Supergirl Review: Trinity (Season 3 Episode 17)

 

While the Worldkillers unite, friendships are at an impasse on Supergirl Season 3 Episode 17, “Trinity.”

People are likely to have a lot of feelings about how our characters react to Lena’s attempts to help Sam. What really matters, though, is how effectively those reactions are handled, whatever they might be. Are they handled effectively? Well…mostly.

We can create strong defenses for both sides. The biggest issue against Kara’s anger with Lena is that she is hiding a major secret, too. But Lena holding a criminal could cause real harm to others, and, uncomfortable as it is, it makes sense for the DEO to interrogate her.

On the other hand, Lena makes strong points, not only about her motives for helping Sam, but also about how little she owes to an organization that has shut her out. She does have regrets, but she won’t let her character be maligned.

It’s interesting to see Kara and James essentially trade places, each expressing nearly the same sentiment once held by the other. I like the conversations we have between Lena and James. It feels beneficial to openly express how and why their relationship has changed.

In the end, forced corporation brings a truce, but, with other secrets still on the air, it feels like one on tenterhooks. Because whether or not Lena has kryptonite now, she has the ability to make more. Now James is in on that, too.

Hanging over all this is that other secret, and the question that still has not been effectively answered– why, exactly, can’t Lena know about Supergirl? And, quite frankly, with everything else she has figured out, how does she not know?

Perhaps Lena knows more than she is letting on. Perhaps the need to continue withholding will someday be justified, or at least make sense. For now, though, it remains a lingering, frustrating, thread.

Now, the Worldkillers themselves. While I understand why this storyline is ending so quickly– it would be difficult to sustain for long– I’m kind of disappointed. The scenes here are emotionally raw and strangely fascinating.

The world Sam and Julia are trapped in seems to be a sort of purgatory, where they wait for their alter-egos to claim what remains of their souls. As an analogy, it works extremely well. Their fight for their lives and memories is agonizing and tragic.

Sam is the only human fated to survive this far. Reign is the ultimate enemy. With her absorbing her “sisters’” powers, the stakes don’t actually change that much. We get a victory against the Worldkillers, but the ultimate battle awaits.

Still, Julia gets to die a hero, using the last of her strength to resist, and paying the ultimate price. Sure, Purity and Pestilence using fatal attacks on the other feels a little like an old Western duel, but hey, this is a show based off comic books.

Other notes

• Given this new layer of drama and tragedy, it’s nice to see Winn weave in a little lightheartedness, even while aiding James’s dubious mission. What kind of bathroom is that?
• And he builds Alex a suit! If Congress can’t give them the money, where is he getting it?
• The moment between J’onn and Mon-El is lovely. Space Dad is Papa Bear to everyone, and it now feels inevitable that a major relationship change is coming very soon

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

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

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