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==Post-''Crisis'' versions==
Thirteen
DC Editorial wanted Superman to be the only surviving Kryptonian following DC's Post-''Crisis'' reboot of the Superman continuity.<ref>[http://www.marvwolfman.com/Q&A.html "Killing Supergirl was my idea, approved by DC in order to make Superman the sole survivor of Krypton for his new relaunch. Everyone was in agreement but I was the first to suggest it."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060128175053/http://www.marvwolfman.com/Q%26A.html |date=January 28, 2006 }} – Marv Wolfman, ''MarvWolfman.com: Q&A.'' Retrieved on September 14, 2008.</ref> As a result, when DC reintroduced Supergirl, she needed a non-Kryptonian origin. Afterward, DC Comics tried to revamp the Supergirl concept, introducing several more non-Kryptonian Supergirls. Eventually, the rule that Superman should be the only Kryptonian survivor was relaxed, allowing for a return of Kara Zor-El as his cousin.
===Matrix===
After the Post-''Crisis'' reboot in the late 1980s, Supergirl's origin was completely rewritten and no longer was she Superman's cousin or even Kryptonian.<ref>''Superman'' (vol. 2) #16</ref><ref>''Superman'' (vol. 2) #21-22</ref> In ''Superman'' (vol. 2) #16 (April 1988), a new Supergirl debuted as a man-made lifeform made of synthetic [[protoplasm]] created by a heroic [[Lex Luthor]] of a "[[pocket universe|pocket continuum]]". Lex implants her with [[Lana Lang]]'s memories and she can [[shapeshift]] to resemble Lana. Known as '''Matrix''', she even believes herself to ''be'' Lana for a time. She wears a [[miniskirt]]ed version of Superman's costume, but does not have Superman's exact powers. While she can fly and possesses super-strength (like Superman), she also has [[Telekinesis|psychokinetic]], shapeshifting, and cloaking/[[invisibility]] powers (the last makes her undetectable, even to Superman).
The Matrix's Supergirl form resembles the Pre-''Crisis'' Supergirl and new to Earth, Matrix begins a romance with the DC Universe's Lex Luthor (known as Lex Luthor II), until she realizes Luthor's villainous nature in replicating her for an army. She leaves him to find her own way in the world aiding Superman more and more and even living in Smallville with the Kents, who treated "'''Mae'''" like their own daughter. Supergirl then began serving for a time as a member of the [[Teen Titans]] and central hero in her own right, participating in events such as ''[[Panic in the Sky (comics)|Panic in the Sky]]'', and ''[[Death and Return of Superman]]''.
===Matrix/Linda Danvers===
{{Main|Supergirl (Linda Danvers)}}
Beginning in September 1996, DC published ''Supergirl'' (vol. 4) written by [[Peter David]]. The 1996 ''Supergirl'' comic book revamped the previous Matrix Supergirl by merging her with a human being, resulting in a new Supergirl. Many elements of the Pre-''Crisis'' Supergirl were incorporated in new ways. The woman that the Matrix merges with has the same name as the Pre-''Crisis'' Supergirl's secret identity, Linda Danvers. The series is set in the town of Leesburg, named after Danvers' pre-adoption surname. Linda's father is named Fred Danvers, the same as the Pre-''Crisis'' Supergirl's adopted father. Furthermore, new versions of Dick Malverne and Comet appear as part of the supporting cast.
