Supergirl Episode 512: Back From The Future Pt 2

I know I am woefully late on this review. For some reason, this season, it has been near impossible for me to post weekly reviews of the Supergirl show. And that's on me. It also is a shame because I think this might be the strongest season so far for this show.

For me, there are a lot of things which have stood out about this season that have made it incredible. The turning of Lena, making her into a villain ... or at least someone misguided into thinking they are the hero ... has been the straw stirring the drink. Add in Lex and Leviathan and you have a plot driven season with strong stories to build on.

Add the incredible Crisis on Infinite Earths midseason event, resetting the stage of this world, and you have an almost blank canvas on which to scrawl your stories.

And yet despite that reset, more than ever, this season is leaning into the continuity of the show. We are seeing references that go back to the earliest episodes. Surprise guest stars and homages have made this feel like a true history. (This is even more evident in episode 513.)

This is still a show with a political viewpoint but unlike last year when it was driven home with the subtlety of a bus crash, this year it feels like it is story first. The messages are there but they are not the driving force. As I have said, I like stories with messages, not agendas that a story is built on.


Which all leads us into episode 512, Back From the Future, Pt 2, an episode which leans into the character of Winn, comments on his history, and gives us some closure. I have to say, it felt good to have Jeremy Jordan back on the show. I realized that I missed the energy he brought to the proceedings.

On to the episode.

We start out with a night out for Winn, Alex, J'onn and Kara.

We get some nice name drops about the Legion including Chemical King and Lightning Lass. And we learn that Winn's name is Computer Lad.

Would Computo have been better, especially given the 'I have a dark streak in me' history in Winn.

We also learn that Alex has put in spyware to try and keep her eye on Lex.

It seems Kara can't go a season with a possible love interest and this season that falls on the shoulders of William. Now that we know he isn't a bad guy, I guess Kara finds him charming.

And they work well together doing Toto's Africa on Karaoke night.

For me, it feels forced mostly because the character has been so boring that I can't imagine Kara would like him. Thankfully, before she can agree to a date, Kara is called away by an emergency at the DEO. Winn floats a 'sick grandma' excuse to get Kara out of there.

The DEO concern? The evil Winn has downloaded himself into the DEO system. And if he gets out of the firewall, he'll be able to roam the world wide web and wreak havoc.

As it is, he can control any smart device within the DEO walls meaning laser defenses and laptops are all potential weapons.

What I love here is Jordan's maniacal take on this version of Winn. It would take but a nudge to have pushed 'our' Winn into this evil version.

Our Winn knows this was his fathers dream. And it code he wrote. So he should be able to reverse engineer it into a kill code.

Of course, it would be easy to simply fry the server he was on with heat vision but the DEO's system is located on top of its power core. A heat vision blast and the whole block would go up.

That seems a bit extreme and more of a plot point than a reality.

Also, couldn't you just turn off the system and reboot? Let loose and EMP?

Regardless, the DEO goes into lockdown. Nothing ... not even transmission ... can go in or out. For now, the evil Toyman is trapped in a closed system.

 One thing that should happen is that all the smart devices ... weapons and tablets ... should be removed from the building. It seems like an easy task for Supergirl to pull off.

But ... on an analog phone ... DEO boss Lex Luthor call up Alex and says he doesn't want that tech off the premises. It is up to the staff present to round up everything and safeguard it.

It is classic Lex. It helps no one but himself, keeping his weapons (including Kryptonite deterrents) safe and sound.

To make matters even more intriguing, Lex then calls his erstwhile ally Brainy and tells the Legionnaire to get the code Toyman used to download himself into the Web. Lex wants to have that. Lex wants to be immortal.

And while he says he would use it to fight Leviathan, you know this is simply Lex wanting to live forever.

Let's not forget our subplots.

Lena needs Obsidian tech to implement her Non Nocere mind control device.

Luckily ... almost too luckily ... the Obsidian upgrade lenses cause toxic shock in users. Lena could use LuthorCorp tech to fix things.

But Andrea refuses it. Business and friendship rarely mix.

(The whole toxic shock thing is weird. Andrea eats virtual lobster and has an allergic reaction. That's crazy.)

 It turns out that an old school meter can find the Toyman code on the server.

Brainy volunteers (perhaps to ease his Lex mission) but is turned away. He is needed on the floor.

So Winn and Kara head off.

 But before Winn leaves, he confronts Brainy.

And he tells Winn that Lex did let this happen to get his hands on the code.

It is clear that Brainy isn't happy with his role here.

 Now schemes make strange bedfellows.

Lex and Lena actually seem to team up.

Lex will try to help Lena secure the Obsidian tech.

