'Supergirl' Star Nicole Maines Suits Up as First Transgender Superhero on TV -- See the Photo!

Nicole Maines as Dreamer on Supergirl
Getty Images/The CW

The 21-year-old actress slips into her DC Comics alter ego, Dreamer, for the first time later this month.

Dreamer is coming to Supergirl.

On Friday, The CW released the official first photo of Nia Nal (Nicole Maines) suited up as her DC Comics superhero alter ego, and revealed that the first glimpse of Dreamer's costume will come at the end of the Jan. 27 episode, "Blood Memory." The hour will explain Nia's backstory, how she came to get her powers and what troubles come with them. Nia will be fully suited up in the following episode, "Menagerie," airing Feb. 17.

In the photo, Maines rocks a tritone gray-blue bodysuit complete with complementary mask and asymmetrical silver belt, as she channels her futuristic powers with the National City skyline serving as the backdrop. Dreamer is the first transgender superhero on television.

See the first photo of Maines as Dreamer below.

The CW

In October, Maines opened up to ET about expanding the Supergirl universe by telling a superhero story through a trans lens.

“What’s important about having a trans character in shows like these is that we’re able to look at issues of goodness, justice and crime-fighting through a trans lens, which she also does with her being a woman and a reporter and a superhero. She’s able to bring a unique perspective to all of these issues," Maines said. "I can’t reveal too much, but in one of the episodes, she has a really, really, really great conversation where she is talking about the state of National City and she really uses her alliance as a trans woman to help people understand that.”

The 21-year-old actress also talked about Kara and Nia's evolving dynamic, which began as a mentorship at CatCo and quickly transformed into "a really beautiful friendship between co-workers, between women, between reporters."

"And it’ll evolve into a beautiful friendship between superheroes," Maines teased. "All my scenes with Melissa are really, really fun because she’s sweet in person, so Kara and Nia have a really great energy together. Kara really helps her come out of her shell and find her confidence and her footing in CatCo. I just love the relationship.”

Supergirl returns Sunday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

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