A common criticism lobbed at Supergirl is that it borrows too much from stories pertaining to Superman, a point that I won’t argue. Despite that, I’ve been quite happy to see villains such as Livewire and Parasite brought to life in ways that shows such as Superboy, Lois & Clark and even Smallville simply didn’t have the budget to achieve, or in a film franchise that just can’t seem to get past Lex Luthor and Zod. It’s because of this that I’ve said Supergirl has often felt like a live action answer to Superman: The Animated Series.
On that note, you can expect for the Maiden of Might’s show to generously be inspired by one of the quintessential Elseworlds stories, Red Son, come fall. As you may recall, last month’s finale left off with Kara’s duplicate surfacing in Siberia, an entity that was produced by the aura which left her during the final showdown with Reign.
Cool as all that may be, the thread we just discussed didn’t factor much into the trailer shown at San Diego Comic-Con. Still, the theme of xenophobia is at the forefront here, as some thinly veiled narration serves as an allegory for the politically charged era in which we currently live.
As it happens, the words spoken are delivered by Smallville alum Sam Witwer, whom we recently learned will be boarding season 4 as a series regular. Set to play Agent Liberty, he’s the latest veteran of the Superman franchise to continue the faith on this show, joining the likes of Dean Cain, Helen Slater, Erica Durance and Laura Vandervoort as a returning favorite.
Also of note is the unbelievable amount of action on hand, providing assurance that Martian Manhunter will be in the thick of it more than ever. The recent news of this has brought smiles to the faces of many viewers, as we’ve learned via the magic of social media. Let’s just hope this footage is indicative of the 20 or so episodes to follow.
Supergirl returns for its fourth season on Sunday, October 14 on The CW.