Supergirl Review: American Dreamer (Season 4 Episode 19)

Dreamer steps up, Kara searches for answers, and Lena confesses a secret. A lot happens in Supergirl Season 4 Episode 19, “American Dreamer,” but ultimately it is an episode about the power of authenticity, vulnerability, and empathy. 

Most of “American Dreamer” centers on Nia’s effort to step into the role of National City’s superhero and Kara’s efforts to use her journalistic skills to track down Lex while she’s public enemy number one and can’t help as Supergirl. 

Nia seems to have stepped into her new role effortlessly, endearing dorky one-liners and all, resolving each individual incident without much difficulty. Her power set also seems to have grown quite a bit, which is fun even if it’s not clear when and how that happened. 

It quickly becomes clear that simply reacting to events isn’t going to solve the problem. Ben Lockwood is becoming more aggressive and creating an atmosphere of terror and, as pointed out to her by a scared alien, no matter how many incidents she stops they will keep coming. 

Meanwhile, Kara is laser-focused on using her position as a journalist to investigate Lex and figure out where he is so she can take him down and clear her name. But, like Nia, she keeps hitting walls despite having potential leads.

Nia and Kara eventually end up having a conversation about how ineffective they feel and in that conversation, Kara has a moment of clarity.

Throughout the episode Kara is so entrenched on her investigation that she misses the human stories happening around her, even being called out by Lena for not being there when her friends need her. Her focus cuts her off from something that is at the very core of who she is, her empathy and ability to inspire that in others. 

When she finally remembers that and remembers how powerful that can be she tells Nia that she wants to introduce her to the world by interviewing her on TV. This leads to one of the best, most quintessentially Supergirl scenes of season 4. 

As Kara interviews Nia as Dreamer, Dreamer talks about being an alien and comes out as a trans woman showing her authentic self to the world. She is vulnerable, geeky, utterly relatable, and her impact is immediate.

The scene cuts between Nia’s interview and people watching it. You see it give hope to scared aliens, inspire Kara’s potential lead to be brave, and even break down Lena Luthor’s emotional walls, because if there is one thing that Supergirl believes it’s that there’s nothing more powerful than compassion and human connection. 

The writers have done an exceptional job with Nia’s story all season but this is by far one of her best moments. Her speech at the end is perfect and effortlessly speaks to themes far bigger than the specific narrative moment of the show, she says:

I’m different Ms. Danvers but so is everybody. And I don’t know when that became such a bad thing. The greatest gift we can give each other is our authentic selves and sharing that. Sharing our truth is what will make us strong.

Elsewhere in “American Dreamer” Lena seems to be falling apart a bit. Unable to help James, still reeling from the fallout with Lex, and carrying the stress and guilt of keeping the secret that she was working with Lex, she struggles to hold it together on her own. 

Something is bound to break, and it does. Seeing Dreamer so bravely open herself up to the world strikes a nerve. Lena is left in tears in front of Brainy who advises her not to be afraid to be who she is. 

Brainy’s scene with Lena is lovely and comes full circle from earlier in the season when Lena supported Brainy through an emotional crisis. He comforts her and tells her that even though it’s risky and that she’s been burned before if she wants trust she needs to give it as well. 

Continuing on the episode’s themes of authenticity and vulnerability Lena takes Brainy’s advice and confesses to Kara that she was working with Lex before he betrayed her, putting herself and her friendship on the line. 

I had been worried about this secret coming out since seeing Supergirl and Lena make real progress towards repairing their relationship in Supergirl Season 4 Episode 17, “All About Eve”. I was worried that it would all fall apart again and Kara would be angry rather than empathetic, but to my relief that is not what happens. 

Instead, Kara understands why Lena did what she did and offers her the love and support Lena has craved for so long. She tells Lena what viewers have always known, that she is not weak and that she is a good person with a big heart. 

Just as with Nia’s speech, vulnerability is a strength and empathy its reward. 

Stray Thoughts

• I’m not crazy about James having powers but I’m hopeful that they aren’t permanent. I also appreciate that they are finally giving James something a little more interesting to do. 
• Next to Dreamer’s interview with Kara, my favorite scene of “American Dreamer” is Nia taking out Lockwood’s men with American Woman playing in the background. Not only is the statement it’s making appreciated, but it’s also just plain cool.
• If Ben Lockwood was unhinged before, he is going to be even worse now that an alien killed his wife. What I’m more curious about though, is how his son George will respond. At the end of “American Dreamer”, George has a change of heart about his father’s views. I’m curious whether the death of his mother will cause him to blame aliens and realign with his father, or if he will actually blame his father for her death. 

 

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

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

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