Linda Danvers
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Linda Danvers, an Earth woman, (not to be confused with Linda Lee Danvers, the secret identity of Kara Zor-El pre-Crisis), formerly called Supergirl, is a fictional character from DC Comics who first appeared in Supergirl #1 in September 1996, created by Peter David and Gary Frank.
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[edit] History
[edit] Matrix
Linda Danvers (daughter of policeman Fred Danvers and his wife Sylvia) began her life in a less than heroic fashion. Lured into a world of darkness by her boyfriend Buzz, Linda was involved in many illicit and illegal activities. Little did she know that she was intended to be a sacrifice for a demonic cult Buzz worked for. Buzz slashed her with a dagger, to use her blood to release a demon into the world. But Matrix, the protoplasmic Supergirl, intervened. She used her shape-shifting powers to try and plug the gaping wounds on Linda, but instead became fused with Linda. Linda and Matrix became a new Supergirl. Armed with superhuman strength, speed, flight, invulnerability, and telekinesis, and the power to change from ordinary brunette Linda Danvers into tall, blonde Supergirl, Linda began to fight crime and demonic activity, and redeem her darkened soul. She was hesitant to reveal her situation to her adoptive "brother" Superman (fearing his reaction to her co-opting a human life), but he accepted her. Further complicating the situation was the revelation that Matrix's sacrifice in attempting to save Linda (who was "beyond all hope") made her (and Linda) an "Earth Born Angel of Fire".
[edit] Angel on Earth
When Linda became an "Earth Born Angel" (one of three), she developed wings of flame, and flame vision. She discovered that she could teleport in a S-shaped burst of flame. She used her powers to fight demons and dark gods, and even her fellow Earth Born Angel Blithe. She even met an angelic ally, the equine Comet, who was revealed to be her friend, Andrea Jones, and the Angel of Love. But stranger still, Linda began to encounter a young boy named Wally, who claimed to be God himself. Wally helped Linda through her strange transformations, especially when her wings changed from angelic to bat-like. Linda also found herself fighting a superhuman named Twilight, whose dark powers were almost strong enough to overpower Linda's angelic abilities. But her greatest challenge came when Linda was captured by a strangely Wally-like man, who was the Carnivore, the first vampire. She defeated him, with the help of an angelic figure, simply called "Kara". But in her defeat of Carnivore, her Matrix side was ripped away, leaving Linda alone once again.
[edit] Search for Supergirl
Linda retained a portion of the abilities she had when fused with Matrix (she had half of her super-strength and invulnerabilty, and could no longer fly, but could leap 1/8th of a mile), and using some items from a costume shop, created a white, blue, and red Supergirl costume, and continued her role as Supergirl, while searching for Matrix, with the help of her demonic ex-boyfriend Buzz and fellow superhero Mary Marvel. Even with her diminished abilities, she was still powerful enough to stop Bizarro, and even found herself fighting her own "Bizarro Supergirl". Her search for Matrix led her to the Amazon, where Matrix was held prisoner by Lilith, mother of all demons, who had also sent Twilight after Supergirl (holding Twilight's sister hostage to keep her under her evil control). Lilith fatally injured Mary Marvel and Twilight, and Linda, but not before Matrix was freed from Lilith's prison. Linda asked Matrix to merge with Twilight, and Twilight became the new Angel of Fire, and used her powers to heal Linda and Mary, and give Linda the powers she had when they had first merged into Supergirl (super-strength, super-speed, invulnerabilty, flight, and telekinesis).
[edit] Pre-Crisis Kara
Linda continued as Supergirl, with her powers back to their original (non-angel) levels, and encountered a rocketship which contained a young, vibrant Kara Zor-El from the Pre-Crisis timeline. After a rocky start, the two became close, Linda teaching the younger Supergirl how to be a hero.
But Kara's presence in the Post-Crisis era was going to destabilize time. The Spectre appeared and said that Kara was destined to die. Apparently, a cosmic entity called the Fatalist had altered the timeline for his own amusement, and to vex his master, Xenon (a being with a pathological hatred of Supergirl). Linda secretly took Kara's place, and was sent to the Pre-Crisis era, where she posed as "Kara Zor-El", until the Pre-Crisis Superman uncovered her ruse, and admitted he was in love with her. The two married, and had a daughter, Ariella. Linda even changed her costume. But Linda's very presence had altered the timeline, so Spectre made her return home, not only to restore the timestream, but to save Kara from Xenon, (who had captured the young Supergirl, and planned to kill her).
