Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 13 - What's So Funny About Truth, Justice, and the American Way?

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here. 




Plot

With Agent Liberty released from prison, Manchester Black makes a bold move and escapes with the aid of his new super-powered allies. Forming a new group called The Elite, they will test Kara as much as a new revelation regarding Agent Liberty and President Baker's efforts to turn his popularity to the benefit of his administration.


Influences

Superman #775 


Goofs

So Manchester Black has been friends with a guy with a magic hat all this time?

Why DOESN"T Kara use the door when she enters the diner to confront Manchester? That restaurant owner didn't deserve to have a hole put in their ceiling.

It beggars belief that Kara is still willing to believe the best of President Baker after everything he has done to undermine her position publicly and to promote Agent Liberty's agenda.

A close second? That the Morae can sneak into the White House undetected and don't kill President Baker - the man who gave the order to kill all the Morae employed by the government a few episodes ago? The man who pardoned Agent Liberty? The man about to launch a satellite that will destroy any spaceship approaching Earth, hostile or no?


Performances

David Ajala has been sorely missed as Manchester Black over the past few episodes. He more than makes up for his absence here. Indeed, he is so charming that he threatens to undermine the script by being far more clever in his performance than his dialogue allows.


Super Trivia

The title of the episode is taken from Superman #775 - the story which introduced the character of Manchester Black and the other members of The Elite.

This is the first episode to feature a new introduction, which reflects the changed reality of Kara no longer working for the DEO and Alex not knowing that Kara is Supergirl.

In the comics, The Hat was a young Asian earth elemental named Rampotatek who possessed a measure of invulnerability & the natural ability to breathe fire. He armed himself with a magic hat from which he could pull any item he desires, summon demons, & wield magic.

The Arrowverse version of The Hat has the same powers as his comic book counterpart, but his hat is said to be from the Fifth Dimension rather than a magical artifact. (This could be a clever nod to the Arrowverse version of Mister Mxyzptlk, who did not have the character's trademark hat from the comics. )

Brainiac-5 makes reference to a friend named Val, who taught him how to fight in ways that involved improvisation rather than calculation. This is a reference to the Legionnaire Val Armorr - aka Karate Kid.


Technobabble

Kelex is an Caretaker Android Mark IV.

Alex's lab contains a gel electrophoresis apparatus, which Eve Teschmacher needs for some reason.

Alex says that Lena's process is reducing mitophagy while increasing mitochondrial efficiency at the same time.

Manchester Black gives Supergirl the location for where he wants to meet her using superliminal stimuli embedded in structured light.

Brainiac-5 creates a pair of gloves that allow Nia to harness raw dream energy, creating focused blasts of astral force.


Dialogue Triumphs

Supergirl: My name is Kara Zor-El. I'm from Krypton. I'm a refugee on this planet. I was sent to Earth to protect my cousin. But my pod got knocked off course. And by the time I got here, my cousin had already grown up and become Superman. I hid who I really was until one day when an accident forced me to reveal myself to the world. To most people, including my adoptive sister Alex, I'm a reporter at CatCo Worldwide Media. But in secret, I work to protect this planet I call my home from anyone that means to cause it harm. I am Supergirl.

Nia: Did I cover okay about training and everything? Did I blow it?
Kara: No, no! I'm still getting used to the lying to Alex, too. And don't worry, you'll get better at the whole "sneaking out" thing. The key is subtlety.
(As the elevator opens, the two see Brainy, wearing a ball-cap, sunglasses and a T-shirt that reads "Don't Hassle Me - I'm Local." He looks as conspicuous as it is possible for a person to look without being on fire.)
Kara: Case in point.

Manchester Black: (To J'onn) You think I'm good deep down, eh? Well, it's a bad time to be a good man. Take you, for instance. If it weren't for your bloody promise, I believe you could solve all the worlds problems. You just need motivation.

