Nia Nal
FranchiseArrowverse and DC Comics
First majorSupergirl
First minorAmerican Alien
First dateOctober 14, 2018
First issueDC Pride #1: "Date Night" (June 2021, non-canon)
Superman: Son of Kal-El #13 (July 2022, canon)
Last majorThe Flash
Last minorWildest Dreams
Last dateMarch 29, 2023
Creator
PortrayerNicole Maines
AliasDreamer
SpeciesNaltorian/human
OccupationSpeechwriter, reporter
AffiliationCatCo Worldwide Media Superfriends
Family
  • Maeve Nal (sister)
  • Paul Nal (father)
  • Isabel Nal (mother, deceased)
Significant otherBrainy
NationalityAmerican
Lbl 21Abilities

Nia Nal, also known by her code name Dreamer, is a superheroine from the Arrowverse television series Supergirl, portrayed by Nicole Maines. The character is based on, and depicted as an ancestor of, the DC Comics character Nura Nal / Dream Girl. She debuts in the fourth season of the series. Nia Nal is the first transgender superhero on television.[1] Maines reprised the role in the ninth and final season of The Flash.[2]

Nia made her comics debut in 2021, in the DC Pride instalment "Date Night", before making her first appearance in the mainstream DC Universe in Issue 13 of Superman: Son of Kal-El, both written by Maines.

Storylines

Nia Nal, who has a degree in international relations from Georgetown University,[3] was a political speechwriter in Washington, D.C. where she worked for Cat Grant, the White House Press Secretary, under the administration of President Olivia Marsdin. She is sent to National City to be taken under the wing of Catco Worldwide Media employee Kara Danvers to learn the ways of reporting.[4][5] As there is increasing anti-alien hatred in the United States, Nia, who reveals herself to be transgender, convinces Catco CEO James Olsen to write an editorial against this hatred.[6] Kara and Nia later interview a healer alien, Amadei, to counter the anti-alien rhetoric.[7] Afterwards, Kara and James discover that Nia has narcolepsy.[8] Nia wakes up suddenly from a dream involving the alien-hating Ben Lockwood. When Kara visits her, Nia reveals she is an alien from the planet Naltor, and select women of this race develop the power of precognition. Brainy, another alien, helps Nia with her dreams which lead them to Lockwood, who is ultimately arrested after being confronted.[9]

Nia has ill confidence about her family when she develops the unwanted "Dreamer" powers that occur to one female in every generation in her family. Nia's sister Maeve, who was taught dream interpretation while expecting to gain the powers, discovers Nia has the powers and renounces her. Kara reveals her identity as the superhero Supergirl to Nia to reassure her. While Nia's mother Isabel lies dying of a spider bite, Nia uses her powers to talk to her mother about them, who assures her she will be able to continue the Dreamer line.[10] Nia trains under Brainy, and after taking the alter ego "Dreamer", defeats a supervillain team called "The Elite" with Kara, J'onn J'onzz and Brainy's help.[11][12] When Supergirl is framed for multiple crimes and declared a public enemy, Nia is among the few people not fooled.[13][14] With Kara ceasing to operate as Supergirl, Nia takes her place as National City's superhero Dreamer.[15] J'onn and Nia are sent to Shelley Island, where enslaved aliens are setting up a Claymore satellite on Lex Luthor's orders to destroy Argo City. J'onn and Nia escape and overload the satellite. After Luthor's defeat, Supergirl's name cleared and the anti-alien hatred ended, Nia and Brainy enter a relationship.[16]

Concept and creation

In January 2018, Supergirl creator and executive producer Greg Berlanti spoke at an event about the lack of trans representation in the broader Arrowverse. "We don't have an active trans character across the shows[...] And so I still feel behind the times every day on that issue," Berlanti said. In May 2018, it was reported that an open casting call was searching to cast a transgender woman of any ethnicity in her early 20s to join Supergirl's fourth season as Nia Nal. The character was initially described as, "A confident, wunderkind of a fashionista. Once a political speechwriter, Nia is the newest addition to the Catco investigative reporting team. With her she brings sparkling wit and biting humor but under that banter-y, chic façade, lays a soulful young woman who has much to offer the world. A young Cat Grant type."[4]

On July 21, 2018, trans activist and actress Nicole Maines was announced in the role at the show's San Diego Comic-Con panel. It was also confirmed that Nia would become the superhero "Dreamer" and that she is an ancestor of the Legion of Super-Heroes member Nura Nal / Dream Girl. Maines described Nia Nal / Dreamer as having "this ferocious drive to protect people and to fight against discrimination and hatred. She's the superhero we need right now." The character is the first transgender superheroine on television.[17]

