DC Superhero Girls: #WhySoBlue

I recently have rediscovered the DC Superhero Girls animated shorts on Boomerang and I have been enjoying them immensely. This is a complete Elseworlds with a brash, opinionated, 'punch first, think second' Supergirl but that works in this universe where characters are mainly defined by one attribute. Supergirl is the 'punk' in the group, right down to being cast as the Judd Nelson character in an episode inspired by The Breakfast Club movie, something I will cover soon, I promise.

What I like about the show is that while one aspect of the character dominates, there is room for growth and some subtlety. Kara loves cute bunnies. She is a bit of a geek, getting into role playing games and video games.

In #WhySoBlue, we see Kara learn a lesson about patience and giving people second chances. She has to keep Ted Kord, who has decided to be the super-hero Blue Beetle, from killing himself. But she isn't sure he is cut out for it. 

I would also love to meet the creators or writers of the show to see if they are big comic fans. I see things that could be homages to comic books but I don't know if I am overthinking. On to the show!

In #DoubleDanvers, Jeremiah Danvers met and was hired by billionaire Ted Kord.

In the beginning of this episode, Jeremiah is bringing Kara to the lab for 'bring your child to work day' at Kord Industry.

Of course, being at a lab isn't exactly the thing a more action-prone kid like Kara would think is a good time.

Especially when the experiment Jeremiah is doing is seeing how long his wall covering liquid evaporates.

Yep, Kara is there to literally watch paint dry.

It is a funny joke.

But Jeremiah tells her how she needs to have patience with things, a clear foreshadowing of the lesson of the episode.

While there, Kara hears an explosion and on investigation finds that it is Ted Kord learning how to use his tech to be The Blue Beetle.

It is clear he doesn't exactly know what to do, crashing through walls, inadvertently activating lasers, and generally making a mess of things.

Comic homage possibility #1. 

Supergirl says her 'Kryptonian Intuition' tells her that Kord isn't cut out to be a super-hero.

Is that a reference to Supergirl's Silver Age 'Super-intuition'??? Can I dream?

But Kord isn't so sure.

After all, he has written a self-help book called 'Success is 1% preparation and 2000% activation'.

He thinks he doesn't need to prepare.

I like this take on Ted Kord as hipster genius.

I also like the internal continuity of the show.

Kord tells Supergirl that it was her rescuing him in the #DoubleDanvers episode that inspired him to create the Blue Beetle persona.

Look at the little shrine! I love it!

Supergirl as an inspirational character! I love that too!!

Perhaps softened by his talk of her inspiration, Supergirl decides to help Kord by having him join her on patrol to see how things are done and to train.

But she isn't exactly keen on him doing too much. Perhaps because he pulls out a rather powerful appearing laser gun to tackle some simple bank robbers. 

In what looks like an homage to the scene in the Spider-Man 2 Toby Maguire movie, Beetle tries to slow down a runaway train by casting out anchors and chains. But it is Supergirl who stops it simply by pushing against it with her finger.

Okay, the Spider-Man 2 homage seems obvious. But could the writers have included this because Steve Ditko created both Spider-Man and this Blue Beetle? Is that comic homage #2?

But when Kara even denies him from saving a kitten from a tree, he dejectedly flies off.

She says he needs to have patience but he wonders if maybe it is she who needs patience.

It is something she hears again from Jeremiah,

Flying back to his lab, he reminds her how he was glad Kord had patience with him and gave him a second chance after being kind of an idiot when they first met. If Kord hadn't showed that kindness, Jeremiah wouldn't have this job. 

I am sure that someone in the past has shown this Kara the same sort of kindness. At the very least, she hasn't been shown that sort of mentoring from Superman.

The lesson learned, she flies to tell Kord she will train him.

Unfortunately, Kord has already struck out on his own and is being abused by Livewire.

When Supergirl arrives, Livewire uses her electric powers to take over Beetle's armor. Luckily Kord realizes that Supergirl can damage his supercoolant belt making him a cryogenic grenade.

Once the coolant is at critical, she swings and throws Beetle at Livewire, freezing her in place.

I have to say, I just smile at this take on Supergirl. 

With the bad guy carted away, Supergirl says that she will help train Kord. He gave someone she cares about a second chance. So she will do the same.

Supergirl mentoring someone! Supergirl a positive influence! Supergirl happy and heroic!!

Imagine that.

Well, I know where I need to go these days to find my joy about Supergirl.