Supergirl Episode 307: Wake Up

Supergirl episode 307, titled 'Wake Up', aired this week and really was more of an opening chapter to a major plot which will be running through the season. "Wake Up" has a lot of meanings here from the awakening of Mon-El and someone else in the alien ship to Reign's continuing emergence into Sam, to J'onn realizing he is missing out on life, to perhaps Kara realizing that she does truly need to move on from Mon.

But the real juice of this episode's story was how the concept of humanity is the key theme for Season three. Supergirl and Reign are very similar in origins and concept. They both have been living on Earth and both have been trying to be human. But now Kara is willfully hardening herself, trying to be alien so she can't be hurt. Meanwhile, Sam is less in control of what is happening (it seems) and her human side is being thrust aside for something darker. In the end, I can't help but think that a call to humanity ... a cry to be human and humane ... is going to be a key part of the finale.

Lastly, this might be Melissa Benoist's strongest episode of the season. Her heart is on her sleeve as she runs the gamut of joy in seeing Mon-El again to pain when it is clear he isn't the same person to a sliver of happiness when they relive a memory, back to despair when surprise news devastates her. From the quavering of her voice to her expressions to subtle things like futzing with her glasses, you know the depths of what Kara is feeling. Seriously, I know it is Supergirl but I hope the CW is putting together an Emmy reel for Benoist.

On to the episode.

The show starts out with a sub at the waterfront investigating the destruction that Morgan Edge's torpedo attack did. The alien ship we saw before springs to life when the camera drone nears it, lashing out and almost destroying the vessel.

Meanwhile, back at Sam's house, Sam is finally starting to realize that she isn't exactly human. She plunges her hand in boiling water only to pull it out unharmed. The look of incredulity on her face as she looks down on it is great. The act reminded me of Pris doing something similar in Blade Runner.

Realizing that she has powers, she snaps at Ruby her daughter. Sam has something to do and Ruby needs to go to Tess's house. This isn't a discussion. It seems harsh for the otherwise doting mother perhaps a sign that darker emotions are already brewing?

Meanwhile, the DEO has gotten wind of the alien ship. It is constructed of an alien metal and has been buried in the rock for nearly 12,000 years. Winn, J'onn, and Kara head off to investigate.

I love the beginning of the scene. First off, the three are just strolling down the city street and Supergirl isn't being mobbed. Seemed a bit nonchalant of them.

But the great joy is when Supergirl tells everybody to stand back because she is going to get to the ship like Clark did once. She is about to twirl and presumably drill down to get there before J'onn stops her. This has to be an homage to the Richard Donner Superman film where Christopher Reeve tells everyone to stand back when he does something similar. (Head to around 0:31 here!) I love the befuddled looks on the passersby.

I love the homages and Easter Eggs in this show!

Rather than rip through public property, J'onn grabs hold of Winn and Supergirl and phases them through the rock to the ship.

Inside the see bodies in the orange fluid-filled tubes we have seen the last few weeks. One of the tubes is open. And who comes out of the shadows ... speaking an alien tongue ... but Mon-El, a bearded Mon-El no less.

Hmmm ... alien ship from 12,000 years ago?

He is taken back to the DEO where Kara just dotes over him. Of course there are other questions. Who else is on the ship? How did it get there? How is he surviving the atmosphere? But Kara deflects them all. She wants him to rest.

We learn it has been 7 months since he vanished. And she is just thrilled he is back, clutching his hand and smiling. But he seems distant ...

Sam heads off to see her adopted mother to probe about her past. Did she ever display powers before?

In the conversation with her mother (played by Broadway alum Betty Buckley!), we learn that Sam got pregnant at a young age and was basically kicked out of the house. She had to make it on her own. She hasn't been in touch with her mother since. (It's all very Gilmore Girls but Lorelei didn't become the CEO of LCorp!)

Finally, Sam breaks down and confesses about her powers and in a barn out back (maybe the very set from Smallville), her mother shows her the alien pod she was found in. She was going to tell Sam when she turned 18 but they had their rift.

This is basically a less ornate Kara pod with red accents. But when Sam touches it, a black crystal emerges. It is so similar to the crystal tech of the Donner movies. Wonderful.

Part of this scene humanizes Sam. We hear her foibles. But you also see how this must have been a rough upbringing. Perhaps this relationship will be part of the reason Sam sours on humanity?

One thing I have really liked about this season so far is the better characterization of James. Last season it seemed like it was something of a struggle to figure out what to do with him.

Here, in a small scene, he shows up to chat with Kara about the return of Mon-El. It is a nice scene where he tells Kara that she looked happiest with Mon-El. He also knows that Mon would never do anything to hurt her.

It is simply him being a friend to Kara. That role isn't really for Winn anymore because he is in agent mode. So I like Kara having James in this platonic relationship as something of a sounding board and ally. And the whole vibe Mehcad Brooks gives makes me think he likes what he is doing more this season too.

Perhaps compelled by the crystal, Sam has to leave the house again. She tells Ruby something wonderful is happening. She learned something about herself. And she needs to do it alone. Ruby wants to go but Sam says no.

