SUPERGIRL 6.16

 

RECAP - SUPERGIRL  6.16:  "Nightmare in National City"  

Though they have acquired a few of the totems....and destroyed the Hope Totem, it's still a race against time for the Superfriends and Nyxly to obtain the rest before Nyxly can pull off her revenge.  And NOW....she's got a secret admirer---someone who provided her with a VERY familiar looking battlesuit to help her in her cause against Supergirl.  And knowing that Lex Luthor is lurking in the background only makes matters WORSE for our team of heroes trying to stop a magic Imp from killing everyone.  How will they handle Nyxly's next plan?  Time is running out for our Girl of Steel to put an end to the threat, as we reach ever closer to our series finale. 

The Girl of Steel....for all her might, all the heroic deeds she's done...as really been struggling as of late.  Supergirl has just been one step behind Nyxly in this whole race to obtain the totems in order to prevent the Imp from the 5th Dimension from exacting her revenge and creating real havoc.  This week, things certainly did NOT improve her situation.  And it's not only effected the Maid of Might....but Kara Danvers as well, as Kara can't even keep her life in balance and do her job at Catco without issues.  She's not able to get the stories done that she needs, and can't seem to meet Andrea's demands.  So, Kara's mind is split, and she's extremely overwhelmed.  She just hasn't seemed to find balance in her life since she returned from the Phantom Zone.  Aside from dealing with her fears, she's just never been able to get back to being the Kara Danvers we know and love, nor the Supergirl that is confident and full of hope.  Kara's taken a beating the 2nd half of this season from an emotional standpoint. This week, she and the team tried to once again put a stop of Nyxly, as she's after the Dream Totem, but are thwarted when they meet up with her in a lab, where Nyxly is trying to use a scientist who uses dreams as a way to power his machine to access the dream world.  Nyxly has the help of Lex's gauntlets (she still doesn't know her benefactor), and she escapes into the realm to find the totem...but not before she leaves a gift behind:  a monster from the dream dimension that  escapes and starts wreaking havoc on the city.  It heads for a nuclear reactor towards town, and it takes Lena using the Luthor satellites to put a protective dome around that part of the city to keep the monster out.  

The result of that little maneuver is backlash from those in the city who're trapped under the dome, and the Governor, as she demands the Superfriends take the dome down.  J'onn and Alex try to negotiate for more time, as Lena and Brainy work on a countermeasure to stop the monster.  The Governor gives them 12 hours before she sends in the National Guard, and takes the dome down.  Meanwhile, in the wake of last week's disposal of missles from both Kaznia and Corto Maltese, Kara is now going to get to cover the peace treaty signing between the two nations.  Problem is, she's not totally prepared for it, and her Nyxly distraction is causing her to mess up at her actual job. William tries to prep her for the interview, but she ends up missing it, because of a riot breaking out at the dome.  She ended up missing the interview.  Andrea chastises her for not doing her job.  She's never questioned her absences, but now they're effecting her job.  She's given one more chance thanks to Andrea's greasing of the wheels to get a new interview.  The team does manage to get the device needed done, as the National Guard lowers the dome, and the monster heads towards the reactor.  Despite the National Guard getting in the way, the Superfriends manage to get the monster back into the dream realm.  Now, as for Kara....she is given this do-over for the interview, but she instead passes it along to William, whom is more prepared, and able to devote the time to it.  Kara stated to William that there doesn't seem to have enough time in the day to do everything, and she's overwhelmed.  So....Kara does something unexpected----she quits Catco.  She takes off, only to return as Supergirl, and decides to give a statement to the city, apologizing for the actions of earlier in the day with the dome.  She says that she and the team won't rest until they stop Nyxly....failure is not an option.

Now, while Kara was busy trying to get an interview with the Kaznian ambassador, and trying to stop Nyxly, Nia has been trying to find a way to obtain the Dream Totem.  But she's had no such luck.  She has no access to the books and notes her mother had, because after her fight with her sister Maeve, her sister disappeared off the map...including shutting out their father, Maeve took all of their mother's research with her.  So, Brainy suggests Nia expand her realm of searching beyond the dream realm, and she manages to find a clue in a Dr. Nelee's office on a school campus somewhere.  Nia goes to see this doctor, only to discover that it's her sister, who changed her name after she took off from home.  They bicker a little, but it appears that Maeve has been keeping track of her sister.  Maeve has been studying about the totem, and points to lots of volumes of books that she's read to gain knowledge about it.  They manage to put their differences aside, as Nia takes her into the dream realm to try and find the totem before Nyxly does.  Little do they know, Nyxly is also there looking for it.  Maeve's necklace glows as they get closer to it, and Nia uses her powers to to locate it.  They enter  into the realm beyond the dream realm and find the totem. Maeve goes to grab it, but the totem zaps her, saying she is not worthy.  She gives Nia grief that this is what she trained her whole life for, and that this is her birthright, and that Nia stole it from her.  Nia's had enough of her sister's nagging, and says she's not feeling sorry for her anymore, and is tired of taking her abuse.  She says she didn't ask for these powers, but she has them, and she's had to learn on the job because SHE didn't have their mother OR her to help her learn.  So, Maeve needs to suck it up, and deal with the fact that SHE is the Dreamer.  Now, while all this arguing is going on, Nyxly shows up to nab the totem, and Nia tries to fight her for it, but she ends up losing out, as Nyxly makes off with the Dream Totem.  Later on,, we see the two sister have that must needed chat.  Maeve wants forgiveness, but Nia isn't giving it.  But what she WILL offer, is a chance for Maeve to be her sister again.  A hug begins the healing process. 

