As a naturally optimistic person, I tend to hold onto hope longer than most people would. Some would argue I’m an unnaturally optimistic person and I tend to hold onto hope longer than reason says I should, but that’s beside the point. The point is, I watched everyone slowly but surely start to lose faith that Supergirl would ever remember who Kara Danvers was, and while I understood the impulse, I couldn’t bring myself to let go of that last shred of hope that this storyline wouldn’t go the predictable route. Because even though pretty much every movie and TV show that has ever had a storyline like this would have had Kara forgiving Mon-El by episode’s end, I truly believed Kara Zor-El was better than that and hoped beyond hope that she would see that. I can’t wait to rewatch this episode knowing how it ends, because it was a really fun episode, and being able to unclench my jaw the whole time will surely add to my experience. Do I think this Mon-El/Kara storyline is over? No. But Kara finally said some things that made sense and it felt really nice to hear.
Let’s go back, back to the beginning, back to where the earth, the sun, the stars all aligned, and the former King and Queen of Daxam came to Earth to collect their son, Mon-El. Of course, no one knows who they are or why they’re here yet; they interrupt some Sanvers Snuggles to tell the citizens of Earth that they want Mon-El and they want him now.
Do you think Maggie is making Alex watch all the lesbian movies she missed? Did they fall asleep watching DEBS for the 15th time?
Supergirl flies up to this new ship and it does not exactly put out the welcome mat for her arrival. In fact, it shoots a missile at her and then traps her in a literal bubble. Everyone jumps to come save her, but she says, “I can do it!” and breaks the glass ceiling her damn self.
“I broke through the glass ceiling, why are people still shooting missiles at me?!”
Mon-El decides to turn himself in and Kara goes with him, against his will to see how he likes it, and everyone on the ship takes a knee upon seeing them. In what was one of my favorite moments, Kara asks, “Are they bowing to us?” US! It never crossed her mind that they would be bowing only to him. In fact, it was gracious of her to include him in that question at all. It was such a small moment but it made me laugh so big.
Anyway, so the BIG REVEAL we’ve all been waiting for finally happened, and Mon-El is exposed as the former Prince of Daxam. Still mad about this because of how it was executed exactly like M’gann’s storyline but with even less subtlety, but I suppose that is neither here nor there.
When Kara realizes what is going on she. is. PISSED.
PISSED.
tfw you find out you were dating the villain of your bedtime stories
Back on Earth, Winn and his lovely alien girlfriend sneak into a museum for a bit of sex with a side of adrenaline: sweet, trusting Winn hardly questioning why. Which is why the next day when he gets a call from Detective Maggie Sawyer, he jokes with her about being his favorite pool shark and offers to bring donuts when she asks him to come down to the station. He only cites his father’s criminality as the reason for stress-eating while Maggie lays a soft interrogation on him.
Da-na-na-na-na Inspector Sawyer
He quickly confesses to breaking into the museum for a quick romp, probably hoping to get off with a slap on the wrist, and looking with pleading eyes for Maggie to understand how one’s will could be weakened by the wiles of a woman.
And maybe Maggie could have understood, but the thing is, she doesn’t see a wily woman. In fact, she doesn’t see a woman at all; the security footage of the museum shows only Winn prancing about the museum. And a Van Gogh is missing.
Winn starts to sweat, but fear not, for Alex swoops in to save the day. (For the first of three times this episode.)
“You owe me for making me watch Season 5 of Warehouse 13.”
Alex is a little miffed at Maggie for not giving her the heads up about this, but Maggie says she’s not going to give her girlfriend preferential treatment. But then her will is weakened by the wiles of a woman and she gives the DEO 48 hours to prove Winn had nothing to do with the art thievery.
Alex thanks Maggie with a kiss on the cheek and heads out to help her little buddy.
Back at the DEO, they learn that not only can Lyra not be picked up on cameras like the Buffyverse vampires she’s styled after, but that this ain’t her first rodeo.
Up on the Daxam spaceship, awkward family dinner is awkward. The king and queen are slimey at best, and even use the phrase, “Make Daxam great again,” to drive home that they are not the good guys. And to remind us that Mon-El wasn’t either, in the flashback to his escape (the correct one this time) we see him leaving his people behind, including a girl he left in his bed without looking back. Kara holds her own with the sassafras long enough to get the full story before deciding she’s lost her appetite and storming out; not only was he from a cruel planet, but he was part of the cruelty. He benefited from it. And he lied to her about it. He made her believe he was the victim of it.
She storms back down to Earth and throws herself headlong into Winn’s grifter girlfriend problem. She even shouts, and I quote, “Superfriends: Back in the Habit.” And if you think I have not made very similar jokes in my life (with both Back in the Habit and *whatever thing* 2: Electric Boogaloo) you are mistaken.
2 fast 2 super
Kara is practically giving herself a Harriet the Spy foot tattoo when Alex pulls her aside to say that she’s deflecting her anger and that maybe she should talk to Mon-El. Which. Whose side are you on, Alex?? I guess she just doesn’t understand the extent of the lie because she didn’t grow up knowing about Daxam, but come on!
Anyway, Queen Susan Delfino comes down to the DEO for a chat with Kara, asking her to let Mon-El come back to Daxam to help them rebuild their world instead of staying and realizing more and more each day that he’s not good enough for Kara. She also mentions that Kryptonians are known to hold a grudge which made me nervous because Kara likes to do the opposite of what people assume she will do but she seemed to take that first thing to heart.
“I’ve been hearing this familiar voice in my head since we arrived here, narrating my every move.”
Meanwhile, at the gaylien bar, Alex gets info about Lyra’s whereabouts with a few pulled punches and a favor from her alien buddy who plays King George in Hamilton. (No YOU just cross-referenced Chyler Leigh and Taran Killam to see if they ever worked together.) (They did not.)
FUCK ME UP, DANVERS
So Winn heads to the trailer park where Lyra is hiding out and she calls him a long con. She looks him dead in the eyes and tells him he was a mark, in a cool, calculated, unfeeling tone. His little heart falls to the trailer floor and he leaves, defeated, and reveals that he brought along Guardian just in case she said just that.
