In Supergirl’s opening episodes, Kara Zor-El will find herself dealing with a variety of unusual threats, from the electrically-charged Livewire to the utterly disgusting Hellgrammite. Now we’ve learned the Girl of Steel will also have to contend with one of her own kind on Earth. It’s been announced that The Transporter star Chris Vance has been cast as Kryptonian powerhouse Non, a longtime Superman adversary who will make his debut in Episode 8.
Supergirl’s Non will be a former Kryptonian scientist and brutal military officer described as “sinister, powerful and angry.” Although Non was originally allied with the House of El, according to THR, he the “antithesis” of everything Supergirl stands for, and will quickly become her greatest enemy. It sounds like the Girl of Steel has found herself a Zod counterpart. Non was previously mentioned as one of the characters that would appear on Supergirl at the same time Red Tornado and General Sam Lane were announced.
While he doesn’t quite reach as high as Lex Luthor and Brainiac in Superman’s rogues gallery, Non is notable for being one of the few comic book characters who debuted outside the printed page first. He was played by Jack O’Halloran in Superman and Superman II as a simple-minded mute Kryptonian criminal that was banished to the Phantom Zone with Zod and Ursa. When they broke out of their prison in Superman II, the trio allied with Lex Luthor to conquer Earth, but were eventually defeated by Christopher Reeves’ Man of Steel.
In the comics, Non was changed so that he was a scientist who was lobotomized by the Kryptonian Science Council when he tried to warn people of Krypton’s inevitable doom, turning him into an enraged brute. However, the Supergirl producers said viewers would see a "slightly different take on the character,” so it’s possible Non may not be lobotomized when Supergirl faces him. With the word ‘sinister’ being used to describe him, I suspect he’ll retain his intelligence. At the very least, it sounds like he has some major anger issues.
Vance’s claims to fame are starring as Frank Martin on The Transporter TV series and recurring as Casey Jones on TNT’s Rizzoli and Isles. His other work includes appearances on All Saints, Prison Break and Crossing Lines. We’ll have to wait and see how Vance’s Non will antagonize Kara, but his appearance may pave the way for more Phantom Zone criminals to come calling on her adoptive planet.
Supergirl will premiere Monday, October 26 at 8:30 p.m. on CBS before moving to its normal 8 p.m. timeslot on November 2.
