Supergirl season 2, episode 6, “Changing,” saw Alex, James and Mon-El coming to terms with who they are meant to be.
Let’s just start with the strongest part of “Changing” (which was overall a strong episode): Alex. The story surrounding her coming out has been handled with dignity and grace while also feeling viscerally real. After confessing to Maggie at the end of the previous episode that she likes women after all, Alex turns to Maggie for further advice. Maggie suggests Alex come out to her family.
So Alex comes out to Kara. She doesn’t get the response she was expecting, though, and she thinks Kara isn’t going to be supportive. But the opposite is actually true: in listening to Alex come out, Kara realized that growing up, she had dominated their sisterly discussions with her feelings about hiding her powers without giving Alex room to talk about her own issues.
She feels guilty about this, and I have mixed feelings about this response. On the one hand, it does seem very Kara to have this realization and feel bad about it, but on the other hand, it does feel like she, at least initially, makes Alex’s coming out more about her than her sister.
But that is quickly dispensed with, as Kara is there for Alex. She’s kind, supportive and proud of her sister.
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And, as usual, Supergirl proves its most powerful relationship is the one between the Danvers sisters. Alex, for so long, was the protector. She’s been strong because that’s what Kara needed her to be. But now Kara is being strong for Alex. Alex deserves the chance to have a fulfilling personal life as much as Kara does, and Kara is going to be there for her sister while she figures out what she wants.
What Alex wants is Maggie. And she finds Maggie at the alien bar and kisses her. Maggie, for her part, is kind about the kiss — as kind as she can be when turning Alex down, anyway. She tells Alex that she will always be there as a friend for her, but she doesn’t think it’s a good idea for them to get involved when they’re at such different places in their lives. Alex is heartbroken at this, but in a big picture view, Maggie is right. I have a feeling she’ll be more willing to go out with Alex after Alex has worked through some of her confusion and fear — when the experience isn’t completely new to her.
Kara finds a heartbroken Alex in her apartment (which we see for the first time!) and holds her as she cries. She questions whether coming out was even the right thing to do. It’s heartbreaking, but Kara’s steadfast support of her sister is beautiful and Chyler Leigh is just incredible as she cries out Alex’s distress.
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This story, so far, has been nothing short of fantastic. Not only is it unusual to see a coming out story about an adult, but the reactions of all those involved feel real. Of course Kara would accept Alex for who she is, but it’s realistic for her not to have the perfect reaction to her coming out. Alex reflecting back on relationships she had with other girls and recognizing feelings she hadn’t acknowledged before makes so much sense. And that is so damn important.
Also taking a big step forward this week is James, who debuts as Guardian. When Kara and J’onn are knocked out of commission by the alien of the week, he pushes Winn to finish his suit so he can help.
Watching James don the costume worked for me; though I do appreciate when these superhero shows prove that it’s possible to be a hero without putting on a costume, James is someone we’ve seen since season 1 with a desire to help other people. Being so close to Clark and Kara would only light the fire of someone like James, who always wants to do more.
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His story will, by necessity, be quite different from the other heroes’. Kara and J’onn are aliens with incredible abilities; James doesn’t have that. Alex trained for years to be as good as she is. James, on the other hand, is a regular guy with an extraordinary desire to do the right thing. And in today’s political climate, that’s a message I’d like to see more of.
Yes, it does feel like Supergirl slipping a bit more into Arrow-verse territory, but James’ story is unique among the people he’s surrounded by, so I’m interested to see where it goes from here. Plus, having him and Winn work together and improve their relationship outside of Kara is a delight.
Finally, Mon-El is also coming to terms with who he wants to be. Kara wanted him to get a job, so he gets himself hired as the muscle for an alien bookie. The judgment of both the Danvers sisters guilts him into helping fight the parasite, though he isn’t able to do much against it.
Honestly, his story is the least interesting part of the current season. The character seems pretty one-note so far, so I’m looking forward to there being more to his story. Him being kidnapped by Cadmus seems like a potential start to an arc for him.
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Other notes
- When J’onn is severely wounded during a fight with the parasite, he needs a blood transfusion. Alex convinces M’gann to help him, but I’m guessing her White Martian blood will have some adverse effects on him.
- Kara got drunk in this episode, which was hilarious and adorable.
- Kara apologizing to Dr. Jones/the parasite before blowing it up was a sad little moment and feels very Kara.
Watch a promo for the next episode
What did you think of ‘Supergirl’ 2×06 ‘Changing’?
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