Fighting ensues and when the going gets tough, the tough show up. It’s Alex, Alex is the tough.
They grab Lyra and the stolen paintings and head back to home base. Lyra is furious; she tells Winn her brother fell in with the wrong crowd and they were holding him hostage until she could settle his debts. She admits now that she did like Winn more than any other marks, but she had no choice but to use him. So Winn asks her who her brother is involved with, exactly.
Kara goes to Mon-El to do as his mother asked, and pointedly ignores him when he informs her that this is the part of the story where she’s supposed to magically forgive him. She asks if he would go back to Daxam, and when he says no, she turns to leave. He stops and asks if that’s really all she has to say and she says yes; huge, unforgivable lies aside, he has this chance she will never have: his family is alive when he thought they were dead, his planet is survivable when they thought it was gone, he has the chance to start over, to be a true prince, to be with his parents again.
This is the face I make at my TV whenever Mon-El is talking to Kara.
Meanwhile, Winn and Lyra sneak off to make the exchange: painting for money, money for brother. But the painting is a fake, and Alex is there to save the day again.
Back at the NCPD office, Winn hands over the baddies and the stolen art and tries to be all chummy with her, but Maggie deadpans that he should leave before she throws him into holding. Maggie looks at Alex and asks if she thinks she scares Winn and Alex proudly responds, “Almost as much as I do.” And my friends this is what I live for. In episodes where they don’t get their own storyline (because obviously not everyone can get a whole subplot in every episode), just some crime fighting girlfriends being cute.
Pro tip: On second viewing, always watch Alex watch Maggie.
I know I said that last week but it’s true. Too often if two women are in a relationship, in the episodes where a story isn’t about their relationship specifically, a passer-by would never know they were dating. Not Supergirl though. Alex and Maggie won’t let anyone forget their dating, and I’m eternally grateful for it.
“I look into your eyes and the sky’s the limit.”
After seeing Lyra and Winn kiss and make up, Kara asks Winn how he could forgive her for lying to him. Winn says she had her reasons for lying, and that Kara just has to think about Mon-El’s reasons and see if they’re worth forgiving or not.
Kara goes back to her apartment, where Mon-El is waiting for her, a speech about how she should forgive him because she makes him a better person. But the thing is, when he talks about being a hero, he still never mentions helping people, he still never mentions being good. He mentions liking being near her, he says he loves her. He calls her special, and she stops him there because she doesn’t need him to tell her that.
“I deserve better,” she says, verbatim, echoing what we’ve been shouting at our TVs for weeks.
Her next blob post: #KaraDeservesBetter
She asks him if he was ever going to tell him the truth, and he pays her the kindness of not lying this time: he doesn’t know if he would have. Kara musters up a strength she knows too well and the music in the background pleads for her to be strong enough to let go and tears fall from her eyes, but she does it, she tells Mon-El that they just won’t work. It’s over.
“Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.”
And like I said earlier, I’m not so naive to think that’s that; but it felt so good to hear Kara realize that she deserves better than to be lied to, she deserves to be loved by a true hero.
Mon-El goes to his parents and tells them that they are far too high-profile for the show’s budget to possibly afford for one more minute, so instead of being and important vessel for change on Daxam, he’s going to stay at the DEO and help Supergirl fight evil. One thing I will credit him is that he doesn’t seem to have any delusion she’ll magically forgive him, but instead says that even if they’re not together, he knows he’s better when he’s near her, as anyone would be.
And now! It’s time! For the classic crossover setup scene! Winn has finally finished scanning Cisco’s interdimensional travel tool, conveniently just in time for a supernatural baddie who looks like Blaine Anderson to come in, cuffed and excited to see Sweet Marley Rose Supergirl. He locks eyes with her, grabs her breach-maker and hops into Tuesday night, leaving Kara unconscious in the DEO.
Kara dreams under this mystery man’s spell, and in this dream she’s dressed up like a beautiful lounge singer.
“I’M NOT THE NEW RACHEL BERRY I’M MY OWN PER—oh sorry. Reflex. What were you saying?”
As has happened in many of my recurring nightmares, someone tells her that she’s on and she’s shoved on stage without any clue what to do.
Before she can open her mouth to sing, however, the screen goes black. We’ll have go to over the rainbow tomorrow night on The Flash during the Very Special Glee Reunion Episode starring Blaine, Sweet Marley Rose and Sebastian, with special guests Tom Collins, Captain Jack Harkness and Jesus himself. (That’s Joe from The Flash, Malcolm Merlyn from Arrow, and Professor Stein from Legends of Tomorrow for those of you unfamiliar of their journeys before they entered the DC universe.)
I probably won’t recap The Flash, because despite Chyler’s lovely performance in the Grey’s musical episode, I don’t think Alex will be in the episode, so I’ll likely just tell you how much I loved it next week.
I’m loving for you mentioning Warehouse 13. I still want to be Claudia. Also I think Maggie only gave them 24 hours.
I have hated Mon-El for a while now but when he shouted out that they were dating in the DEO was my last straw. He slept with her and still didn’t tell her. He probably would never of told her. I say all of this because I am just waiting for the writers to totally ruin this show for me and have her back with him by the end of the season. I’m serious, if he is a regular in season 2 I think I will be out. Danvers sister moments, Alex being a badass, Sanvers, and Chyler being amazing are the reasons I’m still here.
They have so many interesting characters that they could spend time on but instead they devote it to a guy that is insensitive, doesn’t respect what Kara wants, and just so many bad qualities. It’s frustrating.
Thanks for your awesome recap again.
That shout out to the DEO was just infuriating, and even more so because it was played for laughs. GAH. He absolutely has been shown to not respect Kara’s requests, her privacy, or her abilities. I mean, he insists on taking this ‘I must save you’ garbage stance everytime, to the detriment of her own plans.
GAH. ARRG. VENT.
Blandsome’s gotta go.
And I’ll be honest it’s not helping seeing people shippng them on social media. I keep thinking there are a lot of young women that watch this and they ship him with her. They keep seeing him being terrible and even when Kara has called him out for it, nothing happens. If they get back together after everything he has done, what message is that sending? Oh I’m they will try to justify it and make him someone we should want to root for but I don’t have the energy for that.
