Supergirl ending explained: Meet the real Kara

Supergirl was a titan of television throughout its run. The show began on CBS, bringing in huge viewing figures for the network. However, due to its expensive price tag, it was moved to The CW (a network co-owned by Warner Bros.) for its second season, joining fellow DC TV shows The Flash, Arrow, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow and officially becoming part of the Arrowverse.

The show ran for five more seasons in its new home, officially bringing its run to an end with its sixth and final season. The series finale, titled "Kara", was an emotional episode that moved viewers to tears while also imbuing them with a sense of triumph and hope, and we'd expect nothing less from the Girl of Steel's heartwarming show.

If you have just happened to finish the series finale of Supergirl and would like some explanations as to what it all means, read on. Be warned, though, there are SPOILERS ahead.

Kara reveals her true identity to National City

The concluding moments of the Supergirl series finale saw Kara Danvers officially announce to the world that she is also the Girl of Steel. Kara, in her new role as Editor-in-chief of CatCo Worldwide Media, was interviewed by none other than her long time mentor Cat Grant, who officially announced to the world that Kara Danvers and Supergirl were one and the same.

It was a huge moment for Supergirl, who had been struggling with her identity throughout much of season 6. Caught between her two lives as a superhero and reporter, Kara was unsure of what she wanted her future to look like, and she certainly wasn't ready to take on a new job at CatCo with those struggles weighing her down. But one conversation with Cat made her see that she could have it all. This called back to the season 2 premiere of Supergirl, when Cat told Kara that you can have it all; you just can't have it all at once.

In a full-circle moment, Kara realized that she was ready to choose what she wanted, as well as what she wanted to drop. And with that, she removed her glasses at her sister's wedding before going on to reveal her true identity to the world.

In the comics, Supergirl was never into the whole secret identity thing as much as Superman was, so it makes sense that the show took the opportunity of its final episode to drop it. It had the safety net of being the series finale, too, so we'll never know if a shift as large as this one was beneficial for the show or not, but it is an interesting, fulfilling moment for Supergirl to bow out on.

Alex and Kelly's Happy Ever After

Arguably the biggest emotional beat of the series finale of Supergirl was the wedding of Alex Danvers and Kelly Olsen. The pair finally tied the knot in front of their family and friends. Alex was walked down the aisle by J'onn J'onzz, while Kelly was escorted by her brother James, in a beautiful moment that brought many faces from Supergirl's past and present together.

It was also a full-circle moment for Alex, who had undergone one of the most powerful stories in the show's six-year run. In the show's second season, she came out to her sister and mother in multiple moving scenes after falling in love with a woman. In season 3, she made it clear that she wanted to be a mother one day. In season 6, she got all of that - and so much more.

Seeing Alex and Kelly marry in front of their daughter Esme was one of the most finale-esque moments of the episode. It was the culmination of a beautiful arc that gave one of its strongest characters the happy ending she deserved. And it was an equally important moment for Kelly, who had become one of the show's most beloved characters in just three seasons.

Needless to say, but we wish Alex and Kelly many happy years together!

Super Friends old and new save National City

One of the most fulfilling moments of the Supergirl series finale saw some familiar faces return to aid the Super Friends in their battle against Lex Luthor and Nyxly. Members of the Legion Mon-El and Winn Schott made their long-awaited comebacks, while original Guardian James Olsen also returned to help sister Kelly Olsen. The returnees and the current line-up of Super Friends united against the pair and they were also aided by Acrata, who joined the fight to help Lena Luthor.

It was an epic moment for fans to see so many faces from the show's many different eras side-by-side. Winn and James were Kara's best friends and confidantes right from the very beginning, so it was only right that they be there by her side at the end. Mon-El was introduced in season 2 and he grew immensely as a character, developing into one of the future's greatest heroes because of Kara's influence. Again, pretty fitting that he returned for the final battle too.

Winn's return also presented Supergirl with an opportunity to do something fans had wanted to see since the show began, as he and Kara sang a duet at Alex and Kelly's wedding. The song, a cover of Pat Benatar's "We Belong" is a beautiful performance with some stunning vocals by Melissa Benoist and Jeremy Jordan.

What happened to Lex Luthor and Nyxly?

The series finale of Supergirl brought the reign of terror crafted by Lex Luthor and Nyxly to an end when the pair of villains were taken to the Phantom Zone by the fear-smelling Phantoms. It was an unexpected end but one that feels rather full-circle given the importance of the Phantoms to this season. It was a shocking fate for the pair, particularly because Lex is such an infamous Superman villain.

Nyxly's imprisonment in the Phantom Zone received a mixed response from fans. The original big bad of Supergirl season 6, Nyxly is an imp from the 5th Dimension who Kara first encountered in the Phantom Zone. She was unpredictable and unstoppable, but the penultimate episode saw her show some compassion whenever Lex tried to harm Esme. Upon seeing his true colors, she decided that she would return the child to her parents. Taking that potential for compassion into account, shipping her off the Phantom Zone once more felt like an unearned fate for the character.

Nevertheless, when the duo were scooped up by the Phantoms, it brought about peace to National City, restoring order once again.

Cat Grant is back in National City

One of the best parts of the Supergirl series finale was the return of Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant. A series reguar in season 1, the Ally McBeal legend shifted to recurring status after production was moved to Vancouver for season 2, with Cat's last appearance coming in the season 3 premiere. However, one of the silver linings of the show ending was the fact that it could bring Cat back to National City.

Flockhart made a surprise appearance when Cat called Kara to let her know that she was returning to National City. The Queen of All Media had bought back CatCo and planned on using her company to report on the news that mattered - a direct contrast to how her successor/predecessor Andrea Rojas was using it. For that, she needed Kara to be her Editor-in-Chief - a position that the Girl of Steel accepted after two of Cat's legendary pep talks.

Cat Grant is widely considered one of Supergirl's best characters, with Flockhart's performance being adored by fans. The fact that the show had to carry on without the character made it that much worse off, so it felt right that we got to see her one - or three - more times in the series finale. It wouldn't have been right to say goodbye to Supergirl without saying goodbye to Cat Grant.