SUPERGIRL - Season 4.18

SUPERGIRL – Season 4, Ep. 18:  “Crime & Punishment”


The Maid of Might returns from her short break---and so do I!  So, when last we left our gal, she was made a patsy for the murder of several journalists and politicians in the Oval Office, thanks to the Red Daughter, who is under the HEAVY influence of Lex Luthor, and the President has ordered her Enemy #1 and wants to turn herself in.  Alex and Lena are on her side, knowing she was framed.  Meanwhile, James is beginning treatment for his PTSD…

We open up with President Baker having a nationwide press conference, instructing the nation that he is putting it on lockdown with a mandatory curfew.  All aliens will be dealt with on site, as he has repealed the Alien Amnesty Act.  He also urges Supergirl to give up and turn herself in.  Martial Law is in full effect.  
Supergirl, Alex, and Lena see this, and promise to help clear her name, but she hears a call for help, and says she’s going to help, and if they want to stop her, let them try.  She arrives at a car wreck scene, and tries to get the man out of the overturned vehicle.  She is approached by a few citizens who fire on her, with no effect whatsoever.  She explains to them that she’s trying to help the man out of the car, but they fire on her nonetheless and call her a traitor.  She stops the bullets, but one hits the car, and causes it to explode.  She manages to get the driver to safety, only to be chastised by him, saying that his daughter looked up to her, and now he doesn’t know what to tell her.

Lena, Alex, and Supergirl discover some clues that indicate that Lex had someone on the inside allowing him free roam to get out of the prison at will.  They discover that it’s the warden, and head to Stryker’s to pay him a visit, and search Lex’s cell.  They let him know that they found out he was on the take, and that Lex threatened his family, for which Lena says he does that to everyone.  They also discovered his offshore account that Lex paid into, and said that they could tell his husband, and he lets up.  The ladies then head to Lex’s cell to find some clues as to how he set all this in motion.  In his cell, Lena discovers the chess board, and says to Supergirl that they used to leave notes in the pieces as kids.  She finds a piece, opens it, and discovers a picture of the volunteer patient that she treated with the Haurn-El, and died.  There was a date on the back, and Lena discovers it’s a pattern.  She puts several pieces on the board, and manages to open a secret box, showing all of Lex’s journals.  They start pouring through them to find a clue.

Lockwood comes to the DEO to commandeer some weaponry in order to capture Supergirl.  Haley and Alex both say that he needs a Congressional Order to obtain them.  When he gets into Haley’s face, she tells him she does things by the book, so go get the order.  He tells her they need to contact Supergirl.  Haley says she doesn’t like it, but she must follow orders, and so does Alex.  Alex gives her the signal watch, and says to press it twice to contact her, as Brainy looks on.  Haley leaves, and Brainy notes to Alex that she said to Haley to press it twice, indicating that pressing it ONCE would contact Supergirl, and TWICE informs the Girl of Steel that it’s a trap.  Alex then tells Brainy to wipe the database of all aliens on record, but to do it in a clandestine manner…for which he has to yell about how clandestine he’ll be.

James and his sister Kelly arrive at the hospital for James’ session with the therapist for his PTSD.  She assures him he’s got this, and tells him that their Dad would be proud.  He sheds a tear, and thanks her as he heads off to his session.  She gets a call from Alex to meet her.

Alex and Kelly meet, and Alex asks her for advice in regards to Haley.  She says that Haley does everything by the book, and feels that it’s not the way this situation should be handled, and wondered what she could do.  Kelly recalls a somewhat similar situation when she was serving, and says that she appealed to her commanding officer’s humanity---by finding out what’s most important to them.  Kelly said she hoped it wasn’t bad that Alex called her, and Alex actually said she actually appreciates Kelly showing up.  Romance blooming?

Back in Lex’s cell, both Supergirl and Lena are frustrated, and Lena especially, since she’s disgusted reading Lex’s diary, and Supergirl as well, reading about how much hatred Lex has for her cousin.  But what they DO notice is a man in glasses spying on them with a mirror.  They both decide that HE may be able to shed some light on Lex’s comings and goings.

We see James at his session, and the therapist is helping him trying and work through is problem.  He remembers being shot, and it causes a panic attack in him, she tries to get him to calm down, and he does.  She tells him it will take time, but she’s there for him.  Meanwhile, we begin to see the effects of the Harun-El being to take effect in James, as it courses through his veins.

