With the President’s ultimatum to reveal her identity or leave, Kara Danvers chose to no longer work alongside the DEO with Alex and Brainy. Was this the right decision or was it time to reveal?

It’s a disappointing time on Supergirl. Ben Lockwood has been arrested and unmasked as Agent Liberty, though not without planting a seed of doubt in the minds of the world around Supergirl.

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While he owned up to his “patriotic” (read: white nationalist) deeds, Ben made everyone doubt Supergirl, including the President of the United States.

Though she has been National City’s savior for almost five years, Kara Danvers is nothing more than a reporter for CatCo Worldwide Media with no connection to Supergirl outside of a facade of a friendship.

Outing herself as Supergirl would take her career off the table, at least for the time being, and would put those she loves in danger. At least, that’s how Kara justifies her secret.

It’s not like that has really worked out for her. Non and Astra knew who Kara was because of their shared relation, thus the people she loved were in danger. Rhea knew because of her past as the Queen of Daxam and, of course, being Mon-El’s mother.

Reign and the Worldkillers were really the only villain, outside of the weekly foes, that didn’t know who Kara Danvers truly is.

Did that help her? Not really. Kara’s time was almost entirely dedicated to being Supergirl while fighting Reign. Perks of your friend being your boss, I suppose.

It’s not outlandish for the President of the United States to require Kara to reveal her identity if she’s going to be working for a top-secret government organization.

Also, how have they not put it together? Alex freaks out every time Supergirl is injured in the least and vice versa. You’re telling me that the employees of the DEO have no idea who Supergirl is? Or are they just protecting her secret?

Anyway, while revealing her identity would certainly be a game changer for the series, it’s not time for something of that magnitude to shake up Kara’s life.

Clark has been Superman for, like, a decade, yet his secret is still safe. No one has figured out that Lois and Clark get a few too many Superman exclusives, so why should anyone in National City?

Not that Kara Danvers can’t be her own character and needs to follow in Clark’s footsteps. However, she’d be following Oliver’s as Arrow has publicly outed the Green Arrow and has him working for the city in season 7.

The Arrow-verse has an all too common tendency to borrow the stories of their fellow shows. Barry went to prison during The Flash season 4, while Oliver went to prison only a few weeks later.

If trends are followed, Kara will out herself as Supergirl to the world within a few weeks of the series’ mid-season premiere, which would be a disastrous mistake.

Not only because the show’s formula would have to change, but because the other version of Supergirl is on her way to National City (or will be shortly) and will not have the best intentions.

The Bizarro mess created by Maxwell Lord during season 1, followed by the red kryptonite disaster, was enough to shake the citizens and their faith in Supergirl.

The main plot of season 4 is the hope that Supergirl represents versus the fear that people like Ben Lockwood are trying to provoke to extremism.

Revealing her identity would put Kara’s entire life at risk. Not just from the villains, but her career would (basically) have to follow a new path as most of her work has been Supergirl exclusives.

Additionally, she risks a lot more when going out in the field if something goes wrong and the world decides to pursue Supergirl as a villain. Kara doesn’t need to open herself up to the world to be a great hero. It would, in fact, just cause more issues.

Maybe, at some point in the future, Kara should reveal herself as Supergirl and live openly as an alien and superhero. However, now is definitely not the time.

Fear is running rampant in the world as white nationalists take their extremism and terrorism to new levels. Supergirl is the only one who can stop this, but not if her entire life is called into question.

People will inevitably get over the fact that they don’t know who Supergirl really is. After all, they’ve loved Superman for years and have no idea who the Man of Steel is in Metropolis.

It’s not common for heroes to reveal themselves to the public for all of the reasons that Kara does not want to.

As we’re just beginning to see on Arrow, unmasking (or, in Kara’s case, taking off your glasses) leads to a lot more questions and scrutiny from the public.

Oliver Queen will never be able to live a normal life again, though the choice was not entirely his own. People will never stop talking about Oliver being the Green Arrow. The focus will forever be on him.

Supergirl should not put herself in that position, especially with the current political climate on Earth-38.

Maybe one day, Kara can come out to the world, but that is certainly not any time soon.

Supergirl returns Sunday, January 20 on The CW.