Supergirl #3.17 “Trinity” Recap & Review

After defending herself to the DEO, Lena joins them on the hunt for the Worldkillers, who are attempting to grow stronger by diminishing their human counterparts. Here is a recap and review of the Supergirl episode “Trinity.”

RECAP & REVIEW:

This episode should have been my new favorite. It introduced a conscious Lena to the DEO, allowing her to hold her own amidst a cluster of superpowered heroes and future intellects. It contained the Supergirl, Alex, Lena all-star team up that I’ve always wanted. It united the Worldkillers and explored their next mission and internal struggles in a humanizing way. It dived into themes of identity and how to reconcile your own idea of who you are with the way the rest of the world sees you. It was everything I’ve ever wanted, while also being everything I’ve never wanted because “Trinity” is guilty of re-crafting characters and concepts to fit the narrative the writers want to tell at this particular moment, rather than following with justification that fits the narrative already established.

This episode is a paradox. A shaken bottle of kombucha. A worldkiller of a sort. If you look at “Trinity” on the surface, ignoring what’s bubbling underneath, it was an interesting and personal hour of character exploration and advancements in this year’s serialized storyline. But this is not a mini-series or an episode intended to stand on its own. It’s one piece of a three season puzzle that requires a cohesiveness or the picture doesn’t make much sense. Once you crack this episode open, it explodes into a mess that could have been prevented with a little more care.

If I ever ended up in a super weird situation where someone asked me to describe this episode with a piece of punctuation, it would be a question mark… or maybe three because that’s how confused I am. I don’t know how much, if any, of these final episodes had to be rewritten because of a certain someone’s firing, but that’s a flimsy excuse to throw multiple pieces of continuity out the window. This review has been more difficult to write than others and taken longer than usual because I’ve been waiting, hoping for the anger to subside so I could take a more clear-headed, professional approach, but it’s not working. So let’s unpack this episode.

Lena crouches over the broken pieces of her lab. Hey, look, she made a metaphor. Before a panel of disapproving DEO employees, Lena justifies helping her friend, which she did with Sam’s consent. Lena adds that she did not get the chance to finish finding the spark that turns Sam’s DNA into Reign’s (even though she ended last episode by saying that she found something). She acted in secret because why would she inform a clandestine organization that never acknowledged its existence to her? Supergirl questions how Lena contained Reign. With Lex’s kryptonite.

Stepping onto the DEO’s balcony of feelings, Lena calls James to apologize for ghosting him and keeping secrets, which she spills. She gambled everything – her reputation, Supergirl’s trust, her relationship – and she’s had it up to here with people every now and then looking at her like she’s a Luthor. And, honestly, same. She’s terrified James would do the same, then turns around to see the look of disappointment in Supergirl’s eyes. Lena’s used to being a disappointment to her mother, but this one stings more because the disappointment comes from someone she considers an inspiration, a mentor, and a friend. Supergirl needs to know if there’s anymore kryptonite. No.

Supergirl’s concern about kryptonite is partly understandable as it is the only substance on Earth that can legitimately hurt her, but it’s mostly a concern coming out of left field. The existence of kryptonite has never been an issue for the Girl of Steel, even when there was an entire storyline about the DEO having kryptonite in their possession. It has been Superman’s issue, but Supergirl isn’t Superman, just like Lena isn’t Lex. Supergirl knew that Lena had kryptonite ever since “Luthors” when the real Hank Henshaw stole it from her vault, so why create an issue about it now? If kryptonite were a substance that continually got in Supergirl’s way and prevented her from doing her job, then it would make sense, especially if there was the possibility that Lena provided it to criminals. But Lena used it within the confines of her lab on a subject who agreed to the procedure.

