10 Things Milly Alcock’s Supergirl Must Do Differently After 2 Previous Versions In The Last 10 Years

Milly Alcock has been cast as Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl, for DC Studios’ upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, set within the newly-rebooted DC Universe, and she need look no further than previous iterations of the superhero to learn some valuable lessons. After achieving recognition with roles in Janet King, Upright, and as the young Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon, Milly Alcock was revealed to have been cast in the DCU on January 29, 2024. Alcock will be bringing a fresh take on Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, in the DCU’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

While it’s unclear exactly when Milly Alcock will be debuting as the DCU’s Supergirl, she will be assuming the role from two different actors who have recently portrayed the Kryptonian superhero. Melissa Benoist starred as Kara Danvers’ Supergirl in The CW’s Arrowverse shows Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash, Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow between 2015 and 2021, while Sasha Calle portrayed the hero in 2023’s The Flash. Both of these iterations of Supergirl delivered some strong moments, but there are many aspects that DC Studios and Milly Alcock must do differently if the DCU’s new Supergirl is to be more effective.

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10 Milly Alcock’s Supergirl Needs A Substantial Role In The DC Universe

Sasha Calle’s Supergirl Was Wasted In The Flash

The fact that Milly Alcock has been cast long before Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is expected to release is a sign that the hero will have a substantial role in the DC Universe. This is good news, as Supergirl has often been neglected in live-action, particularly in the DCEU. Sasha Calle’s Supergirl debuted in 2023’s The Flash, and was repeatedly killed-off, and the film’s time travel antics kept her locked in this loop. Melissa Benoist’s Supergirl may have starred in her own six-season series on The CW, but Alcock’s version of the hero will take center-stage in the larger DCU.

9 Supergirl & Superman’s Bond Needs To Be Fully Explored

Both The Flash & The Arrowverse Ignored Supergirl & Superman’s Relationship

The CW’s Supergirl perhaps made the right decision to separate Supergirl and Superman in its early days, but even when the pair came together, their relationship was never fully developed. In DC Comics, Kara Zor-El is the biological cousin of Kal-El, a.k.a. Clark Kent, and this familial connection needs to be explored in depth in the DCU. Calle’s Supergirl was introduced as The Flash’s alternate universe’s Superman replacement, so her relationship to Superman was never investigated. The bond between Superman and Supergirl is hugely important, so the chemistry between Milly Alcock and David Corenswet in the DCU must be perfect.

8 Milly Alcock’s Supergirl Needs To Explore Her Internal Conflicts More

Supergirl’s Biggest Battles Are Often With Herself

In DC Comics, many of Supergirl’s biggest conflicts are with herself, as she juggles with morality, the balance between right and wrong, and her desire to help others. Unlike Superman, Kara Zor-El wasn’t raised on Earth, so is very much an outsider. This sometimes makes it difficult for her to justify her heroism, which is something that both Benoist and Calle struggled to portray. Supergirl’s titular hero was a steadfast hero, while The Flash’s iteration wasn’t around long enough to make a career out of her heroism, meaning Alcock’s Supergirl needs to explore these internal conflicts in much more detail.

7 DCU’s Supergirl Needs To Be Different To Superman

Previous Adaptations Have Shown Her As A Female Superman, But She Is Much More

One thing that both Benoist and Calle’s versions of Supergirl failed to demonstrate were her differences to her superhero cousin. Many previous live-action interpretations of Supergirl have depicted her as a female version of Superman, but she is actually far much more. DC Studios needs to carefully showcase the contrasting aspects of Supergirl and Superman’s personalities, while also developing their bond and familial connection. Supergirl is arguably more hardened than Superman, and is also an expert martial artist. She has also often been regarded to be stronger than Superman, as she didn’t spend her childhood learning to suppress her abilities.