She asked him to keep things quiet for now, it won’t be forever, just for now. What does he do the second he is around other people? He screams it out that they are dating.
He never told her he was the prince all this time. He chose to have sex with her knowing he was lying to her.
He is awful.
There are far to many of his actions that are classic manipulative abuse BS and this is what we are pour out over a character who has a large following of young women. Fuuuug
I don’t know how writers who got the Alex and Maggie relationship so right could get the Kara and Mon-El relationship so wrong. I was encouraging my friends to watch the show but now it has gotten embarrassing. I really liked the relationship between Kara and Alex but now all of their scenes have been replaced with Kara and Mon-El. Ugh. That guy. I don’t understand why the writers are making him such a jerk and why they are writing Kara as a doormat. It is completely against everything last season stood for and it so very disappointing.
@JustMsMe I totally agree. They really put thoughtful work into Alex/Maggie, but apart from that we get jerked around with a relationship that either is incredibly poorly written, or is intentionally trying to teach “us” terribly lessons. At the expense of not only our Kara, but also all of her other relationships.
By which I mean: we need more on-screen Danvers sisters time!
I adore these recaps! Thank you!
Supergirl has been a teethgrindingly hard show to get through lately (with last weeks awesome episode a wonderful reprieve) and I think I am driving Hilly crazy with my yelling dislike of Mon-ehl. Where is CAT, where is “Dive.”? Where is the CW getting this garbage when hey, they have a Bisexual woman who is CAPTAIN of a timeship in Legends of Tomorrow. I am surprised Sara Lance doesn’t get more love around here too. She is incredible. I may have a crush. No, I do.
I mean I love the Sanvers stuff, oh gods yes. Just seeing them getting screen time to actually *be* girlfriends is incredible. Needs to be a spin-off like yesterday.
But while it was great seeing Kara tell Mon El off there was no strength to it. We all know this is a hackneyed ‘redemption arc’ for this guy who literally has lied to Kara in some potent way EVERY episode he’s been in. But yet still the universe (the writers) keep framing him as this gosh-trying-hard bad boy who just.. isn’t?
I mean had he actually gone BACK to Daxom to try and fix things? That would be redemption, but he still just wants what he wants and assumes he deserves it.
I’m with you on the optimism, Valerie. Personally, I think everyone giving up on Supergirl right now is jumping the gun a bit. It’s been 8 episodes. I think we owe the show to at least see how the rest of the season plays out. If I gave up on every show I watch after 8 bad episodes in a row, I’d never watch anything.
I loved all the Winn/Lyra stuff this episode. I was really worried that they were going to fridge Lyra to jumpstart the Cadmus plot again, but I’m REALLY happy to see them go in a different direction with her. And the Winn/Sanvers stuff was the best part of the episode for me. The two of them treating him like their annoying little brother was just too good!
As for the Mon-El stuff, you’re right that this most definitely is not the end of him, but there are a bunch of different ways this could go now, and I am hopeful the show can turn things around and right itself by the end of the season.
What bugs me EVEN more is that these eight episode weren’t all bad, either!
I mean, the season does have to have a bit of a down, and it can’t all be perfect, but I honestly did like episodes 9, 11, 12, 14, and loved 15.
I really don’t know what the problem is.
What I do know is that The Flash is going to eff up all the character development we just had, because what’s what that show does now-a-days. *sigh:
Mon-El is a prince disguised as a beggar. A reverse Aladdin. Maybe foreshadowing is why Mxy sang “A Whole New World,” lol. (That and because Mxy is a “genie”/”jinn.”)
WELL WELL WELL what a week. So many feelings!
1. I think the breakup is setup for their reunion to happen on The Flash.
2. I am still uncertain how it is that Mon-El and J’onn go to another dimension with Kara without Alex coming along. That is so out of character for Alex. I’m calling bullshit. Even if it’d kill her she’d come along when they take Kara out of this dimension come on.
3. Then again Alex apparently now thinks deceiving Kara about who you are and sleeping with her under false pretenses (think of how every single heart-to-heart Kara and Mon-El had about their lives were constructed entirely of lies on the part of Mon-El) is no big deal and forgivable. I AM NOT WILLING TO OVERLOOK THAT ALEX APPARENTLY HAS MISPLACED HER CORE PERSONALITY JUST ‘CAUSE THEY MADE HER GAY AND HAPPY. Let’s be real she would stab Mon-El with a lead pipe for this, nothing less.
4. The lesbian representation is fine, but the heterosexual women need representation too. And frankly I am here for opening a conversation about how their representation is frequently terrible, how the romantic scripts they’re offered by our culture are atrocious – and how that overlaps with many queer women’s issues, too – and how disappointed I am that Supergirl of all shows is perpetuating this bullshit. They’re better than this.
5. Because while Kara might realize Mon-El is a shitbag in this episode, the show does not. The show juxtaposes Lyra and Mon-El being about the same level of wrong. The show frames Mon-El’s uncertainty and pain at being found out as sympathetic moments.
6. Kara was appalled that Mon-El would let people sacrifice themselves for her and it was such a telling moment. Putting others first is at the core of who Kara is, and I think it’s interesting to have her realize that over the long haul, whether it’s judgy of her or not, she couldn’t be with someone who doesn’t share that trait because she doesn’t deep down respect people who make the other choice, not really. GOOD FOR HER.
7. This whole bullshit forgiveness thing is bullshit. Should Winn forgive his dad? Should Lena forgive Lex or her mother? Should Superman forgive Lex? Should we all forgive everyone everything they’ve ever done because it’s in the past? I don’t think Kara’s issue was just that he lied – the things he’s done, whether he regrets them or not, were unforgivable. And I think it’s a really wonderful tv lesson to be honest – you don’t have to forgive people’s past moral failures all the time. It’s ok if being a former slave owner is a deal breaker for you even if they now feel bad about it. Sometimes people regret things and it doesn’t change the fact that those choices forever change how you see them and you don’t owe them your love.
But I don’t think that lesson will stick. We’ll see tonight I guess.
