Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 6, Episode 19 - The Last Gauntlet

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

Plot

When Lex and Nyxly kidnap Esme, an unlikely ally steps in to help the Super Friends save her.

Influences

Marvel's Infinity War (the hunt for the Totems mirrors the search for the Infinity Stones, Nxyly now has a gauntlet to hold the totems), Beauty and the Beast (the love totem losing its petals symbology)


Goofs

How did Alex get to Prague or retrieve the Totems from the Fortress of Solitude? (Presumably she could get a portal watch from Lena, but it never is explained.)

Even by the standards of comic book science, it beggars belief that a satellite could drain the sun and be used to super-charge Supergirl.

Despite the bridge being said to be a dead zone for tech and superpowers, nobody has trouble during the climactic fight scene.

The CGI fight between Lex and Nyxly opening the final scgment looks like something from a Playstation 2 era video game.

Lex and Nyxly briefly changing into snake people is not explained.

The idea that the All-Stone can permanently drain all the seven elements from the Earth seems to contradict the idea of the individual Totems always reforming so the elements are never lost.


Performances

Melissa Benoist shows her skill as a performer, selling the hell out of some truly terrible dialogue in this episode.


Artistry

The fight for the Allstone is well-choreographed.


Super Trivia

The Destiny Totem is revealed to be in the thread of destiny held by Clotho in a statue of the Three Fates. Clotho, who had adopted the alias Charlie, was a member of the Legends of Tomorrow in season 4 and 5. 


Technobabble

Lena has a spell that enables her to track people.

One of the first rules of professional chess is that if you touch a piece you must move or capture that piece if legal to do so.

Brainiac-5 suggests that they could use an experimental satellite used for enhancing crop growth and repurpose its output after adjusting its orbit to filter yellow sunlight directly into Supergirl, enhancing her powers. This would allow her brain to process information more quickly, her super-hearing to increase 50-fold and she would become invulnerable to magic. This process would take four minutes, however, this process would reduce the sun's power for six months. Lena adds that it could disrupt the sun's orbit, which would throw the whole solar system out of balance.

Lena casts a spell on both Lex and Nyxly that wraps them in blinding mist.

Using the Allstone drains the world of all the elements it is meant to represent. This equates to people watching the fight between Lex and Nyxly with total indifference and the color being drained from them. Brainiac-5 estimates that all the seven elements will be drained forever in 72 hours. Yet the one-third of the the AllStone is not powerful enough to open a dimensional gateway.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Brainiac-5 fits Dreamer with a gauntlet that draws on the Dream Totem power.)
Brainiac-5: See? It fits perfectly. Like Cinderella. Without the gender inequality through patriarchy. And sexual objectification.

Nyxly: From the moment I met you, I knew you shouldn't be trusted. You're nothing but a foul little man who lies and cheats and plays mind games to get what he wants. You're just like my father. I could say I hate you, but the truth is I pity you. No one will ever love you. Goodbye, Lex.


Dialogue Disasters

Lena: The sun is responsible for ocean currents, for climate, for plant life!


Continuity

Lex leaves a recording ransoming Esme for the five Totems the Super Friends have and tells them to find the Destiny Totem.

Lex wears a baby Truth Seeker, so they know he isn't lying.

Lex confirms that the Love Totem has merged with Esme.

Lex suggests they meet at a bridge near the Fort Rozz crash site, where the Omegahedron exploded in 120 which is a dead zone for technology and metahuman/alien powers. The exchange is scheduled for noon the next day.

Brainy starts scanning the globe for any sign of Lex, Nyxly, Mitch or Esme.

Lena starts searching every place Lex has access to with one of her mother's tracking spells.

Dreamer starts trying to find the location of the Destiny Totem.

Brainy offers to make Dreamer a shield that will let her tap the Dream Totem safely, like he did with the Courage Totem for J'onn and the Humanity Totem for Supergirl.

Alex suggests making a decoy Destiny Totem with Lena's magic, but Brainy says magic won't work in the dead zone either.

Kara wants to use the Totems to power herself up so she can save Esme.

Lex and Nyxly retreat to a bunker where Lex's butler Philippe (last seen in 603) is waiting with Mitch.

Esme is afraid she'll never see her moms again because nothing good in her life has ever lasted.

Nyxly tries to activate the Love Totem by holding Esme's hand and saying the magic word. This causes the rose petals on her tattoo to begin falling off. Lex theorizes the Totem will find a new host when that happens.

Lex suggests trying to cut the Love Totem out of Esme but Nyxly refuses to hurt an innocent girl and says Lex should know she'd never agree to that if he truly knows her.

Lex says that Nyxly's death in the future came about because of how she came to possess the Love Totem while assembling the AllStone. Originally, she used her magic to end-run the Love Gauntlet.

Lex suggests that maybe he should get the Love Totem but Nyxly says she must do it herself because she won't have any man do what she can do herself. She decides to try and win Esme's trust and hope that restores the Love Totem.

Andrea travels into the Watchtower using her shadow powers to observe where William died. She is discovered by Lena.

Andrea says she's a monster and that William was right about her standing for nothing.

Lena says there is still time for Andrea to be a better person because Lena was able to redeem herself.

J'onn and Kara discuss the pain of losing a loved one, after Kara searches the globe for Lex several times.

Kara says that she's ready to do whatever it takes to stop Lex and Nyxly forever, even if it means taking the All-Stone for herself. 

Lex is playing chess against himself when Lillian Luthor shows up.

Lillian notes that Bobby Fischer made the same mistake as Lex did in a match in Buenos Aires in 1960, playing Unzicker.

According to Lillian, the press is now reporting that Lex Luthor killed William Dey and kidnapped Esme.

Lex makes reference to Lillian trying to poison him on another Earth in 422.

Lillian tells Lex to abandon Nyxly, turn himself in and plead insanity.

Lex tells Lillian that he chooses Nyxly over her.

Nyxly promises Esme that she will see her moms again.

When Nyxly was Esme's age, her favorite thing was drawing until her father had all her colored pencils destroyed. He thought art was useless.

Nyxly tells Esme that just because things get scary that doesn't mean they will always be bad. 

Nyxly tries the magic word again, but it doesn't work.

Lex watches Nyxly with Esme over a security camera and then notices her crystal ball is unattended.

Alex has a breakdown in the Watchtower armory while looking for weapons that might work in the dead zone.

Kelly tries to calm Alex down and tells her its because of how much they love Esme that the Love Totem bonded to her.

Dreamer worries that she might foresee bad news but Brainiac-5 reassures her that too much knowledge is never a bad thing.

Brainiac-5 agrees to travel into the Dream Realm with Dreamer so they can face whatever visions she has together.

Dreamer is able to find the Destiny Totem at the ruins of St. Vassily's Catherdal in Prague. She also senses that Esme is safe, but can't sense where she is. He believes the Totem is in a famous statue of the three Fates located there, specifically the spool of thread held by Clotho.

The gauntlet of Destiny requires one to face their destiny without the power of the totem. This gives Kara a glimpse of the future and a battle with Lex and Nyxly and the world suffering before the totem reshapes itself into a purple gem.

Alex, in her Sentinel costume, shows up and takes the gem from Kara, saying she's going to use it to get Esme back by taking the Totems to Lex.

Kara says that in her vision Lex and Nyxly were all powerful and the world was in shambles. The only way to prevent that is to use the Totems against them.

Kara lets Alex leave with the totem when she admits that she isn't 100% she can save Esme and Alex says she will never forgive Kara if Esme is hurt by her plan.

Nyxly recognizes Lillian when she returns to their lair.

Lillian insists that Lex is incapable of loving anyone but himself and that Lex is using Nyxly. 

Nyxly refuses to believe her.

Alex takes the first five Totems from the Fortress of Solitude.

Brainiac-5 suggests that they could use an experimental satellite used for enhancing crop growth and repurpose its output after adjusting its orbit to filter yellow sunlight directly into Supergirl, enhancing her powers.

Lena and Dreamer go with Alex and Kelly while Brainy and J'onn try to celebrate the satellite. 

Brainiac-5 notes the satellite is jointly owned by the United States and South America, so Secretary Brown and the US Army will be all over them.

Lex asks Philippe to distract Nyxly while he tries to extract the Love Totem from Esme himself.

Mitch overhears Lex give Philippe this instruction.

Lex frees Mxyzptlk from the crystal ball, thinking the sudden release of 5th Dimensional magic would grant him access to the Love Totem gauntlet.

Nyxly says Lillian was right about Lex and says there is no longer a "we" between them. Her acting to protect Esme when Lex draws a knife causes the Love Totem to manifest in her hand, as her love for Esme as an innocent proved her worthy.

Lex insists that his releasing Mxyzptlk is what freed the Love Totem.

Nyxly says that she pities Lex and says he's a small, petty man who will never truly be loved.

Philippe called Lillian and told her that Nyxly dumped him.

Lillian returns to Lex's lair to find him playing chess alone.

Nyxly tells the Super Friends she is done with Lex as Alex prepares to hand over the Totems.

Lex arrives with Lillian and blows up the bridge as the AllStone is formed.

People begin freaking out as the sun dims and the army rolls out one minute after Brainiac-5 starts feeding the sun into Supergirl.

Supergirl hears all the people freaking out because of what is happening to the sun.

Secretary Brown asks the President to call in an air-strike on Supergirl.

Kara tells J'onn and Brainiac-5 to cancel the solar flare blast.

Lex calls Kara "The Brat of Brawn."

Esme breaks the AllStone into three pieces.

Kara, Nyxly and Lex each wind up with a piece, but Kara is blasted by both of them.

Nyxly works free of the mist first and tries to blast Lex, but Lillian takes the blast meant for him.

Nyxyly and Lex both develop green scaly skin, before Nyxly tries to escape through a portal and Lex chases after her.

Lillian is said to be stable, but not looking good.

Lena starts searching for a spell to save her.

It is suggested that Kara could use her piece of the All-Stone to fight Lex and Nyxly, but Kara says matching them power for power has only hurt people so she needs to think of something else.

Brainiac-5 suggests they call in reinforcements. 

Kara flies above the city and listens to the people of National City suffering. She is drawn to the sound of Orlando giving a speech to a crowd of hopeless people telling them they have to fight. As Orlando speaks, he restores the color to people.

Listening to Orlando's speech also encourages Kara and she calls J'onn to says she knows what to do now.


Location

St. Vassily's Catherdal in Prague
A bridge near the Fort Rozz crash site.


Untelevised Adventures

Alex journeys to the Fortress of Solitude and takes the Totems being stored there.


