#Supercorp kissed…or did they?: lesbian fandom and queerbaiting

Abstract

The Supercorp fandom refers to the platonic friendship between Kara Danvers, aka Supergirl, and her friend Lena Luthor. The term ‘Supercorp’ refers to an implied – yet unexplored – queer relationship created by fans of the DC/CW show Supergirl. Imagined relationships, referred to by fandoms (groups of fans) as ‘shipping, tackle the unexplored chemistry between two characters who are not romantically linked. Supergirl’s screenwriters were notorious for placing Kara and Lena in heteronormative relationship scenarios, effectively queerbaiting (or covert courting) the audience by suggesting a romantic relationship never explored on-screen. On November 11, 2021, fans had fun by doctoring photos of the series finale and ‘showing’ Kara and Lena kissing. Fans created an alternate reality where two women publicly expressed their love. Deprived of a queer ‘happy ending’, Supergirl fans gaslit the DC fandom (and beyond), leading many to question the reality of their initial viewing experience. The fans were gaslighting the world into questioning whether the footage was authentic. The fandom rallied in solidarity by crafting the ‘reality’ they wanted. Using a lens informed by psychoanalytic theory and fan studies research, this paper examines how the Supercorp fandom used the liminal space of broadcast time zones to reclaim a queer narrative which they were denied. This paper contributes to the advancement of lesbian studies by shining a light on the efforts of a marginalized segment of fandom and examining the trauma caused by queer coding – and queerbaiting – in service to a heteronormative agenda.