Up, up, and Away Goes Supergirl! In Comes 'Superman & Lois'!
Updated April 14 2021, 1:37 p.m. ET
There are a lot of theories running rampant about what will happen in the CW’s new series, Superman & Lois, and Supergirl's appearance or lack thereof is no exception. Supergirl is finishing up its six-season run on the CW, and Superman & Lois are coming in hot to fill the S-shaped hole in the Arrowverse. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch are reprising their roles from Supergirl as Clark Kent, alias Superman, and Lois Lane.
While Tyler and Elizabeth will be headlining Superman & Lois, there’s no mention of if Melissa Benoist will be returning to the Arrowverse as Supergirl. She had a baby in September, so many surmise that Supergirl is in its final season so that Melissa can spend more time with her family. However, this doesn’t mean Supergirl will never be in Superman & Lois between future storylines or alternative casting.
‘Superman & Lois’ is not necessarily sticking to ‘Supergirl’ canon.
Although Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch previously played Superman and Lois Lane respectively in Supergirl, not all previous Supergirl casting is remaining in Superman & Lois. While fans are excited about the new show, some are frustrated that Superman & Lois will essentially be erasing many plot points and original casting from Supergirl.
As far as casting goes, Lois Lane’s father, General Sam Lane, will be played by Dylan Walsh in Superman & Lois, although the same character appeared in Season 1 of Supergirl played by Glenn Morshower. Another main character being recast is Superman villain Morgan Edge. In Supergirl, he was portrayed by Adrian Pasdar, but he will now be played by Adam Rayner. He'll likely be stirring the pot quite a bit in his new role.
Another major sticking point for fans of Supergirl is the Lex Luthor storyline. Even though Lex died in Season 4 of Supergirl and was then brought back to life in the next season, it seems that if Lex Luthor comes back (again) in Superman & Lois, he will likely be recast as well. Many expect that the character, The Stranger, who we don’t yet know much about, is a cover for Lex Luthor. The Stranger will be played by Wolé Parks.
Supergirl is not in ‘Superman & Lois’ as of yet, but that doesn’t mean she never will be.
There is one theory that has many fans hoping that Supergirl will make an appearance in Superman & Lois. The CW announced Stacey Faber’s casting as Leslie Larr, a new character that doesn't exist in the comics. However, there is a Kryptonian villain, Lesla-Lar, whose name is too similar to go unnoticed. Lesla-Lar was Kara Zor-El’s nemesis and once even stripped Kara (aka Supergirl) of her powers. Lesla-Lar also worked with Lex Luthor, so there’s definitely a place for her in Superman & Lois.
If Lesla-Lar does appear with Lex Luthor, that opens a space for Supergirl to fight alongside Superman. Another theory is that Leslie Larr could become the Linda Lee '90s version of Supergirl, who was just a normal girl who got her powers from a strange interaction with the Supergirl active at that time. Like Doctor Who and Captain Marvel, many women take on the identity of Supergirl, so it wouldn’t be totally out of canon if Supergirl was recast, although many fans would likely be disappointed.
Superman & Lois airs on the CW, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.