“4. The lesbian representation is fine, but the heterosexual women need representation too. And frankly I am here for opening a conversation about how their representation is frequently terrible, how the romantic scripts they’re offered by our culture are atrocious – and how that overlaps with many queer women’s issues, too – and how disappointed I am that Supergirl of all shows is perpetuating this bullshit. They’re better than this.”
All of that. x100
OMG, female representation. We had it all! So many female characters. The male characters were strong supporting characters. Storylines that focused on strengthening familial and friend relationships that were as focused (or even more so) than the romantic B story. Then we get this season: more men, fewer women, less time/care for established relationships.
It’s all so gross and uncomfortable in a way it wouldn’t be if I didn’t think they were doing this at Network and, I don’t know, Andrew Kreisberg seems to speak for each show a lot of the time. Like, there’s a certain perspective and formula and feel to the DC shows on the CW, and my worry is that the problematic elements we see are either (1) not seen as problematic by the Network/new dudes, or (2) intentional, with a dash of (3) they’re loving it!
Supergirl was different. Still sometimes is. She defied/defies expectations. But maybe that was too much, too different. And this is our sad new normal. :( That’s my biggest fear.
Yeah, but the network thing is, I think, the wrong angle – the CW is also home to Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, for instance. I think they’re aiming for a particular demographic with this (say, the Riverdale crowd) but really misjudging who their core demographic is/why they’re there and how to attract other demographics/what would bring them in. The ratings aren’t exactly favorable for this storyline…. so we’ll see. I hope they aren’t willing to die on this hill, but it seems like that’s what it’s gonna come down to.
Also all of this. YES.
“7. This whole bullshit forgiveness thing is bullshit. Should Winn forgive his dad? Should Lena forgive Lex or her mother? Should Superman forgive Lex? Should we all forgive everyone everything they’ve ever done because it’s in the past? I don’t think Kara’s issue was just that he lied – the things he’s done, whether he regrets them or not, were unforgivable. And I think it’s a really wonderful tv lesson to be honest – you don’t have to forgive people’s past moral failures all the time. It’s ok if being a former slave owner is a deal breaker for you even if they now feel bad about it. Sometimes people regret things and it doesn’t change the fact that those choices forever change how you see them and you don’t owe them your love.”
Scenes like the 2 seconds of couch cuddling are necessary for young viewers. That scene invoked butterflies in my stomach, because take a second and realize that we live in a world where girlfriends casually snuggling on a couch is a thing. And thats amazing. I almost cried over it.
That said, it was frustrating how much airtime the Mon-El/Kara stuff really took up, and it was frustrating that this episode failed the bechdel test. And this is a pattern the show seems to be following these days. I have always enjoyed watching romances and relationships blossom on TV (Heterosexual or otherwise), but this one is forced. And Mon-El is awful. It’s hard to say why the writers think its a gold mine.
#7 All of it. Thank you.
Um, actually… (and yes, I typed that just to be annoying)
It makes sense that Alex would tell Kara to give MOnEl another chance. Not, like real world sense, but character sense. Does that make sense?
Anyway, anyone remember Alex’s drunk college days, when she continuously dismissed her sister, partied without a point and acted like an all-around despicable person?
And now see the line: “Maybe he’s just a guy who’s ashamed of his past and wants to move on.” (or something, idk)
so yay character continuity? but boo Alex being a Karamel shipper. (WHY, LORD WHY?)
Hmmmmm I think that’s an interesting way of looking at it. But it just doesn’t really square with my reading of her at all. I don’t think she’d be so forgiving of someone behaving this way toward her sister (recognizing that Mon-El is trying to be a better dude isn’t the same as him being good enough for Kara.
I think that it’s just frankly odd that no one seems to have any sense of moral outrage over Mon-El’s past. I can’t imagine Alex, Winn or James not being horrified, and so when they’re not it’s… odd to me. I love this show but I’m frankly close to giving up on it.
I agree with everything you say, Valerie, and please, let’s keep #karadeservesbetter as a motto of this season.
Just one thing though:
From the first episode he appeared, Mon-El has been portrayed as the rather funny and self-centered character walking around with his fragile male ego. But then the writers made him say things like “life was easier when I objectified women”, not to mention the countless time when he did not listen to Kara at all. In this episode, we see him leave another woman who he had sex with and apparently that happened without any kind of regret or compassion. What I’m saying is: they made it really hard for me to like this guy. I know he has feelings for Kara, but c’mon, you can not change THAT much and, above all, women can not be taught they can change men (which is why I liked what Kara said in this episode). But we all know he’s gonna stay for a long time in this series (possibly he’ll be in the third season) and I wonder: how can you mend a character with all these damages? I really don’t know the answer.
Plus: give Alex Danvers a show of her own, my goddess, what is this woman? She’s my new Dana Scully, and that’s as high as anyone can get in my life.
And, of course, one second of #sanvers cuddling on the couch >>> all the full length feature film going on with Mon-El.
“Plus: give Alex Danvers a show of her own, my goddess, what is this woman? She’s my new Dana Scully, and that’s as high as anyone can get in my life.”
Totally!!!! I would start a #Danversspinoff hashtag right now! That’s what we need!!!!
I so badly want a DEO spinoff with Alex as the main character!
Things I loved this week though:
1. That action sequence where Supergirl fell to Earth and did that fucking power landing I was ready to marry her it was so cool I might’ve gasped.
2. Everything about the king and queen of Daxam. Teri Hatcher is a treasure and I loved everything she did it was glorious to behold.
3. I feel like the breakup confirms my suspicion that Kara’s line about how she might only need Supergirl and Mon-El was a setup. POOR KARA she has like nothing left to live for, she’s even burned through her Netflix queue! I hope this means she’s gonna buckle down and take charge of the narrative now. So down for seeing Kara problem solve!
4. Kara taking a moral stance is always so great.
5. Maggie Sawyer is a gift.
I didn’t think I could despise Manhell more, then he abandoned the woman he had just slept with without a backward glance. Then he waved goodbye to ‘his’ people without a backward glance. Then he watched with barely a protest as his guard murdered an envoy. Then he tried to manipulate Kara into forgiving him. Then he was just, as usual, a dick. Just eugh…. Enough.
