Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 13 - For The Girl Who Has Everything

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





Plot

Alex, J'onn and the DEO must fend off an attack by the hostile Kryptonians alone when Kara falls victim to a psychic attack by an alien parasite. Meanwhile, Kara dreams of a perfect life on a Krypton that was never destroyed
.

Influences

Alan Moore's "For the Man Who Has Everything" (title and basic plot), J.M. Dematteis' adaptation of For The Man Who Has Everything for Justice League Unlimited (Alex's speech to wake Kara up mirrors one Batman gives to Superman, Krypton experiencing earthquakes as Kara begins to doubt the vision) and John Byrne's Man of Steel.


Goofs

Nobody seems at all concerned about stopping the alien parasite as it crawls off of Kara's body and heads for the lab exit...


Performances

Melissa Benoist gives two great performances here - one as Kara fighting her perfect world and another as J'onn trying to pass himself off as Kara.

Laura Benanti also has a nice double role as Allura and Astra. It is her turn as Astra, however, which bares the most attention, as we see a different side of the Kryptonian general and how despite everything she still cares more for her family than her plans for Earth.

Mehcad Brooks doesn't get a lot to do in this episode, but his speech standing up to Hank Henshaw is well played and shows James' natural sense of compassion, that he can see through Henshaw's mask to see how he has come to view Kara and Alex as his own daughters.

Chyler Leigh has had perhaps the most thankless role on the show as Alex Danvers. That changed with this episode, which seems to have given her more heavy-lifting to do as an actor than all of her scenes in every episode up until this point. Alex has always been defined by her relationship to Kara but this was the first time that was used to develop Alex as something beyond being the dutiful big sister.


Artistry

The special effects used to bring Kelex to life are good.

The direction on the final segment, switching as it does between the two fight scenes, is effectively handled.

The script for this episode is a wonderful one finding just the right line between the comedic and dramatic moments. And it manages to pay tribute to "For The Man Who Has Everything" without ripping it off wholesale.


Super Trivia

The title and basic plot of this episode come from a Superman story - originally told in Superman Annual #11 - titled "For The Man Who Has Everything." Written by the legendary Alan Moore, it is widely considered to be one of the greatest Superman stories of all time and was adapted into an episode of the Justice League Unlimited animated series by writer J.M. Dematteis. This adaptation stayed fairly close to the original text, though it did add a few novel touches - such as Krypton experiencing earthquakes whenever Superman began to doubt the reality around him.

The Black Mercy is a telepathic parasitic plant that establishes a connection with a host and feeds them visions of a perfect life as it saps their life force. It cannot be forcibly removed without killing the host. The only way to safely remove the Black Mercy is for the host to reject their hallucinations. This does not happen often and rarely without outside intervention.

The DCTVU verison of The Black Mercy appears to be unable to instantly create a connection with its host, as opposed to the comic version which immediately absorbs the host into a fantasy. Here, we see Kara resisting the vision of a perfect Krypton before accepting it.

Superman, Batman the Green Lantern Hal Jordan, and Green Arrow have all fallen victim to a Black Mercy at some point in the comics.

The robot tending to Kara when she "wakes up" on Krypton is named Kelex. This was the name of a service droid who served Jor-El in John Byrne';s Man of Steel comic. In later comics, a different robot with the same design - also called Kelex - acted as chief caretaker of The Fortress of Solitude.

The dream Allura claims that Kara has been suffering from Argo Fever.  Although no disease called Argo Fever was ever mentioned in the comics, Argo is a frequent prefix added onto various things to make them sound Kryptonian.


Technobabble

The Black Mercy grips the victim's torso with a force of 100 pounds. As in the comics, it cannot be forcibly removed from the victim without killing them.

The DEO uses a special Titanium alloy claw to remove The Black Mercy from Kara.

The DEO can modify their virtual reality technology to allow Alex to enter into Kara's dream and help her to reject the Black Mercy.

Winn discovers a hidden Kryptonian broadcast in the C-band spectrum. This is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum which includes microwaves used for long-distance radio communication.


Dialogue Triumphs

(J'onn enters the lab where Kara is being examined and sees Winn and James standing there.)
J'onn: What the hell are these guys doing here?
James: Where Supergirl goes, we go.
J'onn: This is a top secret facility, Mr. Olsen! You think I'm gonna let the media waltz right through here?
Winn: (holding hands up) Act-actually I'm in I.T. so.... definitely not worth shooting.

J'onn: (on dealing with Cat Grant) That woman makes me miss my alien prison.

Alex: (To the Allura hologram) Damn it, Kara is relying on me! She has always relied on me! Ever since you sent her here.  I'm sure you had hoped that she would find people that would take care of her. Who would love her like she was their own. I... I only wish I had been a better sister to her when she first got here. I can't... I can't even imagine it now.  I used to resent her. For coming into my home. For following me around ar  school. Some strange girl who didn't know how to fit in. For embarrassing me in front of my friends. But all Kara waned was a family. And that's what she is to me. She is my sister!  And she needs me now more than ever!