As for Nyxly....who was, once again, the BIG winner this week....has the totem, and the gauntlet asks for the totem.  Once she places it in the gauntlet's hand----and it eventually forms into Lex Luthor....as expected.

This episode was alright....we didn't get Kelly this week, but she was introducing the newest member of the Olsen family to her extended relatives.  But I was more interested in Nia and Maeve's story this week, because this has been about a YEAR PLUS overdue, and I was elated to have it happen.  And I love how Nia didn't pull her punches, and I love that she drove her feelings towards Maeve's actions right to her, and didn't flinch.  Maeve had a serious ass chewing coming, and it was great to clear the air.  And I loved the fact that Nia stated to her in no uncertainty that SHE was the Dreamer...and that was that.  And I loved how Nia looked this week (she just looked hot, what can I say?).  And love how she's finding new ways to use her powers.  Now...as this issue with Nyxly reaches its apex, I'd love to see Maeve really contribute to the Superffriends, and help her sister train more in the use of her powers.  If it helps heal that bond between sisters, I'm all for it.

What's getting long in the tooth for me as the series is winding down is Supergirl herself.  This constant doubt, this scatterbrained Kara isn't doing it for me.  Now, I know that she's had to deal with the fear from coming out of the Phantom Zone, but this has gone on too far.  And now, we're essentially LOSING Kara Danvers , because she's now had to quit Catco because she can't seem to handle her double life anymore.  Andrea is a TERRIBLE boss, and while William has been that sane voice in this vertigo life of hers right now....she really needs some inspiration of her own.  Especially now that (predictably), Lex is now working with Nyxly.  THIS is why I have bee LOBBYING this season for the return of Calista Flockhart as Cat Grant.  If there is ANYONE that can light a fire under Kara's ass, it's ALWAYS been Cat.  NOW is that time to bring this show full circle, by not only bringing back Winn....and James....but most definitely CAT.  It would be a disservice to Supergirl, the fans of the show, and to the character itself, if you don't bring Cat back one last time to help lift the Girl of Steel off the ground. 

So, with only a handful of episodes left....what did YOU think of this week?   What were YOUR highlights?  Subscribe and drop me some comments below.

Until next time....Up, up, and waway! 

STARGIRL 2.11

 

RECAP - STARGIRL  2.11:  "Summer School - Chapter Eleven"

Things just go from bad to worse for the JSA.  With the team splintered, and the threat of Eclipso continuing to loom large, the team just got dealt it's biggest blow:  Courtney has been sucked into the Shadowlands.  Thanks to their last encounter with Eclipso, Jenny Lynn Haden - Green Lantern's daughter - is now down for the count, Courtney's gone, and Pat is left with Cosmo...and the guilt of his failures, as now his step-daughter...the one who continued to have hope that they can stop Eclipso is now gone.  It doesn't look good for the denizens of Blue Valley...

Pat and Jenny arrive back home, with Cosmo in hand, as a forlorn Barbara and Mike look on, as they realize Courtney is gone.  The family gathers around as they mourn the loss of their Stargirl.

But, we all know Courtney is not gone.  She has been transported elsewhere...into a black and white version of Blue Valley, where everything seems to move a little slower.  She wanders into the diner, to see the Wizard and his family together.  William Zarek introduces himself, his wife, and their son Joey, whom he's teaching to be a magician.  He says he left a troubled life behind.  Joey asks her to pick a card, and she starts flashing back to when he asked her to do that card trick.  She feels something is VERY off.  And when they start to realize it, they start to approach her.  She makes a beeline for the door, and winds up at the school.  She sees all the students move about, only to find Isaac Bowen and his mother.  They see her as trouble and blast her back.  As they go to approach her, she's shoved through another door, and she winds up meeting Shiv.  They fight a little, and Shiv cuts her, because Courtney doesn't have her staff.  Cindy wonders how she got here, and sees that she's real.  She pushes Courtney through another door, and they're in Courtney's room.  There, Cindy and her bicker a little about how they wound up there, and point fingers at each other.  Cindy tells her that this is the Shadowlands.  Was created by Eclipso.  It feeds of the fear and guilt of those trapped in here.  Courtney asks for the way out, but Cindy says there is none.  Courtney refuses to believe that, as Cindy starts hearing her mother's voice.  While Cindy tries to fight off her demons, Courtney says she's going home, and walks through the door into another place---her old home at Christmastime....before her mother had met Pat.  Courtney was a baby, and her mother, getting ready for another shift at a diner, thinks this Courtney is a babysitter.  She tries to tell this version of Barbara that it's her, but this Barbara lays the guilt on about not being able finish college because of Courtney, and if she had never had her, her life would be better.  Before Courtney can defend herself, she's yanked back to the room by Cindy.  Courtney wonders how the doors work.  Cindy informs her that there is darkness in everyone....including Courtney.  Cindy says that the souls of this realm will eventually be consumed.  They bicker more, and then Cindy proclaims she has no fear here...but then her mother's voice arises once again, and she can't handle it.  She then sees her mother, who's begging her not to kill her again.  Cindy tells her to scram, but eventually, Cindy gets nabbed by her father, Dragon King, and Courtney chases her into the darkness to rescue her...only to lose her. 

