Welcome to your Superqueero Roundup Recap, the place where Valerie Anne recaps all the queer and feminist goodness on all of DC’s superhero shows the day after they air. These recaps (and wee-caps) are posted in reverse chronological order, with the newest ones appearing up top. Make sure you’re following us on Twitter so you’ll know when this roundup recap is updated!
Legends of Tomorrow 203: Captain Sara Lance
I’m not going to lie to you, despite the lack of lady-loving, this was my second favorite episode of Legends of Tomorrow to date. (The first being “Night of the Hawk” because I doubt this show will ever do better than Sara and Nurse Betty McRae falling a little bit in love.) It was just so fun! And with Sara in charge, it finally feels like the show found its stride. Even their mission went better than any they ever tried under Rip’s guidance. If you had asked me three years ago if Caity Lotz could carry an entire show on her tiny (yet very strong!) shoulders, I would have answered, “I don’t know? But I’d love to see her try?” But now if you asked me if I thought she could carry the rest of this season, I would punch the air with both fists and shout, “YES!” I don’t know if she’s grown as an actor, or if the writers have finally figured out how best to utilize her (maybe both), but this episode has me pretty damn excited about what’s to come.
But let’s start at the beginning. With an unexpected but very welcome twist: Vixen is back. Now that it looks like she’ll be sticking around for a minute (insert squeals of delight here), I reckon we can call her Amaya now and then.
But for now she’s Vixen, and she’s knocking the Legends out one by one. Even Captain Sara Lance.
I think she let Vixen knock her out, tbh.
Vixen finds Mick last and is going to slit his throat on the spot, but a thus-unconscious Nate comes to in that moment and turns into a metal person and they manage to contain her. Nate is VERY excited about this turn of events and runs through every iteration of Nate Heywood’s alias before deciding to go by simply Steel. (Even though I thought Citizen Steel sounded pretty cool.)
Sara appoints Ray as Nate’s new mentor and goes to chat with an angry little Vixen.
What’s the angriest animal? Honeybadger?
Sara finds out that Amaya wants to kill Mick because she believes he killed Rex Tyler, since Rex said a time traveler killed him, and he’s the only time traveling criminal she knows. But Sara tells her that they’re also seeking an evil time traveler, and Mick has been with them since they left the JSA. Sara lets Amaya go, after making her promise to behave; they apologize to each other and decide to let bygones be bygones.
I think Sara found a new co-captain.
Amaya immediately wants to go back to save Rex but Sara says they have to go for the source. She tries to convince Amaya they know what they’re doing, that they’re professionals, but of course as she’s saying this, they find the boys goofing around. And said goofing directly results in the ship door being smashed open and Nate and Ray being sucked out into the timestream.
Vixen doesn’t understand how this team is still (mostly) alive, and honestly even Gideon agrees at this point.
Nate and Ray both land in mid-17th Century Japan, though a few miles away from each other. Nate gets put on a woman’s cart and she takes him to her father’s place, where he learns her name is Masako and she’s engaged to a warlord against her will.
Meanwhile, Ray has a less welcoming entrance, and Samuris take his armor and hold him hostage.
Amaya isn’t trying to kill Mick anymore but she still hates him a lot and isn’t shy about it. She tells him there’s no such thing as ninjas and he growls at her until Sara tells the children she’ll send them right back to the hellscape that is 2016 if they don’t shut up.
“And I’ll force you to read pro-Trump subreddits!”
Besides, Sara’s basically a ninja. (Amaya doesn’t fully buy it. Yet.)
Sara, Amaya and Mick think they find Ray but it turns out to be the warlord in Ray’s suit. Sara lets him know that she was League of Assassins, Class of ’09 (which is the year I graduated college, whatever it’s fine, we’re not soulmates or anything) and then does some stunning swordplay that will only be the first of many times she makes me swoon with her fighting-that’s-more-like-dancing this episode.
Caity Lotz might actually have been trained by the League of Assassins.
Eventually Vixen even joins in with her animal powers and they get away, collecting Ray as they GTFO.
They find Nate, too, but Nate wants to stay to save Masako from her arranged marriage to a man known throughout history for murdering his wives. But the thing is…he can’t get that metal skin thing to work. Sara teases him for having performance issues, leaves him with Ray to figure it out, and takes Vixen to go defend the village. Mick is gonna nap.
Meanwhile, not to be forgotten, Stein and Jax find a secret message from an older version of Barry Allen (as in, a Barry Allen who is over 60 years old, not like…a previous timeline version…ugh time travel is so hard to recount) and tells them a secret that only Rip was supposed to know, that the Legends aren’t supposed to ever find out.
Anyway, Ray teaches Nate how to break the suit, and both men whine about how hard it is to be a vigilante that relies on a supersuit or magic instead of years of torture, hard work, and training like Sara.
Speaking of our White Canary, she and Amaya are evacuating the village when the Samurais return. The leader is impressed by Sara’s skills and asks who her master is, but Sara “Ta-er al-Sahfer” Lance has no master.
And she does more badass fighting and it’s beautiful and graceful and strong and it’s just a dream come true.
Vixen even joins in the fight — and listen, I miss Hawkgirl so much, but damn am I glad Vixen joined the fray.
The boys are all still a work in progress, but Sara and Amaya make a damn good team.
Even Masako shows up for a little girl power action.
“They put me in the wrong subplot! I should have been with the ladies!”
But of course Steel has to come save her. If they hadn’t been allowed to play in this fight the dudes would have all fallen on their swords, so, whatever. Sara dealt with her enemy just fine without them.
Steel fries the supersuit, Masako tells him to go float himself, and we find out that the sword she gifted him was Katana’s sword, so we haven’t seen the last of this family.
