When it comes to measuring the myriad strengths and weaknesses of superheroes, various technicalities can get in the way of a decent discussion. How do you measure the power of a character like Captain American to Batman? Is it raw strength, ability, a combination of both in addition to another factor that is presently unaccountable? This is tough to decide, especially when considering characters who have powers based purely in science fiction. Therefore, ranking the power-set of heroes and villains featured on The CW’s Supergirl can provide any number of variations with regards to who’s strongest or most weak of the bunch.
For this list, Supergirl herself acts as a benchmark. Because she’s heralded as the Arrowverse’s most powerful hero (or is she?), the Maid of Might is a good measure of another’s strength. Thus, if, technically, someone is capable of overpowering her, aren’t they this universe’s mightiest combatant? In an effort to maintain fairness, characters without abilities are not being utilized for the purposes of this list. Which leaves out Guardian and Alex Danvers, the latter of whom can easily take on a de-powered Supergirl and finish with a victory. Here are 15 of Supergirl’s heroes and villains ranked from least to most powerful.
15 CYBORG SUPERMAN
Historically, Cyborg Superman is far more complex than the version that debuts during Supergirl’s sophomore season. In the comics, Hank Henshaw is a LexCorp worker whose body is destroyed in a space vessel accident. His survival depends upon his consciousness’ transferal to a robot body. During "Reign of the Supermen", set after Superman’s death, Cyborg Superman parades around as a returned Man of Steel to destroy the hero’s good name.
On Supergirl, however, the villain is a Luthor flunky.
The real Hank Henshaw’s only goal is to see all aliens on Earth either dead or driven off-world. Suffice it to say, this version wouldn’t be able to fool anyone into believing he’s the real deal. In fact, why he’s even named Cyborg Superman remains a mystery. Henshaw’s a cyborg, sure, yet his abilities are limited. Aside from enhanced strength, speed, and basic technological abilities, such as heat vision and hacking, he isn’t particularly super. Can he overpower Supergirl? Not necessarily, though, he has been shown to hold his own against her. In a pound-for-pound match, Cyborg Superman can hardly withstand the force of a few well-trained officers and DEO agents. His positioning as one of Supergirl’s weakest superpowered characters seems a fair assessment.
14 SILVER BANSHEE
Supergirl’s Silver Banshee, while intriguing in her own right, is incredibly underpowered when compared to her comic counterpart. That her connection to the occult informs the breadth of her abilities does translate to the small screen. However, her wealth of capabilities never receive extensive exploration. Perhaps there were plans in this regard, prior to Supergirl’s move from Los Angeles to Vancouver when the show changed networks. Unfortunately, actor availability has prematurely put several season one characters to rest. Still, though, Silver Banshee warrants acknowledgement on this list.
On the show, Silver Banshee’s powers consist only of her super sonic scream and enhanced physical strength. Powers such as flight and her ability to kill someone by knowing their name (with a few select conditions), have yet to surface in live-action. That said, her scream alone is capable of giving both Supergirl and The Flash pause. It’s a deafening sound that can cushion a fall from a tall building or hurl a Kryptonian out of a window. But this is not merely enough to be an effective combatant against Supergirl when she is protected from auditory attacks. Therefore, Silver Banshee, this version of her anyway, is vastly inferior to other heroes and her fellow rogues.
13 LIVEWIRE
Supergirl versus a metahuman never fails at offering a thrilling on-screen experience. How she’s forced to confront someone whose powers either mirror or counteract her own is usually displayed in interesting ways. This is true of her tumultuous relationship with Leslie Willis, aka Livewire. At face-value, the radio show host turned villain fails to appear as much of a threat. After all, her main ability is that of being able to emit and weaponize electricity at will.
She should not be counted out, though, as evidenced by Supergirl recruiting her to help in the fight against Reign.
Livewire’s abilities include enhanced strength, absorbing energy, energy manipulation, levitation, and more. She’s a powerhouse, for sure -- pun intended. And, yet, it still isn’t enough to consider her among the show’s most powerful characters, which is a testament to Supergirl’s powers more so than anything else. Again, Livewire is nothing to scoff at; she can hold her own against the Girl of Steel. When absorbing electricity from a Speedster, the villain proves even more of a juggernaut. Her weaknesses, which essentially boil down to her desperate need for electricity in order to function, keep her at bay. Thus, her reliance on technology that is easily disrupted positions her lower on this list.