The Kryptonite Factor

It beggars belief that Kara wouldn't stop to think about how a plan that weakens the sun might be seen as a bad thing by the public, even in the face of Lex Luthor destroying the world.


The Bottom Line

One of the weaker episodes of the season, if not the worst. Contradictory in its characterization and featuring some of the worst junk science in Arrowverse history, it would be forgettable if it weren't part of the series finale. Only the charisma of the cast makes it work at all, but it seems clear that this one was hastily rewritten on the fly to set up the series finale.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 6, Episode 2 - A Few Good Women

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

Plot

As Lex Luthor goes on trial for Crimes Against Humanity, Lena must make a difficult choice about how far she will go to see her brother face justice. Meanwhile, as the Super Friends seek out help to rescue Supergirl, Kara finds an unexpected ally and familiar face in the Phantom Zone.


Influences

Supergirl: The Movie (plot of Kara and her father needing to escape the Phantom Zone), Harry Potter (the phantoms of the Phantom Zone resemble the Dementors), Star Trek (Dreamer mentions the Holodeck when she sees Brainy's training simulation), the Babylon 5 episode Whatever Happened To Mister Garibaldi? (Kara's meeting with her father resembles Sheridan's first encounter with Lorien) and Stargate (the appearance of the Phantom Zone portal, theme of legends being aliens)


Goofs

Granting that the legal system in the Arrowverse is probably more efficient than in our world, it's still shocking that Lex Luthor could go on trial, even with an open-and-shut case, and have the trial end as quickly as it did. Particularly given the problem with jury selection given how well known Lex is and the nature of his crimes.

It's a little unbelievable that the episode would waste time showing us William watching Lex's trial, in effect having us watching William watching Supergirl.

Why is Lena watching the trial by herself instead of trying to help rescue Kara? 

For that mater, why don't any of the superheroes who arrested Lex testify against him?

Why, after such a big deal was made about it last week, do we not get a quick scene of Alex telling Kelly that Kara is Supergirl? 

Silas should not have any conflicting memories of how the Phantom Zone looked before Crisis. (Perhaps J'onn restored his pre-Crisis memories off-camera, though there's no clear reason why he'd do so.)


Super Trivia

The episode title is a play on the film A Few Good Men and the scene in which Lena tricks Lex into confessing his evil intentions is based on a similar scene from that movie.

Silas is said to be a native of the planet Transilvane, whose inhabitants inspired the legends of vampires on Earth. In the DC Comics universe, Transilvane was an artificial world created by Cadmus scientist Dabney Donovan and populated with genetically engineered replicas of classic horror movie monsters.

It is revealed in this episode that the Phantom Zone is named after the ghostly figures who populate it, who feed on the fear and torment they cause by making people relive their worst nightmares. This is a new conceit from the modern DC Comucs universe. Originally the Phantom Zone transformed those who were sent to it into phantoms, who could observe the physical world but were powerless to affect it.

By contrast, the Phanton Zone of the Arrowverse does not allow those who are trapped there to see the material world, as Zor-El had no idea that Kara was still alive or that Argo City survived thanks to his efforts.


Technobabble

Natives of Transilvane have enhanced strength, speed and stamina compared to regular humans. They also have the ability to transform themselves into clouds of smoke and bats. They feed on he blood of other beings but are not required to take it by violence.

Silas is able to assemble his Phantom Zone Portal on a day's notice, but insists it requires six months of testing before he can be sure it will be safe.

Brainiac-5 creates a holographic simulation of the Phantom Zone. It is backed by dream energy sensors that will detect any fluctuations, distractions, emotional incongruences Dreamer might experience, as the simulation will also psychically attack her in the same way that phantoms do.

The Phantom Zone is revealed to have been altered by the Crisis on Infinite Earths. When all of the timelines of the old multiverse converged into the Earth-Prime reality, the Phantom Zone fractured. It is now one ever-sifting pocket dimension - what Brainiac-5 describes as a interdimensional archipelago.

Every dimension within the Phantom Zone has its own vibrational frequency. Dreamer would need to travel to each one individually and synch up with it before her powers would work. Between this and the randomized pattern of the Phantom Zone shifting, Dreamer cannot use her powers to track Kara directly in the Phantom Zone.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Lex is sitting at his table in his cell, eying the food before him suspiciously. Suddenly, the cell door opens. Otis Graves and Lillian Luthor walk in.)
Lex: I thought visitors were forbidden in this wing.
Lillian: The Luthor name still commands respect... and the occasional favor.
(Lillian takes the seat opposite Lex.) 
Lex: Ah. Favors. Is that how you secured me that plea deal? Admit to conspiracy and manslaughter, and go away for...
(Otis is about to take a seat at the table, but Lex holds up a hand and shoos him away.)
Lex: Ah, ah!
(Otis stands back up and Lex continues.)
Lex: Go away for 25 years?
Lillian: I'm sure your lawyer advised you to accept it.
Lex: He did. Which is why I fired him.

(Lillian has urged Lex to accept the plea deal.)
Lex: Do you really have so little faith in me that you think I should agree to rot in prison? I will remind you, I have been in prison before. I have been shot and killed and risen from the dead before, and I will not be subjugated again. You should know, I always have a plan.
Otis: Yeah, boss. Kablooey!
Lex: A legal plan, you imbecile.

(Silas begins to power up the Phantom Zone portal.)
J'onn: You sure this thing won't blow up?
Silas: It won't blow up, but I can't guarantee it won't implode. 

(Lex has just been found not guilty of all charges. He is, for once, stunned speechless.)
Otis: (whispering as the judge is thanking the jury for their work) Uh... Wait, you actually won? (quickly apologetic) Not that I'm surprised, boss!
Lex: Well, I am! Clearly I underestimated the value of just... being myself.
Otis (sighs wistfully) No kablooey.
Lex: Of course not, you idiot.


Dialogue Disasters

Lex's sudden speech about jealous women trying to tear him down seems horribly out of character. Granting that Lex has an ego and a deep hatred of aliens, it's hard to see him ranting like a Men's Rights Activist.


Continuity

In the opening scene, the Super Friends attack a man who burgles a Luthor Foundation blood bank.

The vampire, Silas, is a native of the planet Transilvane, which is the source of the vampire legends on Earth. 

Silas is gay and was married to a man named Owen.

Owen was falsely accused of theft and sentenced to six months at Fort Rozz in the Phantom Zone. He apparently went mad due to the torments of the Phantom Zone.

Silas is the only person known to have ever attempted to break into the Phantom Zone. He is quick to note that he was not successful. 

Silas says that building the technology to enter the Phantom Zone is easy; the hard part is dealing with the phantoms from which the Phantom Zone takes its name, as they can drive a person made by feeding on their fears until they lose all touch with reality or die of fright.

Dreamer goes back to CatCo to continue to cover for Kara's absence, but is reminded that they need her powers to find Kara once they get into the Phantom Zone.

Andrea Rojas wants CatCo to focus as much coverage as possible on Lex Luthor's trial and turn the public against him. She assigns Nia and William Dey to cover the trail directly and try to interview the court officials involved.

Lex meets with his mother and informs her that he fired his lawyer and refuses to take a plea deal. He intends to represent himself at his trial.

Lillian freely admits that she cares more about saving the Luthor family name than freeing Lex.

In the Phantom Zone, Kara is rescued from the Phantoms by a man who she realizes is her father, Zor-El.

Kara tells her father that his efforts to save Argo City were successful. 

Kara remembers the Phantom Zone differently than how it was when she was trapped there. This was partly due to her rocket protecting her from the Phantoms, somehow.

The worst nightmare that Kara experienced at the hands of the phantoms was her battle with Reign in 323, where all of her friends and family died and there was nothing she could do to save them all this time.

Zor-El says the only way to stay sane in the Phantom Zone is to accept that you are trapped. This keeps the phantoms at bay. Attempting to move upon the anchor where Fort Ross as rooted in the Phantom Zone only provokes them.

Andrea and Lena meet for drinks. Andrea tries to fish for details on what happened between Lena and Lex, but Lena refuses to speak about it, on or off the record, and angrily kicks Andrea out of her office.

Silas is uncertain he can get the portal to work safely. J'onn becomes angry with him and almost becomes physically violent.

Alex tries to comfort Silas and reassure him that he will help save Supergirl.

Lex Luthor is formally charged with crimes against humanity, murder and conspiracy.

M'Gann has a talk with J'onn about his becoming overly emotional regarding Kara being in danger. 

When Lex cross-examines Eve Tessmacher, he gets her to admit that she loved him and that he rejected her advances in 517. He then tries to spin it that she was a jilted lover framing him for her own crimes as a complicated revenge scheme.

As a result of Lex casting Eve Tessmacher's testimony into doubt, the murder charges against Lex are dropped.

Lillian meets with Lena and offers to sell her Lillian's share of LuthorCorp so Lena will be able to keep Lex from using any of the company resources for his schemes.

Lena refuses the offer, seeing it as a bribe, and tells Lillian that she'd decided to testify against Lex to ensure he goes to prison for the rest of his life, even if it means admitting to her own crimes.

Brainiac-5 makes a holographic Phantom Zone simulation to test Dreamer's ability to use her powers in that environemtn.

Dreamer has a vision of Alex and Kara when they were in high school.

Dreamer is not sure she can use her powers to accurately track Kara through a dream, but Brainy says he has confidence in her.

Kara decides to try and fight through the Phantom Zone on her own. She is overwhelmed almost immediately and saved by Zor-El again. Kara's refusal to give up inspires Zor-El, who agrees that they will go down fighting together if they cannot win.

Lena tells the court about her Non Nocere project and how Lex corrupted her technology.

When Lex cross-examines Lena, Lena tricks Lex into bragging that Lena's designs would never have worked without his contribution and that he did everything Lena accused him of. Lex proceeds to blame women who were jealous of his success and power trying to tear him down for all of his problems.

Silas is able to get the portal to the Phantom Zone open, but the Super Friends are attacked by phantoms.

J'onn is able to use his telepathy to augment Dreamer's energy blasts, allowing them to force the Phantoms back through the portal.

All but one of the phantoms are forced back into the portal, though the Super Friends do not realize that one phantom is in hiding.

Otis disguises himself as a guard at Luthor's hearing and has a plan prepared to cover his escape.

The jury find Lex not guilty of all charges, much to his surprise.

Silas says he'll continue to help the Superfriends to save Kara.

Lex singles out CatCo and their coverage of his trial when talking about how the the media is out to destroy successful men like him.

William is feeling disillusioned by Lex Luthor's acquittal. 