As the series begins, the Matrix sacrifices herself to save a dying Linda Danvers and their bodies, minds and souls merge to become an "Earth-Born [[Angel]]", a being created when one being selflessly sacrifices him or herself to save another who is beyond saving. As the angel, Supergirl loses some of her powers, but gains others, including fiery angel wings and a "shunt" ability that allows her to [[Teleportation|teleport]] to any place she has been before.{{Volume needed|c=y|date=October 2015}}
The angelic aspect of Supergirl eventually falls from grace,<ref>[[David, Peter]] (w), [[Frank, Gary]] (p). ''Supergirl'' (vol. 4) #50. DC Comics</ref> and Linda and the Matrix are separated into two beings. Linda retains some of Supergirl's super-strength and durability and, although she can no longer fly, she can leap one-eighth of a mile. Linda acts as Supergirl for a while, attempting to locate her angelic aspect. After she is found in the [[Garden of Eden]] and freed from the Demon Mother, the Matrix merges with a woman named Twilight and becomes the new Earth-Born Angel of Fire. Twilight uses her healing powers to increase Linda's strength to Supergirl's level and restores her powers of flight and telekinesis. In ''Supergirl'' (vol. 4) #75 (December 2002), detoured on her way to Earth, Kara Zor-El, the Pre-''Crisis'' Supergirl, arrives in Post-''Crisis'' Leesburg. After learning that Kara is destined to die, Linda travels to the Pre-''Crisis'' universe in her place, where she marries Superman and gives birth to a daughter named [[Ariella Kent|Ariella]]. With the stipulation that her daughter be the exception in the eradication of her alternate "life", Linda ultimately allows history to unfold as it should have, with Kara assuming her rightful but tragic place in the timestream. However, finding no assurance that Ariella survived the restoration of Post-''Crisis'' history, a dejected Linda relinquishes the role of Supergirl, sends a farewell note to Superman, and leaves for points unknown.<ref name="supergirlv4-80">{{Cite comic | writer=David, Peter | penciller=Benes, Ed | title=Hail and Farewell| volume=4 | issue=#80 | date= May 2003 | publisher=DC Comics}}</ref>
Peter David's creator-owned series ''[[Fallen Angel (comics)|Fallen Angel]]'', published by DC Comics, is set in a fictional city named Bete Noire, and features a character, Lee, who is similar to Linda and explores the same themes as his Supergirl series. Prior to ''Fallen Angel'' moving to another company, Lee was written in a manner such that she could have been Linda, though David remained coy as to whether the two characters were one and the same during the DC run of the title. After it moved to IDW, David revealed Lee's origin, which clearly showed that Lee was not Danvers. However, ''Fallen Angel'' #14 introduced "Lin," who was said to be Lee's "predecessor" as the guardian of Bete Noire.<ref name="IDW#14">{{Cite comic | writer=David, Peter | penciller=Woodward, J.K. | title=Fallen Angel| volume=1 | issue=#14 | date= March 2007 | publisher=[[IDW Publishing]]}}</ref> Lin had recently escaped [[Limbo]], an apparent metaphor for what happened to Danvers after the cancellation of ''Supergirl''. David wrote in his December 13, 2006 blog entry, "Any fans of my run on Supergirl—particularly those who are torqued because Linda Danvers was consigned to oblivion in the [[DC Universe|DCU]]--must, must, MUST pick up "Fallen Angel" #14 and #15 when they come out next year."<ref>{{cite news | last =David | first =Peter | title =Fallen Angel #14 and #15: Supergirl Fans, please note | publisher =PeterDavid.net | date =December 13, 2006 | url =http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/archives/005006.html | access-date =June 24, 2007 }}</ref> However, since David could not explicitly claim that a character owned by DC was the same as the character he owned, he stated, "Can I say this is Linda Danvers? Of course I can't. However, it's pretty freaking obvious that it is."<ref>{{cite web | last =Taylor | first =Robert | title =Reflections: Talking With Peter David, Part 2 | website =Comic Book Resources | date =January 21, 2007 | url =http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9407 | access-date =June 24, 2007 | archive-date =October 13, 2007 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20071013225354/http://comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=9407 | url-status =dead }}</ref>
According to an interview with Newsarama,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/newsarama/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011110130/http://www.newsarama.com/dcnew/InfiniteCrisis/counseling7.html|url-status=dead|title=Newsarama | GamesRadar+|archivedate=October 11, 2007|website=Newsarama}}</ref> the Matrix Supergirl is wiped from existence by the events depicted in the 2005 limited series ''Infinite Crisis'', although ''Infinite Crisis'' writer [[Geoff Johns]] later stated that Danvers is not.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbloc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26089&page=2&pp=16 |title=The Comic Bloc Forums – Geoff, We need to talk – Page 2 |website=Comicbloc.com |date=May 3, 2006 |access-date=June 17, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106014539/http://www.comicbloc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26089&page=2&pp=16 |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The debate was finally settled in the 2008 miniseries ''[[Reign in Hell (comics)|Reign in Hell]]'', where the [[Shadowpact]] is shown trying to apprehend Linda Danvers before Linda is "recalled" to Hell.
===Cir-El===
{{Main|Supergirl (Cir-El)}}
A Supergirl named Cir-El appeared in 2003's ''Superman: The 10 Cent Adventure'' #1, claiming to be the future daughter of Superman and Lois Lane. Although she has super-strength, speed and hearing like Superman, she can only leap great distances. She also possesses the ability to fire blasts of red solar energy. Her alter ego is a street person named Mia. She is later found to be a human girl who was altered by Brainiac on a genetic level to appear Kryptonian; she dies thwarting a plot involving [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]] 13. ''[[Superman (comic book)|Superman]]'' (vol. 2) #200 implies that when the timeline realigned itself, Cir-El was erased from existence.
==Supporting characters==
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