To make matters more confusing, it was Supergirl’s idea to use kryptonite against Reign in “Legion of Super-Heroes.” Side note: that kryptonite barely slowed Reign down, so is Lena using a different isotope? Is hers even more concentrated than the DEO’s concentrated kryptonite? Or are we supposed to ignore this inconsistency? Either way, it makes Supergirl look a little hypocritical. Kryptonite is okay as long as she’s in control of it, but as soon as someone else does what she does, it’s not okay. Then there’s the arrogant assumption that her friends and family would never have to use it against her for the greater good because she’s always right, always going to be right, and too strong to be possessed like Superman was during Myriad or by Rhea’s silver K. Supergirl has been willing to sacrifice herself more than once for the greater good; she doesn’t think of herself as an indestructible god. I have no doubt she would be okay with kryptonite being used against her in the event of an emergency.

An eclipse takes shape, causing Supergirl to faint. She wakes, having seen Sam in the Dark Valley, aka Juru. It’s the work of Kryptonian witches, dark magic, Katie McGrath in a past life, and the next step in destroying the world since nothing can survive without sunlight. Only two hours until the total eclipse (of the heart. Sorry, I had to). Realizing that Supergirl picked up an alternate dimension with her brainwaves, Lena suggests returning to get the Worldkillers’ location. Brainy can dial them in. To the Legion cruiser, lets GO! When Lena insists on coming along, Supergirl looks to her big sister for advice. El Mayarah, after all.

As it’s been established, Krypton was a planet full of explorers, philosophers, and scientists, people who valued logic, but also a planet that valued religion, faith. On the one hand, the presence of magic, dark or otherwise, could be the easiest way for Kryptonians to explain that which cannot be explained by science. But on the other hand, it seems like an unnecessary addition. The Worldkillers were created by science and will follow a religious prophecy, according to Coville. Their DNA changes due to an enzyme, not a spell. And Supergirl’s powers can be explained by science. Unless Supergirl is going to hone some magic to fight the Worldkillers, why open up an entirely new world of possibilities to explain one eclipse?

The Kryptonian Priestess orders the Worldkillers to kill the human inside. Grace surrenders easily. As Sam and Julia trek through Juru, Purity’s kills literally haunt Julia, sending her into madness, and Sam temporarily forgets her daughter’s name. Sam asks Julia to sing to remember who she is, but singing a song of a lass that is gone isn’t working, so they etch their lives onto a tree.

The Dark Valley is infinitely more interesting and heartbreaking when it’s attempting to strip away the last shreds of Sam’s and Julia’s humanity. However, it brings up a few logic questions. Why did the Kryptonian witches need to include human forms in their Worldkillers? For safety? As a disguise until they were old enough for the Worldkillers to take control? But if they can genetically engineer Worldkillers, you’d think they could include a rapidly aging gene to prevent the need for a pesky human at all.

Surprisingly, the Trinity of Worldkillers didn’t last long at all given the amount of effort spent tracking them down. It was an unexpected move to have Reign absorb the powers of the other two, but that moment was not built to land with as much potential as it could have. If it had been more clear that the DEO thought they weakened the Worldkillers to a point where they’d have no problem beating Reign, then the fact that Reign is more powerful than ever would have been a shocking twist. Explaining that moment in next episode’s promo rather than the end of this episode makes the shock more of a fizzle. If Reign could absorb Pestilence’s and Purity’s powers, why were three even necessary in the first place?

Supergirl visits James, who understands how bad kryptonite is, but assures her that Lena is not Lex, and Supergirl helped him see that. Supergirl wants to believe Lena, so she asks Guardian to inspect Lena’s lab for kryptonite.

Where did this doubt come from? Where is the hero who could look into Lena’s eyes and know she’s telling the truth? At what point did Supergirl start assuming that Lena didn’t have secrets? Lena didn’t tell anyone about working with an alien to create a transmatter portal until there was a severe repercussion. Then ittook Lena seven episodes to tell Kara that she intended to kill Edge after he poisoned the children. Girl is not an open book, nor has she ever pretended to be one. So maybe it’s just Supergirl lashing out because she’s hurt Lena didn’t confide in Kara? It might have worked as a justification, if someone had called Supergirl out on it and forced her to consider her own actions, but everyone went along with it. Supergirl was really the only one with an opinion this episode (James did to a minor extent), even though every one of them could have approved or disapproved or provided some insight into the whole kryptonite and/or Sam situation.

