Supergirl Series Finale Explained: How Kara And The Super Friends' Stories Ended

Kara Danvers as Supergirl
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Supergirl finale. Read at your own risk!

Supergirl ended its run recently with Season 6 on The CW with a two-hour extravaganza. Fans saw the final act of Kara Danvers’ adventures in the episodes “The Last Gauntlet” and “Kara” and found out what happened to the rest of the Super Friends at the series’ end. 

It was a busy two hours with a lot happening with each character, so it wouldn’t be surprising if some fans got lost in the action and forgot how things shook out. Luckily, all the major takeaways from the Supergirl Season 6 ending can be found below, for those who want to revisit some of the fates of their favorite characters.

Nyxly and Lex Luthor in Supergirl

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

How Supergirl Defeated Nyxly And Lex Luthor

Supergirl had an endgame to get to, but that couldn’t happen without defeating Nyxly and Lex Luthor. The supervillain team split in the eleventh hour of their plan to secure the totems for themselves and began to create all sorts of chaos amid their in-fighting and battle with the Super Friends. It all culminated in Lex opening a portal to the Phantom Zone, content to see the world turned to a shell of itself if he could no longer rule it

Zulian Maletarians emerged from the Phantom Zone, but because Supergirl and friends empowered the people of National City to become their own heroes and inspire hope, the only fear that remained was with Nyxly and Lex. The wraiths responded by grabbing the two villains, dooming the two to the Phantom Zone until further notice. Arrowverse fans will like the story because it gives a chance for both to escape for future adventures. Superman & Lois fans want Jon Cryer’s Lex to appear on the series, and with this ending of Supergirl, there’s a way for that to happen.

Kara Danvers in Supergirl

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Kara Revealed Her Secret Identity To The World

The day was saved, but Kara Danvers was still very much in turmoil about her next step. The experience with Nyxly and Lex Luthor created a real crisis in her purpose, which was only further complicated by Cat Grant’s return. Cat re-purchased CatCo, and in a surprising turn of events, wanted Kara to serve as the editor-in-chief of the media organization. It was, frankly, a dream opportunity for Kara, but she hesitated. The role came with a lot of responsibility, one that she couldn’t reasonably juggle while still maintaining her secret identity as Supergirl. 

Luckily, that wasn’t a huge problem as Cat revealed she’d known Kara was a superhero the entire time. The solution then was for Kara to join CatCo as editor-in-chief, and in an exclusive scoop interview, simultaneously reveal to the world that she is Supergirl. The decision marked a huge moment in which Kara began living her life as one person, and not separate identities. Sadly, it came at the end of the series, though it’s possible Melissa Benoist could return in future Arrowverse shows so fans can see how that worked out for her.

Alex, Esme, and Kelly on Supergirl

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Alex And Kelly Got Married

Alex Danvers and Kelly Olsen’s wedding finally happened, though not without a bit of chaos, when Lex Luthor and Nyxly kidnapped their foster daughter Esme. Luckily, she got back with her parents soon enough, and the wedding ceremony went on as planned. The duo even had an impressive number of Supergirl guest stars at their ceremony, including members of The Legion from the future!

Supergirl last saw Alex and Kelly leave for their honeymoon, but we have some vague clues on where their future lies in the Arrowverse. Kelly definitely seemed invested in continuing her career in social work, and with the D.E.O. reinstated, I don’t think it’s crazy Alex could find her way back there. Of course, she seemed happy with what was going on in her life at the moment, so maybe she’ll just commit to the mom life, chill with Esme, and possibly help the alien child further develop her powers?

Nia and Brainy on Supergirl

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Brainy Didn’t Get Absorbed 

Brainy received some devastating news late in Supergirl Season 6 as he learned he had to be absorbed by the Big Brain in order to prevent messing up all of existence. This meant saying goodbye to Nia forever, which was something much harder for him to do now that he had emotions. He didn’t want to leave, obviously, but the ramifications of staying could be so great he could doom Nia and existence as he knew it. It was his fate and obligation to return to the future, even if he didn’t want to. 

At least, that’s what Supergirl led fans to believe. After a tearful goodbye and kiss, Brainy later returned not just for Alex and Kelly’s wedding, but for everything that had yet to happen. Consequences be damned, Brainy wanted a future with Nia, and as he pointed out, the future is still unwritten. Who’s to say reality will only be protected if he remains in his time to fulfill his duties? Well, the future says that, but since it’s in flux, I’ll concede to his logic for the sake of a happy ending with Nia.

J'onn and Lena in Supergirl

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

J’onn Will Have A Son

J’onn didn’t get quite the level of attention in the finale as some of the other Super Friends, but Supergirl did give fans an idea of how things will turn out for him down the road. J’onn found out via Mon-El that his future is looking bright, and he’ll eventually have a son with his former White Martian flame M’Gann. Plus, the D.E.O. was reinstated, which was another thing The Legion spoiled since they knew it returned in the future. Come to think of it, wouldn’t they know Supergirl saved the day the entire time? 

That aside, it was cool to hear some positive news for J’onn’s future. Even if his moment wasn’t the biggest of the Supergirl finale, he’s been a beloved character who deserved the best things in life, given his tragic past. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about that son in other shows, though who knows what the future holds?

Lena and Kara in Supergirl

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

Lena And Kara Solidified Their Lifelong Friendship

Lena Luthor had a lot to deal with in Supergirl’s final season. She found out she had magical powers, and worse, her mother admitted on her deathbed that she actively stifled them and tried to drive her to science instead. Lena still found closure with her mother in either case and had a real touching moment with Kara at the wedding reception. The two finally laid out just how important they were to each other and solidified what felt like a lifelong friendship. 

It was a touching scene, though perhaps not as far as some Supergirl fans wanted. A section of the community heavily hoped Lena and Kara would end up a romantic item, but alas, The CW series didn’t pull the trigger. That’s not to say there isn’t hope for the future, but for now, Lena and Kara are canonically best buds. 

Supergirl is finished at The CW, but as mentioned, there’s always a chance the characters will pop up in future adventures. Fans can also restart the series entirely over on Netflix, though they may have to wait a bit for the final batch of episodes to arrive. 

Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.