Supergirl: All 7 Kara Zor-El actresses ranked from worst to best

1. Melissa Benoist

Appeared in: Supergirl

No surprise here; Melissa Benoist didn't just play the Girl of Steel, she redefined her for a whole new generation. So many new fans became familiar with Supergirl throughout the six-season run of the TV series while Benoist herself became a household name, delivering a performance that will absolutely stand the test of time.

Her work as Supergirl was always of a high standard as she delivered a lovable triumphant and heroic performance throughout all six seasons of the show, but one thing we don't talk about enough is the nuance in her wonderful performance as Kara.

The first season presents her with some powerful material and she produces one of her best performances as a result, as the character struggles with the loss of her family, her home planet, the time she spent in stasis, and the time she missed out on with her cousin. But this was only one example of the gravity in Benoist's performance, as we saw Kara deal with a lot throughout the show's run (including panic-inducing fear, rage, and heartbreak), and she was always captivating to watch.

More than that, though, she was positively delightful. Kara Danvers was one of the most endearing and lovable characters television has ever seen and that made it so easy to root for her. One warm smile from Melissa Benoist was all it took for viewers to fall in love with the character, and her heartfelt performance ensured we stayed with her for six amazing years.

This is the definitive Kara Zor-El, and she will likely remain so for a long time to come.