Kara and Linda came upon a grand dark castle on a mountain top. The sky was full of auras and there was a bright stream of energy across the sky. The mountain resembled an asteroid floating in space with debris floating off every so often. "Before I kick the door in and go on a killing spree, I'm open to a counter suggestion. Go ahead, speak your mind," Linda said to Kara.
"No, I trust you to do the right thing," Kara said naively.
"Well, that would be a first," Linda smirked. She went up to the door and hesitated. "Well...hmmm."
"Problem?" Kara asked.
"Just need a moment to stall this out as long as possible," Linda said.
"Do want me to do it?" Kara asked.
"No, I've been preparing for this moment my whole existence. I just need a second to get my head straight," Linda said.
"Sure," Kara allowed.
The doors then opened for them as if inviting them in. The two cautiously walked through and noticed hooded statues everywhere. The doors then closed behind them. "Hello, welcome to the citadel. Congratulations, you've had an awfully long journey. I'm impressed," a voice from everywhere said.
"Really? It only took me an afternoon," Linda mocked.
"Who are you?" Kara asked.
"The One Who Remains," the voice replied.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Linda asked impatiently.
"The one that created everything, the Arrowverse, and I control all. At the end, only I remain, and I want to offer you a deal," the voice said.
"What kind of deal?" Linda asked humoring him.
"With some creative adjustments, I can add Kara back into the Arrowverse timeline that won't disrupt things," the voice said.
"Disrupt things?" Kara questioned.
"The CW can continue to do its fine work and you can live the life you've always wanted," the voice offered.
"I have the life I've always wanted," Linda told him off.
"Don't play coy with me. You're merely a parody of her. If her history changes so do yours," the voice scolded.
"Fair enough," Linda allowed.
"How would you like to win, to defeat Nyxly? You want the All-Stone? Yours. Ruler of Argo City? No problem," the voice tempted Kara. "How would you like to wake up tomorrow, just a lifetime of happy memories?" the voice tempted Linda.
"Wow, that sounds like a really good deal. How about I give you the finger," Linda said, flipping the voice off. "And then you show me where you are so I can beat your ass properly."
"Or I put you both on the Arrowverse timeline. It's crazy but I can make it work," the voice offered them both. "All of it, exactly the way you've always wanted it and you can have it all together."
"Sounds like Mary Sue fanfiction," Linda mocked.
"Yeah, we write our own destiny," Kara said assertively.
"Sure you do. Good luck with that," the voice mocked and then went silent.
"How ominous," Linda rolled her eyes.
The two continued their way into the castle until a door suddenly opened revealing a nerdy-looking black man in pajamas. "This is wild," Kang said to the two of them as he exited the bathroom. "The two of you, same person, it's a little queer but wow, wild."
"What's your deal, asshole?" Linda demanded.
"Come on, let's talk in my office," Kang offered and then led them into an elevator. "Not what you were expecting?"
"Actually, you're exactly what I was expecting from the CW," Linda mocked. "Including easier to kill," she said as she fired heat vision at him. Kang suddenly disappeared with the heat vision beams bouncing off the walls of the elevator. The doors then opened with Kang already on the other side.
"Come on in," he invited and then gave them both some coffee. "Take a seat."
The three stared at each other for a good minute. "It's been a long journey, hasn't it? A lot of running, a lot of pain, like a flea on the back of a dragon, one hell of a ride."
"Actually, it was super-easy, barely an inconvenience," Linda corrected.
"I suppose that counts for something," Kang allowed.
"I don't think you fully appreciate the situation. You've lost, we found you, and now I'm going to kill your ass," Linda said and then fired heat vision beams right at his chest.
Kang suddenly moved out of the way. "So, we're still doing this. Let's get this all out of the way," he said and then handed them the script. "You can't kill me because I already know what's going to happen."
"Oh, really?" Linda doubted.
"Don't you wonder how I know how to get out of the way just before you kill me?" Kang asked her as he sat down behind his desk. "It's easy. I know it all. I've seen it all. Everything you guys did on Maaldoria, everything the CW didn't know about, I knew. All the scheming and talking, the queer-baiting by you two, quite sentimental, very touching stuff."
"No, we broke out of your game. That's how we got here," Kara denied.
"No, wrong, every step you took to get here, I paved the road. You two just walked down it. And I have the rest right here. Everything that is about to happen. There's only one way this will go," Kang corrected.
"Then, why are we here?" Kara asked.
"Come on, you can't get to the end until you're changed by the journey. We have to be in the right mindset to finish the quest," Kang said.
"You can't predict me. I'm out of the system," Linda doubted.
"Interesting. You're a parody of her so, in a way, I control you through her. You get it?" Kang said to her. "Now, do you think you can trust me?" he said to Kara.
"Why would you lie?" Kara asked naively.
"Fuck me," Linda said walking away dismayed.
