Supergirl flies to investigate a report at a fission rod factory. Inside, Manchester confronts a COL man. The man shoots at him, and Supergirl arrives and catches the bullet. The COL says that he doesn't know why the group wanted fission rods, and they told him he could either steal the rods or wait for a freighter to arrive. As Supergirl leaves, Manchester stops her and says that he'd do anything to stop Agent Liberty. Supergirl agrees to call him if she finds anything and flies off.
The COLers take James to Agent Liberty and remove his hood. James says that he came there of his own accord to hear his side of the story. He asks what Agent Liberty wants, and Agent Liberty says that he saw humanity to be treated as less than exceptional. James insist that most aliens just want safe normal lives, and Agent Liberty tells him that he's giving him an opportunity to be the story and inspire, because Guardian stands for human exceptionalism. James wonders what he wants, and Agent Liberty says that he wants James to destroy a monument that stands against everything the COL believe in. When James refuses, Agent Liberty tells him that he understands but eventually James will willingly embrace their causes.
Agent Liberty meets with his men and confirms that they got the fission and rods, and promises that by the next night Supergirl will be dead.
Eve tells Lena that the subject is there, and he's a nice guy. Lena reminds her that they're doing serious work and Eve isn't making it easier, and Eve says that Lena should remember all of the people that she's saving and the civil war that she'll prevent. Her boss tells her that they'll refer to the man as subject 0331. Lena goes to the lab and begins her procedures on 0331. She records his visible injuries and says that she needs his thumbprint on the binding agreement. 0331 says that he understands the terms and asks why she's soft-pedaling it. He provides his thumbprint and asks what the research is for. Lena says that it's the advancement of science and 0331 figure that there's a heart behind her. As she leaves, Lena tells him that she's the scientist in charge.
Supergirl arrives at the DEO and Alex shows her Ben's new show, The Lockdown. Ben is reporting that on Thanksgiving nice, five men "peacefully protesting" disappeared. The people Ben features blame Supergirl, and Alex says that they're still investigating the disappearances. Hank calls to say that Manchester passed on a message about a cargo ship, and Supergirl has him relay it.
Tom comes to see James in his locked room and says that the COL lied to him and claimed that they were only going to give Jim an interview. He gives James his gauntlet and a COL mask. Donning one himself, Tom leads James out and James realizes that they're on Shelley Island, an immigrant processing center near the Statue of Liberty. An alarm goes off and Tom takes James to the boat. Tom trips and he tells James to go to the boat. Agent Liberty arrives and James tells them to stop, saying that he'll do whatever he wants. When Agent Liberty offers his hand, saying that he knew James would heed the call, James shakes his hand.
Supergirl arrives at the docks and meets with Manchester. Manchester shows her a cargo container and explains that he did some cross-referencing and found the cargo the COL shipped in. The container is empty, but Supergirl scans with her x-ray vision and finds a shipping label underneath. Manchester sees a supervisor nearby and knocks him down, and prepares to beat the truth out of him. Supergirl comes over and stops Manchester. The supervisor runs off, and Manchester says that he's had a rough couple of months. She figures that she made a mistake teaming up with Manchester and flies off.
When Lena comes back, 0331 apologies for assuming she was a tech. He asks for Lena's real name, and she claims that it's Kieran. Lena explains that 0331 is the only subject, and finally says that she picked him because he was the only one who said in a test that he'd leave a trapped spider alone. 0331 was the only one who said that other than Lena, and Lena says that the last thing she wants is a hero. He tells her that his dead brother was a hero, but he never has been. Lena admits that she's lost the only hero she ever had and walks away.
Alex returns to the apartment and tells Kara that they found the missing bodies of the COL and they were shot and beaten. Kara figures that Manchester was involved but doesn’t mention him to her sister. Hank arrives and says that Manchester asked him to pass on his apologies for his earlier actions. Kara wonders in Manchester is capable of murder, but Hank doesn't believe it and says that Manchester could prove useful.
The next day, Supergirl flies to Manchester's apartment and offers him a pot pie as a peace gesture. She says that she hopes Manchester will find justice for Fiona. Brainiac-5 calls and says that there was Nalcian table salt on the label but on Earth it's an explosive generating the equivalent of a small nuclear bomb.
Lena says that the treatment will give 0331 superpowers, and that she wanted someone responsible who wouldn't misuse them. He says that he lied to her and that his brother offered him his kidney that he needed but he died on the operating table. 0331 admits that he wouldn't have done the same because he's selfish, and tells Lena that everything he's touched his curse. He says that she deserves someone better than him, but Lena says that she's a smart woman and stands by her choice.