And then we get a little emotional ending to the scene. Sam has Ruby hold her hand. When Ruby feels Sam's pulse, Sam says that is because Ruby is Sam's heart.

Earlier this year, I thought Ruby was going to die to spur Sam's descent to Reign. Now I think the reverse. Ruby is going to call on Sam's humanity to get through to her.

And I think Reign is going to be a cautionary tale for Kara, what can happen when you close yourself off too much.

In the DEO, Mon-El awakens, skulks about, heads to the weapons room (hey there's that Martian staff thingy), knocks out 2 guards, and tries to steal some circular device.

Then Supergirl shows up and clocks him one, knocking him out cold.

Somewhere, many many many people who hate this relationship were clapping.

And then the most powerful scene of the show. Mon-El awakens inside a DEO cell.

Benoist gives this gut-wrenching scene, fiddling with her glasses, her voice tremulous the entire time as she talks of what has gone on since Mon-El left. She can't sleep. She wants to believe he is himself but he is acting strange. His return is all she wanted. She finally felt hope again. But now that is gone.

She ends it on a 'drop the mike' line. "Shame on me for having a human heart."

Again, this concept of humanity, of opening yourself up at the risk of being hurt, is so key to this season. This return is like ripping the scab of a wound finally healing. And Benoist conveys all that pain perfectly.

Winn then shows up and tries to get some info out of Mon-El because he wants to help Kara. That's what friends do, help their friends when they are hurting.

But Mon-El pleads with Winn, this time on the basis of their friendship, to help him. Kara is in danger. Mon-El needs to get to that ship. People will be hurt.

And ... Winn being Winn ... he believes. He frees Mon-El and they head to the ship. There Mon tries to free the others from their tubes. Inside the tube, one person begins to revive. The machinery isn't working. His friends are in danger. Mon-El says the Legion curse word of 'Grife'! It made a 5YL Legion fan like me very happy!

I did my best to blow up the symbols. It unfortunately looks like Interlac numbers outside of that one Saturn symbol. So no clues about who is in there.

Supergirl shows up, angry at Winn and Mon-El. As she tries to beat up Mon-El again, her hand catches on her necklace which she gave him last season. He pleads his case. He has her best interest at heart. But he hasn't been gone for 7 months. He has been living in the future for 7 years. He can breathe because LCorp of the future made a serum.

But the recap is broken up by the reviving person suddenly drowning in the nutrient goo. Kara uses her strength to shatter the 'white dwarf glass' freeing a young woman.

Now things make sense. He lived in the future. For seven years! His life is different now. But there is some threat. He came back in time to help but must have missed the beacon and went 12,000 years too far back.

Suffice it to say the Donner vibe of this episode is strong.

Led by the pulsations of the crystal, Sam heads into the desert. Suddenly, a Fortress of rock is built in this desolate place.

As usual, we get a ton of wrap-up.

One of the running subplots is the J'onzz family. M'yrnn is still acting like a prisoner, living in the DEO and not experiencing life. He calls J'onn for living a similar life, trapped by his position in the DEO. Neither is truly living.

In the end, J'onn sees some wisdom in that and rents an apartment for them to live in. We better get some madcap 'Odd Couple' style scenes in the upcoming episodes.

Then Mon-El and Kara have another scene together.

He says he awoke in the 31st century. He didn't think he would get back to see Supergirl. Life went on. But he could never forget her. He would always remember all she did. It's why he kept the necklace on. They even share a laugh talking about a time Kara annihilated some ribs at an all you can eat place.

As far as I'm concerned, all of that doesn't explain why he didn't just say that when he awoke. He definitely DEFINITELY did not need to skulk around and keep secrets.

But there is one more bomb to be dropped. The person from the ship awakens. Her name is Imra Ardeen (comic fans know her as Saturn Girl, hence the little Saturn symbol, Mon speaking Saturnian earlier, etc). Oh, by the way, she is Mon-El's wife.

Talk about a gut punch to Supergirl. Whoa!

And then Sam is visited by the evil witch A.I. in her Fortress of Sanctuary. I call this woman the anti-Alura.

But she delivers a strong message. Sam is a worldkiller. She is from Krypton but more than Supergirl. Her powers were to manifest when she came of age but having Ruby (called an 'error' by the woman) delayed it. Worldkillers are designed to execute justice without mercy. She will burn the world of man. Sam will "forget all the trappings of humanity" and become Reign. And in the end, it looks like it happened.

See how this is Kara through a mirror darkly? See how all this 'forget the trappings of humanity' sound like Kara's self-imposed emotional walls? See how this woman calling Ruby an 'error' flies in the face of everything we know of Sam, a potential weak spot?

Anyways, a lot happened here and I want to see more. But the crossover is going to delay things!
Still, outside of Mon-El foolishly being secretive, everything else here was pretty brilliant.

Look, I got powerful performances, a live action Saturn Girl, and the word 'Grife'. What more could I want!

Posted in: Reviews