Oh, and Lois, Kara IS better than Manhell. 10000000000000x better.
Plus, stop having Alex (Alex!!!) push Kara back towards the dick. Alex!!!! Really????? Alex!!!!!
And ‘Take me home’ *sigh*
there’s no way they can fix this character.
I totally shouted ‘She IS better than him!’ at the screen when that was said. It’s totally objectively true, she just is.
Yup, was yelling that too when she said it. I mean.. what!?
“You owe me for making me watch Season 5 of Warehouse 13.”
I lost it.
I have no idea what the writers of the show are trying to do with Mon-El. It’s super frustrating and annoying. It seems ages ago when I liked the character and the comic relief he brought to the show. To cope I’ve started shipping Bellamy Blake and Mon-El because they truly deserve one another.
We know why but I’m gonna ask anyways. Why didn’t M’gann get her own show instead of just sloppily writing her out of this one? Now that’s a real bad ass super hero.
Season 2 Alex is an IMPOSTER. A legit, honest to goodness pod person. Her basically siding with Mon-El and telling Kara to see his side of things? No. Just…no. Season 1 Alex would not have even let Kara finish telling her what would have happened because she would have been too busy storming off to find Mon-El and rip him a new one for lying, betraying and breaking her baby sister’s heart. I don’t recognize this Alex at all.
P.S – I was making a sandwich when Kara told Mon-El to GTFO and I was so ecstatic that I threw my hands up in the air and I ended up throwing the slice of ham I was holding up onto the ceiling. Worth it.
P.P.S – I KNEW something was up with Lyra and Winn. Wasn’t exactly what I thought but still something was fishy and bing badda boom! Turns out she used him. She had good intentions but still. Poor Winn.
“P.S – I was making a sandwich when Kara told Mon-El to GTFO and I was so ecstatic that I threw my hands up in the air and I ended up throwing the slice of ham I was holding up onto the ceiling. Worth it.”
If I had been making a sandwich when I read this, I would have thrown my hands up in the air and gotten food on the ceiling as well. <3
I did not throw ham at the ceiling upon reading that comment, but I DID laugh so loudly that my cat jumped several feet in the air. Does that count?
Do you want to see something telling? An interviewer asked Melissa Benoist if she was a fan of Karamel. Here was her response.
That’s a dodge if I ever saw one.
PS – I still can’t get “Love Lift Us Up” out of my head.
Except that… they are officially dating in real life. Which is really disappointing.
1) That’s not confirmed.
2) There’s a difference between Melissa liking Chris and liking Karamel.
Sadly, Melissa is dating Chris Woods in real life. – http://www.etonline.com/news/213344_melissa_benoist_and_chris_wood_are_a_couple/
Sadly? The girl’s not allowed to have a personal life?
I admit, it’s completely selfish on my part, but if they’re a couple he might be on the show way longer than I want him to be.
But you are quite right; she can date anyone she pleases and it’s not my business.
lol sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh! I just feel bad for young actresses when everyone has an opinion on their personal lives. I do hope the character doesn’t stick around! :-)
I am unreasonably upset about this. I know Melissa is not Kara and Chris is not Mon-El, and they are adults and strangers and I have no right to have an opinion on their love lives, blah blah blah.
But still. I think it makes it more likely that Kara and Mon-El are going to stay together, and that Mon-El is going to stay on the show longer.
So I guess what I’m saying is that I’m praying now for an awkward (but not painful) breakup so Chris is forced to leave the show.
Chris Woods =/= Mon El.
They are actors, not actually people from another planet. Come on.
I thought she was married/engaged to her Glee costar who played Cat’s son Adam? *googles* Blake Jenner?
I must be behind on my celebrity gossip. However shall I cope.
She and Blake divorced in *searches the internet* December.
Personally, I always side-eye show romances. They always seem to be half publicity, and the other half a product of being on location for so long with someone who gets what you’re going through day-to-day (i.e. work, etc.).
I’m just gonna give myself props for a second because in the comments like 2 recaps ago I said that I wonder if TPTB saw Melissa and Chris getting close and thought it would be a good idea to pair them up on screen if that wasn’t the plan for Kara and Mon-El all along.
Loved the Helpless quote as the Sanvers caption. That is all.
I figured the King George reference was to Jonathan Groff because even though he hasn’t been the king for a while he was on Glee which fits the meta-theme of the crossover?
Not gonna lie, I haven’t watched the ep yet (I always read the recaps first), and as soon as I read “King George from Hamilton” I was like OMG GROFFSAUCE IS IN THIS EPISODE!?!
Alas, Taran Killam.
Even though Chyler and Taran have not directly worked together there is are many 6 degree connections between them.
But excuse me, why would Alex waste tickets on that alien dude when she could call in her favor to take her girl out.
Winn: I’m sure he has his reasons.
NO DON’T YOU DO IT WINN DON’T MAKE ME HATE YOU
Winn: You gotta decide if those reasons are good enough for you or not.
NICE SAVE WINN
Unfortunately Kara will come around and forgive him for being the worst she deserves and continue to low herself to level up with him… I’m just gonna watch the show for Sanvers and hope they don’t screw them over.
Spoiler Alert:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
|
In the musical crossover, she did. *rolls eyes* Not even a new episode in and she rolled over. Pathetic. Also, Alex not going to Barry’s world to make sure Kara got back safe? Yeah, that’s completely OOC. Like I said in my original post, Season 2 Alex is a pod person. There is no way in hell Season 1 Alex would not have gone. She would have hijacked that dimension hop ride and shouldered her way through to Barry’s Earth-1. Whoever is writing Alex should be fired.
Right?
But…why would you bring the badass scientist with you who was the current leading expert on Kryptonian physiology to another dimension with unknown challenges?! That’s just crazy talk, you guys!
Yeah, I saw the musical episode and I rolled my eyes… I can’t even!
Also, they could’ve witched J’onn for Alex in a heart beat and it would’ve made much more sense, giving the history of them, her to be there for Kara than J’onn. But who’s keeping track of these details, right?
