Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders)
Kendra Saunders is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writers James Robinson, David S. Goyer and artist Scott Benefiel, she first appeared in JSA: Secret Files and Origins #1. The third and current Hawkgirl, this version is a Hispanic-American human and the latest in a reincarnation line of immortal warriors involving Chay-Ara and Shrra. Unlike prior versions, Kendra is characterized to seek independence from her reincarnations and Hawkman.
Originally, she was portrayed as a troubled young woman who took her own life. After her soul departed, her great-aunt's soul inhabited hers, making her a walk-in with memories of her past and current lifetimes and is trained into becoming the latest Hawkgirl superhero while defining her terms with Hawkman. After Flashpoint, she is made the latest in a line of reincarnations from Shrra and first appeared as the leader of the Blackhawks, a covert anti-apocalyptic strike force, under the codename "Lady Blackhawk" before becoming the hero Hawkgirl as she did prior, notably joining the Justice League and Justice Society of America while living her life as a superheroine in Superman's home city, Metropolis.
Saunders has appeared in several media adaptations. Most notably, she appeared in DC Super Hero Girls voiced by Nika Futterman. In live action, she was portrayed by Ciara Renée in The CW's Arrowverse television series The Flash in the first-season finale, appeared in the Arrowverse crossover Heroes Join Forces, and starred in the first season of Legends of Tomorrow. Isabela Merced portrays the character in the DC Universe starting with the film, Superman. She also reprises the character in the second season of the television series Peacemaker.
Publication history
The new Hawkgirl was introduced as part of the 1999 revival of the JSA monthly title. The new Hawkgirl is Kendra Saunders, granddaughter of the Golden Age Hawkgirl's cousin, Speed Saunders. Hawkgirl would continue to appear regularly in the monthly JSA series and later in the Hawkman monthly. In 2006, the ongoing Hawkman monthly series was retitled Hawkgirl starting with issue #50 as part of the "One Year Later" jump forward; Kendra replaced Hawkman as the lead character. The Hawkgirl comic book series was finished with issue #66.Kendra was a recurrent member of the Birds of Prey. Oracle first solicits her assistance in issue #104 in dealing with the Secret Six, for which Oracle rewards her with a car. Throughout the Russian arc, Hawkgirl serves as a team member and develops a rivalry with Secret Six member Scandal Savage.
She was a member of the Justice League of America at its relaunch, but left the team due to injuries sustained in Final Crisis. Kendra and the original Hawkman were killed during the Blackest Night storyline; Katar Hol had been killed previously in a final battle with the Hawkgod, and Carter Hall, who had reincarnated in a new body, replaced him as Hawkgirl's partner. Carter and Shiera were resurrected after Blackest Night, but Kendra has since been killed again.
Fictional character biography
Kendra Saunders was a young Latina woman who died by suicide. When Kendra's soul left her body, that of her grandfather's first cousin Shiera Sanders Hall, the Golden Age Hawkgirl and Carter Hall's wife entered it, making Kendra a walk-in. Her grandfather, former OSS agent and globe-trotting adventurer Speed Saunders, recognized this, in part due to a change in eye color, and encouraged his granddaughter to embrace her destiny as the "new" Hawkgirl.Kendra had a daughter named Mia, who is not shown but mentioned.
Still believing herself to be Kendra, she debuted as a hero using the original Hawkgirl's equipment and set out in search of a being called the Fate-Child. This led to a meeting with the Justice Society and Kendra's induction to that team.
She currently has all of Kendra's memories, but almost none of Shiera's save for fighting experiences. This creates tension with Hawkman since he remembers all of their past lives together and believes they are destined for each other. Kendra has been presented as a very troubled young woman, haunted by the murder of her parents by a corrupt cop and confused by her jumble of memories and feelings. She has operated as Hawkman's partner but only recently begun to actually admit her attraction to him. The truth about Kendra's identity was eventually revealed to her by the angel Zauriel.
She is one of the heroes who fought in space during the Rann-Thanagar War. Following the events of Infinite Crisis, a Zeta Beam transporter malfunction injured many of the superheroes in space, including Hawkgirl, causing her to grow over twenty feet tall. Some time later, her proper stature restored, Kendra was shown living in St. Roch, Louisiana, working in Stonechat Museum and protecting the city as Hawkgirl.
She is also a returning member of the new Justice League, having effectively served with the team when the original members were previously missing. A brewing relationship between Hawkgirl and Red Arrow became one of the major subplots in the series though it appears to have ended. Hawkgirl is now 100% Kendra Saunders. Shiera Sanders' soul left Kendra's body and moved on to the afterlife. Shiera hopes her death will finally remove the curse of Hath-Set.
