Supergirl Review: Resist (Season 2 Episode 21)

As Supergirl Season 2 draws to a close, Season 2 Episode 21 “Resist,” delivers arguably one of the best episodes so far! With Cat Grant’s return it’s almost as if the Supergirl writers needed her back to remember what really makes this show work: it’s the women, it’s always been the women.

When Supergirl started, it was doing what few superhero shows/movies were doing, it was giving us the story of a female superhero, with her awesome sister and her incredible lady boss. During Season 2, in Cat’s absence, Supergirl has tried to make heroes out of the men on the show and in the process they lost what we came here for: Kara Danvers.

Supergirl Season 2 Episode 21, “Resist” is the first time since Cat left that this show has felt like the one I fell in love with and it’s not just because of her.

ALEX AND MAGGIE

One of the best parts of Season 2 has been watching these two fall in love. Although they aren’t in this episode all that much, they’re still both crucial members of the team. Maggie works with James to protect the city off screen, while Alex takes on leading the DEO and balancing her love for Kara with the orders she’s been given by the President.

Maggie: You know what I just realized, the first time we met was when the President got attacked. Makes this kind of a full circle thing for us.

Alex and Kara’s relationship is one of the core things that makes Supergirl worth watching. Watching Alex and Kara use their differing strengths to fight off the bad guys will never get old.

RHEA AND LENA

This relationship is as unexpected as it is entertaining. When Rhea first contacted Lena I had no idea where the show was going to take their stories, knowing only that Rhea couldn’t be trusted and the potential to turn against our heroes is always lurking in Lena’s past/alternate universes.

But Lena doesn’t turn her back on Kara, the minute she learns of Rhea’s real plan Lena has been against the Daxamite queen. Lena’s friendship for Kara has also been one of the more delightful things about Season 2, especially with both Cat and Lucy gone (hey guys, remember Lucy)!

Meanwhile, Rhea has been the best villain we’ve seen on Supergirl in Season 2. Somehow, though she is similar to Lillian, Rhea is much more compelling and entertaining. She’s more ruthless in her attempts to take over the world and overpower Supergirl herself, but her love for her son is also more believable than Lillian’s “love” for Lena.

Additionally, these two have an incredible chemistry; Teri Hatcher and Katie McGrath play off of each other so well. Every scene between these ladies is captivating, and though I know the conflict between them is likely to come to an end in the final episode of Season 2, I can’t get enough of these two.

KARA AND LILLIAN

Apparently, when an alien race takes over National City, enemies can become allies when you least expect it. Lillian cannot be trusted, ever. Part of the reason I find Lillian to be continually disappointing is because her plan with Cadmus continually seems to be half answered and her motivations are never quite clear.

We get that she’s evil, we know she’ll turn against her own daughter, and we know Cadmus is really awful, but that’s about it. She’s a very two dimensional villain, to the point where she’s become entirely predictable.

No one is surprised when Kara needs Lillian’s help, and no one is surprised when Lillian betrays her.

Kara doesn’t actually do a lot character wise this episode, but the few genuine moments there are are reminiscent of the old Kara Danvers. Seeking advice from Cat, making heartfelt promises with Alex, and fighting for what’s right and good are what makes her such an amazing character. It was finally good to see the real Kara when she’s been so hit or miss in Season 2.

OLIVIA AND CAT

The President is back and this time she bought us the best gift at all, Cat Grant! We learned that President Olivia Marsden is an alien way back at the beginning of Season 2 of Supergirl and finally we aren’t the only ones to know about it.

It definitely feels like there’s more to this story, but I don’t think we’re going to get much more explanation until Season 3.

What we do get in Supergirl Season 2 Episode 21 “Resist” is the glorious and overdue return of Cat Grant. Something about Cat just makes the entire show better. When Cat is present, the writing for every character is elevated and more consistent. Cat’s wit, her intelligence, her charm, and her genuine heartfelt love and advice for Supergirl/Kara bring out the best in both everyone around her and the show itself.

Cat understands Supergirl and during Season 1 she was always around to guide both Kara and her alter-ego in the right direction. That guidance has been desperately missing during Season 2. Without Cat, Kara has become lost on her own show.

Kara has become a little unrecognizable at times without Cat, and her personal life and her career as a journalist have definitely fallen by the wayside. With Cat back in the picture, she knows just the right thing to help Kara figure out what needs to be done. If anything her return shows just how crucial the relationship between these two women is to Supergirl.

Cat: It’s not about what you do, it’s about who you love.

Like Kara’s relationship with her sister, Alex, her relationship with Cat is fundamental to Supergirl. It’s one of the things that drew viewers into Season 1: Alex had her back in her super life and Cat had guided her through her human life.

Cat provides a voice like no other on Supergirl she brings a delightful humor, and a deep love for Kara/Supergirl buried under the world’s greatest sass.

Cat is a role model in every sense of the word and while Kara will always need her friends and family, she needs Cat too. She needs someone she can look up to, someone who can show her the way out of the dark, and pick her up when she doesn’t believe in herself, and that person is Cat.

And not only does Cat inspire Kara, but she lifts up the entirety of National City when they believe all hope is lost, time and time again.

Cat: Everyone needs to be a superhero. Everyone needs to stand up and say not in my house. Lets prove to these thugs that we are strong, and we’re united, and we are not going to be conquered. 

I don’t know if Cat’s back just for the final two episodes of Season 2, or if we’ll see her here and there in Season 3. But if Supergirl Season 2 Episode 21 is any indication, the show is much better with the Queen of All Media, than it is without her.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• Winn is far and away the best guy on the show. From Independence Day jokes to space asthma this small nerd continues to steal  my heart.
• Cat immediately knowing that James is Guardian has to be a hint that she knows about Kara too, right? I just need her to know you guys, it’s been 84 years.
• Will someone wake J’onn from his slumber next week?
• Has anyone called Eliza this week? You know she saw this invasion on the news at the very least.
• How come Mon El is infinitely less annoying and more entertaining when he isn’t in the same scene as Kara?
• Cat ate pot brownies in college and has been hanging out with her old friend, the President, and taking calls from Madeline Albright, and finding herself in a yurt. Never change Cat, never change.
• What the heck is up with Superman and how did Rhea get her hands on him?
• I missed Cat Grant so much, welcome home queen.

What did you think of this episode of Supergirl? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

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Supergirl airs Mondays at 8/7c on The CW.

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