Previously on Supergirl, everything was gay and nothing hurt. Okay fine, Kara and Lena were only queering it up in our dreams, but Alex and Maggie had honest-to-goodness sweet lady kisses complete with a “please don’t break my heart” clause. It was perfection. And it was the emotional crux of the whole midseason finale! What a world. Speaking of what a world, unrelated to anything except what Supergirl was up to in the hiatus, Melissa Benoist is a real life hero and I love her.
OKAY. And we’re back!
We open mid-heist, with robbers on the run and Supergirl hot on their heels. She’s just going through the motions like Buffy at the beginning of “Once More with Feeling,” and as she lazily jogs after two runaway thieves, Guardian swoops in to get them. Winn jumps out of his van to help and quickly gets clocked, and he finds himself on the ground with a gun pointed at his head. Suddenly this vigilante sidekick thing isn’t all fun and games. But Guardian saves him just in time and the bad guys are apprehended.
Back the DEO, Kara is ranting about Guardian again, but Alex can tell (from the crinkle on her forehead!) that something else is bothering her little sister. Kara admits that she’s bored with the easy takedowns even stripper cops could handle. She wants to save people, not stolen goods.
Kara thinks some sister time might lift her mood, so she invites Alex over to catch up on The Night Of (I’m pretty sure Kara and I would make great TV buddies, just saying) but Alex turns a little pink and squirms around a little and says she has…plans. That she’d totally cancel if Kara really needs her! But Kara catches on quick and says all she needs is for Alex to go be with her girlfriend. And y’all. The face Alex makes when Kara says, “girlfriend”. And when she repeats it back. It’s a baby bird who has learned how to fly. She’s so damn GLEEFUL it’s CONTAGIOUS. But hold onto your hats because we’ve only just begun.
Cut to THE NEXT MORNING and Maggie is wearing Alex’s shirt and is in Alex’s kitchen and blowing Alex’s entire damn mind.
Just call me angel of the morning, angel.
Alex is so happy she can’t stop talking about how happy she is and she KNOWS it’s super cheesy and dorky and uncool to be saying all these things out loud but she just had SEX with her GIRLFRIEND and no date she has ever had has ended in her being both “intimate” and happy and she CANNOT. CONTAIN. HER. FEELINGS. And the light is shining and the music is tinkling so she kisses Maggie just to make sure it’s real.
JUST TOUCH MY CHEEK BEFORE YOU LEAVE
(all gifs courtesy of my friend Nic, gifmaster extraordinaire)
And it super is. You can tell by the way they both smile right into it.
Afraid to interrupt the magic, Alex suggests perhaps they call out sick and hang out together all day, or maybe forever, but Maggie only agrees to the morning, and they head back to bed. It’s all so pure and so grown-up but youthful and playful and sweet and it’s basically the embodiment of #goals. Just a cute, sweet morning with a cute, sweet girl in a cute, sweet apartment. Before heading off to save the world. Yaknow? I could cry thinking of the teenage girls watching this who might feel like the things they’d been secretly trying to imagine aren’t so weird after all.
Anyway, NOT taking the morning off is Kara Danvers, who is at CatCo, promising a crying woman that she’ll help her find her missing daughter, much to Snapper’s chagrin. He tells her that they are a newspaper not a runaway hotline, but Kara doesn’t give a hoot, she’s going to save that girl.
Kara heads to the gaylien bar to meet Maggie Sawyer, who maybe in other circumstances wouldn’t give a reporter missing person files, but does exactly that for her girlfriend’s little sister.
Hm, you look kind of familiar…
And while they are discussing the seemingly unrelated but highly suspicious missing person cases, a gentleman gets shoved into a mysterious machine by a doctor, under the order of our old pal Roulette.
Kara goes to the DEO to enlist Winn, his black eye, and his sourpuss to help with the missing persons when Alex floats in on Cloud Nine. Kara teases her about her dopey grin, and Alex admits Maggie slept over last night. And the two of them giggle like the love-crazy sisters they are. Oh gosh it’s like someone opened a window in a stuffy room. The world is full of horrible things and the mayor is a giant snake-monster and the hellmouth is open but Maggie slept over!
THE GIGGLING. I CAN’T.
Though clearly these two need to put more shows with queer women on their “to binge” list because they both act like two scenes in a row with sweet kisses isn’t something to be worried about.
Later, Kara is about to do some undercover investigative journalism when she realizes there’s a barnacle stuck to her that looks a little like that Daxamite kid — oh right yes it’s Mon-El, here to follow her around and get in her way. They visit the bad doctor and ask about Izzy, the missing girl, but find themselves in front of a portal with some big bads trying to shove them through. They fight back, but Kara knows she has to go through the portal to save the missing people, so she tells Mon-El to go get Alex and some backup while she heads through.
Through she goes, to an unknown red-sun planet.
Some lizard people attack, and she instinctively gets all punchy with them, but it hurts her and she bleeds. Just then Mon-El pops through the portal…alone…without backup…and the portal closes behind him.
Misandry Moon Rising
Kara is rightfully PISSED — she wanted her sister fighting by her side, not this mound of cauliflower rice, so when he says he doesn’t want to go to the “Murder Castle” (which fine that was funny) she makes it clear that she doesn’t give a flying Kryptonian what he wants and marches right toward it. Mon-El marches after her, but doesn’t follow in her footsteps, because that would be the smart thing to do, but instead steps into a metal trap (a not-hidden, large, metal trap that stands out quite a bit on the dusty terrain, but WHATEVER), and gets them kidnapped.
