M’gann wants to lead them there, but J’onn is afraid that’s too dangerous based on what happened last time, and Alex says they do have one more option…
Lena finishes the locator device and excitedly brings it to Alex, saying they can finally bring Kara home, but Alex has bad news; they need to reprogram the locator to find the chrysalis instead.
“I’m going to stand on this side of the room while I tell you this though. I saw that right hook you gave Lex, I’ll pass.”
Lena says they can’t do that, this would erase the Legacy Download DNA she used, it might be their best chance at saving Kara. But Alex says if they don’t destroy the chrysalis now, thousands of people could die, and that’s not a sacrifice Kara would want to make. She knows it’s hard and she hates it as much as Lena does, but she knows this is the right choice.
Lena tries her best to remain calm, more sad and scared than mad, and begs Alex to reconsider. She has to bring Kara back. Lena then admits she blames herself for this; it was her brother who did it, it was her experiments that lead him to that point, it was her war with Supergirl that set all this in motion. This is her chance to make it right.
Alex speaks to her with a lovingly firm tone and says that nobody blames her for this. Not even Kara. The past is in the past and Lena doesn’t have to conceal not feel anymore. She can forgive herself.
Alex says she can’t change what happened, so all Lena can do now is do the next right thing. Alex uses her glove to take the locator from Lena and apologizes for doing it like this, but she doesn’t have time to argue it further. Lena doesn’t fight back, she just watches Alex go and tries to hold her broken heart together.
I hope Alex tells Kara all about this day. About how Lena wanted to save her so badly she cried. About how Kara was right to put her faith in Lena again.
Kara is one step closer to getting home without the Superfriends’ help when she turns on the backup mirror.
Look at that dorky smile. I love her so much.
But Nyxly stops her when she starts to head back for her dad. Nyxly’s own daddy issues blind her to the situation, says that Kara’s father banished her, just like Nyxly’s own dad did. Says her father has already had all the hope sucked from him, that he’s not worth saving. In her growing desperation, Nyxly admits that she’s the one who knocked Dad-El out and broke his ankle, that she was going to kill him but liked Kara too much.
In a last ditch effort to convince Kara not to leave, the imp says that if Kara goes, she will use the portal to go to Earth and wreak some havoc before heading back to the 5th dimension for her vengeance tour. Kara isn’t about to let that happen.
Kara would just have to give me this look and I would stop whatever I was doing and apologize immediately.
The Superfriends go down once more to the sewers to find the chrysalis and find an infestation of Phantoms. They tell Alex to go, go, go as one by one they get taken down. By the time they get to the chrysalis chamber, it’s just Alex and Nia.
I believe this is what the TikTok youths would call the alphabet mafia.
Well, it’s Alex, Nia, and eleventy billion Phantoms. Nia makes Alex a dream tunnel and holds the Phantoms at bay as long as she can while Alex breaks the chrysalis.
Nia Motherfucking Nal ladies and gentlepeople!
And as soon as she cracks that sucker like a soft-boiled egg, all the souls are released and turn the sired Phantoms back into the people — or vampires, in Silas’s case — they once were.
Nia, Brainy and J’onn finish off the much-more-reasonably sized Prime Phantom and suck him into the proton pack with efficiency that would make Erin Gilbert proud. Alex looks a little sad about what she sacrificed to save these people who just scurried out of the building without so much as a ‘thanks,’ but knows she made the right choice.
Which would be all well and good if Kara’s plan had worked out better, but alas to stop Nyxly from imping around her Earth, Kara shatters the backup mirror, her last known escape option. In the struggle that led up to it, something started the self-destruct protocol, and she tries to get Nyxly to leave with her, but Nyxly refuses, and Kara isn’t strong enough or fast enough to get them both out, so instead she just runs.
And this whole moment is so Kara. She just got body checked clear across the room by this woman and her first thought when she realizes the place is going to blow is that “we” have to get out of here. Right down to the last second, she was trying to save the person who just betrayed her. Paragon of Hope, indeed.
Down in the Tower, Alex is looking sadly at the now-empty Legacy Download crystals on the Feelings Balcony when Lena brings her out some scotch. Lena says after some time to cool off, she knows Alex was right, and she’s sorry she pushed back. But Alex gets it, probably better than anyone else could.
Alex and Lena on the feelings balcony together, THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
Lena tells Alex that she should probably just quit the Superfriends. She was held to the fire and she melted, she’s not like the rest of the team. She says she’s not a hero. She watched Alex make the hardest decision and Lena’s not sure she could have done the same. Alex just smiles an understanding smile at Lena. Alex felt the same way Lena did, every single second until that chrysalis cracked. It’s only because she had years of training as a soldier that she was able to make such a tactical choice. Wanting to save Kara doesn’t make Lena less of a hero; quite the opposite, in fact.
Lena isn’t sure Alex gets it; she’s not like Alex, she doesn’t think like her, and she has recently learned her little boxes have all collapsed. But Alex says the fact that Lena doesn’t think like the rest of them is exactly why they need her. They are not a monolith, they are a team. They need all the best brains to succeed, and Lena is the smartest human in National City. Alex says it plainly so Lena can’t misinterpret it. “You belong here, Lena. You always have, and you always will.”