Manchester Black: Every action has an opposite and equal, yeah? This "Earth First" Liberty crowd, they hurt aliens. And what, they don't think we'll hurt them in kind? Why? 'Cause Supergirl says that's not the way? Supergirl's like a folktale. In theory, comforting, noble. In reality, (scoffs)  ill-equipped and clinging to ideals of a time long past. When they go low, she goes high. We put them six feet lower.
(The crowd behind Manchester begin applauding politely.)
Manchester Black: We're through giving these devils the benefit of the law. Supergirl's done. This is the era of the Elite.

Kara: Manchester got to you, didn't he? At the prison?
J'onn: All I've wanted to do since my father died is honor him. Live by his example.
Kara: And you have.
J'onn: But I'm struggling, Kara. There's a duality in me that's at war. I want to be a man of peace just like my father, but every fiber of my being is fighting against that. Being a Manhunter was part of my nature.
Kara: Are you considering picking back up the sword?
J'onn: I made a personal vow I wouldn't take that lightly.
Kara: Well, if you choose to join the fight to bring the Elite to justice, I'm sure your father would understand. Even Myr'nn joined the fight against Reign.
J'onn: Manchester is baiting me. We're connected somehow. I think he can feel the rage that lies within me. The rage born of the massacre of my family. One thing's for certain, Manchester was a test for me. But whether he's a test of my resolve, or just a mirror showing me that I cannot walk my father's path, I just don't know.
Kara: You will find clarity, J'onn. I know you will.
J'onn: Thank you.

Manchester Black: You won't join us, and I can't beat you. So, let's make a deal.
Supergirl: I accept your surrender.
Manchester Black: Never. But I can stay out of your soup. Cat in a tree, idiot in tights, bank robbers? All yours. But the racists, the fascists, the Children of Liberty? That's our department.
Supergirl: I won't let you keep killing people.
Manchester Black: (sarcastically) Oh, like your government intends to kill people?
(Supergirl looks confused by this.)
Manchester Black:You really don't know, do you? Next week, your beloved government is launching a satellite that will shoot down any alien spacecraft trying to enter our atmosphere.
Supergirl: That's impossible.
Manchester Black: I have it on good authority. Hat kidnaps secret agent types, learns what they're up to. That's why we formed this band of merry men.
(Menagerie clears her throat.)
Manchester Black: Sorry, merry people.
Supergirl: Why should I believe you?
Manchester Black: Talk to your mate, Baker. You know, the bloke who just pardoned the grand bloody wizard of the Children of Liberty? Ask him 'bout Operation Claymore. And then ask yourself, what if it were your ship they were blowing up? You came here in a rocket. Child in a basket, you know? Real Moses stuff. Here's your chance to tell the bosses to "let your people go. " Or us plagues'll do it for ya.


Continuity

Kara completely forgets about her lunch plans with Alex, in favor of a training session with Brainiac-5 and Dreamer.

Lena is said to be moving her operation into Alex's old lab at the DEO.

Brainiac-5 is still using Barney as an alias when posing as a human.

MacKenzie, the CatCo reporter who approached James with a story about strange goings-on at L-Corp that he shot down in 411, approaches him again about new information from the same source.

Kara, Dreamer and Braniac-5 are using the Fortress of Solitude to train.

Manchester Black has dyed his hair purple.

Hat is an old friend of Manchester's from way back.

The Hat can teleport himself and others but only to places he has been before.

The Elite is made up of Manchester Black, Hat, Menagerie and the one uncaptured Morae from 410.

Brainiac-5 uses differential calculus to anticipate his opponent's moves in a fight.

Brainy also tries to teach Dreamer the importance of improvisation and not depending on what you think will happen, be it because of predictive dreams or mathematical probabilities.

Brainy refuses to tell Dreamer what her descendants were able to do with their powers for fear of causing a paradox.

Alex makes reference to when Lena spoke about giving people super powers at Thanksgiving in 406.

Lena's deal with the DEO only gives them access to products, not procedures. She will maintain all control over how the process works because she does not trust the DEO to handle her work.

Lena asks for Alex to come work her in the DEO lab, saying she's wasted in management.

Ben Lockwood is confronted by a man named Cooper, who runs the Children of Liberty operations around Washington DC. He accuses Lockwood of selling-out and paling around with politicians instead of doing the work that needs doing ever since getting out of prison.