(Alex sees Astra and start firing at her. Astra steps forward and grabs Alex by the throat.)
Astra: I came here to help Kara. Not fight.
(Astra releases Alex who gasps for breath but still stands as if ready for a fight.)
Alex: You tried to kill her before. Why should I trust you now?
Astra: Kara saved me from a death without honor. As a fellow soldier, I expect you understand the meaning of that.
(Alex says nothing but seems to regard Astra as if to say 'get to the point.')
Astra: Kara has been attacked by a telepathic parasite known as The Black Mercy.
Alex: It has her in some kind of coma. Her brain waves are still active. It's like as if she's awake.
Astra: The Black Mercy has her trapped in lifelike hallucinations. Her perfect fantasy life.  One that grows more and more real with each passing moment.
Alex: How do I wake her out of it?
Astra: Kara must reject the fantasy herself.
Alex: But if she doesn't know that it isn't real, how can she reject it?
Astra: I can tell you how to help her. But you have to trust me.
Alex: The last time I trusted you, six soldiers died.
(Astra looks over Alex's shoulder and sees a picture of teenage Kara and Alex together)
Astra: I knew there was more to you and my niece.
Alex: She's my sister.
Astra: If she is your sister and I am her aunt, what does that make us?
Alex: (cooly) Nothing.
Astra: Do not allow your hatred for me to blind you now.  Are you ready to listen or not?

(As J'onn moves to unplug Alex from Kara) 
James: She asked me to stop you!
J'onn: What?
James: She knew that you would react this way if things went bad. So she came to me because she wants to save Kara.
J'onn: You think I don't want that?! I want them both back! More than anything...
James: I know you do. And I can also see that Alex is more than one of your agents. She's family. And you want to protect her at all costs. I get that! But if you pull her out before she has a chance to save her sister, she will never look at you the same way again. You know that!
J'onn: I can't lose her.
James: And you won't. Because Alex is a lot like Supergirl. She always finds a way. And you just have to trust her.

Kara: I want so much for all of this to be true. To stay here with you. But this isn't real! (to Allura) You taught me to be so strong. And I am. Thank you. Krypton will be in my heart forever. But Alex is right... my sister... is right. I have to go. I love you!

Kara: (as she punches the ever loving snot out of Non) Do you have any idea what you did to me?! You made me lose them again! My parents! My whole world! And you think that I'm going to let you take this world away from me too?! You think I'm going to let you hurt them like you hurt me?! Never!

Alex: I don't want to fight you, Astra.
Astra: I helped save my niece out of a sense of duty. Which does not extend to you.
Alex: That's not why you helped her. You love her. That's how I know your heart isn't in this war anymore.
(Astra rushes forward and bends Alex backward over a guard rail.)
Astra: You know nothing of me!
Alex: I know that you've had plenty of chances to kill me. Or to kill Kara. But you haven't. Because you don't want to (panting) Give it up, Astra. Help us.
(A figure flies by at superspeed, knocking Astra away from Alex. Astra picks herself up and looks up.)
Astra: Kara?
(We see J'onn, in his true form, standing on the roof, regarding Astra.)
Astra: I thought all of your kind were dead.
J'onn: I am the last. Earth is my home now! And I will not let you take it from me!

Astra: (gasping) Hello little one. I'm so happy to see your sister was able to bring you back.
Kara: Astra, I have to tell you... when I was under the Black Mercy, you were there.
Astra: As your enemy?
Kara: (sobbing) As my family.

J'onn: This isn't your fault, Alex. Astra was a righteous kill.
Alex: That doesn't make this any easier.
J'onn: You made the hard choice. It's what soldiers do. How's your sister holding up?
Alex: Astra may have been Kara's enemy on the battlefield but she was also family. She's taking it hard.
J'onn: I knew she would. She never stopped believing Astra could be saved. That's the difference between soldiers and heroes.
Alex: Sir? Why did you lie to Kara?
J'onn: Because you're Supergirl's hero. And I didn't want her to see you as anything other than that.


Dialogue Disasters

Alex: Oh my God. I'm on Krypton.

Non: Humanity is a disease. Myriad is the cure!


Continuity

Cat refers to the events of 112 and Kara dumping her son.

The Kryptonian criminals plans are based around something called Myriad, which requires hacking Earth's satellite grid using Maxwell Lord's servers.

The Black Mercy was not a Fort Rozz prisoner.

The DEO does not have any records on what a Black Mercy is or how to fight it.

James and Winn now know (or at least suspect) that Hank Henshaw is a shape-shifter, though they do not know exactly what he is.

Winn is allowed to work with the DEO's tech team to investigate the possibility that Non's men are making use of a solar storm to mask their turning Earth's technology against it's people.

J'onn lies about being the one to kill Astra.


Location

Kara's dream takes place on Krypton.


The Bottom Line

The first 40 minutes or so are a serviceable adaption of a classic Superman story into a decent Supergirl story. The final 10 minutes are some of the best this series has ever seen. Oddly enough, we see very little of Krypton beyond the Zor-El family living room and most of this episode is focused on Alex. And yet, it works wonderfully because Alex - more than any character except perhaps Winn - has not received much development as a character. While that's still a problem here to some degree (doesn't Alex have any interests besides protecting her sister and her work?), at least Alex is turned into an engaging protagonist in her own right rather than being someone for Kara to save.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 9 - Blood Bonds

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

 
Plot

The confrontation with Astra's forces ends with Astra captured by the DEO... and Henshaw captured by the alien criminals.  Now, as Alex contends with General Lane's attempted coup and James begins investigating Max Lord's operations, Kara must cope with Cat Grant's discovery of her secret identity!