Kara asks their alien kidnapper about the missing girl, and he admits they were going the right way, but that probably they shouldn’t follow, because the Red Fortress (aka Murder Castle) is where human trafficking happens. The alien mentions the name of the planet, and Mon-El recognizes it as the proper name for Slavers Moon, where people on his planet used to purchase their slaves.
Kara is not deterred by this though and storms right through the front door to surrender, ready to fight her way out. Kara finds Izzy as soon as they’re thrown into the cell and the missing girl is honored that Supergirl knows her name.
Everyone is excited Supergirl is here to save the day until she explains about the red sun situation. She is assuring them that she’ll still help however she can when in struts the one and only Roulette.
Roulette gives zero fucks. She’s selling humans and doesn’t care who knows it.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, it’s been a full hour since Alex has seen or heard from her sister, so she’s starting to freak out. She realizes Kara is on another planet and is furious she didn’t go with her on her investigation and is ready to punch a hole in the fabric of the universe to get to her sister faster. J’onn can’t go with her because he can’t breathe the air on Slavers Moon, but Alex could will an army into existence right now with the power of her fury.
Unfortunately, that’s when Maggie decides to pop by the DEO, because it’s been an hour since she’s seen or heard from Alex, and guys there are evil aliens afoot, it’s important to be in contact with your loved ones at all times.
Alex apologizes for the radio silence but Supergirl is missing. And as she looks at Maggie and a rogue ray of happiness shoots out and feels like blasphemy amidst the storm of fear and worry she has for her sister, and lacking an enemy to punch, Alex turns on Maggie, turns on herself. She took the morning off, she was distracted by her feelings, she let herself be happy, and her sister got kidnapped. These are all facts that are true at the same time and therefore they must be connected. The only one she has control over right now is the whole “let herself be happy” thing, so she shuts it down.
I was trained for a lot of situations and I have a lot of tactical knowledge but I don’t know how to handle the feelings you give me AND I AM STRESSED ABOUT IT.
She tells Maggie to leave, tells Maggie she can’t, and Maggie is just as confused as when her ex-girlfriend called her a sociopath and broke up with her out of the blue, so she just gives a surprised but resigned, “See ya, Danvers.” And leaves.
“I mean I know you kind of warned me you might go haywire on me but c’mon. This morning you said forever.”
Meanwhile on Slavers Moon, Roulette sells all of her prisoners to what looks like a Dominator from the Legends of SuperFlarrow crossover. Things are looking bleak for our hero. And that dude she’s standing near.
But little did they know, Alex is already at the portal, with a portable sunlamp in hand, and Winn with the portal codes cued up. Well, until Alex tells him he needs to come to the other side of the portal with them. Winn, still (understandably!) shaken from his near-death experience, tries to get out of it, admitting to Alex that he’s scared. And it’s actually a really great moment for Winn. He’s usually all bravado, treating this superhero thing like a video game he’s winning. But it got real for him, and he tells Alex, his best friend’s sister, HIS friend, that he’s not sure he wants to play anymore. But Alex says being scared is okay — but running away won’t make things better.
HINT HINT NUDGE NUDGE POT KETTLE BEEDOOBEEDOO
So, inspired by Alex’s pep talk, Winn follows her to Slavers Moon.
In the Murder Castle, Mon-El has resigned himself to his fate, while Kara, exhausted, tells him that Goonies never say die. She takes a Supergirl stance and puts her small but strong body between the kidnapped and the kidnappers and earns herself a big old zap to the chest.
Not all heroes wear capes. BUT SOME DO.
Despite feeling the full brunt of this pain like she hasn’t in quite some time, despite having no powers, no plan, no foreseeable way out of this, she stands strong and takes another zap, and another, until Mon-El finally realizes he’s being a loser and jumps in.
The prisoners are also inspired by Supergirl and they all shove the bad doctor and Roulette in the cell and run away. On the way out, Mon-El is ready to take a shot to protect Supergirl while she’s ushering the others to safety, but he doesn’t get the chance because the Dominator has the guard stand down, then he bows to Mon-El.
And…I just…I don’t know. At the end of the episode some bounty hunters who knew his name were after him, too. Is this going to be literally the same backstory as M’gann? “Okay so I know I told this story about a prince and his right hand man and I made it seem like I’m the right hand man but surprise I’m actually the prince”? Because if this chunk of raw tofu is going to stick around, I need his story to be a little more interesting than that.
Anyway, the sisters reunite, and some more fighting ensues. Winn gets punched again, and again finds himself on his back with a gun to his face, but this time he jumps up and fights back and is rather adorably proud of himself. Things get a little dicey overall but Alex gives her sister a boost of sunshine and Kara Supergirls them out of danger.
Everyone is home and safe and happy. Well, almost. But we’ll get there.
I hope someday someone is half as proud of me as Alex is of Kara.
Kara marches herself to CatCo and plops a story about Slavers Moon on Snapper’s desk, and proudly tells him that she’s going to follow her heart. She holds her head high and storms out, and as soon as she’s out of sight, he smiles and says, “Atta girl, Danvers.” Which…I THINK SHE WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED HEARING? But tough love I guess?