The Elite steal the Crown Jewels of England in order to get publicity for their cause.  Manchester asks Supergirl to meet him at dawn at a diner in Manchester.

Ben Lockwood asks President Baker to deputize the Children of Liberty during their meeting. President Baker laughs this off, saying his government is doing just fine keeping the peace and fighting violent aliens.

Kelex gives Dreamer access to the Fortress of Solitude records on Naltor.

Project Claymore is a secret US Government project to launch a satellite capable of shooting down any alien aircraft approaching Earth.

Dreamer begins learning how to astral project.

Supergirl approaches Alex about Project Claymore. She knows nothing about it and says such a project legally should fall under DEO control, though morally she cannot support it.

The Hat steals Brainiac-5's Legion flight ring and gives it to Manchester Black.

The Elite attempt to redirect Project Claymore so it will destroy The White House.

Alex brings the Armored Supergirl Suit from 404. This enables Kara to fly into orbit to stop Project Claymore and destroy it.

The Project Claymore satellite cost $2 billion dollars to make.

Alex unofficially leaves the door open for Supergirl to work with the DEO when requested.

Col. Haley claims that she didn't know about Project Claymore either and is disturbed when Alex asks her about it and President Baker going outside of the standard protocol.

Alex tells Lena she doesn't trust the DEO anymore and wants to help her with her work.

President Baker names Ben Lockwood as the new Director of Alien Affairs.

James Olsen asks Mackenzie if her source would be willing to speak about the corruption at L-Corps on the record.

Ben Lockwood beats Cooper (possibly to death) with an Agent Liberty mask to assert his control of the Children of Liberty.


Location

Fortress of Solitude
Rio de Janeiro , Brazil.
London, UK.
Manchester, UK
Washington DC, USA
Devil's Tower, Wyoming, USA.
Low Earth Orbit above the United States


Untelevised Adventures

Brainiac-5 and Kelex apparently met at some point (probably during Elseworlds) and immediately failed to hit it off with each other, for some unspecified reason.


The Kryptonite Factor

The core problem with this episode is two-fold. First, that it wastes time trying to build sympathy for Ben Lockwood as a pawn of a politician who only sees him as a prop toward helping his own sagging poll numbers - a conceit that doesn't work since, as Kara points out, he's a murder who flushed any higher principals he had away a while ago.  Next, it goes out of its way to try paint Manchester Black as a villain, turning The Elite into thieves and killers of innocents rather than superheroes with no qualms about killing.

Any chance of nuanced discussion regarding Black's position is immediately negated because he's a criminal ignoring his attitude that violence can be met in kind with violence when lives are at stake. It's almost as if the show's writers got this far, realized the fallacy of Kara's own centrist argument about "both sides being just as bad" and twisted things to make it true.


The Bottom Line

A bit of a mess, which works far better than it should thanks to some terrific speeches and some strong performances. A marked stepped down from every other adaptation of What's So Funny About Truth, Justice And The American Way? the introduction of the Elite is rushed and they're made into generic punk criminals who mostly beat up bad people rather than the heroic but violent characters from the original story. The execution of The Elite, however, is solid but one wishes more time had been taken to establish them instead of just happening to have all these characters come together now. Still, for more David Ajala being snarky, I can put up with a lot.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 7 - Rather the Fallen Angel

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.




Plot

As James Olsen gets in too deep trying to find the leader of the Children of Liberty, Supergirl and Manchester Black join forces to root out the terrorist leader more directly... with deadly consequences for The Girl of Steel!  Meanwhile, Lena prepares to start human trials in her efforts to find a way to accelerate human evolution using Harun-El.


Influences

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (title, character named Adam who is the subject of an experiment, general theme of good people being made into monsters by the want of love), 52 (Lex Luthor's Everyman Project is similar to what Lena is attempting here.)


Goofs

Lena makes reference to Nagel's Spider In The Shower Conundrum. It may be different on Earth 38, but in our world the conundrum involves a Spider In A Urinal. (The CW censors might not have allowed them to mention urinal.)


