Post — Aaron Ngo

Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with Caution.

Season 4 is going places. This season is the one we need right now. Kara Danvers is no longer focused on romance and instead diving head-first into alien-human politics. This is the year that shows how good of a show this could be.

Nia Nal is an excellent addition to the series. She is the stand-out character of the episode. Let’s talk about her before anything else, shall we?

I love her limited scenes with both James Olsen and Brainiac 5. She steps up for Brainy when his tech malfunctions and reveals himself as an alien. His pizza friend grew angry and belittled him, ready to strike him for being different. Nia stood up for him and got them all to back off. They were definitely flirting too… Nia did most of the work, but Brainy was trying. He also recognized her… probably as her superhero alias in the future.

This scene leads Nia to confide in James Olsen about her stance. She is a transgender woman and has compassion for the aliens who are getting bullied for being different. This moves James close to tears, and the rest of us too, to reconsider his position on being unbiased with the media.

We love you, Nia Nal.

This also comes at a time where it was announced in a US memo proposal that gender will be defined as “biological and fixed”. We need this representation to show that they don’t deserve to be erased but to be seen and respected like every other gender out there.

Let’s get back to the review. Needed to say my two cents on that subject.

Supergirl is visiting the White House quite often. This is a good thing to expand on the world and how she truly is a beacon of hope for this Earth. Then she saves a crowd of protesters from a falling flagpole. She lands with the American flag by her side and tells the people to talk not fight with each other.

This is a powerful symbol that sets up the episode quite well. Supergirl wants to help unite the divided and to create a peaceful nation for all humans and aliens alike. We also dive back into her relationship with Lena, which is different as Kara Danvers compared to Supergirl. But I do appreciate how having a dual life was used strategically in the action scene.

Lena Luthor is an idiot, but I was entertained by her logical decision-making: “Stay by me, Kara. It’ll be safer for you.” Then Kara proceeds to repel bullets and bounce them back toward the “terrible marksmen” and then used her foot to keep a closing door open. Those moments were pretty incredible.

We also learn more about Lena’s past with both Lex and Mercy. Lena thought of Mercy as her older sister growing up and felt abandoned after Mercy left the Luthor Family. The pain she must’ve dealt with. The fighting sequence between Mercy and Lena was well-done with the bio arms… then Lena tells Kara to leave the room (SUPERGIRL)!

Supergirl arrives and takes out Mercy. Lena… please you must know Kara and Supergirl are the same person at this point. How else did she get past your secured building?

Alex and Brainy have a good friendship going on. It’s not the same as Alex and Winn, but it’s building into something rather appealing. Brainy is starting to let emotions affect his intellect, but Alex is there to support him in his time of need.

In the end, Supergirl and James make compelling speeches about respecting people and to help each other rebuild this healing country.

J’onn also runs into Agent Liberty, who makes a speech of his own to the humans. I think if he wasn’t wearing his mask, the scene would’ve been much stronger. Otherwise, he’s no different than the vigilantes taking justice into his own hands. I think the people in the crowd would’ve realistically been more receptive to him too. They seemed too willing to follow him.

Mercy, Otis, and Jensen (TRAITOR) unleash a kryptonite gas that weakens Supergirl in the middle of her flying. In the episode’s closing moments, she is plummeting down into unknown territory. I’m sure she’ll be okay… right?

Overall, this season has the potential to be the one best yet. Definitely already better than season 3 by miles, but where is Red Daughter Kara? We need more of this development.