Looking for a different version of this character? |
---|
As a result of the New 52 in 2011, the entire line of DC characters was relaunched, incorporating properties belonging to the company's imprints: Wildstorm, Milestone, and Vertigo. As such, elements of this character's history have been altered in some way from the previous incarnation. For a complete list of all versions of this character, see our disambiguation page. |
- Ever since I woke up here on Earth, I can't catch a break. Why should I expect this to be any different?
- — Supergirl src
History
Supergirl
Main article: Supergirl: The Last Daughter of Krypton
Kara Zor-El's pod from Krypton crash landed in Russia. She stumbled from her craft only to be suddenly surrounded by gigantic armed robots who begin trying to subdue her. In an amazing display of power she shows off her strength, speed, defense, senses, heat vision, and screams until she is finally overcome by the robots and her own confusion of being on a distant unknown planet. With a blaster pointed to the back of her head she is finally saved by nothing less than a single word from Superman.[1]
Confused by her current situation and her new powers, Kara angrily demands to know why Superman is wearing her family's crest. When Superman identifies himself as her cousin Kal-El, Kara becomes enraged, thinking he is an impostor; in her mind she was holding baby Kal-El only the day before. Kara attacks Superman, only to become scared by her own new abilities, such as x-ray vision and flight. The two exchange blows all the way from Siberia to the Great Wall of China. After punching Superman through the Great Wall, Kara realizes her fight is endangering the people nearby and agrees to accept Superman's help adapting to her new life.
When Kara flies back to Siberia to search for the capsule, she's invited by Symon Tycho to his space station, where he tests her abilities and limits. Finally, he watches her being weakened by green kryptonite and captivates her in a tank near the kryptonite. However, an employee of Tycho helps Kara breaking out. Still not in the full control over her powers, Kara accidentally seem to destroy the whole space-station.
There's something missing here. This section of the article is incomplete, and contains information, but requires more before it can be considered complete. You can help DC Database by editing this page, providing additional information to bring this article to a higher standard of quality.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, The average Kryptonian possesses the potential for the following power set:
- Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of their super powers as they are contingent upon exposure to solar radiation from a yellow sun star system. Their biological make up includes a number of organs which lack analogues in humans and whose functions are unknown. It is believed that between one or more of these and their bio-cellular matrix, "yellow" solar energy is stored for later use. This allows for the use of these powers to fade when yellow solar radiation is not available instead of immediate failure.
- Heat Vision: Kryptonians can, as a conscious act, fire beams of intense heat at a target by looking at it. Typically, the power is seen as two beams of red light emanating from the eyes. These beams can be made invisible, allowing the power to be undetectable. The maximum temperature of their heat vision is said to be around that of a nuclear detonation. They can also consciously determine the area affected, down to the microscopic level.
- Super-Hearing: Kryptonian hearing is sensitive enough to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. With skill, practice, and concentration, they can block out ambient sounds to focus on a specific source or frequency. As such, they can identify a person by their heartbeat, or pick out a single voice in an entire city.
- Enhanced Vision: Kryptonian vision processes the entire electromagnetic spectrum as well as allowing vast control over selective perception and focus.
This umbrella ability includes the following:- Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision: Kryptonians can see well into most of the electromagnetic spectrum. They can see and identify radio and television signals as well as all other broadcast or transmitted frequencies. Using this ability, they can avoid detection by radar or satellite monitoring methods. This also allows them to see the aura generated by living thing.
- Telescopic Vision: This is the ability to see something at a great distance, without violating the laws of physics. Though limited, the exact extent of the ability is undetermined. In function, it is similar to the zoom lens on a camera.
- X-Ray Vision: This is the ability to see through any volume of matter except lead. Kryptonians can see things behind a solid, opaque object as if it were not there. They can focus this ability to "peel back" layers of an object, allowing hidden image or inner workings to be observed. The exact type of energy perceived—such as x-rays, cosmic rays, or some other energy invisible to normal humans—is unclear. This ability perceives an ambient energy source though, it does not involve the eye projecting a concentrated, possibly toxic, beam to be reflected back from objects.
- Microscopic Vision: This is the ability to see extremely small objects and images down to the atomic level.