Performances

David Ajala continues to manage an impossible balancing act as Manchester Black. On the one hand, part of you can't help but love the guy and sympathize with him even as he pushes the limits of what Supergirl can ignore with his vigilantism. And then we find out just how far he's gone and.... well, you still sympathize with him and are left wondering, like Kara, how much of his betrayal was planned out and if he truly was counting on being able to save Supergirl on his own or her being able to free herself or if he truly was throwing her to the wolves only to change his mind and save her at the last moment. It's a complex performance that perfect captures the conflicted nature of the episode's core theme.


Artistry

The script of the episode is a brilliant piece of work, full of literary allusion and complex moral arguments one doesn't usually expect to see in a CW series.

The fifth segment is well-directed, with some wonderful fight scenes and that final shot of Kara before the Torch of Liberty is a beautiful one.

The final Manchester Black costume is a dead on perfect adaptation of the costume from the comics.


Super Trivia

The title of the episode is taken from a line from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - "Remember that I am thy creature; I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend." The line itself is a reference to Milton's Paradise Lost and how Lucifer fell because it was God's will that he fall as part of the Divine Plan where as Adam fell because of his own free will. In this, the creature Dr. Frankenstein created suggests that he is only a monster because Frankenstein's neglect made him become one.

The title somewhat mirrors the stories of most of its characters, who undertake monstrous actions in the name of love. James' efforts to investigate The Children of Liberty almost lead to him becoming a killer in the name of maintaining a cover. Manchester Black has already become a murderer because of his anger at losing Fiona to The Children of Liberty. And Lena is crossing several lines in her efforts to try and protect people by trying to create an equalizer for her species. Even Agent Liberty himself can be seen as an example of this, as his actions ultimately were born of his desire to protect his family and their employees.

Lena makes reference to Nagel's Spider in The Shower Conundrum. In our reality, this is more commonly known as The Spider In The Urinal Conundrum. The story was told by philosopher Thomas Nagel that he noticed a spider in a urinal near his office and how the poor creature seemed to survived despite being urinated upon several times a day. One day, he used a paper towel to gently remove the spider from the gutter in which it was trapped and deposited it on the ground. A day later, he found the spider was where he had left it, quite dead. Nagel used this story to show the unintended consequences of altruism and how every often well meaning attempts at helping people could cause far greater harm than doing nothing.

Shelley Island - the government base used to process alien immigrants to America - is clearly modeled on Ellis Island - the American base that handled processing immigrants in Manhattan until 1954. It is named in honor of Mary Shelley.

Lena's efforts to turn ordinary humans into superhumans are similar to Lex Luthor's Everyman Project in the mini-series 52, allowing nearly anyone who could pay the price or was willing to sign on to Lex Luthor's corporate-owned superhero team to get superpowers.


Technobabble

DISL Codes are the international standard for IDing freight containers.

Out of over 100 applicants for Lena's experiment, all but 12 were acceptably risk-tolerant.

Brainy says that the shipping label fragment couldn't be read. It was made up of 80% glue, 9.7% ink and the rest was Nalcyite - a.k.a. Nalcian table salt.

Nalcian table salt can be quite volatile on Earth and under the right conditions it has an explosive factor of 8,000 joules per gram. This is equal to a small, precise nuclear explosion.

Shelley Island has power-dampening pylons that prevent most alien powers from functioning there.

Supergirl just happens to have a yellow sun grenade to boost her powers for when she goes into areas she knows will have power-dampening tech.

Manchester has an armored vest with a Union Jack design on it that he slips on to fight the Agents of Liberty.

Manchester uses an empathy amplifier against J'onn - a device that doubles the pain an empath feels in others but keeps them from letting it out.

Adam showed signs of having extra-human powers for 3 minutes and 14 seconds before dying at 4:03 a.m.. Lena says that the experiment still gave her new information on the human genome despite his death. She predicts an 87% chance of success on future trails.


Dialogue Triumphs

Adam: Believe me. I've never been a hero. 
Lena: Neither have I.
Adam: You ever lost someone, Dr. Kieran?
Lena: Yes. She was the only hero I ever had.

