BWW Recap: James Proves Himself to Be an Unlikely Hero on SUPERGIRL

In "City of Lost Children," James proves that he can be a hero without the Guardian suit while Rhea launches her dastardly plan to bring destruction to Earth. When a young alien won't speak to anyone but James, he has to come to terms with his true purpose. Meanwhile, Lena makes Rhea's new invention work and unwittingly sets into motion a plan that could change National City forever.

The episode opens as the Guardian beats up several men who were attacking a woman. However, she's afraid of him and yells, "Don't hurt me." James is clearly disturbed by her fear and tells Winn, "Let's call it a night."

At CatCo, Kara and Lena are catching up over lunch. I honestly think they're one of my favorite ever pair of friends on a TV show. Lena says that the thing that's keeping her busy is top secret, but Kara coaxes her into telling her the gist of the project. She gushes about her new business partner, which made me so sad knowing that Rhea is using her.

Winn finds James at a market and asks him what happened the night before. James admits that he's bothered that people are afraid of the Guardian and Winn tries to console him. "Guardian is not the beacon of hope that I thought he would be," he tells Winn. When he said that Supergirl and Superman make a difference, but that all Guardian inspires is fear, I felt so bad for James. In all honesty, I haven't enjoyed the Guardian plot line until this episode.

At the market, a lady with glowing eyes wanders around looking afraid and lost. Suddenly, a storm starts around her and she's lifted into the air. It definitely looked as though something were happening to her, rather than her being in control. James tries to help some people, but luckily Supergirl flies in to save the day.

Back at the DEO, Winn has figured out that the alien lady is a Phorian, a species that was previously not known to b e present on Earth. They're typically a peaceful race and have telekinetic powers. James offers to help, but J'onn dismisses him, saying that they don't need the Guardian.

Rhea and Lena are at another swanky dinner, but Lena is frustrated that their testing didn't work that day. Rhea seems unbothered by it and is confident that Lena will figure it out. My heart breaks a little every time I see how much Lena needs validation from a maternal figure.

The Guardian interrupts an alien-human deal and the culprits cower in fear. The alien explains that it was just for weed and offers to tell him where the Phorian is if he lets him go. The Guardian shows up to the apartment and it's clearly lived in by a mother and young son. He finds the adorable little boy, of maybe 9 years old, who is afraid of him. But when James kneels down and takes off his helmet, the boy approaches him.

Alex is trying to get the little boy, Marcus, to talk to her but with no luck. Winn comments from the other room that they should give him some action figures. He says that if they'd given him action figures when he was interrogated about his dad as a kid, he would have talked more. Sometimes, I forget about Winn's upbringing as the son of a nasty villain and then it hurts all over again!

James tells J'onn that putting Marcus in an interrogation room won't make him talk. Alex says that he's right and that Marcus is looking at James. "He identified with you, James," she tells him. J'onn reluctantly agrees to let him.

Meanwhile, Mon-E l is clearly worried about something. He asks Winn to scan for any ships around Earth's orbit and is relieved to hear that his parents' ship isn't there.

At L-Corp, Lena and Rhea are doing more testing. Lena says that she wishes Lex was there because "Lex was the genius who was supposed to save the world." She adds that she wanted to succeed in building this device to prove to her mom, the world, and herself that she's as good as her brother. Rhea coaches her that she simply needs to stop thinking like her brother and Lena figures out the solution.

James brings Marcus to CatCo where he introduces him as his nephew. Marcus is impressed at James's office and fascinated by his cameras. James encourages him to try out his first camera and tells him about how his dad inspired him to become a photographer. Finally, Marcus speaks, saying, "My father was a soldier, too." He explains that his dad died when they were escaping their planet.

Mon-El shows up at CatCo with food for Kara (can someone get me a boyfriend like that, please?). He tells her that he was worried because he thought he saw his mother and it made him realize that he still cares about her. Kara is so supportive, but Mon-El says, "Well she's gone forever." In maybe the best transition on SUPERGIRL ever, it cuts to Rhea and Lena getting ready for more testing. Lena tells Rhea, "If my mother had given me pep talks like you, imagine the things I could have done."