Brainiac-5 starts mapping the Phantom Zone.

J'onn thinks on M'Gann's advice and decides he needs to start approaching Kara's rescue as a soldier rather than as a father.

Alex has a breakdown in private with Kelly over how they couldn't save Kara.

Andrea goes to meet Lena and complements her courage in testifying against Lex.

Lena apologizes to Andrea for jumping down her throat. Andrea apologizes for trying to push Lena into giving her a story.

Amdrea says she still intends to use CatCo to bring down Lex.

Lex says that he now intends to tell the truth as he sees it and trust that things will work out, as people seem to like his "telling it like it is."

Silas is attacked by the phantom and calls J'onn.

In the Phantom Zone, Kara and Zor-El see a group of three phantoms open a portal. This inspires them to try and capture a phantom.


Location

The Phantom Zone


Untelevised Adventures

Zor-El is revealed to have sent himself to the Phantom Zone after rescuing Argo City from the destruction of Krypton.


The Bottom Line

Another lackluster episode which is oddly focused upon the least interesting aspects of the current storyline, with the title character being about #3 or #4 on the writers' list of priorities. Does anyone really care about William Day? Was anyone really wanting to see Lena and Andrea make-up? Or any more of Andrea at all, really? Silas isn't a bad character, but he's just one more member of an increasingly bloated ensemble who really doesn't add anything to the show. Unfortunately, it seems like we'll be working through this Phantom Zone storyline for a while to come.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 22 - The Quest For Peace

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




Plot

Lex Luthor descends on Washington D.C. as the hero of the hour and the most beloved man in America. With all of her allies but Alex occupied, Kara has only one chance to stop Lex Luthor's plans. Will the Power of the Press prove capable of doing what Supergirl can't?


Influences

Superman 4: The Quest For Peace (title), Iron Man (the sequences of Lex fighting the Kaznian military in his Lexo-suit while singing "My Way"), the President Lex storyline from the Superman comics (Lex sets himself up as the defacto leader of the USA, if not the actual President), the Martian Manhunter comics of John Ostrander (character of Ma'alefa'ak) and the Batman comics of Grant Morrison (Leviathan organization).


Goofs

It beggars belief that Dreamer and J'onn are put to work in a slave labor camp and just happen to wind up next to friends of J'onn who are looking for someone to lead a rebellion against the guards after less than a minute.

The guards also don't seem to care about stopping the alien workers from talking to each other, which would be unusual even if J'onn and Al weren't being incredibly unsubtle about talking about rebelling. They don't even whisper!

The slow-motion fight scenes in the fifth sequence just don't work. Especially James vs. Ben Lockwood.

It is said that President Baker is removed from office by the Cabinet's invoking the 25th Amendment. Even if The Cabinet does declare The President unfit for duty, a 2/3rds majority vote in both houses of Congress is still required to remove him from office.


Performances

Once again, Jon Cryer steals the show as Lex Luthor.

Melissa Benoist gets a wonderful death scene as Red Daughter, playing opposite herself.


Artistry

The special effects budget for this season was clearly saved for this episode and the CGI is largely theatrical quality.


Super Trivia

The opening logo once again shows the symbol of the Red Daughter and her name in Russian, along with Supergirl's name and the Supergirl logo.

The new President who takes over after Phil Baker is named Plastino. Al Plastino was the name of the artist who co-created Kara Zor-El along with writer Otto Binder.

It is revealed that Eve Teschmacher was recruited to manipulate Lex Luthor on behalf of a group called Leviathan. First appearing in Batman: The Return #1, Leviathan is a splinter-group of the League of Assassins formed by Talia Al Ghul, which developed into a criminal syndicate of unimaginable power.

The Monitor brings a Green Martian to Earth and encourages him to seek revenge against the brother who wronged him, who is revealed to be J'onn J'onzz. This would seem to be a reference to Ma'alefa'ak - the brother of J'onn J'onzz, who was introduced into the Martian Manhunter comics by John Ostrander and Tom Mandrake.


Technobabble

An astral projector can appear in any environment, but they cannot interact with people in that environment. However, an astral projection can interact with and ionize other forms of energy, such as by writing in water molecules that accumulate as condensation on a window.

Brainiac-5 says that it will take 20 pods to overload the power core of the Claymore satellite in the time they had left. He further says that J'onn has only an 18% chance of successfully using his own psychic energy to overload the core and a 98% chance of dying in the attempt.


Dialogue Triumphs

(An alien man begs for mercy as he is locked into Luthor's machine, repeatedly muttering "Please don't.")
Lex: (cheerfully) Don't worry. It won't hurt.
(A metal plate slides over the man, who begins screaming.)
Lex: (nonchalant) Hmm. Guess I was wrong.
(Eve Teschmacher looks at the screen for the device as Lex examines the gauntlet he is wearing.)
Eve: Alien energy transfer complete. Your gauntlet should be charged.
Lex: Only one way to find out. (looks around the room and points to a guard on a balcony overlooking the room) Um... excuse me? Uh... stand very still!
(Lex aims the gauntlet at the guard and shots him with a ray. The man screams briefly as his body breaks down into a mass of liquid. Lex looks suitably impressed, but not surprised.)
Lex: Hmm... get a mop.

Red Daughter: Supergirl is dead. What happened?
Lex: (shrugging) The Kaznians invaded.
Red Daughter: Your signal was late! I was supposed to lead the attack!
Lex: No, Ryzhaya Dch. You did exactly what you were meant to do.
(A missile approaches in the air. Lex nonchalantly reaches up with one hand and shoots a laser blast that destroys it.)
Red Daughter: You betrayed me! Betrayed Kaznia!
Lex: What can I say? I'm proud to be an American.
(Lex reaches up and fires his gauntlet as the scene fades to black)

Eliza: Lex and The Preisdent have succeeded in convincing the people that all aliens are dangerous! That Supergirl is the enemy-
Alex: And Lex is the hero.
Kara: Then I guess it's my job to show them who Lex really is. Show them the truth.

(Lena is sarcastically rude to Lex.)
Lillian: Now, now! You play nicely. This is the first family gathering we've had in ages and I'd like to enjoy myself.
Lena: Your murderous son has duped the world into thinking he's Earth's hero. This is hardly Thanksgiving dinner.
Lillian: Sounds perfectly normal for our family.

(Lex describes his plans to turn aliens into giant disposable batteries and growing rich selling the power to the world.)
Lena: That's vile!
Lex: Vile AND viable. As another world leader once said, "I don't see why man shouldn't be as cruel as nature."
Lillian: Try not to quote Hitler in public, dear. It'll hurt the brand.

(As Lex leaves the room.)
Lena: You're not buying this, Mother?!
Lillian: Of course not! I've already poisoned his tea. If he'd stop running his mouth long enough to take a sip, he'd be dead by now.

(Dreamer is confused why nobody can see her astral form.)
Dreamer: Guys?
Brainac-5: If my calculations are correct, Dreamer has just astral projected into this office.
Dreamer: You anticipated me being here?!
Brainiac-5: She is here. She's wondering in this exact moment how she can contact us. Because an astral projectee can place themselves in any environment, but they cannot interact with that environment.
Alex and Nia: (together) So how is that a good plan?!?
Nia: (to Alex) Thank you!

Lex: The truth is meaningless. The people of Earth believe I am their savior. They needed a human hero and I fulfill that need. Nothing will ever change their minds.
(As Lex continues speaking, we cut to the streets of National City, where two young men are walking. One of them stops the other as he gestures to a news report on his phone. It is Kara's article.)
Lex: Facts are irrelevant. All that matters is spin.
(We cut to outside the White House, where a mob of people are waving signs cheering Lex Luthor.  One of them looks at their phone and is shocked as she sees Kara's report.)
Lex: People are so stupid. They don't even read. And even when they do, they certainly don't think. I am the leader of this nation now. And nothing can stop me.

J'onn: During the battle for my home planet, I ran. Millions died. I will not make that same mistake again!

Lex: How are you alive?! How did you do it?
Supergirl: How do you think I did it? I'm Supergirl.
Lex: Just like your cousin! No matter how many times I stamp you out, you miraculously resurface! With your glossy cape and your prefect hair!
Supergirl: Let me let you in on a little secret, Lex. Truth and Justice always prevail.
Lex: (chuckling) You and your cousin are such saps. Luckily, I came prepared.
(Lex taps a button on his gauntlet. His hands begin to glow with green Kryptonite energy. Supergirl looks uncomfortable for a moment but then steels herself.)
Supergirl: So did I.
(Supergirl presses in on the S-shield on her chest and the armored suit Lena made for her slides into place. Lex looks stunned.)
Supergirl: You can thank your sister for this.

(Red Daughter is dying of Kryptonite poisoning, while being held by Supergirl.)
Red Daughter: You were right. My Alex was nothing like your Alex. Protect your people... as I protected mine.

(Lex's suit starts falling apart as he plummets toward the ground. Suddenly, he is caught by one hand by Supergirl. He struggles to wiggle free of her grip.)
Supergirl: Let me save you!
Lex: (scoffs) Saved? By a Kryptonian? I'd rather die!
(Lex's gauntlet releases from the rest of his armor and he falls to the ground, his armor seemingly erupting in a wave of green energy and a fiery explosion.)

(Lena draws a gun on Lex)
Lex: (impatiently) Come on, Lena. This is no time for theatrics. We both know, no matter how much you despise me, you're not ruthless enough to pull that trigger-
(Lena pulls the trigger twice, unloading two bullets into Lex's chest.)
Lena: The world will never be safe with you in it.

Lex: I'm about to die, but at least I lived without ever being a fool. You're left with no one and nothing!

Eve Teschmacher: Who are you?
Old Woman: You already know that, dear.
Eve Teschmacher: I did everything you asked. I worked for him. I hurt people for him!
Old Woman: Lex was supposed to move the needle. He failed.
Eve Teschmacher: So let me go!
Old Woman: Sorry, sweetie. That's not on the agenda.
(Eve looks around and sees that everyone on the street, from the homeless man to the cops, are watching her.)
Old Woman: Leviathan is everywhere. Leviathan is everyone. And Leviathan is coming.

(A breach opens and a figure in a black-hooded robe emerges. The Monitor steps forward to meet him.)
Figure: Where am I?
The Monitor: Earth.
Figure: It can't be!
The Monitor: You've been trapped for too long. A phantom to your people. Now it is time you avenge yourself against the brother who wronged you.
Figure: Will you help me?
The Monitor: It was I that brought you here. You must walk the path yourself. Besides... I have one more place to visit.
(The Monitor walks off as the figure lowers its hood, revealing itself to be a Green Martian.)
Figure: (in Martian) I 'm coming for you, J'onn J'onzz.