Linda defeated Xenon, and had to send frightened young Kara back to her universe, knowing Kara, as an adult would eventually die in the crisis on infinite earths. Linda's daughter was spared from being erased from the timeline by the Spectre (Linda informed the Spectre if he didn't save Ariella, she would let the universe die), but Linda was heartbroken over her actions. She learned that her parents had just had a second child, named "Wally" ironically. Linda had one last reunion with her family, before leaving everyone and hanging up her cape. She left a note for Clark and Lois explaining her decision, saying she felt she had let her loved ones down and so she was no longer worthy of wearing the S. Her whereabouts are unknown, but she was mentioned by Kelex during Cir-El's time as Supergirl.
[edit] Infinite Crisis
According to an interview with Newsarama, following the events of Infinite Crisis, Dan Didio stated that the Matrix Supergirl was wiped from existence. However, Geoff Johns later stated, "As for this...huh? Linda Danvers hasn't been retconned out at all." [1] The future of Linda Danvers remains uncertain.
[edit] Powers
Linda has incredible (near Kryptonian level) superhuman strength and speed, as well as the powers of flight, and invulnerability. She also has the power of telekinesis, which she can use to move most forms of matter with her thoughts. Linda can channel her telekinetic energy into blasts of mental force. All these powers were Linda's in issues 75 through 80 of the Supergirl comic-book series, and she has not appeared since that series ended and she gave up being Supergirl. Almost immediately after getting her powers (a gift from Matrix), Linda was shuffled into comic-book limbo, where she remains. Note: While she was merged with Matrix, Linda also had flame vision (blasts of celestial fire that she could release from her eyes), angelic wings composed of pure fire, and the ability to form her wings into a flaming portal, and "shunt" (teleport) anywhere she wished to be.
[edit] Trivia
- According to Peter David, if his run on Supergirl hadn't ended, he would have had the series being a sort of Birds of Prey type comic, featuring the trio of Linda Danvers, Pre-Crisis Kara Zor-El and Power Girl[2].
- In the alternative Pre-Crisis timeline, Lois Lane comments to Linda posing as Kara, on Superman's strange behavior since exposure to pink kryptonite. In their presence, he tells Jimmy Olsen how smashing he looks in bowties. Linda, aware of the innocence of this Silver Age period, informs Lois "You so don't want to know." The effect on Superman is only temporary.
- In the original (and restored) Pre-Crisis timeline, Kara Zor-El created the alias of Linda Lee who became Linda Danvers after adoption by Fred and Edna (not Sylvia) Danvers. In the alternative Pre-Crisis timeline, the real Linda Danvers posing as Kara never was adopted because she convinced Superman to avoid placing her in an orphanage and instead immediately reveal her to the world. When Superman later explained to her he had figured out she wasn't really Kara, only then did Linda give him her first name and become his wife.
- When Matrix was separated from Linda, Linda used items from a costume shop to create her current Supergirl costume (which was identical to the costume worn by the animated version of Supergirl in Superman: The Animated Series).
- During the DC run of David's Fallen Angel it was implied that Lee, the main character, might be Linda Danvers. When the title moved to another company, her real origin as a guardian angel named Liandra was given.
- A version of Linda Danvers also appeared in the Elseworlds one-shot Supergirl: Wings by J. M. DeMatteis. In this story she was, as in the mainstream version, being led into temptation by Buzz. The focus of the story was on her guardian angel, Matrix, whose cynical view of her charge seemed to leave them both without hope.
[edit] External Links
- Supergirl:Maid Of Might - A Comprehensive History Of Supergirl Through The Ages
- Comics 101 - Illustrated Summary of Peter David's "Supergirl" series
- Titans Tower - Profile of the Matrix/Linda Danvers Supergirl
- Girl Wonder - Overview of Linda Danvers's tenure as Supergirl
Categories: Fictional angels | Fictional artists | DC Comics characters who can fly | Fictional characters who can move at superhuman speeds | Fictional adoptees | Fictional characters with telekinesis | Fictional schoolteachers | Fictional characters with the power to teleport | Superman supporting characters | 1996 introductions | DC Comics characters with superhuman strength
