Supergirl Review, Ep. 7 “Human for a Day”

SUMMARY

After fighting an android, Kara finds she has lost her powers until they can be recharged by the sun.  Then an earthquake hits National City and an alien escapes from a DEO prison.  Can’t the world go just one day without Supergirl?

REACTION

“Human for a Day” packs a lot of action while still focusing on the emotional development of its characters.  From Kara’s attempt to try to find value in herself as a “normal” person to Alex’s attempt to figure out the truth about her father, this episode delivered a lot of heartfelt and exciting moments.  I found myself tearing up over the city’s struggle to remain positive during a natural disaster.

I’ll be upfront in that I think I loved this episode so much in part because Lucy Lane is missing.  I haven’t found her character that compelling so I enjoyed being able to focus on Alex’s growth and Kara’s relationship with James.  The plot felt evenly split between the sisters, which added nicely to the idea that anyone, even those without superhuman powers, can be a hero.  (When Cat Grant’s and Supergirl’s responses to the crisis were juxtaposed, I think I cried a little.)  Alex was given what she needed to move on from her grief over her father’s death while Kara, still struggling to keep her friendship with Jimmy, was also given a shove by–surprise–Winn to keep her perspective.

I’ve shipped Kara and James from the beginning, so it was sad to see James choose Lucy instead.  However, I think Winn said something valuable when he told Kara that Lucy would return.  It’s not fair to Kara, Jimmy, or Lucy for Kara to so obviously be into James.  Even if Winn was mean about it and even though he clearly  has his own motives for sabotaging a James/Kara romance, he’s not wrong in telling Kara to try move on for everyone’s sakes.  I hope Kara can become stronger through this experience and that she can become great friends with both James and Lucy.  A Kara/Lucy team-up would be amazing.

Once again an episode delivers a lot of plot development at once, but the pacing still feels right.  I think the emphasis on the relationships balances out the big reveals and makes the show feel grounded in the every day while still addressing aliens and superheroes.  I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Kara and her team.