Influences

The Supergirl run of Sterling Gates (Cat Grant trying to figure out Supergirl's secret identity, Sam Lane as a xenophobe) The Day The Earth Stood Still (name-dropped by General Lane as the reason he fears aliens) New Krypton (the idea of Kryptonians trying to save the Earth by imposing their will on it) and countless Silver Age comics where one superhero disguises themselves as another hero so that said hero and their secret identity can appear in the same place at the same time.


Goofs

Cat Grant does a complete 180 from the end of the previous episode, having gone from seeming genuinely grateful for Kara's help to being one step away from exposing her secret identity to the world for the sake of a story or firing her because she can't believe that Supergirl can have/should want a life outside of continually saving the world. It completely undoes all of the character development in the previous episode!


Artistry

The special effects when Kara shields Alex from the bomb are well handled.


Super Trivia

The room James tries (and fails) to break into at Maxwell Lord's lab is Room 52.  The number 52 has a special significance in the DC Comics Universe, which is more fully explained here.  In brief, references to the number 52 are hidden through various DCTVU series as an in-joke.

There is a long tradition in classic DC Comics - particularly in Superman comics - of superheroes helping each other out with hiding their secret identities. Most frequently this happened with Batman using his talent for disguise to pose as Clark Kent or Superman using his talent for mimicking voices to impersonate Batman, after donning his costume.


Technobabble

General Lane makes use of some sort of Kryptonite-based liquid to try and get information from General Astra. It is not identified as a truth serum but it causes great pain in any  Kryptonian it is injected into.

Room 52 of Maxwell Lord's research lab is fitted with a bio-diagnostic system rather than a keypad, finger print, voice print or retinal scanner. This makes it totally unhackable, at least by Winn.


Dialogue Triumphs

Henshaw: Director Danvers. Congratulations on your promotion.

Maxwell Lord: I know who your friends are. And I find your association with them rather troubling. Especially considering your prominent role in the media.
James: Well, the media doesn't exist to make people like you feel comfortable, Max.

Astra: They sent you back to try again? What makes you think it will be any different this time?
Kara: Because now I'm ready to hear what you have to say. I was afraid to listen before. But today, I got so upset I couldn't think. I didn't want to. I just wanted to hurt someone. Because I was afraid of losing everything that mattered to me. Like you must have felt back home. But if we have any hope for the future, we - we can't let our fear control us. We have to be better!
Astra: You give me too much credit.
Kara: Because I know the real you.
Astra: The woman you knew died on Krypton.
Kara: I still have faith there is good in you.
Astra: I am not worth your faith.
Kara: Everyone deserves faith, Astra. Even you.

Alura: I believe you. I believe Krypton faces annihilation. And far sooner than anyone here will admit.
Astra: Then why condemn me?
Alura: Because you killed people, Astra! No matter what noble goals you hid behind, nothing will ever change that fact! And I am bound by more than blood in this court. But I promise you I will fight for your cause. Not through fear and manipulation but through compassion and reason!  It is the only hope to save our world.

Astra: Do not mistake my compassion for weakness. This is not a truce.
Supergirl: Then let's call it a start.

Kara: (To "Henshaw") So... what did Alex mean when she said you had to transform? Or did you forget that I have super-hearing?

Kara: You're from Mars?!
J'onn: You're from Krypton.
Kara: But... why stay hidden?!
J'onn:  I'm trying to make the world a safe place for everyone. Human and aliens alike. I failed Alex's father before I assumed the identity of Hank Henshaw. I won't fail again.
Alex: And you saw what the DEO was like under General Lane, so we need Hank... J'onn... at the top.
Kara: You know, you guys could have told me!  I can keep a secret!
J'onn & Alex: (in unison) No, you can't.


Dialogue Disasters

Every damn bit of Cat Grant's attempts to get Kara to admit she is Supergirl.  Thank goodness this won't be a regular thing.


Continuity

Maxwell Lord refuses any further help from Alex Danvers.

The DEO Line of Succession is classified.  Alex is to take over as Acting Director if anything happens to him.

"Blood Bonds Us All" is a Kryptonian proverb dating back to the days when the Kryptonians were little more than waring clans.

The maximum penalty for taking lives on Krypton is life imprisonment in Fort Rozz

Alex's favorite food truck is in Chicago.

One of the alien criminals was part of a race famous for their telepathic powers. However, it is not as strong as Martian telepathy and Non kills the alien before we learn his name or species.

According to Astra, Allura promised to work to save Krypton while condemning her violent methods of achieving the same ends, affirming Kara's belief in her mother's idealism.

Kara now knows that Hank Henshaw is J'onn J'onzz of Mars.

Cat no longer believes Kara is Supergirl.

It is confirmed that Martians have the power of flight.

Maxwell Lord procured a Jane Doe with no relatives or connections of any kind. He is conductiing some kind of experiment on her using the severed arm of The Red Tornado from 106.


The Fridge Factor

All the character development from last week which made Cat a likable, intelligent character is completely undone with the random decision that she cannot be trusted with Kara's secret identity and the revelation that she is so blisteringly thick as to not figure out the secret.

Kara comes off as weak and whiny in this episode.  First, she needs J'onn to save her from Non. Next, she threatens to call Superman to bully Astra into talking about where her base is hidden. Finally, the only thing that stops her from going over the edge and killing Maxwell Lord is two men telling her that she should be better than that.  Ugh...


