Spoilers Supergirl - Season 1

[Scout101]

Know they had to take Superman out of the equation, but seemed like another silly point. They've got a device that blocks the signal, right? Couldn't Kara just go slap one on Superman and double their numbers? Seemed odd to just shrug it off and say he's lost.

Also, would think that in their 'nature vs. nurture' debate there, nature would have to win. He THINKS of himself as more human, but the brain and wiring is still Kryptonian, so either the signal should affect both races, or neither. Doesn't matter if you think you're a dolphin, if you've got a human brain and that's what the signal is being broadcast at, you're sunk. If it's ignoring kryptonians, growing up on a farm shouldn't make you open to it; it doesn't make those changes...

 

[Christopher]

Know they had to take Superman out of the equation, but seemed like another silly point. They've got a device that blocks the signal, right? Couldn't Kara just go slap one on Superman and double their numbers? Seemed odd to just shrug it off and say he's lost.

Remember, Holo-Alura said that once Myriad is activated, it can't be reversed. The only reason Max and Cat were unaffected was because they were already wearing the "ion blockers" before the signal kicked in. (Although that doesn't quite add up, because why would Cat have put earrings on at night and kept them on until the following morning?)

I was actually almost hoping that Cat would turn out to be unaffected because she was just too self-absorbed and oblivious for anything to penetrate her mind. But that would've been a bit too silly.

Also, would think that in their 'nature vs. nurture' debate there, nature would have to win. He THINKS of himself as more human, but the brain and wiring is still Kryptonian, so either the signal should affect both races, or neither. Doesn't matter if you think you're a dolphin, if you've got a human brain and that's what the signal is being broadcast at, you're sunk. If it's ignoring kryptonians, growing up on a farm shouldn't make you open to it; it doesn't make those changes...

Not necessarily. The device is controlling brains, not bodies, so presumably it's targeted at specific patterns of brain activity. There's also neuroplasticity to consider. The structure of our brains is not set at birth; it develops in response to our experience. That's how a neural network like the brain functions -- its potential pathways are selected for by experience and learning, while the other potential pathways are pruned away. Kryptonians are quite similar to humans, so presumably their brains develop in much the same way. So since Clark was raised from infancy on Earth, that would have affected the physical development of his brain as well as its psychological development -- because those are the same thing, despite old discredited notions of Cartesian dualism.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Y

Not sure these quick off-hand remarks could really be considered "lecturing", but whatever. Clearly this is something that really jumps out at you for some reason.

I'm talking about the overt social or political statements made throughout most episodes, not just last night's story.

Yeah there might have been a bit too much angst and indecisiveness from Kara this episode, but we still see an awful lot of that from Barry as well (even though he should be a whole lot more confident and experienced by now).

True about Barry. but Supergirl tries to act "in charge," but needs constant reassurance / inspiration, when she should be more experienced by now.

 

[davejames]

Eh that's just one of those conceits we have to live with in superhero shows and movies-- they spend most of the time questioning themselves and whether they can really do what needs to be done... until the very end when they finally take control and kick ass.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Know they had to take Superman out of the equation, but seemed like another silly point. They've got a device that blocks the signal, right? Couldn't Kara just go slap one on Superman and double their numbers?

No, if the "no full-on Superman on the show" rule holds, then there was no way there would be any direct contact with Superman. That's why all we see are silhouettes, CG figures in the distance, and text messages. One can only hope that rule is broken in the season finale.

Also, would think that in their 'nature vs. nurture' debate there, nature would have to win. He THINKS of himself as more human, but the brain and wiring is still Kryptonian, so either the signal should affect both races, or neither. Doesn't matter if you think you're a dolphin, if you've got a human brain and that's what the signal is being broadcast at, you're sunk. If it's ignoring kryptonians, growing up on a farm shouldn't make you open to it; it doesn't make those changes...

...particularly because Superman is a complete alien, genetically detached from anyone or thing native to earth that would be subject to manipulation by Non. As you note, Kal El can think he's human, but in this FANTASY story, Myriad is designed to work on the human mind, which has no connection to Kryptonian minds. In truth, this entire gimmick was to explain away the now routine audience question of why Superman never comes to aid Supergirl, when the truth of the matter rests behind the scenes, not that weak "he was raised as a human" nonsense.