Across the office, Winn struts into James’ office, back to his old self, and actually kind of adorable. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I found myself slowly getting on board with a Guardian/Winn(g)man subplot. “Sub” being key. But I liked seeing them happy! They weren’t whining or pining, they were just feeling useful! So they just need to come out to Kara and play a very clear second-in-command role and I think we could make this work!
The only problem is we also have Mon-El. Who, according to what he tells Kara when he goes to visit her at her apartment, wants to be a superhero, too. The conversation is actually very sweet (and feels a little improvised, in a good way) and I do think these two have very good annoying-little-cousin-I-have-to-train-to-be-a-superhero chemistry. He seems to finally understand why Kara does what she does, and he does seem to want to be a better alien. So he agrees to listen to her, and she gives him a Highlights magazine, and says maybe she can turn him from a Goofus to a Gallant after all.
All she wants to do is help people, you know? And he needs A LOT of help.
Cut to the other Danvers sister, who has invited Maggie over to apologize.
And here I thought Kara was the human puppy.
Alex tries to explain; she often feels like she’s being punished for being happy. She has always felt this insane amount of responsibility for her sister, and being in the DEO means being selfish could cost…Supergirl…her life…and those things are only…metaphorically…related. But Maggie doesn’t flinch. “Because Supergirl’s your sister.” Point-blank.
“You may have heard of my ex-girlfriend, Kate Kane? This ain’t my first rodeo.”
Alex starts to get flustered, but Maggie says that she knows the difference between Alex’s work-stressed and sister-stressed already. Plus, she’s a DETECTIVE. She’s not about to be fooled by a pair of glasses!
Side-note about this. I believe the only people who have had face-to-face interactions with both Supergirl and Kara Danvers and don’t know that they are the same person are the people who don’t see Kara Danvers. (Max Lord needed cameras to figure it out, for example.) I believe Cat Grant and Lena Luthor know full well who Supergirl is. And it’s a nice little moment and a break in the serious conversation.
I would also be overwhelmed if this smile was directed at me.
Anyway, Alex is relieved Maggie knows because now they don’t have to have any secrets.
Maggie asks how she knows Alex won’t run next time it gets hard, but Alex can’t make any promises, so she just apologizes. Something more rare than it should be in real life. “I’m sorry.” No excuses, no backtracking, no lies. Just, “I’m sorry.”
Who WOULDN’T give this face a second chance?
She wants to be happy, and now she’s going to let herself be happy. Maggie warns her very seriously that she’s not a three strikes kinda gal, and this was her one chance. Alex doesn’t hear “no more chances” she hears that she’s forgiven, so she wraps Maggie in her arms and thanks her with all her heart.
I would also like to hug Alex, sweet bb gay
My friend texted me after this episode and asked, “Wasn’t it weird? That Alex just pushed Maggie away all of a sudden? When things were going so well? Was that bad writing?” And I laughed and I laughed and I laughed and once I was done laughing I said, “That was not bad writing. That is literally me.”
There’s a quote that once hit me like a pile of bricks. “Sometimes pain becomes such a huge part of your life that you expect it to always be there, because you can’t remember a time in your life when it wasn’t. But then one day you feel something else, something that feels wrong, only because it’s so unfamiliar. And in that moment you realize you’re happy.”
When you’ve spent most of your life depressed, or feeling out of place, or just generally being unable to be really and truly happy, when you finally find it, it can almost be uncomfortable at first. Like how maybe you got a headache the first few times you wore glasses, even though they helped you see more clearly. It can be especially overwhelming when you realize you can feel a full heart of happiness about one thing, while also feeling angry about another, and sad about another. Sometimes the happiness doesn’t replace all the sadness as much as it finds room beside it. And, I dunno, that can be a lot! And sometimes it feels like your brain is spinning around inside your head and maybe you’re having a literal heart attack so probably you should run away and hide under your blankets and pretend you’re a robot with no feelings for a little while! And maybe sometimes in between “oh shit this is a lot of feelings” and “yay, a blanket burrito!” you accidentally shove a person you care about out of the way because you haven’t quite figured out how to say, “Hey, this is kind of a lot! I think I need to be alone for a little while to sort out all of these feelings I’m having!” yet.
So Alex is still figuring things out — and still figuring out how to talk about how she’s still figuring things out — but she’s getting there, and it looks like Maggie is along for the ride, albeit with her guard up a little, at least for now.
And just like that, an entire episode goes by, with more kisses and even some implied sexytimes, and both queer women are still standing. I’d have to look up the stats on this, but they might be well on their way to breaking a record of some kind. And all joking aside, we may have cautiously set the bar low because we’ve been burned before, but so far, this Sanvers storyline is soaring over it like a bird, like a plane…like Supergirl!
I missed this show but I missed your recaps even more.
I love you, Heather Hogan!
I love you too, Valerie Anne!
Great recap! You know a show is good when you watch it with a goofy grin on your face the entire time. Kevin Smith did a great job directing this episode, and, yes, I even found Mon-el growing on me a little bit. Plus I loved Highlights magazine as a kid, so I’ll give him a point there. Also, his line, “Start the car!” was pretty funny. I still ship #SuperCorp, but you know that won’t happen except in our world of subtext. It’s always nice to dream though. The writers have done a fantastic job with the #Sanvers storyline. I’m hoping it continues because it’s such an important story. Fingers crossed!
– Maggie and Alex were very cute, but I don’t like that “You get one, Danvers.” Maggie, she’s probably having the first REAL relationship in her life. Let her work through it.
