Other than being a female superhero, which was quite uncommon in the 1950s (the time she was created by the legendary Mars Ravelo), it’s hard to find a fault in her. Darna’s power is unmatched and her character is worthy of being idolized.

To scrape the surface of her greatness, here are five reasons why Darna is the “ultimate superhero”:

1. She’s invincible with her super strength & speed, power of flight, and invulnerability to all man-made weapons.

Darna is a mighty warrior from the Planet Marte so she is trained and highly skilled in combat. That alone makes her a force to be reckoned with, but she’s also blessed with supernatural abilities that are literally out of this world. She has both super strength and super speed, and she can fly swiftly to chase her enemies. And while she can easily defend herself and dodge bullets, her body is also immune to man-made weapons.

2. She fights for what is right and just.

Darna isn’t a hero merely because of her superpowers. Her sense of integrity and justice is truly what makes her a savior. She’s not in it for fame or glory because she knows what matters is protecting those who are good from those who are viciously evil. It didn’t matter if she was fighting regular criminals on the street or magical dark forces because she had to save everyone who needed her help.

3. She has an equally amazing alter-ego, Narda.

Since Darna isn’t from Earth, she is channeled via the magic white stone swallowed by Narda, a simple human girl. Even without massive strength or superpower, Narda is deserving to be the alter-ego of Darna. She wholeheartedly took on the responsibility of saving the world from evil despite being a young woman who was given the task suddenly. She knew she had to look at the bigger picture, the bigger need of humanity regardless of her own weaknesses and fears.

4. She serves as an inspiration for women.

Women have often been in the minority- sometimes, oppressed, silenced, or discriminated against. Seeing a heroine like Darna sparks something within women and pushes them to stand tall and be empowered like her. She is a symbol showing how women have the capability to unleash their strengths for good. It doesn’t necessarily mean being able to battle crime day in and out, but rather using whatever gifts or talents they have to serve others.

5.She embodies the Filipino value of bayanihan and compassion.

While Darna was inspired by an American superhero, she is given more heart with empathy, compassion, and the spirit of bayanihan lived by Filipinos. Even if she is not from the planet Earth, she saw that there are weak and oppressed people that needed her and she chose to save them. Aside from that, she is not afraid to enlist the help of the community. Her supernatural abilities can beat the bad guys, but the support of the police and ordinary citizens helps her keep the rest of the world safe.

Soon, we’ll see Darna take flight again on the TV screens with ABS-CBN’s “Mars Ravelo’s Darna: The TV Series.” Direk Chito Roño envisions this adaptation of Darna, portrayed by Kapamilya actress Jane de Leon, to be “more real” while still giving it that “larger than life” experience. Without a doubt, this fresh take on the revered Darna will continue to inspire hope, make an impact, and ignite a passion for the next generation of viewers.