Ive never hated Mon-el. I think hes been a very drab (and frequently douchey) since they started pairing him with Kara, but as an individual character I like him. I liked his whole “alien experiencing earth for the first time” thing, and I like that he fell in love and met someone who made him want to be a better person. What I dont like is how hes treated Kara -insert numerous obvious examples here.- I must admit, i liked their interaction at the beginning of the episode, showing them as just typical insufferable lovey-dovey idiot. (even though i dont ship them myself). But i find it hard to like him a lot of the time as i feel the writers made a number of misteps. When he first arrived, it hought they’d do a cool story where Kara was trying to force him to be a “hero” but he didnt want to be. I thought they’d take that in the direction of- “yeah, he doesn’t want to be a hero, but that doesnt make him a bad person” (I mean, very few of us are heros, that doesnt automtically make us shits). But they didn’t, instead they tried to shoehorn him into an aspiring hero mold and it never worked.
Then this episode, when he was given the chance to go back to his home planet, take up the responsibilities of his title, help his people and mold the future of Daxim, he declined. I appreciatie they were trying to make us see that he wanted nothing to do with his families abusive, manipulitive and priviliged ways. But he was offered a chance to change all that. To be the future of his people. Instead of seeing that as an oppurtunity to change the way things were done on Daxim, he simply walked away. We were alsoleft with the impression that he didnt really do that for moral reasons but that he walked away from his family, his people and his second chance because he had heart eyes for a girl and couldnt accept that it was over. Dude, no. Just go home, and save your people. Use the knowledge and experience of your time on earth with Kara Danvers to provide a better future and fuck off.
Aaaaaaaand now the Inspector Gadget theme song is stuck in my head. #HereForTheCaptions
Let me just get this out of the way, I read through the captions first and 1-Nobody would fall asleep watching DEBS and 2-I may have never watched Warehouse 13 so I don’t get the reference if it was bad but I’m pretty sure Alex would be more pissed if Maggie made her watch the final 2 seasons of the L Word specifically Jenny related.
And now getting the frivolous B story out of the way and by that I mean the Mon-El story because I considered the Sanvers mystery to be the A story. Kara knew about the royal family of Daxam right and all the anti Krypton things Daxam was about, so I find it hard to believe that she didn’t know the prince’s name was Mon-El. I mean I don’t live in the UK but I know who members of that royal family are and I even know some members of lesser known royals.
I was giving Mon-El the benefit of the doubt but then it started to be like a broken record. He would say or do something stupid and Kara would let it go or forgive him and round and round it went. If you want us to like him then he really needs some character growth.
I knew I didn’t trust Lyra. I’m kind of pissed Winn was so easily forgiving of her. I know his characters MO is the tech geek comic relief whatever but he can still be all those things and not be trampled on by people constantly.
Now onto the Sanvers Mystery Crime Solving Squad (working title), I hate to be the logic police but (and this is only going by what we saw), Maggie called Winn into the police station informally, he didn’t even know what he was in for so when Alex came in asking for Winn to be released Maggie was like “he’s my prime suspect” and then when she did release him it was on the technicality that other cop didn’t sign the warrant. Why should that matter, Winn wasn’t formally arrested nor charged with the crime, he just thought he would be enjoying some donuts with his homegirl Maggie.
Is anyone surprised that Maggie didn’t comment on Winn’s dads past criminal activities, I mean last season it seemed to be a hot topic, you’d think #1 detective would know the history of her “friends”.
Some people were pissed that Sanvers were cuddled on the couch and not in bed but for story line purposes they had to be in front of the TV. To me I love moments like that, it seems much more organic that they fell asleep that way rather than in bed where one person always positions themselves on the other person and they don’t seem to be in a comfortable sleeping position.
I found it very satisfying when James was getting his ass beat. And how about how he needs layers of armor to fight and our girl Alex kicks ass in a turtle neck and cargo pants. Really what is James’ point anymore? Did everyone catch when he pushed Alex out of the way of the speeding van, on the 1 hand thanks bro, on the other hand I’m pretty sure Alex could’ve leapt over the van over to the other side.
Lastly this term “crossover” is really annoying me. If Supergirl is pretty much going to be a stand alone episode and the tail end is just going to usher in the Flash’s episode or whatever then it is not a crossover.
That being said, I don’t know how true it is but with Kara and the others (not Alex and Maggie) busy in Flashland didn’t TPTB say that the followup episode would be more Sanvers centric since they were left behind? I don’t want to get my hopes up for next week but Kevin Smith is directing again.
The reason I’m really looking forward to the musical episode: Tom Collins, Professor for Computer Age Philosophy:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CUY_st9c-QA
Since when it’s a show about Monhell? I need to thank Sanvers for keeping me watch this show. I’m kinda miss Kara season 1.
I more than kind miss Kara season 1. Does she even have a cohesive arc this season? It seems like they’ve made her a stand in on her own (or is it Mon-El’s) show.
*INCLUDES SPOILERS FOR FLASH CROSSOVER EPISODE*
Since the musical crossover wasn’t going to be covered (it was so bad that it might be, but still):
Guide to winning the heart of Kara
Step 1: Upon first sight, violently attack her (apologise for this)
Step 2: Be sure to insult her on the grounds of her race repeatedly (half-heartedly apologise for this. Continue to do it later, occasionally.)
Step 3: Knowing that details of your true identity would make you unattractive to her (because of your tacit support for various morally reprehensible practices), lie about your identity. Consider stealing the identity of one of the people you left to die.
Step 4: Accept her offer to help you accustom yourself to your new home. Make your own way, ignoring her ideas, and get fired from the job in which she vouched for you. (Make sure to take the opportunity to sleep with any attractive co-workers she might have!) She will apologise for helping wrong eventually, and leave you to do whatever you want to do. (Best throw in another half-apology, though.)
Step 5: She wants you to be a hero. Attempt to be a hero. (Note: be pretty bad at this, and reluctant at times. Apologise for this.)
Step 6: When drugged, kiss her, but if she talks about it afterwards pretend to forget about it.
Step 7: At this point, date someone else. (But you would prefer to date Kara. Make this clear by talking about Kara constantly, but don’t break up with her. If she’s not happy to have you talking about Kara all the time, she can break up with you.)