12 RED TORNADO
As a fully-automated android, Red Tornado can inflict devastating damage before powering down. However, this version of the T.O. Morrow creation is not autonomous, as he must be controlled by a user to function. On Earth-X, as seen during the “Crisis on Earth-X” crossover, this doesn’t appear to be the case. There, he seemingly operates freely and is quite formidable against the likes of the Scarlet Speedster and The Ray. For the purposes of this list, only the iteration introduced during Supergirl’s pilot season will be taken into consideration.
With his sole purpose being to combat Kryptonians, the android’s potency would seem unparalleled in comparison to other Supergirl rogues. Red Tornado shoots missiles, creates powerful wind funnels, and can launch into a stealth mode that makes his form imperceptible to Supergirl’s eye. Durability is a strength as well, allowing him to withstand the force of the Kryptonian’s hardest blows. Despite all of the above, Red Tornado still fails at proving to be a match for the Girl of Steel. Again, this is primarily attributed to his lack of autonomy. But the odds seem as though they would ultimately fall in Supergirl’s favor if an artificial intelligence were in complete control.
11 METALLO
John Corben/Metallo remains one of Supergirl’s more compelling villains, mostly because of the threat he presents to Supergirl and Superman. Now only a vestige of the man that once was, Metallo’s humanity is all but diminished. This makes him dangerous, especially since he works at the behest of Lillian Luthor. The villain has not been a presence in National City since his supposed demise in the series’ sophomore effort. Yet his return, amongst fans of the show at least, is no less expected.
Corben’s tactical prowess is a boon for his exploits as Metallo.
However, what he can’t accomplish with strategic know-how, Metallo compensates with his abilities. These powers include enhanced strength and durability, and, of course, the Kryptonite heart that emits powerful beams of the radioactive substance. Therefore, Metallo has no trouble crippling either one of the Kryptonians. His Kryptonite heart alone makes him formidable in any given combat situation opposite his targets. Trouble is never far, though, as there are certain Kryptonian powers he cannot counteract. For instance, freeze breath and heat vision, if used in a timely manner, can render him ineffective an threat. Regardless, Metallo is one of the few baddies capable of bringing both Supergirl and Superman to a halt.
10 MON-EL
Ranking Mon-El in the top ten seems a fitting but simultaneously erroneous decision. Can he best Cyborg Superman or Livewire? Undoubtedly. Red Tornado could give him a run for his money, though. The Daxamite’s abilities are not near as expansive as those of a Kryptonian on Earth. Similarly, the weaknesses of the two races do not align either. Where people of Krypton are crippled by Kryptonite, it takes lead to down a Daxamite but a cure from the 31st Century ensures lead no longer weakens Mon-El.
He may be incapable of flight on his own, but jumping buildings in a single bound is unlikely an issue for Mon-El. Super-strength and invulnerability are also powers of his, in addition to having a healing factor and immunity to human diseases. Thanks to Mon-El’s being a Legion of Superheroes member, the Legion Ring each team member bears provides them bonus abilities. For example, the ring gives Mon-El the power of flight. While he is definitely formidable in combat situations, the Daxamite’s limited abilities do not net him a spot any higher in the ranking of Supergirl’s most powerful characters. In fact, based on what’s been shown in season three, thus far, the hero may not even rank high among his fellow Legionnaires.
9 PURITY
Despite being a newly minted Worldkiller, Purity is already throwing her weight around, using her mind alone. If the emotional distress she's able to inflict on Alex in a matter of moments in “Both Sides Now” isn’t proof enough, her ability to consistently escape Supergirl’s and the DEO’s clutches proves her formidability. This is particularly interesting because of Julia Freeman, the woman who Purity overtakes. When her body and mind aren’t corrupted by a Worldkiller, Julia is a mild-mannered singer whose kindness moves Supergirl. The Worldkiller’s effectiveness at psychologically weakening someone who appears mentally strong raises many questions about the strength of all three Worldkillers.
Purity’s powers manifest because of her usually subdued Kryptonian nature.
Thus, physiologically at least, she’s similar to Supergirl in that she’s invulnerable to attack, inhumanely strong and fast, and has the power of flight. Powers specific to her as a Worldkiller involve a sonic scream that mirrors that of Silver Banshee, Black Siren, and Dinah Drake’s Black Canary. Empathetic abilities are her greatest strength. Delving into the mind of others allows her to see into their psyche, detect their emotional limitations, and determine a way in which to strategically launch them into a state of emotional distress.
