Warner Bros. is notoriously restrictive about which DC heroes and villains can appear on TV. The general rule is that they don’t want audiences to be confused with multiple versions of characters showing in different media at the same time, with a good example being the no Batman rule on the Arrowverse shows.
So, it was something of a surprise when Supergirl revealed that, contrary to expectations, the second season would feature Kara’s famous cousin Superman, played by Tyler Hoechlin. His appearance was one of the best moments on a show that’s exceeded expectations, and now it sounds as if the character’s set to re-appear in some form in season 4.
The clue comes from some sterling detective work by the guys over on SpoilerTV, who secured the titles for the first four episodes of the upcoming run. The title of the third installment is the promising “Man of Steel,” which certainly hints that Big Blue will be making an appearance.
But which Superman will we see? Word is that this season will adapt Mark Millar’s classic Red Son graphic novel, which imagines a world in which Superman landed in the Soviet Union rather than Kansas. This sets history on a very different course, with a communist Supes ruling over planet Earth under an iron thumb, while a revolutionary Batman wages a guerrilla war against him. It’s one of DC’s best ‘what-ifs’ and features an absolutely killer twist ending.
However, as Red Son is about the Soviet Union, there’s a chance we could see a certain famously moustachioed Man of Steel instead, and I’m not talking about Henry Cavill. I am, of course, referring to ‘Uncle’ Joe Stalin (the name Stalin literally means ‘Man of Steel’), who could very well turn up in a key role in any historical recap of the Red Son universe.
Regardless of whether this is a reference to Stalin rather than Superman, I still hope we get to see Hoechlin’s take on Red Son Superman at some point. Even if we don’t though, it’s sounding more and more like this season of Supergirl is going to be one long wish come true for seasoned DC fans and we can’t wait for it to premiere on Sunday, October 14th on The CW.