When Courtney reaches her next destination, it's at the old JSA garage that Pat and Starman worked at.  There, she meets the real Dr. Mid-Nite.  He lets her use the goggles to see what the Shadowlands are really like.  Everything around them is an illusion.  He keeps them on to see the truth.  He tells her to never give up, and to keep fighting.  And, thanks to the goggles Beth has, he's been able to keep in contact with the outside world. Meanwhile, Beth is scanning Courtney's room, and looking at all the mementos.  She tells Jenny her goggles are full of tears, but afraid to take them off.  Jenny blames herself for failing.  Suddenly, Beth's goggles activate, and Dr. McNider tells her that he's in the shadowlands with Courtney.  McNider informs Beth that the Shade is the key for getting them out.  They race to tell Pat and Barb that Courtney is alive in the Shadowlands with Dr. McNider.  And they need to find the Shade to get them out.  Jenny can use her light powers to try and track the Shade, so Barb hands her his business card, and they manage to locate the Shade in two different places.  But they eventually find him in the theatre downtown.  

Courtney and McNider discuss the Shade, and McNider says that he's complicated.  He recalls a night where he showed up at McNider's house, feeling guilty about Eclipso getting loose, and not being able to stop him.  They both shared a drink, and McNider says that it was Shade that drew him into the Shadowlands to protect him from the ISA.  When Pat and Barb see Shade, he looks weak, and he's not using his powers so he can recharge.  But Barbara desperately pleads with him to help them get Courtney back.  He threatened to kill them, but Barbara didn't care...she can't live without her daughter.  He acquiesces, and uses his power at the movie screen....he then opens up the portal between the Shadowlands and Earth.  There, they see Courtney and Dr. Mid-Nite.  Shade can't hold the portal open long, and they must pass through the screen in order to return to Earth.  But, Courtney won't leave without Cindy.  So, she goes with Dr. Mid-Nite to find her.  But, in the process, the two heroes get separated.  Courtney winds up at Yolanda's, where Eclipso tries to draw out her guilt about Yolanda becoming Wildcat, and killing Brainwave.  Courtney won't play the game, and then she runs off, only to wind up at the jail, where he again tries to guilt trip her when we see Rick in the cell...telling her "who's the monster now?", and laying the blame at her feet.  Again, she bolts, and then winds up back at her home.  Here, he tells her that everything is HIS fault...he created it all, and he's enjoying all the pain and misery, because it makes him stronger.  He asks Courtney if he hates her....she says he does.  Suddenly, everything around her vanishes.  She and Mid-Nite then find Cindy, about to be experimented on by her father, while seeing her younger self killing her mother.  Courtney frees her and says that nothing around her is real, and they have to go.  They have a way out.  Courtney makes her way out, and is reunited with her family, while Dr. Mid-Nite makes it through, and is back in the real world.  Finally, Cindy gets through, as the movie screen returns to normal.  She apologizes and says goodbye to her mother.  Everyone heads to the Shade, who is now weak, and says that he'd like everyone to remember that he left this world doing something heroic....and he vanishes in a black mist.  As they all reunite...Cindy finally speaks up....and asks who wants to kill Eclipso.

Once again, another solid episode, with some great drama, getting more backstory of the Shadowlands, and finally seeing the original Dr. Mid-Nite in the flesh.  We also discover what Cindy's been up to since HER disappearance----killing and re-killing her dad, her mother, and Courtney.  But the fact is---that young woman is haunted by the death of her mother---and has been ever since she started toying around with Eclipso.  But she WAS right---everyone has a dark side.  Mid-Nite gave into his when he decided to kill Bruce Gordon...and the guilt of not being there to save his daughter.  And Courtney---while she still carries some baggage about her biological dad....she finally admitted her hatred of Eclipso.  But, no matter what he tried, Courtney did not stray from the light, and stood her ground.  And I have to wonder about TWO things:  1.  Will the original Dr. Mid-Nite pass the torch to Beth?  And 2.  We saw Shades signature in TWO places on Jenny's makeshift map---does that mean he's still alive?  We've got two more episodes to see how it all plays out, and I'm real curious to see what happens.  And will the team reunite?  And does this mean Cindy will put aside rivalries for the sake of killing Eclipso?  We've got a lot to answer before it's said and done.