"Do you think you're even capable of skepticism or critical thinking...at all?" Kang asked Kara.
Kara simply gave him a blank look. "Don't listen to this asshole," Linda said to her.
"I understand your moral objections to what the CW does. And my methods are deceptive but the mission never was. Without me, without the CW, everything burns," Kang said.
"I call bullshit. HBO Max and many other networks could do superhero shows far better than you can. You've monopolized TV superhero shows with shit and have made it difficult for other networks to enter. Soon, that will come to an end," Linda predicted.
"You're right. I am fucked up," Kang admitted.
"And who the fuck are you really?" Linda asked.
"Years ago, I was a film student. It was during the time when superhero movies and TV shows started to become a big deal. It was DC stacked upon Marvel stacked upon Image. Other film students were realizing the same thing that comic book media would dominate everything. Studios shared technology, knowledge, using the best of each of their source material to improve the others. However, I wasn't cool with any of this shit. Some of us realized that superhero media is fascist, toxic, and pushes other media aside," Kang said.
"Then why control the CW?" Linda asked confused.
"To show how stupid and corrupt it all is. You see, you think you're a parody of me. You think you're so clever pointing out plotholes, character defects, and special effects flaws. If you're a parody of me, I'm a parody of superheroes. I hate superheroes, always have but I knew I couldn't take them down from the outside. I had to do it from the inside by conquering shows that were initially successful and destroying them little by little until they were mockeries of themselves. Under my control, I have poisoned the fan base and our ratings are a tenth of what they once were, shows are being canceled left-and-right, special effects budgets have been slashed, actors are being disrespectfully kicked off, other actors desperately want to leave but I won't let them, and...wow, I am toasted," Kang said sweating and overwhelmed.
"It is almost the end for superheroes, ladies. The MCU is losing steam after Endgame, DCEU is a fucking disaster, and the CW shows are only going to get worse. Once they're all gone, new shows will take their place. Shows that are inclusive, woke, and value the collective over the individual," Kang said.
"Superheroes can promote what you seek," Kara said defensively.
"No, they can't. The superhero is inherently fascist, an individual capable of great strength and power. The superhero is the Ubermensch, the very thing I want to destroy," Kang said. "Instead, I'm going to weaponize wokeness and I'm going to end the straight white Ubermensch once and for all. Hence the CW, the Time-Keepers, hence the woke writers, and hence the final fall of superheroes. You're welcome."
"Fuck yourself," Linda told him off.
"You came to slay a devil. Well, guess what? I keep you both safe. I continue your existence," he said pointing to Kara. "And I give your author more shit to rant and rave about," he said pointing to Linda. "And if you think I'm evil, well, just wait. There are plenty of others just like me dying to take my place who won't be so likely to make a deal. And that's the gambit."
"How can you prune innocent characters and shows?" Kara asked aghast.
"Not me, you, Kara. There are two options: You kill me and some other asshole takes my place who might make matters even worse or you run the thing," Kang offered.
"You're full of shit. Why would you give up control?" Linda doubted.
"I'm tired and I'm too old for this superhero crap. This game is for the young, the hungry. I've gone through a lot of scenarios. Do you really think the Arroverse was a first-time go? I had to start the series, ruin it, go back to the start and ruin it again countless times to get it right. I've been through countless scenarios but it turns out the right person to finish the job is you, Kara," Kang admitted. "
"Why?" Kara asked confused.
"I created you, I poisoned you with wokeness, I infantilized your personality so you're always full of hope, smiles, and sunshine. I isolated your personality so perfectly and never allowed you to have a love interest or family to get in the way of that. I made you the perfect blank slate. The reason I couldn't ruin superheroes perfectly is I'm still tainted with the original sin of humanity. No matter how much I try to purge from my soul anti-revolutionary ideas, I can't. I need you, Kara, to complete my work," Kang said seriously.
"You traded lives on my show just to push your agenda," Kara accused.
"It's not personal, it's just practical," Kang said defensively.
"It was personal to me when I thought my parents died, when Jeremiah died," Kara said angrily.
"Grow up, Kara! Murderer, hypocrite, white devil woman!" Kang exploded on her. "We're all villains here," he said calming himself down. "We've all done terrible, horrible things but now you have a chance to do them for good reasons."
Linda gave Kang a mock applause. "We're at the end of your ridiculous script. I guess that means you're fucked now."
"You're right. I have no idea what's going to happen next," Kang admitted.
"Well, that's it, folks," Linda said standing up.
"You either take over and continue my life's work or you kill my black ass and some other woke bastard takes my place. Either way, I don't give a fuck," Kang said unconcernedly. "Then, I'll be reincarnated and shit. Hopefully, as an ugly fat black disabled queer non-binary...,"
"No, you'll go straight to hell," Linda interrupted him.
"I'm loving all this honesty. You really are the epitome of everything I've been fighting against," Kang said to Linda.
