10 Comic Book Heroes Improved Through Retcon
4. Supergirl
Kara Zor-El was rocketed as an adolescent from Argo City, a doomed locale that survived the initial destruction of Krypton but eventually fell to Kryptonite poisoning. Kara arrived on Earth and assumed the identity of Linda Lee Danvers. She kept her powers secret at Superman’s request until she gained control of them. After graduating, in addition to attending college, Kara held many careers but her superhero career took precedence, even over her social life. She was killed by the Anti-Monitor while saving Superman, and Crisis on Infinite Earths wiped her memory from existence.
The modern Supergirl crash-landed in Gotham Harbor and attacked the Man of Steel when she first met him, believing him to be an impostor. From her perspective, Kal should be a baby and she had been sent to Earth to protect him, but it was discovered that her rocket had been caught in an asteroid field for many years while she was in suspended animation. She was now “younger” than her infant cousin.
Trained with the help of Batman and Wonder Woman, the Maid of Might began a superhero career but had a number of missteps. She fell under the thrall of Darkseid, almost destroyed the Earth to bring Krypton back, and had trouble breaking free of her connection to the Red Lantern Ring. Rebirth saw her as an operative of the DEO and a member of the Justice League on two different teams.