Supergirl introduced a brand new hero to the Arrowverse, with Jimmy Olsen finally taking the decision to suit up as the Guardian, a vigilante hellbent on protecting his city. It was certainly a change of pace from what had been seen from the character in the comics.
There's a number of reasons why this huge change in Jimmy should be brought into the source material. It was an interesting character development and one that DC Comics should reflect in some way. But, there's also plenty of opportunities to tell a different story and leave the Guardian in the TV shows for now.
10 Shouldn't Be Added: Jimmy Olsen Already Exists
Jimmy Olsen has been firmly established in the DC continuity. Superman's trusted best friend is a well-respected reporter. He isn't known for going off and fighting crime under metallic armor.
It would be an odd change for the comic version of the character. While, in the show, he made a natural and organic transition into the hero, in the source material it would feel abrupt and out of place.
9 How It Can Be Added: A Modern Take
The DC continuity is always updating. Perhaps it should finally be changed to reflect this new and modern version of Jimmy Olsen. The character has remained the same for so many years.
Every time the continuity gets rebooted it allows for the opportunity to reinvent these characters. That could be the perfect way to bring the Guardian into the fold.
8 Shouldn't Be Added: Comics Should Influence The Shows
The comic books should always be influencing the shows. The legacy that they hold is far greater than that of the Arrowverse. The ideas that come from the source material can be changed for TV, but they should always inspired by the art on the page.
The TV shows influencing the comics could set a dangerous trend where the big studios try to influence the comics more in a bid to try and boost their own TV or film sales.
7 How It Can Be Added: A New Hero
There's one way that Guardian could be added to the comics, and that's as an original character. Rather than turning Jimmy Olsen into the Guardian, DC could add a new character based in part on the Olsen of the screen.
This would be a way to continue to expand the universe and create a diverse set of characters while giving fans of Supergirl a reason to engage with the comic books further.
6 Shouldn't Be Added: Complicate Continuity
It may complicate the continuity further with this character being added to the comics though. There's already a version of the Guardian that inspired the TV show in some way. However, the characters are quite distinct from each other meaning that while they could exist at the same time, it could become very confusing to fans!
5 How It Can Be Added: The Multiverse
The multiverse is always an easy solution to introducing multiple versions of a character without messing up the continuity. Perhaps a different Earth can host this new vigilante?
There's already a couple of different takes on the Guardian in the comics; this could be a way to define a new one whose mission it is to protect a gritty parallel Earth.
4 Shouldn't Be Added: Uninspired Abilities
The design of the Guardian is pretty cool, but his abilities don't offer much in comparison to other heroes in the DC Universe. The character definitely works for action sequences on screen.
But, cool shield aside, there's nothing overly visual about Guardian that could really work in the comics. If he was added, much like the Guardian predecessors, he probably wouldn't be a mainstay unless he evolved.
3 How It Can Be Added: Major Crossover
A major crossover between the Arrowverse and the mainline DC continuity could be a really interesting comic event. There's plenty of opportunities if this does take place.
From bringing in other characters like the White Canary to paralleling main heroes and villains such as Supergirl and Lex Luthor themselves, Guardian could contribute to such a storyline since the comparison is far more intriguing.
2 Shouldn't Be Added: Compelling Without A Costume
Jimmy or James Olsen, whichever version is being looked at, is compelling without a superhero costume. Both versions of the character are incredibly skilled reporters.
All they need is a good story and their cameras. They've survived hundreds of missions alongside the man of steel and the girl of steel and always manage to make a difference without throwing a fist.
1 How It Can Be Added: Kelly Olsen
Kelly Olsen was introduced into Supergirl as a replacement for James in many ways. His sister was given the shield and is a brand new supporting character, helping to fight off the weekly threats. Kelly would be an ideal candidate to take up the Guardian mantle full time and could provide a valid option as to how to add the character to the comics without complicating the continuity.