– This episode exposed how much James isn’t a superhero. He just wants to satisfy his ego. Kara would have been worried about Winn.
– I hate how the show tones down the enemies in order to support Supergirl’s message of hope. “We can’t give in”, and then magically the slavers have basically nobody to stop the escape, they don’t seal the doors, they don’t notice Alex and her team approaching, etc…
– If the women looking for Mon-El didn’t know that he was there, then what was the thing with the Dominator about?
– I’m liking Carr better. A little better.
– DESPITE that ending, I think that this episode highlighted how Kara and Mon-El are mismatched, personality wise.
– If Maggie knows that Kara is Supergirl, does Lena? Speaking of, where was she? I want more Lena.
I don’t know about the first thing. I doubt Maggie expects Alex to be perfect from now on, but I feel it’s fully acceptable to say, “Okay, you get one time to just shut this down without even attempting to communicate your feelings and/or figure shit out. Tell me you’re wanting to do that, and we’ll work on it TOGETHER.”
Maggie – as a non-baby gay, as a partner, as Alex’s confidant as well as girlfriend – is still not obligated to take it all lying down. She JUST got dumped not long before they got together. She’s got her own baggage to deal with, and that means even more than usual that she needs to stand up for herself and say what she needs, what she can deal with, and what she won’t – and isn’t required to – stand for in her relationships.
Exactly this, they will have arguments again and that’s okay but Maggie isn’t going to accept Alex breaking it off/running away whenever something happens. I think that’s okay. We all love Alex but we have to call her out when it’s necessary.
When Mon-El isn’t being set up as a love interest, I’m actually a fan. I could easily watch him pop up in various jobs and have funny lines, like “oh yeah, I’m a postman now” and then disappear for a bit. I definitely think Dichen Lachman deserves more, and I wish this guardian garbage would end already. I just want domestic sanvers, is that too much to ask for?
I have so many thoughts about this episode, but the most important one is OH MY GOD I NEEDED THIS SHOW SO BADLY I’M SO GLAD ITS BAAAAAAACK. That seriously felt like the longest hiatus ever. Gahhh these goobers just make my life.
Melissa Benoist is the cutest. I love that you included that picture of her at the women’s march.
I haven’t even watched the episode yet, but I needed a pick-me-up at work, and so I read your recap anyway. Hurray! I’m so happy to have them back in my life (and also episodes and their faces, you know).
And your description of emotion, particularly positive emotion and being overwhelmed by it and not trusting it, particularly when you’ve experienced a surfeit of negative emotion in your life (for instance, through depression) resonates with me. I’ve recently been feeling more content for a variety of self-care and therapy reasons, but I don’t trust it, and that’s something I’ve been expressing. I mean, everything is going to shit around me and I don’t feel the constant anxiety and depression that have often been hallmarks of my life. It’s weird! So, I feel you, Alex.
I do feel anxious every new episode, though. Because of the conditioning. They’re happy and together! One MUST DIE! But I’m trying to trust the showrunners. So far, so good.
Oh, of course Maggie knows Kara is Supergirl (I just hesitated in typing that! Hysterical). But I mourn the loss of one of my favorite tropes: Maggie jealous of Supergirl, and/or confused as to why Supergirl is side-eyeing her during times of Sanvers discord. Haha. I’ll live. But, you know?
Aight, so real talk: I reacted to this whole article with a friend in like. Essay format. This was brilliant, and I’ll defo be keeping an eye out for more recaps from you.
But those photo/gif captions, though…. *nods in solidarity*
I mean if you wanted to post any of those essays here in the comments I wouldn’t mind. :D thank you for reading!!
“Supergirl” plans Maggie/Alex-centric Valentine’s Day episode
http://ew.com/tv/2017/01/24/supergirl-alex-maggie-valentines-day/
Oh. My. GAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWD!!! *emits high pitched incomprehensible squealing sounds* When is this episode? I want it. NOW! Actually, no, wait. If I watch this I’ll definitely die and I have work to finish for this week. But OMG that picture! *eyes roll to the back of my head*
I just realized that Alex is wearing a prom dress, AND MAGGIE IS WEARING A PROM TUX.
THERE’S A CARNATION AND SLOW DANCING
I
CAN’T
EVEN
Bananarama:
I can’t even,
I’m captivated by ya, honey
About as romantic as it gets!!!! :D
I’m pretty sure Maggie went to the DEO the next day (not 1 hour later) to check on Alex because when Maggie was with Kara (after morning glory with Alex) she wore a black / white top but when she visited Alex, she wore a black shirt plus you could tell that Alex / DEO had done a lot of things during that time.
I just meant she hadn’t seen or heard from her in an hour, not that it had been an hour since we saw them together. I was just teasing because I’m pretty sure I’d have to be radio silent for like three full days before anyone thought to wonder where I was.
Haha. Exactly this. I don’t know that it would take many days, but my brother-in-law has been staying with me/renting my 2nd bedroom. He didn’t come home Friday, so I figured it was his weekend to fly home and visit my brother/his husband. I didn’t do anything to confirm it until Sunday when one of our best friends came over to watch TV and asked after him, then texted him to make sure. Apart from being a terrible human being, if it weren’t for people contacting me, I probably would slip through the cracks.