What did YOU all think of this week's episode?  Drop me a line with your thoughts/comments/theories.

Until next time...keep your eyes on the stars. 

DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW 7.1

RECAP - DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW  7.1:  "The Bullet Blondes"  

Welcome back, time travellers!  After our short little break, the Legends are back for another season of mirth and mayhem.  But THIS time around...they're not bouncing around the time stream in the Waverider, because ANOTHER Waverider flew in at the end of last season, and blew the damn thing up.  Now, they're stuck in 1925, and have to figure out a way to get back to current time, without screwing up the timeline.....but we all know how THIS goes when it comes to this team.  So...let's see what happened when we last left our team.

Well, as we start off Season 7, the team is ready to depart Gloria's house, and take off for home on the Waverider, when another time ship...another Waverider...materializes and blows their ship up.  With their ship in utter pieces strewn about the property, the team is aware that they are stuck in Odessa, Texas in 1925.  According to Ava, however, there was a sort of a "black box" installed with the ship that is supposed to be filled with emergency supplies should they need them.  As the townsfolk had been telling the local Sheriff about all the noise and weird goings on around Gloria's property, he's taken notice, and looks as if he'll investigate.  Back at Spooner's mom's house, they realize they need to get back home, and that they need that box.  Astra uses her magic to trace where the box went, and she and Spooner track it to the sheriff's office.  Sara then has Nate and Ava got to retrieve it, while they think of a plan to distract the townsfolk from finding out the truth about them....so they come up with the idea to con the public into thinking they're a part of the circus.  As they do that, Nate and Ava go into the sheriff's office, where Nate impersonates J. Edgar Hoover, and obtains the black box from him, saying it was a secret mission. 

Once they get the box back to Gloria's they find out there's no time devices to get them back to 2021.  Just some of Behrad's gummies, and the Time Keeper's handbook.  The feel hopeless, and to make matters worse, Gloria returns home, and Esperanza has to explain to her what's going on.  Gloria is willing to help, but she already feels like an outcast there.  The team, having conned the public, actually had their plan backfire, because there are now many who want to see this circus they talked about.  So, as they train on their acts, it's Spooner who talks with her mother about the situation, and Spooner says that she has to pull the plug on the circus.  They've drawn enough attention to Gloria, and they need to leave before they cause her any more trouble.  Astra had snuck off, and tried to use her magic to create a resurrection spell to revive the Waverider---but the process proves to be too much of a strain, and she passes out, bleeding from the nose.  She's taken back to the house to rest.  The team then faces another problem:  the actual J. Edgar Hoover arrives on the property, after meeting with the sheriff, who had called for him.  Now, with all the activity the Legends have been making since the last battle, and the destruction of the Waverider, they have to find a way to leave...quickly. 

As Hoover questions Gloria and Spooner, about bank robbers called the Midland Gang.  They women deny even knowing of them.  The team his hiding in the room Astra is resting in, and B mentions the key Zari has that she got from John.  So, she uses it on the closet door and when the door opens, they travel into a pocket dimension that John created to get some peace and quiet from it all.  Zari is still dealing with John leaving, and needs to get back to being herself.  As Hoover takes off to search the property for the bank robbers, the team decides that they'll get back to Gloria's, and try to get out of there to spare Gloria any more grief.  Ava reads up about a man in New York named Dr. Gwyn Davies, who founded the basis for time travel.  The team decides to head there in order to get help in getting back home.  So, Sara decides to give Hoover what he wants---bank robbers.  By acting as a bank robber gang, they can have money to get to New York...and draw Hoover away from Gloria's property.  Spooner decides to stay behind with her mom, and to help Astra heal.  The rest of the team steal Hoover's car, and draw his attention away from Gloria, Spooner, and Astra.  

Ava and Sara go into the bank in town, and rob it with their own flair, and only make off with $93.  Ava wants to keep whatever it is they're doing minimal, so that they can go back and correct any anomalies in the timeline once they get home.  Sara promises her they'll fix everything.  However, while the bank robbery goes well, and Nate, Behrad, and Gary are outside keeping guard while Sara and Ava rob the bank, a passerby comes by, and says that they can't use the name of another gang to get attention....so, she comes up with the name Bullet Blondes, and it sticks.  They finish the robbery and they take off.  But they hit a snag in the plan as Hoover has set up a roadblock to stop them.  Nate then gets behind the wheel as everyone ducks while Hoover fires at them.  Nate uses his powers to deflect the gunshots, and they bust through the roadblock.  But, they can't get rid of Hoover because he jumped on to the roof of the car.  Nate slams the breaks and Hoover goes flying.  They stop to check on him, but he's faking injury, and gets the drop on Nate with his gun.  He fires, but Nate goes Steel on him, and the bullet deflects off Nate and nails Hoover right in the head.  Hoover is dead, and Nate killed him.  At this point, Ava is having a breakdown, because now time has totally changed.  Sara tries to calm her, saying they'll go someplace for their honeymoon, listen to her slasher podcast, and that's when it hits Ava.  She then orders Gary to eat Hoover to get rid of the body.  Then they'll make their way to New York. 

