Supergirl brings The CW’s Arrowverse (and much of the rest of the network’s fall line-up) roaring back to life. While it’s very good to have Supergirl back, Kara Danvers probably doesn’t feel the same way. Although she saved the day at the end of season 2, it wasn’t without a cost.
Kara’s boyfriend, Mon-El, was forced to leave Earth, and Kara, to save his life. The Supergirl season 3 premiere, titled, “Girl of Steel,” focuses heavily on Mon-El’s departure, but they might go just a tad too far with the misery.
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New Year, New Supergirl
The premiere opens with Kara’s sex dream about Mon-El being interrupted by an appearance from her mother, a sequence that is deeply confusing for many more reasons than the fact that Alura is played by a completely new actress. Afterwards, though, Supergirl drops a ton of new plot information.
A pretty significant period of time has passed from the season 2 finale. Cat Grant is the President’s press secretary (a development that’s begging for a spin-off). Maggie and Alex are officially engaged and planning their wedding. The city has been rebuilt after the invasion, in large part due to efforts of Lena and James, the latter of whom seems to finally have a real personality and affection for his job.
The important developments are, firstly, that there’s a new villain in town, Morgan Edge, a character who is just like every previous (good) Supergirl baddie: incredibly swarmy but still oddly charismatic. Luckily, unlike every previous (bad) Supergirl baddie, the show wastes no time in letting us know that Edge is up to no good. Edge not only has clear villain connections from the start, but he also announces plans to buy out CatCo. You never mess with Cat Grant on this show.
Joining Edge in a level of importance is that Kara has become an insufferable drag in between seasons. After Mon-El’s exile, Kara has buried herself in her work as Supergirl. This means that crime is at an all-time low, but her social and work life is just as nonexistent. Kara has disavowed all acknowledgement of her humanity; she doesn’t want to be Kara Danvers anymore but just Supergirl. This means no CatCo, no friends and absolutely no smiling. While Melissa Benoist does a great job selling Kara’s hurt and deep despair, especially in a great scene where Alex takes her sister to task for being the bitterest pill imaginable, it’s hard to stomach this new Supergirl.
Kara doesn’t work as a miserable and mopey character. Supergirl wouldn’t be the first show in the Arrowverse to have a very dark season 3, but it’s not a color that works well on Kara. (Of course, it doesn’t help that The Flash and Arrow season 3 are the worst years of both shows.) Kara is best as a shiny, hopeful beacon of optimism, not a heartsick grump.
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Reign Begins
Instead of focusing too much on Supergirl’s new attitude, the show dives right into a new villain. Bloodsport, who is working with Edge, comes to town, and he’s precisely as threatening and interesting as other evil bald guys like him. Bloodsport’s one big contribution to the episode is that working with Chase, and using an invisible sub, he attacks a public ceremony where a (hideous) steel statue of Supergirl is being unveiled.
At this ceremony, a character named Sam is introduced. Anyone paying attention to the casting announcements will know that Sam is much more than she seems. She’ll become Reign, someone who is an undeniable villainous character. For now, though, Sam is an innocent suburban mom who has no idea she has the powers of a god, though the attack from Bloodsport does seem to spark these latent powers for unknown reasons as well as unearth her alien ship.
Supergirl Returns
Reign coming to life isn’t the only unexplained development. After the attack, where Kara nearly dies only to be awoken by Dream Mon-El, Kara decides she needs to shape up her act. Although Kara does threaten Edge in a very intense manner, Kara otherwise returns to normal. She goes back to her friends and family and resolves to keep working at CatCo, after quitting earlier, which is now owned by Lena Luthor. Thankfully, Kara Danvers is sticking around.
Kara’s resolution comes just in time as Alex and Maggie decide they’re going to have the “biggest, gayest” wedding ever. Alex even decides to ask J’onn to walk her down the aisle, which causes tears all around.
While having a more hardened Supergirl might be good for a few stories this season, hopefully season 3 will have more heartwarming moments like the one between Alex and J’onn. Anything is better than Kara lashing out because of the (currently) absent Mon-El. Precisely no one thinks he’s actually gone forever, right?
What did you think of the premiere? Do you enjoy the darker Kara? Do you think she has truly returned to her human life or will it be a season-long struggle? Are you excited that Maggie and Alex are getting married? How do you feel about Sam/Reign and Edge? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Supergirl season 3 airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW. Want more news? Like our Supergirl Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Derek is a Philadelphia based writer and unabashed TV and comic book junkie. The time he doesn’t spend over analyzing all things nerdy he is working on his resume to be the liaison to the Justice League.