At CatCo, Marcus sees footage of his mom on one of the TVs. "My mother would never hurt anybody on purpose," he tells James. He se ems on the verge of telling him more, but James's assistant walks in with food for them. Suddenly his eyes begin to glow purple, like his mom's did, and a storm starts in the office.

This scene was honestly very frightening, as I've always been freaked out by children in anything horror-esque. It became clear that his fit is caused by Lena and Rhea's invention. Mon-El starts evacuating people from the office as it's being completely destroyed and Kara manages to grab Marcus and fly him outside. As Lena turns off the machine, he returns to normal.

J'onn says that James is their best chance of figuring out what's happening with the Phorians, but he insists that he should never have gotten involved because he put everyone at CatCo in danger and Supergirl had to save them. In a touching moment, J'onn tells him that he didn't find his direction in life until he had his first daughter and became the Martian Manhunter because he wanted to protect her. "I saw a reflection of myself in my daughter," he tells James. "I think you already see a reflection of yourself in him."

The people at the DEO realize that there's a large spike in electromagnetic energy when the attacks happen. Kara connects that it's the same thing Lena mentioned to her and calls her. However, Rhea answers the phone and starts insulting Kara. Kara puts her on speaker, so everyone hears as Rhea tells her that any future destruction that occurs is her fault because she fought back against her. Mon-El takes the phone and tells his mother, "You are better than this," but Rhea hangs up on him.

Marcus tells James, "Every planet we go to, they make us go away." James confides that he was bullied as a kid because of his race and because his dad died. He says that he didn't let anyone in until he met a friend and adds that a good friend can change your life (aww James-Clark Kent friendship!). Marcus tells him that he can see his mom in his mind and agrees to take him to her after James promises to protect both of them. When J'onn says that Marcus shouldn't leave the DEO because they're monitoring for another spike in energy, Winn offers to go with them with a handheld device.

Lena is e xcited to do more trials the next day, but sad that the device working means that Rhea will return to her planet soon. Rhea tells her, "Whatever happens next, I want you to remember not to doubt yourself again." Just as I was thinking that maybe there actually is some goodness in her, she turns the device on all the way.

James and Winn reunite Marcus with his mother, who reveals that there are many Phorians with her. When the device switches on, a massive storm builds in the room as Winn's device isn't large enough to cover so many aliens. However, James refuses to leave Marcus and says that if he can through to him, then Marcus can use telekinesis to get the others to stop as well. "You are not alone," James yells at Marcus amidst the storm. Finally, Marcus's eyes stop glowing and he hugs James after stopping the others as well. "That is a hero without a suit," Winn quips. All season, I've been waiting for James to realize that he doesn't need a fancy alter ego to be a hero, but that he can be a hero just as Jimmy Olsen.

J'onn, Kara, and Mon-El show up to the L-Corp workshop, but Rhea has programmed the device so that it cannot be shut off. Fighting ensues, during which Lena is hit and falls to the floor. Kara tries to stop whatever Rhea is bringing through the portal, but fails. J'onn says, "You don't mess with my family" and attempts to fight Rhea, but she pulls out a device she got from a White Martian. She explains to Mon-El that it can trap a Green Martian in their own mind in a never-ending nightmare. Mon-El praises his mother that she's learned a lot about Earth, but then adds, "Did you learn that we're not bullet proof here?" and pulls out a gun. Did anyone else scream?

Rhea easily manipulates him, telling him that she knows he still loves her and asking, "Would a hero kill his own mom?" He asks her where his dad is and she lies that his father committed suicide because of Mon-El choosing to stay on Earth. As much as I wanted to see Rhea dead, I was relieved when Mon-El lowered his gun because it really proved he has a good heart.

Rhea explains that thousands of Daxomites survived and she's bringing them all to Earth. Hundreds of ships enter through the portal she's created and hover over National City. Rhea says, "Welcome to New Daxom."

Will J'onn be okay? How will Lena react to Rhea's true plan? And why is Cat Grant coming back? Don't forget to tune back in next week for another episode of SUPERGIRL and check back for my next recap.

Below, watch a promo for next week's episode titled 'Resist':

Photo Credit: The CW.

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