Supergirl Episode 401: American Alien

Supergirl Season 4 started last Sunday and it started with a bang. I will start out by saying I was very very impressed with this episode. It built off of last season's revelations. It laid out the theme of the season nicely. Everyone had strong scenes with excellent characterization. New characters meshed very well with the cast. There were a couple of surprise guest stars. And ... and I think most importantly ... the political aspects of the plotlines and the themes were presented well, as aspects of the actual story instead of preachy, weird, hamfisted speeches.

I was thrilled.

There is no doubt that Supergirl is a politically progressive show, leaning left. Even the title card this season, colored by the rainbow, is a nice subtle nod to the idea of inclusion. The concepts of acceptance of diversity, embracing differences, and acknowledging value have been part of the show since its inception. Last year several episodes seemed to stall when the agenda seemed to be more important than the story, something I really have an issue with. The previews of this season made it seem like we could be in for more of the same. Instead we got a well-told story which showcased these issues. We weren't told what side to be on, we were shown. That goes a long long way with me.

Somehow this premiere not only gave us the foundation of the season but gave us subplots, name drops, personal character moments, and action. It was well acted all around. Despite all that, it didn't feel overstuffed, rushed, or superficial.

Seriously, I was so impressed with this episode that I can only hope that the rest of the season lives up to this beginning! Prepare for typical long review.

The season opens with a shot of a newspaper stating Superman is off world. Supergirl is now *the* hero of Earth-38 and she is pulling double shifts. How often in the last three seasons have I asked myself 'how could Superman not get involved with this threat?' Just like that, with him visiting Argo City (something which makes perfect sense), I don't have to ask that any more.

We then get a fantastic montage of Supergirl doing super-heroics around the world. Saving National City from a meteor? Thwarting an art thief in Spain? Stopping a train in Kaznia from falling off a broken mountain bridge? Easy peasy ... all with a smile and a 'no problem' in native tongue. So wonderful.

And the series of super-deeds ends with her landing at a Presidential press conference and representing CatCo. She asks President Marstin about the upcoming alien amnesty peace conference. Just like that you feel like she has made some jump in her career, the face of CatCo at the most important news event. Hooray for 'Kara as journalist' scenes!

Yes, for once, Kara feels like everything is under control.

After the mopey beginning of last season where our hero rejected her humanity and went cold, this was so welcome. I want my Supergirl smiling as she saves people, being optimistic and hopeful all in the pursuit of justice.

Bang! Welcome back everyone! Perfect opener.

As that closes, we get a pretty quick look in on all the remaining major players of the ensemble.

At the DEO, Alex is in charge as the director but is taking a hands on approach, sparring with other agents. Alex doesn't seem like the type to sit behind a desk so seeing her in the gym with the agents seemed right on target.

You also get the sense that she and Brainy aren't exactly working well together when he arrives with the President without having warned Alex. I have to say Jesse Rath really nails the sort of awkward, semi-concrete thinking of Brainy well.


Meanwhile, at CatCo, James discusses how the DA is after him for his role as Guardian. Lena is there and wants to use her pull to help get him out of trouble but he doesn't want her to sully herself after working so hard to distance herself from the Luthor name and nefarious dealings. These two actually had some chemistry. Also, wrapping up one of the plots from last season, we hear that Sam and Ruby are doing well on the East Coast. Hooray for some extra wrap up.

Finally, J'onn, now out of the DEO and among the people, takes part in an alien support group. It is good scene. One alien uses an image inducer to walk among the people, hiding his identity. Another, Dr. Vose, says they should be celebrating their differences, like the bone claws he has coming out of his forearms. The counselor says they should all do their best. This could have been the ham-fisted rant of last season. Instead we get several viewpoints - the optimist, the militant, the middle ground.

