Supergirl Episode 3.18 "Shelter From the Storm" (SPOILERS)

[SV Fan]

On a side note who the hell wouldn't choose Irma over Supergirl. Supergirl is good looking but Irma is smoking hot

 

[Brierrose]

So Lena has a spray can of industrial strength Kryptonite, how is that not going to be an issue at a later date.

 

[Loki882]

I'm completely on Team Lena here. She a woman who's involved in all kinds of charitable/humanitarian endeavors, who builds hospitals for kids, has risked her own life to help out repeatedly before, and who was even willing to go through with Rhea's sham marriage last season just to save a bunch of kid's lives.

There's literally NOTHING given so far that points to her being evil. Willing to go further than the other hero's, sure, but that's not the same thing. And if they STILL cannot trust her even now, then some friends they are.

Also when the people who are affected by Kryptonite can rip buildings apart like tissue paper, and there have been MULTIPLE evil ones running around in the recent past, AND Superman himself was mind-controlled to attack Kara last season AND this is the only stuff known to hurt them consistently, having some of it around "just in case" is not at all inappropriate.

Also Superman got angry when the DEO had Kryptonite and was only pacified when they gave it up. So it's not even a "well Lena's a private citizen," ignoring the fact that there's been nothing stated in-show about Kryptonite being a banned substance that only the government can possess, it's having Kryptonite AT ALL that seems to upset the Super-family.

Heck in the comics Superman even gave Batman a piece of kryptonite just in case because he trusted the latter.

 

[SSAV]

So.. Evidently, you should not lie! That is the moral here.

I am not sure how to grade these episodes (even though I have already done it). I was okay to side with Kara while it was a Luthor trust issue that was about Lena keeping things from her. But the whole, I don't want anyone in the world to have Kryptonite seemed not just off but wrong. Kara came across as a jack ass there.

It seemed kind of out of character when in S1 and S2, Kara (unlike Clark) was kind of okay with DEO having Kryptonite. She didn't even get angry with Alex and J'onn for losing a bunch of Kryptonite (how much do they have exactly?).

On other hand, if they are going for "Supergirl is really prejudicial; she needs to learn that her lack of trust is causing Lena to lose trust in her" then, I kind of like that arc. Except they are wishy washy in actually being persistent with that theme.

In S2, they had the chance to make Kara be just prejudicial about Daxam with Daxam just having a different culture not a bad culture. Instead, they went with Kara being in the right there.

Even this season, they are going back and forth whether Kara's "being human is bad" is actually prejudicial or not. I am unable to predict where she would go in a situation and that is character inconsistency. So, then, how can I take it as growth when she finally recognises her prejudices?

Also.. Someone should know Ruby enough to know that keeping such a huge secret was going to backfire badly. Also, while we are at it.. how cruel is it to imprison a 12-year old (or any young kid) in such a huge mansion with no company; and not telling her what is happening to her mother. I am a bit surprised she didn't run away.

I can't believe Lena thought that that was actually a good thing.

Alex was weird not telling the truth to Ruby as well.

 

[flickchick85]

how cruel is it to imprison a 12-year old (or any young kid) in such a huge mansion with no company; and not telling her what is happening to her mother. I am a bit surprised she didn't run away.

It's kind of funny/sad when you think that this was Lena's idea, and she probably wouldn't even realize it was cruel because it was likely what a "normal" childhood in the Luthor household looked like, lol.

 

[SSAV]

It's kind of funny/sad when you think that this was Lena's idea, and she probably wouldn't even realize it was cruel because it was likely what a "normal" childhood in the Luthor household looked like, lol.

Yes. It is kind of a subtle glimpse into Lena's mind. I am impressed.

Especially if the learning is not that Kara is wrong about Kryptonite* but that Lena didn't have the social/ethical understanding and upbringing required to realise that a person privately having a radioactive material is quite not the right thing or the same thing as a government/state agency having it. And that Lena could have never realised this on her own and Kara failed in her friendship because she didn't provide the necessary support or trust that could have helped Lena because of Kara's own prejudice.