We see Brainy in the mainframe, meanwhile, going through the process of deleting all the files on the database when he begins to question himself as to whether or not he’s doing the right thing.  He’s having a conflict, and can’t decide what to do.

Supergirl goes to talk to the inmate, whom she finds out is named Steve, and he was once a reporter who was trying to expose the DEO, but ended up in prison for his troubles. She tries to appeal to his conscious, but to no avail.  He feels she’s just as bad as the DEO is.  He tells her that everything she touches, she ruins.  Supergirl returns to Lena dejected.

Alex approaches Haley about this decision with Lockwood and letting him capture and nail Supergirl.  She uses Haley’s daughter as a means to an inroad, but is met with an icy response from Haley, knowing that Alex is trying to manipulate her.  She reprimands her, and Alex leaves.  

Brainy visits Nia, and asks her to use her powers to see whether or not he erases the database, and she takes offense when it’s okay for HIM to seek her powers for future events, but not for Nia herself.  He begs her out of desperation, and she relents.  Sits in the chair, closes her eyes, and tells him he does.  So, she actually helps him make up his own mind about what the right thing to do is…without using her powers.

Lena and Supergirl are distraught, having ransacked everything in Lex’s cell, but coming up empty.  Just then, Otis Graves shows up and surprises the Warden, whom he kills.  He then gets on the PA system and says it’s time to let the kids play, and releases all the inmates, hoping they’ll kill Supergirl. Lena hands her a Kryptonite shield to protect her, knowing Otis will have Kryptonite on him.  She then keeps Lena safe, and has Lena continue to find a clue, while she goes and stops the prison riot.  The prisoners come at her, but she easily stops them.  She heads to the Warden’s office, but finds him dead.

Supergirl and Otis square off, and he uses the Kryptonite chest plate to attack her, but the K Shield she has holds him off.  They brawl through the prison, and Otis manages to crack the shield, thus exposing the Maid of Might to Kryptonite.  Otis blasts her, and she takes off.  As he goes to search for her, he bumps into a woman…it’s Kara in her secret ID.  She manages to fool him by saying she’s a reporter doing a story on prison reform.  He takes off, and as she is about to leave, heads to the window to absorb some sun in order to get rid of the Kryptonite in her system.  As she does that, she’s attacked by Steve’s bodyguard.  Steve recognizes her as Kara Danvers of CatCo, and she informs him she’s here to do a story on Lex Luthor.  Steve says he’s got stories to tell, but before she can get anything out of him, the military arrives and plans on attacking if Supergirl doesn’t give herself up.  She takes off and leaves Steve and his bodyguard behind, and goes to take off, stopping the prisoners and Otis before the soldiers tear gas the prison.  She makes her way back to Lex’s cell, where Lena had finally found Lex’s secret passage and lab.

Supergirl arrives and ends up seeing what Lex’s lab had eyes everywhere in the prison.  They then see Otis in Lex’s lab.  Otis relays the message to Lex that they did indeed ransack the cell.  Lex tells Otis to stand in the middle of the cell.  His chest plate starts flashing, and Supergirl says they need to bail, because he’s about to destroy her by detonating Otis’ chest plate…which he does.  Supergirl and Lena manage to avoid the gas and make their escape.

James is back in his office at CatCo, when one of the TV’s talking about the prison situation has a gunshot go off, sparking James’ PTSD yet again…only NOW, the Harun-El in his system amplifies EVERY sense in his body.  He ends up squeezing a lamp with his bare hands and bends it.  He recovers, but knows something is VERY wrong.  

Nia wakes up from a dream, and immediately calls Brainy, asking him if he destroyed the database.  At first he said he didn’t, which was a relief to her, because her dream was a bad one involving him had he deleted it.  He then told her he DID delete it, but made a backup which is now in his memory banks.

Lockwood shows up at the DEO, and procures the weapons he needs to capture Supergirl.  He asks Haley to call her, and Haley hits the watch twice…informing the Girl of Steel that it’s a trap.  Supergirl doesn’t show up, and Lockwood is upset.  He asks what Haley did, and she said she followed orders.  He then takes the weapons and takes off.  Haley comments to Alex that she doesn’t like being manipulated either by her OR Lockwood…but then she tells Alex that her daughter’s favorite teacher is an alien, and is now in hiding.  She realizes that the situation has gotten worse.  While back at the White House, Lockwood rants to the President about how the DEO failed to call Supergirl.  The President then deputizes the Sons of Liberty, and gives them carte blanche to do what’s necessary.

