Supergirl’s Dark Ending & Biggest Comic Changes Explained

The following includes spoiler for Supergirl

Supergirl’s dark ending serves a greater purpose.

Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie, follows the story of the titular hero (Milly Alcock) who goes on a mission seeking revenge after her dog Krypto gets poisoned. The cast also includes Eve Ridley (Ruthye), David Krumholtz (Zor-El), Emily Beecham (Alura), David Corenswet (Superman), and Jason Momoa (Lobo).

Supergirl screenwriter Ana Nogueira has revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly why she deviated from the source material. She explained how one of her biggest goals for Supergirl was to make Kara Zor-El an interesting character who can stand on her own without relying on her powers. Rather than relying on the DC Comics franchise’s major events and flashy elements, Nogueira focused on building a more character-driven story.

The new movie is an adaptation of the comic book series, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, written by Tom King with art by Bilquis Evely. While the comics have a massive cosmic setting, Nogueira said she deviated from it and drew inspiration from Westerns instead, such as True Grit. She explained that she did this so she could give viewers a more grounded version of the series and focus on the heart of the story instead.

Nogueira, who gave birth to her daughter in 2022, said that becoming a parent also influenced how she approached the film. She explained that while Supergirl is not directly based on her own experiences, motherhood gave her a deeper connection to the themes of the movie and affected the way she wrote Kara’s journey.

The adaptation also makes several changes from Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. According to Nogueira, some changes are minor, while others significantly reshape the protagonists and story elements, including the origins of its villain, Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts), and the film’s darker ending.

One of the biggest changes is the supervillain, Krem. While the comic portrays him as a space pirate with red hair and a beard, the film gives him a completely different look. Supergirl’s iteration of the antagonist has a shaved head with a braid and facial piercings. Nogueira added that Mad Max: Fury Road was a huge inspiration for the new design. The character’s backstory has also been drastically altered. The movie’s version of Krem is in charge of the Brigands, a team of male space pirates who abduct young girls from across the galaxy and keep them captive as “Brides” to ensure that they can reproduce.

The ending of Supergirl is probably the biggest change from the comics. In the series, Ruthye ultimately kills Krem years after imprisoning him in the Phantom Zone, waiting until he became old and remorseful before ending his life. The movie has Kara kill him instead during their final battle.

According to Nogueira, that decision was part of her vision for the adaptation from the very beginning. She believed that it was important for Supergirl to make the decision herself, rather than leaving it in the hands of someone else. In her opinion, this ending is a better way to conclude her journey in the film and establish her presence in James Gunn’s DC Universe.

Supergirl is currently playing in theaters now.