‘Supergirl': Is Superwoman Joining The Show?

CBS is set to throw its hat in the superhero ring later this year with Supergirl, the latest in the seemingly endless parade of DC Comics television adaptations. The series was co-created by Greg Berlanti of The Flash/Arrow fame and tells the story of Kryptonian Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist) as she struggles to fit in on an alien planet while keeping her amazing powers in check.

After the pilot was shown to the public at San Diego Comic-Con, it became clear that the supporting cast is one of the strong points of the series. The series notably features James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks), a former Daily Planet photographer who is now working with Kara at CatCo. It’s been clear since the first trailer that Olsen will be a love interest for Kara. However, it now seems that she’ll have stiff competition in that regard – perhaps even super-powered competition.

TV Line claims that in the third episode of the upcoming series, Lucy Lane will be introduced as a recurring character. The character is the sister of Lois Lane and is described as being as beautiful as her famous sister, but smart, funny and successful in her own right. Additionally, as in the comics, Lucy will be an ex-girlfriend of James Olsen.

The character was originally created in 1959 and has appeared on and off in DC Comics continuity since. Lucy has changed over the years, going from an airline stewardess to a soldier in the military. Her most notable role in the comics, however, is her time as Superwoman.

During her military service, Lucy rose rapidly through the ranks. However, when she is nearly killed by two Amazons, she is placed in Project 7734 by her father Sam Lane. He convinces her to put on the Superwoman suit, which possesses mystical qualities and alters her DNA to align with Kryptonian DNA. She has all of the powers of Superman, but the suit protects her from his inherent weaknesses (such as Kryptonite).

Will Lucy Lane adopt her Superwoman persona during this series? It seems unlikely at this point. Her powers are nearly identical to those of Supergirl and introducing a second character with the same abilities will detract from her development over the season. That said, bringing Lucy into the series this early would give the writers the opportunity to effectively implement that plotline in later seasons.

Considering Kara’s crush on Olsen, it’s more likely that Lucy Lane will be introduced to create a love triangle in the series. It’s a subplot that Berlanti has used repeatedly in his other DC shows, with mixed success. With the input of executive producer Ali Adler (Chuck) and her experience creating funny/relatable relationship drama, this series may have a better chance of successfully integrating that subplot into the story.

Supergirl premieres on October 26th, 2015 on CBS.