The story behind TV's first transgender superhero

The CW’s Supergirl made history becoming the first TV show to have a transgender actor playing a transgender superhero. Nicole Maines, who plays Nia Nal on the show, first appeared last year, but Sunday night, she was introduced as Dreamer while speaking to her dying mother, fittingly, in a dream.

“It was your destiny to be my daughter. To be Dreamer,” Nia’s mother told her. “Life put you through many trials just to be who you are. It made you strong. That strength will serve you well as a hero.”

Fans of the show were nothing but supportive. One person tweeted, “[Nicole Maines] was amazing, gave me all the feels and it’s nice to see her journey in the show.” Part of that journey was the first time Nia really embraced her powers. While her sister, Maeve (Hannah James), spoke about their mother at a memorial, Nia had a vision of the memorial being attacked and acted on it, saving her sister’s life. Unfortunately, this tipped Maeve off to the fact Nia had inherited their mother’s powers instead of her, which led to the show highlighting the discrimination transgender people face on a daily basis, sometimes even at the hands of loved ones.

“How did you of all people get the powers?” Maeve asked Nia. “They’re supposed to be passed down from mother to daughter. So how did someone like you get them? You’re not even a real woman.”

Maines will be appearing for the first time as Dreamer, full costume and all, on the next episode.

Supergirl airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on The CW.

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