Supergirl Season 2 Episode 4 Review: “Survivors”

Supergirl

The reason why so many people love the characters of Supergirl and Superman isn’t because of their powers or because of the cool suits they get to wear as they fly around and fight crime; it’s because they’re heroes that, for the most part, show more humanity than actual humans–they inspire us all to be our best. So far, Supergirl Season 2 has done a terrific job at capturing that quality in a wonderfully honest and authentic way. Even more so than in Supergirl‘s first season, Kara has been an incredibly strong role model for all people (not just women), but what makes her such a powerful icon isn’t that she always has the right answer or the correct way of doing things. Like us, Kara is growing and evolving constantly, and it’s what makes her the most relatable hero on The CW right now, even if she is from another planet.

Tonight’s episode, “Survivors,” perfectly illustrates Kara’s progression throughout the hour. Initially, she believes it’s best that Mon-El remains inside the DEO out of fear that he could be too dangerous to others; however, after speaking with her mother’s hologram, hearing Roulette’s speech about aliens, and witnessing J’onn’s struggle to connect with M’gann (more on that later), she’s able to realize that what Mon-El needs isn’t protection or imprisonment–he needs a family, people he can talk to and bond with like what Kara had with the Danvers while she was growing up on Earth. By leaving him alone at the DEO, J’onn, Kara, and Alex were only increasing Mon-El’s feelings of loneliness and isolation, but by Kara allowing him to live with her and showing him how to exist in everyday life on Earth, Mon-El will not only learn, but just like Kara, Clark, and J’onn before him, he”ll adjust to this world’s environment and its people. And who knows? Maybe he’ll end up loving it just as much as them and embrace his own inner humanity as well.

But it’s not just Mon-El’s loneliness that’s at the center of this week’s Supergirl. The theme of loneliness has been always been important on this series due to the nature of its main character, but it’s examined through many of the show’s supporting players throughout “Survivors,” specifically J’onn and M’gann. For much of the hour, we’re led to believe that both of them are, as the title of the episode would suggest, survivors, the two remaining Green Martians, and while J’onn wishes to “take the bond” with M’gann so that they can share their minds, she’s hesitant to do so. Her reasoning is understandable: while J’onn wishes to remember their home planet and the family he lost, M’gann wants to forget all of her pain and suffering. As J’onn points out while the two of them fight for Roulette, she hasn’t forgiven herself for making it off their planet alive and believes that fighting against other aliens here on Earth is the best way of dealing with and accepting that pain and loss.

There’s a chance all of that still could be true, but the reveal at the end of “Survivors,” that M’gann is actually a White Martian in disguise, suggests otherwise. Perhaps she’s the White Martian from her story, the one that broke ranks and did try to help other Green Martians escape the internment camps, but until that’s confirmed, it seems more likely that she’s someone a little more nefarious. Plus, her true identity completely explains her reluctance to bond with J’onn; as a White Martian, she probably doesn’t even have the ability to link with him mentally and emotionally and even if she does, he would discover that she’s not who she says she is.

But even if M’gann turns out to be evil and deceptive, J’onn believing in her and his willingness to accept her different approach to life shows great development from him. While he remains desperate to connect with another alien on an even deeper level than his relationship with Kara or Alex, the fact that he’s more flexible and understanding proves that he doesn’t always have to be the rigid and demanding figure that he was for most of the show’s first season.

While not all aliens that come to Earth have good intentions (just look at Draaga tonight in his two battles with Kara), Supergirl has populated itself with a bevy of alien characters that not only serve as inspirational superheroes but also as authentic and empathetic individuals. Whether it’s J’onn attempting to “take the bond” with M’gann or Mon-El trying to have fun at the bar with Winn, these alien characters, these survivors, are simply searching for what everyone in the world wants: connection. The desire to love and be loved by others is universal and something that all people can relate to, and it’s what help makes Supergirl not only the best superhero show on The CW right now but also the most human one.

Other thoughts:

That speech from Kara to the aliens at the fight club near the end of the episode should totally be corny, but it works because of how well Supergirl has constructed her character (and because of Melissa Benoist’s performance). Kara truly is that honest and noble, and it’s easy to see why the other aliens would listen to her and turn on Roulette.
One exchange that can’t help but be a little cheesy, though, is Kara’s dialogue to Draaga during their frist fight. “I’ve never killed a Kryptonian,” he tells her. “Your streak’s about to continue,” she responds. It’s total cornballs, but I still loved it.
Alex and Maggie’s connection continues to grow in this episode, as the two of them work together to shut down the alien fight club and arrest Roulette. And even though Roulette is released at the end of the episode (due to orders from some of Maggie’s higher-ups), it seems that Alex is more bothered by the fact that her new friend declines her invite for drinks so that she can go out with her girlfriend. Alex may not fully realize it yet but she’s definitely developing feelings for Maggie, and it should be interesting to how their relationship progresses throughout the rest of the season.
I was a huge fan of Chris Wood’s work as the villain Kai during The Vampire Diaries‘ sixth season, and he’s doing solid job as Mon-El so far in his couple episodes of Supergirl. He especially shines during tonight’s hour, as Mon-El is finally able to show a bit of personality and be fun, as he drinks with Winn at the bar and calls Kara’s mom a “babe.”
After Kara gets the address for Roulette’s fight club from Lena Luthor, Lena essentially tells her that she’s expecting Kara to be there for her when she needs something big. What do you think Lena has planned, and how could Kara fit into it?
So happy that Kara used her X-ray vision in tonight’s episode. We don’t see her use that power nearly enough on Supergirl.
Also, details like the one we get about about Kara’s junior prom (that she stepped on a guy’s foot while dancing and broke three of his toes) are super charming and fun and are very much appreciated. More of them, please, Supergirl writers.
“Don’t make me pout.” “She’s really good at it.” The father/daughter dynamic between J’onn and Kara and Alex remains one of my favorite things about this show.