Fly Like a Girl: ‘Supergirl’ – Episode 11 ‘Strange Visitor from Another Planet’

Supergirl is DC’s television adaptation of the comic book of the same name. It airs Monday nights at 8/7 Central on CBS. Our writer, Nicole Drum recaps the series each week updating you on the latest episode here in Fly Like a Girl.

Image Credit: CBS

This week we delve into more than just the problems of Supergirl, and those of the people around her. Last night’s episode focused on Henshaw/J’onn and Cat, focusing on his history on her family issues respectively, with Kara playing important roles in helping both of her coworkers. It was a good change of pace for the series. As always, there will be spoilers beyond this point.

Last night’s episode can be somewhat divided into two sections: First, there is the J’onn plot section and second, the Cat plot section. The episode flows as a woven tapestry, but it makes more sense to explain what happens based on the specific characters since there is very little overlap this time. From now on I will be referring to the man we first met as Hank Henshaw as J’onn since he is definitely developing more as his own character with a personality different from what we first met. We learn last night that J’onn is the lone survivor of his species, the Green Martians. Everyone else is dead, which includes his wife and daughters. How did they die? They were literally burned alive by invading White Martians. This is important to know because it is a single White Martian that has now come to earth with the goal of killing J’onn and therefore completely eliminating the Green Martian species. It’s also important to know because it really personalizes J’onn. Make no mistake, his grief is tangible. My heart just breaks for him.

The invading White Martian has the ability to shapeshift as J’onn does, and takes the form of the anti-alien Senator Miranda Crane. This puts the White Martian in a position to create some issues at the DEO, which it does until the White Martian and J’onn face off. One would think that J’onn would want to completely beat the crap out of this White Martian given the deaths of his family and entire species. Instead J’onn is worn out. He is tired of being the only survivor and he is tired of living with the pain and grief over losing everything. J’onn is depressed and would actually be okay with letting the White Martian just destroy things. This doesn’t sit well with Kara at all and she shows up while he and the White Martian are fighting (I use fighting loosely as J’onn is actually hoping the White Martian will kill him), managing to convince J’onn to do the right thing. J’onn brings the White Martian back to the DEO to be imprisoned. This doesn’t appear to be the end though, because White Martian warns that there are more coming for J’onn to do their worst.

On the other side of this episode is Cat. Cat doesn’t have the best family situation which is often evidenced by the things she tells Kara, as well as the advice she often gives her assistant. Tonight Cat’s issue is her son, Adam. She needs to mend her relationship with him. Kara pretends to be Cat and writes him a lovely letter of apology which results in Adam coming to National City. Cat is livid about this letter, but somehow Kara manages to not get fired because it’s a well-written letter and well, Adam is in town. He wants to reconcile and repair things, which is exactly what Cat claims to want, but dinner goes badly. Cat has some serious ego issues. All she can do is talk about herself and her own accomplishments which causes conflict with Adam. Kara ends up playing mediator and somehow gets mother and son to get together for coffee. Kara is able to work things out with them this time to the point that it looks like a real mother and son moment. Seems like Kara has super powers that have nothing to do with being Kryptonian after all especially when all of her efforts result in Adam asking Kara out on a date. Good job, Kara! It’s not Winn and it’s not James. This could be very good! Kara seems to think so, too, as she has some ice cream with Alex at home that evening. The winning is short-lived though. There is a news report that Supergirl is at the scene of a car accident. The only problem is that Supergirl isn’t Kara? Is it time for Bizarro Girl now? Also, are things a little better with Winn now?

This episode was a nice change of pace and I really enjoyed seeing one of my favorite characters in comics, J’onn get a chance to shine. What did you think? Share your thoughts in the comments! See you next week.