If the rift between Supergirl and Lena was appropriately justified, it would been an interesting storyline to explore because we haven’t seen that dynamic before. That would be a character-defining dilemma for Kara to endure… if Kara was anywhere to be found. When there is still a character who believes that Kara Danvers and Supergirl are two different people, it’s imperative to include all sides of this triangle, otherwise it causes a rift between Supergirl and Kara. I’m not convinced that Lena has yet to figure this out, but if she’s still in the dark, why didn’t she try to call Kara, the woman who was by her side during her mother’s trial, after Jack’s death, and throughout the accusations of poisoning children? Why didn’t Kara reach out to her friend after she witnessed Lena drinking her sorrows away when she thought she was guilty of one bad thing? Lena can have a different opinion of Supergirl and Kara, but it doesn’t work the other way. Supergirl and Kara can’t treat Lena differently without it calling Kara’s character into question. Supergirl is what she can do, but Kara Danvers is who she is, and Kara Danvers would not abandon her friend at the first sign of trouble.

Lena admits she knew Alex was DEO, but it wasn’t her place to say anything, just like it wasn’t her place to share Sam’s secret. Alex understands. Brainy links Alex’s and Lena’s brainwaves to Supergirl’s and into Juru they go. Unsure if they can get hurt, Alex pokes Lena with a pole that is less than ten feet. Yup, they’re vulnerable. Seeing Supergirl writhe, Mon-El begrudges that he can’t help her, hold her, or hurt his wife. Following Winn’s directions, Guardian arrives at Lena’s vault, but doesn’t enter, still saying it’s kryptonite-free.

Even with multiple scenes in which Alex and Lena shared the screen, we barely saw the state of their relationship. Alex understands and respects Lena’s decision not to come forward with the information that Sam is Reign, but their interactions came across as vaguely mistrusting and distant, not like they’ve bonded during girls’ night over wine and bad dates. What makes this more interesting is that there are two instances this episode where Supergirl looks to Alex before responding to Lena. If she had only done it once, I might have passed it off as inconsequential, but twice is noticeable. Was Supergirl just creating a moment to consider her answer before she spoke? Was she giving Alex the opportunity to provide her input? Was she looking for a nod of support and encouragement? What information are we not receiving that provides insight into Alex’s opinion of Lena?

Even in the foggy and dangerous Juru, Supergirl won’t let the kryptonite thing rest. Lena has secrets, which Supergirl doesn’t like. Oh, good, says Lena. “What’s your real name?” Supergirl looks to Alex before answering. “That’s not a great question for a Luthor to ask someone in my family.”

How did we go from: “Now you have someone who will stand up for you, always” to “She’s my friend, and I believe in her” to “That’s not a great question for a Luthor to ask someone in my family”?

I have never been so confused and disappointed in a fictional character before. Supergirl isn’t a liar. She doesn’t make promises she doesn’t intend to keep. She believes that people are good. She is filled with hope and compassion. She has worked tirelessly to make a name for herself outside of her family, just like Lena, but here she goes reducing Lena to a Luthor, assuming the worst. Here she goes making Lena’s greatest fear come true, which she knew because Lena expressed her fear in “Medusa” that Supergirl would eventually come after her like Superman did with Lex. It’s somewhat implied that the way Superman treated Lex was partially responsible for what turned them into enemies, so why would Supergirl not do everything in her power to prevent this, especially when it’s your best friend. Supergirl hasn’t always been the best friend (e.g. not supporting James as Guardian), but she has never been this intentionally closed-minded and cruel without being on red K.There was a way for Supergirl to answer this question without answering the question by trying to explain why – for her protection rather than out of mistrust. (Although the whole idea of a superhero keeping their identity a secret to protect someone they care about is a completely bogus and incoherent concept, it would still have been better than this.)

