In the age of 2019, the Elite are still "syncing up their watches." Hasn't anyone heard of a smartphone? If they had one of those, Menagerie might not have gotten hoodwinked by the dream team (dreamer team?) allowing SUPERGIRL to save the day. We've got extremists on both ends of the spectrum, and it's only a matter of time before bodies really start to hit the floor.
James calls Eve into his office to follow up on the reports of Lena harboring a "black budget" to make sure there aren't any shady dealings going on. When Eve follows up with Lena, Haley steps in to admonish Lena for not having a SUPERHUMAN human serum ready. Because rushing Science never ends badly...
Dreamer is wide-eyed at Supergirl's speeches and general heroicness, causing her to be a little too eager with her fists and wearing her suit even in the comfort of closed doors. Haley brings Ben Lockwood into the DEO, asking Alex to be his glorified bodyguard. She objects and is reminded that it wasn't particularly a request.
After deflecting a question from the press about matters relating to his political position (sound familiar?) Ben Lockwood announces his vow to repeal the Alien Amnesty Act and to send them back to THE PLANETS they came from so that the humans can "finally live in peace."
After seeing it in a dream, Dreamer announces that there will be an attack at the same location as the previous one because "returning to the scene of the crime is a classic bad guy move."
The Elite manage to cleverly break into the Fortress of Solitude, and while the Hat suggests using some of Supergirl's powerful medallions to help the aliens, Manchester's sole focus is on getting vengeance on Ben Lockwood. Hat and Manchester part ways, but not before Hat nabs a few parting gifts.
Dreamer astral projects into the Fortress of Solitude, alerting SUPERGIRL to the break-in. Manchester runs into a room with a baby sun eater, which Kara describes as a living bomb. Meanwhile, the trio takes the Morai into DEO custody.
"You fight injustice with your fists, you can help one, maybe a dozen people, but good journalism, that can impact millions." In the terrifying (and frankly illegal) age of the United States President essentially calling a war on journalism, this pep talk given by James Olsen to a reporter about to cover a march opposing the repeal of the Alien Amnesty Act hits close to home. It's important to remember that while the news may sometimes be depressing, it is vital for us to know what's going on in the world around us, and it's even more vital to get that information from credible sources.
Brainy suggests that SUPERGIRL march instead of patrol to bring a symbol of hope back to the people of National City. We find out that American Alien, the organizer of the march, was Brainy all along - realizing that his strength came from his friends and not from his ring. Brainy gives one more pep talk to Supergirl, urging her to reconsider marching. "Peace will only be had when people stand together. Just because we're superheroes doesn't mean we forget who we are. SUPERGIRL may be a hero, but more importantly, she's a citizen of earth, like the rest of us. Remember that."
While Ben Lockwood drones on with his fearmongering, people and aliens alike march for peace. They hold up signs akin to the ones we see in our marches: "Justice and dignity for all," "aliens are not the enemy," and "stay together." Also like our marches, hecklers stand in wake wishing death to all "roaches" and spewing a diatribe of hateful vitriol.
Supergirl speaks to one of the victims she saved in the first attack earlier in the episode as he preaches that the aliens shouldn't have rights because they're only there to hurt humans. SUPERGIRL ties the parallel between herself and the other aliens, stating that most of them were fleeing from war, just like her when she got to Earth. Objecting, he says it's different because she's a superhero.
Lockwood continues to rile up the crowd, insisting that the marchers have no right to "silence" them. Just another politician who can't be bothered to read the First Amendment of the Constitution, which talks about a little 'ol thing called freedom of speech. He charmingly begins a chant of "us or them."
After her chat, SUPERGIRL dons her Kryptonian finest and joins THE MARCH as Kara Zor-El, citizen of Earth. Alex drags Lockwood off of the stage, calling him a threat. Hat and a miraculously alive Manchester Black ascend from the basement, with a pretty bad long-winded exposition scene about tricking SUPERGIRL into believing he went through the door along with a cringy "I always had your back" sequence between the duo.
Manchester clones himself with holograms while he tries to rally the aliens to kill the speciests in the crowd. A mass panic ensues as Hat starts doling out weapons like candy. SUPERGIRL and Brainy take down Hat, capturing him to bring back to the DEO. That's three out of four of The Elite.
James wields his camera instead of his supersuit to catch the most dramatic moments on camera. While there is a mass amount of fighting, people are also banding together to help people - humans and aliens alike. I may or may not have shed a few tears when the victim SUPERGIRL helped changed his tune and offered his hand to a fallen alien with the words "thank you, Supergirl." She thanks him in kind.
People like to say that marches are pointless and serve no actual progress, but like we've seen protests change our own world, Lockwood announces to hold a congressional hearing before moving forward with the repeal.
Major spoiler!
While we all expected this episode to end on a light and fluffy note, the camera pans to James as he goes back to his office to get the ringing phone. One shot fires and he's left bleeding out on the floor with everyone who could have come to his aid out of the office. The shocking cliffhanger reminds us how much is at stake when we're fighting for our lives and that no one, not even James Olsen, is safe from those who want to silence our voices, but it also shows how important it is to keep fighting for what we believe in.
Photo Credit: Sergei Bachlakov/The CW
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