#anyways i'm leaving tamaki's supergirl alone

[karaspal]

the more I think about it, the more i feel like supergirl: universe end was trying to be supergirl: woman of tomorrow - and that’s why it didn’t work.

woman of tomorrow was about supergirl’s space adventure. so was universe end.

woman of tomorrow was narrated by a new character, someone other than supergirl. so was universe end.

woman of tomorrow had kara dealing with someone who destroyed many worlds. so did universe end.

so why is woman of tomorrow considered one of the best supergirl stories, while universe end falls flat?

for one, ruthye is a great narrator. she had a real connection with kara, and it was interesting to see supergirl through the eyes of a young girl who idolized her. ruthye looked up to kara and saw her future self in her because kara, too, had to overcome immense pain.

meanwhile, the world-destroyer is a boring narrator. the story kept hinting at how deeply she was connected to supergirl, and made it seem like she might be someone we already knew. so when it was revealed she was an oc, it felt like a cop out. and on top of that, half her dialogue felt like she was dropping “deep” lines you can find on pinterest.

both woman of tomorrow and universe end portryed kara as somewhat passive at times (more so in universe end). but in woman of tomorrow, even when she was not active in the story, her presence was felt. she was this all-powerful force who brought calmness to the scene. you couldn't help but feel safe around her. she was written as a strong and experienced character who can handle situations well.

in universe end, she spent most of the time confused about what was happening (so was i) or getting defeated by everyone she met.

and then there’s the whole thing where kara, a woman who lost her entire world, immediately forgives someone she thought destroyed multiple worlds (even if later it was revealed it wasn't the case)... i don’t even know what that was about.

and also, power girl was there. for whatever reason.

the things that worked for woman of tomorrow are the ones that ultimately made universe end fall flat.

overall, universe end could've been good if the writer didn't use tropes woman of tomorrow did, but worse. and if they actually had a good grasp of kara's character. but alas, it is what it is. let's hope pkj includes kara more in his next superfam space adventure book.