- Title: Supergirl – Far from the Tree
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Fathers and their children is the theme of “Far from the Tree” as J’onn (David Harewood) returns to Mars with Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) and discovers his father (Carl Lumbly) is still alive and a wedding shower provides the opportunity for a reunion between Maggie (Floriana Lima) and her father (Carlos Bernard). While the Martian storyline is a bit awkward in spots, Lumbly’s casting proves to be one of the show’s better guest-stars (possibly a returning one). After years of psychological torture at the hands of White Martians it takes more than a little convincing to make him believe J’onn is who he claims and that M’gann‘s (Sharon Leal) resistance fighters need his help to find a powerful weapon that may change the future of Mars.
More grounded, and built around a particularly great scene involving Maggie describing her last memory of her father to Alex (Chyler Leigh) and Eliza (Helen Slater), the story back on Earth is more successful (while also far more tragic) dealing with dysfunctional family issues. Bernard has the difficult assignment of making his character reasonable and sympathetic, at least from his point of view, leading to a strong confrontation between father and daughter which overshadows their final goodbye at the end of the episode. Despite Alex and Maggie being closer than ever after Maggie’s reunion with her father, the show continues to foreshadow trouble on the horizon for the pair concerning the possibility of children.