8 SATURN GIRL
Saturn Girl is one of the Arrowverse’s newest heroes. Arriving early in season three, Saturn Girl, or Imra as she is more often called, crash lands in the present-day time period, displaced from her 31st Century home. As a Legion of Superheroes member, the Legion Ring she bears provides supplemental powers, such as flight. However, Imra’s innate abilities, which derives from her being of the Titan race, eclipses anything the ring could add to her already impressive set of skills. Her innate powers make Imra one of the most dominating telepaths the Arrowverse has debuted yet.
Telepathy gives Saturn Girl a wide range of abilities, including, but not limited to, mind-reading and invading the thoughts of others with illusions. The Legionnaire’s psionic capabilities do not stop there. She is also telekinetic, meaning she can move objects with her mind. Another use of her telekinetic abilities manifests in her constructing force fields. The most notable instance of this power’s usage comes into play during the episode entitled, “Of Two Minds.” Here, Imra projects a force field strong enough to impede a speeding police car from gaining entry. The question remains as to whether she could overtake Supergirl. Interestingly, the show has yet to indicate if Imra can affect the Girl of Steel in a manner similar to Psi’s capabilities.
7 PSI
Psi is yet another character’s whose abilities are difficult to measure. As stated above, Supergirl acts as the bar for which characters must either meet or surpass. Psi, then, is an intriguing case. Technically, she can weaken the Girl of Steel in a manner few are able to: psychologically. Early in season three, during the “Triggers” episode, Psi debuts as a powerful villain with psionic capabilities that give Martian Manhunter pause. This rogue’s powers weigh on victims in a manner previously unseen on Supergirl. Psi attacks her prey’s fears.
Such a mental assault is intricate, as she can launch her victims into a subconscious state where their fear plays out like a nightmare.
Supergirl’s succumbing to Psi’s attacks, despite the hero later overcoming them with willpower, lands the villain higher on this list. An additional manifestation of her powers is in Psi’s use of telekinesis. However, her powers do have their limits. For instance, her ability to trigger fear is just that, a trigger. Her telepathy doesn’t exceed beyond this, because she’s unable to see inside her victim’s mind and is evidently incapable of knowing which fear she evokes. Still, she’s skillful enough to warrant Supergirl’s recruiting her for a mission to Fort Rozz.
6 REIGN
As a purely physical threat, Supergirl has faced no greater foe than Reign. In season three’s midseason finale, “Reign,” the Worldkiller defeats Supergirl. So devastating is Reign’s attack that the Girl of Steel nearly dies. When the show returns for the second half of its third run, the hero is in a coma that only Braniac-5 can help her escape. All of this transpires after just one fight with Reign. The Worldkiller’s undoubtedly the superior fighter, but she doesn’t dish out any blows that Supergirl is incapable of counteracting. Supergirl’s unwillingness to exhibit brutality on the scale of Reign seemingly holds her back.
Furthermore, it can be argued that she suffers in battle because her mental faculties aren’t up to par as she’s still dealing with the emotional weight of Mon-El’s disappearance and return. This shouldn’t distract from Reign’s raw ability, though. Every power that Supergirl harbors, Reign does, too. Again, they’re primarily different in morality. Reign is willing to achiever her goal by any means, meanwhile, Supergirl is not -- there’s always another way. Reign’s chief weakness may become Supergirl’s best chance at defeating all three Worldkillers. Samantha Arias, the woman whose body Reign possesses, could win the battle with Reign in her mind, thereby permanently evicting the villain from her conscious. Little by little, Samantha is showing signs of her coming victory.
5 INDIGO
Braniac-8, or, as she is commonly referred to, Indigo, accounts for only one of two Coluans whose existence is known in the Arrowverse. Debuting in the back half of Supergirl’s first season, Indigo presents National City with a formidable threat no one could have possibly foreseen. It takes the combined efforts of Supergirl and Martian Manhunter to bring her down during the pilot season’s finale.
The killing blow is delivered by the Martian in a brutal battle that was bound to end in the death of one or the other.
As a Coluan, Indigo is first and foremost a technological threat. Her cybernetic frame allows her access to any and all technology. Additional abilities of hers include shape-shifting, flight, enhanced speed and strength, and invulnerability. Unfortunately for the citizens of National City, Indigo uses every power at her disposal to upend their way of life in an attack devised by Supergirl’s Kryptonian kin. Ultimately, Indigo and the Kryptonians fail, but she makes for an especially difficult threat to war against. Despite this, her impressive cybernetic abilities do have one notable weakness: computer viruses. Such an infirmity does not render Indigo any less dangerous, yet it can severely limit her effectiveness.
