The DCU’s Supergirl reportedly has an unexpected inspiration, but it could prove to be perfect for the superhero adventure. After being briefly introduced at the end of Superman, Milly Alcock will lead her own solo adventure as Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl. As the second movie in the DCU, there are already a lot of expectations for the project.
Directed by Craig Gillespie, James Gunn’s superhero vision still shines through in the first Supergirl trailer. However, the movie also seems to be taking inspiration from a classic Western, which, while surprising, could actually help to set Supergirl apart in the superhero world and also make Kara a truly memorable character.
Supergirl is taking inspiration from True Grit
Supergirl is based heavily on the comic storyline Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King, who serves as one of the writers of this movie. The comic was, itself, inspired by the Western novel True Grit by Charles Portis. True Grit is best remembered from its two successful movie adaptations, the 1969 version starring John Wayne and the 2010 version starring Jeff Bridges. It seems the movie is maintaining that inspiration.
Just taking a glance at the premises shows the obvious connection between the two. True Grit followed a young, headstrong girl named Mattie Ross who hires a crusty US Marshal named Rooster Cogburn to hunt down the outlaw who killed her father. In Supergirl, Kara takes the Rooster Cogburn role as she helps young Ruthye Marye Knoll after her father is killed.
True Grit also has a key third main character, the Texas Ranger LaBeouf, who is after the same outlaw for his own reasons. This is a role that could seemingly be filled by Jason Momoa’s Lobo, who will be making his DCU debut in Supergirl. It presents the movie as a fun and violent galaxy road trip with a revenge plot at the center.
The True Grit inspiration bodes well for Kara
The plot of True Grit presents a great adventure for Supergirl to adapt into a superhero adventure. However, what is even more clever about this influence is what it could mean for Kara as a hero in the DCU. James Gunn has talked about how he wants Kara to be a flawed and messy hero in the way many male heroes are allowed to be. If she is based on Rooster Cogburn, it suggests they will really lean into this.
Rooster is presented as a capable marshal when the situation arises; however, he is far from an ideal hero. He drinks heavily, is lazy, and is very clearly only taking part in this adventure for the money. He even admits to being an outlaw in his younger days and seems to have no remorse for it. He is a man whom Mattie and the audience have mixed feelings about, but are certainly entertained by.
Kara’s appearance in Superman already established her hard-partying ways, with Superman explaining that she likes to go to planets with red suns so she can get drunk. Having witnessed everyone she knows die, she is a deeply troubled and jaded anti-hero, especially compared to her cousin, Kal-El.
Having her be such an imperfect hero is exactly what is needed in the DCU now. As the universe grows, more larger-than-life heroes will be introduced. Basing Kara on Rooster Cogburn establishes that they will continue to make these characters “human” at the center of it all.