Protestors gather at the White House, chanting against Marsdin since she's been revealed as an alien. Supergirl enters the Oval Office and asks if resigning is necessary. Marsdin explains that if she stays and fights impeachment, it will only cause more chaos. She tells Supergirl that hiding who she is has taken her toll, and Supergirl promises to stop Mercy. Marsdin tells her to be the beacon of hope that the world needs.
Outside, the two factions of protestors charge at each other. A van goes out of control, knocking over a flag pole. Supergirl catches it and tells both sides that it's time to talk to each other, not fight.
The NEO agents watch Marsdin give her resignation speech. Jensen says that Marsdin hijacked their democracy. Alex tells them to discuss politics on their own time, and their mission is to defend all aliens. Jensen tells Alex that he moved Otis into interrogation. Supergirl arrives and tells Alex about her meeting with Marsdin. Otis hasn't given up Mercy's location. Supergirl figures that she can still reach people's compassion and empathy, but Alex says that something fundamental has shifted and explains about how she broke up a fight among her agents. She shows Supergirl that the number anti-alien websites has grown.
Mercy enters an elevator, strangles the passenger Kevin Oh, and takes his laptop bag.
Hank arrives at the bar and tells another alien that they'll get through it. The bartender, al, says that Fiona hasn't made it in for three days and her fiancé is in England.
At CatCo, Kara tells James that she's doing a story on Mercy's criminal history starting at LuthorCorp. Nia asks James if he's going to write an editorial on the paper's stance on Marsdin. James says that they're going to focus on facts.
Alex questions Otis and asks where Mercy is going. Otis refuses to give anything away, and Alex promises to make his life miserable. When Alex insults him, Otis lunges at him and Alex easily subdues him. As Jensen takes Otis away, he says that the two of them won't be found. Alex calls Kara and tells her about Otis saying that there were two of them. Kara heads to Lena's to find out who might be connected to Mercy.
Agent Liberty is watching news about the protests when Mercy returns and tells him that she got the laptop. He figure that Supergirl will be a problem, and Mercy shows him a vial of kryptonite and says that they'll create chaos.
Kara visits Lena, who says that she never had faith in politicians. She commends Marsdin for stepping down to avoid chaos, and Kara says that James is using the paper to tell both side of the story. Kara asks Lena for her help writing her story about Mercy. Lena says that Mercy is complicated but she'll turn over the woman's work record.
Hank visits Alex at the DEO and offers his advice. He says that Fiona might be in trouble and asks Alex for help. Brainiac-5 comes over and greets Hank, and he tells Alex that there's no sign of Mercy. Realizing that Alex is busy, Hank says that he'll deal with Fiona's absence on his own. Brainiac-5 says that he misses Hank and says that the crisis doesn't impact the planet. Alex tells him that the future can change and Brainiac-5 figures that everyone needs pizza.
James finds Nia sleeping at her desk and wakes her up. She nervously goes off to get coffee.
Brainiac-5 goes to the pizza place and orders pizzas for everyone. Nia comes in to get an espresso.
According to the files, Mercy worked as Lex's head of security and became his confidant and dinner guests. Mercy took Lena under her wing and was almost like a big sister to her. Lena felt abandoned after Mercy left, but blames Lex because Mercy grew frustrated with Lex's obsession with Superman. Mercy thought that humans should learn ways to become as powerful as aliens, and Lena agrees with her. Eve comes in and reports that Kevin is dead and his laptop is missing, and it's being used to log into the mainframe.
Mercy hacks into the mainframe and disrupts the image inducers.
Brainiac-5's image inducer shuts off, revealing his alien visage.
Lena tells Kara that if she doesn't delete Mercy's virus then every image inducer will be exposed.
The owner, Massimo, says that Brainiac-5 is a traitor, and one worker swings a baseball bat at him. Brainiac-5 dodges the first attack, and Nia tells them to back off.
Lena manages to delete the virus and break Mercy's connection, and Mercy throws the laptop across the room in frustration.
Lena locks the system so no one can get in.
Nia tells Massimo that he's the traitor, says that she'll expose his actions via the paper, and orders him to give Brainiac-5 the pizzas. Outside, Brainiac-5 says that Nia looks familiar and asks if he can get to know her. Nia gives her name, says that he will find her if she wants to, and walks away.
Hank goes to Fiona's apartment and finds no one home. He finds the password for her laptop and logs in, and finds a photo about a policeman, Dean Petrocelli.
Nia returns to CatCo and tells James what happened. James says that he's heard about similar stories and they're following up on them, and Nia thinks that he needs to give a statement about the hate crimes. James explains that he has to think strategically and it's not the best time for him to write an editorial. Nia says that he has another chance to fight for justice, and explains that she's a transgender woman and knows what it's like to be attacked and denied because of who she is. She couldn't let the attack on Brainiac-5 pass and stood up to the owner. Nia made a difference, and she's just one person. She figures that James can hold a mirror up to the entire city and say that they have to truly see each other. James thanks her for sharing her truth and her passion. However, he tells her that their readers that share their values and if he editorializes too soon, the others will prejudge them. James insists that the only way to reach people is through balanced people, but Nia says that it's about justice not balance.