Back on the Waverider, Vixen gives Mick a throwing star as proof ninjas exist (and a peace offering), and Sara scares the poop out of Firestorm by asking them what their secret is even though she just means when did you learn how to fix a damn timeship.
“lol if you ever touch me again I’ll disembowel you.”
After a little bit of discussion, the Legends realize they don’t really have a solid lead on where to go next to follow what they don’t know is the Reverse Flash, so they decide to just jump into the timestream and see where fate takes them. And this decision isn’t really up for discussion, because Captain Sara is in charge now!
As it should be.
Wasn’t that fun?? I had the most fun. I hope the rest of the season keeps this fun tone and lady badassery. What did you think?
Arrow 504: New Team Rising
I mean, okay, Arrow is reforming a new team with the loss of Laurel and Thea wanting to wear less leather, fine. But why haven’t we called Nyssa in yet? Just saying, I think the rookies could use a professional assassin. I know I could.
Anyway.
First things first, Baby Bird has a real name now, and it’s Artemis. She also has her own bow and arrow set.
You’ll always be my baby bird, Baby Bird.
New Team Arrow goes on a mission and are still pretty bad at working as a team. Plus Ragman quit because even though he doesn’t blame Felicity for what happened to his family, her perfect face still reminds him of the tragedy and it hurts too much.
Meanwhile, Lyla swings by the Arrow Cave and quickly realizes, based on the lack of scolding, that Felicity doesn’t know that she and Oliver plan to break Diggle out of a military prison against his will. Because what Lyla knows to be true is indeed true, and Felicity thinks this plan is dumb as shit.
“Why do you assume you’re the smartest in the–” “BECAUSE I LITERALLY AM.”
So instead of doing their usual ignore-Felicity-until-we-don’t schtick, they just don’t involve her. Felicity tries to send New Team Arrow to stop Oliver but it doesn’t go well. It’s a little bit like when a puppy tries to stop you from leaving the apartment. It’s really cute that they’re trying but definitely not keeping you from doing it.
“You can’t do that. It’s WRONG. I’ll kick your ass!”
While Oliver is Out of Town, a band of baddies lead by a guy named Church steal some weapons from the Anti-Crime Unit’s evidence locker. They need all the help they can get with Oliver out of town, and instead of calling Nyssa, Felicity goes to see Rory, all smiles despite being more torn up than his rags inside.
Literal human sunshine, Felicity Smoak
Rory thanks Felicity for reaching out, but he’s still not ready to come back to the team.
Felicity returns, yells at Wild Dog a few times for calling her Blondie, and eventually figures out where Church and his baddies are off to next. Wild Dog wants to go, and Curtis is ready to follow him, but Artemis and Felicity are a little too smart to want to go in leaderless.
“Name one time where I’ve been wrong and you’ve been right? ONE TIME.”
But then Ragman comes and they take a vote and everyone heads into the fray. Felicity sends them off with one order: “Do not die.”
Oliver and Lyla’s plan takes a little turn but eventually they get Diggle out, after convincing him that he can make his penance by being Spartan.
New Team Arrow’s first solo mission goes…not terrific. (See what I did there?) Curtis gets a throwing star in the back and Wild Dog gets kidnapped. Lance and Felicity tells the team to leave Rene behind; they’ll get him later.
Thea is worried about how this decision will affect Lance, and he’s like, “If anything is going to make me start drinking again, it’ll be about my daughters, not this kid.”
I think Thea misses her “roommate” a lot.
Felicity is stressed about sacrificing yet another person, but Rory won’t let her beat herself up. They promise to keep each other from drowning in guilt in order to both work on the same team, a plan that sounds just fine to Felicity.
Because she’s better than all of us.
Oliver makes a dramatic re-entrance and is ready to clean up the mess his team made, starting with finding and saving Wild Dog (who is being tortured by Church).
See you tomorrow for a Sara Lance update!
The Flash 304: Frozen Fractals All Around
Between Sara Lance bedding the Queen of France and starting a queer coven during the Salem Witch Trials, and Maggie Freaking Sawyer on this week’s Supergirl, I’ve seen what’s in the light and don’t want the shadows anymore. So as much as I love Iris, Caitlin, and Jesse, I spent most of this episode of The Flash feeling pretty salty that they’re the only one in this franchise who hasn’t given us any queer women yet. But let’s check in on Central City anyway.
The monster of the week was a straight couple who knew Snart (RIP) and got hit by the particle accelerator blast. The dude, Scutter, can now move through reflective surfaces and the woman, Rosa, can give people extreme vertigo. The team names them Mirror Master and Top. They’re losing their touch.
Iris’s deal this episode is Barry’s being squicky about kissing her in front of Joe and Joe is being weird about seeing HIS CHILDREN MAKE OUT and sorry B you two are cute and all but I’m with Joe on this one. Eventually Iris sits them all down and tell them to figure their shit out or she’s done with both of them.
I WILL go to Star City to hang with Felicity.
Also Joe is dealing with his own romantic drama with a very attractive lawyer named Cecile who we saw briefly before and who I feel like we haven’t quite seen the last of.
Hiii
Jesse Quick is learning how to be a superhero and still has some learning to do but is really getting the hang of it and is enjoying zipping Wally around the city in the meantime. She eventually has to leave with her dad, but she promises she’ll be back. And she looks super cute in her lil mask so I do hope she will.
“Be back in a jiffy!”
Oh also she is the one who takes down Rosa, who rather likes being a Top.
Yeah, you heard me.
Caitlin works most of the episode with Wells and Cisco to find a replacement Wells for when this Wells goes back to his Earth. Which seems unnecessary but whatever. They pick one wearing a weird hat who may or may not be shady. Caitlin eventually becomes a key part of saving Barry from being trapped in the mirror Scutter put him in, but it seems to activate her powers even more, giving her a hair stripe like when Anna got hit by Elsa’s ice blast, and blue lips that might make it hard to hide her powers from her team for much longer.