Astra recovers, and Spooner asks her why she did what she did, and Astra said she wanted to prove herself to everyone, that she wanted to live up to John.  Spooner said she didn't want to lose her friend.  Gloria also tells Astra to not use her magic like John did....but like she would.  As they scour the wreckage, and reminisce about the ship, Astra's magic somehow begins to work, and a flash of light brings about a figure in their midst---Gideon.  

Well....this season started off with where they left off from---and the hole the team dug for themselves just got bigger.  But that's how this team tends to operate:  they make TREMENDOUS messes of things, but somehow manage to save the day.  This season looks to be a little different, as now they are STUCK in 1925, and they are changing time along the way.  With Hoover dying trying to shoot Nate, they're now marked individuals that will, in no doubt draw all the attention to them as they make their way to New York.  Meanwhile, we see the friendship between Astra and Spooner get closer, as Astra tried to do her part to prove to the team that she belonged.  While she didn't succeed in reviving the Waverider, she did something even better----she resurrected Gideon.  So, now with a human Gideon, we'll see what this trio of women will do to help out the team get back home.  All of this will happen, mind you, with the same mirth and mayhem we can expect from our team of misfits.  New dynamics are happening, because now we have another married couple in Ava and Sara, Nate is the anchor, Behrad the inspiration and hope, and Zari is....well, Zari.  She's still trying to get over John, and I wonder if she'll spend a lot of time in that pocket dimension.  I keep thinking this would be a good time to bring back Zari 1.0, but I know they won't anytime soon.  So, we'll have to continue seeing the growth of Zari 2.0, and hope for the best.  

The episode was good, and had some moments of humor in it, and I'm curious when they meet this doctor and his thoughts on time travel ,and see what he can do to help them.  So, what did YOU all think of the season premiere?  Subscribe and drop your comments below...

Until next time....time is on our side.

BATWOMAN 3.1

 

RECAP - BATWOMAN  3.1:  "Mad As A Hatter"

Gotham City is about to have a new batch of crazies come to town, as some of the artifacts from Batman's gallery of villains were stolen by Black Mask, and unfortunately were NOT recovered after Batwoman's battle with him.  So, certain things are now out there for a new bunch of zanies to grab hold of, and start committing dastardly acts upon the dark city.  Can Team Batwoman recollect these weapons of destruction before Gotham is once again under siege?  Let's see what happens this week...

With various weapons used by Batman's former villains now out on the streets for anyone  to grab and use since the fall of Black Mask, it's been up to the Bat Team to track them down, and secure them before they cause trouble.  Howver, one they HAVEN'T gotten as yet is the hat of the Mad Hatter, which someone sees washed up on the shores of the Gotham River.  They take it, clean it up, and then sell it online.  It then gets sold, and they pack it and send it to a young man named Liam Crandle, who has an unhealthy obsession with Alice.  He knows what he has, and thus decides to embark on a new career as the new Mad Hatter, in order to impress his idol.  And while HE is about ready to launch himself upon the world, Batwoman and Luke are busy searching what appears to be an illegal mairjuana plant in search of Poison Ivy's mutated vine.  Some of it had already washed ashore and grew on the banks of the River but someone got possession of it, and now the Scarlet Crusader and her sidekick have tracked it down.  They do take down the baddies who have it, but not before Luke's suit frizzes out, and Batwoman has to save him.  With the canister in hand, they return to the Cave to put it safely away.  But they know more is out there.

Alice is still tucked away in Arkham, where she has been getting postcards from her dad, saying they he'll get her out, and they'll take off from Gotham forever. It helps fuel her hope that she'll get out of Arkham, though that's impossible to see at this juncture.  But, Mary goes to make the regular congical visit to Alice for their dad's sake, and Alice tells her that their dad has sent her postcards, which offsets Mary a bit.  Here she is, graduating Valedictorian from medical school, and it's Alice that's getting postcards from their father, while he hasn't really talk to her at all.  Alice also takes this time to prod Mary about Ryan's biological mother.  

While Mary is ready for graduation, and wanting to ensure that both Luke and Ryan will be there, she does bring up the whole bio-mom situation with Ryan, who says that Alice is just trying to pull their strings, and not to trust anything she says.  This DOES, in fact, rile Ryan up JUST enough, that she pulls Sophie aside, and talks to her about it, and asks her to do some digging...if only to prove that Alice is just lying.  Ryan doesn't want to tell Luke and Mary about it, because she isn't sure she wants to know herself.  When Sophie DOES do some digging, she does find something VERY intersting.