4 BRANIAC-5
Brainy hasn’t been around long, but he’s already poised to become a fan favorite character. He’s a smart-aleck, though a little less harsh than his comic counterpart, and is easily the most intelligent being in the Arrowverse. Is he Supergirl’s most powerful character? It's unlikely, to say the least. His Coluan physiology largely mirrors that of Braniac-8. Brainy's able to shapeshift and gain access to and fully understand any technological system. Psychology makes for another one of his strong suits, which allows him to consciously insert himself into Supergirl’s mind and guide her out of a coma early in season three.
Additional skills of his include those given to him by the Legion Ring and the ability to repair himself. This Legionnaire’s genius intellect also means he brings with him a wealth of knowledge from the 31st Century. Problems typically manifest due to what he deems the 21st Century’s primitive technology. An absence of the technological advancements from his own time often forces Brainy to reconsider strategy and utilize whatever’s at his immediate disposal. The Coluan’s artful skills at adapting to a situation on short notice is most impressive. Yet his remarkable abilities aren’t potent enough to warrant him a higher spot on this particular list.
3 MARTIAN MANHUNTER
On paper, Martian Manhunter should be one of the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. However, it seems as though repeated and conscious efforts are made to ensure his power level never exceeds Superman’s. Martian Manhunter’s inabiity to infiltrate the minds of Kryptonians, despite other creatures being easily susceptible, best exemplifies this notion. On Supergirl, understandably due to budgetary constraints, Martian Manhunter’s abilities receive further limitations. Case in point, the air on certain planets that Supergirl must travel to in order to fulfill a mission can be “toxic” to Martians.
Thus, the show’s, arguably, most powerful regular cast member is relegated to the DEO to run operations behind computer screens.
A few of J’onn J’onzz’s most potent abilities are as follows: shape-shifting, invulnerability, flight, telekinesis, phasing, super-strength. Of course, this doesn’t cover his telepathy powers of which there are few limitations. With telepathy he can read, protect, control, and detect the minds of others, project psionic energy, and much more. J’onn’s weaknesses are few in number, but can often make or break his ability to participate in Supergirl’s life-saving ventures. In addition to the atmosphere of certain planets, these weakneses include fire and the blood of white of White Martians. Without question, he’s an invaluable asset to the DEO and Earth-38 as a whole.
2 SUPERMAN
According to Superman himself, and a fight during Supergirl’s season two finale, the Girl of Steel’s power surpasses his. As Kryptonians, they share the same powers, which include: super-speed, super-strength, invulnerability, longer life-span, freeze breath, X-ray vision, heat vision, enhanced hearing, self-healing, flight, immunity to human diseases, and dozens more, many of which have yet to feature in the Arrowverse. Of course, his key weakness is Kryptonite and its various versions, such as the Silver Kryptonite that lead him to thinking General Zod has returned. While Martian Manhunter can neither wreak nor read his mind, Superman did succumb to the influences of Myriad in the final episode of season one.
Separating Superman and his cousin, or any other Kryptonian, on a power level is nearly impossible. Typically, it comes down to a matter of will. A willingness to go full force in battle can be a deciding factor when a Kryptonian is involved. This is especially true when two of the race are at each other’s throat, which informs why Superman is a spot lower than Supergirl. During their fight in season two, whilst under the influence of Silver Kryptonite, the Man of Steel firmly believes General Zod is threatening the world. Therefore, he fights without holding back. And Supergirl still edges out the win.
1 SUPERGIRL
In nearly any given Arrowverse situation, Supergirl is the most powerful being in the room. She proves this when fighting and defeating her cousin at the end of season two. The outcome of their match garners special interest, because they have an identical set of powers. Like the Man of Steel, Supergirl’s powers consist of the following: flight, immunity to disease, freeze breath, enhanced hearing, super-speed, super-strength, invulnerability, longer life-span, X-ray vision, heat vision, self-healing -- the list continues on for a while.
Martian Manhunter is also unable to affect her with his relatively unmatched psionic capabilities.
But she, too, has been shown to have outside forces arrest her mental faculties. For instance, her run-in with Red Kryptonite in season one and Psi’s brief, yet successful, attack on her mind. All of this is to acknowledge that both Superman and Supergirl share strengths and weaknesses. However, for some reason, even in the comics, the Girl of Steel is his better by a small margin. The CW series has yet to explore this in any real depth, but perhaps audiences will get concrete answers upon Clark Kent’s hopeful return. For now, though, fans simply have to accept things as they presently stand.