Supergirl May Be About to Take on One of Superman's Greatest Foes: General Zod!

Little by little, Supergirl is turning the world of superheroes upside-down. I mean, let's face it; we've got Melissa Benoist starring in her own TV series, with Tyler Hoechlin's Superman relegated to the role of supporting hero. It's such a wonderful, refreshing twist on the comics, but as Supergirl continues, it's pretty inevitable the show's going to have to start lifting some big name characters from her cousin's comic book adventures. The sad truth is that Supergirl herself has never been an A-lister in the comics, so her own villains don't really have the name recognition. And if rumors are to be believed, we're about to see a pretty major Superman bad guy jump into the world of Supergirl...

Is General Zod Coming to 'Supergirl'?

Mark Gibbon is no stranger to superhero TV, appearing in both Arrow and Smallville. Now, according to Bleeding Cool, he's been on-set for Supergirl, playing the part of General Zod himself! Perhaps one of the most dangerous villains in the wider DC universe, General Zod is a Kryptonian warlord who usually plagues the Man of Steel. The character appears in Superman: The Movie and the much-loved Superman II, and was the main villain of 2013's Man of Steel.

The Bleeding Cool article gives very little away, including how BC's Founder Rich Johnson obtained this scoop on Gibbon. If Bleeding Cool's sources are correct, it would be a smart move on DC's part; unlike her cousin, Kara has memories of Krypton, meaning the Kryptonian themes have had much more weight in Supergirl. What's more, Zod is traditionally associated with Non, and even has ties to Warworld, which got mentioned in a previous Season 2 episode. It really does feel like the logical next step for the show.

What Role Will Zod Play?

Kara's already got her hands pretty full in Season 2, what with Project Cadmus and the Daxamites. Personally, I think we're too late in the season for such a game-changing character to really have the impact he deserves. But, with news that Tyler Hoechlin will reprise his role as Superman in the Season 2 finale, I think it's a strong possibility that Zod will be set up as the major villain for Season 3.

Here's the interesting question, though; in the Supergirl universe, is Zod already a known threat? After all, we're dealing with a world in which Superman has been a hero for quite a few years already, and Kara has already had to take on enemies who targeted her because she's Superman's cousin. It's entirely possible that Superman and Zod have already clashed, and have something of a backstory. If that's the case, Kara could find herself thrown into a grudge match she's simply not prepared for.

This rumor comes at a particuarly interesting time. Over in the comics, Zod has been gradually moving to the center of DC's "Rebirth" line, with Suicide Squad building him up as a powerful threat. Solicits have suggested that Zod is soon to break free and launch into a major arc over in the pages of Action Comics. It wouldn't be the first time DC's tried to synergize their comics and TV shows.

Right now, we simply have no idea whether or not Bleeding Cool has called it right. That said, the timing fits, and the villain is closely linked to some of the show's character beats. It would make sense for Supergirl to exploit another classic character, but the show does face one very real challenge: how will they reinvent Zod for this series? We've already seen a lot of versions of the General, and Supergirl needs to ensure this version is fresh and new.

That said, I'm sure the show is up to the challenge!