'Supergirl' Changed Lobo For The Better - Here's What It Could Mean For The DCU
The following contains spoilers for Supergirl.
Supergirl (2026) is the latest extension of the DC Universe, the James Gunn-led refresh of the classic superhero setting. While Peacemaker (2022) and Creature Commandos (2024) offered some fun expansions of the universe, Superman (2025) really set the stage for how massive this take on DC is going to be. Supergirl shifts focus from Clark Kent to his cousin Kara, who is traveling across the cosmos when the film begins.
While on a mission to save her dog Krypto, Kara meets plenty of strange and dangerous figures, most notably Jason Momoa’s Lobo, a nigh-invulnerable bounty hunter with a rocketbike, a leather jacket, and attitude for days. Momoa is clearly having a blast in the role, leaning into the character’s gruff brutality and surprising sense of admiration for a girl who is willing to lie, cheat, and kill her way to success. Lobo has some really good potential in the greater DC Universe, and he could even become the cinematic DCU’s answer to Deadpool (2016).
Lobo is the Breakout Star of ’Supergirl’
One of the best parts of Supergirl is Lobo, the intergalactic bounty hunter who feels faithful to the original comics while having enough emotional investment in the world to feel like someone the franchise should already be considering bringing back. In the grand scheme of Supergirl, Lobo isn’t the most important character. Introduced as a bounty hunter whose path crosses with Supergirl and Ruthye while they’re on the search for the Brigadeers, Lobo takes part in a big action set piece and then finds himself captured off-screen by the villains, allowing him to be present for the climax, where he offers admiration for Ruthye’s grit and presents a contrast to Kara’s efforts to keep the girl from becoming a killer like them.
While he retains a lot of the goofball action movie charm that served Momoa well in Aquaman (2018), this Lobo also has a blunt mentality about the universe and a strict code that leads him to question Kara’s efforts to protect Ruthye from a brutal world and nod in admiration when he realizes Supergirl doesn’t extend that restraint to herself. It’s an interesting character that gets to be funny without becoming a full parody, still fitting neatly into the bombastic approach to the DC Universe that feels in-tune with Nathan Fillion’s scene-chewing (and scene-stealing) turn as Guy Gardner in Superman. There’s a lot to like about Supergirl, but Lobo is one of the best aspects of the entire experience.
Lobo Could be a Great Cosmic Character for the DCU
Lobo has been a fan-favorite character since he was retooled in the 1990s as a parody of the “extreme” era (and subsequently embraced by the readership who were flocking to those qualities), leading to plenty of appearances for the character over the years. In shows like Superman: The Animated Series (1996) and Krypton (2018), the character has been played up as a villainous-leaning wild-card who can be a useful ally in the right situation. Other shows, like Young Justice (2010), have made him a threat.
Supergirl finds an interesting tweak that feels true to all those versions while still retaining a gruff depth that makes him interesting. Lobo’s code makes him a good character to introduce as a wild-card, willing to do the “right” thing when the situation calls for it. While the character may work better in short bursts (making the idea of a full Lobo movie less exciting), it would be perfect for him to show up as a complication in Lanterns (2026) or bounce off other heroes.
Seeing Lobo interact with Supergirl again would be a good chance to pay off their dynamic in Supergirl, all while offering a bit of brutal advice or help in any given situation. Almost like a vicious Phil Coulson from the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Lobo could become a compelling piece of connective glue that helps bridge the gap between the different parts of the modern DCU.
Lobo Could Become the DCU’s Deadpool
The thing that makes Lobo so interesting as an addition to the universe is the way he brings a narrative purpose beyond just being a fun bit of spectacle and fan service. Lobo has little restraint but a firm form of morality, wherein he can be someone as ridiculous as to have wiped out his whole planet while also being able to offer genuine empathy with Ruthye’s mission for vengeance. He could be a unique contrast to straight-laced heroes like Superman and offer an interesting contrast to well-meaning (but occasionally lethal) figures like Supergirl.
Lobo could be paired up with characters for unlikely partnerships, replicating the buddy-movie vibes of Deadpool 2 (2018) or Deadpool and Wolverine (2024) for the DC Universe. He could even be a fun, wild, and weird mentor for a younger hero, akin to the vibes Wade Wilson found with Russell in Deadpool 2.
While the comics Lobo has broken the 4th wall plenty of times, this isn’t to say the cinematic Lobo should adopt that aspect of Deadpool. Instead, the Lobo audiences get in Supergirl brings that same rougish “rough around the edges but just endearing enough to be lovable” energy that Deadpool adds to the Marvel Universe, and it could make Lobo an ideal fixture of the franchise as it expands.
