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Like the title says, why did the Supergirl producers pick Kara Zor-El to be called Kara Danvers? Isn't she supposed to be Linda Danvers? This answer says:

Also, in this very Earth 38, Supergirl takes the name of Kara in her civilian life (nothing new and non-typical).

Is this the reason? I mean, is it because she's in Earth-38?

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  • @Paulie_D thanks for the nit-pick. I edited my question. Feb 24, 2017 at 13:39

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In-universe: this is unexplained, but sort of makes sense.

Kara Zor-El arrives on Earth as 14 year-old girl. She's a newcomer on a strange planet, and is about to have a hell of a time learning to fit in. One of the ways to make this a touch easier for her would be something as simple as continuing to use her real first name, which, thankfully is a not-uncommon name on Earth as well.

Out-of-universe: this is unexplained, but sort of makes sense.

While it's true that the TV show Supergirl slightly pre-dates the publication of the comic Supergirl Rebirth (though which one entered early production first is unclear), it is not at all uncommon for writers of cinematic versions and comic versions of characters to get on the same page. In the rebooted Supergirl Rebirth, Kara Zor-El lives under the assumed name of Kara Danvers.

By keeping the same name between versions, people picking up comics after watching the TV show have an easier transition into the comic book world.

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  • The TV show Supergirl predates the Supergirl: Rebirth comic by quite a bit. The comic was published during the summer hiatus between the show's first and second seasons and deliberately incorporates some elements from the show, such as her cover name being Kara Danvers or Kara being involved with the DEO. Feb 24, 2017 at 17:32
  • Yes, but comics are planned and written months in advance as well. It's very possible, and even likely, that DC pushed for both versions to use some of the same details.
    – phantom42
    Feb 24, 2017 at 18:07
  • The show was in development a full two years before the publication of the comic. The whole Rebirth thing was not planned that far ahead. Plus, there are interviews from last year where the comic's writers mention deliberately bringing in elements from the show to make them sync up more. Feb 24, 2017 at 18:44
  • Then feel free to downvote or write your own answer
    – phantom42
    Feb 24, 2017 at 19:11
  • Well, but I think you're essentially correct—it's so that "people picking up comics after watching the TV show have an easier transition into the comic book world"—it's just that the comic is aping the show rather than it being some kind of co-eval development. Feb 25, 2017 at 3:32

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