Supergirl: A Thrilling Season Finale

Title: “Supergirl Season 2 Episode 22: Nevertheless, She Persisted”
Genre: Superhero, Action, Adventure, Drama, Science fiction
Platform: TV – The CW
Director: Glen Winter
Writer: Story by : Andrew Kreisberg & Jessica Queller Teleplay by : Robert Rovner & Caitlin Parrish
Rating: TV PG
Release: May 22, 2017
Cast: Melissa Benoist, Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh
Feature image: Source

“Your cousin is so much like you, reckless, stupid. Barreling head first into danger. I couldn’t have set a better trap if I tried.” Queen Rhea —Supergirl

When the last episode ended, Superman (Tyler Hoechlin) had suckered punched Supergirl (Melissa Benoist). He is under the influence of Silver Kryptonite, thanks to mad Queen Rhea (Teri Hatcher). She happily tells Kara, “Your cousin is so much like you, reckless, stupid. Barreling head first into danger. I couldn’t have set a better trap if I tried.” Supergirl wonders aloud why her cousin is so hell bent on destroying her. Rhea provides the answer, “Oh, he doesn’t see you. He sees his worst enemy.” While Superman is punching Supergirl, he sees and hears General Zod (Mark Gibbon). It is a vicious fight, both superheroes delivering knockout blows. The DEO is alerted about Kryptonite in the area; Alex (Chyler Leigh) sees that Kara is in the area. Superman and Supergirl have punched each other out of the ship, into several buildings, and finally into a fountain. Alex and Maggie (Floriana Lima) have run out of the DEO to the fountain. Kara is trying to get Clark to see it’s she, not Zod, but he continues to punch her, she finally lands a vicious uppercut that sends him flying in the air, he crashes back down into the fountain. Kara drops to her knees from exhaustion and Alex runs in to hold her up. (Great beginning for the episode.)

Kara is dreaming about being in bed with Mon-El (Chris Wood). They are happy and content. She tells him about the day she left Krypton and the necklace her mother gave her, to keep her safe. Dream Mon-El tells her to wake up. Kara wakes up in the Fortress of Solitude with Alex by her side. Across the room sleeps Clark. Kara: “I feel like…” Alex: “You got punched by Superman?” Kara: “Repeatedly.”

Lillian (Brenda Strong) enters Lena’s (Katie McGrath) office. Lena isn’t happy to see her. Lillian wants to reprimand her for trusting Rhea, but Lena points out that Lillian’s treatment of her had her reaching out to any mentor who would believe in her. Lillian sees the error of her ways and sincerely apologizes to her. She admits she has done some bad things but for the right reasons. She was right about an alien threat. Lillian was impressed with what Lena did with the transport. She thinks that maybe she has been backing the wrong Luther. Lillian hands Lena a box from Lex’s vault; a device he invented to get rid of Superman. She thinks Lena can use it to save Earth.

Clark wakes up but he isn’t clear on what happened. Kara explains he was under the influence of Silver Kryptonite. That is a new one for him. She thinks it might have weakened him during the fight; he assures her he was at full strength. Kara asks does he have anything in the fortress to fight the Daxamites. Not really, but they should check the archives on the computer. He discovers something from the old wars between Krypton and Daxam that could help them defeat Rhea. They go back to the DEO. Mon-El greets Kara and she introduces him to Clark. Clark plays the big brother here, sizing up the man dating his cousin. “And you’re the guy who is dating my cousin.” Winn (Jeremy Jordan) nervously says hello to Clark, not thinking he remembers him. Of course, he remembers him, runs off some facts about him, and calls him ‘buddy’. Winn looks like he wants to swoon. Mon-El tells Clark he is a Daxamite, but not the ones who want to kill them. Clark: “You must be a good guy or she wouldn’t be with you.” The Daxamites power up their energy weapons, Kara tells Winn to get her face-to-face with Rhea. On a big screen on the Daxamite mothership, Kara appears. Kara:” Queen Rhea of Daxam. I, Supergirl, champion of Planet Earth, invoke the sacred rite of Dakkam Ur. To meet with you in single combat before the gods. May the fate of my people lay upon the fate of my life.” Rhea is surprised for a minutes but replies: “Dakkam Ur. I accept your challenge Supergirl. We duel in four hours. Daxam assures you it will be your last.”