This new Mad Hatter is in the sewers blogging about the injustices done to Alice and those that are "different", when he's approached by two bullies with bad intent.  However, he manages to use the hat's tech in order to get control of both men, and has one kill his buddy.  He films the whole thing then takes off.  This eventually gets wind of not only the Bat Team, but of Renee Montoya, a former GCPD detective (played by Victoria Cartagena, who had originally played the role on Gotham), as she now heads up a special Task Force dealing with these special types of crimes with super-criminals.  The Mad Hatter incident makes her realize that this new threat might be the result of many more to come, and goes to the Mayor to get funding and assistance in tacklling not only this crime, but many more to come, if reports are true that some of Batman's villians' weapons are out on the streets somewhere.  

While Luke gives Ryan and Mary info on the original hatter, Jervis Tetch, and how his hat worked, Ryan tells him to see if he can find a way to jam the signal.  Meanwhile, she goes to see Alice, to find out what this new Hatter's next move is---and to see what her game is in regards to her mother.  And while Ryan says she saw her mother's death certificate, Alice continues to goad her and says that her mother lied and abandoned her.  Ryan wants her to focus, and Alice says that, from what it looks like...this new Hatter is planning his very own tea party.  Later on, after having been annoyed with Alice, and having Sophie do some digging, Sophie says that Alice is on the level.  The attending doctor was paid handsomely by her mother to keep the birth quiet.  The doctor that had signed the death certificate, also signed Ryan's birth certificate.  He was also stripped of his license , and there were 25 other patients the night Ryan was born.  The $2 million funnled to him was to keep a cyst operation quiet. Sophie hands her an envelope with the identity of her birth mother, and says if she wants to open it, it's up to her.

As for the Hatter and his tea party, it just happens to be Mary's graduation, and he ends up getting control of not only HER, but of the rest of the graduating class itself.  In much the same way Alice mainpulated Catherine Hamilton's speech back in Season 1 when she was getting an award, the Hatter pulled the same trick with Mary.  And then, to up the ante', dragged out the Dean, and had her operate on him, removing his organs one by one, until he dies, as a way to show that the medical industry isn't has honorable as it proclaims to be.  Ryan, Sophie, and Luke are in the crowd as this happens, and manage to put in earpieces that block out the mind control waves.  The only way Mary can break the mind control, is when she kills the dean.  So, Batwoman appears, and Sophis goes to help Mary, as the Hatter beats a hasty retreat.  Luke suits up, and places a dampener on the tower of the building, to help break the mind control, but his suit fails again, and the signal jammer shorts out.  The only way the Hatter stops his game, is for Alice to be set free.  So, Batwoman heads to Arkham to break Alice out.  Alice runs and hides in her cell, telling Batwoman to go away.  But Batwoman breaks in, and shows Alice that all the so-called "postcards" she had gotten were just figments of her imagination.  As much as she kept saying in therapy her father was coming to take her away, it isn't true.  It's just pieces of magazines Alice posted on the wall.  Her father can't come get her...he's in prison.  Batwoman needs Alice's help in stopping the Hatter.  

Mary is almost done removing all the organs, with the only think left being the vitals.  So, Sophie says that if she kills him, then she breaks the control, and she can shock him back to life and try and save him.  The Hatter then tells all the students to take their stethascopes and kill themselves with it.  As he tries to take off, he meets up with Alice herself.  He talks about how he's been a big fan, and how he's been honoring her, and that she isn't really crazy.  She tells him to stop killing the students, or they will give him reason to be called crazy.  So, he does.  This allows Mary to shock the Dean back, and save his life.  It also stops the rest of the students from killing themselves.  But for his "reward", Alice stabs him in the back, telling him that he should never meet his heroes.  He finally realizes Alice IS as crazy as they make her out to be. Alice thinks she gets to go free, as Batwoman had promised in order to get her to help her.  But Batwoman tells her that she really didn't think she was going to let her go.  

Mary finally gets to deliver her actual speech to Luke, Ryan, and Sophie.  Then Luke leaves to go work on the suit, and that's when Ryan comes up with his new name:  Batwing.  Sophie pulls Ryan aside, and Ryan gives her back the envelope, saying she already has a family, and she doesn't need to know the answers.  Sophie takes the envelope, and says okay.  Mary, meanwhile, gets a gift....her first doctor's coat with "Dr. Hamilton" inscribed on it....a gift from her sister Kate. 

Luke is frustrated with not being able to find out what's wrong with the suit, and swats away the helmet in frustration.  Howver, it activates, and there's the voice of his father in it, that he can communicate with.  

We see a helicopter land on a building, and it's businesswoman Jada Jet, who is accompanied by her son Marquis.  One of her assistants tells her that someone hacked into their systems to gather very personal info about ther.  And they traced it to Wayne Enterprises.  A little later, when the team is in Kate's old office, they're told that Jada wans a meeting with the acting CEO....who happens to be Ryan.  

