No, ‘Supergirl’ Isn’t Woke — The Internet Is Missing the Point

Moviegoers are asked to “look out” for Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock)’s arrival on the big screen. Before the Maid of Might crash-lands into her all-new DCU adventure, the notion of Supergirl being “woke” must be denounced.

Based on Tom King’s stellar Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, James Gunns’ Supergirl is set to retread the same story beats while introducing an exciting new flair curated for the silver screen. Per DC Comics’ official solicit of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, “Kara Zor-El can no longer find any meaning or purpose in her life. But all that changes when an alien girl seeks her out to help her take revenge on the bad guys who destroyed her world. Now a Kryptonian, a dog, and an angry, heartbroken child head into space on a journey that will shake them to their very core. It’s Supergirl like you’ve never seen her before in a character-defining sci-fi/fantasy masterpiece!” However, it’s incredibly predictable that not every moviegoer may agree that Supergirl may be viewed as a masterpiece based on gender bias alone.

“Woke” has served as a buzzword weaponized to trigger outrage and upset across the internet based on personal (and subjective) interpretations of how the world has become more inclusive. Per Merriam-Webster, the definition of “woke” is a far cry from what digital rabblerousers personally believe they’re warning others about. The dictionary defines the term as “[being] aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” Is it such a crime to show empathy for others? When did sympathy become such a sign of weakness?

Most Comics Are ‘Woke’ If The Definition Is Understood Literally

Comic books have thrived on “wokeness.” Before the knee-jerk reaction to the term “woke” implies that the use of the word is negative, it’s not. Since the early dawn of comics, superheroes have consistently fought for the betterment of humanity while transforming sociopolitical themes into something more digestible. Icons such as Captain America and Superman have consistently battled injustice against the oppressed, whether it’s literally punching Adolf Hitler across the face or addressing the struggle of immigrants seeking freedom.

As comics have evolved, the understanding of how inclusive they can become has broadened, and welcomed more social themes as tentpoles in storytelling. Take the X-Men, for example: the metaphor for the Civil Rights movement has expanded to embrace LGBTQIA+ representation and narrative arcs. New mantles of age-old heroes have transcended the binaries of race, sexuality, and gender expression. Real-world allegories have become more bold in titles such as Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta’s masterfully-executed Absolute Batman.

Take a closer look at the themes still relevant in comics today, and it becomes obvious that these thematic pressure points are merely an extension of the medium’s original mission, just anchored around relevant and pressing issues. Superhero comic books have been acutely in tune with the struggles of the people of today. Being able to call attention to inequality is far from a sin.

Are comics “woke?” Absolutely. It’s their mission to continue to emphasize today’s most pressing issues through fantastical worlds and superhuman strength. At the same time, there’s nothing “woke” about a woman being seen as strong, capable, and well, super.

Supergirl Isn’t As Woke As The Internet Wants To Believe

Those who are prepared to decry that Supergirl is woke are prisoners to their own ignorance. Kara Zor-El stands for the same notion as her cousin, Kal-El (or Superman) does: truth, hope, and justice. While Supergirl and Superman may not serve as complete parallels to one another and are given their own defining characteristics, to dismiss one based on gender bias is unfairly ignorant. Gender is a construct to begin with, and discrediting Supergirl’s prominence in DC Comics because of her womanhood is shameful.

There really, truly isn’t anything “woke” about Supergirl as a movie. The backlash will stem from misogyny and sexism, per the tradition of a woman-led superhero movie being released on a global scale. If anything, it should be celebrated that heroic women can earn their time in the spotlight through major summer blockbuster events, and hopefully inspire the youth of today to walk away from their movies feeling all the more inspired. Those who are struggling to look past Supergirl’s gender are oblivious to the greater message of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

The entire notion of a Supergirl being “woke” because the central protagonist is a woman is undeniably ridiculous. Those who are eager to brush off Supergirl as an addition to the DC Universe without even making a conscious effort to watch the movie are victims of their own victimhood. Just because Supergirl is, well, a girl, there’s no outward attack on masculinity in the superhero genre.

The internet has become so accustomed to using “woke” as a rallying cry that it can rarely justify why something is “woke” to begin with. In Supergirl‘s case, there’s little evidence left to support such claims, leaving netizens struggling to even defend such pointless claims. King’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow didn’t face the same scrutiny, so why should the cinematic adaptation be preyed upon?

Supergirl star Milly Alcock opened up about the reality of being a woman in pop culture entertainment, and in an interview with Vanity Fair, admitted “It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on… “We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself.”

Perhaps it’s a false sense of comfort that the internet wants to take when a new, subversive idea to the status quo of entertainment is introduced, which automatically results in Supergirl being deemed as “woke.” Maybe it’s the discomfort with gender equality on a global stage that scares those who are already insecure. Worry not – there’s still plenty of room for DC Comics’ most powerful characters to come out and play, even after Supergirl takes flight.

Supergirl soars into theaters on June 26.

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