6 DCU Shouldn’t Focus So Much On Supergirl’s Romantic Life

The Arrowverse Marred Supergirl With Soap Opera Romances

Indeed, Kara Zor-El has had a string of romances throughout her DC Comics career, but this has never been the sole focus of her story or character. As a near-godly figure, it’s hard for Supergirl to find a stable relationship, particularly when she values her superhero antics over anything else. This wasn’t accurately depicted in The CW’s Supergirl series, which saw Benoist’s Supergirl engage in several soap opera-style love affairs. What might make good TV certainly won’t work for Milly Alcock’s version of Supergirl in the DC Universe, as her superhero adventures should come before anything else.

5 DCU Shouldn’t Hide From Showing Supergirl’s Actual Origin Story

Exploration Of Supergirl’s Backstory In The DCU Would Be A Cinematic Spectacle

Supergirl’s origin story is far different to that of Clark Kent’s Superman, and wasn’t explored at all in either Supergirl or The Flash. This is an essential story for the DCU, especially since Kara Zor-El’s origin would make for a beautiful cinematic spectacle. Unlike Kal-El, who was sent to Earth as a baby before Krypton’s destruction, Kara remained, growing up on a floating piece of the destroyed Krypton known as Argo City, only leaving after watching the other survivors die from Kryptonite poisoning. This story is truly heartbreaking, and would benefit from a live-action, big-screen adaptation.

4 Milly Alcock’s Supergirl Needs To Embody The Full Impact Of Her Tragic Backstory

Supergirl’s Childhood Was Very Different To Superman’s

Not only does Supergirl’s actual origin story need to be shown in the DCU’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, but the impact of this tragic story needs to be felt in Milly Alcock’s performance for years to come. Krypton’s destruction and Supergirl’s tough upbringing on a piece of the broken planet forged her into a tough and hardened hero, which would create a fantastic dynamic when partnered with her more optimistic and hopeful cousin, Superman. Neither Benoist nor Calle’s Supergirl delved deep into the emotion of their origin story, so Alcock can differentiate her portrayal perfectly by doing just this.

3 Supergirl Shouldn’t Be Overshadowed By Other Heroes

The Flash Sidelined Supergirl To Focus On Barry Allen & Bruce Wayne

Supergirl is a powerful enough superhero to stand on her own two feet and lead her own adventures, but previous live-action adaptations seemed to forget this, instead lumping her with other heroes. The Arrowverse’s relentless crossovers often neglected Supergirl by putting cornerstone heroes Green Arrow and Flash in the spotlight, while Calle’s Supergirl was only included in The Flash to advance the story of Barry Allen in a classic case of fridging. There’s no doubt that Milly Alcock’s Supergirl will interact with other heroes in the DCU, but she needs to remember her own strength, and take charge when necessary.

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2 Milly Alcock’s Supergirl Needs To Show Her Flaws

Supergirl Isn’t Perfect, So The DCU Needs To Prove This

Supergirl’s origin story and the impact this has had on her superhero career means she is far from a perfect person. She can be tough, withdrawn and is often more impulsive than her cousin, which can regularly get her into problems. While The Flash might have done a solid job of displaying Supergirl’s more hardened qualities, The CW’s Supergirl rarely demonstrated Benoist’s Kara Danvers as being flawed. Milly Alcock’s version of Supergirl in the DCU needs to be layered and complex, like any other character, and DC Studios can’t be afraid to showcase the more abrasive sides to Supergirl’s personality.

1 The Full Range Of Supergirl’s Abilities Need To Be Seen In The DCU

Supergirl Never Reached Her Full Potential In The Arrowverse & The Flash

Perhaps the main aspect of Supergirl that the DCU needs to get right is the depiction of her abilities. The Flash covered the basic powers that Supergirl’s Kryptonian physiology gifts her when exposed to Earth’s sun, and while The CW’s Supergirl series displayed more of her powers, the DCU can do even more. Supergirl is one of the most powerful characters in DC Comics, arguably even more powerful than Superman himself, so this needs to explored properly in the DCU’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Milly Alcock is a brilliant casting choice to pull off some of these amazing feats.