- "All my life I thought I was cursed. But now I see I was cursed for the better."
- —Siobhan Smythe[src]
Siobhan Smythe is the former second assistant of Cat Grant at CatCo Worldwide Media. After Kara Danvers outed her plan to offer information on Supergirl to the Daily Planet, she was fired by Cat. Soon afterward, Siobhan discovered that a family curse gave her the power of a sonic scream and became a criminal, calling herself Silver Banshee.
Biography
Working at CatCo Worldwide Media
Siobhan and Kara's rivalry begins.
Siobhan Smythe was hired to be Cat Grant's new assistant alongside Kara Danvers. When Kara arrived at work, Siobhan introduced herself and Cat designated Siobhan as "Assistant #1" whilst Kara was "Assistant #2", much to the latter's confusion. Siobhan promptly one-upped Kara's coffee. Cat then instructed Siobhan to get James Olsen and Lucy Lane into her office and Kara to cover the phone. Siobhan flipped her hair at Kara as she left. She later tried to flatter James, but was brushed off. Siobhan then observed Kara and James talking and walked away, smirking.
The next morning, Siobhan antagonized Kara by quietly sending her messages regarding the relationship between her and James, boldly asking whether they were dating or friends with benefits, which Kara denied. Siobhan continued sending messages and angered Kara by apparently accusing her of being "obsessed" with James. Cat arrived and told her to keep it down, citing that Siobhan hadn't "made a peep," much to the latter's satisfaction. When Kara was called away, she asked Siobhan to order Cat's lunch, which she recited perfectly and mocked Kara for not doing her job. Annoyed, Kara left and Siobhan winked at Winn Schott, smirking at his uncomfortable reaction. Siobhan later tried to listen in on James and Lucy's private conversation, but James noticed her and shut the door. That evening, Siobhan noticed James and Cat talking on the terrace.
Siobhan boasts of her ambitions to Kara.
The day after, Siobhan smugly told Kara that she finished her work for her. Fed up, Kara bluntly stated she didn't like her, but Siobhan retorted she was here to be the next Cat Grant, not make friends. Siobhan detailed her massive ambitions, aspiring to be promoted to a junior reporter in a few months and build her own brand after gaining enough experience and recognition, while Kara will be "booking [her] waxing appointments." Unfazed, Kara challenged that they would see which one of them gets to stay.[1]
Dating Winn Schott
As Siobhan waited to deliver Cat her mail, Winn tried to make conversation with her but she put him down. Kara explained that Cat preferred to have her mail opened publicly, but Siobhan refused to listen. Cat called everyone into her office for a conference call. Siobhan showed a package that Cat should see personally, but she wanted it open for all to see, proving Kara right. James opened it to find a flash drive containing the names of the members of Diamond Discretions, a cheating website, and a letter imploring Cat to publicly release this information. An unimpressed Cat told Siobhan to have the drive "microwaved". Siobhan discovered that one of the names on the drive was her father, which greatly upset her.
During Indigo's cyber attacks on the city, Cat told Siobhan to call her investment broker, but she stammered for a moment and Kara took the assignment. The next day, Siobhan was having trouble with the copier, so Winn helped her out by removing a jammed paper. Siobhan lamented on how she can't count on anyone or anything her life. After some probing from Winn, Siobhan revealed she's upset over finding out from Indigo that her father was listed as a platinum member of Diamond Discretions and opened up about catching him having an affair when she was 17. Siobhan abruptly brushed off Winn's concern left him to make the copies.
Siobhan kisses Winn.
Later, Winn approached Siobhan as she was about to get on the elevator. He talked about his family and empathized with her situation, understanding what it's like to have your parents let you down, but assured Siobhan that there are still people who will be there for her if she lets them. Touched, Siobhan kissed Winn, but warned him not to speak of this to anyone. She then pushed him into the elevator to make out.[2]
Fired
Siobhan continued her secret relationship with Winn until Kara caught them together in a supply closet. The next day, Siobhan was thrown off when Kara began dressing boldly and one-upped her on getting Cat a list of potential replacements for Lucy.
Siobhan's email to Perry White.
When Supergirl had her inhibitions destroyed by Red Kryptonite, Siobhan caught her on tape letting a K'hund get away and showed this to Cat, but the latter refused to run the scoop until they had more information, much to Siobhan's frustration. Siobhan then decided to send the video to Perry White at the Daily Planet, planning to use it as her route to becoming a reporter in Metropolis. However, Kara picked up on this using super hearing and lured Siobhan away from her desk so she could print the email. When Cat found out about Siobhan's treachery, she fired Siobhan on the spot, and persuaded Perry not to hire her either.[3]
Following this, Siobhan was blackballed from National City's media industry, with no one willing to hire her due to being fired by "The Queen of all Media". Plotting revenge on Kara, Siobhan slipped into CatCo after hours and sent a nasty email to Cat on Kara's company laptop. The next night, Siobhan was called into Cat's office, believing that Kara was fired and she will get her job back. However, Cat revealed she had Winn analyze the email and found that the typing pattern was an exact match to Siobhan's. Cat brusquely ordered Siobhan out and warned her that she would be arrested if she ever set foot on CatCo or pulled another stunt like that again.
