The Supergirl mid-season premiere, “Supergirl Lives,” explores what it means to be a hero. The episode was also directed by Kevin Smith.
Since we last saw our friends in National City, Winn has continued working with James at night, serving as the man in the van to Guardian. James has become comfortable in his suit and is committed to helping protect the city on the ground (Kara remains unimpressed with Guardian). However, when Winn must try to stop a jewel thief, he’s nearly shot.
Used to observing the superheroes in the field and doing his work via keyboard, Winn understandably reacts poorly to his near-death experience. He tells James that he no longer wants to work with him, and when Alex needs his help to rescue Kara and Mon-El from an alien planet, he struggles.
However, Kara is one of his best friends so he suits up and travels into outer space with other DEO agents. And, despite his fear, he takes out an alien attacker and helps the rescue effort. This gives him the confidence to return to his and James’ two-man heroics.
This was a good episode for Winn; while we spent time with James, understanding why he decided to suit up as Guardian, we’ve seen less of Winn dealing with the repercussions of his choice to help Guardian. I have some costume fatigue with so many characters suiting up and/or getting powers in the Berlanti-verse. It’s nice to see that it’s also possible to be a hero without powers or super suits.
It feels especially important to me to have regular people being heroes on Supergirl because there are so many aliens and humans with powers. But while Kara, J’onn and co. are fighting to protect humans, it’s nice to see humans be their own heroes. Maggie also fills this role. (I hesitate to include Alex because she’s so highly trained.)
Another character who is inspired to become a hero in this episode is Mon-El. Kara has been trying to convince him to take up the good fight for a while now, but he hasn’t show much interest in doing so. But he has shown interest in Kara herself…
In fact, it’s Kara’s Gryffindor tendency to jump headfirst into danger that inspires him to become a hero. But let’s rewind a bit. Mon-El, playing hooky from his new job as a bartender at the alien bar (M’gann is still locked up in the DEO), joins Kara in the search for a missing young woman, Izzy (played by Kevin Smith’s daughter). Izzy is one of multiple missing persons lately, so Kara jumps into the case.
It turns out the missing people had all gotten blood work done prior to going missing, so Kara and Mon-El visit the lab. It turns out Roulette is kidnapping people to be sold as alien slave labor. Kara takes a portal to Slaver’s Moon, the planet at the center of the alien slave trade, but the planet has a red sun so she and Mon-El (who followed her) are powerless. Though Mon-El wants to return to Earth, Kara is determined to find Izzy and the other missing people.
They surrender to the slavers and are placed in a cell with the missing humans. But before they can figure out an escape plan, the whole group is purchased — by a Dominator. Yep, a member of the alien race from the big crossover.
Kara, however, refuses to step aside and let the humans be taken. Though she is powerless, she stands up to alien tasers, which inspires the others to fight back. They defeat the guards and place Roulette and the slaver in a cell. The escapees are pursued, but Mon-El covers the fleeing group with a gun until he’s knocked down.
Seeing that not everyone has escaped yet, Mon-El makes his choice and stands in front of them, much like Kara had moments earlier. Instead of shooting, however, the Dominator bows to him and won’t let him be harmed. Because he’s the Daxamite prince. This allows him and the others to escape.
This brings up questions about the relationship between the Dominators and Daxamites. In the big Invasion! storyline in the comics that the crossover was based on, the Dominators masterminded the attack on Earth because of the threat metahumans presented. However, the Daxamites were also part of the attack, though they were eventually convinced to switch sides and help defend Earth.
Once everyone returns home, Mon-El tells Kara that he wants to become a superhero; he wants a costume and a superhero name. Kara is surprised but pleased.
Mon-El has not been my favorite character so far this season, but I am intrigued to see where the story of him being Daxamite royalty goes. The bounty hunters who we previously saw looking for him now know he’s on Earth, so it’s likely that will come to a head sooner rather than later. There’s definitely more to his story than he’s let on so far.
Finally, Alex and Maggie hit a snag in their relationship when Kara goes missing; Alex believes it’s the universe punishing her for daring to be happy so she tries to push Maggie away. To her credit, Alex realizes the mistake she’s made and apologizes. But Maggie asks the right question: How does she know Alex won’t do it again? Alex promises not to, but it’s clear she still has a lot of issues with the way her life has been focused on protecting Kara.
Maggie also puts together the pieces and realizes that Kara is Supergirl. There’s a cute quip about the glasses not being a very good disguise, and I’m glad Maggie knows the truth. Hopefully this means she’ll be pulled even more into the fold than she already is.
Watch a promo for the next episode
