Supergirl - We Can Be Heroes - Review: A lesson in forgiveness

Supergirl 210


Written by Caitlin Parrish & Katie Rose Rogers

Directed by Rebecca Johnson


This episode had me split in two. Part of it I loved, other parts had me cringing and knowing Supergirl can do better. I love Supergirl, it is one of my favorite shows but like all shows, you get an episode that really doesn’t quite hit the mark. Yes, we had some wonderful scenes with J’onn and M’gann, the scene in her mind when J’onn forgives her was played superbly by David Harewood and Sharon Leal. However, the boys running around ‘playing’ at being superheroes didn’t work for me. So, let’s look at the good and the bad of this week’s episode.

Supergirl is training Mon- El. The cardboard cut of J’onn was my favorite but Mon- El’s glib attitude when he deflects a laser to a cardboard cutout of a child did not sit well with me. Clearly showing he isn’t ready for the field, a fact that is proved.

Meanwhile, the Guardian and a very tired man in the van have been busy and gift wrapped a couple of crooks for the NCPD.

At the DEO things aren’t quiet either. M’gann appears to be hearing voices and when J'onn arrives she screams, breaking the glass, and then collapses.

The action doesn’t stop there when across town our favorite ex-DJ turned psycho killer, with an electrifying personality, gets broken out of Jail by an inmate and a guard friend. (The escaped inmate is none other than American Ninja competitor and previous stunt woman on Supergirl Jessie Graff).

From these scenes, you can tell this episode will have a lot going on, maybe too much.

Maggie and Alex are in Livewire's cell. This is a very cute scene where they lay bets on if Kara is too nice to barge in. Alex wins this round but loses later on and has to try vegan ice cream. (Ugh).

Supergirl is clearly rattled by Livewire being out, even taking her frustrations out on a Deo monitor. Mon-El and Winn’s attitude annoyed me in this scene in the first of many boyish displays that didn’t come across as funny. Livewire nearly killed Kara on their last two outings, she is perhaps one of the few beings that can.

Alex is checking on M’gann but there are no physical signs anything is wrong. J’onn is clearly concerned but does his best to appear like he doesn’t care. It seems M'gann is drowning in her own mind.

At the NCPD it looks like they are about to get a shocking visit.

Kara is talking to James at Catco, it gets a little heated as James clearly has a point about his concerns re Mon-El. The news about the attack interrupts James from revealing to Kara he is, in fact, the Guardian.

Supergirl is shocked to discover she isn’t fighting Leslie aka Livewire but the inmate and Guard from the prison. They now have Livewires powers. Kara tells Mon- El to protect the police and get them to safety but when she appears to be in trouble he goes to help her. The Guardian arrives saving a policeman but getting knocked unconscious leading Supergirl to discover its James.

At the Deo, Kara isn’t happy about Winn’s involvement and the fact the others knew before she did. I loved their quick exit as she wants to speak to James alone. Kara is clearly annoyed with James. I like how this was played out, asking him why he had to do this rather than going in guns blazing, but ultimately James came across as “I want to be a hero no matter what you say”. Kara does have a point saying she and Mon- El can bounce back( I guess we are forgetting Mon- El is adverse to lead still as he was right next to James or is it only when it's in him like a bullet ??). While some may argue, in other DC shows, the vigilantes have no powers. Her concern is James not only is jumping in feet first but that the consequences could be deadly for him…or others. His reason is selfish, not selfless, which is how a hero should be.
I also think Kara picked up a few lessons from Oliver’s ‘you stop or I will stop you’ speech. It seemed out of character for her but James coming back at Kara with 'you’re welcome to try' was just macho BS and I hated it.

Kara clearly isn’t in the best of moods leaving the DEO and tackles Mon- El not only about the lack of regard for civilians but his feelings towards her, which he once again denies.

We get a glimpse of what has happened to Leslie. Seems Livewire is in trouble, for once the victim, not the villain. Video footage from the prison shows she was taken not escaped as they first assumed.

Winn after his brief brush with death last week seemed too overconfident, telling James over Supergirl and the Deo where Livewire was is the stupidest thing he has ever done. Mon- El, who is a little bit sneaky, overhears.

Alex speaks with J'onn telling him M'gann doesn't have long left and speaks to him about forgiveness. J’onn, after an internal battle over if he can forgive M’gann, decides to do the Martian version of a mind meld with M’gann to save her life. He asks Kara and Alex to stay with him as he will be seeing some unpleasant sights.
This scene with M’gann and J’onn was beautiful. M’gann betrayed her people to do the right thing over not agreeing in their treatment and slaughter of the Green Martians. She hid who she was, becoming a green Martian in order to become J’onns friend. He forgives her in a touching moment and this cures her and she awakens.

As you can imagine our have-a-go hero’s get into trouble. Mon- El and James are more focused on their battle of one up man ship and fail to notice the doctor who has created clones of Livewire is also one. Oops, guess you have a few lessons to learn boys. Winn calls in Supergirl when they get captured and she soon frees them, as well as Livewire, but an explosion knocks her down. Livewire looks set to kill her but Kara convinces her to go after the doctor. While these two may not be allies they did work well together. Even the boys manage to kick the clones to the curb all with the help of Supergirl.
Kara agrees to let Leslie, now wanting to be known only as Livewire, escape for today in exchange for her not killing the doctor.

Maggie was right, Kara is too nice, but she saw a glimpse of humanity still left in Livewire so as true to her character she believes there is hope.

Kara expresses her concerns to James and Winn about their vigilante activities but says she won’t stop them, she just can’t support them either. She wants them to go back to the superfriends and frankly so do I. While you can understand them not wanting to sit on the sidelines, I still believe this will not end well.

J’onn and M’gann also talk and he tells her she is free to go but she is worried as her coma was caused by a psychic attack. The White Martians are coming.

Our Heroine has had a long day with a nemesis to deal with and feeling betrayed by James and Winn. Mon- El is at her apartment and he confesses he does have feelings for her and can remember the kiss. He assumes she does not return them and they will continue to be friends and he will fight by her side. He leaves and we see that Kara appears to have the weight of the world on her shoulders.



So what were your thoughts about the episode?

Did you agree with James or Kara?

Can Mon - El man up enough to be the hero Kara wants him to be?