Dakkam Ur is trial by combat and Mon-El is afraid what could happen if Kara loses. He asks her why Superman can’t fight Rhea. Clark replies that Kara had beat him; she is the champion of Earth. Kara tells Mon-El she needs him to stop worrying and to be strong. Alex stands by Hank’s (David Harewood) bed in sickbay; she tells him they need him. M’gann (Sharon Leal) shows up in his dreams (or as a vision?) and tells him to wake up. J’onn is afraid he won’t be strong enough; she assures him he will. She kisses him and tells him to wake up. He wakes up but she isn’t there. When he walks out of sickbay, everyone is happy he is awake; Winn runs up to him and gives him a big hug and calls him “Papa Bear”. The news is broadcasting the big fight between Supergirl and Rhea as if it were a prizefight. Hank wants the broadcasts contained so innocent civilians won’t get hurt.

Kara and Clark go to CatCo to meet with Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart). She is especially glad to see ‘sexy’ Clark Kent. They tell her they have an exclusive interview with Supergirl. Supergirl is asking Cat to tone down the fight coverage, so people won’t show up and get hurt. Cat looks at Kara and asks if they think Supergirl can win, Kara thinks she can. She tells them to tell Supergirl we all are behind her. Cat confides to Kara: “Oh, those big green eyes…I promise you when he takes off those glasses he is a tiger in bed.” Kara: [under her breath] “Oh God, I hope Rhea kills me.” Clark and Kara get a call from Lillian and Lena. They fly over there as Superman and Supergirl. The purpose of the device Lex created was to fill the atmosphere with Kryptonite to drive Superman off the planet. Lena can change it to release a small dose of lead, not enough to harm humans but enough to harm Daxamites. ALL of them would have to leave Earth. Lena: “Supergirl, you know Kara is dating a Daxamite, right?” Lillian glances at Kara with a snide look. Supergirl tells Lena to go ahead with the plan.

Back at the DEO, Kara and Clark tell the team about Lillian and Lena’s plan. Mon-El tells them to go ahead with it; he won’t be responsible for Earth’s suffering. Winn goes to assist Lena. Mon-El wants to be her second at the fight. Kara assures him she is going to win and they won’t have to seed the atmosphere with lead. She asks Clark to spar with her to keep her sharp. Kara has been happy this year, she has friends, a job she likes, she gets to be a hero and she has Mon-El. Kara: “I don’t know if it’s possible to have everything you want.” Clark: “Well, it is. But only because you worked for it.” He gives her a tip; he fights for Lois. Kara should fight for the ones she loves. That is their superpower. It is time for her to meet Rhea.

“It won’t stop here. There’s Star City and Metropolis. I will destroy city after city until your whole world is gone.” Rhea —Supergirl

Mon-El and Kara arrive first. Rhea and her second materialize. Rhea looks at her son and tells Kara you brought moral support. If Rhea wins, Earth forces surrender. If Kara wins, Rhea’s forces leave. They both agree to the terms. They say in unison, “For the Earth!” The woman meet in mid-flight and throw down. Rhea of course cheats. She has her ships attack the city. Superman and J’onn leave the DEO to fight. Due to the destruction of Daxom from Krypton exploding, Rhea has Kryptonite in her blood. When Kara cuts her, she grows weaker. When a bunch of Daxamite soldiers prepare to attack J’onn, M’gann appears with a group of good white Martians. Mon-El had left Supergirl’s side when the ships started attacking to protect the city. He takes on a group of Daxam soldiers and defeats them. Lillian attempts to release the lead, but she can’t. Lena gave the remote for the device to Supergirl. Rhea starts issuing threats. Rhea: “It won’t stop here. There’s Star City and Metropolis. I will destroy city after city until your whole world is gone.” Rhea’s threats give Kara the strength to beat her. The Daxom ships aim their weapons at hospitals and other sites. With no choice, Kara presses the remote. The lead in the atmosphere causes the Daxamites to beam back up to their ships and immediately leave Earth. Mon-El returns to the roof and she asks her son to save her. He asks like my father. She turns into dust and blows away. Mon-El starts coughing and weakening. He has been on Earth longer than his fellow Daxamites, but he can’t stay any longer. Kara flies him to the pod he arrived on Earth in. He promises to remain the man she helped him become. They exchange I love you(s). They say their final goodbyes. Kara gives him the necklace her mother gave her to protect him. They kiss and he gets in the pod and takes off.