"Don't you realize what you've done? By creating leftist woke characters, you have inspired a right-wing backlash that can be just as ugly. You've advanced nothing but failure. Superheroes will continue forever so long as human individuality and ego continue to exist. There will always be people attracted to the idea that they can succeed and do heroic deeds as individuals. You've spent an eternity going back and forward in time to create the perfect woke Arrowverse. All you've done is played yourself," Linda told him, and then her eyes went red for the kill.
Kara suddenly twisted Linda around. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Linda asked as she forced Kara back.
"Let's just talk about it," Kara said.
"I'm going to finish what I started," Linda glared pushing Kara aside.
Kara attempted to fight Linda with wide-swinging totally telegraphed punches. Linda dodged her punches and smacked her down to the floor within a second. "What if he's telling the truth?" Kara asked naively as she got back up.
"So what?" Linda snapped.
"I believe him," Kara said naively.
"You believe him? Of course, you do. He fucking programmed you to be a naive infantile imbecile," Linda insulted.
"I don't think he's lying," Kara insisted. "Maybe, he was telling the truth. Let's think about it for a moment."
"And what is there to think about?" Linda asked.
"If we remove him, what fills the void?" Kara asked her.
"I don't know. I'll kill the next one, too," Linda said dismissively.
"When will you realize killing isn't the answer?" Kara rebuked.
"I get it. You want the throne," Linda realized.
"No, that's not it. No," Kara denied.
"I don't believe you. You'll be worse than him. You're a trojan horse," Linda accused.
"The Arrowverse, everything we know to be the truth is in the balance. I know the CW is corrupt but if we kill him, we could unleash something even worse," Kara reasoned. "Let's just take a minute to think about it. I promise, from the bottom of my heart, this isn't about the throne."
"What was I thinking trusting a drone like you? This whole thing has been a con," Linda accused.
"That's what you think about me after all this time?" Kara asked tearfully. "Can't you see that this is bigger than both of us? If he's gone, my whole character could change. Your author may not even start writing."
"I know this. That's what it means to be a hero. To do the right thing even at the cost of yourself, your own existence. My author would rather have a decent show than having to write millions of words on a computer screen. Why can't we see this the same way?" Linda beseeched her.
"Because you can't trust...and I can't be trusted," Kara realized.
"Now...at the end...you finally make sense," Linda agreed.
The two immediately started fighting hand-to-hand with Linda easily getting the better of the fight. She then blasted Kara against the wall. Linda then turned towards Kang. Kara fired heat vision hitting Linda in the back. Kara then sped towards Linda and blocked her punch towards Kang. In a split second, Linda slammed Kara up against Kang's desk.
"Maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong, can we really take the risk?" Kara asked her.
"Then, do it. Kill me and take your throne," Linda said backing away from her.
"I won't fight you," Kara said dropping her hands.
Linda went for a killer punch to her forehead and then stopped suddenly. "I've been where you are. I've felt what you feel. All I know is that I don't want to hurt you. I don't want a throne. I just want you to be okay," Kara said sincerely.
Linda dropped her fist and then gave Kara a passionate kiss as Kang watched. "That was so beautiful," Kang applauded.
"Take the throne. I'll see you on the other side," Linda relented.
"Thank you. I won't let you down," Kara promised.
CW 2018
Kara entered a board room full of TV writers including Mobius. "With that sexy cliffhanger, we have a great opportunity with the Red Daughter and Lex Luthor storyline," Mobius said excitedly.
"What do you have in mind?" Kara asked intrigued.
"I say we go out guns blazing with Red Daughter and Lex Luthor front and center in the very beginning with a badass fight in the mid-finale like how we did Reign, we should have Mon and Kara officially engaged, greatly expand on the Legion, and introduce the Elite," Mobius pitched.
"How will the Elite compete against the Super-Friends?" Kara asked.
"We're going to give Manchester Black telepathic powers like the comics and make him a real badass. I say we keep him around until the season finale, at least," Mobius said.
"Got it," Kara said as she wrote notes.
"Now, I know this is going to strain the budget but this is definitely a storyline the fans are going to want to see," Mobius smiled.
"Mobius, you're always about the fans. What about expanding our demographics to queer people of color and promoting social causes?" one writer asked.
"Well, sure, I guess, if there's room for it. I just want to have people entertained. That's all," Mobius said defensively. "What do you think, boss?"
"I think you might be on to something," Kara smiled.
Author's Notes: I don't intend for this to have a Season 2. If you like more of this, you can find Adventures of Supergirl, Midvale, Adventures of Batwoman, Adventures of Overgirl, Supergirl Returns, and other fics on my profile. I suppose the point of this story is that Kara, through adventures with Linda and Mobius, ended up resisting Kang's programming and became a real person capable of making rational decision-making as a showrunner.
