Who Is Supergirl’s Adopted Father in My Adventures with Superman

Warning: This article contains spoilers for My Adventures with Superman.

The latest episode of My Adventures with Superman finally introduced Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, into the series after teasing her in the season two premiere. It turned out that Supergirl was the figure in the Kryptonian armor teased at the end of season one, a figure many fans assumed to be General Zod. Yet Supergirl is not working alone, and, in fact, she is working for somebody. She keeps referring to somebody as “my father”, and the mysterious figure is teased in the episode.

While DC Comics have made Kara’s birth father, Zor-El, a villain in recent comics, this is an entirely different DC villain. In 2004, Supergirl was famously brought back into the main DC Comics universe after she was killed off during “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” and since then, the character has had ties to the New Gods villain Darkseid, as seen in both the animated film Superman/Batman: Apocalypse and teased in the final episode of Young Justice. Yet, based on the voice speaking to Kara, the series has revealed what other famous DC villain Supergirl is working for. This is one of Superman’s most famous enemies who have never gotten the live-action film treatment.

Kara’s Adopted Father Is Brainiac

The voice speaking to Kara in her fight with Superman, and the one who tells her to bring Superman to him is that of Michael Emerson. Michael Emerson is best known for playing villains like Benjamin Linus on Lost or Dr. Leland Townsend on Evil. He is also no stranger to the DC Universe, as he previously played the villain Cayden James on Arrow. Yet for My Adventures with Superman, Emmerson is already confirmed to be voicing none other than Brainiac.

Brainiac debuted in Action Comics #242 in July 1958 and was created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino. Brainiac has been reimagined in many different ways, but is commonly depicted as a superintelligent android from the planet Colu and is obsessed with collecting all knowledge in the known universe. This often results in him shrinking one city from a planet he destroys, as he believes knowledge is more valuable if he is the sole owner of it. Some continuity has him as an organic alien named Viril Dox, while many newer incarnations tend to depict him as a rouge artificial intelligence, one often created by the planet Krypton.

This is the angle that My Adventures with Superman is taking, having him be just a standard artificial intelligence technology present in Kryptonian technology, as seen in the Season 2 premiere. Yet this Brainiac seems to be an evolved form. It was actually the 1996 Superman: The Animated Series that established Brainiac as an artificial intelligence, so it is appropriate that My Adventures with Superman keeps that concept alive in another animated format. The reveal of Supergirl working for Brainiac recontextualizes Season 1 of My Adventures with Superman.

Changes My Adventures with Superman Season 1 Finale

Fans will notice that Supergirl’s armor in My Adventures with Superman is the same one glimpsed in the Season 1 finale. Based on references to “kneel” and the armored nature of the suit, many fans assumed this was the Superman villain, General Zod. The finale showed Brianiac informing the armored figure of Superman, stopping their invasion fleet. The framing of this scene seemed to imply that Brainiac was working for General Zod, informing his master of a new threat. Yet now, the entire context of the scene has been flipped on its head.

Instead of Brainiac reporting to a boss, he is in charge. The scene now involves informing Supergirl of her next assignment, which she will perform for him. The General Zod-inspired armor was misdirection, as it led fans to speculate about when General Zod would arrive while also hiding that Brainiac was going to be a major threat instead of a supporting villain or set up for a future season. It also subverted audiences’ expectations of Supergirl.

Related

Every DC Character Confirmed for James Gunn’s Superman (So Far)

James Gunn’s new Superman film will feature many DC characters; here is a breakdown of every confirmed character and actor.

One of Superman’s most famous allies, viewers were likely excited about the two cousins finally meeting. With Supergirl actually working for Brainiac, not only did fans get to see these two Kryptonians face off but also contrast how their upbringing changed them. Superman was adopted by loving parents, while Supergirl, under Brainiac, was likely raised to be a weapon of mass destruction.

Brainiac is one of the smartest minds in the DC Universe, with knowledge from various planets. He has been manipulating Supergirl, and fans are left to wait to see his long-term plans. It also makes viewers wonder how this will collide with the looming threat of Lex Luthor and Amanda Waller that has been brewing through Season 2.

Reworking Supergirl and Brainiac’s Stories

Tying Supergirl and Brainiac together is a clever move by the writers of My Adventures with Superman, as it mixes various elements from DC Comics. In 2008’s “Brainiac” storyline, it is revealed that Supergirl was in the city of Kandor when Brainiac shrank the Kryptonian capital and stole it. This left Supergirl traumatized and terrified of the villain and was a major part of her backstory in 2017’s Injustice 2 video game.

Related

Is Superman’s Absorption of Nuclear Radiation in My Adventures with Superman Canon?

My Adventures with Superman introduced a long-forgotten power that the Man of Steel possessed in the comics for a limited time.

One of Supergirl’s most famous romantic relationships in the comics is also with Brainiac-5, a descendant of the villain from the 31st century and a member of the Legion of the Superheroes. It is unlikely the series will adopt that specific element, given that it would cross some uncomfortable elements with this series establishing Supergirl sees Brainiac as her father; it is still a further link between the two characters that My Adventures with Superman is putting its spin on.

While My Adventures with Superman is in its own continuity and not part of the DCU, the introduction of Supergirl and Brainiac might be teeing up their live-action film debuts as a way to hook younger audiences who will recognize them from this animated series when they see Superman in theaters next summer. Stream on Max.

Check out our interviews with the stars of My Adventures with Superman in the video below.