Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 14 - Stand And Deliver

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




Plot

Between Ben Lockwood's efforts to empower the anti-alien movement and The Elite's desire to bring down Lockwood and his followers, Supergirl is more worried than ever about the safety of the American people and innocents getting caught in the crossfire. When Lockwood organizes a Children of Liberty recruitment drive under the guise of a patriotic rally as J'onn organizes a peaceful counter-protest and The Elite plan to attack it, Kara may finally be forced to make a public stand. Meanwhile, James plays photographer to cover the rally as Alex finds herself being assigned to a task by Col. Haley that goes against her beliefs.


Influences

This episode was clearly inspired by the real-world Charlottesville Unite The Right rally held on August 11 & 12, 2017 and the following riots.

The idea of the baby sun-eater was taken from All-Star Superman.


Goofs

Kara gives Nia a hard time about getting in Menagerie's face and threatening her but says nothing about J'onn doing the same?

Reassigning the director of a federal organization to act as a security guard seems like a total waste of resources and the excuse that Alex has more experience than anyone fighting hostile aliens doesn't ring true either since most of The Elite aren't aliens. (Since when has President Baker cared about wasting resources?)

The Hat is able to teleport The Elite to The Fortress of Solutude but he said last week he couldn't go places he hadn't already been.

Why do Kelex or none of the other security protocols inside the Fortress of Solitude react to The Hat and Manchester and the Morae?

Why do Hat and Manchester make a great show of falling out in the Fotress when they have no reason to believe they are being watched? Their whole scene makes no sense outside the context of the television show needing us to believe Manchester is honestly dead.

There is no way a protest march would be allowed to enter the same building as the rally said march was protesting. (Unless Alex intentionally screwed up the perimeter security...)


Artistry

While Mad World is probably the most over-used song for this kind of montage, the scene of James taking pictures of the riot while Kara and Dreamer try to help people IS well staged.


Super Trivia

The key to the Fortress of Solitude is made of dwarf star material and weighs around 500,000 kilograms (i.e. 500 tons )

Much as in the comic All-Star Superman, the Arrowverse version of Superman is revealed to have a pet sun-eater, who lives in a room in the Fortress of Solitude. It feeds on the chemical mass of small stars, which Superman makes himself using a cosmic anvil and an atomic hammer. Kara says it's basically a living bomb.

The "Us or Them" speech started by Ben Lockwood at his rally is based on an actual chant used by neo-Nazis during the Charlottesville Riots.


Technobabble

Lena refuses to run human trials until the purification rate of her serum is 90% or higher.

Hat takes two items from the Fortress of Solitude - a crystal wand he says will let them activate all their aliens brothers and sisters and am amulet he says can do even more. The wand is later shown to be able to create holographic clones and illusions.

Manchester takes a belt that seems to give him some kind of protective force-field.


Dialogue Triumphs

(J'onn is watching the sleeping Dreamer.)
J'onn: (whispering) Have you told her she doesn't have to wear the suit in private?
Kara: (chuckling) It's just a phase. I did the same thing when I became Supergirl. I practically slept in my suit.

(Supergirl and Dreamer are facing down the Morae)
Dreamer: Yield or die!
Supergirl: (quietly) Just take it down to... like a 7?
Dreamer: Yield or else!

James: It's just important to remember what we do here every day. Reporting on events like this - taking the risks to show all sides and showing the humanity there? It's nothing less than heroic. I mean, think about it - you fight injustice with your firsts?  You help one - maybe a dozen people. But good journalism? That can impact millions. That's why we became journalists in the first place, right?

Brainiac-5: I think it would mean a lot to have Supergirl march today.
Kara: I wish I could, Brainy, but I think its more important for me to patrol in case anything gets out of hand.
Brainiac-5: It won't. (dramatically) I am AmericanAlien. Hashtag American Alien.
Kara: You... you organized it?
Brainiac-5: When I lost my Legion ring, I realized how much I depended on it for strength and confidence. I thought it's hat made me a hero. But not having it these past few days has made me see it wasn't my ring that gave me strength. It was fighting alongside all of you, helping to make the Earth a better place. In times like this change won't come from someone with a ring or a cape. It will only come when each one of us answers the call to stand up and be heard. El Mayara - Stronger Together.
(Brainiac-5 glances at Dreamer, and sighs a bit as if hesitating to say something.) 
Brainiac-5: Just because we're superheroes doesn't mean we forget who we are.
Kara: I'm sorry, Brainy. The risk is too great.
Dreamer: Ready!
(Brainiac-5 looks at Kara again, disappointed.)
Brainiac-5: Supergirl may be a symbol. But more importantly she's a citizen of Earth. Like the rest of us. Remember that.