Vose turns out to be nuclear scientist and he is ambushed back at his lab. The brother/sister team of Mercy and Otis Graves blast him with a laser and cut those bone claws off. Turns out Vose uses it as a biometric key to his lab. Of course, if all they wanted was in, they could have cut of just one. But Otis cuts off both. So there is a tinge of hate here. (Kudos to the props people for making sure there was marrow in the bones!)

Triggering an alarm, Supergirl shows up and we quickly see that the Graves will be formidable opponents. A sonic weapon, a powerful laser rifle, and increased gravity foot cuffs eliminate Supergirl pretty quickly. I usually might bristle at this but we need to establish the Graves as worthy foes and I am sure Supergirl wasn't expecting high tech weapons. Plus, it is a novel way to get rid of her, to weigh her down. With Supergirl out of their way, they steal an EMP device and deliver it to Agent Liberty.

We don't get a great look at him but he has a Mr. Roboto appearance. In a nice touch, he quotes Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus and says 'let he who desires peace, prepare for war'.

Defying Alex's order, Brainy (shouting 'Long Live the Legion'!!!) flies off and dismantles the fetters. It seems like he can communicate with electronics with just his mind. Hmmm ...

As Vose was part of his support group, J'onn shows up at the lab. He is concerned that this attack on Vose, specifically the cutting off of his alien physiology, might represent a hate crime. To Kara, this was a snatch and grab. The tusk was the key into the office. It's just happenstance.

Again, this was a nice scene. Not every crime is a hate crime. But if you aren't looking for that motive you might never see it. Both sides have a point here. And this sort of fair and nuanced discussion will always work. Who is right here ... well we'll find out.

Back at CatCo, Kara meets the 'cub reporter' that Cat Grant wanted her to mentor, Nia Nal. In an awkward elevator ride, Nal (initially not realizing she is riding with Kara), bemoans her no good, horrible, terrible, bad morning which has made her late carrying a cold latte for her new boss.

It is endearing to see Nal showing all the worries and concerns and neuroses we saw in Kara back in season one. Even Kara recognizes it. She says 'you're me' to her new protege.

Okay, this is Nia Nal, portryed by transgender activist Nicole Maines. Kara saying they are the same is that sort of subtle writing that works well for social issues like this.

Meanwhile, Brainy has identified the Graves and tells Kara they both worked in the past for the Luthors. So off Supergirl goes to talk to Lillian Luthor. When Kara enters the place, she sees Lena playing chess with her mother. Remember, Lena and Supergirl ended last season on bad terms and their interaction here is icy to say the least. Katie McGrath is strong here. And the chess motif is always appreciated when it comes to the Luthors. Always moves ahead.

And imagine seeing Brenda Strong back as Lillian! I love it. She talks about Kryptonians terra-forming Earth (a nod to Synder's Man of Steel?) and how that made her want to repair all bad relationships. She gives up all the places where the Graves might be hiding.

And later, as a way to strengthen her relationship with Lena, she gives up information on Bruno Mannheim, a mobster who laundered Lex Luthor's dirty money before leaving Lex in the lurch.

Bruno Mannheim is a nice name drop from the comics. He was the Intergang boss and I hope we see him here.

It is always excellent to see Lillian. She is fantastically wicked, even when oddly reformed here.

The alien bar where the support group was being held is bombed and that makes J'onn even more worried. He can sense a new wave of anti-alien hate forming.

In another solid discussion, Supergirl says that she sees so much good in the world lately. The country is better now, more accepting. J'onn replies that it is that very growth which is angering people. Both sides can be right. There can be strides of improvement and pockets of hate. Not everyone is an enemy. After all Supergirl is accepted, isn't she? Maybe, as J'onn points out, she is accepted because she looks the part.

Supergirl again thinks that there isn't a connection between the Vose robbery and this random act of violence. As she leaves, J'onn says that it is Kara desire to remain hopeful that makes her the hero she is. I agree. Supergirl has to inspire.

Another thing missing from last season were scenes between the Danvers sisters. These are always great.

Here we get a scene over chinese take out. It covers the usual small talk - Alex's dating life, her problems with Brainy, and Kara trying to be optimistic.

