Supergirl #4.02 “Fallout” Review

When Mercy Graves hacks the image inducer network, Brainy is attacked for being an alien, so Nia stands up for him and all aliens and urges James to be more vocal as the head of CatCo. Kara, Lena, and Eve stave off Mercy’s infiltration of L Corp, while J’onn searches for his missing friend, Fiona. Here is a review of the Supergirl episode “Fallout.”

REVIEW:

“Look at Supergirl peddling hope.” Look at this show restoring my faith in its ability to send an inspirational message and utilize its characters in ways that let their skills shine and personalities soar. An all-around well constructed hour, “Fallout” was equal parts endearing, engaging, and important. It blended humor, heart, and heroism in a way that this show has not done in quite some time, and boy am I glad to see that House of El crest again.

Although neither Kara nor Supergirl was driving the majority of story, the other characters’ actions and messages fell so perfectly in line with Supergirl’s values and status as a beacon of hope that her influence still permeated the episode. From Nia standing up for innocent strangers to Lena rejecting her family’s legacy to J’onn looking for his friend when no one else seemed concerned to James declaring his position on justice, the storylines were beautifully unified with a common theme: fighting for what you believe in, which has become increasingly difficult, but increasingly necessary in a country so divided.

Aside from political relevance and positivity in darkness, what’s working well this season (thus far, I know we still have a looong way to go) has been clearing the women of the elements that didn’t work last season: Kara’s relationship baggage, Alex’s baby fever, and Lena’s fight with Supergirl. Even with Mercy and Agent Liberty spreading fear and chaos, the regular characters feel lighter, and it’s refreshing to watch them move around without being dragged by burdens of the past.

Along with this, there seems to have been a slight tonal shift, which has given Melissa Benoist the opportunity to strike comedic gold. Her facial expressions and the absurdity of Kara’s excuses the entire sequence where she’s trying to sneak away for a costume change had me in stitches and reminded me how little we see Supergirl use her powers other than flight and superpunching. There’s a world of potential here, not only for more moments like these, but also to show just how truly powerful Supergirl can be if she’d utilize every ability she possesses. She’s incredible, but she’s been so limited. Let her soar.

Supergirl has always been a show about finding the confidence to be who you want to be and about making a name for yourself outside of everyone’s preconceived notions. Perhaps the most notable moment of this episode was Nia coming out as a transgender woman. A character on a primetime network superhero show came out as trans on her own terms in a scene where she was fighting for equality and respect for all people. She unapologetically and confidently declared her identity on the same day our own government announced a plan to erase trans existence and determine a person’s identity for them. I know I and others keep using the word “important,” but it is. It’s an important statement that no one has the right to deny you from being who you are. No one has the right to treat anyone as lesser. It’s important for trans youth, for adults, for the community as a whole to have visibility on show that families watch together, on a show that’s accessible for free the same night it airs on the CW’s website, not on a subscription-based channel. Nia has the heart of a hero even without donning a costume or a power because she has the strength to stand up for herself and for others despite any ramifications to her safety or her job security. Justice and doing what’s right is more important. Not all heroes wear capes.

I’m ashamed to admit that up until a couple of months ago, I hadn’t paid much attention to the issues facing the transgender community because they didn’t directly affect my life. But that’s another reason why these stories are so important… to get cis people, especially those with no other connection to the community, to pay attention, and like Nia said, to truly see each other. Television has the power to expose people to topics they may not be aware of, to injustices they may not yet be invested in, and if done right, it creates a bond with allies and a voice for justice stronger than before.

I know it’s really not my place to determine the quality and effectiveness of this representation moving forward, and honestly, I don’t think I’d be able to because I’m still learning. Rather, it’s my place to support the community’s voice, so I want to hear from you. Comment, tweet me if you want to reach me… seriously, please do.

And now we’ve reached chapter 38 of my dissertation on one Lena Kieran Luthor, another great example of a message the series should be sending – that we’re not defined by where we’re from. Lena says she’d never pick a side, but she already has. Since her first scene where she declared that she wanted to make her company a force for good, she has worked to end famine and climate change, been willing to sacrifice herself to prevent others from dying, and saved the last of a planet. In addition, there was no need for Lena to invent an image inducer, and given its limited target audience, it would not be as lucrative as technology aimed at the entire population, but she deliberately chose to protect the group of people her family is most notorious for hating. Supergirl is right: the Luthor name doesn’t deserve Lena.

