Supergirl Season Three Wrap Up

Supergirl Season three ended just last week, crazy as that is to say. But a long hiatus in the winter has led to an early summer finale. And here we are.

I debated on trying to put together a wrap up post. I haven't had the luxury of going back and watching the episodes again. I am basing most of what I am writing here on overall recollection and feel for the characters and plots. So bear with me if I don't give specifics or forget conflicting scenes.

What I can tell you is that I feel this season sort of limped to a close. I think back to the midseason finale, right after Reign pummeled Kara, right after a major plot thread was showcased, and I remember being excited. That Reign/Supergirl fight was brutal and palpable. Kara trying to bury her humanity seemed like a mistake. And the supporting characters, while dealing with issues of their own, were helping us tell Supergirl's story. We even got an incredible crossover where Supergirl and her evil doppelganger Overgirl played key parts. This was her show.

Then the middle portion of the season seemed to refocus on the supporting characters. We got a bit more muddled in the main plotline of the threat of Reign. What was she? Who was she?  We began to dip into some clunky 'relevant stories. I was still able to see some of that struggle Kara was having with embracing her humanity but it seemed to be more in the background.

Then the hiatus came and momentum seemed to be lost.

And finally when the show came back, we seemed to get even more confused. The Mon-El love plot took up more time. We got several episodes which very forcibly shoved a political agenda down the viewers' throats. These weren't stories with a lesson; these were agendas with a story built around it. And the mythos behind Reign and Argo City and valleys and swords came at us so fast that there was nothing consistent to hang on to. We spent much more time with supporting characters such that Kara felt like a guest star on her own show. And, unfortunately, time and time again someone saved Supergirl and not the other way around.

So much story and time seemed wasted such that saying goodbye to the Legion, her mother, her ex-lover, her friend, and her boss all happened in the span of 10 minutes with little effort to show what that even meant for Supergirl and her life.

We peaked early.

Next season I hope we Kara back in the spotlight. Let it be her show, her adventures.

On to specific plots.

1) Kara and Humanity - 
We open the season with a Kara still mourning the loss of Mon-El. While we can debate the merits of Mon-El (and will later), it was interesting to see that Supergirl's response was to close herself off from her friends and family. Melissa Benoist was able to convey that so powerfully in those early episodes. Brilliantly, the writers did a good job of comparing and contrasting and commenting on this with all sorts of plots. Sam's struggles with her humanity. The idea of people worshiping her as a goddess. The presence of the cold Overgirl. The idea that being 'cold and Kryptonian' led to a vicious beatdown. Even the flashbacks to Midvale and the presence of Streaky in her mind-prison, how the presence of Kara led to her awakening from a coma ... it all worked. It seemed that the purpose of this was to show how being human was in fact power and that being purely Kryptonian like Reign was wrong.

Unfortunately, this seemed to get shelved a bit. I though that sending her 'back home' to Argo with the chance to live as Kara Zor-El not Kara Danvers would again showcase this. But that plot was done so fast that I just couldn't get invested. I mean we saw Alura and Thara Ak-Var on Argo! I should be floored.

And the Mon-El potential romance just seemed to get way too much air time. I suppose this Kara is in a better place at the end of the season, realizing that Earth is her home even while Mom and other Kryptonians float through space in a virtual prison. 

It is a shame the build up of those first episodes fizzled.

2) Reign
First things first. I am extremely impressed with Odette Annable and her ability to juggle the two roles of Sam and Reign. She was able to tell me, just with a glance, who was running the body.

And Reign as a villain was perfect for Supergirl, just a vicious, alien killing machine. That first fight with Kara where she used wreckage and detritus as weapons as she tossed Supergirl around showed us that.

Again, unfortunately, the story became more and more muddled as we went along. At first the other World Killers were good additions, again adding to that struggle of humanity versus alien. But they sort of diluted the brand. And then they were gone.

More and more I had questions about what Reign was. Was she a Kryptonian baby rocketed to Earth? Then why didn't Sam have powers. Was she a Kryptonian spirit which possessed a human baby? Then why did Sam's mother say she found her? Was the 'dark valley' a spiritual place? An actual place? Once you through in, dark witches, swords of Juru, and Fountains of Lilith, I was so lost in the mythology that I stopped trying to understand it. And that again fizzled the early momentum.