Siobhan's powers manifest, saving her life.
That night, Siobhan got drunk on a roof. Winn arrived, worried she would try to commit suicide, but Siobhan mockingly assured him she wouldn't. She then laid into Winn for turning on her as he tried to explain that resorting to criminal and manipulative behavior will get her nowhere. Suddenly, one of Siobhan's spike heels broke, sending her screaming over the edge. To Siobhan and Winn's shock, the sound waves from her screams break her fall just as she is about to smash into the pavement - blowing a giant hole in the concrete in the process.[4]
Becoming Silver Banshee
Winn took Siobhan to be examined by doctors at the D.E.O., who deduced that she wasn't an alien. While begging Winn to help, Siobhan started hearing a piercing scream inside her head and seeing visions of a banshee. Siobhan implied that she had been dealing with these visions for some time, stating that she had believed that she is cursed for "all her life".
Later that week, Siobhan was walking along the streets of National City when the visions and screams returned. Out of nowhere, she stormed into CatCo and screamed at Kara, sending her flying out of a window. However, Kara was rescued by the Flash, who accidentally traveled to Earth-38 while using the Tachyon prototype to increase his speed.
Siobhan consults her Aunt Sinead.
Later, a seemingly distraught Siobhan consulted her Aunt Sinead for help. She learned that years ago in Ireland, one of their ancestors stole something from a banshee. In retaliation, the banshee placed a curse on all of the women in the thief's family; whenever a female member of Siobhan's family is wronged, she is possessed by the spirit of a banshee. Once her powers grow to their full potential, she will be able to send her scream anywhere in the world. However, unless Siobhan kills the object of her rage, her scream will destroy her soul. This made Siobhan decide to kill Kara. Believing that Supergirl had rescued her, she decided she needed to get past the superheroine to get a shot at Kara.
Livewire and Silver Banshee team up.
Siobhan proved a quick study with her powers once she fully embraced them. Remembering that Livewire was incarcerated at the D.E.O. and wanted to kill Cat and Supergirl, she sonic screamed from a distance and shattered Livewire's prison. Siobhan then lured Livewire into an abandoned warehouse and offered to team up. Livewire readily agreed, but suggested that Siobhan get a new costume and a makeover. Siobhan painted her face white with heavy black eyeliner and put on a gray/silver wig--taking on an appearance similar to the banshee she saw in her visions. At Livewire's suggestion, she began calling herself "Silver Banshee".
When Supergirl and The Flash tracked Livewire and Silver Banshee to the warehouse, Supergirl was about to douse Livewire with water when Silver Banshee screamed with enough force to make her ears bleed. Supergirl and the Flash then created gusts of wind to push back Silver Banshee and Livewire before retreating.
Cat kidnapped by Livewire and Silver Banshee.
Livewire and Silver Banshee then stormed CatCo, with Silver Banshee arriving on Cat's private elevator. Winn tried one last time to talk some sense into Siobhan, but Siobhan tempestuously screamed him to the ground. They then kidnapped Cat and chained her to a bench at National City Park, using their powers to keep civilians and the police away. As Livewire was about to kill Cat, Supergirl and the Flash rushed in. Silver Banshee tried to scream at them, but it had no effect; the two heroes were wearing enhanced earplugs that the Flash built. As the Flash battled Livewire, Siobhan attacked Kara once Cat was freed. Livewire tried to crash a helicopter, but Supergirl flew in front of the blast to prevent a potential disaster. As Livewire and Silver Banshee were about to make a move on an incapacitated Supergirl, the bystanders rushed in to protect her. Livewire was about to electrocute them all when a fire engine doused her with water. Livewire's electricity grew out of control and hit Siobhan, which incapacitated her.
Siobhan was then arrested by the NCPD who, with the Flash's help, could now contain meta-humans.[5]
When Winn was showing Livewire's criminal record to the rest of Supergirl's team, it displayed Siobhan's name and the fact that she was affiliated with Livewire.[6]
For Supergirl's battle with Purity, Winn dug up the same tech that she and the Flash used to combat Siobhan.[7]
Personality
- "I admire loyalty, integrity, and employees that I can trust, not backstabbing, opportunistic little... imps."
- —Cat Grant to Siobhan Smythe when firing her[src]
Siobhan is an ambitious, arrogant, snobbish, impartial, manipulative, and selfish young woman, as money and fame are her dreams. She idolizes Cat Grant, aspiring to become a media mogul like her. Siobhan had no interest in getting to know or even working with her fellow employees at CatCo Worldwide Media; she looked down on nearly everyone, deeming them inferior unless maintaining favor was needed on her path to success, as seen with Cat. She is relentlessly driven to be the best and frequently tried to one-up Kara Danvers as Cat's assistant. Siobhan is petty and nosy as well, as seen when she often tried to eavesdrop on private and important conversations at CatCo and antagonize Kara by insulting her clothing and prodding into her relationship with James Olsen.
