The legendary artist Mars Ravelo and illustrator Nestor Redondo created Darna the famous Filipino comics super heroine on April 1950 . The character was first serialized in Pilipino Komiks which quickly captured the imagination and hearts of avid Filipino comics readers. 

A year later, on May 31, 1951 the flying avenger flew for the first time on the silver screen with her side kick brother Ding. The movie was produced by Fernando Poe's Royal Films and starred the sensational actress Rosa Del Rosario in the title role.  Cristina Aragon played her arch nemesis Valentina the snake woman, while Mila Nimpa portrayed Narda, Darna's alter ego. Since then, the super heroine has been a sought after role by promising and talented actresses. 

The origin of Darna is as varied as the numerous Darna movies produced about the Filipino Superwoman, since scriptwriters, directors, producers, and even actresses of said films try to make their movie palatable to different genres and to their "unthinking" audience or try to inject their own ideals of how or what Darna should be.

Nonetheless, the real Darna had a curious beginning.  Mars Ravelo first called her Varga and that she came from the planet Marte.  He compared her to Venus with the strength of Hercules. 

Now where did the magic stone, which is the secret behind Darna's powers, come to being?

A revision was made, and the story of how Narda became Darna was formed.

Narda is not Darna 

The story goes, when Narda was about 10, she and her friends went to play hide and seek during a clear starry night, this is in the province by the way.

While Narda and her 5 year old brother Ding, were in hiding in the bushes, a meteor fell not far from them.  Peaked with curiosity, the two investigate.

At ground zero, they find an angel-like figure who was well and unscathed.  Seeing good in the young girl's heart, the entity (which probably came from Marte) gave Narda a magic stone.  The alien being said that if someone swallows the stone and shouts "Darna!", that person becomes -- you guessed it right, the super heroine Darna.  And if that person wants to turn back to her or his original self, she or he just shouts her or his name out loud.  Further warning was given by the alien entity, like the stone should only be used for good, and all that stuff, before dissolving to nothingness. 

And what do you know?  The young impressionable Narda took the bait, I mean, the stone, swallowed it, and shouts "Darna!"

And Walla!  Narda becomes a full-grown woman with well endowed chest and all.

Darna's Psyche

You see, Narda is not Darna.  In the strictest sense, Narda is just the medium, the bottle if you must, the vessel for the alien being Darna to take over.  

What a smart alien species Darna must belong to.  Who wouldn't grab the opportunity of becoming a superhero?  Instead of conquering the world through brute force, these extra-terrestials conquer through man's measly own free will.  In short, Narda is under an alien control.

Just think if Ding took the stone, instead of Narda, he would surely still look like the female Darna because by doing so (swallowing and shouting), he is making a magical incantation for 'Darna' to possess him.

Therefore, Dolphy's movie, where he became a gay Darna, is totally false.

Superwoman

So what are Darna's superpowers?

Well we know that she can fly.  She is also fast, but we don't know if she can reach light speed.  She has superhuman strength, but how much, that we don't know.  She is also impregnable to common weapons like your balisong and gun, unless they have acquired special mystical properties.

Now, what is Darna's kryptonite?

According to Ravelo, her powers can be affected by her emotions.  This further strengthens the claim that Darna is not Narda.  Therefore, you can defeat Darna by defeating her human host.

Although Darna has fought numerous villains, no one comes close to becoming as popular as the protagonist herself other than Valentina, the snake-haired woman.  Although Valentina looks like the Gorgon, Medusa, she can't turn people into stone just by looking at them.  Her powers again vary depending on the movie you watch.

Other villains Darna fought with includes Hawk Woman, Bat Woman, Tree Monsters, Aliens (these are probably the enemies of the people of Marte), Leech Woman, Giants, Vampire, and Lei Ming (the black magic woman).  Lame, huh?

Movie List

[ Feedback ] [ Back on top ]