Supergirl was the cousin of Superman and a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes.
History
Kara Zor-El was born in Argo City to Zor-El and Allura In-Ze. In order to save her life, Kara's parents sent her to Earth to be raised by her cousin Kal-El, but Superman sent Kara to Midvale Orphanage as he taught her how to use her powers. Eventually Kara was adopted by Fred and Edna Danvers, took up the Linda Danvers name and joined the Legion of Super-Heroes prior to Superman revealing her existence to the world.
Kara would enjoy a long hero career as Supergirl before dying a premature death. However, when she was still young, her fellow Legionnaires took her to visit her cousin to a time after her death so Superman could see her for the last time the night before his final battle.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Supergirl possesses the same potential powers as an average Kryptonian. These include:
- Solar Energy Absorption: Under optimal conditions, this is the main source of Supergirl's super powers as they are contingent upon exposure to solar radiation from a yellow sun star system. Her biological make up includes a number of organs which lack analogues in humans and whose functions are unknown. It is believed that between one or more of these and her bio-cellular matrix, "yellow" solar energy is stored for later use. This allows for the use of these powers to fade when yellow solar radiation is not available instead of immediate failure.
- Heat Vision: Supergirl can, as a conscious act, fire beams of intense heat at a target by looking at it. She can vary the heat and area affected.
- Super-Hearing: Supergirl's hearing is sensitive enough to hear any sound at any volume or pitch. With skill and concentration, she can block out ambient sounds to focus on a specific source or frequency.
- Enhanced Vision: Supergirl's vision processes the entire electromagnetic spectrum as well as allowing vast control over selective perception and focus.
This umbrella ability includes the following:- Electromagnetic Spectrum Vision: Supergirl can see well into most of the electromagnetic spectrum. She can see and identify radio and television signals as well as all other broadcast or transmitted frequencies. Using this ability, she can avoid detection by radar or satellite monitoring methods. This also allows her to see the aura generated by living thing.
- Telescopic Vision: This is the ability to see something at a great distance, without violating the laws of physics. Though limited, the exact extent of the ability is undetermined. In function, it is similar to the zoom lens on a camera.
- X-Ray Vision: This is the ability to see through any volume of matter except lead. Supergirls can see things behind a solid, opaque object as if it were not there. She can focus this ability to "peel back" layers of an object, allowing hidden image or inner workings to be observed. The exact type of energy perceived—such as x-rays, cosmic rays, or some other energy invisible to normal humans—is unclear. This ability perceives an ambient energy source though, it does not involve the eye projecting a concentrated, possibly toxic, beam to be reflected back from objects.
- Microscopic Vision: This is the ability to see extremely small objects and images down to the atomic level.
- Infrared Vision: Supergirl can see with better acuity in darkness, and to a degree in total darkness.
- Flight: Supergirl is able to manipulate graviton particles to defy the forces of gravity and achieve flight. This ranges from hovering to moving in any posture, in any direction.
- Invulnerability: Due to the interaction of her dense molecular structure and supercharged bio-electric aura, Supergirl is nigh-invulnerable to extreme energy forces. In addition, her extends this protection against toxins and diseases.
- Superhuman Stamina: Supergirl is able to maintain continuous strenuous physical action for an indefinite period of time. This based on her body converting yellow solar radiation directly to energy but is limited by physiological and psychological needs to eat, drink, and sleep.
- Superhuman Strength: Supergirl's strength is augmented by yellow solar radiation interacting with the greater than human density, resilience and biological efficiency of her musculature. Her strength is more an act of conscious will on energy fields than actual physical strength. It is this act of conscious will that enables her to perform physical feats that are beyond the mere application force, such as moving a mountain top without said rock crumbling under its own mass.
- Superhuman Speed: Supergirl is able to move at incredible speed by sheer force of will. This extends to her perceptions and allows for feats such as catching bullets in mid-flight as well as covering vast distances in little or no time.
This also confers: - Super-Breath: Supergirl is able to create hurricane force winds by exhaling air from her lungs. She can chill the air as it leaves her lungs to freeze targets. She can also reverse the process to pull large volumes of air or vapor into her lungs.
- Longevity: Supergirl can live longer than regular humans, remaining at her prime as long as she was under the exposure of the "yellow" sun.
Weaknesses
- Kryptonian Physiology: Under the effects of a "yellow" sun, Supergirl possesses the same potential weaknesses as an average Kryptonian. These include:
Paraphernalia
Equipment
Notes
- This version of Supergirl, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022-2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
- Supergirl first appeared in Earth-One continuity in Action Comics #252 by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. The Earth-423 version of the character only appeared in Superman #423 by Alan Moore and Curt Swan.
- Kara's cause of death is never mentioned. At the time of publishing, Earth-One Supergirl had recently died at the hands of Anti-Monitor. This version of Supergirl was a fictional story, so the cause of death COULD be Anti-Monitor. However, imaginary stories were gaining the status of alternative universes. So Kara of Earth-423 died of anything but the Anti-Monitor as it would be admitting she has a counterpart on Earth-423.
Recommended Reading
Related
- 1 Appearances of Kara Zor-El (Earth-423)
- 2 Images featuring Kara Zor-El (Earth-423)
- Quotations by or about Kara Zor-El (Earth-423)
- Character Gallery: Kara Zor-El (Earth-423)
Footnotes
  Superman Family member |
 Legion of Super-Heroes member |