At the DEO, Alex approaches Brainiac-5 and says that Kara told her that his image inducer was hacked. Brainiac-5 figures that Mercy can only access the mainframe through the computer and she's on her way there.
L-Corp goes into lockdown and Lena figures that Mercy is there. Mercy and her squad use ultra-sonics to take out the staff. Lena hands out earplugs and says that Mercy designed the security system. Kara tries to leave and Lena says that the safest place is with her. She figure that all they have to do is stop Mercy from getting to the servers. Mercy calls Lena via the internal monitor and taunts her, and Lena tells Kara that they have to stay together.
Kara, Lena, and Eve head for the servers, and Kara secretly blocks the bullets fired at them by Lena's men. The women get into the elevator and head down, and Mercy comes on the monitor and tells Lena that she has a gift and Mercy doesn't intend to squander it. Mercy seals one side of the corridor, and Kara secretly blocks the other door from closing. Alex calls Kara and realizes that she hasn't been able to get away, and Kara gives Alex their location. Brainiac-5 checks the blueprints and finds an unoccupied proto-lab where she can change. He gets confused over his percentage calculations, and Kara sees Mercy's men coming with her x-ray vision. She "sneezes", blowing them back, and Eve rewires the security doors to shut the door between them and their attackers.
Lena tells Kara that she's safer with her, and the two of them go downstairs. When they get there, they find Lex's exo-suit and Lena says that the basement contains her prototypes. One arm of the suit is missing, and Mercy walks out and says that the sleeve could move humans into a new level of excellence. Mercy invites Lena to join her, and Lena says that L-Corp is about doing good and redeeming the Luthor name.
Mercy reminds Lena that Lex was afraid that Lena would outshine him, and says that she's the best. Lena says that she knows and Mercy has chosen a side, and she'd never do that. as they argue, Lena dons the other gloves and exchanges fire with Mercy. She tells Kara to get out and coniums fighting Mercy. The two of them get close enough to fight hand-to-hand, and Mercy says that Lena doesn't deserve the Luthor name. Supergirl bursts in and subdues Mercy.
The DEO locks Mercy up in a cell next to Otis'. Mercy tells Alex and Supergirl that the people are angry and they can't stop it. Alex agrees that she can't and Supergirl says that she can.
As James considers his editorial, an alien worker named Franklin complains that people put wood chips in his coffee. Mackenzie snickers and says that it was a dumb prank, and James comes out and tells her that they respect people there. The reporter apologizes, and James tells his staff that they do not tolerate hate within their walls and it's their duty as journalists to expose the truth. Nia mouths a thank you to him, and James goes back to his office.
Otis signals to Mercy, and she calls to Jensen by name as he checks on their cells. She says that aliens deceive them and came for their planet, and Jensen is working with Earth traitors and aliens. When Jensen says that he took an oath, Mercy points out that Marsdin as well.
At the bar, an off-duty cop, Petrocelli, complains that country is falling apart. Hank comes over and agrees with him, and asks him if he knows Fiona.
Alex finds Brainiac-5 talking to himself about how he told Supergirl to go the wrong way. He insists that he doesn't make mistakes, and Alex figures that he's upset about what happened. Brainiac-5 says that Massimo was angry even though he knew Brainiac-5. Alex tells him that not everyone is like Massimo, and says that the next time someone tries to hurt him, he should send them her way. Brainiac-5 tells her that she's a true friend. Jensen overhears them talking and when Alex sees him, says that everything is fine.
Supergirl gives a national statement from CatCo saying that the fear that is spreading isn't because the President lied, but because she comes from somewhere different. James is working on his editorial as Supergirl talks. Supergirl says that their character is defined by what they do rather than where they come from. Jensen glances over at Brainiac-5 as the DEO agents watch the broadcast. Supergirl says that she will stand by the new administration and will continue to protect her friends and neighbors, and hopes that they all do the same.
Later, Supergirl flies to the White House and meets with Baker as he prepares to be sworn in. He thanks her for capturing Mercy and says that he was worried that Supergirl wouldn't be behind him. Supergirl says that she supports the country no matter who helps it. She adjusts his tie and assures him that he's got it.
As Baker is sworn in, Alex calls for Jensen and gets no response. She has Brainiac-5 check the cell surveillance cameras, and they realize that "Mercy" and "Otis" have been replaced with holograms.
Hank goes to a meeting where Agent Liberty is meeting with anti-aliens. He talks about how people are losing jobs because they don't have super-strength, and the law protects aliens but not them. Agent Liberty tells them to feel fear because it might energize them. He says that aliens will eventually attack.
Otis, Mercy, and Jensen prepare a dispersal device and Mercy inserts the kryptonite into it.
Agent Liberty promises that he will stand with the people and they will put Earth first.
Otis triggers the device. It sprays kryptonite into the atmosphere, infecting Supergirl and bringing her down.
Written by Gadfly on Oct 22, 2018