Step 8: Admit you faked forgetting about the kiss. (Apologise for this.)
Step 9: Kara will begin dating you. At this point, it is okay to stop listening to anything she says. If you wish to reveal your relationship, do so regardless of her opinion. If someone else competes for her interest, don’t let her handle it herself (even if she asks you to). She will disapprove of your plan to murder the competition; ignore this. Steal whatever you need to murder the competition from her place of work. (Apologise for everything after ‘Kara will begin dating you’.)
Step 10: Be welcomed as Kara’s romantic partner by her friends and family.
Step 11: Support Kara emotionally after she loses her job.
Step 12: Your initial lies about who you are may be uncovered at this point. (Apologise for this, but don’t forget to explain that it wasn’t really a big deal – she would have thought badly of you if you hadn’t lied to her, after all.)
Step 13: Enter Kara’s home without permission to explain to her further. (Apologise for this.)
*SPOILERS FOR FLASH CROSSOVER EPISODE*
Step 14: Now, at this point Kara may break up with you, and you may fear that you have made some mistake. Fear not; a godlike being will intervene by trapping her in a potentially fatal mind-reality to teach her that she should forgive you by seeing things from your point of view. Simply express your love for her, and she will tell you that you are forgiven.
Step 15: Take this as your cue to kiss her. Don’t worry about the fact that you’re broken up – she said she forgives you, and that’s practically the same thing as saying you can kiss her again now.
Step 16: Kara may make some threat about dropping a mountain on you if you lie to her again; laugh it off.
Many thanks for taking the trouble to remind us of this incredible misogyny journey of Mon-El of Daxam. I’d add one more step: That time when he told Kara’s best friend, Winn, that “life was easier when I objectified women”. This won’t go away.
And OMG, if this relationship wasn’t so abusive in so many ways, we wouldn’t even be here taking the time to discuss Mon-El, we have better things to talk about, as in Alex and Maggie being alive and in a healthy relationship after what now seems to be a record on TV shows like these.
But that’s the thing: they gave a feminist audience this despicable character and there’s no way we’ll ever feel good about what they did to Kara.
ALL the points—Every Single Point for this summation!
Hard to believe, 6 weeks ago or so, I was saying to everybody I knew “Watching Supergirl. You HAVE to watch Supergirl!”
I’m so effing embarrassed now. If not for Sanvers—and, to be honest, just living in hope for the next time LENA appears—I’d be outta here. Kara, Kara, WHERE TF did you go? Did your soul go off traveling w/ Cat? [That might be a show I’d watch.] Or are you only an interesting character when around Lena? [That’s a show I’d DEFINITELY watch!] But if we’re to keep watching this show, Supergirl, we need you BACK. Like (seriously) yesterday!
How to somehow not lose a useless man in 15 steps.
There is the matter of effect on Kara (and Winn) that is beyond forgiveness. Kara is not a justice system that decides what kind of punishment a person who has committed either an error or a mistake gets or whether there was Mensrea.
Forgiveness shouldn’t have been the focus (shouldn’t be the focus on these things) at all. That puts the focus on the person who has committed the mistake/error/crime whatever.
But, what is the effect of this on the individual’s self-confidence? How could they trust themselves and their own judgement again? Do they still think themselves worthy of love when the person who lied to them says that yes they are?
Okay… you can forgive other people’s sins (mainly because forgiveness is for your own benefit; you can’t keep anger in your heart, it just eats you up). But, that doesn’t mean getting back together with them. Because, getting back together needs to deal with the effect of that sin on you too.
In the case of both Winn and Kara, the case the show made was about forgiveness and big-heartedness and all that. And only that. And I notice, that in these kind of storylines, that is always the case made.
I agree that heterosexual women don’t get much of a better story. or relationships between women. (other than gay women; I mean friendships).
“Okay… you can forgive other people’s sins (mainly because forgiveness is for your own benefit; you can’t keep anger in your heart, it just eats you up). But, that doesn’t mean getting back together with them. Because, getting back together needs to deal with the effect of that sin on you too.”
THIS! This is one of the things that bugged me most about the episode: equating forgiveness with getting back into a romantic relationship! It was terrible. Awful. Very uncomfortable.
I mean, it’s not new for TV, etc. that they do this. But I want Supergirl to be better! :(
Okay.
I will defend this show till my final breaths but I don’t even know why so here it goes ugh this is gonna be so hard.
I am going to be a devil’s advocate. I am *gulps* going to *sweating* defend Karamel.
*cue Wilhelm scream*
I know. I know. (channeling Kara now) I can do this.
Full Disclaimer: Neither a shipper nor a hater, kay?
So MonEl is a jerk, a dudebro, a pain in everyone’s collective asses, a person who does not listen to Kara, a person who constantly disrespected her and unworthy of her.
But there is no person who can say that he does not like Kara, or even love her. Because he does, he really really does, you guys. (Who wouldn’t?)
Kara is his kryptonite. This line has been hated so much. But understand this. Kara is someone that weakens him, in the sense that she changes him. She develops him. Is it her duty? HELL NO. That is why she broke up with him.
But channelling John Watson: “The problems of your past are your business. The problems of your future is my privilege.”
And Kara WANTS to. Maybe it is misplaced, but it is Kara’s decision, you guys. And it makes sense because it’s Kara and she wants to see the good in everything.
There is no denying that.
The rest is on Kara.
And we like to think of Kara Season 1 as our own personal butterfly but Kara has never been perfect at all. Season 1 Kara was semi-involved with James, WHO HAD A GIRLFRIEND. She holds a grudge like a Kryptonian, is completely unforgiving and really self-righteous. She has anger issues, abandonment issues, commitment issues. Anyone can press her buttons and she has fixed morals, which is both good and bad.
Melissa’s downright adorableness clouds that a bit. (I get it.)
And why does Kara like/love MonEl?
Well… because!
In the words of Elizabeth Barret Browning: “If thou must love me, let it be for naught but for love’s sake only.”
