The car sped down the highway, yet the tension inside it was palpable. Kara Zor-El sat quietly, her gaze fixed ahead, her thoughts consumed by the events she had foreseen. The possibility of her adoptive father, Jonathan Kent, losing his life weighed heavily on her.
Jonathan had always been steadfast in his values—kind, upright, and selfless. But when it came to protecting the identities of his children, Kara and Clark, he became inflexible, almost to a fault. Kara suspected that his unyielding sense of duty would lead to his demise, just as she had seen in her vision.
The silence in the car grew heavy, and it didn't go unnoticed by the family.
"Honey? What's wrong?" Martha Kent asked, mistaking Kara's expression for worry about leaving home. "Is it because I won't see you as often? Don't worry. I can visit you in Metropolis."
Kara shook her head, trying to find the words to explain, but before she could, the chaos ahead came into view.
"What's that?" Clark's voice was sharp with concern.
"Run!" someone screamed from a nearby car.
Panic erupted on the highway. Drivers abandoned their vehicles and fled on foot. Up ahead, a massive tornado had materialized seemingly out of nowhere, growing larger and more menacing with each passing second. Cars near the vortex were being tossed like toys, and terrified screams echoed in the distance.
Jonathan Kent slowed the truck to a stop. The road ahead was blocked, jammed with cars left haphazardly in the scramble to escape.
The family exited the truck, staring at the looming disaster in horror.
"I have to help," Jonathan said, his voice resolute as he started forward.
Kara grabbed his arm, shaking her head. She couldn't let him go.
"It's too dangerous," she said, her voice firm but trembling.
Jonathan didn't understand the full weight of her words. He didn't know about her vision of his death. Instead, he gently pulled his arm free and turned to Clark.
"Stay here and protect your mother," he instructed. "Don't let anyone see you."
"But Dad—" Clark protested, his hands curling into fists.
"Clark!" Jonathan's tone brooked no argument. "Do as I say."
Clark hesitated, conflicted, but ultimately nodded. He had spent his entire life abiding by his father's teachings, and old habits were hard to break.
Jonathan walked toward the danger, helping trapped drivers and pulling people from their cars. Each person he saved ran off without so much as a thank-you, but Jonathan didn't care. His focus remained on saving as many lives as possible.
Kara watched, her heart pounding. She couldn't just stand by, but revealing herself would change everything.
Clark turned to her, his voice desperate. "We can't just let him go! What do we do?"
Martha, ever the voice of faith, said firmly, "Trust your father. He knows what he's doing."
But Kara shook her head. "He won't be able to save himself."
Her fears were realized when Jonathan spotted a dog trapped in one of the cars near the tornado's path. Without hesitation, he turned back to help. The car door wouldn't budge, and the glass refused to break under his efforts.
"Jonathan!" Martha screamed, panic lacing her voice.
The tornado roared closer, and Clark started forward, but Jonathan turned and held up a hand. "No!" he shouted.
Clark froze, torn between his instincts and his father's orders.
But Kara was already moving. In a blur, she sped away from Martha's side.
Jonathan looked back toward his family, his heart sinking as he realized what Kara was about to do.
"No!" he shouted, his voice lost in the chaos.
Kara didn't stop. She tore off her glasses and flung her jacket aside, revealing the bright red-and-blue suit beneath. Her golden cape fluttered in the wind as she launched herself into the air.
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"Is that a bird?"
"No, it's a plane!"
"Wait… it's Superman! No—Supergirl!"
Kara landed in front of the car, her presence commanding and resolute. She tapped the glass lightly, shattering it with ease, and reached inside to grab the frightened dog.
Jonathan gaped at her. "You shouldn't be here!" he yelled over the storm.
Kara smirked, cradling the dog in one arm. "Sorry, Dad. I guess I'm having a rebellious phase."
Jonathan shook his head, but there was no time to argue. Kara grabbed him by the arm and flew them both back to safety, setting them down beside Martha and Clark.
Martha threw her arms around Jonathan, tears streaming down her face.
"Take the dog," Kara said, handing it to Clark before turning back toward the tornado.
"Kara, no!" Jonathan shouted, but she was already gone.
Soaring into the heart of the storm, Kara unleashed a powerful breath against the vortex, countering its rotation. The tornado dissipated almost instantly, its destructive power neutralized by her sheer force.
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, but Kara didn't linger. She cast one last glance at her family before taking to the skies, disappearing into the horizon.
She wasn't ready to reveal herself to the world—not yet. But as she flew away, she couldn't help but feel a sense of fulfillment. For the first time, she had truly embraced the mantle of a hero.