Dialogue Disasters

Again, every time Ben Lockwood opens his mouth.


Continuity

The episodes opens with Kara's escape from the Red Daughter in 421

Red Daughter returns to Lex and says she failed him by not killing Supergirl.

Lex says she didn't fail him and it was his fault for thinking that Kryptonite exposure alone could kill Supergirl.

He applauds Red Daughter for making Supergirl bleed and gives her a photo of Eliza Danvers, telling her to attack Supergirl where she is most vulnerable - the heart.

Lex is confirmed to be using the alien prisoners to charge his new power suit.

Eve witnesses Ben Lockwood killing Otis Graves. Lex asks her to send a team to kill Lockwood.

President Baker's first name is revealed as Phil. He was a state senator before becoming Vice President.

Lex reveals that he was responsible for Phil Baker's rise to power, having taken out President Marsdin's original running mate and then pulling strings to put Phil Baker on the ticket. He then arranged for President Marsdin to be outed as an alien, putting Baker in the White House.

As in 416, the montage of the Kaznian invasion and Red Daughter fighting Supergirl is set to Frank Sinatra's "My Way."

The battle between Red Daughter and Supergirl was seen in 421.

Lex uses his new suit to fight the Kaznian military, single-handed.

Lex seemingly kills the Red Daughter on National TV.

It is revealed that Lex didn't really kill the Red Daughter but weakened her and has loaded her into one of the energy-draining pods at Amertek's refinery.

President Baker calls a second press confrerence, declaring that Otis Graves was found dead with a manifesto detailing his philosophy and taking credit for the crimes that were pinned on Lex Luthor. As such, he gives Luthor a full Presidential Pardon and appoints him as the new Secretary of Alien Affairs.

Ben Lockwood learns about this watching TV while hiding at his steel mill. He survives an assassination attempt by a squad of Eve Teschmacher clones and asks the one who doesn't disappiate after he knocks them out at super speed why Luthor had been using him.

It is revealed that Shelley Island has been turned into a slave labor camp, with those aliens who can't output energy for Luthor's refinery being put to work assembling electronics for Amertek.

J'onn winds up working next to Al - the alien who runs the alien dive bar - and the two begin to plan a rebellion.

Brainiac-5 escaped to L-Corp and regrouped with Lena.

The two watch a news report where it is revealed that Lex donated an experimental power source to replace the destroyed power grid on the eastern side of the United States.

Brainiac-5 is able to recover Kara's evidence of Luthor's wrong-doing that was stored on the CatCo servers.

Brainac-5 tells Lena, Kara and Alex about how Luthor was not only using alien prisoners from the DEO desert facility in his experiments but alien civilians abducted by Ben Lockwood and the Children of Liberty.

Lena gets an invitation from The President to meet him at the White House. The invitation turns out to be from Lex, who has taken over the Oval Office and also arranged for Lillian Luthor to be freed.

Lex reveals his master-plan, now that the Luthor name is cleared, is to build his fortune on his new power source - supercharged disposable batteries, powered by alien energy.

Lena asks what makes Lex think Superman is going to sit idly by on Argo and let him do this. Lex says that the first batch of aliens are being used to charge a revised Claymore satellite that will allow him to destroy Argo from a distance.

Eve Teschmacher objects to Lex's plan to kill Superman, which she was not consulted on. Lex says that killing Superman once and for all was always the point and he doesn't care if half the energy they've gathered will be burned up destroying Argo.

The device Lillian Luthor built to extract the Harun-El from a human system is completed.

Dreamer eventually notifies the team that the alien captives are being held on Shelley Island, after realizing she's invisible and inaudible to people in her astral form. She is able to write out a message after Brainiac-5 breathes on a cold window.

Brainiac-5 determined that Lex is using Shelley Island to charge the new Claymore satellite and that it is aimed at Argo. He says that he will try to hack the power core while Kara, Jimmy and Alex try to save Dreamer and J'onn.

Ben Lockwood shows up with a group of Children of Liberty he says that he gave the Harun-El treatment to and start fighting Supergirl, Alex and Jimmy.

Upon finding they can't disable the power core for Claymore, J'onn tries to overload it with his psychic powers.

Lena and Lillian escape the White House by struggling with Eve Teschmacher for a gun and pistol whipping her with it and macing two Secret Service agents, respectively.

Lex files to Shelley Island and begins blasting everything with his new Lexo Suit.

Lex reveals that his suit has the ability to generate Kryptonite radiation.

Thankfully, Kara came prepared and puts on the armored costume Lena made for her.

Dreamer pools her dream energy with J'onn's psychic powers but it is not enough.

Seeing two people do something so illogical causes Brainiac-5's previous personality to reassert itself and start saying words of encouragement to Dreamer and J'onn.

Brainiac-5 finally tells Dreamer that he loves her.

James is able to inject Ben Lockwood with the Harun-El removal device.

Red Daughter is freed by J'onn and Dreamer.  She flies to Supergirl just in time to take a lethal Kryptonite laser bolt for her.

The Red Daughter dissipates into a cloud of purple energy which Kara seems to absorb. This gives her the power she needs to overpower Lex's Kryptonite beams and blast his gauntlet with her heat vision, which glows purple.

Lex refuses to let Supergirl save him from falling to his death as his armor starts to fall apart. He seemingly falls to his death but actually teleports to a secret base under his childhood treehouse... where Lena is waiting to inject him with the Harun-El extractor.

Lena shoots Lex. He applauds her for finally proving how ruthless she is but asks who is left to be proud of her.

Lex reveals that Kara is Supergirl and that all of Lena's friends and Lillian knew and lied to her about it before he dies.

As far as the world is concerned, Lex Luthor died blown up on Shelley island.

The Cabinet invoked the 25th Amendment to remove President Baker from office and he was arrested.

Ben Lockwood was arrested on a new battery of terrorism charges.

James lost his right eye in the fight with Ben Lockwood.

The new President Plastino ends martial law and reinstates the Alien Amnesty Act pending a new vote in Congress.

Col. Haley holds a press conference to apologize to Supergirl

Alex kisses Kelley Olsen for the first time..

Lena shows up for game night but is clearly uncomfortable.

Kara wants to tell Lena the truth about her secret identity but Alex wants to let her just have one night to enjoy with her friends. Kara agrees.

George Lockwood is seen talking to a crowd and preaching against his father's message of hate on the news.

Eve Teschmacher is confronted by an old woman at a bus station in National City, who tells her that "Leviathan is everywhere, Leviathan is everyone and Leviathan is coming."

The Monitor brings someone to Earth through a breach - a Martian who must avenge himself upon the brother who wronged him. This brother is identified as J'onn J'onzz.

The Monitor says he has one more place to visit.

Lena cracks the glass in the picture of herself, Alex and Kara together in her office while using it is a coaster for her drink.

The episode ends with The Monitor manifesting in Lex's secret lab and regarding Lex's corpse, as his hand starts to open another breach.


Location

Washington D.C. - 24 hours earlier.
Amertek Energy Refiner - 6 hours earlier.
The White House - 1 hour earlier.
Midvale - Today.
Amertek Energy Refiner - Today.
Lockwood Steel Factory - Today.
Shelley Island - Today
The White House - Today.
Luthor Manor - Today.


The Bottom Line

Much like Season 4 of Supergirl, it's a bit of a mess overall, but the parts that work work very well. There's just not a lot of middle ground. The inclusion of the Children of Liberty and Ben Lockwood just feels pointless and seems to be there just to give James something to do... much like James suddenly having lost an eye. A lot of things are resolved too quickly to register (such as Brainiac-5's personality being restored) and it seems like most of the cast is just treading water until the Lex vs. Supergirl fight.

That being said, the special effects work is great and the fight between Lex and Supergirl is everything we hoped it might be. It looks like we'll have multiple villains again next season, which is worrying on multiple levels, even ignoring what might happen with Lena an whatever the Monitor is up to. Either way, Season 5 of Supergirl won't be boring!

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 21 - Red Dawn

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




Plot

Supergirl finally comes face to face with the Red Daughter. As the two Kryptonians battle for supremacy, J'onn, Dreamer and Braniac-5 start searching for the alien test-subjects abducted by Lex Luthor. Meanwhile, Alex begins to realize that her memory has been tampered with as Lena Luthor turns to an unexpected source for help in figuring in how to extract the Harun-El from a human subject.


Influences

Red Dawn (the title and the plot involving a Russian invasion of the United States), Superman: The Movie (the Kryptonite ball and chain used to subdue Kara), Star Wars (Dreamer's reference to "The Wookie Gambit", her asking Brainy to tell her the odds) and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (Kara draining the solar energy from a forest to heal herself.)


Goofs

Kara says that she's been dealing with Kryptonite for 15 years.  When was she ever exposed to Kryptonite before she became Supergirl four years ago?

So none of the guards see J'onn hovering over the alien prison?

Was Eliza Danvers informed about Alex's erased memory? It seems like she would have to have been to prevent any confusion at family gatherings.


Performances

Jesse Rath has a great turn here as he transforms into the more traditional Brainiac-5.


Artistry

The fight between Supergirl and Red Daughter may be the finest in the show's history.


Super Trivia

The title of the episode comes from a 1984 film about a Russian invasion of the United States.

The title card of the episode shows the Red Daughter symbol before changing to the usual House of El symbol.

The sequence in which Supergirl drains the solar energy from the plants in a forest to heal herself is inspired by a scene in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns where Superman does the same thing after being severely injured by a nuclear bomb.


Technobabble

Brainiac-5 says that there is a a 56.3% chance that any plan that involves pretending to be captured will result in their actually being captured.

Alex uses the DEO satellites to scan for Supergirl's unique solar radiation signature so they can track Red Daughter.

Colonel Haley says that the energy beam for the Claymore satellite was powered by an unknown energy source.

Brainiac-5 later determines that the captive aliens are having their power drained and converted into kinetic energy for use in the Claymore particle beam.

J'onn saw aliens being herded into a transmatter portal (like the one the DEO has) suggesting their power is being drained at another site.


Dialogue Triumphs

Lena: Lex is planning on invading America.
Brainiac-5: What?!
Alex: You should have led with that.
Lena: Well, then you're going to love this. Lex has a clone of Supergirl.
Alex: What?!
Brainiac-5: You should have led with that!

