Supergirl ending explained: what happens to [spoiler], is there a post-credits scene, and more on the new DC comic book movie’s finale

For the first time in over 40 years, a Supergirl movie has soared into theaters. And, if you weren’t put off by its middling reviews — check out my Supergirl review to see what I thought of it — and have already watched it at your local cinema, you might need some clarity about what happens in its finale.

Below, I’ve answered your biggest questions about the DC Universe (DCU) film’s ending and how it sets up next year’s Superman sequel. So, this is your one and only warning: full spoilers immediately follow for Supergirl. Turn back now if you haven’t seen it yet.

Does Krypto die in Supergirl?

Breathe a sigh of relief, everyone, because Krypto lives to fight another day (Image credit: DC Studios)

Rejoice, dog and animal lovers alike, because Krypto does not die.

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As you’ll know, part of this film’s plot revolves around the titular Kryptonian — real name Kara Zor-El — retrieving an antidote to neutralize the effects of a poisoned dart that Krypto was shot with.

Did James Gunn direct Supergirl? And who wrote it?

No, Gunn didn’t write or direct Supergirl.

It was helmed by Craig Gillespie, who some readers might know as the filmmaker behind the Margot Robbie-starring I, Tonya and 101 Dalmatians live-action prequel Cruella.

Meanwhile, actor-turned-screenwriter Ana Nogueira was responsible for its script. Nogueira is also confirmed to be writing the DCU’s Wonder Woman film, which is still in very early development.

The problem? The only cure is in the possession of villain-in-chief Krem of the Yellow Hills, who just so happened to be the individual responsible for gravely injuring Krypto in the first place. And, as Kara learns, she only has 72 hours to track down Krem, acquire the necessary cure, and administer it, otherwise Krypto will succumb to the toxin.

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To cut a long story short, Kara succeeds in her mission. Returning to the planet she left Krypto on, she hands the medication to the local physician, who injects it into Krypto and, within seconds, he’s fit and healthy once more. Phew!

Why does Kara kill Krem in Supergirl?

I suspect there’ll be a fair amount of backlash to Kara’s decision to kill Krem (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/DC Studios)

On the surface, the answer is simple: Krem is responsible for Krypto’s near-death experience. Her Kryptonian cousin — Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman — notwithstanding, Kara’s only tie to the duo’s annihilated home world Krypton is her superpowered pup. So, considering Krypto’s life was severely threatened, you can understand why she ultimately decided to take Krem’s life.

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There are other factors at play, too, though. For one, Kara kills him because he murdered the family of young warrior Ruthye, who enlists Kara’s help to enact revenge on Krem. However, rather than let Ruthye slay him and carry that weight for the rest of her days, Kara convinces Ruthye not to go through with it and, after sending Ruthye away, Kara deals the killing blow instead.

Then there’s the fact that Krem and his criminal enterprise, aka the Brigands, hop from planet to planet to kidnap teenage girls and use them to create the next generation for this all-male gang. Furthermore, killing Krem means that he won’t be able to revive the Brigands and, by proxy, his reign of terror. Add those reasons together, and it’s little wonder that the honor-bound Kara bumps him off.

Krem is irredeemable, but his murder undercuts the entire point of Supergirl’s main thematic thread (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Nevertheless, Kara’s decision to murder Krem is sure to polarize viewers.

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In Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, aka the 2021 graphic novel that this film is based on, Krem is allowed to live. That’s because Kara wants to teach Ruthye that revenge is never the answer, and breaking the cycle of violence is the only way to process your trauma and heal from it.

Supergirl follows the same thematic line right up until Kara kills Krem — and, in spite of the reasons I outlined earlier, it still doesn’t sit right with me.

Sure, the narrative reasoning for Krem’s death is sound. Additionally, despite the similarities that exist between Kara and Supes, it not only proves how different their worldviews are, but also positions her as something of an anti-hero rather than a traditional champion of the people.

That all said, Kara choosing to murder Krem completely undercuts the thematic purpose of the entire story, and I’m willing to be that there’ll be many viewers like me who wished that this specific part of the DCU Chapter One movie had ended differently.

Does Supergirl have any end credits scenes?

My face when I realized I was waiting for an end credits scene that would never come… (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Nope, there isn’t a mid-credits and/or post-credits stinger to stick around for once Supergirl‘s end credits sequence begins.

So, if you don’t want to stick around and appreciate how many people worked on this project, you can make a quick exit from your screening without worrying that you’ve missed the set up for DC Studios’ next big-screen offering.

How does Supergirl set up Man of Tomorrow?

Man of Tomorrow is the 2027 sequel to last year’s Superman movie (Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros. Pictures)

Supergirl doesn’t set up any specific story threads for Man of Tomorrow, aka next year’s follow-up in 2025’s Superman movie. If you were hoping for even the slightest tease about its plot via a first-look clip or otherwise, then, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Regardless, Supergirl‘s final scene reconfirms that Milly Alcock’s Kara will be part of Man of Tomorrow‘s cast.

Indeed, before Supergirl‘s end credits crawl, we see Kara and Krypto return to their Metropolis-based apartment just as David Corenswet’s Supes is checking in on the place in their absence. As Krypto goes through Kara’s trash, Kara and her sole surviving relative sit down for a quiet and brief chat, which ends with Kara telling Clark that she plans on sticking around on Earth for a while.

We already knew that Alcock’s Girl of Steel would return in Man of Tomorrow — DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran revealed as much in a recent chat with The Hollywood Reporter. Nonetheless, it’s pleasing to see that Supergirl acknowledges Kara is back on Earth prior to her appearance in next year’s Superman sequel and that she won’t just turn up out of the blue at some point in the film.

For more information on what’ll be the fourth DCU movie, find out everything we know so far about Man of Tomorrow.

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