With Kryptonian demons chasing them, Supergirl, Alex, and Lena take refuge in a section where they find Sam and Julia, both unraveling. Upon seeing her friends, Sam thinks she killed them. They flood Sam’s mind with thoughts of Ruby to wake her up. It works. Reign wakes in Juru, saying only someone of equal strength can defeat her. That person is not Supergirl because Supergirl is nothing but driftwood in a hurricane.

First of all, rude. Second of all, what? While this sounds like it might not bode well for the DEO’s fight against Reign, it actually may give an indication of how this final fight will go down. If this Dark Valley storyline has taught us anything, it’s that the Worldkillers are fighting a battle of wills, not necessarily a battle of physical strength. Rather than a repeat of the Supergirl versus Rhea fight, we might be looking at a fight between our heroes and Reign’s suppression of Sam, a fight to regain her humanity after all seems lost. Or not. Who knows at this point.

Sam places a crystal into the Fortress’ command center, sending a GPS beacon to the Legion. Reign regains control. Supergirl, Alex, and Lena return to consciousness. The DEO leaves Lena behind to commandeer the Legion ship while they all take on the Worldkillers, breaking through to Julia. Pestilence stabs Julia, but not before Julia kills her too. Two Worldkillers down. One to go, except now Reign has the strength of three. The fortress collapses and the eclipse ends.

If full-strength Supergirl couldn’t defeat Reign, how was she able to hold her own for that long against Reign while under a dying sun? On the flip side, the other superheroes should have been stronger against the Worldkillers. J’onn is psychic. Why can’t he hear his opponents’ next move? Why didn’t Imra use her psychic bubble like she did with Pestilence?

I’m glad Supergirl and Alex were able to reach Julia’s humanity, but it came too easily. They barely said anything personal enough to awaken her, and they certainly did not save her as Supergirl told Lena they did because Julia ended up dead along with the Worldkiller inside her. Saving her should have meant… saving her… life.

Upon hearing that Lena doesn’t have kryptonite, Supergirl admits she overreacted and asks Lena for a clean slate. Deal. Lena finds James on her balcony. He admits to looking for any reason to distrust her because of his Lex baggage. For two years, she’s continued to prove him wrong. Even now. She risked everything to help her friend, and that’s beautiful. He reveals that Supergirl asked him to break into her lab because he’s Guardian. She reveals it wasn’t Lex’s kryptonite. It was hers.

We’re finally getting some development on the James and Lena front as this scene established a friendship, trust, and understanding that should have been done half a season ago. It probably shouldn’t have taken two seasons of Lena proving him wrong for James to see this, but at least he took responsibility for his own baggage. People are capable of and allowed to overcome their preconceived notions of another person. I understand James was upset with Supergirl for asking him to betray Lena’s trust in him by breaking into her lab, but it’s somewhat surprising that he so easily threw Supergirl under the bus. Maybe it was self-preservation, maybe he didn’t understand the extent of the situation, but it was also rash and damaging to a relationship he knew was important.

ODDS AND ENDS:

– Maybe my initial assessment about make-up free Brainy was too hasty.

– Why has it taken three years for Alex “not bulletproof” Danvers to get some semblance of a protective battle suit instead of an Under Armour sweatshirt? Anyways, her new gear looks amazing and the magnetic gloves were a smart touch, but I’m a little upset at the possibility of her losing her blue alien gun.

– Lena: That eclipse is like someone grabbed on the moon and pulled. The Earth and the moon turn on an axis, and no amount of technology can change that.
Supergirl: That’s because this isn’t technology… this is older than science.
Lena: Please don’t say magic.
Supergirl: Dark magic.

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