What's worse is that ultimately the writers separated Sam and Reign, allowing them to have their cake and eat it too. It shouldn't end so pat. And worse than that? It is Sam who defeats Reign in the end ... not Supergirl.


I just feel there was so much lost potential here.

3) Mon-El
He came back. He was married. He was a changed man and a better hero. He used Supergirl's heroism as a template for the Legion of Super-Heroes. He cured a dying kid on Argo. Okay ... on paper all good.

But his conflicted feelings and his need to just keep hanging around Kara to maybe end up back with her seemed icky. Saturn Girl basically giving him a hall pass didn't help. And his not extricating himself from the problem was horrible. Basically we were one Kelex attack away from Kara making out with a married man. Terrible.

It seemed like we were going to get some Kara-tharsis when Myr'nn's telepathic instability had Supergirl finally vent her spleen to him. But instead, we slid back into the 'will they/won't they' spiral.

Perhaps even worse is that he got valuable super-heroic time, destroying giant T-Rex's, punching out Dark Witches, and saving Kara a bunch of times. No amount of 'cape tricks' could save that. It should be Supergirl's show.

I suppose I should be happy that he realized he needed to head back to the 31st century and lead the Legion again.

4) The Legion
The Legion is one of my most favorite comic book properties. Seeing it live was thrilling. And having it be Brainiac 5, knowing his history with Kara made it that much sweeter. Imra being a telekinetic rather than a telepath was a bit of a let-down but not that big a deal.

Brainy being awkward and silently into Supergirl was a bonus. Hearing about Winath, the Blight, Chameleon Boy, and seeing flight rings was fantastic.

I am very happy that we'll get way more Brainy next season.

5) Alex

First off, Chyler Leigh just crushes it. I love her performance.

The one supporting character I feel should have ample screen time is Alex. I love the interaction of the Danvers sister. I liked how Alex had to get through her own sort of crisis this season. Breaking up with Maggie, semi-adopting Ruby, wondering about work/life balance ... it all resonated well. I was so happy when she got time to talk to Kara on screen.

But again, much of her arc was spent away from Kara. She had more super-heroic time than Kara, facing off against 2 Kryptonians at once, fighting off Reign in the Luthor mansion, and catching grenades tossed at her without batting an eye. Heck, she even got a super-suit.

I like her arc's resolution. Having her run the DEO feels right. And maybe it'll stop her from outshining Kara on the battlefield.

But seriously, we need to see the sisters on the couch talking more next season.

6) Alura and Argo
I mention this is in the beginning part of this post, but I should have been floored about the introduction of Alura and Argo City. We have seen Kara be very conflicted with her thoughts on her mother. Both thought the other was dead. We should have got significant scenes where the two reunited. But we spent way too much time with Thara Ak-Var, the farmers market and its customers, and even Selena to really get to know this Alura. Even when she came to Earth to fight with Kara, we just didn't get any grist for the character mill. The characters said goodbye in a nonchalant and quick way.

There should have been emotion and grandeur but there wasn't imagine. Think of how we could have explored this relationship instead of being preached to about the latest social causes.

I hope she comes back next season. Alura deserves something more than this flyby visit.

7) J'onn
In one of the best arcs, we got to see a touching commentary on honoring your parents and dealing with dementia. The addition of Myr'nn and J'onn's struggles played out very well. His stepping down from the DEO at the end of season made sense. He needs time to redefine himself.

David Harewood plays space dad very well. He plays devoted son very well.

But it still makes no sense for J'onn to disarm the DEO.

8) Lena

If there was one saving grace to the season, one character arc that started strong and ended stronger, it was Lena.

To see her slowly turn against Supergirl was played out so well. She has been hurt throughout her life for being a Luthor. She had to combat Morgan Edge. She needed to face off against her mother again. She wasn't going to open herself up to emotional hurt again. She doesn't care about Supergirl. They aren't friends. She can love, she can protect. But she can attack.

She isn't full evil yet. But she seems to be teetering.

And I love it. Katie McGrath just slays. As she should. Brilliant.


Yes, no specific paragraph for Winn or James. Sad to see Winn go. Glad to see James be with Lena as it may provide some friction next season.

So I guess I'd give this season a solid C+, tossing a lot at us, starting strong, and sticking it out.

What did you think?

Posted in: Reviews