From Kara to SupergirlThe Application of Self-Actualization

"What a man can be, he must be. This need we call self-actualization."

This quote from Abraham Maslow implies what a person must do or rather what a person

can and must do in order to achieve the fullest of his well-being. However, this is easier said than

done since before one could reach this so called "self-actualization"; one should first fulfil all its

preceding needs. These needs are the never-ending things we seek to fulfil in order to continue

with our daily life. The deficiency of a basic need, however, would simply mean a stronger

longing for such a thing before progressing into higher and more complex needs. The hierarchy

of these needs are shown in the film "Superman/Batman: Apocalypse", specifically by one of the

main characters--Kara.

In the beginning when Kara was still new to the Earth, she yearned for what a simple

Earth girl wanted. She asked her cousin, Superman, to help her adjust to Earth society through

her physiological needs. Superman complied by touring her in Metropolis city and letting her

feel the she is a simple Earth girl through shopping clothes, eating hotdogs and strolling in a

park. It can be observed that during this event, Kara was indeed satisfied and happy with what

Superman has done. With this fulfilment, Kara, unknowingly, progressed into a higher level

need-which is safety.

During their stay in the park, Kara asked Superman if he would protect her as a cousin at

all costs which Superman confidently concurred. Kara was about to approach another need after

she asked Superman, however, Wonder Woman and Lyla ambushed them and took Kara to

Themyscira so she could control her powers. Superman reluctantly agreed, with the condition

that he would be allowed to watch Kara in Themyscira. Nevertheless, Kara did not pursue a
higher level need since she felt that Superman did not comply with what he just said earlier. She

did not feel the safety Superman was talking about so she was noticeably left with doubts.

In Themyscira, it can be seen that Kara has already changed her view of Superman as she

disobeyed his requests during her stay. This disobedience, ultimately, resulted with Kara being

kidnapped by Granny Goodness and the Female Furies who took her to Apokolips. In Apokolips,

Kara was easily brainwashed because Darkseid knew what her weakpoints, which was her needs.

She was blinded by a false image conjured by Darkseid with the higher level needs which

Superman have failed to give her--the needs for safety, love and self-esteem which would lead to

her self-actualization. However, her self-actualization was ultilized in a wrong way where she

doesn't even recognize her own cousin Superman. At the end, Kara was freed from the brainwash

when Batman confronted Darkseid and informed him that he had activated the Hell Spores,which

will destroy Apokolips.

After being freed from Apokolips, Kara realized, again unknowingly, that she already

have fulfilled her needs of safety and love from Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Big

Barda after they saved her from the darkness she was in. This led her to pursue the next need,

self-esteem but this time in the good hands of Superman. She was brought by Superman into the

farm he lived in when he was young. However, Darkseid, who was waiting to kill Superman,

ambushed them; he had promised to leave Kara alone, but not Superman or Earth. During the

fight between the two, Kara has already shown signs of her growing self-esteem as she helped

Superman; this time controlling her powers properly. Conclusively, Kara and Superman defeated

Darkseid by banishing him out of Earth. With this victory, Kara has finally achieved her fouth

need--self-esteem.
 The two, Superman and Kara, returned to Themyscira. However, Kara was not the same

young, misguided girl she once was when she first came into Themyscira. But instead, she

introduced herself as Supergirl, who, evidently showed her self-actualization not as a simple

Earth girl but as a superhero willing to use her powers for altruism. Finally, Superman and

Supergirl departed Themyscira to go back to Metropolis to apply Kara's newfound self-

actualization.