Why Supergirl Season 7 Isn’t Happening (& How Kara Can Return)

Supergirl season 7 isn’t happening, but that doesn’t mean this is the end for Kara Danvers’ Arrowverse story. The show struggled with low ratings and a stalled shooting schedule due to the pandemic and star Melissa Benoist’s pregnancy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the end for Kara. Melissa Benoist has stated that she’s not opposed to putting on the cape again if it makes sense for the character and there may be plenty of opportunities in the future for her to do so.

Beginning its first season on CBS before moving over to CW, Supergirl has been a staple show for the Arrowverse, intermingling characters between shows and crossovers regularly. Supergirl has appeared in multiple CW events, including Elseworlds, Crisis on Earth-X, Invasion!, and Crisis on Infinite Earths. A new crossover, called Armageddon, is set to kick off in season 8 of The Flash, but will not feature Supergirl among the returning CW cast. However, with multiple Arrowverse shows still running (and surely more on the way), there are many avenues to bring her back in some capacity or another.

The biggest reason the Supergirl season 7 cancellation and its ultimate end with season 6 is low ratings, which peaked at 3 million viewers at season 2 and was down to half of that for season 5. Things got worse at the end of season 5, which saw another massive drop with only 700,000 live viewers. To further complicate the show, Benoist’s pregnancy delayed production on Supergirl season 6, and then the pandemic hit, which delayed things even further, causing the studio, cast and crew to come to the decision to end with a longer finale. While that closes the door on Supergirl‘s solo show, the opportunity to return for crossover events is entirely possible and a safe bet as the Arrowverse continues, especially with Benoist’s willingness to come back if the timing is right and it makes sense for the character to be there.

The pandemic has caused many shows to shut down, but most of those have been shows that struggled with ratings to begin with. Supergirl is no different in that regard, as the momentum had been lost to keep it afloat. With waning viewership at an all-time low at the end of season 5, it’s difficult for the studio to justify going beyond an already greenlit sixth season. With a year and a half gap between seasons, audiences that were still clinging to the return of the show were already stretched thin. Ending the show on a high note and getting a complete finale is ultimately a gift for Supergirl.

Benoist has expressed that she loves working with her Arrowverse co-stars and is exiting the show with amicable relationships with all involved. This is an even better sign that she could return at some point in the future. The crossover events have become a staple of the Arrowverse at this point and characters have come and gone throughout them over the years, so it stands to believe that Supergirlcould easily fit that kind of role as well. There’s also the new Superman & Lois show heading into its second season, which would be another natural place for Kara to turn up again. Her relationships with fellow CW characters, from The Flash to Batwoman to Superman, already has already laid the foundation for her return in any of the currently-running shows, so it’s simply a matter of making it happen when the time is right for all involved.

Next: Why The Arrowverse Is Changing Supergirl History To End The Show

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