TV Review: SUPERGIRL: Season 2, Episode 10: We Can Be Heroes [The CW]

Supergirl: We Can Be Heroes Review

The CW’s Supergirl Season 2, Episode 10: ‘We Can Be Heroes’ was a standard plot that didn’t need to be made. It brought the Guardian arc into the forefront where James Olsen (Mehcad Brooks) becoming a vigilante remained to be the show’s Achilles’ heel. Also the fact that they bring back Brit Morgan as Livewire didn’t make things any better after her less than stellar appearances last season. There were some problems with this week’s episode, but there were some good parts to take into account.

It’s kind of hard to figure out just how the Guardian subplot ended up being better this time around. There were some of the same bits from the last few episodes, like James trying to clean the streets of National City and also struggling to keep his secret from Kara (Melissa Benoist). Perhaps the thing that worked in the storyline was the relationship between James and Kara. It was one of the weakest parts of the first season as these two tried to have a thing going after so many passes with one another. It would be nice to find a better way for James to become a part of Kara’s daily life rather than trying to play hero in every episode.

The one problem with Kara and James’ dynamic was Kara’s reaction when she found out James was the Guardian. The way she responded was too out of character for her. It’s understandable to show how Kara feels betrayed and hurt after learning about James’ night job. It was a bit harsh when Kara threatened James to take him down if he didn’t hang up his helmet and shield for good. Green Arrow may work that way, but not Supergirl. Kara’s behavior felt really forced during the revelation. It looks like what the writers was trying to do was tie most of the subplots together as they shared the idea of empathy, but Kara’s reaction wasn’t well thought out as she still has a lot to learn on the subject.

Livewire was better this time around for her third appearance since she wasn’t really a villain in this episode. Having already fought with Kara on two occasions, it wouldn’t have made for great television to just see two powerful individuals in a battle. Having Livewire become the catalyst for the rise of some super-soldiers with her powers was a good twist. Morgan’s take on the character was a change of pace, as she wasn’t playing the cheesy villain in this week’s installment. With so many test subjects using Livewire’s powers, the action sequences were amazing to say the least.

Mon-El’s (Chris Wood) storyline is becoming one of the better parts of the show, especially with his growing attraction towards Kara. The dynamic between Chris Wood and Melissa Benoist has always been fun. However, this week went a bit deeper into the relationship between these two characters. Kara has started to accept that Mon-El wants to become a superhero like her, but not for the reason she believes. Mon-El not only wants to help people, but he also wants to work with Kara to be close to her. Despite Kara’s attempts to change Mon-El’s attitude, we can tell that he won’t come out of his Daxum persona. The show is doing rather well in developing Mon-El’s storyline throughout the season.

Hopefully part of the development will be his costume. The sunglasses and black leather suit isn’t working on him. Winn (Jeremy Jordan) could’ve made a better suit, but he has been having issues of his own regarding his purpose on the team and being overworked, so we can let that pass. Let’s see if Mon-El can get a better costume that’s reminiscent to his comic book origins.

The main highlight for this episode had to be the storyline between J’onn (David Harewood) and M’gann (Sharon Leal). Their story was far more interesting when it tackled the theme of empathy and when past actions can bring two people together. The two aliens shared a heartwarming moment inside M’gann’s mind as J’onn pushed his hatred away and ends up saving the woman who saved his life. This had to be one of David Harewood’s powerful performances so far on the show, and we should be seeing more of that during next week’s White Martian episode.

‘We Can Be Heroes’ didn’t set the bar high for Supergirl’s season season, but it was a lot more entertaining than one would’ve thought after reading the episode’s synopsis. It went in a new direction with Livewire’s return and improved on the Guardian storyline. We also got to see some great chemistry between Kara and Mon-El as well as J’onn and M’gann. Once again, this show managed to showcase some strong moments with these key characters without being too emotional. The characters always come first before the story, which the show seems to understand.

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