MonEl is a piece of home for Kara. She sees in him something she never thought she could have: a normal relationship (See: S1E6). A person who understands what it is like to be the last of your kind. (Well…)
And that’s the thing about Kara: she sees the good in literally everyone, even MonEl. Even when we as viewers can’t. But Kara can.
They are literally star-crossed lovers.
Yes, MonEl is imperfect, but so is Kara! Have we seen Kara ask for MonEl’s opinion about anything once? Have we seen her try to look to the flip side of the coin? Have we seen Kara not care about MonEl’s past and give it up? No!
A legacy is everything to a Kryptonian. And like it or not, Kara is her mother’s daughter.
They are imperfect, but they (somewhat) improve each other (well, not when sloppy writing destroys it but hey, i’m trying okay?!)
End speech. Boy was that tough. Okay, maybe I helped you see a new light? No? Yeah definitely no.
Mind having a non-aggressive peaceful debate? You know where to find me. ;)
1. I have maintained that it’s a mistake to not have Kara vocally and vociferously explain what she likes about Mon-El and I still think that it’s a problem. It reflects badly on her, on him, on their relationship. It’s a mess.
2. Kara could see the good in Winn who also clearly adored her and yet that doesn’t mean he’s entitled to date her. Mon-El liking her, or Kara being able to forgive him or seeing the good in him aren’t reasons for them to be romantically linked. The only reason they should date on Kara’s show is because he is a positive addition to Kara’s life and she likes him.
3. The thing about being a piece of home is precisely why this particular betrayal is unforgivable. Every single conversation they’ve had about home, their pasts, being the last etc. were lies – specifically lies designed to make Kara like Mon-El more. That is such a huge betrayal and so manipulative. Probably Kara wouldn’t have liked him if he’d been honest, it’s true, but I can’t for the life of me feel bad for a grown man that there’s a consequence for his actions, I just can’t. It’s only forgivable if we accept that the only acceptable outcome is that Mon-El gets what he wants – Kara – and I just don’t accept that premise. It’s not a moral failure of Kara to not like Mon-El because of his past, it’s just not.
4. Also, Kara isn’t a person who has let people die for her, who has owned slaves, who has used and abused people the way Mon-El has. They’re not on equal footing morally just because Kara isn’t perfect. It’s not about Kara being perfect, it’s about Mon-El not being not only not perfect, but not good enough. Kara? Is good enough. More than good enough. What does she bring to their relationship, to him? So many things. Flip that question and what are you left with? He’s sturdy?
5. I don’t know that Kara is very invested in her parents’ legacy any longer, this was dealt with in S1 and heck even in this episode.
I think there’s not way around it any longer, this storyline is terribly written and worse, it drags the writing of other characters (Alex) with it.
“I think there’s not way around it any longer, this storyline is terribly written and worse, it drags the writing of other characters (Alex) with it.”
This. Kara is a hypocrite, Alex is OOC (or not the woman we thought she was), and it even robs Mon-El room for actual growth. Plus, it frames practically all of Kara’s storyline this season (at least the parts where she had personal conflict) within a white dude’s story. Could anything be less appropriate or more boring?
I think I would be more comfortable with the exploration of Kara’s foibles (especially how they are related to her being Kryptonian) if every time Kara stood up for her herself it wasn’t framed as her being wrong and just creating conflict.
Let’s have an exploration of people saying one thing, or even thinking one thing, then doing another. Then let’s focus on the effects and consequences, instead of framing the hypocrisy (I couldn’t think of a less-weighted word…help me!) as the fairy-tale ending.
Because I can totally get on board with Kara dallying with Mon-El because she misses home, because she’s lonely, because he’s always underfoot, because she doesn’t have to worry about physically breaking him, because she expects his arrogance and misogyny because of who he is, and at the end of the day just because she wants to.
I’m totally on board with her choosing him, and exercising that agency, which is what I felt she was doing at the end of the Mxywhatever episode: she was tired of overthinking things and just wanted to have some easy fun with someone she thinks is hot, who thinks she is hot.
But, the show can’t then just let all the problems that are inherent in building a partnership on this go. Kara can make the choice, but it would be nice to see her expectations be more of a problem for Mon-El (and for herself). It would be nice for him to realize that he’s not happy changing himself based on her expectations.
Having the conflict repeatedly come to a head as an all or nothing weakens both characters. That’s really the crux of my issue? Well, of the romantic relationship between them, anyway. Plus I hate having all (most) of Kara’s conflict this season revolve around a dude.
YEEEES this. This!
My only reservation with this storyline now is that I’m ok with it in this one scenario: this is all an elaborate setup to get Kara into the waiting arms of Lena Luthor. In which case: sign me the fuck up. Otherwise: no.
It’s a sign of how terribly they have dealt with this storyline that Kara comes across as unreasonable and demanding, and judgmental, when she asks Mon El to be a decent human being.
Think of an arranged marriage. The guy asks the girl to not work because girls in his family don’t work and the girl asks the guy that she be allowed to work. The guy gives in eventually. And then, again, the guy asks the girl not to wear western formals to work (Trousers and Shirt), because he doesn’t like them, and the girl insists in wearing them saying a. it is easier than a sari and at times a Salwar Kurta b. Her organization requires it. And the guy gives in. (This by the way happens).
Would you say the girl is incredibly demanding and the guy is a wet doormat who gives in every time? And is taken to task when he doesn’t? Because… That is what is happening in this show with respect to Mon El and Kara and the fandom.
He is in Kindergarten and She is in undergraduate study, and then people are demanding that because he gave an answer to the question about the colour of a flower, and another about the taste of a fruit, he be considered Kara’s equal or better because Kara answered only one question about quantum mechanics while she was partially correct in another about the nature of space-time continuum.
I am very late to this but: a) great recap as always, especially love the crime-fighting girlfriends parts and the blurry Winn, b) you tell him, Kara!! c) did anyone else shout out loud when they ROLLED UP STARRY NIGHT AND PUT IT IN A TUBE ?????????? just me? cool. My gf literally said, “I think that’s the angriest I’ve ever seen you at the tv” which is obvs not true, but STILL.
Oh I was definitely shouting! I was like HOW ARE THEY JUST /HANDLING/ STARRY NIGHT?!?!?!?!