 

[Icemizer]

A better explanation would have been that those who had been in the Phantom Zone are no longer affected by Myriad. It messed with the brain chemistry or something. This would have allowed Supes to still fall under its affect without the silly he grew up on Earth story.

 

[JD]

One other thing I got a kick out of was Gen. Lane calling the President a she. They announced a while back that they wanted Lynda Carter to play their President, so I can't help but wonder (oops, no pun intended) if that was a set up for an appearance by her next week and/or next season.

 

[Christopher]

One other thing I got a kick out of was Gen. Lane calling the President a she. They announced a while back that they wanted Lynda Carter to play their President, so I can't help but wonder (oops, no pun intended) if that was a set up for an appearance by her next week and/or next season.

Hold on, that's a problem, since Cat Grant has already namedropped both Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. So is Lynda Carter's character the president instead of Barack Obama, with the rest of the election being pretty much the same as (what we laughingly call) reality? Will she only be in office until next January 20? That would kind of preclude it being a recurring role.

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

Kevin Smith claims an upcoming episode will make fans cry. Almost sound like someone is going bye-bye--the hard way.

Death watch lands on Supergirl? Its not just a Walking Dead & Game of Thrones thing anymore!

 

[Romulan_spy]

No, if the "no full-on Superman on the show" rule holds, then there was no way there would be any direct contact with Superman. That's why all we see are silhouettes, CG figures in the distance, and text messages. One can only hope that rule is broken in the season finale.

I really hope that they do break the "no superman on the show" rule. For one, I think coming up with reasons why Superman cannot help Supergirl is going to get ridiculous after awhile. Second, I think having Superman on the show as a "special event" episode would be truly epic and interesting to watch.

 

[Christopher]

I really hope that they do break the "no superman on the show" rule. For one, I think coming up with reasons why Superman cannot help Supergirl is going to get ridiculous after awhile. Second, I think having Superman on the show as a "special event" episode would be truly epic and interesting to watch.

Maybe next season.

I've had the thought, though, that it might be interesting if they did a mostly offscreen "Death of Superman" arc for a season, or at least for a couple of episodes. Maybe our characters would go to Metropolis for the funeral and we'd meet Lois and Perry. Although he would, of course, have to turn up alive eventually, and that would be hard to resolve if they couldn't actually show him.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Kevin Smith claims an upcoming episode will make fans cry. Almost sound like someone is going bye-bye--the hard way.

I thought the episode last night telegraphed pretty strongly that Alex is toast.

It's the scene where she and Hank are leaving her mother's house, Alex goes to tell her mother that they believe Jeremiah Danvers is alive in some way, Hank stops her, and Alex says she'll tell her mom everything when she returns.

That's a pretty classic trope. "I'm going to tell you this big important secret, but I'm going to get interrupted, then die before I can tell you."

 

[TREK_GOD_1]

I thought the episode last night telegraphed pretty strongly that Alex is toast.

It's the scene where she and Hank are leaving her mother's house, Alex goes to tell her mother that they believe Jeremiah Danvers is alive in some way, Hank stops her, and Alex says she'll tell her mom everything when she returns.

That's a pretty classic trope. "I'm going to tell you this big important secret, but I'm going to get interrupted, then die before I can tell you."

When reading the Smith link, I thought Alex, and since she's being forced to fight SG with the same weapon that killed Bad Aunt, I would not be surprised if it all goes down in one of several ways:

1. She breaks her mind control long enough to try fighting Non, but he (or Indigo) mortally wounds her.
2. Supergirl refuses to fight her (and JJ is nowhere around to intervene), and goes into a 10 minute, cry session about how Alex is her sister, which breaks Alex out of mind control, and as a result of her failure, one of the villains kills her.
3. In a "plus one" Return of the Jedi type of moment, Supergirl and/or JJ (Luke) are moments away from being killed, only for Alex (Vader) to break out of mind control to attack either villain, killing one, but dying at the hands of the other, which leads Supergirl to kill.