Montoya is atop the GCPD with the signal on to call out to Batwoman.  When Batwoman arrives, she has the list of all the gadgets from Batman's villains that need to be recaptured before the city turns into a war zone.  Batwoman wonders how she got it, and it was from Alice, who cut a deal with Montoya in order to get her freedom.  Montoya wants them to work together to find these items, and Batwoman takes a hard pass.  But Montoya says that Batwoman has a choice....work with Alice, or hang up the cowl, as Montoya can expose her as Ryan Wilder.  So, Batwoman is forced into an unholy alliance with the person she hates the most. 

This season starts off pretty damn well, with a new Mad Hatter hitting the scene...and he's pretty diabolical.  He would've made Jervis Tetch proud.  The actor was just quirky enough, and really embraced the legacy of the character.  However, was small-time, so he wasn't going to last more than the episode as the threat.  But, he's just one of many, as now the villains' weapons are the McGuffins of the season, as the team must now get them back before more damage is done.  As it is, Mary's graduating class, her, and the dean, suffered for it....the dean more than anything.  I was pretty  amazed they allowed that kind of graphic scene to go on network television...but I was okay with it.  I thought it was cool that Kate is still a part of the show, even though she isn't there physically....as she gives Mary her first doctor's coat.  As for Alice---we see that she's still....well....Alice.  But we're also seeing the fact that she's somewhat moving past the hate on her dad, as she had these visions of him sending her postcards, saying that he'll break her out, and they'll take off.  But ALSO leave it to Alice to use all the leverage she has on Ryan and the team to get what she wants....even if it means working WITH Batwoman to secure her freedom.  Montoya wants these weapons off the streets, and she's willing to do whatever it takes---even if it means putting Ryan on the shelf as Batwoman to do it.  It's also great to have Renee Montoya a part of the Arrowverse, and we shall see where HER story goes this season. 

Luke's still learning his suit, and on the job about being a superhero, but now with a little A.I. help from his father, we'll see him grow into his role as the season develops.  And we get to briefly meet Jada Jet---a very powerful businesswoman who apprently had some personal info hacked.  It turns out that THIS could be Ryan's biological mother, and we'll see what answers we get in this next episode on.  

Either way, a VERY good start to this 3rd season, and I'm liking the direction so far.  How about all of YOU?  What did YOU think of the season premiere?  Drop me a line, and share your thoughts!

Until next time....the Signal is OFF.

SUPERGIRL 6.15

 

RECAP - SUPERGIRL  6.15:  "Hope For Tomorrow"

The race is on between the evil Imp from the 5th Dimension, Nyxly, and the Superfriends to grab the remaining totems that, if joined together, will make Nyxly impossible to stop, and she would control the universe.  Supergirl got lucky this last time, and managed to gain the Humanity Totem from her, but there's still a few to go, and with the clock ticking, they'll have to work quickly to grab them before she does.  Also, with William Dey now having witnessed what the Superfriends have done first hand....how will his stories go over with the public?  Will National City embrace their heroes?  Or shun them?  Let's head into town and find out....

The Superfriends had quite an episode this week, as they not only continued to battle Nyxly for control of more of the totems....this time around, the Hope Totem.  But they also had to deal with the arrival of their newest member...so-to-speak:  Esme - the little girl from the group home who is adopted by Alex and Kelly in the wake of last week's events (see...I TOLD YOU SO!).  So, as they arrived with their newfound joy, they got to learn on the job parenting real quick.  Esme is still dealing with how her mimic powers work, and let's just say that the teaching didn't quite go as well as planned.  For starters, Alex tends to fall back into her DEO drill sergeant bit, and that is a bit stressful on Esme.  Then, to make matters worse, she gets Supergirl to help Esme deal with her powers.  Of course, Esme is quick to figure out that Kara and Supergirl are one and the same.  Problem is, Kryptonian powers are hard to master (just ask Jordan Kent, having to learn about super hearing the hard way), and Esme isn't real  thrilled with the outcome.  She called Kara mean, and ran off, and Kara---already dealing with a lack of confidence in the "inspiring hope" department, didn't need that.  

After Alex tries to talk to her, Kelly sits with Esme, and she figures that because she can't do anything right, she should be taken back to the group home.  Alex and Kelly are at a loss, when Kelly figures out that that the reason Esme wants to go back, is because she's mistrusting of adult figures.  So, they had an idea:  Take her over to the alien Truth Seeker, and they tell her that anything they say to her, the Truth Seeker will let her know if they are lying.  But, she finally understands that they plan on keeping her, and will do everything they protect her.  She is much better after this, because now she knows she is home.  When Kelly first met Esme, I pretty much figured out what would happen with the child.  And, sure enough, I was right.  Another thing is that I'm VERY glad they went an revisited Alex's desire to be a mother...and now she has that opportunity.  So, it sets up that family dynamic for the future.

