BWW Recap: SUPERGIRL Learns the Meaning of Family with Guest Star Laura Benanti

This week's episode of SUPERGIRL explored the idea of family: the family that you're born into and the family that you choose. With Kara trapped in a dream of life on Krypton, her best friends and sister race to find a way to free her. Everyone from Alex to Hank to Astra to SUPERGIRL herself has to face what family means to them in perhaps the most emotional episode yet.

Kara wakes in a strange room with a medical robot attendant hovering over her. She's confused when her mother approaches her and says that she's been recovering from Argo fever. "You're safe now. You're home," Alura tells her. Kara's clearly on Krypton...but how?

Meanwhile, National City is experiencing the worst solar storm in recorded history and Cat, Winn, and James are wondering where Kara is. The guys join Alex to break into Kara's apartment and find Kara with a strange ANIMAL suctioned to her chest. (Winn is really cute when he's worried.)

Alex takes Kara to the DEO, with James and Winn close behind. Hank is upset that she's compromised security especially because James is a member of the press. "Actually, I'm in IT. So definitely not worth shooting," Winn quips. Hank makes the guys leave, but Alex assures him that he can trust them. She says, "You don't know them like I do, sir. They're Kara's family." I thought that was one of the most touching lines of the whole episode!

Alex is perplexed by Kara's condition as her body doesn't seem to realize that anything is wrong. She and Hank go to see if Max is involved, but he claims he isn't. Alex attacks him and Hank has to pull her off. Can we talk about the tension between Alex and Max? I'm so curious to see where that goes.

Non and Astra have created the cell storm to distract the humans from their plan. Non reveals that he sent the Black Mercy to Kara, despite Astra's orders for her niece to remain unharmed. "If it were up to me, she'd be dead," Non tells Astra who is clearly displeased with what her husband did.

When Alex and Hank try to pull the parasite off of Kara, her body goes into symbiotic defense. They realize that if they try to pull it off by force, it will kill Kara. Meanwhile, in her dream world, Kara is fighting against her memories and struggling to figure out what's real. She tells her dream family that she's going "home." I loved hearing Kara call National City home.

Winn tells James that he's worried because he and Kara were in a fight. James says that their job is to ensure that everything is alright at work because CatCo is an important part of Kara's life that she'll want to come back to. When Cat questions Winn about where Kara is, he tells her a terribly unbelievable story about tick bites. Cat threatens that if Kara doesn't return to her job in an hour, she'll be fired.

Hank is clearly upset about Kara as well, so he's willing to help when Alex asks him to. She tells him, "CatCo is more than a job for Kara. It's where she gets to live a normal life." In the midst of this emotional episode, I needed the humor of Hank pretending to be Kara at work and clashing with Cat Grant. And who else loved Cat's line, "If they try to evade you, you remind them that I am still holding onto their Hamilton tickets"? You know, I think Cat would love Angelica Schuyler.

Alex tries to talk to Alura's projection, but she is unable to help. Alex regrets not being a better sister when Kara first got to earth and begs Alura, "So please tell me how to help my little sister." As a big sister myself, this made me so emotional! Chyler Leigh definitely proved her ability to act incredibly well in this episode.

Kara is determined to find a way back to earth, but is distracted when she finds her father, Astra, and Kal-El (or, baby Superman!). She grows worried as she starts to forget her memories. Meanwhile, Astra pays Alex a visit to give her some advice. She tells Alex that the creature is a telepathic parasite called Black Mercy and that Kara's dream world will grow more real with every second she remains in it. The only way for Kara to be saved is for her to decide to return.

Alex decides to enter Kara's mind and convince her to leave her dream, despite the danger to herself. She tells Hank that Kara will need James and Winn by her side when she wakes up. Alex asks for Max Lord's help, as Hank realizes that the attack on Kara and the solar storm can't be a coincidence.

Alex pulls James aside to ask him to stop Hank if he tries to get Alex out if she's in trouble. "I either come out with my sister or not at all," she tells him. Max has figured out the technology for Alex to enter Kara's brain and they attempt the procedure. Winn asks if the satellites being down might be Non's distraction and Hank asks for his help. Winn doesn't want to leave Kara's side, but Hank tells him that it's the best way to help her. It was great to see Winn get recognized for his incredible IT skills. (Yes, I'll admit I'm a bit of a Winn fangirl. Isn't every Broadway fan though?)

When Alex gets in, Kara doesn't recognize her and knocks her out. Hank and Max are ready to pull Alex out, but James stops them. He tells Hank, "I can also see that Alex is more than just one of your agents; she's family." Hank confesses, "I can't lose her." It was so hard to watch Hank go through this, knowing that he'd already lost his martian family.

As Kara's dream family tries to banish Alex, her sister fights back against them. She frantically insists, "I can't promise you a life without pain and loss, but pain is a part of life. It's what makes us who we are." Chyler's acting here was so incredibly good. Did anyone else cry? Kara tells her family, "I want so much for all of this to be true, to stay here with you, but this isn't real." #sisterpower

Alex wakes up and is frantic when she thinks that Hank pulled her out before she succeeded. But Winn notices that the parasite is crawling off of Kara and she wakes up. Kara is frighteningly angry and demands, "Who did this to me?"

Winn's analysis of the satellites helps them figure out Non's plan and they prepare to fight him. Kara attacks Non, screaming, "You made me lose them again!" Meanwhile, Alex and Astra fight before Hank (in Martian Manhunter form) steps in. He says, "Earth is my home now and I will not let you take it from me." I love how they showed that your true home is where your family is.

Astra is about to kill Hank, but Alex stabs her from behind and kills her with a strange glowing sword. She calls Kara over in time to talk to Astra one last time. Hank lies and tells Kara that he killed Astra. Astra warns her not to stand in Non's way and that it's too late to stop their plan. I knew that Laura Benanti was amazing, but I had no idea her acting was this incredible. I really hope we have plenty of more flashback scenes because I can't stand the idea of her being gone from the show!

Back at the DEO, Alex asks Hank why he lied about who killed Astra. He tells her, "Because you're Supergirl's hero and I don't want her to see you as anything other than that." Honestly, I would love this show just for its powerful message about sisters. #moveoverfrozen

The episode ends with Kara, Alex, Winn, and James gathered in Kara's apartment. She explains to them that she's been feeling lost in the past few weeks and that's why her dream world reverted back to what it was when she first arrived on earth. She tells them, "I belong here with you, my family." Winn and Kara affirm that they're still best friends and James reveals that he brought potstickers and ice cream. Honestly, I could use some friends like Winn and James.

Were you guys as emotional as I was? Who do you think did the best job in this episode? Are you excited to see Kara have to clean up the mess Hank made with Cat? Let me know what you think on Twitter at @nicoleackman16.

Photo Credit: CBS