Don’t hold it back anymore, Caitlin!
That’s really all. They’re still on the hunt for Dr. Alchemy, still on a slightly altered timeline but mostly everything is fine, and they’re now able to open breaches at will, which I imagine is how they’ll eventually get back to Supergirl’s world.
See you tomorrow for an Arrow weecap!
P.S.
Supergirl 203: Maggie and Alex and Wonder Woman, Oh My!
Hello! Are you okay? I’m not okay! I’m better than okay! It’s still too soon to label Alex Danvers, but what we definitively got from this week’s episode of Supergirl was queer woman of color Maggie Sawyer, queer bartender/ex-girlfriend Darla, and woman of color M’gann aka The Last Daughter of Mars. All of which instantly make this feminist show even better! Plus, Maggie’s scenes all involved Alex and a lot of them were just between Maggie and Alex, and VERY flirtatious. I would say I didn’t want to give you false hope, but as President Wonder Woman said, “It’s hope…how can it be false?”
We pick up where we left off, with Kara telling the unconscious mystery alien that she’ll be by his side always and him coming to and grabbing her by the throat. They fight and despite Alex showing up WITH A BAZOOKA, the mystery fella gets away.
I ship it. #Alooka
They can’t focus all their attention on that though, because the President of the United states is coming to National City, and she wants to visit the DEO because her newest movement is passing a law that grants aliens the same rights as humans. Everyone has their own opinions on this, but Kara is the very most excited because she gets to greet the President as soon as she lands.
Is there anything cuter than Fangirl!Kara?
But before President Wonder Woman is even off the plane, she’s attacked by fiery doom. Supergirl saves the President, and starts to investigate the scene with her sister. They see scorch marks eye-width apart, so they figure it’s the guy they found in the Kryptonian pod.
But then Alex spies something afoot. A pretty girl she’s never seen before in her crime scene. Alex comes in hot, demanding to know who this woman is, and the woman responds that she is Detective Maggie Sawyer.
Yeah she is.
She says that she’s part of a task force that investigates the left of center, and Alex says she’s part of the US Government, and they fight over jurisdiction as they get closer and closer and stare at each other it’s a miracle one of THEM wasn’t accused of having heat vision. Maggie ends the conversation with, “See you around, Danvers,” and we were officially doomed.
Alex is also doomed.
Meanwhile, in what would have been the news of the episode any time BMS (Before Maggie Sawyer), Kara goes to interview Lena Luthor, who is VERY HAPPY TO SEE HER. They talk about the President’s new movement and Lena says that she developed a tool that would let you test someone’s skin and tell if they’re an alien or not, which she thinks will make her a fortune and also be a good thing for the nation. So, plot twist, Lena’s a monster. But a beautiful monster! Kara fiddles with the test so that she passes it, and goes off to write her first article as a reporter.
At the DEO, Winn tracks the Mystery Alien’s DEO bracelet. Alex and her Bazooka run off to get him, but find Maggie instead.
Quite the upgrade, if you ask me.
Maggie has figured out that Alex is DEO but Alex ignores her follow-up questions on this front. After a brief trip back to the DEO to get scolded by Kara for going in alone, Alex gets a phone call from Maggie to see how the local cops deal with aliens. And, of course, Alex is quick to accept.
Alex decides to pull out all the stops and rolls up on her motorcycle, and Maggie says some motorcycle-y things and honestly she could have said other things between that and “I thought I’d buy you a drink,” but I blacked out.
Maggie knocks on a door and says the password “Dollywood” (which you will never convince me was not a direct nod to Heather Hogan) and takes Alex into what can only be described as a gaylien bar.
Members of this bar include: a woman who uses her sideways-blinking eyes to check out Alex, and a woman who used her tongue powers to learn English from Maggie once (but is now her ex.) Maggie explains that she grew up a non-white, non-straight woman in Nebraska, so she relates to these aliens quite a lot.
Plus she made a point to tell human being Alex Danvers that she doesn’t only date aliens.
I think it’s worth noting here that Alex doesn’t flinch at the knowledge that the bartender is Maggie’s ex or that Maggie called herself not-straight. It was a Non-Issue, just the way I like it.
Anyway, after a little bit of a run-in with a dude with wiggly skin and a fiery woman, Alex knows that the Mystery Alien was trying to contact his home planet. They figure out that he was trying to get in touch with Daxon, Krypton’s arch nemesis. Kara immediately decides this guy is a nogoodnik and thinks that means that Lena is right.
She goes to see Lena, who is, yet again, super happy to see her. And Kara doesn’t look too upset to see Lena, either, despite their earlier conversation.
I would dedicate my life to making Kara Danvers smile like this if I could.
They have a conversation that would have been uncomfortable and angry if anyone except Kara Danvers was having it. Lena says she was pleasantly surprised that the article Kara wrote didn’t villainize her, and Kara said she did write that version, but her boss scrapped it, and she realized that there are bad aliens. This is all music to Lena’s ears.
I can’t believe this wasn’t the gayest thing that happened this episode. (via wonderswoman.tumblr.com)
Cut to President Wonder Woman signing the new treaty, which gets interrupted by more fireballs.
“I give you my hand and welcome you into my dream.”
Alex and Kara both get hit and the Firestarter grabs Maggie, much to Alex’s dismay.
Oh, and Kara did the classic Wonder Woman outfit-change-spin to put out the fire on her supersuit and it was beautiful.
Alex goes back to the gaylien bar and asks the wiggly-skin man about the redhead and he continues to be difficult. A beautiful bartender (who is not Darla from earlier) gives Alex a lead when she hears Maggie is in danger.