Which leads me to an associated point, when thinking about being missing. I mean, maybe it’s just me, but there are a couple of recurring thoughts I have when watching any Law & Order episode (or various other police procedurals):
(1) I’d make a TERRIBLE eye witness; who are these people who recognize someone who rode the bus with them? I was reading my book (or later surfing the internet via my smartphone). I make as little eye-contact with those around me as possible! If they aren’t a threat, they probably aren’t getting my attention. I’m pretty sure I’ve shut down flirting on the bus from downtown to the gayborhood without even trying. (cultivates aggressive don’t talk to me in public cocoon)
(2) When I’m murdered, what are they going to think about what they find in my apartment/domicile? Are there things that will embarrass my family? Am I amused by that, or should I do something about it ahead of time? I mean, I’ll be dead (moved to another plane of consciousness, or who knows…just I don’t think I’ll care too much), but they might care a lot. What will forever taint their memories of me? How proactive should I be? (not that there is anything to find, sadly; this 2nd irrational thought is not to be confused with any actually salacious thing in my place, except for a modest collection of personal toys, and some vanilla porn)
(3)I was going to say something here about how long it would take someone to find me, but that’s moot right now due to the aforementioned BIL roommate situation. Unless he’s gone home and it’s the weekend…
I really liked this episode. I love Supergirl for the sisters relationship and now of course Sanvers.
But what irked me a little this episode was that I’m not 100% convinced if Alex and Maggie had sex or they just had a “harmless” sleepover. If they were a hetero couple I’m sure we would have seen undisputable evidence, like seeing them in bed together or something like that. I see from your recap that you clearly think it was implied and reading the episode like this is definitely a possibility. But given that Alex is still a baby gay, Maggie would have been her first, I think having had sex with a woman for the first time would have had an even more powerful impact on Alex than it seemed in the ep. Maybe it’s just the cynical old gay in me, seeing our representation treated differently left, right and centre, but I think this situation would have been handled differently for a hetero couple. Shame as Supergirl is really doing great in regards to LGBT representation.
Thoughts?
I think this is the second least subtle they’ve ever been about sex, to be honest. There was that one time with Mon-El in the copy room (which SCANDALIZED Kara haha) and then there was this. I think it would have been one thing if they just had it be morning and let us do all the heavy lifting, but they made a REALLY big deal about Maggie wearing Alex’s shirt, which means a) it was an unplanned sleepover and b) Maggie was NOT wearing said shirt last time Alex saw her, presumably in bed. This show doesn’t have a lot of romantic relationships at its focus (bless!) and honestly I think this is the most explicit they’ve ever been as far as romance (vs lust). I see your concerns, and if this exact scene happened on another show, I might be right there with you. But for Supergirl? I think this was just right.
I think that even if they didn’t have sex overnight, they definitely were headed for the bedroom after calling in sick that morning. And Alex’s giddy discussion with Kara when they saw each other made it pretty obvious that Alex and Maggie had just gone beyond the kissing and cuddling stage. Alex even said to her “do you think everyone can tell?” I know it would be great to see a really sexy scene in bed, but I’m glad to see the show taking it slow enough for even the non-Sanvers audience to warm up to this sweet couple. Maybe a few weeks from now, that Valentine’s Day episode will bring us what we want to see.
One more thing: I read that director Kevin Smith believes that Alex is the heart and soul of the show. I am really pleased to hear that. The character isn’t in the comics, but was created for the show. The sisters’ relationship makes this show special to me, and I love what they are doing.
I’m somewhat disappointed at not getting to see the lead-up to their first time (like Alex wanting it bad and Maggie beyond all “no but are you sure i mean this is a big deal for you”), but I don’t think it was treated any differently than a hetero couple in this universe would be. Have you seen The Flash? It’s the same production team, same universe (not technically but you get what I mean), pretty much the same tone, and they’ve had an iconic couple from the comics finally be together this season, which they spent the entire first two seasons teasing . . . and they’ve never shown them have sex or do anything more than sorta make out a little. And they’re now moving in together. I think the Superflarrowverse is just not that into sex scenes.
Thank you for this context. I haven’t closely followed the other shows in the Superflarrowverse, though I’ve watched them enough to be familiar with characters and themes, and I couldn’t remember contextually how they handled the heterosexual couples when they “got together”, so I was going to have to wait and see. This comment provides comfort about whether or not I was going to have to steel myself for a double-standard, because our relationships absolutely get censored (like during the Glee days on Fox there was a quota of how many same sex kisses they could show, but heterosexual kids were macking all over one another). I like that if that’s still the case (I’m not in the “business”, so I’m not always informed about current practices until I go to a con and talk to friends/acquaintances who are), then for inclusivity they’ve gone the opposite direction: no one gets explicit scenes.
As long as I’ve got fanfic!
The sister relationship is everything. Like, the show finally clicked for me when things stopped being slightly adversarial between them, and they just assumed they were going to be in this fight for always together (4th episode or something?). I love all the validation this gets from directors and the showrunners and fans.
I’m so glad the hiatus is over because watching this episode was like getting that much needed breath of fresh air I’ve been denied for like A MONTH! And boy, did Supergirl return with a bang! (Pun intended; lol). Thoughts I need to get out of my system:
– Twitterpated!Alex is officially my new favorite Alex. I mean the shoulders curling giggle she emitted at the DEO? I DIED. I legit fell back onto my couch and DIED. I had no idea Alex could giggle! Like that! Bashful, blushing, flustered and all! My GOD! Then after the morning after when she sauntered back into the DEO with a smile so big, I was afraid for those beautiful cheekbones, I DIED again. Happiness looks awesome on Alex and all I want now and forever is for her to be giggly, glowing and smiling like a goddamn idiot in love. Seriously. You know that part in Elf? After Buddy has his date with Jovie and he bursts into his dad’s meeting declaring, “I’m in love; I’m in love and I don’t care who knows it!”? Yeah. Totally Alex. She glowed so bright and strong and true that she could have powered Kara for a week!