Siobhan's attitude seems to (partly) stem from having witnessed her father cheat on her mother, causing her to believe that being compassionate and friendly only resulted in getting stabbed in the back. When Winn Schott empathized with her pain, understanding what it's like realizing your parents aren't the people you thought they were, Siobhan fell in love with him; Winn was one of the few people other than her family whom she treated decently.
Despite her desire to be a journalist, Siobhan has no concept of the hard work or ethics required for the field, as her treachery and disloyalty know no bounds, despite having experienced similar pain regarding her father's affair. When Siobhan caught Supergirl on tape letting a K'hund get away, she wanted this to be publicized regardless of whether or not the superhero was an imposter, only caring about the recognition it would bring. After Cat refused to run the scoop, Siobhan planned to betray her boss without hesitation and send the video to Perry White of the Daily Planet, Cat's biggest competitor. This caused her to be (rightfully) fired and blacklisted from National City's media industry.
Siobhan is proven to be hypocritical and self-righteous; she developed a grudge against Kara for getting her fired, deeming the latter a "blonde mean girl" who ruined her life while refusing to acknowledge the immorality of her attempt to sell a false story for selfish reasons or the fact that she has been much crueler to Kara from her first day at CatCo. Siobhan even tried and failed to get Kara fired from CatCo as revenge, which ruined her relationship with Winn.
Upon realizing the existence of her powers, Siobhan quickly became corrupted and embraced them, with her vengeance against Kara and Cat escalating to a dangerous obsession. She initially desired to kill Kara to free her soul, but decided to instead go after Supergirl, kill Cat, and take over National City with Livewire, not caring who got hurt in the process. Siobhan has lost all her humanity, becoming a true villain.
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Curse of the Banshee: Siobhan's powers come from the curse that runs in her family.
- Sonic scream: Because of the banshee curse that effects her, Siobhan is able to emit high-frequency sound waves through her scream. The sound waves are powerful enough to shatter glass, break thick concrete, and pulverize cement. The sonic waves also act as levitation, able to cushion her falls. They are also strong enough to affect two full-sized adults at once by knocking them off their feet, disorienting them, or even killing them. Not even Kryptonians are immune to these screams, either because Siobhan's powers come from a magical curse (Kryptonians are not protected from the effects of magic), as a side effect of their enhanced hearing, or possibly both. She can also direct her screams over large distances and even send them at specific targets, as seen when she deafened Supergirl without affecting both Livewire and the Flash. As her powers grow, Siobhan will be able to send her scream anywhere in the world by focusing on her target.
- Superhuman strength: The banshee spirit that took over Siobhan gave her enhanced physical strength; when the spirit first took her over, Siobhan single-handedly threw Winn Schott back without breaking a stride. Later, after fully embracing her powers, Siobhan was able to land a hard punch on Supergirl that sent the latter flying several feet.
Abilities
- Skilled combatant: Siobhan has moderate skills in unarmed combat.[5]
Appearances
Supergirl
Season 1
Season 2
- "We Can Be Heroes" (mentioned)
Season 3
- "Both Sides Now" (indirectly mentioned)
The Flash
Season 4
- "Fury Rogue" (indirectly mentioned)
Trivia
- The Curse of the Banshee apparently makes women in Siobhan's family "unlikable",[5] which is probably the reason why no one but Winn seemed to like her.
- This would likely mean that Siobhan's family would only have a single child per generation as the cursed member of the family would soon drive off their partner; Siobhan admitted to Winn that she caught her father having an affair when she was 17.[2]
- Also, Siobhan is not mentioned to have any siblings from her parents' marriage, furthermore supporting this theory.
- This would likely mean that Siobhan's family would only have a single child per generation as the cursed member of the family would soon drive off their partner; Siobhan admitted to Winn that she caught her father having an affair when she was 17.[2]
- Unlike in the show where Siobhan and Kara become enemies at first sight, in the DC comics of the New 52, they become best friends right after they meet (and later roommates). Notably, Siobhan turns out to be the only one able to understand Kryptonese (as Kara could not speak or understand English until the Kryptonian H'el later gave her this ability) due to her Silver Banshee nature, and the first to recognize Kara as a hero.
- Siobhan's actress, Italia Ricci, is married to Robbie Amell, who portrayed Ronnie Raymond on The Flash.
Behind the scenes
- The character's appearance as the supernatural meta-human resembles the adaptation of Superman's enemy, Silver Banshee. The original version named, Siobhan McDougal, was created by John Byrne, first appearing in Action Comics #595 (December, 1987). The second version, on which the show's character is based, Siobhan Smythe, debuted in Supergirl vol. 6 #6 (2012) and was created by Michael Green, Mike Johnson, and Mahmud Asrar.
References
- ↑ "Truth, Justice and the American Way"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Solitude"
- ↑ "Falling"
- ↑ "Manhunter"
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Worlds Finest"
- ↑ "We Can Be Heroes"
- ↑ "Both Sides Now"