Despite Superman's lore getting deeper with every DC Studios project, his greatest villain is still sitting on the sidelines. Supergirl never shied away from its connections to its predecessor, Superman. David Corenswet's hero appeared in the film's marketing, which also promised flashbacks to an intact Krypton. The final product certainly delivers on those promises, providing additional context to the events leading up to the planet's destruction.
While travelling the galaxy with Ruthye Marye Knoll, Kara Zor-El tries to put the traumatized child on a better path and uses herself as an example of what not to become. Of course, losing her family at a young age sent Kara down a dark road, as she feels guilty for leaving everyone behind to find a better life.
But Supergirl reveals that Kara's fate was set in stone long before she was born. Zor-El, Kara's father, and his brother, Jor-El, tried to warn the leaders of Krypton about the potential destabilization of the planet's core. When their warnings weren't taken seriously, they created contingency plans.
Jor-El built a pod and sent his son to Earth, while Zor-El constructed a forcefield around Argo City that would protect it when the rest of the planet exploded. Both men got what they wanted, but it seemed rather easy. In most iterations of the Krypton story, there's a roadblock that usually gets in the way of progress: General Zod.
The leader of the Kryptonian military, Zod walks to the beat of his own drum, believing he knows what's best for the Kryptonians' future. More often than not, the villain finds himself in the Phantom Zone before Kal-El is around. But he always finds a way to become a thorn in the hero's side.
In Zack Snyder's DCEU, Zod tried to pull off a coup d'état on Krypton and nearly stopped Kal-El's ship from taking off. Attempting to take out his superiors and killing Jor-El got him a one-way ticket to the Phantom Zone. And even though he wasn't around to see Krypton's destruction, his impact was felt until the very last moment.
DC Studios wasn't interested in making Zod a part of Krypton's end. Supergirl's flashbacks spanned the better part of two decades, with Argo City thriving for years after separating from Krypton. At no point did Zor-El mention Zod or even the Phantom Zone. If the Kryptonian government did have a secret prison full of dangerous criminals, it would've made sense for Zor-El to pass down that information to his daughter before he sent her to Earth.
Instead, Zod remains on the sidelines, which could very well mean that James Gunn and Co. don't think he's an important part of the DCU's future.
James Gunn Is Being Intentional With His Superman Villains
Zod losing out on a shout-out in Supergirl feels like an intentional choice by the braintrust at DC Studios. The Kryptonian has had his fair share of screen time in recent years, appearing in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and The Flash. Maybe Gunn feels like his team's time is better served fleshing out underutilized characters like Brainiac.
The android, who has a strong connection to Krypton in the comics and could know a thing or two about the status of Argo City, will appear in the highly anticipated Man of Tomorrow. It will mark the villain's first major appearance on the big screen, kicking off a new era for both him and the Man of Steel.
The option to retcon Zod into Krypton's story remains on the table for the DCU. But there's a chance he's not the right fit for a franchise that's trying to let the past go and forge its own path.