The Bottom Line

Dreadful for the first 40 minutes, as Cat Grant and General Lane vie for the title of most patently idiotic cartoon super-villain ever... which shouldn't even be possible in an episode with Maxwell Lord in it!  Redeemed only by the strength of Melissa Benoist's performance in the final sections and the fact that the bits with Martian Manhunter are awesome.  I agree with J'onn - it's a shame that Kara can't work for the DEO full time because the scenes at CatCo are dragging down the rest of the show.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 8 - Hostile Takeover

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




Plot

Kara goes toe-to-toe with Astra when her aunt challenges Kara’s beliefs about her mother. Meanwhile, Cat is threatened with being removed as the CEO of CatCo after a hacker exposes her private and damaging emails.

Influences

Superman: The Movie (the character of Non), the Man of Steel comic series (the character of Dirk Armstrong) and the New Krypton storyline from the comics (the idea of Kryptonians trying to save the Earth by imposing their will on it).


Artistry

The fight scenes in this episode are probably the best in the series to date, particularly the second fight between Astra and Kara.

The special effects used to bring this battle to life are also noteworthy and of cinematic quality


Super Trivia

Non - a Lieutenant serving under General Astra, who is also her husband - is named after a character from the original Superman movie.  Non was the non-speaking muscle of General Zod, who was condemned to the Phantom Zone alone with Zod.

Non was introduced into the DC Comics Universe during the New Krypton story-line. There, it was revealed that he had been a scientist and a mentor to Jor-El as well as a member of Krypton's High Council. He was part of a rebel group that attempted to expose the truth of Krypton's impending doom and was lobotomized by the Science Council for his trouble.

The DCTVU version of Non has nothing in common with either of his predecessors, being capable of speech and being a member of Krypton's Military Guild.

In the flashbacks, Astra invokes the name of Rao. Rao is the name of the chief deity of the Kryptonian religion as well as the name of the red star Krypton orbits.

Dirk Armstrong, the CatCo Chairman who plots against Cat, too his name from a character from the same mini-series that introduced Cat Grant in the comics.  In the original DC Comics, Dirk Armstrong was a conservative commentator for The Daily Planet, who saw Superman as a menace and repeatedly butted heads with Clark Kent and Perry White. Despite this, he was portrayed as an honest man who doted on his daughter.

The DCTVU version of Dirk Armstrong is not so honest and about the only thing they have in common is a conservative bend and sexist streak, with Cat describing him as "the poster boy for White Male Privilege."

It is revealed that Cat has a son from her first marriage named Adam Foster. In the comics, Cat had a son from her marriage to Morgan Edge named Adam.

It is said that Cat's eldest son lives in Opal City.  Opal City is a fictional city in the DC Comics Universe. It is located in Turk County, Maryland and was the home town of Ted Knight a.k.a. Starman I as well as Ted's sons David (Starman VI) and Jack (Starman VII).

Cat describes Kara as her Guardian Angel. It is worth noting that, for a time in the comics, Supergirl was a literal guardian angel, created when an shape-shifting artificial lifeform from a parallel dimension called The Matrix merged with a dying girl named Linda Danvers.

The male alien criminal with Non's team in the fight at the end of the episode has the power to split himself into duplicates.  He is not identified in any of the show's release materials, but this power is possessed by a number of DC Comics villains including the Firestorm villain Multiplex (who appeared in the second episode of The Flash TV series), a Superman villain called The Duplicate Man (who appeared in World's Finest #106). Though we only see a second duplicate in the fight, it's possible the alien is a citizen of the planet Cargg, whose people can split into three duplicates, like the Legion of Superheroes member Triplicate Girl.

The female alien criminal with Non's team at the end is a gifted martial artist with platinum blonde hair and strength enough to snap a grown human male's neck.  She also possess some power that allows her to exhale a poison gas that can kill a human instantly. The manner in which she does this resembles The Mist - another DC Comics villain who has also appeared on modern The Flash TV series.


Technobabble

A Kryptonian can protect themselves from the effects of Kryptonite by shielding themselves with the right materials.

Krypton died because its people disrupted the core of the planet harnessing it for power. This caused the oceans and weather to change in a way that sounds reminiscent of man-made climate-change on Earth.

Max Lord developed some kind of gun that can apparently turn a Kryptonian's heat-vision against them by latching a reflective ammunition onto their face.


Dialogue Triumphs

Alex: Kara, this is war. And to win a war, sometimes the enemy has to die. But can you look me in the eye and tell me that you're prepared to kill?
Kara: Superman doesn't kill.
Alex: If that's your answer, then you shouldn't fight her.
Kara: It won't come to that.
Alex: She's shown that she's ready to kill you. You have to be ready to do the same.

Supergirl: (sarcastically) No bodyguards?
Astra: No knife. No armor. No one besides you and me. Will you tall to me now?  You can't say it's not fair.
Supergirl: We're done with fair!

James: Winn, look buddy.You had it wrong before. I'm not in your way. If you have feelings for Kara, you should tell her.
Winn:  Yeah, but she's... She's her, you know?  And I'm me. It's not so easy, you know?  I mean, what if she doesn't- It's just - you and your abs wouldn't understand.
James: I understand that Kara is special. And not just because of the cape. She's the kind of girl worth risking it all for. Hey man, if i were you... I'd risk it.