(In fact, she seems to make the same argument with respect to Alex and DEO secrets in the previous episode. That government having secrets is the same thing as her keeping stuff from the government.)

*on Kryptonite. I considered it character inconsistency that Kara would want all the Kryptonite for herself considering she or any Kryptonian can be dangerous to humans and there is no check on their powers; however, it has been pointed out to me that she didn't say that.

(Well, she did or may be I remember incorrectly.) But the implication was otherwise, because she asked Lena to hand over the Kryptonite to Alex and the DEO. Considering that is how it has always been for Kara (before Clark took all the Kryptonite), I can understand that.

Kryptonite, unlike guns and other stuff, is radioactive and harmful for kryptonians in the way that Uranium 235/238 would be harmful for humans. So, it should be regulated and shouldn't be in the hands of private citizens including Kara (and Clark). It should be in the hands of the government. Now, whether government can misuse it is a whole other discussion.

If so, the central arc of the story is not Kara has a god complex but that Kara has a Luthor prejudice. That doesn't seem too bad. I should have ranked the episode higher.

By the way, I don't mean Luthor prejudice is not wrong. All I mean is that it is not inconsistent and could be an area where Kara fails thus leading to one of her worst mistakes. I do wish though that there is some discussion surrounding this.

The Luthor would always be a Luthor thing still troubles me. I mean, it is clear as you said flickchick85 that it is her upbringing and Kara's prejudice that are the culprit here; however, how many folks would understand that; or instead go with blood tells (horrifying ideology). I wish they had made someone else into a villain if that was their intent. Or, made Lena into an actual adopted child instead of a blood relative.

Spoiler

A reason--one of the many--I loved Star Wars: Last Jedi was that it showed anybody can have the force; blood doesn't matter. I don't think blood tells is a good lesson for any show to have. Although genetics can play a factor; upbringing can counter act it. And there are countless other variables.

 

[Loki882]

Spoiler

The Last Jedi thing was actually garbage imo. Because it's already been well-established for DECADES that you don't have to be a Skywalker to be a powerful Force User. Heck the Rebels TV Show was already doing that at the same time, this is NOT a new concept. All that TLJ "accomplished" was trashing the Skywalkers and their legacy, to tell us something that we already knew, garbage pure garbage.

Anyway I'm also not buying the Kryptonian argument. There are literally no other guaranteed counters to Kryptonians on this show that we've seen, none. Whereas there are thousands of ways to kill humans. So no, I don't see any difference at all between having Kryptonite and having a gun, the "Uranium" argument is nonsense. Also there's been NOTHING whatsoever indicated on the show so far that Kryptonite is considering a WMD or that it's illegal for private citizens to have.

Kara is nothing more than a self-righteous, holier than thou hypocrite here. Also she didn't seem to mind using lead, which is basically the Daxamite's version of Kryptonite, against them last season (including killing their queen in the process).

 

[shabadoo25]

All of these DCW shows are suffering from attempts at greater complexity in drama and plot running up against what he have already seen from characters and as always, the budgetary limitations of TV.

So, I don't know what's coming up, but will Reign break free again? Not looking forward to next week's Jimmy ep at all.

 

[SSAV]

Spoiler

The Last Jedi thing was actually garbage imo. Because it's already been well-established for DECADES that you don't have to be a Skywalker to be a powerful Force User. Heck the Rebels TV Show was already doing that at the same time, this is NOT a new concept. All that TLJ "accomplished" was trashing the Skywalkers and their legacy, to tell us something that we already knew, garbage pure garbage.

Anyway I'm also not buying the Kryptonian argument. There are literally no other guaranteed counters to Kryptonians on this show that we've seen, none. Whereas there are thousands of ways to kill humans. So no, I don't see any difference at all between having Kryptonite and having a gun, the "Uranium" argument is nonsense. Also there's been NOTHING whatsoever indicated on the show so far that Kryptonite is considering a WMD or that it's illegal for private citizens to have.

