Supergirl is in cinemas now, and the latest entry in the DCU: Chapter One confirms a truth we learned in 2025's Superman: Kal-El's parents sent their son to Earth to "rule without mercy."
Note: spoilers for Supergirl follow.
You may recall that a minor controversy erupted over a change to Kal-El's origin story in 2025's Superman. In that movie, Lex recovers a damaged portion of the final message Lara and Jor-El (Angela Sarafyan and Bradley Cooper) sent with their son to Earth just before the destruction of Krypton. Traditionally, this has been a message of hope and peace. But in Gunn's movie, Lara and Jor-El instruct their son to "Lord over the planet as the last son of Krypton… dispatch of anyone unable or unwilling to serve you."
Not a great look for Supes. And while the movie later makes clear that the video is authentic, Lara and Jor-El's surprising motivation for sending Cal-El to Earth has had many people questioning Gunn's decision to this day, and wondering if a future rug pull might arrive.
In Supergirl, which takes place after the events of Superman, but features flashbacks on Krypton, we get further confirmation that Jor-El and Lara didn't have the best intentions in sending their son to Earth. After Krypton is destroyed, a fraction of the population is saved by Jor-El's brother, Zor-El (David Krumholtz), who acts quickly to put a forcefield over a section of the city, creating a new domed planet called Argo.
It's on Argo that Kara Zor-El (aka Supergirl) is born. While pregnant, Supergirl's mother, Alura Zor-El (Emily Beecham), suggests they send their daughter to Earth, so she can join her cousin. Zor-El doesn't agree, however, saying, "We can't send our daughter [to Earth] to be some sort of god." The implication, of course, is that Zor-El knew Jor-El sent his son to Earth because he would have the power of a deity over humanity, and he doesn't want that life for Kara.
Zor-El does eventually send a more grown-up Kara to Earth when it becomes clear that life on Argo is no longer viable due to Kryptonite radiation poisoning the earth under their feet, and the food they eat. But by that stage, Kara has internalized her mother's teachings to "do good."
So, if there were any debate left to be had, it's settled: Jor-El and Lara did want their son to have his own harem on Earth. Thankfully, Clark's human parents made sure that never happened.
Supergirl stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, and briefly sees the return of David Corenswet's Superman. The new movie adapts the acclaimed graphic novel Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, but makes some crucial changes in the leap to the screen. You can read a full breakdown of what goes down in the new movie in our Supergirl ending explained, or read our spoiler-free Supergirl review if you've yet to see the new DCU movie.
Supergirl is in UK cinemas now, and releases in US theaters on June 26. Discover what's coming up with our guide to all the upcoming DC movies, or make sure you're up to speed with our guide on How to watch DC movies in order.