Much to her dismay I’m sure, it sometimes feels like Lena is used as a pawn when the writers need conflict, romance, or a tease of what may come. But “Fallout” used Lena for Lena. Not only did this episode hint at Supergirl and Lena burying their bad blood (or they’re just going to ignore last season’s fight – either is fine, I’m just thankful it seems to be on the mend), but it also integrated Lena into the main storyline in a way that utilized her friendship with Kara, her technological achievements, her computer smarts, and her fighting skills. Lena does it all. There are countless settings and situations that Lena can be placed in within the world of the story where she’ll have skills to contribute, and it’s a shame we don’t see her interact with more characters more often.

Watching Lena “I’ve never stood behind a man” Luthor protecting Kara “literally bulletproof” Danvers after Kara promised to always protect her was a nice change of pace that revealed more about their characters. Kara could have gotten away from Lena. She could have run through that closing door or used her good ole fashioned sneakiness to separate herself and save the day as Supergirl, but she didn’t. She’s been overshadowed enough times not to do that to someone else. She let Lena be her own hero for as long as she could and trusts Lena’s judgment when it comes to making the right call. After this, I hope Kara strongly considers a way to tell Lena she’s Supergirl without causing another rift. Kara’s never really justified not telling Lena, and I’d like to see that addressed.

Lena’s backstory with Mercy gave insight into just how many people have left or betrayed Lena over the course of her life – pretty much everyone who Lena’s ever cared about. Her adoptive mother, her brother, and the girl who was “almost” like a sister to her (their matching thigh-high boots were a dead giveaway) all betrayed her, and then both of her biological parents are dead. Although they didn’t choose to abandon her, she probably still harbors feelings of abandonment. At this point, Lena is one of the few characters without a resurrected parent, so is her mom really dead?

I’m a little bit concerned about Lena wanting to be as powerful as aliens, not because she lacks justification – three consecutive season finales where aliens tried to destroy the world give her enough of a reason – but rather because it’s an easy stepping stone for the writers to take her on the Lex route. I hate the trope where another character interrupts in the middle of what was going to be an interesting conversation like Eve did with Kara and Lena on the L Corp couch. Two smart, passionate women talking about a topic so important and relevant is a rarity. This conversation would have seamlessly fit it with the season’s themes.

One aspect not working so well this season (again, there’s a lot of season left) is James. Since his story as Guardian seems to have fizzled out all too easily and quickly, it was great to finally see him acting as the head of CatCo and making business decisions. However, given every Cat Grant speech ever given and her branding of Supergirl, it’s difficult to believe that CatCo was ever as balanced as James claims it is. I would have loved to see him standing up for Nia’s position against a board of directors who disagreed to further the lesson she taught him.

I’m actually pretty upset about President Wonder Woman getting forced out of office. It was an easy way to show just how skilled this season’s antagonists are, but it completely glossed over any trauma and fear resulting from a forced outing and stepped back the progressive nature of her earning the office in favor of historical sameness. Why do I feel like President Baker is working with the Graves? Here’s hoping Marsdin will be reinstated by the end of the season to show the nation overcoming prejudice and accepting alien life on Earth.

ODDS AND ENDS:

– I feel like this episode missed an opportunity to have Lena say “El Mayarah” and watch Kara squirm.

– Kara: I had no idea you were so cynical.
Lena: Of course you did!

– Nia: When innocent people are being attacked, it’s not about balance. It’s about justice.

– Lena: I’d ask how you bypassed a lockdown, but…
…You just burst out of the same room Kara went into, and I’m not an idiot, which I’m pretty sure is how she was going to end that sentence.

– Mercy: The people are angry, Agent Danvers. Their fear is metastasizing.
Otis: And you can’t stop it.
Alex: You’re right, I can’t. Changing hearts and minds, that’s not really my thing.
Supergirl: It’s mine.
Alex: And she’s really good at it.

– Alex: The next time someone tries to hurt you, you send them my way.
Brainy: You’re a true friend. All aliens deserve an Alex Danvers.
It was heartbreaking to see Brainy deal with discrimination and violence because it’s so senseless. I hope they do more of a Brainy-centric storyline soon!

– Supergirl: The character of a person or alien is not defined by where we are from, but by what we do.

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