Entertainment

James Has A New Role On 'Supergirl'

Jimmy Olsen is officially tired of being a sidekick. After losing his father's camera and some confidence about his career path, James decided that he wanted to be more involved in helping people. So, after recruiting Winn to help him build a suit, he's gonna start moonlighting as a vigilante. Who will James become on Supergirl ? He had not yet decided on a name.

That said, according to TVLine and the official CW promotional information for Monday's episode, James Olsen is becoming the DC character Guardian. In the comics, Guardian is a vigilante named Jim Harper and a former cop. He doesn't have any superpowers, but he does have a shield. Guardian also mentors Mon-El in the comics, so it seems like a lot of pieces are all now coming together.

How will this change the series? While James feels like a sidekick, he never really acted that way with Kara — partially because they are mostly flirting. This insecurity clearly stems from his past with Superman. That said, this is Supergirl, and he's going to be operating in National City. While having Guardian and Mon-El on her side should definitely help Supergirl fight crime, it might hurt her image. I can see how people might default and throw their support behind the male heroes in town, and I'm already cringing. Even if Kara is in charge, she may not be perceived as such. Still, I like the idea of having a real Team Supergirl with multiple heroes on the ground, in the sky, and back at the DEO.

Every hero has to learn how to work with others and not shoulder burdens alone. At the end of the day, James' transformation into Guardian is definitely an exciting thing for Supergirl. This season has been all about self-discovery, from Kara's career to Alex's more personal journey. James is discovering that he wants to be a hero.

Image: Bettina Strauss/The CW