Kara returns for the first time since a throwaway appearance in the season 8 episode "Bloodline" which was little more than a glorified cameo. Finally her character is given a proper return, and proper closure. This isn't Kara saving people secretly the way her and Clark always did on Smallville, this is Kara as a public superhero for the first time. Kara had been one of my favourite characters, but I felt the writers tanked her in the second half of season 7, with lame amnesia stories. As I already said, I was equally frustrated by her glorified cameo in "Bloodline" so it's such a relief to finally have a proper send off for her in "Supergirl". This wouldn't be her last episode in the series, but it is the one that gives her character closure. I also felt after several episodes in season 7 they missed the whole point of having Kara on the show in the first place, which should be as a mentor to Clark. This episode finally gets back on track with that.
This episode isn't entirely about Kara. The main plot revolves around Gordon Godfrey, otherwise known as Glorious Godfrey from the comics, a minion of Darkseid. The majority of Smallville portrayals of DC villains are heavily altered in their adaptations. In the case of Godfrey, he's as close to his comic book character as I believe they could have gotten. His purpose is exactly the same, to stir up hatred towards Superheroes, or vigilantes. This would mark the beginning of the Vigilante Registration Act story, which later in the season would lose its focus and become too much of an X-Men imitation. Here the plot is at its best, with Godfrey steering the ship. I loved the actor's portrayal of Godfrey, and how they use him to give us our first proper introduction to Darkseid was very effective.
In the end, I can't think of anything to complain about with this episode. Godfrey was a fantastic supporting villain, as Desaad and Granny Goodness would be in later episodes. Most of all, this is a straight Superhero story, featuring a proper send off for Kara aka Supergirl. She would return in one more episode by the end of the season, but there again it would be as an irrelevant background character in a wasted cameo. This is one of the best episodes of the final season, and after many disappointing episodes near the end of season 7 and one in season 8, a story that gets Kara's character back on track for one final time.
This episode isn't entirely about Kara. The main plot revolves around Gordon Godfrey, otherwise known as Glorious Godfrey from the comics, a minion of Darkseid. The majority of Smallville portrayals of DC villains are heavily altered in their adaptations. In the case of Godfrey, he's as close to his comic book character as I believe they could have gotten. His purpose is exactly the same, to stir up hatred towards Superheroes, or vigilantes. This would mark the beginning of the Vigilante Registration Act story, which later in the season would lose its focus and become too much of an X-Men imitation. Here the plot is at its best, with Godfrey steering the ship. I loved the actor's portrayal of Godfrey, and how they use him to give us our first proper introduction to Darkseid was very effective.
In the end, I can't think of anything to complain about with this episode. Godfrey was a fantastic supporting villain, as Desaad and Granny Goodness would be in later episodes. Most of all, this is a straight Superhero story, featuring a proper send off for Kara aka Supergirl. She would return in one more episode by the end of the season, but there again it would be as an irrelevant background character in a wasted cameo. This is one of the best episodes of the final season, and after many disappointing episodes near the end of season 7 and one in season 8, a story that gets Kara's character back on track for one final time.