Tom: I guess this is what happens when we let fear guide us.

James: But what is reputation? I mean, what is it? It's nothing. It's not who you are. So if the latest fringe group wants to tear that monument down, we will build it right back up. Agent Liberty can do whatever he wants with my reputation. I know who I am.

Lena: Bad luck doesn't make you a bad person. Bad choices do. And I would know, because I am a much worse person than you.

(Manchester pulls the mask off the fake Agent Liberty and puts a gun to his chin.)
Manchester Black: I made a deal with our dead friend over there and he did not deliver. Maybe you can. Who is Agent Liberty?
Fake Agent Liberty: If I tell you, you'll let me live? 
Manchester Black: I believe disloyalty should be rewarded.

Adam: Please let me do something good.

J'onn: You betrayed Supergirl, tonight! You betrayed me and your promise to Fiona! No vengeance is worth your soul!
Manchester Black What soul, old man?
J'onn: I saw the love you had for Fiona. How you fought for her! I also know what you're going to do. And I can't let you kill a man, even if that man is Agent Liberty. Once you cross that line, Manchester, there is no going back!
Manchester Black: You have no idea what lines I've already crossed.(points to J'onn's chest.) You see that there? That's your heart beating. Mine is dead. (half-sobbing)  And every time I close my eyes, and wait to hear Fi's voice?  There's nothing! There's just silence. (shakes his head) I'm empty, man.
J'onn: That's not true!
Manchester Black: You want to know the truth? Look.
(Manchester takes J'onn's hand and puts it on his forehead before slapping his chest with a blue electric disc with his other hand. We see visions of Manchester killing The Children of Liberty. He releases his grip as J'onn collapses to the ground.) 
J'onn:  (pained) Why won't it stop?
Manchester Black: It's an empathy amplifier. It was created to use against empaths. Double the hurt and keep everything in. If I can't escape this pain, neither can you..You shouldn't have believed in me.
(Manchester Black returns to his bike, leaving John wallowing on the ground in pain.)

Lena: I'm so sorry, Adam. I moved the spider.

(James tells Kara he's writing about his time among the Children of Liberty.)
Kara: Yeah, I've been thinking a lot about that too. Duality? How people can surprise you. Manchester Black is... bad. He killed people. He betrayed me. But... then he turned around to help me.
James: Well, maybe he wasn't trying to help you? Maybe that was just a consequence.
Kara: Yeah. I guess people only show you what they want you to see. And that's not always who they are.
James: Yeah. I mean, look at me, I... I compromised myself tonight.
Kara: You saved Tom's life.
James: But I risked everything I've worked for. Everything. My reputation. My life (pauses) Your life. (pauses) You know, though - I guess I kinda understand a little better why Lena lied to me about the DA now.
Kara: You should tell her that.


Continuity

Supergirl and Manchester Black meet up after they stop a Child of Liberty from stealing fission rods from an alien-run factory.

Supergirl agrees to contact Manchester if she learns anything about what The Children of Liberty are planning.

Agent Liberty refuses to tell James anything about his motivations and instead asks him to destroy something that is a symbol of everything The Children of Liberty stand against.

Lena's first test subect is given the designation Subject 331. He has nice green eyes, according to Eve Teschmacher. He is a Caucasian Male, 5'9", with brown hair. He has a three-inch scar on his left flank. He originally claims it was from a hockey injury but it is eventually revealed to have been from surgery to implant a kidney.

Eve Teschmacher has a cousin with cancer in hospice care. The cousin has two daughters.

Ben Lockwood's new TV show is called The Lockdown. His first episode is devoted to blaming Supergirl for the disappearance of five Agents of Liberty who were "peacefully protesting" on Thanksgiving. These agents are presumed to be the men killed by Manchester Black in 406.

Tom, the Agent of Liberty whom James stopped from taking part in the Thanksgiving night attacks, gives James back his Guardian gear and helps him to escape.

