Supergirl history appears to be going through a custom revamp in order to prepare for the end of the show. Following Crisis, the Arrowverse has seemed to be rewriting significant parts of Supergirl history, which garnered divided fan reception. However, after the events of "Prom Night!" and "Prom, Again!," the show may have earned fans giving it the benefit of the doubt.
Supergirl's first season found its success by focusing primarily on Kara Danvers’s journey to become her superhero counterpart. Storylines that explored how donning the cape tested her relationships, career, identity, and worldview formed the backbone of the season. Season 2, though, marked the beginning of Kara devolving from Supergirl’s lead player to an ensemble member of the familiar Kryptonian vs. Luthor drama that often dominates Superman film and TV adaptations.
Since the reset of Earth-Prime after Crisis, Supergirl has been course-correcting, seemingly with the intent of placing its heroine back on center stage. While some changes wrought by Crisis were relatively insignificant, fans were wary of what the alterations to the timeline featured in the flashback/time travel combo episodes would mean for the characters. The young Danvers sisters returned for a mini adventure that not only retconned a formative death from Kara and Alex’s backstory but also introduced Kara’s mentor and role model Cat Grant into the future Supergirl’s life far earlier than in the original timeline. What comes as a pleasant surprise is that these changes can only bode a brighter future and finale for both the show and Supergirl.
“Prom Night” quickly reveals that Kara’s first love Kenny Li was not murdered during their childhood. Rather than just having this resurrection be a heartwarming cameo, Supergirl invests a noteworthy amount of time in developing Kenny Li. His interactions with a young Kara give significant insight into why Kara’s young adult years unfolded without her continuing in a superheroic role. Her motivations are explored with a level of care that the show hasn’t taken with adult Kara Danvers for a long time. And Supergirl seems unlikely to be leaving Kenny in the past, as his future plans are frequently referenced.
Another important character in the Midvale episodes is a younger version of Cat Grant, the media mogul who played such a significant part in Kara's growth throughout season 1. Bringing back the character to reveal how Cat’s journey to becoming the most powerful person on television and founder of a media empire was a win-win for the show and the character. Cat’s role in the Midvale episodes, investigating the aliens and doggedly digging for the truth, is a satisfying look at how she took control of her own narrative, channeling the ambitions that built the Catco empire and inspiring a future journalist eager to follow in her footsteps. The episode also hints that Cat Grant may have hired “Keira” years later because she saw the opportunity to give back to the fledgling superhero.
The final season of Supergirl is leaning into an "It's A Wonderful Life" vibe where the impact Kara has had on others becomes the magnifying glass through which she is able to better see herself. By rewriting Supergirl history, the show continues to demonstrate its commitment to focusing this season on Kara Danvers and her relationship with her super identity. In doing so, Supergirl has increased its chances of bringing Supergirl’s story to a satisfying conclusion that brings her character development full circle.