(Supergirl confronts one of Lockwood's men - the one she saved at his first speech - as he his heckling the pro-alien protesters.)
Man: Supergirl?
Supergirl: What are you doing here?!
Man: We're here to show our support for the repeal of Alien Amnesty.
Supergirl: But that amnesty is what gives these aliens their rights.
Man: Why should they get any rights? They're just here to hurt us.
Supergirl: They're not - look at them! They're not here to hurt anyone! Most of them are fleeing from war and violence, just like I did when I first came to Earth.
Man: They're not like you. You're a superhero.
(Kara's jaw actually drops.)
Supergirl: No, you're wrong. I'm just like them.

(Supergirl flies before the protest, wearing a formal Kryptonian robe.)
Brainiac-5: Supergirl.
Supergirl: Kara Zor-El. Citizen of Earth.

Eve Teschmacher: Well, I guess tomorrow is another day.
Lena: Tomorrow may be too late.


Continuity

Dreamer, Supergirl and Martian Manhunter capture Menagerie as she's in the middle of stalking a rich woman with fancy jewelry. She is turned into the DEO.

The Elite attempt to assassinate Ben Lockwood at his first speech as Director of Alien Affairs.

Supergirl saves Lockwood's life and sends The Elite running.

James Olsen takes his coffee with two sugars.

James asks Eve Teschmacher about the black budget at L-Corp. Eve says she'll have to get permission from Lena to share it with him but she says the budget is only there to hide proprietary science from the company's competitors.

Col. Hayley demands that Lena speed up the process for human testing on her serum, saying that she needs her soldiers to be superhuman soon.

Alex is reassigned to oversee Ben Lockwood's security detail.

J'onn says that something about Manchester pushes his buttons and is making him come close to losing control.

Lockwood announces that he is moving to repeal the Alien Amnesty Act and start arranging the mass deportation of aliens from Earth. Legally, he has no power to do this, but he certainly has the capacity to rally people to lobby their congressional representatives to repeal the law.

Dreamer has a dream about the balcony opposite where Ben Lockwood had his rally the night before.  It is here that Kara finds a Morae claw, which J'onn can use to track the Morae psychically.

A pro-alien rights rally is organized by someone called AmericanAlien on-line.  Col. Hayley tasks Braniac-5 with figuring out who they are and what their intentions are. Brainiac-5 says that it will bot be easy, as whoever they are is a master of encryption.

Hat was told where to find The Fortress of Solitude by his friend "Mixy". This may be a reference to Mister Mxyzptlk, whom Kara fought at the Fortress in 213.

It is confirmed that Hat's powers come from the Fifth Dimension, but he does not seem to he an imp. Instead, he seems to just have a magic hat.

Hat has access to a pair of gloves that let him increase his strength enough to lift the key to the Fortress of Solitude.

Hat and Manchester seemingly have a falling out. Hat is worried Manchester is obsessed with seeking revenge over running their revolution. Manchester says that bringing down Lockwood IS the revolution. Hat wants to loot the Fortress of Solitude blind. Manchester is searching for something specific he can use against Lockwood and Supergirl.

The Morae sides with Manchester.

Dreamer is able to use her powers to augment J'onn's clairvoyance. This leads her to see Manchester in the Fortress of Solitude.

Manchester seemingly dies after running into a room containing Superman's pet baby sun-eater.

Supergirl turns the Morae into the DEO.

Brainiac-5 is placed in charge of organizing a DEO team to be embedded within AmericanAlien's protest rally and coordinating with Alex to make sure that people are kept safe.

J'onn says he can no longer sense Manchester's anger.

J'onn tries to search for Hat psychically, but he guesses that Hat is hiding in the Fifth Dimension.

Franklin - the Dryad from 402 - is sent to cover the rally for CatCo.

James decides to work as a photographer to cover the rally.

Brainy asks the rest of the team to march in the pro-alien rally. J'onn agrees, but Kara says she and Nia should be on patrol and look for trouble.

Brainy reveals that he is AmericanAlien and that he organized the march.