(Kara watches Red Daughter looking queasy at the close proximity of the Kryptonite.)
Kara: You know, for saying that you want to know your enemy, you don't know me at all. For instance, that pain you're feeling? You've only felt it for the past couple of months. But me? I've been dealing with Kryptonite for 15 years.
(Kara slips loose of the chain and uses it as a flail against the Red Daughter, running for the hotel room window and jumping through it, flying away once she's far enough away from the Kryptonite.)

(Lena opens a container. Out crawls an octopus like creature, which latches onto Lillian's arm and wraps around it.)
Lena: It's a baby Truth-Seeker. And I need the truth.
Lillian: You mean, I can't lie?
Lena: Nope.
(There is a long pause as Lena regards Lillian.)
Lena: My middle school boyfriend, Taylor.
Lillian: (reflexively) I paid him $14,000 to never speak to you again.
(Lillian looks astonished at having been forced to confess that.)
Lena: I knew it.

(On The "Wookie Gambit")
J'onn: Why does everyone always think getting captured is the best plan?

Brainiac-5: You know 56.3% isn't that bad. By our standards.

Brainiac-5: (panicked) What I'm trying to tell you is that my species has ancestral memory. And my ancestors? Very bad people. (pained) They were collectors! Conquerors! I remember everything!
(Brainiac-5 looks around, eyes wide in terror as the terror gives way to manically glee.)
Brainiac-5: Uh-oh!
(Brainiac-5 laughs manically and passes out. A moment later he looks up, totally dispassionate as he speaks.)
Brainiac-5: In short, your rebooted me. Aligned me with my more... emotionless ancestors. And that was a calamitous mistake.
(In an instant, Brainiac-5 is free of his bonds and unleashing a perfectly executed series of martial-arts maneuvers on the guards.) 

Supergirl: Hope, help and compassion for all. That's what I stand for.
Red Daughter: You will not be able to stand at all when I am done with you!


Continuity

Alex has a dream about herself and Kara as teenagers. She was trying to teach Kara how to clap her hands to the beat of a song and the clapping created a shockwave that started an Earthquake.

Alex tells Kelly that she has a weird feeling about the dream and she had the same feeling when she was being questioned at the DEO several months earlier. She thinks it has something to do with Kara, for some reason.

Alex gets a call from Brainiac-5, asking her to come into the DEO right away.

The Secret Service informs Kara that they scrubbed the CatCo servers of her evidence of the Kaznian invasion plot.

Kara is able to fight the two Secret Service agents even while tied up without using her powers. She is stopped from escaping by the Red Daughter, who is wearing a dark-haired wig and carrying a box with a Kryptonite necklace.

Brainiac-5 informs Alex of the events of the last episode and how Ben Lockwood is now on a super-powered rampage.

Ben Lockwood took the entire stock of Harun-El serum in Lena's lab at the DEO and trashed the labs to boot.

Lena says that Ben Lockwood must be connected to Lex somehow.

Alex says that she can hunt down the Red Daughter.

Brainiac-5 says he will get J'onn and Dreamer and tackle tracking down the missing alien criminals Lex abducted.

Lena says that she is going to confront Ben Lockwood and try to find out where Lex is hiding, but first she needs to borrow one thing from the DEO. Alex says she can have it.

The Red Daughter is tasked with killing Kara after she is taken captive in the White House.

Kara is able to escape because she's far more used to fighting through Krytponite poisoning than the Red Daughter..

Kara goes to J'onn to get the bullet shrapnel removed from her arm.

Kara says that all of her evidence about the Kaznian invasion and Lex has been destroyed.

Kara says she has to tell Alex the truth about her being Supergirl.

J'onn says that she can't tell Alex the truth because the techniques he used to wall off her memories are fragile and she could go insane if the news is just dropped on her.

J'onn says maybe if Alex remembered on her own her memories might be restored, but he's not certain of that.

Lena Luthor bought the for-profit prison Lillian Luthor was incarcerated in and makes arrangements for her to be sent to her lab for a weekend.

The one thing Lena borrowed from the DEO is revealed to be the Truth Seeker from 410.

Under the influence of the Truth Seeker, Lillian Luthor admits to paying Lena's middle school boyfriend Taylor $14,000 to dump her and never speak to her again.

Lena put a slow-acting neurotoxin in Lillian's lunch, giving her 24 hours to solve the problem of removing Harun-El from a human body in order to earn the antidote.

Lillian Luthor also says that she loves Lena, much to Lena's surprise.

Lena determines that Ben Lockwood really had no idea that his rise to power was facilitated by Lex Luthor.

Lena says she also thinks the unrefined Harun-El cure is causing physical deterioration in Ben Lockwood as he seemed to have a clump of hair fall out when he was talking to her.

Lena and James go following after Ben Lockwood.

J'onn's determines that three aliens were taken from the latest DEO raid site.

J'onn finds a unicorn keychain on the crime scene.

Dreamer has a vision of a young alien girl riding a unicorn being chased by wolves.

Brainiac-5 determines that Faol is an archaic Irish word meaning wolf and that Faolan Shipping is a subsidiary of a subsidiary of Lex Luthor's favorite shell company, Amertek.

The Wookie Gambit is a maneuver where the heroes infiltrate a prison by pretending to be guards escorting a single prisoner.  It is name for how Chewbacca infiltrated the Death Star brig while pretending to be a prisoner, as Han Solo and Luke Skywalker posed as Storm Troopers.

Brainiac-5 decides to try the Wookie Gambit anyway when Dreamer sees the girl from her vision.

Brainiac-5 uses his image inducer to pose as Ben Lockwood. It works until the alien-sniffing dogs react to his presence.

Kara says that absorbing sunlight into her body feels warm and she feels the sensation in her toes first.

Colonel Haley is informed of the Red Daughter's existence and that President Baker is working for Lex Luthor. She agrees to help Alex and Supergirl.

J'onn sneaks into the prison disguised as Eve Teschmacher.

While undergoing electric-shock torture in the alien prison, Brainiac-5's mind is "rebooted" and his ancestral memories take over. This replaces his usual personality with a more cool, logical and amoral one that has no qualms about killing.

Colonel Haley mentions Project Claymore from 413 and says she tried to track down the six engineers behind it. She found all of them had died within the past two weeks and the locations of their deaths match six of the spots Red Daughter visited.

Coloney Haley concludes that Lex is trying to get his hands on the specs for a new Claymore style weapon.

The DEO computer tracks a likely base of operations for the Red Daughter to 1114 Cedar Street in National City.

Supergirl insists on leaving Alex behind and facing Red Daughter alone.

1114 Cedar Street is an apartment which Red Daughter has roughly started to decorate to look like Kara's apartment. It is also within visual range of Kara's apartment, suggesting that Red Daughter has been watching Kara and slowly starting to emulate her.

Ben Lockwood injects himself with another unrefined sample of Harun-El before meeting Otis Graves.

Otis confesses to Ben Lockwood that he was working for Lex Luthor when he started helping get the Children of Liberty started.

Ben Lockwood goes berserk when he learns that all of this planning was based around making money and world domination.

Lena figures out that Lex's plan is to betray the Kaznians and become the hero he sees himself as in the public eye by stopping their invasion.

James has a violent reaction to the Kryptonite in Otis Graves' chest.

Ben Lockwood rips out the Kryptonite heart of Otis Graves, seemingly killing him once and for all.

Brainiac-5 finds Dreamer but informs her that he is not freeing her, as they'll be able to find the location of the where the aliens are being drained much easier if she is sent there and then she sends him an astral projection telling him where to find her.

Brainiac-5 also knocks out J'onn with a series of nerve punches, leaving him to be captured so as to increase the odds of one of them being able to contact him.

Kara finds a journal of the Red Daughter's, which has sketches of her and Alex in it, along with a code cipher and a photo of a young boy as a bookmark. (Mikhail from 416)

Alex comes to Red Daughter's apartment and starts to have a breakdown as she realizes it looks like Kara's apartment and overlooks Kara's apartment.

Eliza Danvers calls Alex to tell her Kara just got there.  Kara realizes that Red Daughter has disguised herself as her and is going after her adoptive mother.

The Red Daughter has developed powers Kara does not have - chiefly the ability to generate purple electrical energy around her hands which is capable of shocking even Supergirl.

Watching Supergirl fight Red Daughter brings back a flood of memories of Kara using her superpowers to Alex. These include using her frost breath to make it snow indoors at Christmas, roasting marshmallows with her heat-vision when they were teens, Kara catching them both after they fell off a cliff whens he accidentally started an earthquake by clapping too hard and assorted clips from the past four seasons.

Alex remembers that Kara is Supergirl.

Red Daughter flies off after she hears Kara's heart stop beating. She appears distressed, however, when she sees Alex's reaction and realizes she actually killed Supergirl.

Kara is able to heal herself by drawing on the solar energy in the plant around her.

Lillian Luthor determines that a second dose of Harun-El should stabilize James' condition.

J'onn and Dreamer are sent through the portal to wherever the alien captives are being sent to.

Colonel Haley determines that the Claymore satellite was a prototype for a weapons system that could be contained within one mechanized suit.

As the episode ends, President Baker is holding a press conference to announce that the Kaznian invasion of America was led by Supergirl but that it was thwarted by one man - Lex Luthor - who killed Supergirl.


Location

Midvale - 2007
Washington D.C.
Midvale - 2019


The Bottom Line

Far better than it has any right to be, given some of the hokier elements of the story. Poetic as it may have been with Frank Miller's narration, Superman absorbing solar energy from plants never quite worked in my mind and it doesn't work any better in live action. Still, what does work here works well, such as Melissa Benoist's dual performance and Chyler Leigh recovering her memories as Alex.

In retrospect, it seems that the writers weren't sure how far to go with Ben Lockwood and one week after turning him into an irredeemable monster, suddenly he's going over the edge to declare war on Lex Luthor. I think the show might have been better had he been killed early on and Manchester Black were still around trying to thwart Luthor's scheme with targeted ultra violence. Ah, what might have been eh?

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 17 - All About Eve

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



Plot

Supergirl, Lena and Alex must form an unlikely alliance to go after the woman they see as the weak link of Lex Luthor's plan - Eve Teschmacher. Unfortunately, Eve is far smarter tan anyone gave her credit for - something the three women realize as they track Lex's "Ms. Teschmacher" across the country. Meanwhile, James is urged to confront the trauma his sister is sure he's repressing as Ben Lockwood works to help President Baker with his plan to repeal the Alien Amnesty Act.


Influences

Superman: Red Son (concept of Kryptonian raised in Russia)


Goofs

Kara says that Lex Luthor usually retaliates within 48 hours of a prison escape. How would she know this when Lex was just sent to prison for the first time over three years ago? (He may have escaped several times in the space between the events depicted in the last episode.)