Kara is nothing more than a self-righteous, holier than thou hypocrite here. Also she didn't seem to mind using lead, which is basically the Daxamite's version of Kryptonite, against them last season (including killing their queen in the process).

I didn't actually realise that it is not a US law not to have radioactive material lying around or private citizens having that. Anyways, as you say, it should not be Kara's decision to make. It should be a neutral agency.

And.. I still believe it is Kara's lack of trust owing to prejudice that is at play here more than her "god" complex or self-righteousness. But, that is just my perspective. After all, there is no one way of looking at this.

Just to be clear: I don't mind Kara being wrong or prejudicial. I mind Kara being inconsistent and her character being changed to fit the narrative.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I thought this was a good episode, one of the best this season, the conflict between Lena and Supergirl is good as it's not one sided, in fact I found myself agreeing with Lena in majority.

The mansion sequence was the best action the show has had since the Toyman episode, and it's the best fight they've shot with Reign, up until this point I was wondering if Odette simply wasn't cut out for stunt fighting as we knowq Melissa can do it, but so far the combat between Supergirl and Reign has been very clunky.

I love Alex.

The elevator scene at the end was so awkward in the best way, I actually thought Kara was going to slip up and Lena was going to guess that she's Supergirl.

This season has been a mixed bag but I do like the complexity they have aimed for with both Sam and Lena.

Did anyone notice the mention of The Eradicator? Season 4 villain perhaps?

On a side note who the hell wouldn't choose Irma over Supergirl. Supergirl is good looking but Irma is smoking hot

There's a lot more to love than looks.

-The action was better-directed here than the last 2 eps. For an Arrow director, Antonio Negret made a better transition to Supergirl than his fellow Arrow vet James Bamford did, that's for sure. Wouldn't mind seeing him direct this show again.

Which ep did Bam direct?

Heck in the comics Superman even gave Batman a piece of kryptonite just in case because he trusted the latter.

Exactly, this whole attitude from Kara and Kal in the show feels off IMO, in the comics Clark in particular has always realized the need for there to be a defense against him in case things go sideways.

 

[Thome216]

Missed it last night and just finished it. A very good episode.

Really liked the situation with J'onn and his father, although I wish they had pushed the Alzheimer's story line back a season just so we could have more episodes with a lucid M'yrnn. It would have been good to get to know the character and even have him help them on a number of cases before they started 'losing' him. I think it would have had a lot more impact.

Loved Winn and Brainy's bro-moment and the nanny-cam. 'And he thought he was a 1.4!'

I think it's good that Mon'el isn't gone yet. It was nice seeing him in his suit again, and having a dual battle in which the 'cape-fighting' technique was used to good effect. I hope they still pull it out of the tool box every now and then as it seems to work.

Though, now he does need to go 'Back to the Future!' and be with his wife.

Lena's idea to hide Ruby in the mansion turned out to be a good one, and Ruby was safe if also bored out of her young mind because of it. The only problem with security came when Alex could not police her own phone... C'mon Alex, twelve year olds can sniff out phones anywhere, much less them being left in plain sight!

Odette was awesome as Reign, once again, and I will say she looked far more threatening and menacing without the mask than with it! It was Sam's face but it was Reign underneath it and that worked out really good visually. It was especially poignant when Ruby lifted the gun with the intent of killing Reign, only for her to finally see what everyone was hiding from her. Poor kid...

Now, for Supergirl and Lena... Supergirl is so in the wrong here. Once again her actions show that her trust in others suffers when she is frightened. Her fear is understandable, but Lena has again and again proven her trustworthiness and desire to not be like the rest of her family.

