Supergirl (Volume 5) #16 is an issue of the series Supergirl (Volume 5) with a cover date of June, 2007. It was published on April 11, 2007.
Synopsis for "The Truth"
The Earth's Sun has turned into a red star. Supergirl is trying to fly back to Earth to escape from the solar flares. Meanwhile, a voice in her head calls her a failure unable to fit in among humans, be a hero or develop meaningful relationships. In spite of her desperate efforts, she loses her powers halfway to Earth and starts losing consciousness. Suddenly, a figure looking like her father Zor-El turns up and picks her up in his arms. Keeping her alive somehow, the man asks if she's finally ready to listen to her father. Zor-El catches a glimpse of Kara's jumbled memories and decides to help her remember the true history.
Many decades ago, on Krypton, Zor-El developed the Sunstone technology as his brother Jor-El discovered the Phantom Zone and built the first Phantom Zone Projector, which led to Krypton replacing capital punishment with banishment to the Zone. Thousands were sent into the Zone, but at the same time crime abruptly rose in Argo City.
Zor-El was the only one who could see the phantom-like creatures who had come from the Zone, who were infesting people and turning them against each other, and who hated the House of El for invading their world. As defending his wife and daughter, Zor-El discovered the phantoms could be killed by stabbing the host with a sunstone.
Neither Jor-El nor the Kryptonian Science Council listened to his pleas to close the Zone. Zor-El was desperate, and since Kara supported his attempts to find a way to fight the phantoms, he experimented with his daughter until she was capable of growing sunstones from her body. When Zor-El and Kara started exterminating phantoms, the Council got Zor-El arrested and sentenced to the Zone, but Argo City was destroyed by the first earthquake foreshadowing the end of Krypton before his sentence was carried through.
Zor-El knew Jor-El intended to send his son to safety. He also knew if Kal-El left Krypton, the phantoms would leave with him. So he sent Kara to Earth to kill Kal, so ensuring that the Phantom Zone wraiths could never take possession of any other being.
As Zor-El concludes his story, Supergirl crash-lands on Earth. As soon as she lands, Kara notices the ghosts are already spreading.
Appearing in "The Truth"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Alura In-Ze (Flashback only)
- Zor-El (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
- Jax-Ur (Flashback only)
Other Characters:
- Captain Boomerang (Flashback only)
- Jor-El (Flashback only)
- Kryptonians
- Kryptonian Science Council
- Nightwing (Flashback only)
- Power Boy (Flashback only)
- Superman (Flashback only)
- Rao (Mentioned only)
- Pariah
Locations:
- Krypton (Flashback only)
- Phantom Zone
- Earth
- Guggenheim High School (Flashback only)
Items:
Vehicles:
- Kryptonian Rocket (Flashback only)
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in the Supergirl: Identity and Supergirl: Breaking the Chain trade paperbacks.
- Despite the title of this story, the flashback sequences from this issue were later revealed to be false memories brought on by prolonged Kryptonite poisoning.[1]
- Supergirl's adventure with the Outsiders (referenced in this issue) took place in Supergirl (Volume 5) #11.
- Issue includes a flashback to Supergirl's brief stint as a high school student from Supergirl (Volume 5) #10.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Supergirl Recommended Reading
- Action Comics (Volume 1)
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1)
- All-Star Comics (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 1)
- Superman Family (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 2)
- Infinity Inc. (Volume 1)
- Power Girl (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 3)
- Supergirl (Volume 4)
- Supergirl (Volume 5)
- Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 1)
- Power Girl (Volume 2)
- Supergirl (Volume 6)
- Worlds' Finest (Volume 1)
- Supergirl (Volume 7)
- Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (Volume 1)