Cat: Kiera! Another week. Another crisis averted, thanks to you. My secret weapon. My guardian angel.
Kara: It was nothing.
Cat: Oh. no. It was something. It was something extraordinary. You saved me from a potentially very embarrassing situation with Adam.  You know, I was thinking about how you overheard Dirk after the board meeting. I was standing right next to you and there is no way that he was within earshot.
Kara: Um-
Cat: And then I was thinking about the earthquake and how you got sick for the first time since I've known you. And you had a broken arm and Supergirl mysteriously went MIA. And then she came back and your cold was gone.
Kara: That's just a coincidence -
Cat: I was also thinking about Livewire. About how when she attacked us you fled into the stairwell.
Kara: (chuckles) Because you asked me too.
Cat: Yeeees. But not two seconds later, Supergirl shows up.  Another coincidence?  And let's not forget that you took it personally when I named her "Supergirl".
Kara: Sure, for... for political reasons.
Cat: Do me a favor and take off your glasses.
Kara: My glass- I... I can't!  I'd be blind without them.
Cat: I doubt that. If you're not who I think you are, what does it matter?
Kara: Ms. Grant, I -
Cat: Glasses or I take it as a confirmation.
(Kara turns to one side and slowly pulls her glasses off, before turning to face Cat)
Cat: Well... let me begin by saying thank you for all the help that you've given me... Supergirl.


Dialogue Disasters

While there aren't any real groaners, much of the script is made of artificial-sounding purple-prose. What little bits of it work - like the scene between Cat and Kara where Cat deduces that Kara is Supergirl - are due only to the strength of the actors' performances.


Continuity

The Kryptonian criminals developed a means of ignoring the effects of Kryptonite. It manifests in the form of a blue-glowing electronic device that clips onto their armor, on the left shoulder.

Astra arms herself with Henshaw's green Kryptonite knife from 102.

Kara refers to what the hologram of her mother said about Astra in 102.

Astra is revealed to be married to one of her lieutenants, Non.

The arena with Kryptonite dampeners in the wall is seen for the first time since 102.

Superman, in this reality, does not kill.

On Krypton, Kara had half of a spy beacon that allowed her to send messages to Astra.

Kara was, unwittingly, used by her mother as a means of luring Astra out.

Cat Grant has a son, now 24 years old, from her first marriage named Adam Foster. She has been giving him financial support all his life but made an active decision not to fight for custody.

Martians have telepathic powers.

Kryptonians are immune to Martian telepathy. Superman finds this hilarious.

Apparently Superman knows J'onn J'onzz.  It is not revealed if Superman knows that he is masquerading as Hank Henshaw.

Astra refers to Alex killing the Hellgramite in 102.

Cat refers to the events of 107 and 104 in explaining why she thinks Kara is Supergirl.


The Bottom Line

Surprisingly good, despite a lackluster script. The revelation that the Kryptonian criminals on Earth were political prisoners is barely touched upon as is Kara's anger over the idea of her mother using her as a pawn. The subplot with Cat getting hacked is resolved far too easily and Winn still comes off more like a creepy stalker than a legitimate love-interest for Kara.

Shockingly, the best bits of the episode involve the DEO and the fight scenes. Last week's revelation that Hank Henshaw is really Martian Manhunter has added a whole new, hilarious dynamic to these scenes as we now know that J'onn is hamming it up playing Hank. The final scene with Kara and Cat is wonderful and we finally get to see the true Cat Grant - smart and nice under all the sharp edges. And the cliff-hanger is legitimately exciting.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 1, Episode 2 - Stronger Together

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





Plot

As Kara tries to build a good working relationship with her sister Alex and the rest of her DEO team while they peruse one of the escaped alien criminals, Cat Grant begins to pressure James Olsen to deliver an interview with Supergirl.


Influences

Superman: The Movie (the opening scene of Kara chasing the missiles as training mirrors the climax of this movie, the montage of Kara helping the people of National City mirrors Superman's first night as a superhero, right down to her rescuing a little girl's pet from a tree and the hologram of Alura In-Ze is straight from this movie), Superman II (the character of General Astra is basically a female version of General Zod), Man of Steel (the theme of distrust regarding an alien savior), various Supergirl comics, but particularly New Krypton, which dealt with a group of rogue Kryptonians on Earth and features Supergirl and her mother, Alura In-Ze, as prominent characters.


Goofs

Apparently the DEO has procedures for training an alien to become a field agent. Even though they didn't have any interest in recruiting an alien field agent last week.

For that matter, they were able to get a fighting arena with Kryptonite emitters embedded in the wall built on a week's notice so Alex could teach Kara how to fight? Along with a private room with a Kryptonian A.I.?


Performances

Mehcad Brooks is doing a great job bringing Jimmy Olsen to life. The best moment of the episode comes with his speech about wanting to be his own man and not depending on his relationship with Superman to define his career.

Melissa Benoist continues to impress as Kara. She was born to play this role, managing to portray Kara as confident in the heat of battle but still scared senseless of her boss.

On that note, it's worth noting that Calista Flockhart is very effective at playing Cat Grant as the kind of character you love to hate.


Artistry

The montage in which Kara flies around helping the people of National City under James and Winn's direction, set to Pat Benetar's Hit Me With Your Best Shot is magical. It shows off Kara's powers in a fun way and makes a far better "girl-power" statement than any forced dialogue with Director Henshaw.


Super Trivia

Dodging missiles and moving in such a way as to cause them to take themselves out is a fairly standard trick for both Superman and Supergirl in the comics.