Why would the DEO be involved in the hunt for Lex Luthor when he isn't an alien criminal? (Lex utilizes some of the most advanced technology on Earth and the DEO has the most experience in battling similar tech.)

Eve Teschmacher is said to have an elderly aunt in National City whom she visited on Sundays. In 406, Eve said that she didn't really get along with her family and could work on Thanksgiving without issue. (She may have been lying or it she doesn't get along with her family apart from the one aunt.)

The DEO is supposed to be providing extra security for the President. So why are all the personnel in the Oval Office armed with standard issue pistols?

Granting that it's a trope, why are the White House security so stupid as to waste ammo and risk a ricochet trying to shoot Supergirl in a crowded, dark room full of panicking civilians?

It is unclear at this point just where President Baker stands on the whole issue of alien rights. It seems to vary from episode to episode if he is as big a bigot as Ben Lockwood or if he's just a political opportunist who will do anything for votes. The fact that he is pushing forward with repealing the Alien Amnesty Act, despite having seemingly pacified Lockwood's followers by giving him a Cabinet post and not being worried about the many people protesting in favor of alien rights suggest he truly is a bigot.


Performances

Carl Lumbly is always a welcome presence as M'yrnn J'onnz, yet there is something about his performance and stance here that seems to emulate David Aja as Manchester Black. If it is revealed that his appearance here is art of Manchester's further manipulation of J'onn, then it may be the single must subtle performance ever seen on this show.

David Harewood also does a fantastic job depicting J'onn's breakdown in the face of his father's apparent disappointment.


Artistry

The attack on the White House scene is blocked like a horror movie and is truly scary. James PTSD attack during the battle is also well executed visually.


Super Trivia

The title of this episode comes from a 1950 film. It is the only film in Oscar history to secure four award nominations for actresses - two for Best Actress (Bette Davis and Anne Baxter) and Best Supporting Actress (Celeste Holm and Thelma Ritter). It is ranked #14 on the AFI 1998 list of Greatest American Films.

M'yrnn makes mention of the Martian city of Z'onn Z'orr.  In the classic DC Comics Universe,  Z'onn Z'orr was the name of a Martian colony city established on Earth thousands of years earlier in what became Antarctica. Hidden under the glacial ice for millennia, it was unearthed by the White Martians who attempted to invade Earth disguised as an alien superhero team called The Hyperclan in Grant Morrison's JLA: New World Order. It was briefly used as a Fortress of Solitude by J'onn after the Hyperclans defeat, but was later burned down during a battle with the villain Malefic.


Technobabble

Eve Teschmacher's research logs show that tried to extract the Harun-El serum from someone after treatment.

Lex Luthor and Eve Teschmacher used Cadmus' Metallo Protocol to revive Otis Graves. This is revealed to be how they brought him back to life. There were five failed test-subjects before him, one of which was turned into a semi-robotic guard for Eve Teshmacher's lab.

One car in Washington DC employs an x-ray scatter shield that blinds Supergirl when she tries to look through it. This car houses a hologram of Eve Teschmacher that tells Supergirl to enjoy the show once its light field is disrupted. This also triggers a Lexo-suit which confines Supergirl was the Red Daughter is impersonating her while attacking the White House.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Supergirl stares down the group of armed DEO agents pulling guns on her. She is holding a pink pastry box.)
Supergirl: I, uh...I come offering donuts and my help!

(Supergirl joins Lena and Alex before the house of Eve Teschmacher's aunt.)
Supergirl: Uh, so why are we in the burbs?
Lena: Well, I realized that Eve is in love with Lex...
Supergirl: (snarky) Crazy Lex-Girlfriend.

(M'yrnn is trying to leave J'onn's office with the Symbols.)
J'onn: You can't just leave. After everything we went through for you to pass the Symbols on to me?!
M'yrnn: You can imagine how disappointed I was when you resorted to violence.
J'onn: That's why I was trying to contact you! I need your help! I'm trying to... I'm trying to figure out who I'm supposed to be.
M'yrnn: The easiest question in the world.
J'onn: (stammering) What's the answer?
M'yrnn: For you? (shrugging) No idea. You figure it out. (chuckles)
J'onn: I ask you for help and all you do is turn up and you make it worse. (gripping M'yrnn's shoulders) I'm the last Green Martian!  If I lose myself, we not only lose Martian religion... I... we lose everything!  Our entire history! Every memory you ever gave me! (strangled) My wife... my daughters.
M'yrnn: (deadpan) So this is urgent?
J'onn: Yeah. Oh yeah.
M'yrnn: I know what will solve this problem.
J'onn: (desperately) What? What? What?
M'yrnn: A nice hot cup of c'off'ee!
J'onn: (confused) What?!
M'yrnn: I will stay for one.
(J'onn stands there, blinking as M'yrnn moves to make the coffee.)

(Lena, Alex and Supergirl are questioning Eve Teschmacher's cousin, Bitsie.)
Lena: Were you sick at all, Bitsie?
Bitsie: Me? Healthy as a horse. Why?
Lena: Oh, just something Eve said about a cousin with cancer and two daughters.
(Bitsie holds a forced smile as the oven timer goes off.)
Bitsie: My blood orange cake! Want some?
Supergirl: I can never turn down cake! (whispered) She's lying. Her heart is as fast as a hummingbird's.
Lena: (quietly) Yeah. I think so too.
(Bitsie straightens up from before the oven. She is holding a hot cake pan in her bare hands.)
Supergirl: Uh- Bitsie?  Your... your hands?
(Bitsie looks down and realizes her mistake. She drops the cake pan and begins badly acting like she is in pain.)
Alex: Your hands should be scalded. They're not even red.
Lena: You were sick. You were on hospice. Eve cured you with the serum I made for James. She was here.
Bitsie: I - I want you out of my aunt's house!
(Bitsie pounds the marble kitchen counter, which cracks under her fist. All three women look at her expectantly, clearly not buying any of this act anymore.)
Bitsie: (innocently) I drink a lot of milk?

(Eve Teschmacher and the Red Daughter, dressed as technicians walk through an underground service tunnel.)
Eve Teschmacher (exaggerated, as if speaking to a child): Okay! When YOU, get the signal, go THAT WAY, exactly 900 meters.
Red Daughter: (annoyed) I speak English better than you.

J'onn: Everything I did, I did in the name of peace.
M'yrnn:You killed him.
J'onn: He was a killer!
M'yrnn: Then so are you.
J'onn: Well, what would you have me do? Sit around and pray all day while the world around me burns, like you did on Mars?!
M'yrnn: (evenly) At least I didn't run.


Continuity

The episode opens with Alex leading a DEO team into Lena Luthor's office. They find a drugged Lena and a letter from Lex Luthor, addressed to Lena, left behind by Miss Teschmacher.

The letter to Lena berates her for betraying Lex and testifying against him and expresses his disappointment that she was so easy to fool, first by working Miss Tessmacher into her trust and then by manipulating her into perfecting the Harun-El cure. He warns her not to come after him because he may not be so sentimental as to let her live next the next time they meet.

Lena tries to tell Alex something but Alex tells her to just focus on resting.

J'onn searched the entire South Pacific but could find on sign of Lex or his helicopter.

Kara makes reference to Superman being off-planet.

J'onn tries to cast a psychic net to locate Lex. Instead, he hears the voice of his father and passes out.

J'onn says he has newfound clarity as to who he is not, but fears he no longer knows who he is.

There is an ancient Martian story about a race of shape-shifters whose planet was destroyed. That had to constantly change shape to survive but ultimately forgot what they truly looked like and who they had been.

J'onn decides to try and use the staff of his father to contact his spirit for advice.

James is released from the hospital. He got a clean bill of health but still seems to be jumpy about loud noises.

Kelly Olsen is a psychologist specializing in trauma treatment.

President Baker is moving ahead with the repeal of the Alien Amnesty Act now that everyone in the world is distracted by Lex Luthor's escape from prison.

Supergirl goes to the DEO to offer he help and brings donuts with her.

Kara says that Lex Luthor usually retaliates within 48 hours of a prison escape.

Col. Haley is fond of cinnamon crullers.

Col. Haley has ordered most of the DEO personnel to Washington D.C., by order of President Baker, to act as extra security during the ceremony repealing the Alien Amnesty Act, specifically to counter unrest and protests by alien rights groups.

According to Col. Haley, the FBI, CIA, the US Marshalls and possibly US Navy SEAL Teams 1-6 are currently assigned to the manhunt for Lex Luthor. In fact, every law-enforcement agency except the DEO seems to be involved.

Supergirl informs them that Lex Luthor now has superpowers.

Col. Haley agrees to monitor the operation in DC, freeing Alex and Brainiac-5 up to assist Supergirl.

Alex suggests that she should talk to Lena Luthor about Eve Teschmacher given her rocky history with Supergirl.

Kara gives Alex a Superman signal watch so she can summon her directly if she needs help.

Supergirl tells Brainiac-5 that Nia is at the Fortress of Solitude, trying to dream up a lead on Luthor.

Supergirl returns Brainiac-5's Legion flight ring.

M'yrnn shows up at J'onn's office in the flesh, as he is meditating trying to commune with M'yrnn's spirit.

M'yrnn says that J'onn's office reminds him of the library at the University of Z'onn Z'orr.

M'yrnn says that he returned in the flesh because J'onn failed and he is taking the Sacred Symbols back.

J'onn passes out again as M'yrnn takes the symbols, now manifested as a vessel on J'onn's table, away.

Lena leaves the hospital and visits Lillian Luthor in prison.

Lillian says Lena was prone to migraines as a child.

Lillian is aware of who Eve Teschmacher is and mocks her for following Lex like a love-sick puppy.

Lillian says that Lena's friends will abandon her once they find out what she did to try and save Lex and that she'll be all alone again.

Alex brings Lena in to help in the manhunt for Lex. Lena isn't happy about working with Supergirl, but says that finding Lex is more important than her grudge.

Lena goes with Alex and Supergirl to meet Eve's elderly aunt, Mary Tessmacher, who lives in National City and is the only family Eve has in the city. Eve apparently visited her every Sunday.

Ben Lockwood has a meeting with a Senator Grandbury, who informs him that she changed her mind and is voting against the repeal. Her justification is that denying aliens with superpowers basic rights might lead to an all-out war with humanity.

Lockwood suggests the Senator should fear the common man more than aliens. She doesn't buy it.

M'yrnn stays because J'onn passed out. He eventually agreed to stay and listen to J'onn's problems for one cup of coffee.

