The DC Universe Timeline Explained: From Metahumans Arriving On Earth To Supergirl

Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El, cousin of Superman, as she travels across space in a desperate attempt to recover an anecdote after her dog, Krypto, is poisoned. Krem of the Yellow Hills, who also appears in DC Comics, serves as the main villain of the new film, but has received a mixed reaction from fans and critics alike.

The reaction to Supergirl has been similar. The film currently sits at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the villain, weak humor, and overall storyline all core issues that have been criticized. This puts the DCU at a mixed start overall, after Superman’s impressive debut last summer.

Although the universe is only two films in, a lot has happened thus far in the DCU timeline. Much of this is outlined in the opening scene of Superman (2025), including when the metahumans came to Earth and when the Man of Steel announced himself to the world. Supergirl adds to this, expanding the DCU timeline when it comes to Krypton’s destruction, Kara’s arrival on Earth, and more.

The opening crawl of Superman (2025) begins with a line explaining that metahumans, a core part of DC Comics (and other live action titles, such as The Flash television series), arrived on Earth three centuries ago. This would mean that they first arrived on the planet somewhere in the 1700s, thus changing the course of Earth’s history forever.

Krypton Is Destroyed, Kal-El Arrives On Earth (1995)

1995 was a major year in the DCU, both in space and on Earth. First off, Krypton was destroyed, which can be seen in flashbacks in Supergirl. Although Superman’s parents aren’t seen in these flashbacks, both of Supergirl’s parents are shown, especially her father, Zor-El. David Krumholtz, best known for his work in The Santa Clause and Oppenheimer, plays Kara’s father in the new film.

Krypton’s destruction plays out in mostly the same way that it is in other DC stories. Superman’s father, Jor-El, warns of the destabilization of the planet, but his peers don’t listen to him. As a result, Krypton is destroyed, with (almost) all of its citizens falling along with the planet. Kal-El and Kara are two of the only Kryptonians to survive, carrying on the legacy of their planet on Earth (and, in Kara’s case, in space as well).

Kryptonians Living On Argo City, Kara Is Born (2003)

Supergirl adds more backstory to the destruction of Krypton than just that. Zor-El leads a group of Kryptonians that salvage Argo City, and they live in the area for many years. During this time (eight years after Krypton’s initial destruction), Kara is born, and she spends the first decade plus of her life in the city.

Alura In-Ze Dies, Kara Is Sent To Earth (2021)

When Kara is grown, her parents discover something sinister — people are getting sick all over Argo City. Zor-El explains that this is because of a glowing green mineral found on the surface of the city which is poisoning the population. This mineral is Kryptonite, and its presence in Argo City takes the life of Alura In-Ze, Kara’s mother. Kara attends her funeral, during which she meets Krypto for the first time.

Later, Zor-El explains all of this to Kara, and that she must leave the city if she is to survive. Zor-El also clarifies his intentions in wanting to send her away, saying that he wants her to show the universe the good of Krypton. This is remarkably different from Jor-El, who sent Kal-El to Earth so that he could rule over the planet and continue the Kryptonian bloodline.

Kara is then sent to Earth, and she’s seen arriving in Supergirl (2026). She’s greeted by her cousin, who shows off his typical hopeful and joyful nature. He explains that she will come to think of Earth as home just as he does, and that there’s a lot more to the planet than the snow and ice seen in the location she landed in (right next to the Fortress of Solitude).

Superman Announces Himself To The World (2022)

Also explained in the opening scene of Superman (2025), David Corenswet’s hero announces himself to the world in the year 2025. However, he does so in a way unlike his biological parents wanted him to, choosing to live alongside humans rather than take on a leadership role. At this time, Superman doesn’t yet know the ill intentions of his parents, however.

Before that, Superman lived only as Clark Kent, staying at home with his parents in Kansas. He references this in his initial conversation with Supergirl, asking her if she had heard of Kansas before remembering that she, at this time, couldn’t speak any language other than Kryptonian.

Superman Foils Lex Luthor’s Plan To Take Over Jarhanpur (2025)

May 2025 is when James Gunn’s Superman film takes place. In about a week, Superman fights the Hammer of Boravia, and his parents’ colonial-like message is shown around the world after Lex Luthor leaks it to major news outlets. Also during this week, Superman discovers that Luthor has been working alongside the Boravian leader to take over the neighboring Jarhanpur, with Nicholas Hoult’s character agreeing to get a portion of the land.

From there, Superman saves Metropolis from the consequences of Lex Luthor’s pocket universe, and also battles Ultraman, a clone of his created by Luthor and designed to defeat the real Kryptonian in combat. Superman unmasks Ultraman during their battle, discovering that Luthor had created a clone of him.

Kara Meets Ruthye, Saves Krypto, And Defeats Krem Of The Yellow Hills (~2026)

Not long after, the events of Supergirl take place. It begins with the title hero encountering a young girl named Ruthye, whose family has been murdered by the villainous Krem of the Yellow Hills (who also poisons Krypto). From there, Ruthye and Kara travel the galaxy in search of Krem, encountering Jason Momoa’s Lobo in the process. Ruthye and Kara work alongside Lobo to take down Krem, getting the anecdote needed for Krypto in the process.