#kellly olsen

[templedragon]

Supergirl Dansen Identity Reveal The Wrap

An interview  with Queller and Rovner about the Dansen identity reveal being offscreen, with The Wrap (article link in comments).

Several points were made. Only one good point - that Kelly is the last Superfriend to find out that Kara is Supergirl. That means there are no new additions to Superfriends, like Andrea or William.

The reasons Rovner and Queller give for skipping this identity reveal is 1) time and 2) lack of conflict. Regarding time, as the show runners they decide the content of episodes. This means they would rather an over budget montage of Lex ruining the Fortress of Solitude to music in 6x01, or William Dey reacting to a screen like a football match at a bar in 6x02 or any prolonged Lex scene (14 minutes of screentime), than a key relationship moment between a character second billed since the show started. Alex telling her girlfriend that her sister is Supergirl is huge.

Regarding lack of conflict, LGBTQIA+ people need to see healthy relationships organically develop. We're tired of being sidelined, killed, or villain coded. Dansen is an interracial lesbian canon romance and means a lot with intersectionality. If the writer attitude is conflict driven, then it wouldn't surprise us if Dansen got married and adopted a child off screen, too. Meanwhile, the same writers happily show a man fantasise spit shouting into a woman's face because of his false beliefs. The show is about hope, and bad parts have to be balanced with good parts to show things are worth it.

There's an aspect of a benign black character just being a soundboard for everyone else rather than a multi faceted character with their own agency. Obsidian North just folded so Kelly is out of a job, but this is not mentioned. Alex is also out of a job as she quit the DEO before it exploded, so questions about their income supporting each other and how they are paying for rent and bills are healthy steps in a romance. They may have moved into Alex's apartment off screen.

The article also mentions avoiding repetitive storylines. I fell off my chair laughing, as even the identity reveals are repetitive. They make a comparison between Supercorp and a canon romance (more queerbait). Most identity reveals are romance framed. Winn found out as he guessed Kara was gay but her news wasn't about her sexuality. James already knew and that was the original romance before Queller and Rovner said the pairing was too noble to be worth watching (again, interracial). James wanted Lucy to know as he didn't want the secret to harm his rekindled romance. Kara telling Lena was framed romantically, with balcony gayzing and tearful confessions. Alex telling Kelly is akin to James and Lucy. The only platonic reveal was Kara to Nia, as Kara needed a surrogate sister with Alex's mindwipe about her identity.

Repetitive storylines are the show. Lex being the true villain behind the aliens happened for two seasons, going on three, to the extent they had a dedicated exposition episode when we'd already seen what he was up to post COIE. Kara repeatedly saying that Earth is her home after an external temptation. Kara giving a hope speech to save the day. CatCo has taskmaster CEOs in Cat and Andrea. Kara has met up with another presumed dead parent. Men being jerks but it being framed as romantic interest for the lead. White men getting things handed to them off screen without merit (Lex and the DEO, Mon El and the Legion). Winn's dad having numerous episodes re-exploring if he's bad or good, when Winn isn't main cast. The endless questioning as to Lena being a Luthor and separating her from the Superfriends. Lena being unable to escape her abusive family, to the extent they are resurrected and out of prison in a newly formed reality. Alex has been usurped of being head of the DEO by Col. Haley and Lex, before she quit.

Repetition is meant to compare and contrast. Lena and Kara made declarations to their parents about their family names being meant for good in 6x02. They declared they would do whatever it takes to stop Lex in season 6. Following the identity reveal in season 5, instead of Kara and the Superfriends offering apologies and itemised explanations for the secret and betrayal, they decided that Lena should have a secret and betray Kara's trust to parallel. Why show healthy relationships when you can prop up a plot?

#supergirl #supergirl season 6 #dansen #alex danvers #kellly olsen #representation matters #lgbtqia+ #identity reveal #supercorp