The imprisoned Tom tells James that if he thought he would join the COL, he wouldn't feel so helpless. He warns James that if he blows up the Statue then it will give the COL legitimacy. James refuses to leave and let Tom die, and insists that he's stronger than that. He figures that reputation is nothing and Agent Liberty can do whatever he wants with it because he knows who he is.
Manchester and Supergirl go over the shipping logs and Supergirl realizes that they landed at Shelley Island. It runs on fission rods just like the ones that are stolen. Supergirl wants to warn the DEO, but Manchester says that will alert COL and they should go on alone. She finally agrees, but says that she has a yellow-sun grenade to boost her powers despite the power-dampening fields on the island. Manchester looks at the grenade for a moment and then gives it back.
Supergirl and Manchester fly to the island and enter the dampening field. the grenade fails to go off, and the COL men surround Supergirl. Manchester reveals the part he removed from the grenade and says that in return for his betraying her, he gets a meeting with Agent Liberty. He says that he'd do anything to avenge Fiona. The COL men chain the depowered Supergirl, and another one tells Manchester that Agent Liberty will be there soon.
Lena administers the first treatment to 0331 and calls him by his real name--Adam--for the first time. She tells him that he's not responsible for his brother's death and it was just bad luck. Adam asks her about the person Lena lost, and Lena says that it was her birth mother. She explains that she lost her mother when she was 4, and watched her drown when she went into the ocean. Lena did nothing, and later she was given to the Luthors to be raised. she always knew that deep down inside, she belonged with them.
Ben goes to his dressing room and records a statement saying that Guardian joined forces with them and eliminated Supergirl, the greatest threat to their survivor.
The COL leader takes James to the Statue of Liberty where the others are waiting. He claims that there's no one in the monument and tells James to stand in front of the detonator and smile for the cameras.
Inside the Statue, Supergirl manages to rip the chains binding her free. She's unable to fly and remembers what Brainiac-5 said about the explosive. Manchester prepares to meet with Agent Liberty.
Ben's assistant tells him that he'll be on the air in a few minutes.
Agent Liberty greets Manchester.
Supergirl climbs up to the window and sees James at the detonator through the glass.
James addresses the camera and says that only humans belong on Earth. he activates the detonator, and Supergirl hears the bomb activate. She yells to him but he doesn't hear her, and the explosive activates.
Agent Liberty says that he thought Manchester came to America to be with Fiona. Manchester realizes that it's not the real Agent Liberty, takes out the guards, and removes the imposter's mask. He asks who the real Agent Liberty is, and claims that he'll let the imposter live.
Supergirl is unable to break the window. He looks up and sees Supergirl, dons his Guardian helmet, and attacks the COL men. Manchester runs out and kills more of the agents. One COLer gets the drop on Guardian, but Tom knocks the man out from behind. One COLer gets to the detonator and activates it.
Manchester tells the remaining COL man that he delivered the goods but he's taking it back. He shoots the dampeners, and Supergirl regains her powers and flies out with the bomb. She throws it into the air and Guardian and Tom watch. Manchester escapes in a boat.
Ben realizes that the Statue wasn't destroyed.
Lena tells Adam that they're shutting down the experiment. She says that it's not worth the risk and can't have another death on her hands. Adam says that he's never done anything meaningful in his life, and if he's part of it then it will make his life worthwhile. He tells her that the risk is worth it to him, and Lena is a good person. Adam begs her to let him do something good, and Lena begins the commencement of the first trial. The serum spreads through Adam's body as he looks up at Lena.
Hank finds Manchester and says that the man betrayed him. He refuses to let Manchester kill Agent Liberty, and Manchester tells him that his heart is dead since Fiona is gone. Manchester puts a memory repeated on Hank, playing back his memories of what he's done, and explains that the device is an empathy amplifier. He tells Hank that if he can't escape the pain then neither can Hank, and Hank shouldn't have believed in him.
In her office, Lena records a voice log saying that Adam displayed superpowers for three minutes and then died. She concludes by saying that payment will be sent to his next of kin and says an apology to Adam.
Kara finds James in his office, and he says that the COL made him say that they made him say terrible things and he wants to tell his side of the story. She says that Manchester is bad but then he turned around to help her. James suggests that Supergirl's escape may only have been a consequence, and admits that he compromised himself and risked everything that he worked for. However, now he understands why Lena lied to him about the DA. Kara says that he should tell her that and leaves.
James goes to Lena's office with pasta and suggests that they try again. Lena says that she's tired and has a lot of work to do, and she'll see him tomorrow. James accepts that and leaves.
Brainiac-5, Kara, and Alex are watching TV when Hank arrives. Kara talks to him in the hallway and he says that Manchester killed all of them and Hank was wrong. He breaks into tears and Kara hugs him.
Manchester drives to Lockwood Family Steel.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 26, 2018