"Despite revisions and changes in his origin story over the years, the idea that Superman is from a doomed planet called Krypton has been a near-constant in the mythology of the character. And although Supergirl joined Superman in the pantheon of Krypton survivors in 1959, a full 21 years after Superman first appeared in 1938, she's always had a slightly darker version when it comes to the last days of Krypton."
"In the first teaser trailer for the 2026 DCU Supergirl, Kara (Milly Alcock) makes it clear that her memories of the fall of Krypton run deep. And, this detail could suggest that Supergirl might finally nail one of the hardest DC origin stories to pull off: the rise and fall of the planet Krypton. In the trailer, Kara is asked pointedly, "What was it like to lose everything in a day?""
"Although the 1978 Superman created a very iconic design for Krypton, all flowing robes and crystal structures, live action adaptations of the Super-mythos often struggle to really depict the machinations of Kryptonian culture, and demonstrate how such an advanced planet could be destroyed by something that was, perhaps, avoidable. In 2013, with Man of Steel, Zack Snyder's take on Krypton felt more like high fantasy, a magical kingdom, rather than an ethereal alien planet."
Supergirl's 2026 portrayal centers on Kara Zor-El's vivid memories of Krypton's demise, suggesting extensive flashbacks of the planet's final days. Kara remembers a prolonged collapse rather than an instantaneous disaster, implying deeper cultural and political context behind Krypton's fall. Live-action adaptations have varied from crystalline, ceremonial designs to high-fantasy interpretations, and they often struggle to convincingly show how an advanced civilization succumbed to an arguably avoidable catastrophe. Superman films include fewer Krypton sequences because Kal-El arrives as a baby and cannot witness events, while Supergirl's adult arrival allows for richer exploration of Kryptonian society.
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