One of us, ONE OF US!
Knowing Lena would probably rather leap off the Feelings Balcony than have to respond to such a compliment given so directly, Alex eases her by joking that she’s also the only person she knows with a decent taste in scotch. They toast and smile and my heart SOARS. If Kelly wasn’t in the picture, I’d be screaming from the rooftop for AgentCorp to be canon. And honestly in the headcanon of my mind, this could be a very cute scene of Alex welcoming her sister’s girlfriend to the family. However, even in the plain and simple context of the show, this is a huge step in the right direction, and I look forward to Lena having more fun, happy, helpful scenes as part of the team.
Also me after watching this scene.
Brainy finally admits to Nia that the donuts aren’t actually filling the sadness hole inside him where Kara used to be and Nia feels it too. Also she’s stressed about these intrusive Midvale visions and what they could possibly mean. But she’s glad that they have each other, because she loves him more than he loves donuts.
Alex and Lena rejoin the team and say that they want to use their new Prime Phantom pet and his bloodhound hunting instincts to find Kara in the Phantom Zone.
I also have my best ideas after a little booze and friendship.
They just need more of Kara’s DNA. They know they can only get DNA from a Kryptonian when they’re weak so they think of times Kara maxed out her powers? Honestly I’m not sure why they can’t break into the loft and grab a toothbrush, but apparently the only solution is to GO BACK IN TIME?
I mean listen, Nia, I’m going to follow you no matter what, but also WHAT?
Listen I’m all for time travel hijinx, especially if the Legends get a name drop, and I have been looking forward to this Midvale High episode since the last Midvale High episode, but I still don’t really follow the logic of going to this particular time and place of the power surge. If they can go back in time, why not go back to a month ago with some Krytponite and ask her for a vial of blood? Also, knowing how hard it is to get blood out of her, why not have some on hand?? Anyway, totems shmotems, this doesn’t actually matter, because I’m excited to go to Midvale.
And I hope it works because in the Phantom Zone, Kara watches the only hope she had of returning on her own literally blow up in her face…possibly taking her father from her again in the process.
Stay strong, baby girl. We’re coming for you.
Fingers crossed she can do what she does best and hold out hope. The Superfriends are almost there, Kara. Just hold on.
Overall I enjoyed this ep. Some great Alex and Lena stuff, some great Nia and Brainy stuff, and best of all? No Lex. All we need now is to get Kelly a desk in the Tower and Kara back on Earth and we’ll be hot to trot for the rest of the season.
Next week looks super fun, pun intended. See you then!
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Ugh yes this recap. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to miss more – this show or your amazing recaps and captions. (love the Frozen reference by the way).
I feel very validated by your feelings about AgentCorp. Like obviously, I want SuperCorp to be cannon, but I was certainly having the feels watching Alex and Lena (the Orphan Black caption got me omg). All in all, I’m glad we didn’t have Lex, and I just want Lena (and Katie McGrath) to be gay.
As always, SO grateful for your contributions to Autostraddle.
AgentCorp would never work romantically because the biggest thing they have in common is loving Kara Danvers more than life itself, and they can’t make Lena’s love for Kara look platonic. They were great in a platonic way worrying about Kara though.
The Lena arc this episode is one of the things we’re going to cite as one of the show’s biggest queerbaits when they throw Kara with some (male, ofc) loser to end the show.
omg honestly you are so right about why AgentCorp wouldn’t work!
Lena’s face this episode killed me every other second. It just kept changing and killing me again.
I loved how happy she was to be with the team, even between missing Kara deeply, she was more open than we’ve ever seen her. Like we’ve seen Lena geek before, but this episode there was just a level of child-like giddiness with it that I feel like she’s never been able to show before because in the past while her inventions were always genius she was also always gearing up for someone to accuse her of wanting to do something bad with it. She couldn’t show all her pride and excitement over the things she made because it’d be too revealing and she had to be ready to defend herself.
That wasn’t there this episode. I think Lena is finally beginning to trust that the team trusts her (especially Alex). And ugh, that mix of desperation and devastation over Kara with this new, fragile side of Lena that’s just peeking its head out nervously was playing havoc with me.
Sooo many good Alex and Lena talks. I’m kind of relieved Kelly is there (not that we ever actually saw her this ep) because then the Agentcorp would be too much and I’d have to ship it, even tho I’m hardcore Supercorp.
Also, anyone else here Brainy say “Finally!” When they were welcoming Lena to the team? You really hit it on the head Valerie. He IS the voice of the audience this season.
Lord Zakuza has brought Joy into my life after helping me to get my ex lover back within 48 hours. Email him on lordzakuza7 @ gmail. com for any help
Lord Zakuza is sacred in my heart after he helped me to get back my ex lover. I’m so happy knowing Lord Zakuza. Email him on lordzakuza7 @ gmail. com for any help.
alex alex alex. how can you say you trust lena then just rip the device from her hands like that? you were trying to convince her with your words but then you didn’t bother to see if it worked before you just took what you needed. alex says she can’t take no for an answer but she didn’t wait for an answer at all. that really bothered me more than anything else has in this season maybe in this show. alex’s whole speech to lena means nothing if she is just going to take the device like that.