Maggie is tied up and forced to listen to the Firestarter’s rage about this treaty and how it’s basically just a way to trick aliens out of hiding. Supergirl drops in to fight the alien while Alex sneaks in to untie Maggie.
The Danvers Sisters take out the Firestarter and Maggie is hella impressed.
And maybe will want to stick around forever?
Maggie does a little badass move of her own and Alex, well, she lets out this little, “Oh!” noise that I can’t even describe to you.
Alex is smitten and KARA KNOWS.
Alex patches up Maggie, who is very impressed by the DEO HQ, and they flirt and they flirt and they flirt and holy crap. At one point Alex says, “You did something for me too,” and I swear I thought she was going to just come right on out as bisexual, but she just says that she’s realizing now that not all aliens are bad. Maggie says they make a good team, and Alex tries to quasi-U-Haul and tells Maggie to stay at the DEO for a while to rest up. But Maggie has places to be. Alex makes a nervous joke, asking if Maggie has a hot date, and Maggie says she does and that she can’t keep the lady waiting. And then Alex’s face does a thing. It’s partially disappointed that Maggie might not be single, partially impressed at Maggie’s general swagger and air of confidence.
Partially acknowledging that she is DOOOOOMED.
What’s weird is, the way Maggie said it didn’t actually seem like she had a real date. She said it in the way sometimes TV characters do when they are actually going to see a relative in prison or a secret kid but not actually a date at all. Or she could be going on a date with Kate Kane WHO KNOWS. All I know is that it didn’t feel like a coincidence that these two had so much screen time together.
To wrap up the other stuff going on, Kara apologizes to the Daxonian for jumping to conclusions and learns his name is Mon-El. President Wonder Woman makes an invisible jet joke and then reveals (to us only) that SHE’S actually an alien. And J’onn goes to the gaylien bar in his Martian form only to find out that the bartender from earlier (the one who helped Alex, not Darla) is M’gann, the Last Daughter of Mars.
Can you believe it? Our time has arrived! The future is female and queer af, with Supergirl leading the way. It’s like they pulled the bait-and-switch but finally not on us! “Hey, here’s Superman, all you folks who weren’t watching because it was #toofemale, come on over…JK SUPERMAN’S GONE AND SURPRISE WE’VE TRIPLED OUR BADASS LADY COUNT!” And don’t even get me started on how great this Maggie Sawyer already is, not being coy or shy or secretive about being not-straight, and Alex being super intrigued by her without being awkward and embarrassing about it. And I’m so here for a slow burn. For Alex to keep pretending to be unwilling to work together until finally she can’t take it anymore and it’s a beautiful collision of leather. (I mean, it’s definitely going to be Alex, right?) Tell me all your Maggie Sawyer feels and lets flail around together in the comments until tomorrow’s Ladies of Arrow update.
Here’s a gif of Alex watching Maggie leave to kick us off.
I AM SO HAPPY.
I FEEL PRETTY AND WITTY AND GAAAAAAY
What do you mean you heard a squee sound? Definitely wasn’t me, nope, no ma’am, must dash.
I’M SO EXCITED FOR THIS. There is no way Alex isn’t queer, I can’t wait for more of this team up next week. Also can Kara be queer also, please. She has so much chemistry with Lena.
i don’t need a podcast to give a Sexual Tension Award to Maggie Sawyer and Alex Danvers
this episode was so good
– What’s the ship name that we’re going with? I’ve seen Sanvers, Detective Danvers, and I use Malex.
– Alex and Maggie from next episode. I need to see them dance in their masquerade get ups before the fight goes down. (Did I mention that masquerades are a fetish of mine?)
Bonus: Dichen Lachman shows up next episode.
I vote detective danvers! malex is too similar to malec (the m/m shadowhunters ship)
Malex is taken!
#neverforget
Are you sure? Because from everything I’ve heard, we should forget.
11,540,236 ppl can’t be wrong https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AftW4y8z–E
#BagelKiss #neverforget
I’m pretty sure in the comics, a mascarade is how Batwoman and Maggie Sawyers meet or have their first date. This might not have been intentional, but I can’t wait to see it!
It’s not a masquerade, it’s some fancy benefit that they both show up to in tuxes. But a similar vibe!
I don’t know what I was more excited about in that preview … Alex and Maggie in Masquerade masks on a (maybe work) date, or Dichen Freakin’ Lachman!!!
I haven’t been watching Supergirl at ALL, but I’ve been following all your season 1 recaps over at AE, and seeing Cat/Kara gifs on tumblr, and this might be the episode that finally convinces me to get on board.
But regardless, I’m really happy for all of you who DO watch who are so happy :)
Listen, Secret Agent Alex Danvers, I brought you to this gay alien bar for a reason, and that reason is to tell you my ENTIRE life story, and also, like, just look how dorky literally every alien is. LOOK at them, Danvers. Now, kiss me AT ONCE.
EVERY ALIEN IS DORKY AND QUEER KISS HER AT ONCE ALEX DANVERS KISS HER
How did I not pass out from excitement last night?? I loved every minute of Maggie and Alex. Especially Alex not so slyly checking out Maggie. She did that, what, at least 3 times. Possibly more. I especially love the look on Alex’s face in the final scene, and the finger tap. She sees something she likes. And so do I!!
Lena was also adorable and flirtatious. Katie McGrath cannot hide that accent and it is so cute. For probably the 10th time this year, I was so glad that I live alone and no one but my cat had to hear me squee last night.
As excited as I am about the next episode, I almost wish they were going to miss a week. I am so turning off my porch light and ignoring the trick-or-treaters come 8pm!