Alex evacuated Ben Lockwood from the rally once he has the crowd worked into a frenzy.

Manchester Black and Hat are revealed to have faked their display in the Fortress of Solitude and Manchester was teleported away to the Fifth Dimension after seeming to run into the sun-eater room.

Brainiac-5 and Supergirl are able to subdue The Hat.

Dreamer saves Franklin the Dryad from one of the Children of Liberty.

Manchester tricks J'onn into venting his anger on a Child of Liberty holographically altered to look like him.

The Child of Liberty follower Kara spoke to is later shown helping save an alien in the middle of the riot. He thanks Supergirl for saving him again and she thanks him in turn.

Manchester escapes in the confusion.

James says that the protest marches in Metropolis and Gotham were peaceful.

Ben Lockwood announces that he and the President agree that they should hold Congressional hearings regarding repealing the Alien Amnesty Act before making any decisions.

Col. Haley tells Alex that she appreciates her not letting her politics get in the way of her doing her job.

Col. Haley complements Brainiac-5 on the job he did managing the protest and says it's a good thing AmericanAlien was a good guy.

The implication is that Col. Haley knows that Brainiac-5 was American Alien and that Alex only allowed Lockwood to speak until he was officially inciting a riot.

Col. Haley tells Lena there is no rush on getting the super soldier program finished now.

Unable to find Manchester Black using his father's methods, J'onn declares that he will find him as a Manhunter.

James is shot by an unseen assailant in his office at CatCo.


Location

Fortress of Solitude.


The Bottom Line

On the one hand, this episode has a lot of logic problems, The Elite are defeated way too easily after having just been established as a major threat and Manchester Black undergoes the worst bit of character assassination ever.  Col. Haley is back to being a decent person after being depicted as a military hardliner but a fair one or a total fascist depending on the writer. And Lena is just sorta... there.

On the other hand, the acting manages to make-up for a lot of this and some of the individual scenes are good, even if the performances have all the emotional flow of a roller-coaster. Still, it could be far worse, and what it does well it does very well.

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

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




Plot

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


Influences

Superman #775 


Goofs

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

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

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

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


Performances

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


Super Trivia

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

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

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

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

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


Technobabble

Kelex is an Caretaker Android Mark IV.

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

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

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

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


Dialogue Triumphs

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

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

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

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

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

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


Continuity

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

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

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

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

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

Manchester Black has dyed his hair purple.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dreamer begins learning how to astral project.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Location

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


Untelevised Adventures

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


The Kryptonite Factor

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

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


The Bottom Line

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

Supergirl Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 12 - Menagerie

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





Plot

Trying to take her mind off of how Alex has changed since having her memories erased, Kara offers to help J'onn with his latest case. Unfortunately, the trail leads them right into a confrontation with Alex and the DEO, as they both face off against a new villain called Menagerie, as the Children of Liberty begin hunting for the alien killer as well. Meanwhile, Lena and James' relationship hits another roadblock and Nia invites Brainy to her Valentine's Day party as she tries to cope with her mother's death.


Influences

Superman #775 (introduction of Menagerie character), the movie Venom (Menagerie talks to her symbiote in the same way that Eddie Brock and the symbiote did) and some origins of the Marvel Comics anti-hero Venom outside of the comics (in some stories, the symbiote came to Earth on a meteor.)


Goofs

Alex says that she hates Valentine's Day. In 213, she said she loved it. It's unclear if this is because of her mind being altered or because her opinion on love soured after her break-up with Maggie. Or if the writers forgot.

To say that it is horribly out of character for Lena to think that sharing her research with the federal government is a good idea is putting it mildly. Particularly given what happened earlier in the season with what little she left in the hands of the DEO in earlier seasons!

How did the Children of Liberty find out about the DEO controlled crime scene? You'd think that would be kept off the standard police bands. (Still a mole inside the DEO?)

It's hard to say who is stupider in the battle between The Children of Liberty and Menagerie - Menagerie for not taking the chance to slip out undetected when the Children of Liberty tell the humans to leave the room or The Children of Liberty for going to fight an alien menace that rips people's hearts out with baseball bats.

How do the DEO get to the Ball so quickly?

Why does Kara send away Dreamer to help Alex when she could use a second person to help her fight Menagerie?

