‘Supergirl’ Writer Confirms the Ending Was Always the Plan From the Very First Pitch

Supergirl writer Ana Nogueira has shared why the ending of the DC movie is different from the ending of Tom King’s Woman of Tomorrow comic. Speaking to Variety, Nogueira explained that the movie’s final showdown between Kara Zor-El and Krem was planned from the very beginning, even before she finished writing the script.

According to Nogueira, the decision was never a late change. She said the ending had been part of her original pitch for the movie from the start. “The ending between Kara and Krem was always in it, from the pitch — truly from the very beginning.”

The biggest reason for the change is that the comic and the movie tell the story in different ways. In the Woman of Tomorrow comic, Ruthye is the one who eventually kills Krem. However, that does not happen until far into the future after a major time jump. Nogueira said that kind of ending simply would not work in a movie.

“Because the comic ends with Ruthye killing him, but in the far, far future. We knew we weren’t gonna be able to do that kind of time jump.”

She also explained that she viewed the comic’s ending as much darker than what they wanted for the film. By the time Ruthye kills Krem in the comic, he has changed as a person. Even so, Ruthye still carries so much anger that she decides to kill him anyway.

“I find it’s quite a dark ending of the comic. He essentially has changed, and she kills him anyway, because she still just has this anger.”

Instead of following that path, Nogueira wanted the movie to give Kara a different role. Rather than letting Ruthye carry the weight of taking a life, Kara steps in and takes responsibility herself. Nogueira said protecting Ruthye’s innocence became one of the most important ideas behind the ending.

“We wanted to craft a villain who would deserve this, but we also wanted Kara to really care about preserving Ruthye’s innocence, and to feel like she could take on [killing him], that she could be the one to bring justice to this man, and do it without burdening this child.”

Editor’s Note: Nogueria is wrong regarding the ending of the comic. In the comic’s ending, the story jumps far into the future, where an elderly Ruthye reunites with Supergirl and Krypto. Kara reveals that Krem has spent many years in the Phantom Zone and has come to regret his past crimes. She releases him, and Krem apologizes to Ruthye and asks for forgiveness. Instead of killing him, Ruthye simply hits him with her walking stick before walking away with Kara and Krypto, leaving Krem alive.

Tom King also confirmed that Krem ultimately lives during an episode of Comic Book Couples Counseling podcast from 2024.

For Nogueira, this choice says a lot about who Kara is as a hero. It is not just about defeating the villain. It is also about making sure Ruthye does not have to live with the emotional cost of killing someone herself. That decision became a key part of Kara’s character in the movie.

The ending also sets Supergirl apart from Superman. Nogueira believes Kara has her own way of looking at justice, and that makes her different from her famous cousin. While Superman is known for never taking a life, Kara’s actions show that her moral code is not exactly the same.

“It’s different for Supergirl, and I think it will feel different for audiences.” Nogueira added that she finds this direction exciting because it gives Kara her own identity moving forward in the new DC Universe. “It means she has her own moral compass going forward. One that is separate from what Superman’s famous moral compass is: that he never takes a life.”

Although she does not know how this decision will affect future stories, Nogueira said she likes the idea that Superman and Supergirl could have different views on how to deal with dangerous villains. She believes those differences could make future stories even more interesting.

Her comments make it clear that the ending audiences will see in Supergirl was not created to simply be different from the comic. According to Nogueira, it was a choice made from the very beginning to better fit the movie, protect Ruthye’s character, and give Kara her own clear moral path in the new DC Universe.

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