The CW's Arrow-verse features more female badasses than any other superhero franchise sector, and more are on the way. The "Elseworlds" crossover has the privilege of introducing TV's first live-action Batwoman. Everyone appeared to love having Ruby Rose's vigilante around, and Supergirl star Melissa Benoist was particularly fond of Kara spending time with the Gotham City heroine. In Benoist's words:
Their scenes are really nice because of their similarities. Kate Kane is Bruce Wayne's cousin and all these things, so they really relate on a lot of levels that I don't think Kara's found yet in another female superhero. There's a really deep understanding from the get-go between the two of them.
Over on Supergirl, Kara is the only character whose cousin happens to be the strongest man in the world. (That distinction actually holds across most shows beyond Supergirl, too.) During a recent visit to the Supergirl set in Vancouver, Melissa Benoist explained to CinemaBlend and other press that having a heroic family member is at least one element that ostensibly adds connective tissue to Kara and Kate's burgeoning friendship.
On a broad scale, Kara doesn't have that much in common with her National City friends and family. The whole "keeping something a secret from everyone else" element is certainly shared by many characters, certainly. But few protagonists' secrets are quite as heavy as Kara's, so it will presumably be comforting for her to have another female hero around whose family tree is extremely noteworthy and kept swept under the rug.
We've still no idea how that connection may or may not play into what actually happens during the "Elseworlds" crossover. We know that in the first part for The Flash, Barry and Oliver will seek out Kara's help in thwarting John Deegan's identity-swapping schemes, and that the second part will take the heroes to Gotham City for the first time. Will Kara get to share in Batwoman's very first scene? That would be pretty snazzy.
Speaking of comic-friendly connections, this season also showcases the continued relationship between Kara and Lena Luthor, whose brother Lex is finally going to enter the picture this season. (I cannot wait to see Jon Cryer in the role.) Similar to how Batwoman's connection to Batman is what Kara hooks into with Kate, Melissa Benoist said that mirroring Lex Luthor and Clark Kent's connection is part of what she enjoys about Kara's arc with Lena.
I think what's so fun about exploring a Luthor and a 'Super' relationship is the slow burn of it. I love that we're telling in the way that Lex Luthor and Clark Kent were friends before they were enemies. I love that we're telling that story, too. I would expect that it will be a really slow burn: that realization, reveal.
With a Manchester Black storyline that isn't afraid to take on uncomfortable politics, Supergirl has also been building up Kara's relationship with Nicole Maines' future-hero Nia "Dreamer" Nal.(Brainy even teased the latter's distant future relative Nura Nall, in another nod to important family members.) But as we head into the three-part crossover, our minds are centered solely on how Batwoman is going to shake things up, in Kara's life and beyond.
Supergirl, which set up "Elseworlds" with John Wesley Shipp's return, will be back for its crossover entry on The CW on Tuesday, December 11, at 8:00 p.m. ET. To see what else is coming to the small screen soon, head to our fall TV schedule and our midseason premiere guide.