Image source

“You are so much stronger than me. Stronger than I ever will be.” Clark Kent —Supergirl

The world is celebrating, except for Kara. Clark comes out to the balcony to talk to her. He asks if she is all right, she answers that she did the right thing, but doesn’t say how she is doing. Clark: “You are so much stronger than me. Stronger than I ever will be.” He doesn’t think he could chose the world over Lois. He has to go home, so he flies away. Inside the DEO J’onn and M’gann talk. Other white Martians regret what they did to the green Martians. They want to make things right and are fighting for change. J’onn asks how she knew he was in trouble. She heard him cry for help. M’gann can stay awhile. Alex joins Kara on the balcony. She reminds her sister about the time she was broken and Kara told her she was proud of her. It didn’t make her feel good then but it was something to hold on to later. She tells Kara she is proud of her. Alex offers to stay with Kara tonight. Kara says no, she wants Alex to be with Maggie. She is glad Alex has Maggie, Clark has Lois, J’onn has M’gann, and Winn has Lyra. The world hasn’t stopped because of her loss. Kara advises her sister never to let Maggie go. Kara flies off. Maggie walks out to see if Kara will be all right. Alex proposes to Maggie, she doesn’t speak, but the smile on her face suggests yes.

“The thing that makes women strong is that we have the guts to be vulnerable. We have the ability to feel the depths of our emotion, and we know that we will walk through it to the other side.” Cat— Supergirl

Kara walks into Cat’s office. Cat can tell she is sad. Kara tells her she just lost her boyfriend. Cat: “The thing that makes women strong is that we have the guts to be vulnerable. We have the ability to feel the depths of our emotion, and we know that we will walk through it to the other side.” She tells Kara she had a great year and that she is on the hero’s journey. Kara hears people calling for help. She excuses herself. Cat says quietly to herself, “Go get’em Supergirl.” Sad music starts playing as Supergirl flies through the air. Mon-El’s tiny ship goes through a wormhole.

Thirty-five years ago when baby Kal-El and then Kara’s ships leave a doomed Krypton; there is another little ship with a baby being put aboard it. One of the women in robes cuts herself and gives her blood to the baby. It looks like some evil Kryptonian cult is also sending a baby to Earth. The cultist say it’ll grow strong and rule the planet. We will be meeting this Kryptonian next season.

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The episode begins with a great Supergirl, Superman fight. The best fight scene I’ve seen on the show. Choreographed beautifully; it felt like two super powered beings really fighting. It was vicious and nasty, like a real fight. I don’t know if in comic book cannon if Supergirl can beat her cousin in a fight. On TV, if the name of the show is “Supergirl” apparently she can. I didn’t have any problem with it, as far as I know; the women in Krypton might be stronger. I’ll let others debate it. The big battle was well done. Each fight in the battle was good. The special effects were excellent for a TV budget. The action could have been bigger, but they used what they had effectively.

Even though Kara won her battle with Rhea, she lost Mon-El to save the world. Rhea would have gotten some satisfaction out of that outcome. Teri Hatcher was a great villain and she will be missed. I wouldn’t have minded if she survived, and maybe made occasional visits to cause trouble. That won’t happen, but we still have Lillian Luthor, and she is also a great villain. Since she isn’t as powerful and dangerous as Rhea, it is probably easier to keep her character in the mix. She is also there to tempt Lena to the dark side. Since she knows her daughter has some skills, she will probably want her even more. That tension will extend into next season.

M’gann appeared to save J’onn, both in his head, and in reality. She also brought some white Martians with her to help in the fight. That surprised me; I had assumed they were all a nasty piece of work except her. It proves that there are some good people in every group; you just have to look for them. I suppose M’gann will be going back to Mars, but I’m sure she’ll pop up every once and awhile.

Alex proposed to Maggie, she didn’t answer but her smile indicates we might have a wedding next season. This isn’t the type of show where people get married, watch Netflix, and cuddle. On most of the DC/CW shows, engagement means kidnappings, injuries or death. I would advise Maggie to get a good insurance policy if she says yes. They are a great couple, so I hope they don’t put them through stupid drama. Drama that relates to their characters, fine, but please, no long lost children or amnesia.

Cat knows that Kara is Supergirl, Halleluiah! The type of character Cat is, and the way Calista Flockhart plays her made it implausible that Cat didn’t know Kara was Supergirl. She was fooled briefly last season when Hank flew in as Supergirl while Kara was in the room, but you figured that Cat would see through that eventually. I can’t believe Lena hasn’t figured it out yet. Lillian must be thinking, “Dummy, can’t you see it!” I suspect Cat hasn’t let on she knows Kara is Supergirl out of respect for Kara. She senses Kara wants to have a separate life from Supergirl and she respects it.

A big improvement from its first season on CBS. Being on the CW allowed it to be a comic book show, instead of the Ally McBeal knockoff CBS wanted it to be, only with superheroes. The main problem I had with the season was the devolution of James Olsen on the show. He didn’t do anything on this episode for me even to mention him. He was integral to the show last season; I hope they use him better next season.

Episode Grade: A-
Season Grade: B+