In continuation with my obsession over superheroes, I’d like to mention one of the more recent additions to our screens by CBS – Supergirl.
Glee’s Melissa Benoist acts as Kara Zor-El (on earth her surname is Danvers aka. Supergirl) the cousin of Clark Kent (aka. Superman) who was sent to look after him when their home planet, Krypton was destroyed. Although Kent’s pod reached earth safely, hers got knocked off course in space and by the time she reached earth, Kent had already become Superman. So, she hid her powers until a near catastrophic accident in her hometown that forced her to reveal herself to the world. To most people she’s just an assistant to Cat (Calista Flockheart), the resident media mogul at CatCo. who is the most loveable meanie. Yes, we’re only five episodes in, but I am so enjoying the ‘refreshing realness’ of it all – which might translate into cheesiness for the Daredevil aficionado – and feel like we can learn some amazing lessons from FINALLY having a female superhero who isn’t hyper sexualised and it just, well… normal…
THREE SIMPLE YET PROFOUND LESSONS FROM SUPERGIRL
Attention: I’m about to be a spoiler. If you think that you want to watch it, I’m more than happy to wait for you here until you’re done, if not, lets carry on.
- Just before the big accident that forces her to reveal who she is, she goes through a period of frustration. She’s frustrated that she’s kept who she really is hidden deep down inside her for so long. She hasn’t used her powers for twelve years, she’s forgotten how to fly, then this accident happens and suddenly…
- Once she started walking in her real identity she needed guidance … Suddenly she’s Supergirl. No expert at saving the world, but she knows that it’s her calling – and she’s giddy, she’s normal but super, she makes mistakes, and she loses sometimes. She eventually figures that she needs her family and supportive people around her to guide her…
- The other people (peripheral’s) around her fail to see her “super”… It’s quite remarkable really, how it happens. She reveals her super to the world and works as an assistant for Cat Grant (head honcho of media conglomerate, CatCo.). There is a point in time when Ms. Grant demands an audience with Kara/Supergirl by attempting to fire Superman’s long standing friend (potential love interest) and photographer, James Olsen from his position. Kara goes to James scared that if she does the interview Ms. Grant will know who she really is and he says that she could never, because people refuse to accept that super could reside amongst them. Lo-and-behold, Ms. Grant looked into her eyes and couldn’t see who she really was… She was convinced that the girl who got her coffee could never be a hero.
It’s been so refreshing because I relate to this story so much. Especially in the area of pursuing my dreams or what I feel is my innate calling.
- Prior to doing what I’m doing now – where every single effort I make in my life feeds itself into the fulfilment of what I feel I was made for – I felt extremely unfulfilled, as if there was something huge stuck inside of me and waiting to come out. I remember the first time I lead worship and played piano at the same time for three services at my home church. I was fourteen years old. I will never forget the feeling. It was this overwhelming sense that I could never not do this again, because I was made for this…
- Starting is the easy part. Finishing or continuing well is the absolute hardest. We have incredible ups where we feel we’re so amazing and then stuff happens that seems to completely knock the wind out of our sails – we need a support system around us. I’m always saying this, and it’s quite true that if I didn’t have the group of people when I started, doing it alongside me, I might never have been where I am today. I might never have even gotten off of the ground. Because walking in your calling is one of the most liberating things and yet one of the hardest things ever – you need that support system…
- And one of the most baffling things ever: As soon as she starts to shine her community fails to see who she really is, even though they walk with and around her daily, ESPECIALLY because of being around her daily. And while it’s true that a prophet isn’t respect in their hometown, I feel that it is so healthy – to a certain extent. It’s a strange contradiction, because ‘home’ should be where the banner is flying the highest, and yet, there are countless times, when all Supergirl needed was for Ms. Grant to speak to her as Kara – not being afraid to speak into her life. Her delivery might have sucked but she gave and continues to give Kara valuable truths because she sees her has her assistant. I know it can be mildly frustrating. But, you, and me we need them – People who aren’t going to be perturbed to by any success we might have fallen into as a result of walking in our dreams, people who’ll speak to us anyway, people who’ll keep us on the ground – even when we’re Supergirl.