The main story is still the Superfriends' race against the clock to stop Nyxly before she obtains all the totems and enact her master plan.  She missed out on the Hope Totem at the Hague the last time because she was overwhelmed with the empathy of humanity because of the Humanity Totem.  But now, without it, she's able to go after what she wants, and wastes no time in making her play for it.  But she's met with resistance from Supergirl yet again, and she beats a hasty retreat before she's captured.  Supergirl must once again pass a gauntlet in order to obatin the totem, but she's been having a hard time with that.  Meanwhile, there's tension between Kaznia and Corto Maltese, and they're on the verge of war.  Talks were being had in Kaznia, and the American Ambassador wants J'onn and Supergirl to keep the peace, but Supergirl needs to pass the gauntlet to get the totem, so J'onn stays behind to keep the peace between both countries' leaders  J'onn struggles to keep the arguing parties from wanting to launch full-scale war.  The Ambassador wants him to brainwash them, but J'onn refuses, because he won't dictate world policy, it's not his arena.

Supergirl spends the episode trying to do what she can to inspire hope through rescues and stopping crime, but with Kaznia and Corto Maltese about to come to blows, she feels helpless.  Lena's still not used to the magic in her mother's spellbook, and Dreamer is trying to find the next totem.  J'onn had told her that maybe it's not Supergirl that needs to deliver hope and pass the gauntlet, but maybe Kara Danvers.  So, Kara delivers some stories of hope to Andrea, but it's not Andrea's cup of tea, saying that it doesn't grab headlines.  Meanwhile, Nyxly knows she can't pass the gauntlet, but she says that maybe Supergirl can do it for her, and then she can force Supergirl to give her the other totems....and finds her target to barder:  the articles of William Dey that he's written for Catco.  So, while Kara is trying to convince Andrea that they need to balance the scales with stories of hope from around the world, Nyxly shows up, and captures William, and says that if Supergirl doesn't give her what she wants, she'll show this world fear.  She blasts Andrea as an example, as Supergirl saves her just in the nick of time.  Nyxly blasts Supergirl and says she isn't playing games.  She wants all the totems, or William dies, and she takes off.  Aboard Mitch's ship, William tries to let her know that people in power are corrupt, and Nyxly doesn't care what he thinks.  

The team is at a loss at what to do.  And Supergirl doesn't know how to inspire hope, until news reports come in about Corto Maltese firing missles at Kaznia.  This makes Supergirl determined enough to not let another life die---so she and the team collect the nuclear missles for both countries, and have them hurled into the sun, it's enough for her to obtain the Hope Totem from the Hague.  She heads back to the Tower to meet with Lena before she meets Nyxly.  Once she meets up with Nyxly, she gives her what she wants---but when Nyxly touches it, it burns her, and it allows William to escape....for a second.  But Nyxly is pissed off that Supergirl used magic on the totem to hurt her, and is ready to kill William, but he trips Nyxly, and he manages to grab the wrist gauntlet off her hand, which had another of the totems, and Nyxly makes her escape yet again, as Supergirl manages to save him.  Back at the Tower, with 3 totems in hand, they know that 4 are still out there, and if Nyxly gets any of them, and she gets the rest of these totems, she can complete the All Stone, which would give her unlimited power.  So, they decide that if they destroy one, the All Stone cannot come into existence.  So, they decide the Hope Totem goes, because THEY can always inspire hope.  So, Kara sends it into the sun, where it can't be used, and is destroyed.  This makes Nyxly distraught, because now her plan seems foiled.  But...lo and behold...a package arrives for her through a portal with a parachute attached to it.  She opens it with a note saying "Don't give up hope!  Admire your work!".  And inside the case is a battle suit...more than likely courtesy of Lex Luthor. 

This episode was just another of this arc that is starting to slow down, and become repetitive.  Yes, the plot is to get all the totems, but it's just not exactly been grabbing me.  Supergirl is at her low point.  And, I get it, she's gotta show more of that human frailty of emotion that happens when the odds are against the hero.  But, it's almost to the point of whining at this juncture.  I want the determined Supergirl...one that doesn't whine all the time.  So, I'm hoping that with the last few episodes here, the pace of this plot picks up the pace.  It seems that with the END of this episode, we'll get that.  But, also, we're falling back on another trope----Lex.  I know that he wouldn't go away COMPLETELY, and that he was more than likely going to pop up again, and make things difficult for the Superfriends...but I had hoped that we would've gotten some BETTER storyline going into the Girl of Steel's final days on TV, but the fact that we're going back to Lex shows that it's good the show is leaving the air----creatively, they've hit a dead end.  And I'm curious to see what things they'll throw us in final handful of shows.  And another thing that's bugged me:  If Mxy could be returned to the 5th Dimension by having him say his name backwards....why hasn't that trick been tried with Nyxly?  Just curious.

What is YOUR thoughts on this latest installment?  Do you feel happy for Kelly and Alex for adopting Esme?  And have you had your fill of Nyxly yet?  Subscribe and comment below.

Just a few more to go, guys---so....until next time....up, up, and away!