New Dark-Skinned Powerpuff Girl Joins Bubbles, Blossom & Buttercup

The Powerpuff Girls have always been one big happy family but now, their sisterhood is making room for one more--and becoming more diverse than ever. Bliss, a brown-skinned, blue-haired sister is joining the iconic trio Bubbles, Blossom, and Buttercup as part of a new five-part movie event.

If you're wondering how a new sister can come out of the woodwork and joined the sisterhood, the creators have that covered. She was created by Professor X before Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup were even in the picture, but rather than using Chemical X, she was made with Chemical W, which tied her superpowers to her emotions. That means when she gets pissed, Bliss combusts and damages everything around her. She quickly got tired of causing more harm than good and ran way to Bird Poop Island (yes, that's really where she went) to exile herself--until now.

The creation of Bliss is a major step forward for a show that already established its feminist street cred when it premiered in 1998. Since then, the show has aired over 78 episodes, a feature film, and a Christmas special. The creators fully intend for Bliss to slay the diversity game, though, because in the U.S. and South Africa, the newest Powerpuff Girl is voiced by South African rapper Toya Delazy.

When speaking toSouth African Elle about the role, Delazy heaped praise on the show and what it means for young black girls like herself who grew up watching the original series. "It feels amazing; there's nothing more I can say... to fill girls, especially young black girls, with that energy to say you can do anything," she explained. "That was the point of Powerpuff Girls. It was to make young girls dream that they can be superheroes... If the representation counts to the fact that everybody's speaking about it to this extent, that means it was very necessary, and it's beautiful. It's exciting putting a spotlight on Africa, as well."

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The inclusion of a brown-skinned Powerpuff Girl aligns with the reboot's new focus on fixing problematic parts from the original series. Alongside more fleshed-out personalities for the girls, the creators have also fixed the sexist portrayal of the mayor's assistant, Miss Bellum, and they've included a new villain named Manboy, who is child-sized but has super-strength. All in a day's work for Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, and Bliss.