– Of course she had to go self-sabotage her happiness because it’s Alex. Siiigh. I wanna be mad but I can’t because I do this too. It’s instinctive and something that seems to happen automatically. Thank god Maggie gave her a second chance. I mean I wasn’t too pleased with the one “You get one, Alex” ultimatum but at least they didn’t break up because I would have thrown a damn fit.
– Maggie showing up at Alex’s door in plaid – I had to pause and give myself a timeout because it short circuited my brain. That cowgirl outfit was like fanfiction come to live. Helloooo Blue Springs, Nebraska Maggie! All she needed was a Stetson and my heart would have ceased to function.
So glad this show is back. So glad Maggie and Alex are intact and together and sorting through their stuff and being happy. So glad we saw Kara being Kara and Snapper praising her reporter skills! So not glad about this Mon-El mystery thing and still super unimpressed with this James/Guardian shtick.
Side note – where in the heck did Lena go? Can we like get her back? Soon? Please? I’d much rather watch her than have to watch this silly Guardian or Mon-El storyline.
We do know that Lena is coming back because there is a change in her and Kara’s relationship, “and they grow closer”.
…..and we’re back! I have missed Supergirl, Alex Danvers, Maggie Sawyer, a few of the people doing YouTube reaction video (looking at you Marcie) and this recap. Let’s not go away for so long next time people!
I love this show, the tone of it is just magical. It’s so fluffy and positive, yet this episode is essentially about a bunch of apocalypse survivors dealing with human trafficking.
I do hope the show eventually uses all the stuff that’s happened to go in a more Buffy-esque direction by which I mean stop burning through so much plot. It doesn’t have to be a case of the week, you don’t have to serve every story all the time etc. If I had one complaint about the show it’s that is doesn’t let things linger a bit or delve into them more deeply when they should (they should most of the time because setting up real stakes for someone as awesome as Supergirl is a tall order).
That aside I love this show, it’s a balm for the soul and I missed it desperately when it was gone.
Awesome point about burning through so much story. Particularly because I think trying to always set up real stakes for Supergirl physically is impossible…things will just get ridiculous. What really sets up the stakes for Supergirl are her emotional connections to the more vulnerable around her. And she loves SO MUCH.
I am interested in the “teleport to other planets” aspect, though, because that does lead to a way to have different stakes without always having to create a “solar flare” (or whatever they all it when Kara burns out her energy), or bring Kryptonite to the table. Gives them a chance for a little more variety, as it were, since they mostly took care of Fort Rozz, and you can only go to the “missed one” well so much. You know?
I can just watch Alex and Maggie stare at each other and my little gay heart is content. But it also is a surprisingly good storyline and even though I am a little suspicious I just can’t help but get into it.
CONSTANT VIGILANCE
It’s so sad that we have to be constantly vigilant- because we are so jaded that we TRUST NO ONE.
Totally agreed. It’s nice to have a site like Autostraddle where Valerie can say “constant vigilance” and we all know what she means, and we don’t have to put up with others dismissing our fears or justifying what has gone on before.
Like many of the rest of you I was surprised to find Mon-El is growing on me?? This was the first episode where I felt like Karamel had any real chemistry.
Sanvers is still in a faraway first place though. I giggled and grinned so much through this episode, struggling to think of any other show that has had that effect on me. Used to think I didn’t like sappy romances, turns out I just don’t like compulsory heteronormativity. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
“Used to think I didn’t like sappy romances, turns out I just don’t like compulsory heteronormativity. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯”
You win.
Agreed. “Compulsory heteronormativity” someone nominate CD.
So nice with Supergirl back! Being excited in these times is almost a rare thing now.
I saw you tweeting about sweet/vicious, Valerie – so I binged the first seven episodes, and the show is so great and amazing and also difficult to watch. It’s my dream arrow-prequel about Felicity’s college days (Ophelia reminds me so much about her, though Felicity has fewer issues (I would totally believe they were sisters)) combined with BtVS without the need for metaphors or controlling white-hat men. Season finale is today, and it makes me sad that it might be the series finale – I love Jules and Ophelia so much. So, thank you for tweeting about it :)
I’m glad you liked it! It was definitely something that helped me through the Supergirl hiatus. I agree it’s hard to watch but it’s so good; and Ophelia TOTALLY has Felicity vibes, especially in that one ep she goes blonde. Glad you liked — I really hope it gets renewed, because the creative team confirmed that Ophelia is bi and that they’d explore that more if they got a second season!
Valerie, thank you so much for this recap, and thanks for pointing out that Alex’s reaction when Maggie came looking for her was not bad writing, but something so many of us can relate to.
But I’d like to emphasize something which I believe is in the very core of Supergirl at this point. It’s clear to me that we’re now watching a TV show that despite being born with the ethos of the superhero storyline, with the moral and sometimes patriotic implications of it, is very aware of the worldwide rise of this environment of hate. The fact that not only Melissa Benoist went to the Women’s March, but mainly the fact that producer Ali Adler and both Chyler and Floriana ‘regramed’ the picture you posted above, shows that they’re committed to not make any concessions to the backlash that comes with a healthy portrayal of a lesbian couple (and this is already happening).
