Honestly, it was the punch heard 'round the multiverse. When Sasha Calle’s Supergirl first rocketed onto the screen in 2023’s The Flash, she didn't just fly—she brought a raw, jagged energy that the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) had been missing for a long time. She wasn't the bubbly, skirt-wearing Kara many grew up with. She was a survivor.
The movie itself was a bit of a mess, let's be real. It was bogged down by CGI that looked like a 2005 video game and some heavy baggage surrounding its lead actor. But in the middle of all that chaos, Calle's Supergirl stood out. She was different. People still talk about her version because she felt like a real person who had actually suffered, rather than just a superhero archetype waiting for her turn to fight.
Why this version of Supergirl feels so different
Most of us are used to the classic Kara Zor-El story. She lands in the Midwest, finds her cousin Kal-El, and eventually puts on the cape to become a symbol of hope. The Flash threw that script in the trash. In the "Flashpoint" timeline created by Barry Allen, things went south. Fast.
Instead of being found by a nice couple in Kansas, this Kara was intercepted by the Russian government. She spent years—basically her entire life—locked in a dark, sunless silo in Siberia. Think about that for a second. She’s an alien who derives her literal life force from the sun, and she was kept in a hole. When the two Barrys and Michael Keaton’s Batman finally break her out, she isn't grateful. She’s terrified. She’s weak. She’s rightfully pissed off at humanity.
Sasha Calle played this with a "thousand-yard stare" that actually made you feel her trauma. She didn't want to save the world; she just wanted to know what happened to her cousin. It’s a darker take, heavily influenced by the Flashpoint comics where a malnourished Superman is kept in a government lab. Swapping Kal-El for Kara was a bold move, and honestly? It worked.
✨ Don't miss: Why the Cast of Hold Your Breath 2024 Makes This Dust Bowl Horror Actually Work
The tragic loop of the finale
If you’ve seen the movie, you know the ending is a bit of a gut-punch. During the climactic battle against General Zod, Supergirl dies. And then she dies again. And again.
Barry tries to use his speed to go back and "fix" the fight, thinking if he just moves a little faster, he can save her. But the movie introduces the concept of "inevitable intersections." No matter what Barry does, Zod kills her. Sometimes it’s a spear to the chest; sometimes it’s something else. It’s brutal to watch, especially since the audience had just started to like her.
This led to some pretty heated debates online. Was she just a "plot point" used to teach Barry a lesson? Some fans think so. Others argue that her sacrifice was the only way to show Barry that he couldn't keep messing with time. Regardless of how you feel about the writing, Calle's performance during those final stands was intense. She went out swinging every single time.
The costume and the look
We have to talk about the suit. It was a massive departure from the Melissa Benoist TV version.
🔗 Read more: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
- No skirt: This was a tactical suit, clearly Kryptonian in origin.
- The Hair: Short, dark hair that made her look more like a mirror image of Henry Cavill’s Superman.
- The Crest: It still meant "Hope," but on her, it felt like a heavy burden.
There was actually some buzz that her look was inspired by Lara Lane-Kent, the daughter of Superman from the Injustice comics. While the movie kept her as Kara Zor-El, the visual nod to that edgier comic history was clear to anyone who spends too much time in comic book shops.
What happened to the sequels?
Here is where things get a bit heartbreaking for Sasha Calle fans. Originally, there were reports that she had a multi-film deal. There was even talk of a solo Supergirl movie that would follow the events of The Flash.
Then James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios.
They decided to hit the reset button on almost everything. This meant the "Snyderverse" and the "Flashpoint" characters were mostly sidelined. In early 2024, it was officially announced that Milly Alcock (from House of the Dragon) would be the new Supergirl in the upcoming film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
💡 You might also like: Is Heroes and Villains Legit? What You Need to Know Before Buying
Calle has been pretty open about her feelings on this. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she described the situation as "heartbreaking." She had put her heart and soul into the role, even doing most of her own stunts in that Siberian silo scene. It’s a tough industry. You can be the best part of a movie and still get caught in the gears of a corporate reboot.
The legacy of the "Flash Supergirl"
Even though we probably won't see her in the cape again, Sasha Calle’s Supergirl did something important. She was the first Latina to play the character on the big screen. For a lot of people, that representation mattered way more than the box office numbers or the messy CGI.
She proved that Supergirl doesn't have to be a "lighter" version of Superman. She can be gritty, complex, and carry a movie’s emotional weight. While the DCU moves forward with a new vision, this version of Kara will likely live on as a "what if" in the minds of fans.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the lore that inspired this version of the character, there are a few things you can do right now to get the full picture.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Read the Flashpoint comic (2011): To see the original "Subject One" storyline that the movie adapted for Supergirl.
- Watch the Injustice animated movie: It gives you a feel for the darker, "what if" style of Kryptonian stories that influenced this film's tone.
- Check out Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King: This is the comic the next movie is based on. Reading it will help you understand why DC decided to shift gears toward a more cosmic, "space-opera" feel for the character's future.