The series could move on without Alex, and force Supergirl to toughen up, knowing she cannot save everyone.

 

[C.E. Evans]

I really hope that they do break the "no superman on the show" rule. For one, I think coming up with reasons why Superman cannot help Supergirl is going to get ridiculous after awhile. Second, I think having Superman on the show as a "special event" episode would be truly epic and interesting to watch.

I dunno, I really like the idea that Superman can't be everywhere all the time and needs someone else to step up to the plate when he's busy somewhere else.

 

[davejames]

I seriously doubt they'd kill off Alex for good, given how hugely important the sister relationship clearly is to the show.

The only ones I can really see getting killed off are Hank, Lucy, or the foster mother.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Still, I generally prefer talking to fighting.

False dichotomy. There's a happy medium between those extremes, like super-rescues and other lifesaving feats.

I just feel that they overdid the hand-wringing this time...in retrospect, it seems very much like they were padding out the first part of a two-parter. Part of the feeling may have owed something to the fact that her two usual sounding boards, James and Winn, weren't themselves. Interacting with them might have livened things up a little.

Hold on, that's a problem, since Cat Grant has already namedropped both Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Not a problem if President Carter is a first-term Republican.

 

[Romulan_spy]

I dunno, I really like the idea that Superman can't be everywhere all the time and needs someone else to step up to the plate when he's busy somewhere else.

I don't think that idea is inconsistent with the idea of a "special event" episode. You could do a special episode like a season finale where Superman shows up to help Supergirl against a unique global threat. The episode just has to make it clear that this is special exception and that Superman still needs Supergirl to take of things on her own because he is busy. I am not suggesting that Superman show up regularly on Supergirl. I am only suggesting that he show up as a special episode.

 

[The Old Mixer]

They could get more use out of Tiny CGI Superman if they did a story that has Supergirl liberating a miniaturized clone of Superman from Cadmus, after which she carries him around in a secret pouch for when she needs help....

 

[tomalak301]

Social and political lecturing has been one of the only hallmarks (albeit negative) of the series. Its in nearly every episode, when the focus should have been building a solid representation of the source.

A lot of it is subtle or used as a quick one off though. It didn't bother me until last night where it felt "Ripped from the Headlines" and it was quite overt.

But its nothing new; how many episodes have James giving her a "hope" or "duty" speech? He's been giving her pep talks to this insecure heroine over and over again, which is contradictory storytelling, since the series has her stomping about, full of of confidence, and thinking she knows what to do...yet she always needs her weekly session on the couch to get by.

I understand what you're saying about the same speech every week, but the dynamic between Cat and Kara/Supergirl is one of the things I love about this show to the point where I overlook it. It worked again last night

Do you mean the redshirt victim, or James and Winn? Either way, it would not be effective, as no one had even a moment of doubt that James and Winn would be saved, while the redshirt was faceless, so the audience had no emotional investment in her fate.

Yes I mean the redshirt victim. We never saw her before so that scene kinda sucked.

 

[Christopher]

I seriously doubt they'd kill off Alex for good, given how hugely important the sister relationship clearly is to the show.

The only ones I can really see getting killed off are Hank, Lucy, or the foster mother.

I can't believe they'd kill off J'onn J'onzz after just one season. If anyone's going to get killed off other than the bad guys, I'd expect it to be Max Lord. He's been going through a redemption arc lately, and sacrificing himself to save the world could be a logical end point for that. Also, it would resolve the problem of him knowing Supergirl's identity.

They could get more use out of Tiny CGI Superman if they did a story that has Supergirl liberating a miniaturized clone of Superman from Cadmus, after which she carries him around in a secret pouch for when she needs help....

Or maybe she encounters an alien ship whose radiation gives her the strange new superpower to shoot a miniature Superman out of her fingers...

Yes I mean the redshirt victim. We never saw her before so that scene kinda sucked.

As I mentioned before, the actress has appeared in bit roles three times before, presumably as the same character. But they didn't give her any lines, so she might as well have been brand new.