Back at Lena’s, the trio of Supergirl, Alex, and Lena try to figure out another plan of attack to clear the Girl of Steel’s name, but Supergirl realizes that it’s time for her to lie low, and takes off.  

Otis wakes up to see Eve, and she says that they put him back together again…another Metallo.

James gets ahold of his sister Kelly, and tells him he had another attack, but it was more intense.  Kelly tries to pass it off as normal, but he doesn’t agree.  He shows her the bent lamp, and says he needs to talk to Lena.

Kara appears at the prison to talk to Steve, and he decides he’s going to help her in her story about Lex to hopefully take him down.  Kara appreciates that, and he gives her a flash drive, saying that Lex wasn’t completely smart about his computer searches.  He’s happy that the power of the press is going to find a way to tell the truth, and Kara responds that the power can help…possibly more than a cape.

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First of all…let me start off by apologizing for my absence this month---I’ve had A LOT of upheaval in my personal life, and have had to relocate where wifi service has been spotty, so I am doing my best here to keep this blog going, and doing what I can to keep up with these shows.  So, I also apologize for missing out on last week’s installments of Arrow, The Flash, and the last two weeks of Legends…but I’ll will work my ass off to correct it.  Now that MY personal crap is out of the way, let’s get to this episode, shall we?

Well, this show has certainly picked up the steam since Lex’s appearance, and we’re starting to see the strings he pulled tight slightly unravel…but not quite enough to where he STILL isn’t a step or two ahead of our hero.  He knew he wouldn’t be able to keep his tracks covered for long, but knowing Lex’s incredible intellect, and his calculating mind, it was also by design.  Remember, the man’s ego is his biggest fault, and he WANTS the world to know he brought the Kryptonians down.  But he’s NOT going to make it easy for them, and while the clues are being discovered, it’s also taking an effect on the emotions and psyche of both Supergirl AND Lena.  But we see how great a team both ladies are, and they know they’re getting closer.  However, with Otis blowing up and nearly killing Supergirl with Kryptonite gas, they had to bail on the evidence they needed, and won’t be able to obtain it.  THANKFULLY, Steve is a guy who isn’t a big Lex fan, and Kara’s approach as KARA will prove to be a better path to expose Lex and prove her innocence than using her cape and powers.  She knows it’s a sacrifice she DOESN’T want to take, but feels that---at this juncture---she has no option.

Kudos to Alex this week for, yet again, finding a way to get to Haley, and saving the day…at least for Supergirl.  Also, Kelly Olsen gets an assist for helping Alex reach Haley, and get her to see that playing by the book isn’t always the way to go.  And Kelly and Alex…a possible romance blooming there?  Guess we’ll have to see…especially since Kelly is sticking around in Season 5.  It’s also nice to see Haley start to come around a little bit.  Alex just needs to keep chipping at that armor.

Looks like President Baker as initiated a bit of Martial Law now…especially for aliens, who’re now in danger from the attack of the now Deputized Sons of Liberty.  Expect Lockwood to show NO mercy to ANY alien citizen, and use a bodycount in order to draw Supergirl back out.  

To see Brainy have a crisis of conscious shows he’s becoming more humanized by the day.  Him seeking out Nia’s advice showed desperation.  Her faking the use of her powers to help him to his decision was kind of cute, but helpful in showing his human side.  The REAL dream came later, but thankfully, Brainy was able to put her at ease.

James’ reaction to his PTSD, and the Harun-El is manifesting, and we can only wonder what is going to happen once that takes effect, and what kind of powers he’s going to have.  We got an example of heightened senses…and some super strength.  What else will happen?  And will it cause him to lose his marbles?  His story is worth keeping tabs on as we head towards the last few episodes of this season.

That’s it for this week.  As always, I TRULY appreciate all of you that have checked out this blog.  Pass the good word, subscribe, and leave a comment if you can!  Thanks to you all for your patience during the last few weeks.  It’s been a rollercoaster, but I’m finding my way back.

Until next week….Up, up, and away!