Why did Laura Vandervoort leave Smallville after just one season as Supergirl?
Before leaving the DC series, Laura Vandervoort starred as Supergirl in Smallville in season 7, casting many wondering about why her stint on the show was so brief. Though it did feature in one of the lowest rated seasons of Smallville, Vandervoort fit the role of Supergirl exactly and the character's arc in the series was interesting. But Vandervoort did not return as a series regular when Smallville relocated to Metropolis in season 8.
Understanding the interactions players had to play these parts becomes crucial given the several live-action Supergirl adaptations seen in recent years, including Supergirl in the Arrowverse and the advent of a darker, embittered variation of the character in The Flash. Examining Superman's cousin more traditionally classic, Laura Vandervoort captured Kara's persona when she was included into the later seasons. Still, her scant presence on the Smallville cast left many wondering as the hero's great potential was compressed into a few episodes.
Smallville Exit May Have Come From Showrunner Changes By Laura Vandervoort
The larger alterations Smallville went through following season 7 seems to have impacted Supergirl's position. The creators of the show departed Smallville believing the show had deviated from their intended direction and Kelly Souders, Brian Peterson, Todd Slavkin, and Darren Swimmer took over. Reflecting how vital Al Gough and Miles Millar were to the series, many viewers see the following seasons as among the weakest of the series.
This resulted in diverse interpretations of the characters and who actually mattered for the show. Furthermore leaving the show at this point were Michael Rosenbaum and Kristen Kreuk, which resulted in a whole creative change. From Clark's working at the Daily Planet in Metropolis, it appeared that the showrunners aimed to essentially remake the series using fresh key characters from a different point of view. Keeping this background in mind, Supergirl's plot basically ends in season 7 makes sense; Vandervoort's following guest appearances help to wrap off loose strands.
Why Is Supergirl's Smallville Ending So Disappointingly Not Great?
The series did not provide Vandervoort's Supergirl a fitting ending. Some major revelations at the end of Smallville season 7 indicate Kara was abducted by Brainiac. Brainiac holds Kara as his captive in the Phantom Zone and uses her look to fool people. This sets up a season finale in the Fortress of Solitude with a dramatic faceoff between Clark and Lex. Kara's story was thrown off to the side, maybe because there was simply too much for the show to address here.
"I have remarked before publicly that Kara lacked closure at the wedding and that I wish she was in more of the finale. She simply sort of soared off and never saw us again. For the character, that would have been great; personally, I would have liked for goodbyes. I omitted any appropriate farewells. Still, there's cause to think Supergirl ought to have had a stronger finish even with guest appearances to wrap her story. The Phantom Zone storylines slated for the season finale seemed to be generating more tales to be told with the character. In season 8, though, these were neatly wrapped with just a guest appearance by Vandervoort. Vandervoort only resurfaced in the last season; the character was shunted to the side for the new reinventions of the show. Vandervoort has already expressed dismay at this ending, saying during the 2020 New York Comic Con Smallville panel that, "I have said openly previously that I wish Kara was in more of the finale, at the wedding... she didn't really get closure. She basically soared off and we never saw her again. For the character, that would have been great; personally, I would have liked for goodbyes. I left no appropriate farewell. This implies the actor would have been ready to come back to offer Kara a more committed farewell, so her ending would have been more of a lost chance.
Vandervoort's Supergirl Rumored To Star In A Smallville Spinoff
Like Alan Ritchson's recast Aquaman, Vandervoort's Supergirl almost guaranteed her own spinoff series never came together. Speaking with KryptonSite, Vandervoort claimed to have " Heard that was the idea. But nobody ever talked to [her] about it." No ideas to advance the character with her own spinoff therefore ever materialized. Though there were plenty of chances for further Supergirl tales, these were not investigated until the Melissa Benoist series debuted far later.
Smallville was a hive of possible spin-off activity, it's worth remembering. Although Alan Ritchson's Aquaman made it to the pilot stage before being rejected, the network was eager for a Justice League TV show as well. They also spoke over time about the prospect of a Green Arrow series titled Metropolis, a Flash series, and a Blue Beetle series. Though these concepts never came to pass, the layout prepared the ground for the Arrowverse.
How Laura Vandervoort's Supergirl Might At last Get the Closure She Deserves
Vandervoort has kept working in a variety of films and TV, including making an episode of the Melissa Benoist Supergirl series. Her character also appeared in a few Smallville: Season 11 DC comic pages, which carried on the Smallville narrative following its last season. Still, there is plenty to investigate with Kara and what has happened to her following her romance with Brainiac and her stay in the Phantom Zone, given such a major part the character in Smallville was so rapidly brushed to the side plays.
With so many tales to tell, there is still possibility in this age for revival efforts to bring back cherished figures like Supergirl in one form or another. Working on a Smallville sequel series meant as an animated follow-up to the characters, Michael Rosenbaum Even with minor artistic errors, there are many more Superman stories to be written with these adored versions of these characters with such a long and rich history developed over the series. Should an animated sequel series at last be produced, Kara still has a lot to reveal.
Smallville: An Evolution View of the Series
Based on the Superman Comic Book series Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster developed, Smallville is a Superhero television show. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar devised this television release. The idea centers on a young Clark Kent arriving on Earth trying to live his life while also maintaining his friends, family, and surroundings safe thanks to his talents.
Ten seasons of the hit and beloved Smallville ran on The WB and The CW. From small-town lad to the venerable Superman, the show followed Clark Kent's path. Compelling narratives, unforgettable characters, and an examination of the difficult subjects of identity, responsibility, and the power of hope defined the show. Laura Vandervoort's performance as Supergirl was a highlight of the show; her absence from later seasons left a hole in the storyline. Fans still find great resonance in the show since it presents a fresh and convincing view of the beginnings of the Man of Steel.
