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“American Dreamer” was Supergirl-less but not heroine-less with Kara using her powers as a CatCo reporter to do both harm and good. Dreamer takes to the streets to protect the aliens of National City. James goes on a magic trip in his favorite rocket ship, and Oh, we learn Brainy is quite the Sherpa!

Kara’s Turn to be Super!

MOS 85 DreamerDreamer is on the streets of National City knocking out ruffian humans trying to come down on the alien population. Brainy is worried that she will be targeted as a masked vigilante and she is endeared. Kara is diligently working on an article to expose Lex and therefore clear Supergirl’s name. In her research she runs across the company Ameritech and happens to hear Frankin, another CatCo reporter, talking with his sister Edna about trying to shield the alien workforce within the company. Kara asks Franklin to get her a meeting with Edna because she needs more information about them. On her way to the meeting Kara brings down a mugger with her elbow. Edna and Kara discuss that she needs information about Ameritech’s dealings with L-Corp because she’s seen the black budget that Eve put together for James. Edna is not thrilled but will help Kara gain access to the files. In the Ameritech building Kara finds the link in one person, S.M. (because I didn’t write the name down) and Kara asks Edna to get into SM’s personnel file. That would take Edna’s PIN number so that’s a no-go. Kara also asks Lena if L-Corp and Ameritech have any business dealings and she she flatly denies anything. She also asks where Kara has been. Supergirl has been by her side since Lex escaped but Kara has been absent. Lena accuses Kara of using their friendship just to get information about Lex. Kara can’t give a good answer so she leaves. Meanwhile, Dreamer is still patrolling and chases some folks into Al’s bar where she realizes that it has become an alien hiding ground. Lockwood’s goons come in and Dreamer takes care of them easily but Al expresses to her that they will not be safe now that their hideout has become known. Nia is frustrated with the hopelessness and shares her burden with Kara, who is also upset at not being able to be a good friend to Lena and has potentially put a target on Edna as well. Kara decides to answer all of this with an interview to introduce Dreamer to the world. They do a video broadcast where Dreamer introduces who she is – and most importantly – that she is both human and Naltorian. She also highlights that she is a trans woman and that our differences should be celebrated, not hunted down. The broadcast inspires Edna, and Brainy – who is with Lena and asks aloud “what does love feel like?” – and the aliens hiding at Al’s. Later, at CatCo, Lena and Kara start putting the pieces together that Lex was the one who used L-Corp to purchase property in Kasnia. They ponder that their next step is to go to Kasnia. Also, J’onn returns the ancient symbols to the Desert of T’ozz in Mars and his father tells him that his mission is done and that it’s time to return to his family.

Journey to the Mind Palace

MOS 85 Mind PalaceJames is experiencing panic attacks that bring about Super responses because of the Harun-El. Lena is not doing well with trying to extract the Harun-El from James so she leaves to understand the tech better. Brainy tells Kelly, James, and Alex that he has the ability to psychically link with James to try to delve into the root of his PTSD trauma through what he calls a mind palace. They first go back to the Daily Planet where James first met Superman and the first time Lex abducted him. Instead he is confronted by a couple of kids and a floral arrangement for a funeral. They then move to a funeral home where James’ and Kelly’s father is the deceased and James says this can’t be right and is driven out of the memories and laser eyes the ceiling. James explains that this memory cannot be based in fact because he was locked inside of a bathroom across the street from the funeral home and Kelly was there on her own. She is still hurting to today about it and does not want to go there with this line of thought. She shares with Alex how much this is hurting and Alex promises to stay by James’ side through it all. They try again and James goes back to the funeral where he promises his father to make him proud and he is shooed away because the funeral hasn’t started yet. He goes outside to find the two boys again who bully him and actually put him inside of a casket in the funeral home. James blocks Brainy out so Brainy convinces Kelly to go in. She does, she sees what actually happened and convinces James to fight back. He “poofs” the bullies away and pulls his younger self from inside the casket. (Wait, what?!) He emerges from the mind palace levitating peacefully. The PTSD is …cured…?????