The line "This looks like a job for Supergirl" is a nod to one of the most famous lines from the classic Superman comics. Many heroes have appropriate the phrase since then, but the original wording was "This looks like a job for Superman."

Kara's issues with saving the oil tanker during the dock fire are clever nods to the problems certain superpowers would have in regards to real-world physics. For instance, while Super-Breath is routinely used to put out fires with ease in the comics, any wind of sufficient force to extinguish a fire would run the risk of spreading the flames if not properly focused. And while Supergirl may have the strength to push an oil tanker, the side of the tanker may not be strong enough to withstand her pushing it with all her might.

In the original DC Comics, Maxwell Lord was a shrewd and powerful businessman who was instrumental in the formation of Justice League International. Max later developed the ability to control the minds of other people, following the Invasion! storyline.

Maxwell Lord's characterization has been amazingly inconsistent since his creation. Some writers portrayed him as an amoral con-artist whiles others depicted him as an easily-tempted but ultimately redeemable figure, who was inspired to be a better man by the heroes he managed. That all went out the window during Countdown To Infinite Crisis, where Max was revealed to be a criminal mastermind and secret leader of the organization Checkmate. It was further revealed that Max had used his position with the JLU to render the group ineffectual, so that humanity would have time to develop safeguards to protect itself from the menace of super-powered beings.

The DCTVU version of Maxwell Lord seems to be cut from the same cloth as his earliest incarnation, being a businessman in National City who holds a low opinion of superheroes. He appears on TV speaking as to the negative effects Superman has had on Metropolis while pledging to use his fortune to clean up the oil spill Supergirl accidentally caused.

Cat Grant drops the names of Lois Lane and Clark Kent when speaking disparagingly of "the hags" at The Daily Planet. Clark Kent is, of course, Superman's secret identity and Lois Lane is his chief rival - and later love-interest - at the Metropolis newspaper The Daily Planet.

We get our first look at The Hellgrammite at Plastino Chemicals.  This is named in honor of Al Plastino - the artist who co-created Supergirl, as well as the Superman villain Brainiac and The Legion of Superheroes.

Hellgrammite is discovered in Sector 52 of Plastino Chemicals. This is a nod to the importance of the number 52 in the DC Comics Universe.

In the original DC Comics, Hellgrammite was the name of a super-villain and enemy of Superman. Originally an entomologist named Roderick Rose, The Hellgrammite was created after Rose exposed himself to a mutagen that transformed him into a giant, grasshopper-like insect. The mutation gave The Hellgrammite increased strength, the ability to leap long distances, a super-dense exoskeleton and the ability to secrete natural adhesives that could be used to craft cocoons. He later developed the ability to transform other people into "larvae" under his control and worked as an freelance assassin before joining the super-criminal organization Intergang.

In our world, Hellgrammite is also the technical name for the larvae of The Dobsonfly. It does not seem to have any relation to the super-villain apart from having a fearsome sounding name. They are popular as bait with angler fishermen.

The DCTVU version of Hellgrammite is an alien. Hellgrammite is the name of his species. He is seen climbing on walls like a spider and has the jumping powers of his comic-book counterpart. Unlike the comics version, this Hellgrammite has poisonous stingers, which it shoots out of its hands. It is a shapeshifter, capable of posing as a normal human and has an enhanced sense of smell. It is not immune to its own poison and it dies after Alex Danvers forces it to stab itself in the chest with its own stinger.

In the flashback, Alura In-Ze makes reference to the Kryptonian Military Guild. Before its destruction, The Military Guild was an organization which combine the duties of police officers and military soldiers. They were charged with keeping the peace on Krypton.

The idea of Kryptonians being easily beaten in a physical fight by Earthlings with advanced combat training once deprived of their powers is a fairly common trope in DC Comics. Early on, both Superman and Supergirl depended exclusively on their powers. Superman eventually sought martial arts training from Batman and Supergirl - in the post-Crisis DC Universe, at least - spent some time on Themyscira being trained by The Amazons.

Cat Grant says that she started out as Perry White's assistant before finally getting a chance to write a gossip column for The Daily Planet. In the comics, Perry White is the editor of The Daily Planet. However, in the original comics, Cat was a successful syndicated gossip columnist in her home town of Los Angeles before she was hired at The Daily Planet, though she did wish to be taken seriously as a real reporter and attempted to infiltrate Intergang on her own to prove herself.

General Astra In-Ze is an original creation unique to the DCTVU. Thus far, she seems to be a female version of General Zod, who just happens to be Supergirl's aunt.

In both the comics and the movies, Zod was a military leader on Krypton who lead a military coup against what he saw as a corrupt and ineffectual government. He and his followers were punished with banishment to The Phantom Zone. Eventually they escaped and contested with Superman - usually over Zod's plans to conquer or destroy The Earth. Both Superman II and Man of Steel were based around the conflict between Zod and Superman. In most of the comic books - and both films - Zod bore a grudge against Superman's father, Jor-El.

This episode establishes a similar conflict between Supergirl and General Astra, with Astra holding a grudge against her sister Alura. While the exact nature of Astra's crimes are not explained, she claims that her own sister imprisoned her for telling the truth.

The name Astra has multiple meanings. In Greek, it means "star".  In Latin, it means "of the stars". In Norse, it means "divine strength". Tellingly, Kara makes reference to her aunt showing her all the stars and telling her their names when she was a child.