The idea that the DEO would allow the Children of Liberty to take credit for beating Menagerie when the alternative is giving credit to Supergirl doesn't hold water. If anything, what the Children of Liberty did lets the government make a case against against vigilantes in general, human or alien, causing more trouble than they are worth, particularly since - as Alex pointed out - her people were wasted trying to stop the Children of Liberty from interfering. (And they didn't even manage that!)

The Patriot Act on Earth 38 apparently says terrorist charges can only be leveled against someone who threatens human lives. Ignoring the issues with that being a consideration when the act was drafted relative to when it was passed in the real world (aliens were supposed to have been revealed to the world only relatively recently), it seems highly unlikely this could be used to justify releasing a terrorist leader who has threatened humans with his activities. (i.e. James Olsen, Manchester Black, every human caught in the crossfire at the funeral in Parthas)


Performances

Really, the only thing that makes this episode function on any level is the established core cast. Melissa Benoist is still a delight. Chyler Leigh manages to subtlety display Alex's discomfort in several small ways. And David Harewood gets some amazing side-glances to Kara as she uses her powers without revealing herself to Alex.


Super Trivia

Two anti-heroes used the code name Menagerie at DC Comics. The first was a woman named Pamela, who first appeared in Superman #775 and was created by writer Joe Kelly and artists Doug Mahnke and Lee Bermejo. Part of the team of anti-heroes known as The Elite, Menagerie was reportedly experimented on by a shadow-branch of the DEO and transformed into a super-soldier meant to be sold off to the highest bidder.  Pamela was bonded to a collective of aliens known as symbeasts, which she was able to control, reshaping them into weapons and armor. The symbeasts also have individual powers including the ability to generate electrical shocks and one secrets a venom that forces a victim to be unable to lie when bitten. The symbeasts also apparently grant their host acidic blood. Pamela was later killed during an assassination attempt of then President Lex Luthor, after she revealed to Superman that The Elite were being mind-controlled by Manchester Black.

The second Menagerie, Sonja, first appeared in JLA #100 and was Pamela's sister. Bonding with the symbeasts after Pamela's death, Sonja joined the new JLA Elite team formed by Manchester Black's sister, Vera Black. A more sinister figure than her sister, Sonja would eventually be forcibly removed from the symbeasts after she attempted to destroy the JLA Elite from within, ironically helping to facilitate Manchester Black taking control of his sister's body and mind while she manipulated the reformed Elite member Coldcast into committing a murder. He was eventually cleared and she was depowered as punishment before being jailed.

Menagerie was meant to be a parody of Witchblade - a popular 1990s "bad-girl" anti-hero at Top Cow comics, who had similar powers granted by a magical bracelet with a sinister intelligence. The Witchblade had an annoying habit of shredding its host's clothing, leaving her largely exposed save for some metallic "armor" that barely kept her decent. Menagerie also parodied elements of the Spider-Man villain Venom, who had similar powers. However, given that she was an attractive woman who seemed to be naked under her armor, the Witchblade comparison seems more apt.

The Arrowverse version of Menagerie is given the full name of Pamela Ferrer and is closer in tone to Venom than Witchblade. She was a petty criminal who partnered with a man named Chuck, who became bound to an alien symbiote after their getaway vehicle was nearly run off the road by a crashing spaceship and the occupant attacked her. She has the power to spawn independent snake growths, as well as some degree of super speed and the power to fly.

J'onn makes reference to having helped an alien called a Toomian. In the DC Comics universe, Toomians are a species of wolf-like humanoids who have been hunted to near-extinction because of the popularity of their hides among certain rich species who don't care about the legalities of wearing clothes made from sentient beings. The Green Lantern Barreer Wot is a Toomian.

Brainiac-5 makes reference to a race of yellow-skinned aliens called Klaramarians, asking if a Klaramarian is yellow when trying to cleverly say "yes." In the DC Comics universe, the Klaramarians colonized the planet Klaramar, having originally come from Saturn, where they were known as the Yellow Saturnians. It is possible they are descended from Martians, given that some versions of the Martian history suggest that the people of Saturn were Martian immigrants. In any case, Klaramarian are easily identified physically by their yellow-orange skin, pointed ears and complete lack of facial features. Like Martians and Saturnians, they are telepathic.


Technobabble

Brainiac-5 ran simulations and determined there was an 87.4% chance that Nia was ready to begin training as a superhero. (He was wrong.)

The alien that bonds with Pamela is capable of perfectly extracting a human heart. It ripped out Chuck's heart with minimal tissue damage and no blood loss, seemingly cauterize the wounds it caused instantly.

