Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin from Krypton, was sent to Earth to protect her cousin Kal-El (Earth name: Clark Kent), but by the time she arrived, her baby cousin was already a fully grown man compared to her, who was still a teenager. That is why when she first tried to follow in the footsteps of her cousin and took up the mantle of a superhero, she was given the title “Supergirl.” But throughout the years, fans have been bugged by the question that at some point in time she might outgrow the name and promote herself to the epithet of “Superwoman.”

The answer to this question is not that simple and has different reasons why Supergirl might never take the grown-up name.

It is only logical to assume that with age, Supergirl might think to change her title to Superwoman, as it sounds mature and is more age-appropriate. But that day might not come as the writers will not let it happen. The reason is that there already exist characters who use the title of Superwoman almost interchangeably. For example, Lois Lane and her alternate dimension variants have sometimes been called the Superwoman after gaining power.

The second reason ties to the broader narrative of the Superman lore, highlighting the contrast between the two Kryptonian cousins. Although Superman (Kal-El) was born and raised on Earth and is now known as the "Man of Tomorrow," Kara is frequently depicted as the one who has memories of the past. She is the link to the lost world of Krypton. She is the girl who recalls what Krypton looked like before it fell, and her name, Supergirl, serves as a link to her past. In this way, the "girl" portion of her name refers to her status as a refugee and a survivor of a vanished world rather than her age.

Supergirl has become a cultural symbol, much like Wonder Woman. It has a particular history, a certain aesthetic, and a particular position in the public mind. DC Comics and Warner Bros. would have to give up decades of brand familiarity in order to rebrand Kara as Superwoman. The Supergirl moniker has come to refer to Kara Zor-El regardless of her biological or chronological age.

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One of the reasons mentioned will be touched upon in the upcoming Supergirl movie starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El.

James Gunn’s DC Universe really captures this contrast between Superman and Supergirl as seen in the recent trailer for the Supergirl movie. While Superman is optimistic and represents hope, his cousin is more like a pessimistic version of him who drowns her sorrows in alcohol. There is almost a kind of sadness to her partying ways and her approach to heroism.

The movie that releases on June 26 will explore more about her trauma of watching her home planet get destroyed in front of her own eyes. Ultimately, the name Supergirl has nothing to do with her age and everything to do with what she represents and what she means to the DC Universe.

What do you think is the reason behind her never graduating from the title of Supergirl? Share your thoughts.