Again, Supergirl talks about how she has seen more acceptance around the world. Alex responds 'in some ways.'

After the rough last year, Kara just wants to feel like the world is good. And I think that is true for so many of us. We have seen these tremendous strides recently. We don't want to think everything is bleak. But we know more needs to happen.


Chyler Leigh and Melissa Benoist always crackle in their scenes together. I hope we get a Danvers sisters scene in every episode.

Brainy tracks down the 'abandoned warehouse' where the Graves had been hiding and Kara suddenly sees the underbelly she has been ignoring. On computer screens she sees countless web chat rooms of people hating aliens, making homemade bombs to eliminate the 'roaches'. In a cool moment, Kara answers the phone to hear a mother of a young child lamenting the last weapon she made not being strong enough.

The very 'normal' people Kara has been saving are part of an unseen mob.

Yes, there is a problem out there. Violence is never the answer. But the culture war doesn't know that.

Suddenly the rose colored glasses are off. How do you fight a political movement?

Supergirl heads to J'onn to ask for help. The anti-alien movement he warned her about is real. The Graves look to be gearing up to attack the President's Camp David alien amnesty summit. She needs his help.

Wearing his father's robe, he bows out. He needs to practice H'ronmeer's teaching of peace. He can't be a soldier any more. He can advise and support. He can't fight.

Later in the episode, J'onn tells Kara that despite her learning how deep the hate goes, she needs to remain the voice of unity and compassion. She will inspire. I love love love that.

But I wonder how this pacifist J'onn will figure into the season.

The Camp David summit is attacked. The President is protected by Supergirl and the DEO. The best action in this sequence is Alex going hand to hand with Mercy. Methnks that is only round one of that brawl. Supergirl captures Otis when he is shot by Mercy. But that turns out to be a diversion so Mercy can escape.  To be honest, that 'climactic ending' of the Camp David attack was the least interesting part of the show. But it served its purpose.

What is great is the wrap-up as we get a little progression of the some of the subplots.

Brainy dresses up like Winn realizing maybe he needs to become Winn to get in Alex's graces. Both realize they are missing old friends and will try to be better together. I love this. It acknowledges Winn as a character in their pasts (like Sam and Ruby). It also shows that Brainy, while in the Winn role, isn't Winn. Alex, like we viewers, has to get used to that.

Kara channels Cat and tells Nia to stop being timid and to make waves (Nia didn't speak up at an earlier meeting). She even claps her hands and says 'tick tock' in a very Calista Flockheart way!

Lena gives everything she learned about Bruno Mannheim to the DA so they, in turn, will drop the charges on James. Incredibly, after screaming about being lied to all last season, she doesn't tell James she did this. He thinks he beat the rap on his own.

Meanwhile, Lillian learns she has been played by Lena. Ahhh, the classic tip the chess King over to show utter defeat. Maybe this new leaf Lillian has turned will revert to the old ways. I had to feel for Lillian a little. It actually looked like she was turning to the light ... only to be shown that nice folks finish last.

The Camp David attack was filmed and unfortunately reveals that the President is an alien. News everywhere are blasting the footage.

This will only incite further violence from the alien hating populace.

Now this is becoming interesting.

And then to make sure we know how deadly Agent Liberty is, we see him kill an alien we had met earlier in the episode, really for no good reason. I guess any dead alien is a good start.

Despite the Mr. Roboto garb, he is immediately a scary foe.

And then a wonderful last shot.

The bridge collapse that almost derailed the train in the opening montage happened because the evil Red Daughter clone from the end of last season was punching her way through the mountainside.

Hmmm... given the political bend of the show, how it leans into headlines, and how we just heard that Supergirl is the voice of unity, I can see where this is going. The doppelganger will do stuff to undermine Supergirl's image.

It's fake news ... from Russia!!

No complaints here at all. Everything really seemed to work. Everyone really seemed to click. Quite the premiere!