Did 'Supergirl' Season 2 Set Up A 'Legion Of Super Heroes' TV Series In The CW's Arrowverse?

Ever since we first glimpsed a Legion Flight Ring on the Fortress of Solitude during Supergirl Season 1, we've been wondering if the Legion of Superheroes would materialize in the Arrowverse. The climax of Season 2 definitely teased that the Legion is on its way, but could we get even more than just a Legion subplot on #Supergirl? Are we actually about to see The CW add a Legion of Super Heroes show to its roster? Let's check out the evidence...

Who are the Legion of Super Heroes?

Created by Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino way back in 1958, the Legion is a team of intergalactic heroes assembled in the 30th century. Legion comics are typically a fantastic blend of science-fiction and superhero action; there's frequently more than a little teen drama sprinkled into the mix too. They were introduced back in the 1950s when they traveled back in time to ask Superboy to join up, as he was something of an inspiration to them.

Over the decades, the Legion has become one of DC Comics's most enduring and dearly-loved concepts. Their roster has continually expanded, but the core trinity has always been Cosmic Boy (who manipulates magnetism), Saturn Girl (a beautiful telepath), and Lightning Boy (an electrokinetic, sometimes called Lightning Lad).

Other popular members have included the shapeshifting Chameleon Boy, the genius Brainiac 5, and Triplicate Girl (who can create two identical duplicates of herself).

How has Supergirl seeded the Legion of Super Heroes?

The Legion has been loosely associated with Supergirl ever since Season 1, when we saw a Legion Flight Ring in the Fortress of Solitude. That suggested the Superman of Supergirl's reality had history with the Legion — perhaps he was even a member of the team back when he was a teenager, as in the original comics.

Supergirl Season 2, though, has seen some very real nods to the Legion comics. The most notable was Chris Wood's character Mon-El of Daxam; in the comics, he's traditionally a Legionnaire, serving as a sort of Superman substitute. And here's the interesting twist; Supergirl Season 2 brought a heart-wrenching close to Mon-El's romance with Kara, with Earth's atmosphere seeded with lead; he can never return to our world, as too much lead is toxic to Daxamites. Mon-El launched off in his pod, heartbroken — and then a mysterious wormhole opened up before him. Where will it take him? Well, the answer seems pretty clear to comic book fans; he's headed into the future...

Will this be a season 3 Subplot — or another DCTV show?

There are two possibilities here. The first is that the Legion of Super Heroes will turn up in Supergirl Season 3. At some point or another, representatives of the Legion will presumably travel back to Kara's time and enlist her help. In this scenario, when Kara arrives in the future, she'll be stunned to discover Mon-El is a member of the team, leading to a joyous reunion for our time-lost lovebirds.

Here's the catch, though; from a narrative viewpoint, that doesn't seem particularly strong. Frankly, Mon-El's inclusion would feel more like an afterthought than a core part of the concept. Another possibility, and a more intriguing one, is that DC has set up their Legion of Super Heroes TV series.

It's certainly a stronger narrative. Season 1 of Legion of Super Heroes could star Mon-El, using his character to introduce us to a whole new universe of superheroic potential. We've had a whole season of Supergirl in which to get used to Mon-El; we understand his viewpoint, we empathize with his character, and we connect with him enough to understand his confusion as he deals with this strange, futuristic reality. We can explore the 30th century through Mon-El's eyes. Meanwhile, The CW has already shown that it can pull off science-fiction superheroics with skill — just check out an episode of Legends of Tomorrow. The Legion is a very popular concept, set to return soon in the comics, and I have every confidence a TV series could work.

If this theory is correct, then Supergirl Season 3 has just set up a brand new DCTV series — Legion of Super Heroes, with Chris Wood's Mon-El taking center-stage. From a narrative perspective, it's an approach that makes perfect sense; we now have a character who's essentially tailor-made to introduce us to the 30th century. We can expect news about The CW's Fall line-up to break soon (probably at SDCC 2017), and I for one will be watching with bated breath.