Supergirl 4x08 "Bunker Hill" Episode Review
Major Spoilers are included in this episode review. Please read with caution.
The mid-season finale has arrived and delivered an action-packed episode. Nia Nal got some attention and is now on the path of becoming a superhero. There’s no Lena Luthor in this episode, but according to how this episode ended, Supergirl and Lena are about to clash politically. James Olsen has got to figure out what to do with himself.
Agent Liberty, publicly exposed as Ben Lockwood, comes to blows with Manchester Black. His wife was a range of confusion in this episode. She is disgusted that Ben is Agent Liberty, then later she is rallying with the rest of the protesters. Where is their son? Where does he stand?
The parallel between Ben being exposed and Supergirl being told to reveal her identity was a predictable move. It’s a concept I have mentioned in previous reviews dating back to season three, but more than ever, it is hypocritical that Kara is hiding her secret identity at this point.
Ben Lockwood’s imprisonment shines on this obvious hypocrisy and leads to Supergirl quitting the DEO. The President is starting to show clear signs of anti-alien sentiments and caring more about his poll numbers than the actual issues. Low key, I see both sides on why the President would want Kara to expose her identity to the world, and why Kara needs to keep it concealed.
Building on that point, I’m kind of upset that Kara didn’t share her secret identity with Nia. Nia revealed her origins about being an alien and sleeping powers, but Kara chose to actively hide her Supergirl persona. If Kara willingly disclosed her origins to Nia, it would’ve help Nia with opening up more.
Nia’s origins about inheriting a once-in-a-generation power shows how her people don’t focus on cis-genders. Only the women of Nia’s home world can inherit the precognitive dreams. I can’t wait to see her suit-up as Dreamer.
Can we get more of Nia’s roommate? I like her a lot.
Brainy and Nia are getting cuter. How he refuses to tell Kara or Alex about Nia’s future in fear of breaking the timeline was a pretty fantastic scene. Earth-1’s timeline is a mess, and this Earth’s timeline is skewered at best with the Red Daughter running around. We need more of the Red Daughter. How will she fit in the second half of the season?
I’m not super invested in Manchester Black or his relationship with J’onn. I would’ve preferred Fiona in his place. I don’t approve of her being fridged to propel his character forward. Yes, his methods are brutal, but not irredeemable. Maybe time in prison will help Manchester find the good left inside him.
Supergirl flying the entire warehouse was an awesome scene. I was blown away by how effective that was. The “Lois Lane” mention was a nice nod to her Elseworlds appearance and how the character gets kidnapped all the time.
This is considered the mid-season finale, but we got our Elseworlds crossover next week! Yay for the post-credit scene showing Earth-90 and all the dead heroes! I’m here for it.