The alien's ship presents itself as a solid rock, being easily mistaken for a meteor.

The alien sheds its skin much like a snake.

Brainiac-5 is able to analyze the DNA from the alien's shed skin and creates a composite image of what it may look like now. It looks like a giant snake.

Brainiac-5 claims that having 85% of his mind focused on a problem is the equivalent of a highly-ranked CSI team handling the same problem. He uses this to justify why he is shopping for Valentine's Day gifts when he is meant to be handling DEO data.

Kara suggests using trace radioactivity to track the alien after Alex finds a sample of its acid/venom.

Brainiac-5 says there was no radioactivity in the acid/venom sample, but he did find human DNA belonging to Pamela Ferrer - a woman who had not been declared missing yet and whose home was a few blocks away.

Brainiac-5 identifies the snake-like creature that bonded with Pamela Ferrer as a symbiote. Supergirl later calls it a symbeast.


Dialogue Triumphs

Nia: Brainy?
Brainiac-5: It is I! And I'd like to make myself clear since I did not last time - I am not here for a date.
Nia: (sarcastic) Happy Valentine's Day to you too.
Brainac-5: I sense sarcasm, which I find confusing in this context.

(J'onn explains his plan to allow Kara to work with Alex on a case as Kara.)
Kara: It's Valentine's Day and you're being a matchmaker.

Ben Lockwood: George, I know what it's like to be scared. All of us do. But then... then an opportunity can present itself. And like a switch... your whole world changes. And you find clarity. And focus. And strength like you have never known. So what I need you to do, is just look out for that opportunity. And trust it. And you will take it.

J'onn: I don't think he's here.
Brainiac-5: (from closet door) I'm right here.
(J'onn rolls the door open. Brainiac-5 gasps and closes it again. J'onn rolls it open again.)
Kara: Brainy! What are you doing in the closet?!
Brainiac-5: I just escaped Yvette. Nia's roommate. Apparently every song is her... gem?
(Brainiac-5 holds out his hand.)
Brainiac-5: Do you have the samples?
(Kara passes him a test tube. He looks at it and nods.)
Brainiac-5: This will take a few minutes.
(Brainiac-5 glances out the door nervously and slowly rolls the closet door shut.)


Dialogue Disasters

Brainiac-5: A sophisticated killing! Much like its ship! 

J'onn: Oh, man. I feel like this mind-wipe has hurt our family in so many more ways than we could ever forsee. (Master of the obvious, that man!)


Continuity

Alex thinks she has never been to J'onn's new office before.

J'onn has gotten Valentine's Day gifts from several clients, including the aliens in his support group he helped to organize a neighborhood watch to catch the people spraying "Free Ben Lockwood" graffiti in their neighborhood and a Toomian whose lost family he found.

Col. Haley is away in Washington DC at the moment.

Alex hasn't had time to work on developing her personal life or adopting a child since taking over the DEO. Kara suggests she come to Nia's roomate's Valentine's Day party.

Mrs. Stuart is a woman who thinks her husband has been kidnapped. Her husband is Anthony Stuart -  Director of Alien Affairs. He also helped to draft the Alien Amnesty Act.

Brainiac-5 offers to train Nia in using her powers. She says she is still grieving her mother's death and isn't ready.

Nia asks Brainiac-5 to attend her roommate's party. He agrees.

Ben Lockwood asks his wife and son, George, to wait for his movement to bring about his release. Until then, he advises his son to be the man of action his grandfather would have wanted them both to be. Once his wife has left them alone, Ben whispers some kind of instruction to George.

Col. Haley returns to National City early to help her daughter with a school project.

Col. Haley says The President is not pleased with the DEO's lack of answers regarding the origins of the alien rage drug from 411 or the fact that Agent Liberty is more popular than him in the polls.

The DEO discover Chuck's body, with his heart ripped out and apparently eaten.

Brainiac-5 has a deep fear of snakes.

Two more victims were found with their hearts torn out in a mansion near the crash-site.

J'onn offers Kara the scoop on his case to find the missing Director Stuart if she lets him use CatCo's resources to try and see if he can find any leads on who specifically might have kidnapped him.

James' Valentine's Day gift to Lena is a framed black and white photo he took of her while she was asleep after their last weekend together at Lena's lake house. He says it is how he sees her when there are no distractions in their lives.

