- Title: Supergirl – Falling
- wiki: link
Supergirl continues to build on the show’s mythology in “Falling.” Last week introduced Kara (Melissa Benoist) to the Fortress of Solitude. This week’s episode introduces Supergirl and her friends to the effects of Red Kryptonite. Choosing to have Red Kryptonite be an invention of Maxwell Lord (Peter Facinelli) is a smart one that explains why Superman’s black friend James “Don’t Call Me Jimmy” Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) doesn’t recognized the effects of the Kryptonite that isn’t lethal to Kryptonians but instead adversely affects their personality (because he’s never seen the effects on the Man of Steel).
While Kara’s friends and co-workers are taken aback by her new makeover the city is even more shocked by Supergirl’s increasingly erratic behavior including letting an alien escape and tossing Cat Grant (Calista Flockhart) off the top of a skyscraper. As Kara becomes increasingly mean and selfish, not only getting Siobhan Smythe (Italia Ricci) fired but also damaging her relationships with both Olsen and Alex (Chyler Leigh) when her mean-spirited truth cuts a little too close to home, the city is also put in danger by a super-powered Kryptonian lacking Kara’s morality which will eventually force J’onn (David Harewood) to reveal himself to the world.
Allowing us to not only see a different side of Kara but also Benoist, “Falling” is one of the best episodes of Supergirl‘s first season. Unlike many Red Kryptonite comic stories, the after effects of Kara’s behavior will continue to be felt in the weeks to come as she will have to repair her personal relationships while winning back the support of her adopted home as Supergirl. I’m also glad to see the show not shrugging off the easy excuse of Kara’s warped personality by having multiple characters admit that there were some hard truths in the venom she spouted off at those closest to her. Now that the Martian Manhunter stands revealed it will also be interesting to see how the show decides to shake-up the status quo at the DEO and how long his imprisonment lasts.