Something Supergirl herself says at the very beginning of this episode caught my attention: “Lately I feel like I’m protecting jewels and money more than I’m protecting people”. I don’t know if this line was written before or after Trump’s election, but it doesn’t matter, what matters is that protecting private property is in the very basis of superheroes stories and when Supergirl says something like that, I see important changes coming in and those changes will probably get more and more attention in the days to come.
Having that said, “heaven, I’m in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak”. The Sanvers storyline is so amazing that last night I got actually scared. Scared because we don’t see that happening, it’s always a ‘too good to be true feeling’ surrounding us. It’s a sad reaction indeed, but I hope this will gradually fade away. And yes, I’m all for the drama, the fights and comebacks, the tears and laughter. Bring it on Supergirl’s writers!
“I am not a red shirt!” was the best line of the episode. Winn is definitely my favorite non-female character, though I am liking Mon-El a little more. James just annoys me, and his complete disregard for Winn’s feelings only exacerbated my annoyance. I’d prefer to have Winn working with Mon-El. Is their portmanteau Winnel? Windax? Maybe I’ve watched too many SuperGay crack videos, but I totally ship them.
Sanvers was a supernova of goodness and light at the end of a pretty crappy couple of weeks. I’m glad they and your recaps are back. Thanks, Valerie.
In one of your earlier recaps you said something about the camera getting extra dramatic and the music getting extra special when it sees Alex and Maggie and it was something I’d never really noticed and I still didn’t totally get even after rewatching. And then the morning after scene happened and with the very first shot of Maggie existing and the ridiculously bright angelic heavenly magical light in the apartment and the beautiful magical music I immediately went OH MY GOD IT’S THAT THAT’S THE SPECIAL CAMERA AND THE SPECIAL MUSIC OH MY GOD I LOVE THEM SO MUCH THANK YOU UNIVERSE. or something to that effect.
Also, you didn’t mention how Alex literally just bounces up and down when she hears that Kara is doing something that might involve seeing Maggie. (“It’s missing persons, do you want me to come with you?”) and Kara just goes, “Uh, no, you just stay here and glow.”
I also want to see Winn/James/J’onn find out about Maggie. Maybe the show decided Alex coming out to them wasn’t super important (which I actually really appreciated–they’re friends and they’re important to Alex but the people it really mattered she come out to were her mother and sister, not these guys whose support she doesn’t so much need. Refutes the narrative that coming out is a queer person’s responsibility, that they have to announce themselves to the world) and we’re to assume that they just know, that it was mentioned at some point during the break. But I like to think Alex just hasn’t mentioned it to them. And one of these days they’re gonna see Alex and Maggie together and be like “uhhhh they seem uhhhh close??” and there will be a really awkward and hilariously moment of them realizing what is going on.
I’ve gone back to look at those Sanvers scenes you mentioned and I’m so impressed with how lovingly they are put together with beautiful music and lighting. Maggie’s borrowed t-shirt even said something about “sunshine” on it. But the thing that just jumped out at me as we saw Alex’s rumpled bed across the room was the light really illuminated it, like a ray of sunshine! I don’t think that was an accident. I’m just really loving this!
I thought that it might have been bad writing at first too with Alex and Maggie in this episode but then I took a look in the mirror lol
I love this show so much. I love that it’s bright and hopeful. I love the intentional differences between Supergirl’s and Superman’s approaches to being a hero. I loved it even more with Cat Grant around turning what looked like a stereotypical ice-queen boss role into a strong, empowering mentor.
But I really love Alex and Maggie. And Chyler and Floriana. The characters are such badasses in their careers, but still so guarded and vulnerable and almost unwillingly hopeful about love and relationships. Seems so authentic to me. Maggie’s “you get one” made total sense to me, even though I bet she might end up giving more than one. She smiles through almost everything, but she was blindsided and hurt and rejected.
Oh! And the morning after! I didn’t think the show could have spelled it out any clearer that they had just had sex and Alex was flipping out in the best way.
Thanks for the recap! I didn’t realize how much I wanted to talk about this.
Thanks for coming here to talk about it!
I’m so happy that Supergirl is back!! It was amazing seeing Sanvers together again!! I really hope they don’t break up or die! Love your recaps too! Mon-El is kinda growing on me. I find the whole Guardian storyline really annoying though. Winn had a good story arc this episode too. Super keen for that Valentine’s Day ep! :D
Everything is going well. I must sabotage right now. Story of my life. LOL.
Slow clap for Valerie and her recap.
I am in full on hate mode for James and Guardian. He tried to take more credit than Supergirl for taking down the jewelery bad guys, didn’t respect Winn’s feelings about going into danger (did he forget that he’s in a head to toe lead suit and Winn is bare), and then at the end when Winn said he went to another planet he got this look on his jealous look on his face like he should’ve been the one to go not Winn since he’s the Guardian. Anyway, enough about him.
Kara and Mon-El, you can try to call it cousin chemistry all you want because you want to see something happen with Kara and Lena but Kara and Mon-El have romantic chemistry (although he was really dumb this episode) and it was apparent in that last scene on the couch. And yes it did feel a little relaxed maybe ad-libbed and I think that was down to Kevin Smith’s directing style.
