Supergirl: Every character ranked from worst to best

2. Cat Grant

The fact that we spent most of Supergirl‘s run missing Cat Grant in a full-time role says all you need to know about the enigmatic character. Calista Flockhart brought the screen to life every time she stormed through an elevator, put on her glasses, or stepped in front of a camera and prepared to deliver an intricately thought-out insult that it’s easy to see why audiences regard the first season as the show’s greatest.

But there was more to Cat Grant than her never-ending meme potential. There was a heart under that tough exterior, which ultimately made her the perfect mentor for Kara, both in life as her CatCo assistant-turned-reporter and out in the field as Supergirl. She might have been tough on her, but she cared; she cared about inspiring people, she cared about empowerment, and she cared about Kara.

The bond that Cat and Kara developed over the course of the first season was imperative in forming the Girl of Steel into the hero that she became, and that’s a testament to the writing. But it’s also a testament to the strength of the characters and Flockhart and Melissa Benoist for giving them such life. And that’s why, even after five more successful seasons, Supergirl never fully filled the hole that Cat’s departure from the show left behind.

We’re glad she came back in the end, because Cat Grant is iconic, she is powerful, and she is one of Supergirl‘s greatest characters.