How Does She Do It? (104)

[GateWorld]

SUPERGIRL - SEASON ONE HOW DOES SHE DO IT? EPISODE NUMBER - 104 While her alter ego is charged with watching Cat's son Carter, Supergirl must stop a serial bomber who is attacking National City and threatening Maxwell Lord's new high-speed train line. James is uncertain when his old flame Lucy tries to rekindle their relationship. VISIT THE EPISODE GUIDE >>

[Brother Freyr]

Postponement of this episode was the right call. The episode features 3 bombs including a suicide bomber usiing a bomb vest. It would have aired in France a mere 24 hours after a devastating assault by suicide bombers in Paris. I imagine that many in France will feel that seven days is far too soon for this episode. They might be right.

For myself, living elsewhere, this week's episode was a gift of world-building hints and revelations. The revelation/confirmation: Maxwell Lord is indeed a Very Bad Guy who thinks that he's righteous.

The hint. Over in 1x05 (which aired the previous week), we discussed (in spoiler tags) who Hank Henshaw really is. Some of us think he might be a superhero from the DC universe:

Spoiler:

are you telling me that you haven't figured out who that is, it is either miss martian-M'gann M'orzz-Megan Morse, or-J'onn J'onzz-john jones the martian man hunter, my bet is that it is miss martian.

That's my guess. A black man with glowing red eyes (who fights bad aliens), is either an obvious giveway or a clever misdirect. If Smallville can have him, Supergirl can too. But we're still guessing, and I was slightly less certain after this episode's flashback.

Without seeing this episode, 1x05 had me doubting myself. Now, after seeing glowing-red-eyed Henshaw save the airport, I'm more certain. My guess is that he is

Spoiler:

the Martian Manhunter, sometimes known as J'onn J'onzz, appearing in Smallville as John Jones (with a different backstory from the comics).

He's fighting on the right side. Ok, he chooses to keep his identity secret, but that's no sin. And he has reasons to be grumpy:

He doesn't need to be warm and fuzzy. Presumably, he's been here a very long time. He's probably displeased by all the chaos brought along with Kal-El and Kara.

Sure, he was unreceptive when Kara first came out, but he has warmed to her since then. Also, he had an opportunity (or two) to let Kara die. He chose to save her, as when he helped Alex in the command center rather than block her from her unauthorized accesses, to save Kara.

So, strong evidence that Henshaw is a good guy but not particularly friendly. If I'm right, he's been on Earth for a very long time. Unlike the comics, this version of him has survived (in part) by staying hidden among humans. That would mean he has also chosen to let humans develop without his interference/interjection. It would be no surprise, then, that he isn't a huge fan of Superman (and now Supergirl's) choice to alter the trajectory of human history by declaring themselves. And yet "Henshaw" has been instrumental in defending Earth in his own way, getting the DEO off the ground, working with humans as a human.

I could be badly wrong about Henshaw, and I can change my mind as new evidence emerges. Right now, my money is on

Spoiler:

the Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz, but theoretically he could be epg20's top guess of Miss Martian, M'gann M'orzz. As shapeshifters, they can appear as either human sex. My guess is the Martian Manhunter because it would be an unlikely television choice for the showrunners to cast Miss Martian in a male form.

.

-------------------------------
November 24:

I was very wrong:

Actually, this episode has me leaning more toward him being

Spoiler:

Cyborg Superman (or an early version of him, at least).

I looked at the Wikipedia entry for

Spoiler:

Cyborg Superman

and agree with Starsaber. I was fooled by Henshaw's loose similarity to John Jones of Smallville: he's a superpower black man with glowing red eyes and a penchant for protecting Earth from villainous aliens. So I researched John Jones and learned about

Spoiler:

the Martian Manhunter, J'onn J'onzz, and his history as a DC Superhero.

Never once did I bother to ask Wikipedia about "Hank Henshaw." Big mistake!

[Starsaber]

Actually, this episode has me leaning more toward him being Cyborg Superman (or an early version of him, at least). With Martian shapeshifting abilities, he probably wouldn't have had to tear open the bomb as far to disarm it.

[LtColCarter]

Excellent episode! I concur...after seeing this one...the network made the right call to postpone the airing of this episode.

[aretood2]

I really really liked that last scene between Lord and Supergirl. I will enjoy their....dance.

I am going for Martian Manhunter. It makes sense, as was pointed out here and in the livewire thread. He came to Earth, went all Prime Directive...and then this Kryptonian jock shows up and starts messing with stuff. So with these Kirk like aliens breaking things, he built the DEO as a counter to the wave of Kirk Prime Directive breaking aliens and all of a sudden the jock's cousin shows up with even more Kirk-like Prime Directive hating aliens. He deserves to be old Mr. Grumps.

[Brother Freyr]

Actually, this episode has me leaning more toward him being

Spoiler:

Cyborg Superman

(or an early version of him, at least).

I looked up the Wikipedia entry for

Spoiler:

Cyborg Superman

and must agree with you, Starbaser. Or I could have (and should have) looked at the Wikipedia entry for Hank Henshaw. So... not the superhero I'd hoped he was.

If he's a supervillian, he's playing a long game. For now, he's a very well-behaved supervillian. The strategy is smart. Use the DEO and others to defeat the Phantom Zone escapees. Sweep away most of his opposition with minimal risk to himself. Then fight whoever remains? If he's a villian.

Alex and Kara are becoming suspicious. We won't have to wait long for our answer.

[garhkal]

Nice ep.. So what IS the end game for that scientist in wanting to know all of Kara's strengths?

[epg20]

Nice ep.. So what IS the end game for that scientist in wanting to know all of Kara's strengths?

he doesn't want to know only her strengths, he wants to know EVERY THING about her, I think he is like cats son, just a big fan boy who is spoiled and has too much money, maybe he wants to put her in a collection of supergirl things of his, he may even be the preserver, yes, it is just like the collectors in marvel, but I think they are distinctive enough to be separate.

[P-90_177]

he doesn't want to know only her strengths, he wants to know EVERY THING about her, I think he is like cats son, just a big fan boy who is spoiled and has too much money, maybe he wants to put her in a collection of supergirl things of his, he may even be the preserver, yes, it is just like the collectors in marvel, but I think they are distinctive enough to be separate.

It did occur actually that I can very much picture Ray Palmer doing the exact same thing.

[aretood2]

It did occur actually that I can very much picture Ray Palmer doing the exact same thing.

I actually saw a bit of Ray Palmer in him...not to mention the way he and Felicity hooked up is a tad bit creepy. So creepy that the Flash writers poked a bit of fun at it on an episode of the Flash.

[Falcon Horus]

Ah, that explains how I got the titles of 104 and 105 mixed up -- the switched order of things.

Kara volunteers to watch over Cat's son Carter while she's away to receive an award. What could possibly go wrong?
Without bombs to worry about, it would have just been keeping Carter busy, but of course what would be the fun in that.

So, someone's following Supergirl as it were and is trying to know everything about her. Basically trying to find out what makes her tick, sort of anyway.
We don't know who that is at the start but by the end, all is more or less revealed.

It's a pretty straightforward episode, but with lots of great moments.

Kara watching over Carter, and then Winn watching over him. Videogaming on Cat's media wall -- I want in!

Supergirl and the bomb -- cutting it close there.

Alex's face when Henshaw tells Lord he's leaving her behind as protection. There was a protest forming, he just didn't give her the chance to voice it.

Also, I'd totally watch Keeping Up With The Kryptonians!