Mary Teschmacher is revealed to be on vacation in Florida. Her house and plants are being taken care of by Bitsie Teschmacher, who claims to be Eve' s favorite cousin and bowling partner at family reunions. Bitsie has twin daughters who are currently at camp.

Bitsie Teschmacher says she hasn't seen Eve in months.

Lena remembers from 407 that Eve said the she had a cousin with cancer with two daughters who was in hospice care. Bitsie shrugs this off and says she's as healthy as a horse.

Supergirl determines Bitsie Teschmacher is lying because her heart is racing like a hummingbird's.

It is revealed that Bitsie was given the Harun-El cure after she accidentally takes a cake pan out of the oven without protecting her hands and breaks a kitchen counter by pounding it, insisting that she's perfectly normal.

Bitsie affirms that Eve cured her cancer but insists that she is a good person who could never be involved with Lex Luthor. She says that Eve came to her and cured her recently, while on the run from the police, risking getting caught to save her life.

Eve had a secret lab at National City University.

Eve and the Red Daughter are seen dressed as technicians working in an access tunnel.

Kelly Olsen says she could fit ten of her apartments into James' office at CatCo.

Kelly gives her brother referrals to other trauma psychiatrists in Central City.

Lex Luthor tried to kill James Olsen on eight occasions.

James says the only time Kelly ever visited him was when he was in the hospital and she could tell him what to do.

Eve's lab at National City University is lead-lined.

Supergirl discovers Harun-El inside a safe in Eve's lab.

Lena confesses that it was hers and that she synthesized more after giving all of the original samples to Alura Zor-El.

Supergirl is angry about what Lena did but Alex points out that Lena's work has saved lives, including James'.

Kara admits she was wrong and says that she is just stressed out by the thought of failing to protect the world in Superman's absence. She apologizes to Lena for judging her. The three agree to let bygones be bygones.

Lena finds blueprints of Lillian Luthor's prison in Eve's lab.

Eve's computer password is ILoveLex.

Even and Lex revived Otis using the Cadmus Metallo protocol. They had five failed test-subjects before bringing him back, one of whom was likely transformed into the robot guarding Eve's lab.

Alex and Lena are able to destroy the new Metallo with an improvised grenade.

Brainiac-5 is given the Kryptonite hart of Metallo.

Supergirl finds a Cadmus-13 pistol in Eve's lab. This is the same type of pistol that shot James. Brainiac-5 later confirms that it is the gun that was used to shoot James. This suggests that Eve Teschmacher was the shooter, which makes sense as she could have gotten into CatCo relatively unnoticed without raising suspicion.

Lena, Alex and Supergirl puzzle out that Lex was behind the plot to shoot James and, quite likely, behind the creation of the Children of Liberty.

Lena says that she will talk to her mother in prison and try and get more information from her on Lex's plans or what Otis has been doing.

Supergirl says that she will go to Washington DC to ask Ben Lockwood about his connections to Lex Luthor.

J'onn says that he is the Martian Manhunter and that it was a mistake for him to try and take up his father's role as a priest.

J'onn says that he can take the sacred symbols of the Green Martian religion to the Desert of T'ozz - the place where H'ronmeer first imparted them to the Martians, They can lie dormant there until someone worthy comes to claim them.

M'yrnn reveals that he is just an extension of J'onn's memories of his father and that they have not really been talking.  J'onn says he realizes that, but says it was still good to see his father again.

Kara tells James that Eve was the one who shot him.

The Alien Amnesty Act was appealed, thanks to Senator Grandbury changing her mind.

At the press conference where Senator Grandbury announces her vote, Eve Teschmacher is briefly visible in the crowd of people behind the Senator after her image inducer briefly fails.

Lena shows Lillian the blueprints that Supergirl found. She points out that Lex wrote out the notation for Lillian's cell in red ink - his subtle notation for marking people needed to die in his plans. This means that he was coming for Lillian, not to break her out of prison, but to kill her because she knew something that could be used to track him.

Ben Lockwood is revealed to be ignorant of why Senator Grandbury changed her vote. When he asks why she changed her mind, she glances at the disguised Eve Teschmacher, and tells Lockwood to just take the win.

James attends the signing ceremony at the White House, among the many photographers allowed in to shoot the ceremony.

Supergirl is held captive by a Lexo-Suit after falling into a trap planed by Eve Tesmacher.

Red Daughter attacks the White House, dressed as Supergirl.

James has a PTSD attack in the middle of Red Daughter attacking the White House.

President Baker declares Martial Law in response to the attack and declares Supergirl public enemy number one.

Alex says there is no way Supergirl was responsible for the attack. Col. Haley agrees.

James tells Kelly that he does need help dealing with his trauma.

J'onn leaves the planet to return to Mars, to take the sacred symbols back. As he is doing this, he misses Kara's call to check up on him.

Lena and Alex call Supergirl with the signal watch, to let her know that they believe she is innocent and will help her prove it.


Location

Washington DC


The Bottom Line

Despite the title, this episode has almost nothing to do with Eve Teschmacher and everything to do with tending to all the subplots that have been neglected over the past two weeks while Lex Luthor was being established. It does this effectively, though there is a bit of irony in the finale, that Kara should find herself going into a search for the truth alongside her two best friends, whom she has lied to intensively in the name of a greater good. This is a far more compelling conflict than everything involving the Children of Liberty and the increasingly erratic President Baker. Thankfully, there's nothing in this episode that is glaringly bad either, apart from the James subplot, which is somehow made even worse by the inclusion of James' annoying sister Kelly.

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 1 - American Alien

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





Plot

It is a period of adjustment. Alex is still getting used to her new role as Director of the DEO, the absence of Winn and the presence of Brainiac-5. James is awaiting arraignment for the laws he broke as the vigilante Guardian. James and Lena are still getting used to being a couple. J'onn is getting used to his new role as a counselor for other aliens adjusting to life on Earth. And Kara has become a mentor to Nia, a new cub reporter at CatCo. But some things never change and Supergirl stepping into action is one of them, when what remains of the anti-alien group Cadmus attempts to assassinate The President. Yet their supposed end game turns out to be the start of something bigger...


Influences

Numerous Superman and Supergirl stories in multiple media which used aliens from other planets as a metaphor for immigrants and refugees coming to America. The Superman movies (Kara helping out people around the world and speaking to them in their native languages.)


Goofs

Kara taking a bottle of vodka from the Kaznia woman seems horribly out of character, particularly since it doesn't seem like it was offered as a gift. (The close captioning for the episode doesn't offer a direct translation of what is said and the woman looks surprised when Kara takes the bottle from her.)

Katie McGrath's natural Irish accent slips out when she says the name "Sam" with a long-a.

Kara's dismissal of J'onn is really out of character. Apart from maybe Alex, nobody respects J'onn more than Kara and her behavior here seems to occur only to set up the lesson that Kara's idealism and experiences as a human-like alien who presents herself as being human have blinded her to the experiences of other aliens who can't pass for human and can't afford an image inducer. This "white privilege" metaphor is highly forced, even ignoring the logic problem that the DEO should be more aware of acts of violence against aliens than any other group in America!

Why did Kara and Alex suddenly drop out of J'onn's life in the past three months?  They're his foster daughters and adopted family. Kara's talk about not knowing what his life is like now is another incredibly out-of-character moment that seems to be here only to force the metaphors inherent in the script.

Kara may be idealistic, but her refusal to believe that there are common people with anti-alien feelings is just idiotic. Particularly when she's faced anti-alien bigotry in the form of the Cadmus group in the past!

Why, apart from plain old racism, is the D.A.'s office so determined to bring charges against The Guardian/James Olsen, when they have no trouble with Supergirl of Superman operating as unlicensed peace officers?


Performances

David Harewood is more like J'onn from the comics than ever before. It's odd that he seems to spend most of this episode playing detective, going to two different crime scenes and being told not to get involved by the cops (i.e. Kara) yet doesn't seem to have become a P.I. like in the comics. Maybe later in the season?


Super Trivia

In the opening scene, Kara saves a little girl's balloon from flying off as she's in the middle of saving a crowd from a meteor. This may be a nod to one of the most infamous side-quests of the video game Spider-Man 2, where in addition to answering random calls for help as detected by your Spider-Sense, you would also be called upon to recover lost balloons for crying children.

The whole opening sequence, in which Kara is showing helping people around the world and speaking to them in their native languages, seems to be a tribute to the Christopher Reeve Superman movies.

Kaznia is a fictional Balkan nation in the DC Comics Universe, frequently beset by civil war and the threat of invasion. It was first introduced in the DC Animated Universe and has been referred to on both Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow.

The character of Mercy Graves first appeared in Superman: The Animated Series, in the episode "A Little Piece of Home." Her background was given in the Superman Adventures comic that tied into the cartoon. Here, it was revealed that Mercy was the leader of a group of female thieves who attempted to steal Lex Luthor's briefcase. She was briefly successful, but captured shortly thereafter. Rather than being angry, Lex was impressed with Mercy's skill and nerve and offered her a job as his chauffeur and bodyguard.

Mercy Graves was introduced into the mainstream DC Comics Universe in Detective Comics #735 (August 1999). Again, she was employed as Lex Luthor's bodyguard, along with another woman named Hope. It was implied, and eventually confirmed, that both Mercy and Hope were rogue Amazons whose protection Luthor was somehow able to purchase.

A woman named Mercy Graves, who was said to be Asian-American, was introduced into the New 52 DC Comics Universe as Lex Luthor's executive assistant.

The Arrowverse version of Mercy Graves was Lex Luthor's Head of Security at LexCorp. She turned state's evidence on him to put him in prison. Despite this, she was employed by Lillian Luthor as an agent of Cadmus.

The character of Otis first appeared in Superman: The Movie where he was Lex Luthor's bumbling henchman. He would later appear in one episode of the Superfriends cartoon and the animated series Young Justice. He was never given a last name in any of these appearances.

The Arrowverse version of Otis has the full name Otis Graves is a former employee of LexCorp who worked for Lex Luthor along with his sister, Mercy. He was later employed by Lillian Luthor as an agent of Cadmus.

One of the aliens in J'onn's support group is a Valeorian. In the comics, Valeron is an alien world whose dominant sentient lifeforms resemble Earthlings. It is most well known as the homeworld of Vartox, The Hyper-Man - a super-being who is even more powerful than Superman.