Haha, I thought the same thing! My cat and two dogs barely give me a glance now when I get worked up over TV gays :)
Haha! Sometimes I get so excited I tell my cat what’s happening. Usually she’s like “Ok, but I’d rather look at these leaves outside.”
AHHHHHH OH NO I was going to wait until the very moment that you tweeted that they had touched mouths so I wouldn’t get my hopes up but then you convinced me from the very first paragraph with your beautiful quotes about hope and all of your screencaps and now I think my hopes are the highest they’ve ever been???
I’M SORRY BUT ALSO I’M NOT SORRY COME ON GET ON THE TITANIC WITH US IT’S UNSINKABLE I PROMISE
This episode was so good and so gay. It feels like Christmas already. Maggie Sawyer is better than I expected. And her and Alex was so good together. I’m very excited for the next episode can’t wait.
At first I thought that I was watching this episode through some queer-goggles, but then I got not one, but TWO texts from straight friends about the episode. I hadn’t told them anything about how a CW DC character was going to come out, or anything about Maggie Sawyer.
Text #1 “Alex and Maggie, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G…..”
Text #2 “Was it just me or is Alex totally falling for Maggie?”
So I am glad that it’s not just the queer community who is seeing this. That makes me so very happy.
That does make me feel super happy!
Ok, I’ve been trying to get some work done since this recap was posted, but it isn’t happening because I keep daydreaming about Maggie & Alex…
Nope, not checking out Maggie. Not at all.
Damn it.
Well, that didn’t work either.
Maybe the link itself has something wrong with it. Shame, it’s my favorite side eye moment from the episode.
http://66.media.tumblr.com/cbbbdb0ee6fee3d38e0b1e114754f815/tumblr_ofl1rwCwhq1qc2jbwo1_500.gif
Ugh her face! “I’m standing really close to her is it okay that I’m standing this close to her I’m just going to look to see if she’s cool with me standing too close to her gotta be cool Alex gotta be…SMOOTH well done checked it out she seems cool with me standing this close to her gonna keep standing to close to her. Nailed it.”
Yes! It’s so damn cute and not obvious at all!
Thought: Kara and Lena start dating. Lena really turns out to be a villain. (The assassination plot on her life was really orchestrated by her to get public sympathy.) Lena finds out who Supergirl is, and Supergirl discovers Lena’s true nature. The two spend season three with the knowledge that the person that they love is their arch-nemesis. It would be such beautiful angst.
Supergirl confronts Lena about her villainy at L-Corp. As she flies away from the balcony Lena says, “I love you. You have to know that I love you.” Supergirl doesn’t look around, but we see the view of Supergirl hovering there with Lena behind her, and both of them are crying.
Okay, I’ve gotten that out of my system….maybe.
100%wouldwatch
Someone write a fanfic of this please?
Maggie Sawyer is the lesbian we deserve after this crappy year! I was so nervous about the move to the CW but I’ve been really happy how everything has turned out. I actually think the show looks better now that it’s filmed in Vancouver? Am I the only one? Also they film outside more now it seems and not just on sets.
this whole recap couldn’t been called “Alex’s face did a thing” with just a million pics
*could’ve I AM TOO OVERCOME TO EVEN TYPE
Is #SuperCops too cheesy? Who doesn’t like cheese? Not me that’s who.
Ha! I almost suggested #SuperAgents! But I wasn’t sure if that would feel like Supergirl was involved.
Cheesy is fine but I think SuperCop kind of implies it’s Kara and Maggie.
OK, to be honest I shelved this show sometime during the first season because it was all just a little too twee and earnest for me? Except for Cat Grant? But the sheer volume of badass women in this post just convinced me to put in back in rotation.
Also I am powerless to resist a gaylien bar
Damn you UK tv for being 2 weeks behind, I’m going to have to hide under a rock and not look at anymore Alex and Maggie pics or read any spoilers…..HAHAHA cos that’s going to happen, I’m not even going to pretend I’ve got the willpower for that.
Wow, I didn’t even know they showed it here. What channel is it on? Not that I have a tv connected to anything but a laptop. I’ve got used to finding my programmes..ehem, online, if you know what I mean.
Haha;) it’s on Sky 1 Mondays
Arrrrrr, do you find yer programs on the high seas?
Hahahaha, you could say I dabble in the parrot keeping business.
Sub-text ion the comments!!! … me too. :)
Oh man, if they introduced Kate Kane as Maggie’s current GF that would be so good! As much as I love Batwoman I would root for Alex the whole way.
OR, if they somehow made Alex into Batwoman. That’d make my day.
Im so in for this ship!!! Alex is soo gay right SOOOO GAY.This is not subtext, I repeat this is not subtext.
Also great recap. Ill be sure to be back to read the ones to come :)
Glad you liked it!!
Was it just me that was disappointed when Supergirl didn’t stop, drop and roll when she was on fire? Like I know it wouldn’t have looked that cool, but she’s literally the hero of the show. It’s like showing her not wearing a seatbelt, or crossing trainlines instead of taking the bridge.
And yes, I do annoy myself with how pedantic I can be, but it could save a child’s life!
But…but…the Wonder Woman spin!
A child’s life Valerie!
It’s okay, I happy to stand on my own with this one.
With every new episode of this show, It makes me question how it is even possible. Did we all hallucinate the same episode at the same time? I can’t say I care either way.
Also, for the whole Lena conversation, I really questioned which Danver sister is going to be bi.
