Supergirl - S2E21 - Resist

Previously on Supergirl, “City of Lost Children”

First-time Supergirl director Millicent Shelton picked a great episode to make her debut. “Resist” has everything a superhero show should have – awesome action scenes, effective character moments, good special effects, high stakes at play, and superheroes being superheroic. The ladies are front and center, with a returning Cat Grant (the sublime Calista Flockhart) adding some much needed motivation and one-liners to the proceedings. This episode is easily my pick of the season, which comes to an end next week.

Following on from last time, National City is under Rhea’s control. It’s step one to turning Earth into New Daxam. Not only that, she wants Mon-El to marry Lena Luthor so she can harvest hybrid DNA for future use. Or something. Maybe she’s just being a mean mommy. Anyway, neither of them is too pleased about this nasty turn of events, but Rhea leaves them with little choice but to go ahead with the nuptials. At least Lena gets to wear an amazing red dress.

The remnants of DEO set up a temporary safehouse at the alien dive bar, and monitor events from there. Superman is nowhere to be found, but it’s presumed he’s out there fighting for the cause. President Marsdin (Lynda Carter, also returning) is on Air Force One, trying to talk sense into Rhea. So is Cat Grant, along for the ride after hanging out with the Dalai Lama. Her attempts at mediation are hilarious, but ultimately unsuccessful. An alien assault on the aircraft results in Supergirl rescuing Cat, and Marsdin revealing herself to be an alien refugee from the planet Durla. She has also been Cat’s friend since college.

“At least tell me you’re still a Democrat,” says Cat.

As if this wasn’t enough for Team Supergirl, Lillian Luthor from CADMUS, Kara’s sworn enemy for much of the season, drops by and offers her help. Of course, Lillian is only looking after her daughter, who’s still held captive on Rhea’s ship. Cat persuades Kara to use whatever options are available to ensure her loved ones’ safety. Calista Flockhart’s return as mentor to Kara/Supergirl is very welcome. Not that she’s been badly missed throughout the season, but she has been missed all the same. She grounds Kara in ways none of the other team can.

With J’onn J’onzz still comatose, Cyborg Superman, Hank Henshaw, gives David Harewood a chance to show his inner ham. The uneasy alliance of him, Kara, and Lillian come up with a plan to use Superman’s Fortress of Solitude as a way of getting on board Rhea’s ship. Superman has a device there that uses the power of the Phantom Zone. Winn and Cat head to CatCo and use Cat’s considerable charisma to rally up the citizens of National City via a live broadcast into resisting their invaders. This distraction works. While Rhea is sending additional troops down to the city to find and kill Cat, Kara and her two untrustworthy cohorts manage to sneak on board the queen’s ship and rescue Lena and Mon-El. Not that the latter duo are totally helpless. Mon-El sucker-punches his way out of the cell after their marriage ceremony was cut short, while Lena is not in any way your typical damsel in distress.

The rescue team is on a time schedule, though. President Marsdin is literally taking no prisoners. She orders Alex to fire a positron cannon on the ship (always a handy weapon to have up your sleeve), regardless of whether or not Kara has managed to succeed in her mission. Alex is waiting until the last possible moment before following the executive order. As expected, Lillian and Hank betray Kara and strand them on the ship. Lena is appalled by the betrayal. But some quick-thinking earlier in the episode allows Kara and Mon-El to follow them back to safety. Only Kara elects to stay behind, hoping to force Rhea into surrendering before her ship is destroyed. Just as Alex is about to open fire on the ship, it is destroyed by alien attack. Kara is not only stuck on board with Rhea, but Superman is there, too – and he’s under Rhea’s control.

The scene is set for a climactic showdown of Kryptonian and Daxamite proportions. Bring it on!

I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better penultimate episode of a season than this one. The writers and director have taken everything that worked so far and turned “Resist” into the episode all Supergirl fans have hoped for. The reveal of Superman at the end was unexpected, and it seems fair to say that we’ll get a Supergirl v Superman battle that will put the BvS movie to shame. It was also cool to see The Guardian get a moment in the spotlight, too. Not that he got to brag too much about it, though – Cat saw through his disguise pretty easily. It’s the eyes, you see. They give away everything. (Kara, take note.)