''Hawkman'' Vol. 4 (2002–2006)
In the Hawkman ongoing monthly comic book series, Hawkgirl was presented as a very afflicted young woman, seeking clarity regarding the murder of her parents by a corrupt cop and confused by her jumble of memories and feelings. She had all of Kendra's memories but almost none of Shiera's. This created tension with Hawkman since he remembered all of their past lives together and believed they were destined for each other. She operated as Hawkman's partner, but eventually began to actually admit her attraction to him.One of Kendra's past lives is revealed as the bounty hunter, Cinnamon, a reincarnation of the Egyptian princess Chay-Ara. As such, she becomes the lover of Prince Khufu's reincarnation, the hero Nighthawk. When Cinnamon is assaulted by the burglar "Gentleman Jim" Craddock, Nighthawk hangs him up, thereby tying his destiny to theirs. Cinnamon, along with Nighthawk, is killed by the latest incarnation of Hath-Set, their biggest enemy.
Kendra eventually meets with the police officer Hawkwoman, who was searching for her missing partner Katar Hol, previously possessed by a creature known as the Hawk Avatar. Also seeking to arrest the Thanagarian criminal Byth Rok, Shayera Thal asked for Kendra's help. Working together they were able to defeat the villain. Before departing to Thanagar with Byth as her prisoner, Hawkwoman gave Hawkgirl her harness as symbol of their recently formed friendship.
Hawkgirl felt that she was not the first person Hawkman would turn to in a moment of crisis, treating her as a damsel in distress incapable of holding her own, and degrading her position in both the eyes of the Justice Society of America and in their partnership. She observed that he would frequently treat her as a sidekick, a relationship that Kendra denied, wanting to be seen as his equal. Toward the end of the series Hawkgirl reveals all of her feelings to Carter, causing him to apologize and admit that he was treating her wrongly all along. The story finishes on a romantic note with the Hawks fighting together during the Rann-Thanagar War.
''Hawkgirl'', the series
The Hawkman ongoing monthly series was retitled to Hawkgirl, with Kendra replacing Carter as the lead character. Hawkgirl is seen protecting St. Roch, Louisiana in the absence of Hawkman, and working in Stonechat Museum. She fights Khimaera several times, finally killing her. She is later abducted and put on mock trial for high treason against her people by a group of rogue Thanagarian criminals, at the instigation of Blackfire. After declaring her guilty, one of the rogues ties her hands behind her back, covers her mouth with a piece of duct tape, and attempts to execute her by hanging — whereupon Kendra finds that she can hover without her wings, and is thus able to fake her death and defeat the criminals. Kendra then becomes a direct target of Blackfire who decides to go to Earth, herself, to kill Hawkgirl and Hawkman. Together, the Hawks defeat her and take away her powers.Kendra later fights alongside the Furies of Darkseid when St. Roch is attacked by an evil doomsday weapon of Apokolips, a stolen Beta-3 Gizmoid. It turns out that the gizmoid is linked to the Hawks' old enemy, Hath-Set, as it had been taken to Earth ages ago and landed in Ancient Egypt during Hath-Set's reign, and hidden in a canopic jar.
Due to Hath-Set's efforts to reacquire the jar, the gizmoid is reactivated near Stonechat Museum. According to its programming, it spots Hawkgirl and, choosing her as a template, assumes her form to begin Earth's eradication. Tracking it, the Female Furies arrive by Boom Tube but are rendered conscious.
As a giant mechanized version of Hawkgirl, the gizmoid begins attacking St. Roch with its arsenal of weaponry. Bernadeth and the other Furies try to destroy the gizmoid but are unsuccessful. But, due to her brief connection with the gizmoid, Hawkgirl discovers a weakness whereby she and the Furies are able to defeat it.
Hawkgirl's plan works and the gizmoid falls to pieces, but afterward the vampiric Bloody Mary, one of the Furies, turns on Hawkgirl as she lies unconscious. Fortunately, Danny Evans had been following the battle and shows up just in time. He manages to delay Bloody Mary just long enough for Hawkgirl to reawaken and subdue her. The Female Furies collect Bloody Mary and reluctantly thank Hawkgirl for her efforts before departing.
Kendra finally resolves to take the fight to her mortal enemy, Hath-Set, who had been spying on her for some time. Hawkgirl starts getting closer to finding him with the assistance of Batman, Superman, and Oracle. During her search Kendra is kidnapped by Hath-Set and taken to Egypt. Hawkman follows on a rescue mission, but is captured and imprisoned by Hath-Set's minions. Meanwhile, Hawkgirl is able to free herself. She encounters Hath-Set, and after a final battle, kills him and saves Hawkman. The two now finally find peace, breaking the cycle of reincarnation and failure. They can see themselves falling in love again, but with Hawkgirl asserting that, this time, Carter must earn her love.