Supergirl Review: Red Dawn (Season 4 Episode 21)
It’s the penultimate episode of season 4 and Supergirl Season 4 Episode 21, “Red Dawn,” delivers on two of it’s biggest storylines. Kara and Red Daughter finally meet and Alex breaks through J’onn’s mind wipe remembering that Kara is Supergirl, all of which is leading into a final showdown with Lex in the season finale.
After being kidnapped by the President at the end of Supergirl Season 4 Episode 20, “Will the Real Miss Tessmacher Please Stand Up?” Kara escapes the men holding her pretty easily only to come face to face with Red Daughter who, relatively speaking, she is also able to escape from quite easily.
Truth be told the for a first meeting the scene felt a bit anti-climactic after a whole season of build up but it was still good to finally have the two of them in the same room and see them actually interacting.
Elsewhere Alex is having dreams about her childhood and about Kara that she can’t quite explain. She once again feels like something is off.
Seemingly brought on by the emotions stirred after a potential adoption opportunity fell through in the last episode and compounded by worry and stress when she finds out Red Daughter is more or less stalking Kara, that unbreakable bond that viewers know the Danvers sister have starts to push its way to the surface and only gets stronger as Alex and Supergirl try to track down Red daughter.
Everything comes to a head during the episode’s climactic knock down drag out fight between Red Daughter and Supergirl that leaves Kara at death’s door by the end. As she watches Supergirl take blow after blow memories come flooding back until Alex finally remembers everything just in time to see Supergirl go down.
Rushing to her sister’s side Alex begs Kara not to leave her and pleads with her to heal herself by pulling the sun from the grass, which Kara does. Kara, it would seem strengthed by the love of her sister, is literally able to draw out sun absorbed by the grass and other plants to heal herself.
I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of viewers find this scene a bit cheesy and preposterous. Objectively it is. But it’s also Supergirl and that type of uncynical sometimes corny escapism is part of what you sign up for and of course, the point is not how Kara survives, but why.
The technical reason Kara survives is some nonsense about drawing out the sun from the grass but the real reason why she survives is her sister’s love and the deep emotional connection they share. Love save Kara’s life. If that doesn’t feel true to everything Supergirl is about I don’t know what does.
With one more episode left in season 4 things are looking pretty dire for Supergirl and the rest of the team but if this episode reminded viewers of anything is that you should never bet against team Danvers when their backs are against a wall.
Stray Thoughts
- This was a strong episode on all counts. The script was strong, the pacing good, the plot developments all felt earned, all of the different elements came together in a really satisfying way. But what makes this episode truly standout are the performances and in particular those of Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, & Jesse Rath. Brilliant, heartbreaking (and for Benoist and Leigh heartwarming at the end) work from all three.
- I feel pretty confident that Red Daughter is not dead despite appearances at the end of the episode. I can’t think of a good reason Lex wouldn’t kill her, but her story does not feel done yet.
- I am both anxious and intrigued by this Brainy reset that seems to have reverted him to a personality that lacks emotion or compassion. As nervous as it makes me to see Brainy as a potential villain I think I’m more excited by the potential for a storyline like that and what an actor like Rath will do with it.
- I guess Col. Haley is a sort of alley now? I’m not sure how all that happened and I feel like there has to be more to the story considering how awful she was earlier in the season but I’m not opposed to it. I’ve liked Col Haley as a character, villain or otherwise, since the beginning and I’d love to see her become more fleshed out and complex.
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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Highlights from the ‘One Day At A Time’ Panel at Clexacon 2019
Sarah Fields
Sarah is an obsessive geek who likes to get into the weeds and over think things. She is passionate about Sci-Fi and comics and is a giant classic film nerd. Sarah cares deeply about media representation and the power of telling diverse stories. When she's not writing or watching her favorite shows she spends her days working in the non-profit world trying to make life a little better for those that need some extra help.