Emily Could Shake Things Up On 'Supergirl'

Of all of the relationships on Supergirl, the one between Alex and Maggie stands out because they're one of few couples on the series to actually have a lot of chemistry. They also stand out among all TV romances as one of the few queer female relationships that hasn't been defined by tragedy. Hopefully, the new Supergirl character Emily, being introduced in the March 27 episode, won't change any of that.

If you're a big fan of Maggie and Alex's relationship, you may be wary of Emily, because she's Maggie's ex-girlfriend, played by Hayley Sales. She's spending a week in National City, and though her appearance might complicate things, it doesn't mean the couple is doomed. Sometimes, meeting a significant other's ex can just expose something previously unknown about them or their past, and even the heroes of National City aren't immune to a little intra-relationship discomfort. Often on superhero shows, that discomfort comes because someone's significant other is secretly a supervillain, but in this case, the stakes should be much lower.

It will be interesting enough to see what happens when a couple who usually shares everything, even Kara's secret identity, experiences a moment with a previously unknown ex. Floriana Lima, who plays Maggie, told TVLine that she relates to Maggie's awkwardness after running into Emily. "We are just walking outside of yoga class, and it was one of those moments where I was like, 'Yeah, I’ve done that, run into an ex with a new partner!'" She also added that this will be a "shocking moment for Maggie to run into her — while Alex is with her."

But Chyler Leigh, who plays Alex, told Entertainment Weekly that her character is actually excited to meet Emily. "Alex is kind of like, 'Oh, let’s go chat her up' ... Alex is, you know, she’s Alex. She finds out what really happened between them and it’s a much deeper story, a darker story," Leigh told the magazine. "It really does level the playing field between the both of them. So there’s great development in that." So there's probably no reason for 'shippers to worry about Emily, as it sounds like meeting her could just reconfirm why Maggie and Alex are so good together.

Certainly, the ongoing villainy of Mon-El's mother, Rhea, will remain a more pressing issue in the episode, "Distant Sun." But there's more to Supergirl than just intergalactic blood feuds. There's plenty of room for relationships, and finding out more about Maggie along with Alex should be as exciting as any world-threatening aliens.