Alex and Winn make a good duo, now for them I don’t know if it’s a brother sister thing or like a best friends thing but Winn has finally found his “squad”.
Alex and Maggie, is it safe to assume that that was their 1st night together? The way she was with Kara before she left she was giddy nervous, maybe considering canceling cause she wasn’t sure if she was ready for it yet but just Kara saying “be with your girlfriend” quelled her fears. Though if it was I’m a little disappointed that Maggie wasn’t going full on making breakfast. Then I have to wonder, did Kara calling Maggie over to the bar ahem interrupt things between Alex and Maggie? I too was surprised by how Alex just sort of turned on Maggie but then I compared it to that early Callie and Arizona scene and it made sense why Alex would say that. So glad they made up at the end. Would love to see them get more romantic, right now they are cute but they need like can’t keep their hands off each other passion or at least we need to see more.
I don’t not see the chemistry between Kara and Mon-El because I want Kara to be with Lena (I just want my bb to be happy honestly) I just genuinely don’t feel it. They feel more like friends/cousins to me. (My dad said the same thing so I know it’s not just my gayness!) But to each their own. I liked the relaxed/ad-libbed. It just didn’t feel romantic to me is all.
Oh and thank you! And I agree, passion would be fun!
Oh. Oh wow, Valerie. Thank you for this recap as always but than you especially for you analysis at the end. I’ve been processing Alex’s journey in Mondays episode a lot since it aired… About how she sees Kara being in danger as somehow a result of her own happiness. About how the new and the wonderful for her with Maggie isn’t that she’s gay necessarily but that she’s HAPPY. I got all that and loved it as I watched, but I think you just put into words why it hit me personally so deeply. Alex doesn’t seem to suffer from depression but I sure have spent a good chunk of my life with it. And I completely identify with the feeling of “Oh god, an emotion. What’s happening?” The fear at first, thinking something must be wrong because even being happy is new.
Thank you for putting so eloquently into words what I couldn’t put into words myself.
Thank YOU for reading!
The “Do you think everyone can tell?” line. My god. That’s exactly how I felt after my first…sleepover. I walked outside like, OMG CAN EVERYONE TELL I HAVE THE GAY
<3 <3 <3
After my first “sleepover” I went to work wearing a shirt she let me borrow and I was SO SURE everyone would know. I was nervous but almost excited for someone to ask?? No one did. No one cared. No one could tell. But I was all goofy and weird like Alex anyway.
Yes! Exactly! I borrowed a sweater and then just waited all day for anyone to ask. I kept dropping in those hints like “haha oh man, I’m SO TIRED TODAY I DIDN”T SLEEP LAST NIGHT, THESE MIGHT BE THE SAME PANTS AS YESTERDAY HAHA WINK WINK”
But those butterflies. God, I miss those butterflies. Nice to see Alex embracing them in that scene. So fun.
OMG! The feels, the feels! And I don’t mean just in the episode; although, obviously, that was also lovely – as was your review of it. But those last three paragraphs you wrote? I had to do the stare at the ceiling bit and blink, like A LOT. Why not just cry, you ask? Because I was sneakily reading it while my students were working on a group activity, would have been weird. For them mostly – I’d have dealt.
Also, being from the UK, this recap is quite literally the only thing stopping me from going into a jealous rage and sulking under the covers for a week until it comes back over here. so thank you. x
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you liked the recap! <3
I’m still impressed about the sensibility of this show! Thank you, Valerie Anne, for your weekly recap! I’ve missed it a lot! Specially because you help make the situations more relatable with your point of view, because you’ve been through stuff that a lot of us did, too. I know I did. So thank you for this!
Thank you so much for saying that!
I loved this episode. The writers have written Kara with so much hope. She inspires thru hope. Honestly I want her to become part of the Blue Lantern Corp. They use the blue light of Hope. The Green Lanterns use the green light of Will.
Kara doesn’t need a lantern, she already IS a light of hope! :)
I got a Lantern-esque vibe from the trip to another world. It would be interesting to see them incorporate something like this, particularly for those times that she’s away from the yellow sun?
Someone fic it! ;)
Here’s a quick question…whatever happened to the DEO being a secret government agency? Like they had the underground bunker and everything before in a remote desert location, now they’re above ground and anyone can just walk in off the street. Granted Maggie has been there before the few times she’s been caught in the crossfire but still, it shouldn’t have a street address where someone can find it on their own.
They briefly mentioned something about that in the first episode of this season; Kara was all upset that there was an above-ground entrance all along.
Yeah. For convenience, I figured they used the bunker/like previous location as an office because they were dealing with dangerous inmates and the active Fort Rozz situation and it put them right there with easy access. But in the first episode this season Alex said she liked it because it was closer to her apartment, but also like it was no big deal: they’d always had this location.
Though, truthfully, you don’t need to be in a remote/secure location to preserve secrecy.
Your blog is a credit to the show and please thank Nic for the gifs. Just want to stare at Alex all the time :)
Am I the only person who thinks that Kara’s checkered-shirt outfit looks superqueer?
I think the unrelenting joy of Sanvers and annoying presence of Mon-el (brilliantly described here, btw) is distracting us from Kara’s obvious non-straightness. Either that or I’m too accustomed to settling for subtext.
Heather has to remove 1-50 words of me talking about Kara and/or Lena seeming queer every recap because I’m having a hard time forgetting that we don’t need to rely on subtext on this show anymore haha I’m getting better! But I agree!