At this time last year, it wasn't necessarily a sure thing that Supergirl would see a second season. The female-led DC TV series scored high marks from critics and earned decent ratings along with a devoted fan base; but "decent" ratings weren't a guarantee of continuation for an expensive, FX-heavy series on CBS. Instead, the series moved to The CW (and a less expensive Vancouver shooting location) and has thrived as part of the network's collection of Young Adult focused DC Comics properties, making its recent renewal for a third season an entirely unsurprising prospect.

However, with said renewal comes the question of where the sophmore series will go plotwise as it heads into its junior year. Season 2 has earned a reputation for keeping fans off-guard in terms of the superheroic side of its storytelling, with villains entering and exiting the series in unexpected ways and storylines like CADMUS and Ms. Martian playing out in surprising fashion. But as the season heads for the finish line it seems mostly clear that Kara's most prominent arcs -- her relationships with Mon-El and Lena Luthor, respectively -- will be the main focus of the season finale, which was just announced for May 22 under the politically charged title of 'Nevertheless, She Persisted'.

Supergirl Alex Maggie Kara Winn

While they'll have to wait for the details, most fans are confident that said finale will also close out the storyline of Teri Hatcher as Mon-El's evil mother Queen Rhea. If so, that will leave an opening for a new "main villain" role in season 3 -- and according to executive producer Andrew Kreisberg, they won't have to wait long to learn the identity:

"We’re so proud of Teri Hatcher, and so amazed she’s on our show and killing it as Rhea. There is a feature film quality finale, with huge guest stars, stunts and visual effects. We will get a glimpse of the Season 3 villain in the finale, which we’re also excited about."

There's a lot to be parsed there, but it seems very much like Kreisberg is indicating that season 3 will see Kara Zor-El facing a new nemesis. What form they might take is anyone's guess -- the Super-Family mythos has plenty of heavy hitters yet to be encountered, and Supergirl has never shied away from reinventing classic foes in unexpected ways to fit in with its unique interpretation of its title character. Whom Supergirl will fight next fall (and what shape she or any of her allies will be in after season 2's conclusion) remains to be seen -- but anyone hoping to see Kara get a break from hardship will likely have to keep waiting.

The Supergirl season 2 finale, 'Nevertheless, She Persisted', airs May 22 on The CW.

Next: Supergirl: Alex Review & Discussion

Source: EW, CBR