Lena asks James to fly off to Paris with her for the weekend spontaneously.

Fred Roberts is a Child of Liberty who threatened Director Stuart after the Alien Amnesty Act was signed. He was later convicted of stalking him. He was released from prison a week earlier, but there was nothing about his current address on file in the police records J'onn had access to as an investigator.

Alex says that she hates Valentine's Day. In 213, she said she loved it. It's unclear if this is because of her mind being altered or because her opinion on love soured after her break-up with Maggie.

Brainiac-5 says that the only common link between the murders apart from the victims having their hearts removed was that they were robbed of all their jewelry. They also determined that Chuck's car was used in a heist and that all of the loot was removed from the cart. It is theorized the alien either requires the gems and metals as sustenance or as resources for its world. In either case, there is only so far it could travel on foot, which gives him a means of triangulating a pattern based on how it is choosing its victims.

Kara determines that Fred Roberts didn't have a release address because he was already back in prison.

Anthony Stuart's phone records indicated he had made several calls to Madison Sinclair - a diamond broker who Nia wrote an article about, who invested in the East City Project. They also indicate that he frequented a restaurant near her house and that he had been there that morning. Kara concludes that he wasn't kidnapped - he's having an affair.

Col. Haley approaches Lena on behalf of President Baker with an offer for a contract to develop her research into giving humans alien powers for the government to create super soldiers. Lena is reluctant but agrees to think on the proposal after the news of the heart-eating alien breaks.

George Lockwood records a viral video wearing his father's mask, encouraging other Children of Liberty to hunt down the alien killer so that they can use their actions to demand his father's release.

J'onn and Kara arrive at Madison Sinclair's house and find the dead bodies of her and Anthony Stuart, just before the DEO arrive.

Kara "accidentally' finds a hidden safe in the Sinclair house, after using her X-Ray vision. Alex determines that it's lock was melted by some kind of acid or venom.

Kara suggests using trace radioactivity to track the alien after Alex finds a sample of its acid/venom. When Alex asks how she knew they could do that, Kara lies and says that Winn bragged about all the tech that he had access to off the record.

Alex runs into Becca - a woman with whom she had drinks twice but never called back.

Ben Lockwood saw George's message while in prison and approves of it. He advises George that people have to know it was the Children of Liberty who caught the killer and advises him to be ready for an opportunity.

J'onn and Kara eventually find Brainiac-5 hiding in a closet from Nia's roommate, who keeps wanting to dance with him.. He is able to run the samples while he is in there... somehow.

Kara tells Nia about how Alex had her memories of Kara being Supergirl erased.

The last time Becca saw Alex she was still discussing her adoption plans.

Becca thinks Alex is an FBI agent.

The team determines that Pamela is a jewel thief who is using her bond with the symbiote to enhance her ability to steal as it eats the hearts of her victims.

Nia has a dream of Supergirl fighting Menagerie.

Kara thinks that the reason Alex is holding back on moving forward with her life is that she's gone back to her old habits of protecting her younger sister now that she doesn't know Kara is Supergirl.

The Children of Liberty take credit for Menagerie's defeat in the press.

The President insists that Pamela Ferrer be sent to a regular prison rather than a black ops site so a public example can be made of her, even though she isn't really an alien.

Nia asks Brainy to help her train.

Alex tells Kara that she is going to start trying harder to trust that Kara can take care of herself.

Kara got Becca's number for Alex.

Lena tells Col. Haley that she's accepting her offer.

Ben Lockwood is released from prison after the White House counsel determines that the Patriot Act statute being used to charge him as a terrorist only applies to human lives being threatened.

The episode ends with Pamela receiving a letter from Manchester Black and the revelation that her symbiote is not quite dead.


Location

Oaks Bluff - an exclusive community near National City.


The Bottom Line

Easily one of the weakest episodes of Supergirl ever and a definite contender for the worst of all time. The subplots are all over the place. The performances equally uneven considered as a whole. And Lena is horribly out of character on ever level. Throw in an underdeveloped villain who somehow manages to be even more empty than her comic book inspiration (i.e. she's a crook with a symbiote) and this is one hard episode to sit through.

Season 4 is on a definite downward slide. The only good thing that can be said about this episode is that we know it is building up to the return of Manchester Black who, it should be noted, disappeared about the same time the show started going downhill. I do not believe this to be a coincidence.