Nia Nal (aka Dreamer) is based on an existing DC Comics character from the Legion of Super Heroes comics. Nura Nal (aka Dream Girl) first appeared in Adventure Comics #317 (February 1964) and was a native of the planet Naltor, whose inhabitants all had the powers of precognition, usually in the form of prophetic dreams. Nura was also a gifted scientist, second only to Brainiac 5 in ability. She was also one of the best physical combatants in the original Legion, second only to Karate Kid and Timberwolf, having studied martial arts extensively to make up for the non-combative nature of her powers. She was the second woman to lead The Legion of Super Heroes and was also romantically involved with fellow Legionnaire Star Boy.

Dream Girl was changed significantly for the post-Crisis On Infinite Earths Legion of Super Heroes. Her name was now given as Nura Schappin and she was not a full member of The Legion for most of the years between 1986-2005, though she was still Star Boy's girlfriend. She claimed to be the first precognitive born on Naltor in generations, though this was later contradicted by other stories. She also suffered from narcolepsy and would have a fit whenever she had one of her visions. She eventually did join the Legion under the codename Dreamer, just before the 2005 "threeboot" of Legion of Super Heroes.

The third version of Nura used the codename Dream Girl. This version of Nura experienced precognitive visions as daydreams, which frequently caused her to lose touch with reality as she watched events that were to come thinking they were happening right now. She developed a romantic relationship with Brainiac 5, who had, at first, resented her ability to just come up with the answers to problems he struggled to deduce. For a time she lapsed into a near-death state and was able to appear to people in their dreams as a ghost.

It is worth mentioning that Brainiac 5 has been a love interest of Supergirl in the comics and cartoons, as well as Dreamer. It remains to be seen if that will happen in either case in the coming season.

Nia Nal is an ancestor of Nura Nal.

Nia Nal is the first transgender superhero to appear in an American television series, though she is not identified as a trans woman in this episode.

Lena says that a gangster named Bruno Mannheim was Lex Luthor's business partner as L-Corp when he was first starting out. First appearing in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #139 (July 1971), Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim ran Intergang - a crime syndicate who used weapons from Apokolips to defend their territory.

Brainiac-5 makes mention of buying his toys at a comic shop on Excelsior Street.  "Excelsior!" is the famous farewell exclamation of comic book legend Stan Lee.

The character of Agent Liberty first appeared in the comics in Superman #60 (October 1991).  Agent Liberty was a former CIA agent named Benjamin Lockwood, who left the organization after becoming disgusted with what he saw as unethical practices. Lockwood came to distrust the American government and joined a militia group called The Sons of Liberty, who outfitted him with an armored suit that offered him the ability to fly short distances and generate a force-field. He left the group when they plotted to assassinate politician Pete Ross, and Lockwood exposed the group's true beliefs to the public with the help of Clark Kent. He went on to become a reserve Justice League member and helped Superman defend Metropolis on several occasions.

The Arrowverse version of Agent Liberty leads a hate group called The Children of Liberty, which seems similar in scope to The Sons of Liberty from the comics. Unlike the comics Agent Liberty, he is an earnest believer in The Children of Liberty's goals.

In terms of their goal, The Arrowverse version of Agent Liberty and The Children Of Liberty more closely resemble The Americommando and His Minute Men - a jingoistic patriot/group who appeared in the classic graphic novel Kingdom Come.


Technobabble

Ruby's soccer team is playing a 4-3-3 with the Gegenpress and Ruby is a sweeper-keeper.

L-Corp now sells holographic image inducers that can allow an alien to pass for human.

Mercy and Otis Graves are armed with a sonic device that incapacitates beings with super-hearing. cuffs that increase gravity around the person wearing them, a high quality laser, compact fire bombs and a gun that shoots high-power concussive beams of hard-light.

Brainiac-5 claims to be able to processes terabyes of information in microseconds.

Brainiac-5's preliminary scan of the security footage from Dr. Vose's lab brings up 754,231 potential suspects.

Brainiac-5 creates a means of reversing the effects of an EMP.


Dialogue Triumphs

James: You are really good at multitasking.
Kara: (smiling) Some might call it super.

(Brainiac-5 flies to the crater where Supergirl is still trying to free her legs from the Cadmus cuffs.)
Brainiac-5: I thought you could use some back-up.
Supergirl: Brainy!
Brainiac-5: (trying to sound heroic) It is I! (awkwardly) You're free now, Supergirl.
Supergirl: Free?! The cuffs are still-
Brainiac-5: Opened?
(The cuffs suddenly open up. Supergirl is stunned.)
Supergirl: Wow.
Brainiac-5: I was multitasking.
(Supergirl stands up, smiles, and goes up, up and away. Braniac-5 just stands there and shrugs a bit.)
Brainiac-5: You're welcome.

Agent Liberty: Let him who desires peace prepare for war.
(Otis is seen trying to puzzle this out, counting on his hands.)

(Nia explains to Kara why she wants to write about the revitalization of the Fashion District in terms of people, rather than the clothing trends.)Nia: The Fashion District article I want to write about... isn't about clothes. It's about community. And growth. And hope.

President Marsdin: A leader who caves to fear is no leader at all.

Kara: So you're afraid to make waves? Okay. Make them anyway. Make a Tsumani!

Kara: I feel like I don't know anything.
J'onn: Then you are wiser than you realize.


Dialogue Disasters

(J'onn is trying to explain the rising anti-alien bigotry to Kara.)
Supergirl: I'm an alien and I've been all over the world recently and I have never felt more love.
J'onn: Part of the reason why you were embraced as a hero is because you present as human. Most aliens do not share that privilege. I'm afraid your experiences are not the best barometer here.
Supergirl: I'm embraced as a hero because I'm good at my job. And I really don't appreciate you questioning my judgement.
J'onn: I'm just trying to offer you a different perspective.
Supergirl: J'onn, you left the DEO. So maybe now it's time you leave protecting the city to me.


Continuity

As the episode opens, it has been three months since Brainiac-5 joined the DEO.

Supergirl can speak both Spanish and Kaznian.

Kara is seen saving a train in Kaznia - a country which was first mentioned in 201.

President Olivia Marsdin, last seen in 221,

The Alien Amnesty Act was passed two years ago, in 203.

President Marsden makes a yearly visit to the DEO.

Superman is off-world on Argo City.

Cat Grant recommended Nia Nal to a cub reporter job at CatCo.

James assigns Kara to mentor Nia.

James is facing an indictment for his activities as The Guardian pending a DA's investigation.

James asks Lena to stay out of his legal affairs and let him worry about handling the DA. This in spite of the fact that Lena has friends in the mayor's office who say that James' only chance of not being indicted rest in applying leverage.

Sam Arias, the former host of Reign, is now working a new job for L-Corp Northeast in Metropolis. She has made two acquisitions that are already turning a profit.

Sam is also said to now be coaching Ruby's soccer team.

Kara does not know soccer terminology.

Kesse Kay is an Aquarian in J'onn's support group.

The leader of J'onn's support group is named Fiona Byme. She is from the planet Ichthanor, used to live in England and has emphatic abilities.

L-Corp has begun selling image inducers that aliens can use to pass for human.

Dr. Vose is a nuclear physicist who is part of an unidentified alien race.

Dr. Vose's race is broadly human, save for their pointed elven ears and the distinctive tusks on their forearms. The tusks can be used to identify individual members of Dr. Vose's race and his lab has a scanner that requires his tusks be inserted into it for it to open the door.

Dr. Vose refuses to hide his nature and lives openly as an alien on Earth. He is also an outspoke advocate for alien rights.

Otis Graves burns Dr. Vose's tusks off with a laser.

Mercy and Otis Graves steal an EMP from Dr. Vose's lab.

Kara likes lattes.

Kara says that Nia reminds her of her. By the same token, James says that Kara is starting to act like Cat Grant when she talks to Nia.

Nia Nul has a degree in International Relations from Georgetown.

Lena is visiting her mother, Lillian, in prison again.

Lillian Luthor claims to have given up on revenge. She later admits she was lying.  She does, however, agree to give Supergirl a location where she might find Mercy and Otis Graves.

Mercy Graves is revealed to have turned state's evidence on Lex Luthor, helping to send him to prison. She was the head of security for Lex Luthor, when he still ran Luthor-Corp.

Fiona Byme asks J'onn to join a neighborhood watch group. He refuses, saying he is done with fighting.

The Graves attempt to fire-bomb the bar where J'onn's support group meets.

Alex has been dating a few women casually but has yet to find anyone she can get serious about.

Lena claims that she wants to rebuild her relationship with Lillian.

Lex Luthor is revealed to have been business partners with Bruno Mannheim. Lillian Luthor claims Mannheim was only in it for the money laundering through Luthor-Corp, however.

Nia refuses to try and claim the Fashion assignment she wanted, letting a reporter name Mackenzie take it after she brags about her mother being friends with a number of big-name fashion designers.

Supergirl investigates the abandoned warehouse Brainiac-5 tracked Mercy and Otis to and finds a server farm for several dark web, anti-alien hate sites.

One of the posts Kara reads asks for advice on how to kill a Phorian. Phorians are a race of telepathic and telekinetic aliens. The boy James rescued as Guardian in 220 was a Phorian.

Brainiac-5 finds blue-prints of Camp David on Mercy and Otis' server.

Otis is arrested by the DEO.

Brainiac-5 attempts to emulate Winn, wearing one of his trademark cardigans (which he finds binding) and buying toys from a nearby comic shop to play with at his desk.

Lena is revealed to be playing her mother to get information to buy off the DA of National City regarding Bruno Mannheim's RICO violations. She does not tell James what she did.

Lena gets the charges dropped against James. However, the DA warns that if James becomes Guardian again, he will be arrested.

Lillian figures out what Lena did after seeing a news report talking about Bruno Mannheim being indicted on money laundering charges.

President Marsdin is revealed as an alien to the world.

Fiona Byme is seemingly killed by Agent Liberty.

It is revealed that the Supergirl clone is punching a tunnel under the Russia/Kaznia border.


Location

Madrid, Spain
Southern Border of Kaznia.
Camp David
Somewhere under the southern border of Kaznia.


Untelevised Adventures

Superman is said to be visiting Argo City.


The Fridge Factor

Kara's is turned into an idiot and the poster child for white privilege in order to teach us a Very Important Lesson.


The Bottom Line

Supergirl's hardly been subtle in its political commentary in the past, but you could always count on the characters to be true to themselves. Kara's personality and personal politics are all over the place in this episode, with Kara's treatment of J'onn being horrible out of character throughout. Weirdly enough, the introduction of Nia turns out to be the best and least-political part of the show. Everything else is just bland, from the introduction of The Graves Siblings to Lena's efforts to save James  Not the best start for the season, in other words.