Supergirl is on patrol over the city when she spots a drone flying overhead. She tries to grab it and finally shoots off an engine with her heat vision. Supergirl takes it to the DEO base and complains to Hank that he's following her. Hank says that it's not one of theirs, and Alex confirms that it's from Earth but advanced technology. He tells Supergirl that they'll handle it, and Alex assures Supergirl that she can trust Hank.
Back at Catco, Winn is trying to cover the phones for Kara when Kara speeds in to take a call. The caller says that Cat has won a prize for Women in Media. As Kara prepares to get tickets to Metropolis, she hears Cat on the phone complaining to her mother about her lack of support. Cat calls Kara in, and Kara offers her congratulations. The CEO says that she won't be attending the ceremony because she has no one to watch her son Carter. Her mother is prioritizing her career over Cat's and refuses to watch Carter, and Kara offers to watch the boy. Cat figures that she wants something, and Cat is impressed that she thinks Kara wants her to owe her a favor. The CEO accepts and warns that Carter is shy and reserved, and needs special attention. Kara assures her that she can handle it.
Later at Noonan's, Lucy and James are eating and James wonders why she's in National City. Lucy insists that she's reviewing depositions for a court martial, just as Kara comes in. As James look at her, Lucy admits that she missed him. He says that he has to go and says that he wanted a lot of things. Lucy admits that she came there for him, and James says that he'll call her if he has time. Once Lucy leaves, Kara says that she heard what he said, and James says that Lucy wants to win everything, including him. He says that Lucy broke up with him because she's obsessed with her career, and considered him a distraction.
The city shakes and Kara uses her telescopic vision to spot a bomb going off in an office building. As Supergirl, she flies there and holds the building up so that everyone can get out. However, the pillars collapse around her and she welds them shut with her heat vision. As everyone cheers, a drone watches Kara and then flies off.
Later at the DEO base, Hank congratulates Supergirl on supporting so much weight, and says that the building contained a lab developing a new lithium battery. Alex reports that the bomb used the same tech as the drone. She brings up a file on Maxwell and explains that the fiber optic technology was developed by his technology. Supergirl says that she has to head out, and Alex wonders if she's involved with James yet. Alex points out that James and Lucy broke up, and warns her foster sister not to talk to James about Lucy because she'll end up in the friend zone. She assures Supergirl that she doesn't have to hide who she is with James, and no one would choose Lucy over Supergirl. Cat calls Supergirl and asks how Carter is, and Supergirl remembers that she has to pick Carter up at the school.
As Supergirl flies to the airport, Cat realizes that she isn't there. Kara switches to her secret identity and the teacher leaves Carter with Kara. He doesn't say anything, and Kara comes across as a nerd. Carter says that his mother says that nerds can succeed if they come out of their shell, and then walks away.
Hank and Alex, posing as FBI agents, meet with Maxwell. He insists that he doesn't make weapons and points out that the lab that was destroyed was a subsidiary of his company. Alex asks for a list of employees who would know how to modify the tech, and Hank leaves her to it.
At Catco, Kara is doing her job while Carter checks is phone. He sees Supergirl on the news and says that she's pretty cool, and Kara suggests that he might have a tease. Winn comes over and says that he knows Supergirl, and hastily corrects himself when Kara glares at him. James is filling in for Cat, working in her office, and pounding on the stapler, and Kara runs over. He complains that he's too busy just as Lucy rings. James ignores it, telling Kara that she's followed him halfway across the country. Kara cuts him off, saying that he should focus on work, and walks out.
At Maxwell's office, Alex examines the schematics on his new maglev train. He's impressed with her knowledge and wonders why she works for the government, and Alex says that she wants to help people. Maxwell agrees, saying that he wants to save the planet. His secretary Paulina calls and asks him to come down to the level three lab. When Maxwell and Alex alive, Paulina shows them the bomb that they discovered. As they clear the lab, Malcolm begins examining the bomb and Alex reluctantly helps. He shuts down the timer... and it comes back on at accelerated speed.
At Catco, Kara tells James that she's handling and he says the same. Once James leaves, Carter wonders if James could get Superman to introduce him to Supergirl. Alex calls to tell Kara about the bomb, and she asks Winn to watch Carter and then takes off before he can respond. Supergirl flies to Maxtech and Maxwell tells her that she has to get it clear of the city. She flies to the ocean and Hank, monitoring her, tells her to fly straight up and throw it. Supergirl throws it at the last second and the blats knocks her out of the sky.
Later, Supergirl wakes up in a medical pod at the DEO. Dazed, she looks over at Hank and sees his eyes glow red. When she wakes up, Hank explains that a rescue team pulled her out of the ocean. They're using concentrated solar waves to recharge her body. Alex comes in and thanks Hank. They go to the central room and Hank brings up footage of the bomber from the security cameras. The bomber is Ethan Knox, who worked at the first lab that was attacked. Ethan was fired six months ago when his work became erratic, and he went missing two weeks ago. Alex insists that Supergirl take a break, but Supergirl insists that she has to deal with the bomber. Her foster sister warns that she's spreading herself too thin.
At Catco, Winn and Carter are playing video games in Cat's office when Kara runs in. She thanks Winn for watching Carter and says that she wouldn't know what she would do without him. She goes to Noonan's and Lucy comes in to get her phone. Lucy admits that she often gets frazzled and wishes that James would understand. She asks Kara if James is seeing Supergirl, and worries that he'll find her responsible. Lucy explains that she left James because he prioritized Superman over their relationship, and wonders how she'll ever compete with Supergirl.