Never more so than in the elevator. Quite a shock for Kara to hear that her actions make her no better than Lillian in Lena's eyes. We had better have a scene where Kara is eating some massive Kryptonian crow and asking for Lena's forgiveness. The way the character has been written previously, I would expect no less from Kara than to own up to her mistakes.

If she doesn't, then it is just the writers trying to force a plot line.

Again, Lena has proven herself to be far more of an ally than any feared-for villain. Which is why I really hope they are not going that route with her. Having a friendly, trustworthy Luthor is actually the oddity that they need to be refining and not going back to the trite old 'Bad Luthor' formula.

If they need that, then yes get Lillian or Lex back and let them carry the bad Luthor torch. Leave Lena out of it!

 

[Thome216]

And talk about odes to Superman the Movie, how about Reign drilling down through the floor in a classic Superman move!t:

 

[Frodo]

And talk about odes to Superman the Movie, how about Reign drilling down through the floor in a classic Superman move!t:

Yeah I noticed that too, in addition to the gunfire and flame homage down the corridor. They also did a Superman Returns nod with Reign hovering about the city in meditation.

Great episode. I liked the elevator scene with Lena alot since it was what Kara needed to hear.

 

[shabadoo25]

Supergirl has been acting insufferable and Kara has been MIA. Glad to see her appear finally.

 

[Kelly]

I don't think so at all.....I'm actually tired of her apologizing. It's freaking Kryptonite, no one was upset with how Superman was acting towards Jonn about the Kryptonite. Didn't hear one word from anyone....so not sure why Kara's reaction is held to a different standard.

 

[Kelly]

And talk about odes to Superman the Movie, how about Reign drilling down through the floor in a classic Superman move!t:

Yeah I noticed that too, in addition to the gunfire and flame homage down the corridor. They also did a Superman Returns nod with Reign hovering about the city in meditation.

Great episode. I liked the elevator scene with Lena alot since it was what Kara needed to hear.

They almost did the drill with Supergirl this season, Jonn stopped her, and then they also did the homage to StM with Supergirl hovering over the city, in the first episode of this season.

 

[Thome216]

They almost did the drill with Supergirl this season, Jonn stopped her, and then they also did the homage to StM with Supergirl hovering over the city, in the first episode of this season.

I remember that! I chuckled.

I think it's not so much her reaction to the Kryptonite as it is her reaction to Lena having it, and being able to make more. Kara is understandably frightened of it, and as she is not afraid of much, she is possibly overreacting. That coupled with Lena's heritage may be exposing a level of distrust (towards Lena) in Supergirl that maybe even she wasn't aware of.
Which is crazy, as Lena has ended up on her side after every confrontation with Lillian and Cadmus.

 

[Frodo]

They almost did the drill with Supergirl this season, Jonn stopped her, and then they also did the homage to StM with Supergirl hovering over the city, in the first episode of this season.

Aaah, I forgot about those. You have a good memory.t:.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I don't think so at all.....I'm actually tired of her apologizing. It's freaking Kryptonite, no one was upset with how Superman was acting towards Jonn about the Kryptonite. Didn't hear one word from anyone....so not sure why Kara's reaction is held to a different standard.

I think more people have spoken on it this time due to what ena said, her words rang true for a lot of people, and as Loki pointed out, in cannon Superman knows Batman has Kryptonite and understands why.

 

[Sithborg]

I will miss Brainy.

Solid episode. I could here the screaming of tumblr over that opening scene, though. I continue to love Alex's suit. And some more pieces toward my theory about Ruby at the end of the season.

 

[flickchick85]

Which ep did Bam direct?

"Survivors" from S2 (the alien fight club one). Not only was the action fairly clunky in it, but he has this annoying habit of making Melissa do the "Supergirl pose" at the dumbest moments (like, say, mid-fight). He did it in the Arrow crossover ep he directed with her too. He should just...never direct Supergirl (the character or the show) again.