Great recap! The disappointment of Cat leaving could have only been remedied by the introduction of Maggie, but even more so by the hot from the start possible slowburn romance between Maggie and Alex. It has to be Alex… Even if we didnt know that a regular character was going to explore their sexuality, after watching their interaction in this episode anyone could bet that would be the case. Can not wait to see all the great femslash this is going to inspire. Also, totally agreed about the “cant keep the lady waiting”comment. It really felt like she was talking about a family member, a daughter or a mom or something. Very exciting developments indeed with the introduction of the last daughter of Mars too. Still on the fence about Lena though…Also, the “gaylian bar” had me laughing. I shall be back to read more of your recaps! That was fun so thanks! :)
Thank youuu!! I think this is gonna be fun.
Can not express.
I ship Valerie/Supergirl recaps! Loved the tone of squee and flailing through this one, and so with you re the fact that Kara/Lena showed some major sparkage that would have been more than enough superqueero highlight had it not been for ALL THE ALEX/MAGGIE GOODNESS.
Too bad that the narrative structure seems to be setting Kara up with the guy from Daxam – she started off at odds with him just like Alex did with Maggie. (But whoever they pair Kara with, they’re just placeholders for Cat Grant, and no one can convince me otherwise :).)
Anyway, back to Alex and Maggie – I don’t think the writers could’ve hit any more these-two-are-going-to-get-together bases:
1. Initially antagonistic meeting
2. Secret identity concealed and then revealed
3. Date-like not-date at a bar
4. Coming out convo
5a. Run-in with an ex
5b. Ex assumes that the two of them are together
6. One is put in jeopardy, the other saves her
7. Thawing of hostility post-save
8. GINORMOUS AMOUNTS OF SUBTLY AND NOT SO SUBTLY CHECKING EACH OTHER OUT
This ship will 1000% sail.
Hey you guys sorry to burst your bubble but the writers are fooling you. Maggie and Alex are not gonna hook up. If anything meeting Maggie will help Alex realize that she needs more balance in her life. There already have main gay characters on every Arrowverse show except the Flash. Making Alex character gay is redundant given that Maggie Sawyer character is already there. Plus it will turn Supergirl into a soap opera which is what the writers do not want. The Flash is the show where someone will discover their sexuality. Not Supergirl. You guys are only seeing what you want to see. A straight woman and gay one can be friends and tight without it turning sexual. Sorry to be the voice of realism.
We don’t need some one to step up and be the “voice of realism”
Hope isn’t lala candy land, hope comes from a place of hurt and disappointment.
That disappointment is looking at the media around us and not seeing ourselves, of being teased with representation and not getting any. That hurt getting it only to have it quickly and cruelly snatched away as soon as it starts bloom with joy.
You’re NOT bursting anyone’s bubble. That bubble has been a sticky stain on our floor for years
I am bisexual, my childhood bestie is gay. She and I FUCKING know queer women and straight women can be friends without things “turning sexual” because guess what buttercup we have straight women friend and don’t view them sexually.
Also you know what? Fuck your bullshit apology, you’re not sorry. Don’t pretend to be. It’s insulting.
Also, why on earth is having 2 queer women on a show redundant? Sorry, everyone, we hit our queer quota of ONE, no relationships/dates/hookups/mutual flirting for anyone queer!
Seriously. If there is only one queer character on a show, what’s the point?
Every straight character on Supergirl has dated someone during season 1. Just because romance isn’t front and center on a TV show doesn’t mean the characters are monks.
Yes.
Thank you >-<
Why would Maggie and Alex dating make it a soap opera? Kara had relationship drama all last season, between Winn coming on too strong and her swooning over James. It’s just storytelling. And how are two queer women redundant but not 90324832094832048 straight folks? I think you’re NOT seeing what you DON’T want to see. Straight and gay women can definitely be friends, but two queer women can also exist in the same space without the universe imploding.
I’m not seeing how there being a queer character on some of the Arrowverse shows has anything to do with there being a queer lady on Supergirl. Is the logic that because there are already a few queer ladies in on the CW’s DC lineup we’ve hit our quota? If we’re discussing quotas on characters of certain demographics in the Arrowverse there better not be any straight white guys on Supergirl because last time I checked there are a metric shit ton of them floating around.
“Making Alex character gay is redundant given that Maggie Sawyer character is already there.”
That was not and would not be “redundant”, what was redundant was having Superman come into the Supergirl universe. He has his own city to protect, why did he have to invade Supergirls city?
And you say we are seeing what we want to see well maybe you are not seeing what you should see.
Why don’t you wait and see before you start talking…bye Felicia.
We’ve got a psychic in the comments!!
i feel like k jack is the kind of person who will stop watching a show once two gay characters kiss because “they’re shoving it in our faces”. I mean seriously? There’s not a quota on gay characters. And the romantic subtext between Maggie and Alex is so blatant its practically text.
I like that Valerie picked up on the fact Maggie was probably lying about the date at the end. She seemed super isistent on not missing it which makes me think that she had a date to see her daughter.(as she had a daughter in the batwoman comics with an ex)
YAAAAAAAAAS. I binged the entire season+ last week just so I could catch up for this episode and read THIS recap. I’m so happy there is some light at the end of the queer lady tunnel for us this TV season.
Valerie Anne, as always, love your recap. Thanks for articulating all of the jumbled squeeing rolling around my brain.
I’m glad you think my entire recap didn’t sound like jumbled squeeing!! :)
If they are stringing us along with this ship I’m going to fly to Hollywood and crack heads.
Since the moment the episode ended I was dying to read your recap. I’m so happy we have you here, even more so now that the wonderful Maggie/Alex relationship is (hopefully) happening.
D’aww thank you!! I’m happy to be here!!
They are too cute and I already ship it too much. This can only end in feels.
*Sigh* I have to wait a whole year for season 2 to get on Netflix. :P
The episodes are free on The CW website the next day!
Also, Netflix just recently worked out a deal with the CW where the seasons go up immediately after they end. Not six months later like with most shows.