At Maxtech, Alex explains that Ethan snapped when his daughter got sick, and blames Maxwell. She wants Maxwell to cancel his train debut that night, but he refuses. Alex knows that his parents worked for the government and wonders why Maxwell doesn't trust the government. He explains that his parents raised concerns about the safety of their lab. The government ignored them, and two months later a virus killed them because of a faulty air system. Alex offers her condolences and realizes that the government covered it up. However, she insists that he's trying to prevent another tragedy and he's not cooperating. Maxwell points out that he's an orphan and doesn't get over things easily, and heads for the debut.
At Catco, Kara visits James and apologizes for cutting him off earlier. He admits that he's right and says that Kara is easy to talk to. Kara explains that Lucy talked to her about James and still loves him, but broke it off because she was tired of coming in second to Superman. She says that if she had love then she'd fight for it, but James says that he doesn't want to go through it again. Kara says that if he doesn't resolve it then it wouldn't be fair to whoever comes next, and then takes Carter his lunch.
Alex returns to the DEO and tells Hank that they've found no sign of Knox at the station. Supergirl arrives and offers to help, and Hank and Alex reluctantly agree.
Lucy comes in to tell James that she's taking a plane back to Metropolis. She says that she came to National City to try and get them back together, and says that James' new life looks good on him. Lucy tells James that she wants what's best for him, and James says that he feels the same about her. Lucy kisses him and leaves.
Supergirl flies to the train station and checks the area, looking for Ethan.
Winn checks in on James and discovers that Carter is gone. He sees Maxwell talking about Supergirl on the news, and realizes that Carter went there.
At the train station, Carter looks around. The Super Train opens for passengers and the boy is swept up in the crowd. Meanwhile, the DEO gets a report that a bomb was found at the airport. Hank figures that it's a decoy and tells Supergirl about the new bomb.
A reporter tells James that they have to send every reporter to the airport. James calls Lucy to warn her but gets her voice mail.
Maxwell sees Carter, who claims that his parents are already on the train. As Maxwell takes him aboard, Winn runs up and the attendant refuses to let him pass. On the train, Maxwell shows off the advanced train to Carter... unware that Carter is one of the passengers. He goes to the door and Winn spots him just as the doors shut and the train leaves the station. Winn calls Supergirl and tells her that Carter is on the plane. Supergirl wonders which one she should handle, and Hank warns that they can't trust what Winn says. The heroine says that she trusts her friend and tells them to handle the airport while she goes after the train.
James drives to the airport while Supergirl intercepts the train. She comes down through the roof hatch and warns Maxwell that Ethan is aboard. Maxwell warns that he can't stop the train because it's automated, and Carter realizes that something is wrong. Supergirl asks if he can help her, and tells Carter and Maxwell to get the passengers to the back of the train. She scans the train with her x-ray vision and spots Ethan heading for the front.
At the airport, Hank and Alex pull up with a team. James gets there and Hank tells him that Supergirl isn't coming. Lucy is helping the passengers out, and he says that he's there because she's there. After a moment, they hug.
Alex and Hank clear the room with the bomb and discover that they can't see inside it. Hank orders her to go and Alex reluctantly leaves.
Supergirl bursts into the front compartment and Ethan reveals that he's wearing a bomb vest. He warns that the bomb is rigged with altimeter and she can't remove him, and Supergirl insists that there's only help.
Hank's eyes glow red and he pries the bomb open with superhuman strength.
Alex gets outside and has her team take cover. A few seconds later, Hank walks out and holds up the disarmed bomb triumphantly. He tells Alex that it was a decoy to draw them away from the real bomb.
Supergirl tells Ethan that she knows what it feels like to be overwhelmed, and says that his daughter needs him. Ethan says that the bomb is her only hope, but now that everyone knows the bomber, he can't face his daughter. Supergirl begs him not to kill the passengers, and he says that he won't... because Supergirl will save them. He hits the arming switch and says that Supergirl has thirty seconds. She burns through the latch connecting the front car to the others, and then stops the train. The car with Ethan continues and blows up.
Later, Supergirl returns to the DEO lab and finds Alex examining the bomb. She confirms that the bomb has a failsafe. Supergirl wonders why Ethan killed himself, and then remembers that Carter was on the train.
The next morning, Cat returns and Carter is happy that he met Supergirl. She asks her son what makes Supergirl a hero, and he jokes that it's her legs before saying it's her heart. Cat is surprised that he makes a joke, just as Kara arrives. Carter talks about everything Kara did with him and asks if Kara can watch him again. Cat is non-committal and sends him off to school. Once he's gone, Cat says that she should have never let Kara watch Carter. Kara wonders how Cat juggles it all, and Cat says that she has to start small. She insists that a woman can have it all, but not right away.
As Kara leaves, she sees James and Lucy kissing and turns away. On the news, Maxwell is telling the reporters that he takes full responsibility for Ethan's actions. Winn comes over and they wonder why Maxwell is so concerned about Ethan, and Kara asks Winn to hack into the hospital records.
That night, Supergirl flies to Maxwell's apartment and points out that Ethan's daughter is being treated by a doctor with a life-time grant from Maxtech. She figures that there was a failsafe in Ethan's bomb that Maxwell could have activated if Supergirl didn't save the train in time. Supergirl figures that Maxwell offered the girl's treatment in return for Ethan planting the bomb. Maxwell denies it, but Supergirl wonders why he did it. The CEO suggests that whoever is responsible for the attacks might be interested in Supergirl, and Supergirl figures that he was testing her and monitoring the results with the drones. Maxwell notes that the last test shows that she was willing to save a hundred people on the train instead of thousands at the airport. He figures that there was someone on the train that she cared about, and once he finds that person he'll know who Supergirl really is. Supergirl says that she cares about everyone and warns that it's not over, and flies off.
Written by Gadfly on Nov 24, 2015