In the 1950s, DC Comics published a sci-fi series called Astra - Girl of The Future. The book centered on a futuristic television reporter named Astra.  It is worth noting that one of Superman's many titles was The Man Of Tomorrow.

Astra's two minions - while not named in the episode - are identified in the cast list for the episode as Commander Gor and Lieutenant Mur.  Gor and Mur are based on two characters from the original Superman comics. They appeared in the Return to Krypton story-line, where they were two of the 600 soldiers trapped in the Kryptonian city of Kandor, which was shrunk, trapped in a bottle and stolen by the evil A.I. Brainiac. Later, when Superman found a way to restore the city, they learned of General Zod's imprisonment in The Phantom Zone, and bargained for his freedom. They later served under General Zod when he attempted to declared war on Earth.

The DCTVU versions of Commander Gor and Lieutenant Mur appear to serve a similar function, save that they are underlings of General Astra rather than General Zod.

The first crime James and Winn send Kara to stop is the armed robbery of a pizza place on 5th and Sigel. This is a reference to Jerry Siegel - the writer who, along with artist Joel Shuster, created Superman.

The next problem James and Winn send Kara to help with is an ambulance stuck in traffic on Donner Avenue. This is a reference to Richard Donner - the film director who, among other great movies, directed Superman: The Movie and most of Superman II.

Saving kittens from trees is another classic superhero trope. Superman does it in Superman The Movie. This may be the first time, however, that the pet a superhero needed to rescue was a snake.

The exact meaning of the stylized S-Shield used as an emblem by Superman and Supergirl has changed over the years. Originally, it was indeed a stylized-S. It was first used as a coat of arms for the House Of El in Superman: The Movie, at the suggestion of actor Marlon Brando.

Both the 1987 comic mini-series Man of Steel by John Byrne and the novelization of the 2006 movie Superman Returns by Marv Wolfman made reference to the S being a stylized snake. The former story said that Jonathan Kent designed the emblem based on a Native American legend regarding the snake being the symbol of the healer. The later story said the shield was a Kryptonian symbol, representing one of the three great houses that helped to stabilize the planet after a violent civil uprising. The snake-coiled-in-a-shield emblem was meant to be a symbolic warning against returning to the ways of violence and treachery.

The 2004 comic book story Birthright established the idea of the S-Shield being the Kryptonian symbol for hope - an idea that was later utilized in the 2013 movie Man of Steel. Writer Geoff Johns confirmed that the S-Shield was both the Kryptonian symbol for hope and the coat of arms for the House of El in his story, Superman: Secret Origins.

The idea put forth in this episode - that the S-shield is also the family motto of The House of El and meaning "stronger together" - is a new conceit.

Director Henshaw makes reference to having had a family once. In the original comics, Hank Henshaw lost most of his family due to the space-shuttle crash that gave him super powers.

Alex makes a reference to Superman having a hidden base - a fortress - in the Arctic. This is a reference to The Fortress of Solitude.  She also makes reference to the base allowing him to commune with his Kryptonian ancestors, though it is not explained how the DEO knows this.

The DEO set up a similar room to what they believe is in The Fortress of Solitude, using an interactive artificial intelligence program culled from living memory, located in the rocket that took Kara to Earth. This artificial intelligence takes the form of Kara's mother, Alura In-Ze. This is just like the interface Jor-El created to run the Fortress of Solitude in Superman: The Movie.  Later Superman movies revealed other Kryptonian elders made manifest through the Fortress' computer.

We see Director Henshaw's eyes flash red at the end of the episode. This may be another reference to his eventual fate as The Cyborg Superman, who also had red glowing eyes in some artistic interpretations.


Technobabble

The DEO determine that the chemical factory The Hellgrammite was robbing manufactured sodium hypochlorite and ammonium nitrate.  Sodium Hypochlorite, when dissolved in water, becomes liquid bleach, though it can also be used to make chlorine gas. Ammonium nitrate is used as both a fertilizer and a mining explosive. They theorize that The Hellgrammite may be building a chemical bar.

Hellgrammites are an insectoid species, but they can camouflage themselves into any shape they want.

Winn notes that a fulled-.loaded ambulance weights 9200 pounds - just over 4.5 tons. This means Kara needs to use a maximum of 44,498 Newtons of force to move it.

The Hellgrammite is a chlorine-based life form, rather than a carbon-based one like all life on Earth.

Alex realizes all of the chemical plants The Hellgrammite robbed were used to store DDT - a chlorine-based pesticide. She theorizes that The Hellgrammite has been eating the DDT as it is one of the few things on the planet it can eat safely.

The DEO sets up a private room that only Kara can open, containing an hologram generated by an interactive artificial intelligence program that was on the rocket that carried Kara to Earth. This hologram looks like Alura In-Ze and can answer any question based on her experience and knowledge.


Dialogue Triumphs

Supergirl: For the last 12 years I hid who I was. I don't have to anymore. And I don't want to waste a minute of it. Besides, this sounds like a job for Supergirl.

James: Kara, look out the window. Tell me what you see.
Kara: Buildings. Billboards. There's that bar where that guy always cards me. He knows how old I am...
James: I see a city full of people who need help. Who need a hero.
Kara: You really think so?
James: If anybody can fill Superman's boots, it's you.