Powers and abilities

Nia Nal's powers include precognition,[18] and astral projection.[19]

In other media

Comics

On June 8, 2021, Dreamer made her comic book debut in the story "Date Night", written by Maines,[20][21] featured in DC Pride #1. On June 2, 2022, the official DC Twitter account announced Dreamer will appear in a graphic novel written by Maines with art by Rye Hickman, called "Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story", which was released in 2024.[22] On July 12, 2022, Nia appeared in Superman: Son of Kal-El #13, making her debut within the main DC comics continuity.[23]

Video games

Dreamer appears as a cosmetic costume in Fortnite. She was added during the “Rainbow Royale” event in 2022, which was made to celebrate all the players who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Just like how she was the first transgender superhero on television, she is also the first playable character in the game to be transgender.[24]

See also

  • Coagula, the first transgender superhero in DC's publishing history

References

  1. ^ Keveney, Bill (October 10, 2018). "'Supergirl': Nicole Maines shows her power as TV's first transgender superhero". USA Today. Archived November 11, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  2. ^ "Nicole Maines Brings 'Supergirl's Dreamer to 'The Flash'". MSN. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "American Alien". No. 1. Supergirl. Episode 1. The CW. October 14, 2018.
  4. ^ Hoffman, C.P. (May 23, 2018). "Supergirl's casting a transgender character for Season 4". Nerdist News. Archived July 31, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  5. ^ Prudom, Laura (July 21, 2018). "Supergirl Season 4 will introduce trans superhero Dreamer, Agent Liberty and Manchester Black — Comic-Con 2018". IGN. Archived August 10, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 23, 2018.
  6. ^ "Fallout". No. 2. Supergirl. Episode 2. The CW. October 21, 2018.
  7. ^ "Parasite Lost". No. 5. Supergirl. Episode 5. The CW. November 11, 2018.
  8. ^ "Call to Action". No. 6. Supergirl. Episode 6. The CW. November 18, 2018.
  9. ^ "Bunker Hill". No. 8. Supergirl. Episode 8. The CW. December 2, 2018.
  10. ^ "Blood Memory". No. 11. Supergirl. Episode 11. The CW. January 27, 2019.
  11. ^ "What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?". No. 13. Supergirl. Episode 13. The CW. March 3, 2019.
  12. ^ "Stand and Deliver". No. 14. Supergirl. Episode 14. The CW. March 10, 2019.
  13. ^ "All About Eve". No. 17. Supergirl. Episode 17. The CW. March 31, 2019.
  14. ^ "Crime and Punishment". No. 18. Supergirl. Episode 18. The CW. April 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "American Dreamer". No. 19. Supergirl. Episode 19. The CW. April 28, 2019.
  16. ^ "The Quest for Peace". No. 22. Supergirl. Episode 22. The CW. May 19, 2019.
  17. ^ Agard, Chancellor (July 21, 2018). "Supergirl casts Nicole Maines as TV's first transgender superhero". Entertainment Weekly. Archived July 22, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  18. ^ Beedle, Tim (October 14, 2018). "More Than a Dream: Nicole Maines Breaks New Ground on Supergirl". DC Comics. Archived November 22, 2018 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  19. ^ Netzley, Sara (March 3, 2019). "'Supergirl' recap: Kara tries to drain the swamp". Entertainment Weekly. Archived May 2, 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  20. ^ Ortiz, Andi (March 11, 2021). "'Supergirl': Nicole Maines' Dreamer Will Live on in DC Comics Anthology". TheWrap. Archived March 11, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  21. ^ Tynion, James; Johns, Sam; Orlando, Steve; Lore, Danny; Ayala, Vita; Grace, Sina; Tamaki, Mariko; Maines, Nicole; Wheeler, Andrew (August 2021). "DC Pride #1". DC Comics.
  22. ^ DC (June 3, 2022). "The word is out! DREAMER is coming soon in an original graphic novel written by @NicoleAMaines , with art by @RyeHickman . 🌀💫". No. 1532511262591971334. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  23. ^ "SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL #13". DC Comics. June 28, 2022. Archived July 12, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  24. ^ "Fortnite Adds Supergirl's Dreamer, Its First-Ever Trans Character". Pride.com. August 30, 2022. Archived September 1, 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 30, 2022.