Now Lena might think she is the hero. But if Lex is helping you, you should rethink things.

By the way, Jon Cryer continues to crush it as Lex. And his interactions with Lena are always amazing!

Working their way down the DEO hallways, Winn pushes Kara on her liking William.

She knows that secrets are terrible and that starting a relationship with the Supergirl lie is bad.

He thinks a first date can't hurt. The reveal can happen if things go places. And the harmonizing she and William did on Africa shows that they are in synch.

UGH ... William is such a bore!

Ahh but then a nice new wrinkle.

It turns out when 'evil Winn' used the first Toyman's code, it somehow downloaded the original Toyman's essence into the system too.

As I said above, this season leans into history. So seeing the actor who played Toyman in season one back in the role is a nice nod. And hearing him tell our Winn that he can't believe the evil in the other Winn is interesting. He wants to help!

Too bad our Winn is still hurting. He hates his father. And he doesn't trust him.

 Then we get a little action sequence with Kara using the supersonic clap (a favorite of mine since the Earth X crossover) to smash some Toyman flying monkey bots.

Lex gets a bit creepy with Gemma from Leviathan by saying he saw her and had to pounce. Icky.

But then he recommends the two corporations ally themselves. He can help Obsidian with their toxic shock problem. And together they can prosper.

Even though Leviathan has played Lex in the past (remember Eve?) they agree.

Hmmm ...

Meanwhile Brainy continues to play both sides of the field.

He starts downloading the Toyman code for Lex and he erases Alex's spyware.

He says it is to protect Alex. But he did it behind her back and she is starting to get suspicious.

Hmmm ...

Lots of hmmms this season. That's a good thing.

 Kara and Winn finally make it into the server room and Winn then pulls out yet another deus ex machina, a device that allows him to enter the matrix. Why didn't he say that before??

Anyways, realizing that he might not survive this, the evil Toyman activates all the devices that could muscle their way out of the locked down HQ, including Lex-o-suits. Remember, if the code hits the outside world, Toyman will be free to do whatever he wants.

So Kara has to fly off to help Alex while Winn does a deep dive.

I love the chemistry between these two. And I love how Kara keeps telling Winn that people can change. Maybe the elder Toyman is good. It is time for Winn to get some closure.

 Inside the Matrix, Winn's father remains trapped in a DEO room. He can help ... if Winn trusts him enough to release him.

At first Winn says no.

And then ... we always wondered who wound win! Winn? Or Winn?

Turns out ... Winn!

That is, the evil Winn. He seems to have the upper hand against the good guy.

 Up top, the Lexosuits use K-energy to keep Kara at bay.

It is up to Brainy to become a decoy (hilariously yelling Leeroy Jenkins) so the rest of the DEO can work from the perimeter.

You have to love Supergirl refusing to leave the fight despite her own agony. She really is the hero here.

And then, closure.

The Toyman tells Winn that he has had time to think and reconsider. Winn is the best part of him.

Awww ....

One thing I have always loved about the show has been when the Danvers sisters team up.

In a nicely choreographed segment, with the camera moving around the two, we see them mop up the Lexosuits, back to back and side by side.

Nice!

And then the old Toyman and the young Toyman fight.

With the two tied up, good Winn enters the kill code, erasing them both.

Finally, Winn has some closure about his past. And, more importantly, he was an inspiration for his own father.

There is nothing left but the wrap-up. And has been the usual this season, we get a lot of stuff to mull over.

It turns out Lena sabotaged Obsidian's tech so that she could get a hold of it. That's pretty evil.

The best line here was Lex chuckling when Lena said she was doing Non Nocere for the good of humanity. How often has Lex used that very line.

Hmmm ... if it walks like a super-villain and talks like a super-villain, it usually is a super-villain.

But then we see that Leviathan wanted the Luthors to get involved.

Who is playing who here???

Hmmm ...

 Alex can't stand working for Lex.

So she quits the DEO.

You think she'd rather be closer and watching. But I guess she can't abide the lying. So she's out.

Now that is a big change for her character and one that bears watching.

 Winn heads back to the future. But now he'll be called Toyman. He has redeemed the name.

 Kara turns down William's offer for a date when he gives her a gift for her 'sick grandmother'.

The relationship can't start with a lie.

So for that reason, she's out.

Good!

Brainy is right there!

And then Brainy delivers the Toyman code to Lex.

My only hope is that it is corrupted for some reason. That Brainy is planting a trap.

Because he can't side with evil to fight evil.

Overall this was a great episode. It gave us some closure for Winn, leaning into the show's history. And it nicely pushed the overall plots forward.

This Lena thing is simmering nicely. I am on board.

And again, apologies for the lateness!

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