Agent Liberty’s Comeuppance

MOS 85 LockwoodBen Lockwood and the SS, err, the Children of Liberty are removing an alien father from his home. The alien wife is obviously disturbed and is told “if he were a man this wouldn’t be an issue.” George looks on with unease telling his father that they look human. Ben assures him that roaches are roaches no matter what they look like. George is tasked with going with the goons that Dreamer takes care of. In that process he comes across one of his own friends who never told George he is an alien, because, “you’re dad is a mutha %$#&##%@#&%$&@#” (paraphrased, of course). George goes home to check in with Mom to make sure they’re not on the collective wrong side of all of this. Mom assures George that he helped smoke those roaches out of their hole and his father couldn’t be prouder. (no kidding, that’s the way it went) Lockwood and the SS – who apparently have taken up headquarters in the DEO – cannot block the broadcast that Kara is doing with Dreamer. The interview inspires George to give up the golden mask and reach out to his friend to let him know he’s safe with George. Lockwood vows to bring Dreamer down and goes to CatCo with some of the SS. Kara, Franklin, Brainy, Dreamer, and Alex all take part in bringing them down and getting Dreamer out of there. In particular, James takes Lockwood down destroying his gun and breaking his hand in the process. Lockwood vows his revenge and goes home to find the alien wife from the episode beginning in his house. She runs out and we find Mrs. Lockwood dead.

Lena Comes Clean

MOS 85 KlenaAfter accusing Kara of being a crappy friend she is also inspired by Dreamer’s interview. Brainy is there with her and tells her that unless she begins to trust that she will end up lonely and sorrowful. She goes to CatCo to talk with Kara and spills everything – that not only Eve was working with Lex but she was as well. She was trying to help him with the cancer and now he’s escaped and she feels responsible. She breaks down crying and Kara reassures her that of course given a life and death situation that she would help, no matter who it is. They hug and make up and Lena helps Kara figure out the Ameritech connection and Kasnia.

Closing Thoughts

This was a complicated episode. Dreamer’s message of tolerance was well done and is the epitome of what our “Supergirl” series is capable of – to inspire hope and for us to all be better heroes. The downers of this episode unfortunately weighed heavier on me. The wrapping up of James’ PTSD felt like a slap in the face to those who struggle through the process of healing through paths of medication and counseling, which is where they were going last week. Being personally close to someone who deals with this left me angry at the resolution. So, I also know that I am biased but I can’t be alone in this either. The other piece is the killing of Ben’s wife. This whole season we’ve dealt with aliens who were on the philosophical right side of the alien vs human debate and are always acting correctly. Now the aliens have lashed out. Ordinarily I would call this nuanced writing; however, in this case, it really ticks me off because for this whole time we’ve spent bashing those who dare to think differently from the aliens only now for the writers and producers to start showing “bad actors” on both sides. Those same writers and producers don’t get to hold their moral high ground and get to kill Ben’s wife out of vengeance for what he’s done by an alien. Alternatively, let’s give high praise to Kara doing what she does, for a satisfying reunion of Kara and Lena as friends, and for Brainy and Lena just being too cute. We have three episodes left to continue to set up Lex and his plan. Will we finish it out or will it carry over into Season 5? We’ll find out soon enough!

Cougar’s Comic Corner

Legion of Super-Heroes (2011-2013) Vol 2.: The Dominators
616vE7q-KCLOne of the Legion’s oldest foes returns and plans to destroy the Legion of Super-Heroes from the inside out. The Dominators, an alien race from the outer reaches of the DC Universe, have kidnapped Brainiac 5 and Dream Girl in an effort to advance their alien races intelligence. The team is barred from from waging a rescue campagin, which leads to a split in the group. Not willing to allow the Dominators to get away with their crimes, Star Boy resigns from the Legion and forms his own ragtag team and sets out on a suicide mission into Dominator territory to rescue his teammates. Collects LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES
Buy it on Amazon here!

Next time on “Supergirl”!

Season 4, Episode 20, “Will The Real Miss Tessmacher Please Stand Up?”
Kara and Lena head to Kaznia to hunt down Lex. However, Eve Tessmacher sets a trap for the duo that could ultimately reveal that Kara is Supergirl. Meanwhile, Alex gets a long-awaited phone call, James practices using his powers, and Ben Lockwood takes a dangerous stand inside the DEO. Written by Derek Simon, Katie Rose Rogers, and Natalie Abrams. Directed by Shannon Kohli.

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