Zor-El

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In publications from DC Comics, Zor-El was the husband of Allura In-Zee, the father of Kara Zor-El Supergirl and the uncle of Superman. In pre-Crisis continuity, he was a scientist on the Krypton-destruction surviving space colony of Argo City who sent his 15-year daughter Kara to Earth to be raised by her cousin Kal-El (Superman) when a meteor shower exposed the kryptonite content of the Argo City ground. This story was first explained in Action Comics #252 (May 1959). Fearing that Superman would not recognize her because he had left Krypton (comics) as an infant, Kara's parents provided a costume based closely on the Man of Steel's own. In an alternate universe, Zor-L (note different spelling) sent Kara to Earth Two where she became Power Girl.

It was later revealed to Supergirl through Zor-El induced dreams that both had teleported away into the survival zone during Argo's final moments and she rescued them in time (1964). Both went on to live in Kandor and eventually, when the city in the bottle was enlarged, into New Krypton/Rokyn.

In the post-Crisis Supergirl's story, Zor-El rocketed his daughter away from Krypton before Kal-El left. It was expected that she would reach Earth first and could help raise Kal from his infancy. However, she stayed in stasis and her ship did not reach Earth until years later, so the infant she expected to help raise was a grown man when she arrived still in her teens.

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

It has since been claimed (but not confirmed) that Zor-El actually sent his daughter to Earth to kill his nephew, since he resented his younger brother and hated the idea of Jor-El's lineage continuing past Krypton's destruction. Regardless of the truth or falseness of this, Kara has rejected this aspect of herself.

Further revisions to Zor-El's history and relations are expected as the series Infinite Crisis redefines Supergirl's connection to Power Girl.