Yes, yes, yes. I know they’re probably not going to bring that up again, but personally I loved it because it gives my headcanon so much to play with.
It says a lot about Alex, and how Alex feels about Lena, mostly that she’s still harboring some of her old mistrust, which could just be bad habit, or something more.
And for Lena (cuz I love me some angst) it also puts doubts in her own head about herself. She didn’t even argue or look offended when Alex took it, probably because she doesn’t believe she has the right to demand Alex’s trust (which she does, but Lena is old friends with guilt).In addition we’re seeing her shaky on her convictions for the first time ever. Gone is the confident CEO who certainly weighed options, but once she made a decision believed in it and herself wholeheartedly. Now that confidence in herself is gone, and she’s trying to figure out what’s okay again.
And also, emotions are messy. I like when characters backtrack or seesaw on emotional growth because that’s what it’s like in real life. You may have full trust in someone one moment, but then something scary or upsetting happens, and you no longer feel comfortable being that vulnerable. It’s not right, and sometimes its unhealthy, but its also true. When you’ve got forgivness and redemption coming into play, I don’t like when things are cut and dry. I like them messy. And that force-grab was messy AF.
You caught the part where they had (now, under) an hour to, essentially, save all humanity? There are desperate times, and then there are DESPERATE Times! [As we saw it play out, all the Super Friends were taken down except Alex, and then she BARELY outlasted Phantom Prime long enough break that bleeping chrysalis]
Long story short: Alex Completely Justified. I’m sure Alex apologized to Lena *again* over the 2nd glass of Scotch…
I love the Alex and Lena friendship, but I, oddly, think they are too similar to work romantically. I love their mutual love for Kara though.
I always felt Kara is the sun and Lena the moon. Alex and Kelly have a similar dynamic.
I have to say in general this season thus far has been a waste, especially for Kara. They should have pushed filming back and avoided this Phantom Zone storyline, mostly because they are not using it for Kara character growth. Everyone other character has great moments and growth going on and they forgot about Kara years ago. And the rest of the characters are circling a plot that felt drawn out from jump. It especially hurts since this is the last season.
I fear this season will end with use aching at the wasted potential and character development.
I love that Lena got so many moments. She should have been a superfriend years ago and Kara should have told her at end of Season 3. This show just has so much wasted potential.
I know they are never going to do SuperCorp in cannon, though everything about this show’s narrative is just screaming for that to happen.
Kara is just never so open and happy as she is with Lena, it was never platonic.
“The Prime takes its newly sired Phantom and bamfs the heck outta there.”
Just wanna say that I have just been to Urban Dictionary, to find out that there are not one, but TWO meanings to “bamf”: 1) bad @ss mo fo, which I had (vaguely) heard of . . . and 2) as a sound effect for a certain kind of travel (teleportation?) that I had not. I was also told that the latter meaning is now “standard speech”. This has been JCF’s Daily Lesson in Feeling Inadequate. }-p
“She has to bring Kara back. Lena then admits she blames herself for this; it was her brother who did it, it was her experiments that lead him to that point, it was her war with Supergirl that set all this in motion. This is her chance to make it right.”
Legit killed me…but not before screaming “Supercorp Endgame!!!” at the top of my lungs. [It was nearly 2 am, I just hope my walls/windows were adequate containment!]
“The past is in the past and Lena doesn’t have to conceal not feel anymore.”
“Conceal not feel”: LOL, now we’re bringing “Frozen” into the mix? [Very appropriate, I might, as Nyxly TOTALLY Prince Hans’d me. Seriously, if the episode had begun w/ Nyxly and Kara singing “Love is an Open Door”, I could not have been more pwned. So embarrassed! (Though every moment the ep continued I had more and more doubts. Until Nyxly said “honey”, and that (ironically) sealed the deal: Evil.)
Alright, I was a bit miffed about the previous episode, but then they turn around with so many good ‘ship moments. I guess, I needed a good pep talk by the Danvers sisters ;)
Alex and Lena – it’s been way too long since these two teamed up. And that speech on the feelings balcony. Oof, my heart, plus the scotch. Ditto.
Kara being Kara wherever she is, and whoever gets in her face. I thought that Nyxly was kinda stand-offish towards SuperDad early on. So yeah, that didn’t end well.
Nia’s newfound powers are so handy! Yeah for time-travelling SuperFriends!
Just dropping this here:
‘Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist & Chyler Leigh Look Back on the Danvers Sisters and Ahead to the Finale
These two…
https://www.tvinsider.com/995076/supergirl-season-6-finale-kara-alex-danvers-melissa-benoist-chyler-leigh/
Nice interview with Melissa and Chyler:
www(.)tvinsider(.)com/995076/supergirl-season-6-finale-kara-alex-danvers-melissa-benoist-chyler-leigh/
Lovely interview with Melissa and Chyler on tvinsider com (can’t post the link unfortunately)
Haha, SORRY for the spam, thought it didn’t post, and then it did, oopsie