the western world. Women have really had less to hold to when it comes to capes on the screen, big or small. I can’t think of a female-driven superhero series outside of Wonder Woman to make a cultural impact, and that’s been over for more than 30 years. (Yes, I saw the 2011 pilot for the new one and was disappointed with parts of it.)
For girls, I think this is an important series, because it starts us down the road to parity. Other non-superhero shows have started making inroads here as well. I’m really enjoying Minority Report, for example, whose lead is a black woman. And, of course, the aforementioned Agent Carter and Sense8 have blazed remarkable trails in this direction as well – and the upcoming Jessica Jones looks like it will continue the fight.
Regarding Saga and Irredeemable – there’s a line from Saga that stood out in my head. Its from early on, maybe one of the first 3 issues. Marko says something to the effect of “violence only begets more violence.” He’s right, for the most part, but it came to dwell in my head when I was thinking about Supergirl and her possible place in society. It applies equally to her cousin and other caped crusaders. There are many bullies and tyrants who maintain power over people through the application of “might makes right”. If you’re one of the strongest beings on the planet, why wouldn’t you use your abilities to answer that credo with a taste of its own medicine, but aimed against the agitators of disharmony and suffering?
Kara doesn’t need to kill. But, what’s stopping her from swooping in, scooping up a handful of warlords and dropping them off someplace where human justice can be applied? If a leader is starving his people for the sake of nuclear armament so he can threaten an even wider group of people, why wouldn’t a superhuman who’s supposed drive is to be a hero step in and change the situation? Words could be used, but so could flight and an impromptu confrontation with more vocal, humane opponents of said leader’s decrees.
I know its hard to know where to draw the line with this. Everyone has stances that they believe in. Is eating meat wrong? Should spandex intercede? Raising a Confederate flag? Donning a KKK mask for ritual gatherings but not physically harming another person? Passing legislation to repress homosexuals? Is it even our right to say who other people can or can’t love?
I think that starting with the most base and far-reaching crimes would be a good way to begin defending humanity. Its sad that it has to be against itself, however.
With Irredeemable, I was thinking about it as a contrast to Supergirl. She’s similar to Superman in ability, and that places her in Plutonian’s league. Plutonian actually DID take an active hand in the affairs of the world. However, it wasn’t for good. It started out that way, but devolved into insanity. What was interesting to see was the scope of his power, and by extension the potential changes that Kara could affect, as well as the legality and morality of her bringing her full powers to bear.
She wouldn’t need to carve countries out of existence, but she could very well monitor much of the planet – at least on a high level – for all sorts of catastrophes, both natural and man-made. Superman should be doing this as well. For some reason, their opponents are Kryptonian criminals and corrupted human super-scientists, who I’d imagine are the minority of threats facing the world. With super-speed, super senses and a license to end tyranny, imagine what they could accomplish in a week? Kara is a world-changing power, but as of this pilot episode has been hiding from it, just like Kal-El has reserved his abilities to play in the big leagues against other superhuman threats and leave key “lesser” targets free to do as they will.
Darkseid might come along and enslave or decimate the human race at some point, but in the here-and-now, people are doing it to themselves. These are the threats that must be stopped.
Maybe, somewhere in a galaxy far away, supers are making a difference that can be measured through the freedoms and quality of life that their existence allows mundanes on the worlds they police to experience. Maybe, someday, we’ll get stories about it.
Breaking the 4th Wall 