I don't think so at all.....I'm actually tired of her apologizing. It's freaking Kryptonite, no one was upset with how Superman was acting towards Jonn about the Kryptonite. Didn't hear one word from anyone....so not sure why Kara's reaction is held to a different standard.

Actually, I recall a lot of people having a problem with that back then, too. That said, I think the reason it sticks out more this time, is because Clark's problem was with a government agency (which, to paraphrase Captain America, is run by people with changing agendas) having it, while it was left open to headcanon what Superman actually did with the Kryptonite when he took it away (I know many people like myself choose to believe he gave it to someone trusts, like Batman or someone, and didn't just destroy it, like the Supes of the comics would have done). Whereas this is Kryptonite manufactured by one person, her "best friend" (someone she has claimed over and over to trust), specifically to help save their other "best friend," which is a perfectly logical (and necessary) reason to have made it.

The other aspect that makes this behavior odd is that Kara was perfectly ok with the DEO having and using Kryptonite on the regular (even on her, to train) for over a season on this show. So for her to totally flip out on Lena now (the person she claimed she'd always believe in), when her reason for making it actually makes sense and helps them, just...rings a bit false, imo. Like they just needed Kara to flip out for the sake of the plot they want to tell now. I mean, I'm actually ok with it because I'm enjoying the drama it's bringing, but it still just doesn't feel totally in-character for Kara to me. Right now I'm just reading it as Kara having a certain "Luthor" bias that she always claimed not to have. Which, considering she called Lena a Luthor to her face in the previous episode, may be what they're going for. But it doesn't make Kara especially sympathetic here, tbh.

They almost did the drill with Supergirl this season, Jonn stopped her, and then they also did the homage to StM with Supergirl hovering over the city, in the first episode of this season.

Didn't she also do something like that when fighting Red Tornado in S1 as well?

 

[Kelly]

She might have gone over the top some, but she apologized.....and reinforced that when talking with Winn about Lena and saying that she trusted. Whereas Lena, going to Kara slams Supergirl and she will never talk to her again.

So, in the end....still a Super/Luthor problem. That's fine with me.....

But, honestly.....none of that was necessarily my biggest problem with the episode. AN EPISODE, I quite enjoyed actually.....but once again, in the end it isn't Supergirl saving the day. Getting pretty tired of that scenario....

And I get that Reign can kick her ass.....we saw that quite clearly in the Fall finale.....I would like for Supergirl to at the least slam Reign around a little more.

My god Supergirl spends more time on the ground than any superhero I have ever seen. Melissa can probably take naps in between takes because she ends up on the ground in every damn scene.

 

[Kelly]

I think more people have spoken on it this time due to what ena said, her words rang true for a lot of people, and as Loki pointed out, in cannon Superman knows Batman has Kryptonite and understands why.

I'm still tired of her apologizing....

And I get Lena is trying to be the good Luthor, etc....but both mother and brother are the Supes worst enemies, and Lena took a step in the direction of Max Lord by manufacturing Kryptonite....YES for a good reason, but without Supergirl's knowledge and IMO, she should have been the first to know and should have been brought in immediately.....ESPECIALLY since Sam begged her to get Supergirl and Alex. Then said there is no more Kryptonite, and whelp....lookie there. Soooo....is that behavior you can trust? not in my book.


BUT....it looks like Lena has no clue Kara and Supergirl are the same person looking at the discussion in the elevator. SMH.....

 

[Lencho01]

The Superman I moment was cool to see.

I lowkey thought Lex's mansion was gonna be the one from Smallville.

Pretty easy to not side with Kara over the Kryptonite.

They really just go back and forth with what Kryptonite can do against Reign.

I laughed when Reign kicked Alex's gun away. And when Ruby was so ready to just gun down Reign.

 

[Brierrose]

They really just go back and forth with what Kryptonite can do against Reign.

Lena said she super-charged the Kryptonite just for Reign. That’s consistent with the DEO having to concentrate what they had from Corvell and Kara injecting it in S3E10.