Shelley Island is an island base used by the US Government to process alien immigrants to Earth. It was shut down after President Marsdin resigned and The Children of Liberty turned it into a base.

The container Manchester Black tracks down was a sub-zero unit.  Supergirl finds part of a shipping label under it.

Supergirl rejects Manchester's help after he beats up the dock foreman with brass kunckles to get answers without trying to ask for help first.

Lema lies and says her name is Dr. Kieran when her test subject asks for her name.

Lena chose Subject 331 because of Nagel's Spider in The Shower Conundrum - a multiple choice question regarding how one treats a spider stuck in a shower. Subject 331 was the only one who made the same choice as Lena - leave it alone because you don't know what the spider wants.

Lena said she chose Subject 331 because of his response to The Shower Conundrum i.e. he showed no desire to be a hero (i.e. move the spider) but likewise didn't go out of his way to kill the spider just because he could. Lena's worst fear for her project involves creating another wannabe superhero whose power will outstrip their ability.

Subject 331 had a brother who died who was a real hero and so perfect it was nauseating.

The five dead Agents of Liberty are found. There's no evidence they were killed by aliens, with all five men having died from broken jaws, shattered skulls and gunshot wounds. Alex thinks the killings were personal.

Kara asks if a person with brass kunckles could break someone's jaw. Alex says they could if they were strong enough.

J'onn says he thinks Manchester could be a useful ally to Supergirl and says he is resourceful and clever even if he is stubborn and has a temper. J'onn says that under all his anger and pain he has a good heart.

Supergirl gives Manchester a pot pie and offers to give him a second chance.

Subject 331 confesses that his scar is from kidney surgery rather than a hockey injury. He also reveals that the reason his hero brother died is from complications donatings a kidney to save his life. He survived the transplant - his brother didn't survive having the kidney removed. Despite this, Lena stands by her decision when Subject 331 says he's a selfish person and he still wouldn't risk his life to save his brother if their situations had been reversed.

Supergirl and Manchester deduce the container was meant to hold fission rods but that it was empty before it came to port. That means it had to be emptied out on an island. Since Shelley Island is powered by fission rods, they figure that it must have been turned into a base by the Children of Liberty.

Manchester persuades Supergirl to go deal with Agent Liberty stealthily, without a big DEO team.

Manchester disables Supergirl's yellow sun grenade so she is powerless when she arrives on Shelley Island. He did this in exchange for an audience with Agent Liberty.

Subject 331's name is revealed to be Adam.

Lena reveals the only hero she ever had was her birth mother, who died when she was four. Lena says that her mother drowned while she was swimming in a lake and that Lena just stood there and watched her die.

Lena feels, on some level, that she was destined to be with the Luthors because of her own muted reaction to her birth mother's dying in front of her.

Manchester was running a con on The Children of Liberty and deduces that he isn't meeting the real Agent Liberty when the "Agent Liberty" he makes reference to Fiona. Knowing that if The Children of Liberty knew who he was and knew he was engaged to an alien who was killed by The Children of Liberty, that there is no way they'd ever let him near their real leader, Manchester reveals himself and attacks.

Manchester destroys the power-dampening pylons, allowing Supergirl to break free and remove the bombs before Shelley island is blown up.

Adam convinces Lena not to discontinue the experiment and tells her that she's a good person for wanting to help people with this treatment.  He later dies after showing signs of having powers for a little over three minutes.

James goes to Lena and asks if they can talk about rekindling their romance. She asks to see him tomorrow instead.

The final scene shows Manchester Black arriving at Lockwood Steel, suggesting he did learn Agent Liberty's true identity.


Location

Shelley Island


The Bottom Line

Easily the strongest episode of the season so far. When Supergirl comes to an end, this will likely be remembered as one of its greatest, most well-written episodes. Things that seem to be plot-holes are later explained away as foreshadowing of various elements and the whole story is full of wit, allusion and complex morality. The only aspect in which it suffers is that Agent Liberty is made into more of an outright villain by his actions here, which removes the ambiguity that most of the other characters are meant to display. Yet even though his actions here represent a further push for the line, they are still well within the boundaries established by earlier episodes.