It’s not a gaylien bar until Stahma shows up.
I think that would blow up the interwebz … I’m in! :D
I still can’t believe Maggie took Alex to The Bronze for their first date.
(i am so excited about this season, and CW Monday nights in general)
it reminded me much more of Willy’s Place than The Bronze, but w/ aliens instead of demons
This episode made me so happy ?? well done #Supergirl , well done
OMG. I spent so much time screaming and flailing while watching I might be a little light headed. My poor downstairs neighbor.
This is really happening? After first season (ahem, after the first EPISODE of season one) I was like, yeah Alex Danvers is super queer.. but they are NEVER going there. just like Marvel doesn’t go there with Maria Hill.. but now season two..
This is Betty McRae Gay, right?
If. this. ship. doesn’t. sail….. .. NO.
LOVED this recap, Valerie Ann- you are
awesome, Valerie Anne you are awesome, this recap was awesome. this episode was awesome. . yeah, posted before I finished writing that comment.
‘Betty McRae Gay’ … brilliant! :D
I am living for this recap ?. I haven’t seen this episode yet, but I’m so excited for the rest of this season!
Is Lena the big bad for the season? I don’t follow the comics so I don’t know if there is some underlining evilness to Lena but I think they have a better story for her in unveiling her true parentage. I thought the big bad was the Project Cadmus lady aka Mary Alice/ The Ice Queen/ Sally Sasser (where my SportsNight peeps at)/ Brenda Strong. I think they’d do little Freak of the Week stories and every now and again throw in a Cadmus clue.
As for Alex and Maggie, I read a TVLine article this morning which for all intents and purposes is a reputable media source and they did not shy away from labeling Alex and Maggie’s first interaction as their “meet-cute”. so it better be totally on.
Can someone please tell me what exactly Maggie said to Alex about her ex, like she was some kind of alien that uses their tongue to learn or something, I guess I was too busy seeing the fireworks between these 2 that I didn’t bother hearing the dialogue.
And my favorite moment was in the alley when Alex rolled up on that Ducati, I’m curious though as to why Maggie needed a code word but J’onn just strolled right in as someone was coming out?
And I am totally down for Miss Martian, partly because I love Sharon Leal.
And I loved the Wonder Woman references, but is President Wonder Woman a good alien or a bad alien and have they always been an alien or has an alien taken over her body like Barty Crounch Jr. taking over Mad Eye Moody?
“Can someone please tell me what exactly Maggie said to Alex about her ex, like she was some kind of alien that uses their tongue to learn or something, I guess I was too busy seeing the fireworks between these 2 that I didn’t bother hearing the dialogue.”
Alex said something about the alien’s species learning things through psychic connection by pressing their tongues together. Maggie said ~”how do you think she learned English? she’s my ex.”
I laughed.
I feel like the fact that she’s not being forthcoming about being an alien is not a good sign…but the Mad Eye Moody question is a good one!!
Someone walked out of the bar and J’onn grabbed the door before it closed.
Ok, I’m also freaking out about Alex and Maggie like everyone else but I just want to talk about this: The interactions between Kara and Lena were so flirty and gay. So. Gay. I mean, it’s a given that Alex is the main character who’s coming out but I seriously questioned it every time Kara and Lena were on screen together.
*sigh* Just one more crack ship to add to my long list.
Just wanted to point out a couple of things:
First, look at Alex’s face when Maggie tells her she generally likes aliens more than humans – Alex really melts at that. It’s the single best thing Maggie could have said to attract her. Why? Because Alex will never, ever go for anyone she thinks would have a problem with Kara, who could be a threat to Kara. I’m willing to bet that Alex has never in her life told any friend or anyone she’s dated that her sister is really an alien. She’d never want to take the risk. Finding out Maggie is so pro-alien is huge for Alex.
Second, I’ve pointed out in the past that Alex and Kara are like the old argument about Superman vs. Batman – both heroes, but which one is cooler? The one with all the amazing powers, or the one who has to do everything through smarts, skills, and tech? Alex is the Batman analogue and Kara the Superman analogue. But with Maggie coming onboard, and dating Alex, I wonder if the show might take it a step further and actually MAKE Alex the Batwoman of this universe. It would be kind of a natural way for her to evolve, especially if Maggie’s encouraging it – step out from Kara’s shadow, get some autonomy from the DEO, go out as a superhero herself. I was interested to learn last week that Alex kept the power suit that she got from Non in last year’s finale, since that suit largely levels the playing field for her against these superpowered aliens she keeps having to go up against. Between keeping the suit, dating Maggie Sawyer, and them having that masquerade thing next week that’s similar to how Maggie and Kate meet in the comics, I’m really wondering.
I’m excited for Maggie/Alex, both in itself and because of the impact on Kara and Alex’s relationship. There’s so much to mine. There’s the question of when Alex will tell Maggie the truth about Kara – if she even does. Maggie might figure it out on her own first, which would be sticky if they’re long and deep enough into the relationship that Maggie feels she really should’ve been told already. But Maggie will be okay with the Supergirl part. The part that’s the real problem is the Kara part. I’m guessing Maggie will first see how protective Alex is of Kara and, not knowing yet about Supergirl, wonder about that. When she finds out about Supergirl, she’ll understand it better. But here’s the thing: While Alex does need to stop having her entire life revolve around Kara, she’s never going to change in the most fundamental respect. What I’m trying to say is that probably initially, Kara and Alex both realize that Alex can’t just drop everything and come running for the most trivial stuff anymore – if Kara wants help figuring out what to wear and Alex is out with Maggie, Alex is staying with Maggie. That’ll be an adjustment for Kara, because she’s used to being her sister’s entire life. But she will adjust, because she does want her sister to have a life and find love, and Maggie will be happy. BUT…when it comes to something important, Alex is going to stay the same – she’s going to drop everything and come running. Maggie’s going to realize that sooner or later. Kara won’t be Alex’s entire life anymore, but she will always be the most important person in Alex’s life. The one Alex will choose over anyone or anything else, should it ever come down to a choice. So ultimately we have to see whether that’s something Maggie can live with. If the speculation that she has a kid, that she was actually leaving the DEO that night not for a date but to go home to her kid, then she should be able to understand and live with it, because of course her kid is always going to be the most important person in her own life. If she doesn’t have a child, it may be harder for her to live with knowing this about Alex. And Maggie also has to be very careful about anything she says here, because Alex’s little sister is her third rail, and Maggie touches it at her peril. If Maggie says anything critical about Kara to Alex, that’s not going to go well for her. If Maggie says anything critical to Kara’s face, in Alex’s presence, that’s REALLY not going to go well for her. This is all going to be so much fun to watch play out!!
