Martin Carr reviews the twentieth episode of Supergirl season 4…
Conspiracies, double dealing and government moles are now the order of things in National City. Lex Luthor is not only a genius level intellect with nefarious methods of villainy at his disposal but also sports invulnerability like a summer jacket. His web continues spinning as strands are tugged on, trips are taken and more machinations are uncovered. A real world threat is discovered whilst an alternative Ms. Tessmacher makes life difficult for Kara and Lena. A superfluous sub-plot concerning Alex tries to distract with little success, whilst a newly enhanced James Olsen, grief stricken Ben Lockwood and missile bases in Kaznia grab centre stage.
Only in the latter stages do we see how deep those Luthor roots have dug, how interwoven those tendrils have become and ultimately how dangerous that man has become. DC copybooks have been discarded in favour of multi-faceted plotting which sees personal, professional and national threats all co-existing within one moment. Touchy feely has been consigned to a small corner and only employed to break up the revelations, emotional outbursts and scenery chewing on show.
This is episode peppered with a corrosive emotional core which threatens to tarnish anything vaguely uplifting as Ben Lockwood implodes. Grief is a reaction that has the potential to destroy those who remain as they fight to make sense of their loss. This can be an explosive finger pointing exercise which degenerates into loathing, hatred and blame where people lose perspective. In the wrong hands in this world that could have cataclysmic repercussions for anyone nearby. Those reactions, that emotional heft and its aftermath form a formidable backbone to an episode which provides another high water mark.
In the final moments something absurdly dangerous occurs which not only ups the ante but changes our playing field yet again. With two more episodes remaining in season four you get the impression that those big guns are being warmed up. Lex, Lockwood and Luthor clones are circling our band of fragmented heroes as they gear up for a battle royale. Cleverly choreographed, concisely plotted and emotionally honest to the last Supergirl promises much.
Martin Carr
