Season four of Supergirl is near its end, but the show didn’t let up on the cultural conflict that permeated recent months. Ben Lockwood’s anti-alien movement reached its apex when President Baker officially deputized the Children of Liberty. The move couldn’t come at a worse time as Kara decided to take a break from her heroic ways for fear of stoking public fear. National City was left without a hero as Kara put down her sword and picked up the pen. Luckily, Nia was ready to pick up the mantle, though sheer force might not be the best way to steer public perception. Sometimes words speak louder than actions.
Fighting Multiple Fronts
Ben and the recently deputized Children of Liberty begin to perform mass raids and detainments of aliens thanks to President Baker’s martial law declaration. But National City’s defenders aren’t taking it lying down. Nia, with Brainy’s aid, begins a one-woman crusade against the COL under her Dreamer alter-ego. Brainy’s worries about getting caught do little to discourage her until she stumbles upon an alien refuge. The COL soon arrive but Dreamer defends them, causing them to retreat. Nia’s confidence in the aliens’ safety isn’t shared by them, though the tides might be changing. Ben’s son, George, discovers that his friend, Charlie, is an alien hiding in the refuge. This, coupled with seeing his father separate families, forces him to question the morality of his actions.
While Nia fights in the streets, Kara prepares a journalistic attack against Lex. Her planned expose of the super villain centers on a large transaction between L Corp and AmerTek. Luckily, one of her co-workers has a sister working for AmerTek that is willing to talk. Nia pushes Kara to don the cape once again prior to the meeting, but Kara refuses. Public perception of Supergirl remains too negative. Unfortunately, her AmerTek contact is too scared to fully cooperate. Kara learns that a man named Sebastian Melmoth made the purchase, but finds no further information. A visit to Lena doesn’t reveal much other than fractures in their friendship. Lena spurns Kara’s request, asking if she sees her as a best friend or an inside source.
Freedom From The Past
James’ traumatic reactions to Lena’s super serum are growing more unstable, forcing Lena to find a suitable treatment. She rushes to find a way to extract the serum as James’ new powers begin to manifest. Brainy decides to take another approach, proposing that they use a mind palace to confront the source of James’ trauma. The two dive into James’ mind believing the source to be an inciting event involving Lex. They were wrong.
James’ trauma spawns from the memory of his father’s funeral. This is odd as Kelly points out that James wasn’t present at the ceremony. James explains that he was locked in a diner bathroom during the ceremony, but his repressed memories explain otherwise. In reality, James was attacked by two bullies and trapped in a casket in the basement. Uncovering the memory causes James to crumble, but Brainy brings Kelly into the mind palace to snap him out of it. The siblings reconnect after Kelly learns the truth and offers her brother comfort. The move empowers James to free his younger self from the casket and stabilize his physical body. He wakes up with control of his power as Brainy informs Lena of their success.
We Are The New Day
Kara and Nia reconvene at CatCo after running into their own respective brick walls. Nia is at a loss regarding her next move and Kara continues to believe that her actions as Supergirl made the cultural divide worse. Somehow they have to combat humans’ fear of the unknown, and Kara has the perfect idea: a live interview with Nia as Dreamer. Nia’s lineage as the child of a human and an alien makes her the perfect example of coexistence between both communities.
The sit-down goes live worldwide with Nia as a rallying figure. She was born in America to a hybrid family that represented the potential of the alien/human relationship. She also reveals that she is trans and that she doesn’t see her differences as weakness. They’re what make her and everyone else strong. She humanizes the alien population to a global audience, exclaiming her pride in all she is. That pride means that they can overcome the public’s fear to find peace. Ben storms the CatCo offices soon afterward, but Nia, Brainy and Kara are able to fight off his forces. James breaks a crazed Ben’s arm before forcing him to leave the building.
Fear Sucks
The inspirational effect of Nia’s interview reaches far and wide. Kara’s AmerTek source returns offering to turn over company records. George turns his back on his father’s anti-alien movement. Lena apologizes and reveals to Kara that Lex tricked her into developing the super serum. The two reconcile and Lena helps Kara uncover that Lex used AmerTek as a smokescreen in order to purchase a Kaznian missile base. The pursuit isn’t over yet.
Ben isn’t so lucky. He returns home to find the wife of an alien he detained leaving his home. He rushes in to find his wife dead on the floor.
Earth’s tumult is far away from J’onn as he ventures to his home planet. He returns his people’s sacred symbols before being visited by a vision of his father. The figure thanks J’onn and tells him to return home, although he has no idea of the situation to which he is returning.
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