- Infrared Vision: Kryptonians can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
- Flight: Kryptonians are able to manipulate graviton particles, in an unknown and apparently unconscious manner, to defy the forces of gravity. Under one Earth gravity, they are capable of speeds of multi-Mach speeds in Earth's atmosphere. Their control of their flight is very precise and they can perform aerobatic feats such as hovering, flying backwards and even lifting great weights while flying.
- Invulnerability: The bodies of Kryptonians are nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, their immune systems protects them from toxins and diseases. The most common explanations for this rely on the presences of a super-dense molecular structure, a supercharged bio-electric aura which acts as an invisible force field, or a combination of the two. A byproduct of the aura is that items close to the skin share their invulnerability. Using clothing as an example, loose fitting fabric would tend to shred or burn in adverse conditions, but skin tight outfits would not.
- Superhuman Stamina: Kryptonians have the ability to maintain continuous strenuous physical action for an indefinite period of time. In theory they have unlimited stamina as their enhanced nourishment is produced from the yellow solar energy their cells process, which also provides the majority of the power for their superhuman abilities. However, their base physical structures do need to process food stuffs and they have a psychological need to eat and drink just as Earth humans do. They also require sleep on occasion so that they can dream. They can also hold their breath for an indefinite period of time.
- Superhuman Strength: A Kryptonian develops enhanced physical strength after absorbing a sufficient amount of yellow solar radiation. This radiation interacts with the greater than human density, resilience and biological efficiency of their musculature to trigger superhuman levels. While the exact magnitude of their strength is unknown, it is generally accepted that it is sufficient to lift 100,000 tons or more. The specific range is unknown as a their strength, like their other powers, may fluctuate over time. Their strength is also more an act of conscious will on energy fields than actual physical strength. It is this act of conscious will that enables them to perform physical feats that are beyond the mere application force, such as moving a mountain top without said rock crumbling under its own mass. At full power, their normal strength levels are well into the multi-megaton range.
- Superhuman Speed: Kryptonians are able to move at incredible speeds by sheer force of will. They can match most other speedsters in super-fast movements, reactions, and processes. They can use this power to disarm opponents without heightened reflexes, catch bullets or shrapnel or cross vast distances in seconds.
This also confers: - Super-Breath: Kryptonians are able to create hurricane force winds by exhaling air from their lungs. They can chill the air as it leaves their lungs to freeze targets in a variation sometimes called "freeze" or "arctic breath". They can also reverse the process and pull large volumes of air or vapor into their lungs.
- Longevity: Kryptonians can live longer than regular humans, remaining at their prime as long as they was under the exposure of the "yellow" sun.
- Vulnerability to Kryptonite
- Vulnerability to Magic
Abilities
- Multilingualism: Kara can speak fluent English and Kryptonian.
Weaknesses
- Vulnerability to Kryptonite[2]
- Vulnerability to Sensory Overload: Supergirl's sensitive sense can be overpowered, such as when Lobo tossed a sonic grenade under her feet and knocked her unconscious.[3]
Paraphernalia
Weapons
- Red Lantern Ring (Formerly)
Notes
- Supergirl (Kara Zor-El) was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, first appearing in Action Comics #252. However, in the rebooted Prime Earth continuity her first appearance as part of the DC Universe is in Michael Green, Mike Johnson and Mahmud Asrar's New 52 Supergirl series.
Trivia
- Supergirl is known as the Girl of Steel and the Girl of Tomorrow.[4]
- Supergirl estranged from her cousin, Kal-El (Superman)[5], however she maintains a relationship with Kara Zor-El (Power Girl)[6]. She does not enjoy the clone, Kon-El (Superboy)[7] but doesn't wish him death either.
- Supergirl's life on earth has been marked with confusion, frustration, manipulation and death which lead to her feeling enough rage to attract a Red Lantern Ring which forces her to join Guy Gardner in the Red Lantern Corps.[8]
Related
- 393 Appearances of Kara Zor-El (Prime Earth)
- 338 Images featuring Kara Zor-El (Prime Earth)
- 98 Quotations by or about Kara Zor-El (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Kara Zor-El (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
Superman Family member |
Red Lantern Corps member |
Justice League member This character has been a member of the Justice League of America, or the Justice League in any of its various incarnations, sworn by a duty to act as guardians of America and the world by using their skills and/or superpowers to protect Earth from the clutches of both interstellar and domestic threats. |