By the by, I just have to throw in one comment about last season’s finale: When Kara and Alex battled, we got the answer to that age-old question about Superman vs. Batman, who would win? Well, Alex won that fight. It turns out that when she has the tech to level the playing field, her smarts give her the edge (Kara tried to brain her with that metal thing and it backfired because Alex knew she could use it to electrocute Kara with Kryponite.)
I think Kara was holding back in that fight because she didn’t want Alex to get hurt.
But, I agree that with all that you said about how Maggie will deal with and impact Kara and Alex’s relationship.
I meant, Kara would always be the most important person to Alex, and it would be interesting how any potential romantic interest would deal with that; and how Kara would react to them.
Kara held back at first, but when she realized that she wasn’t going to be able to convince Alex not to attack her and that Alex really would kill her if she continued to hold back, she went all in. Not that she was trying to kill Alex with the metal thing she picked up, of course, but she was looking to knock Alex out. Look at her face when she picks it up and heads over to Alex to try to brain her with it – at that point she’s fully committed to doing what she has to to end the fight before Alex kills her, even though it means hurting her sister. She was wielding a serious weapon with that metal thing, so she was all in. Only, picking it up was a mistake, one Alex recognized and took advantage of to put Kara down for the count. Good thing J’onn arrived with Eliza just then!
The one thing Alex has always had over Kara is that she’s smarter. Not that Kara is dumb – she’s just of average intelligence. But Alex is really smart – Stanford-educated, a scientist, etc. A nice character detail I have always liked and appreciated about Alex is that even though Kara routinely mentions her own powers as something that gives her an advantage over her sister in a number of ways, Alex never mentions she’s smarter. But it’s what enables her to win the fight between them.
That’s a fascinating idea; there are definitely some interesting parallels between Alex and Batwoman. However, I can’t see what would motivate Alex to take on a crime-fighting role beyond her duties at the DEO, at least on a long-term basis, when Supergirl is right there in the same town.
Well, I can imagine a couple of scenarios, actually. If something happens to take both Kara and the DEO out of the fight (but not the DEO’s technology, so maybe they’re just brought into disrepute), Alex may decide that they need someone to stand in for them; alternatively, if Alex is massively opposed to something that both Kara and the DEO agree about, she might decide they need someone to stand against them. The first scenario is impossible long-term because Supergirl is the main character, and the second, on a long-term basis, just ruins the relationship between Alex and Kara that’s so important to the show.
So, I’m hoping that although the similarities between Alex and Batwoman may contribute to her relationship with Maggie, it doesn’t mean anything beyond what you’ve already noted – that the two characters are similar.
OMG Kara fangirling over President Wonder Woman is the cutest shit I’ve seen all day. I could watch her squeee and be nervous about the President for hours :)
Just wanted to point out that if Maggie wasn’t being misleading about having a ‘hot date’ – if she’s actually dating someone who is not Alex, which is possible – then that date could be Batwoman.
It could also legitimately just be that she has a date. Not even that she is actively DATING someone, but she happens to have a single date? That’s a bit of what it sounded like to me?
Random info brought to you by my Facebook On This Day: Supergirl premiered 1 year ago on this date. I wrote “I hope this lives up to the hype.” Boy has it ever!
My TimeHop for today was me flailing around about it, because with PaleyFest and NYCC, I had already seen the pilot thrice before it aired, and was already head over heels. Happy SuperVersary to us!
I love Alex and Maggie and I think they make a cute pairing, but honestly I was just stunned about Lena’s behaviour this episode? Maybe it’s just the way Katie McGrath plays her, but she seems to constantly flirt with Kara. She’s always overjoyed to see her (as you point out in the recap) and the way she smiles and looks and Kara… or when she talks and she looks nervously and her hands. That’s not a normal conversation, that’s like me talking to someone I find highly attractive.
Passed the Bechdel test with flying colours! :)
When people point out that Alex was dating Maxwell last season, remind them that last episode Alex said that she hadn’t been on a date in two years. Yep, even she doesn’t count Maxwell Lord.
That was his name! I kept calling him Coop or Dr. Cullen because I couldn’t remember his character’s name. Yeah, that definitely wasn’t dating…
I didn’t know that DCtv said that they were going to make one of the characters gay, so when i saw the chemistry between Alex and Maggie, it was a great surprise. Besides, Alex is my favorite character in Supergirl.
The Alex/Maggie + Supergirl sneak peek of next episode was really great – makes me think they are going to be a fits like a hand in glove kinda thing. (and all the tension and angst will be from kara/lena)
Katie McGrath will always be Dates’ Kate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIuB1AQ1Up0
That finger tapping = I”d tap that. Mm-mm…
I’m so excited about Supergirl, but I wanted to say how much I appreciate your lady-positive reviews of the Flash!