(Supergirl floats down from a tree, holding something as she approaches a young girl.)
Girl: Fluffy!
(Pan to Supergirl, who is holding a large snake.)
Supergirl: Here you go.
(She passes off the snake to the girl. Once distracted with her pet, Supergirl makes a grossed-out face and surreptitiously tries to wipe her hands clean before whispering into her mike)
Supergirl: I thought you said it was a cat?
Winn: Who names their snake "Fluffy"?

Alex: Do you really think it was a good idea to tell your friends who you are?
Kara: Yes. Because they're my friends.

James: You know, it's been like this for a while. Back when I first started, I was this nervous kid with his camera, just trying to get noticed. And then one day, everybody knew my name. And not because of anything *I* did. Not really. Because I was friends with somebody who was making a difference. I dunno - I just thought... I could escape all that if I moved here. Be my own man, you know?
Kara: Back on Krypton, no one was their own man. Growing up, I was taught that to accept help from people is not a shame. It's an honor.
James: Your cousin never talks about Krypton.
Kara: He was a baby when we left. But I remember it. All the time. Did he ever tell you what that "S" means?
James: The House of El.
Kara: Yes, but it also stands for a Kryptonian phrase. Our family motto - "El mayarah". It means "stronger together". You say people will see me the way they see Superman one day. But I don't want to be a hero like him! My cousin - he's so used to going it alone. He doesn't know any other way. But I do. I see it now! You, Winn, my sister, Ms. Grant even. You all showed me that!  James... part of being your own man is knowing when to accept help.
James: You really want to do that interview?
Kara: First I was scared, but I'm not anymore. I want to do it
James: For me?
Kara: For what we're trying to do here together.  For us.

Astra: I let one planet die. I will not do so again.
Supergirl: Funny. I was going to say the same thing.

Kara: I'm not quite sure what to ask...
Alura AI: Whatever it is you wish you could ask Alura, you may ask me.
Kara: (starting to tear up) I'd ask for a hug.
Alura AI: I'm not programmed to do that.
Kara; (sniffling and then steeling herself before speaking again) Then tell me about my Aunt Astra.


Dialogue Disasters

Supergirl: Are these tests mandatory for everyone? Or just because I'm a- ?
Dir. Henshaw: It is not because you're a woman, Miss Danvers. The DEO requires rigorous physical and psychological evaluation for all perspective field operatives.
Supergirl: I was going to say "alien".


Continuity

Supergirl can fly faster than the speed of sound.

Alex Danvers trained for a full year with the DEO before she was allowed into the field.

According to Maxwell Lord, the city maintenance budgets for Metropolis have quadrupled since Superman's arrival. Lord blames this entirely on metahuman fights in the city.

Winn Schott's idol is Maxwell Lord. He owns several of Lord's watches as well as his biography and autobiography.

Kara is aware that Clark Kent is Superman.

Kara's father has many fine qualities but he is a terrible cook.

Alura In-Ze was an adjudicator - a Kryptonian position equivalent to a prosecuting attorney.

The Military Guild is a Kryptonian peace-keeping force, combining the roles of soldiers and police officers. It is they who arrested The Hellgrammite on Krypton.

Kara refers to her defeat of Vartox in 101.

Apparently only the DEO knows about the existence of Kryptonite. At the very least, it is not public knowledge.

Alex Danvers spent twelve hours a day for five months doing nothing but combat training when she joined the DEO.

Kara has no formal combat training.

Both Winn and James are astonished to learn that the other one knows Kara's secret identity as well. Together, they work on helping inform Kara about trouble Supergirl can help with.

The leader of the Kryptonian criminals on Earth is General Astra In-Ze. She is Supergirl's aunt, the twin sister of her mother Alura In-Ze. She is apparently bullying the other escaped prisoners into working for her.

Kara was scared of the Danvers' popcorn maker as a girl.

The Hellgrammite robbed six chemical plants around the USA over the past year.

"El mayarah" is the family motto of The House of El and the symbol relating to that phrase is their coat of arms (i.e. The S-Shield worn by Superman and Supergirl).  Translated from Kryptonian, it means "stronger together".

Director Henshaw had a family at some point.

Astra confirms that she and Alura were twin sisters. She notes that twins were rare on Krypton. She says that her goals are to save humanity - not kill it, but does not elaborate on that plan.

Astra was imprisoned in The Phantom Zone by Alura for "speaking the truth, while she told only lies" and "being a hero and trying to save their world."

Kara says that Astra taught her the names of all the stars as a girl.

Director Henshaw is armed with a kryptonite knife.

Kara asks Alex to teach her how to fight.

Alex reveals the AI room with the hologram of Alura to Kara. It was built at Alex's request as a favor from Director Henshaw.

Henshaw's eyes flash red as he walks away from Alex near the episode's end.

Cat Grant gets her interview with Supergirl, though the episode ends before we hear it.


The Fridge Factor

Kara makes a few rookie mistakes early on but seems to be given a harder time about it because of her gender.


The Bottom Line

A marked improvement on the first episode. It's gratifying to see they won't be dragging out the mystery of who the mysterious general is and that the Astra/Alura/Kara triangle has been established this soon. The best bits of the show continue to be James and Kara playing off one another. The action sequences are largely excellent, though the final fight between Astra and Kara is shot a little too close. Really, the only serious complaint I have is that I wish Winn would get some more development beyond being the quirky geek guy.