Supergirl is flying when Alex calls to tell her that DEO radar picked her up over the city. The heroine explains that she's just flying to relax, and her super-hearing picks up a car accident. She soars down to where a driver is slamming into another driver on the road. They head toward a school crossing, and Supergirl stops them before they can hit the children. One of the drivers gets out and complains that Supergirl totaled his car and gave him a bloody nose, and punches her. Supergirl catches his fist and twists it, and the man complains that he's hurting her as the children capture the incident on video.
Later, Hank is watching a newscast about the incident when Supergirl returns to the DEO base. He warns her that she can't lose control, and says that he's controlling his anger and tells her to do the same. Hank reminds her that people fear Superman because he might lose his temper. Agent Vasquez brings over an interview with Max suggesting that they put a camera on Supergirl.
James and Lucy are at Noonan's when she says that her father Sam is on town on business. He wants to have dinner with them, and Lucy asks James to give her father a chance. Kara comes in to get coffee, and Lucy comes over and thanks her for the invite. Once Lucy leaves, Kara goes over to James and he explains that Sam is in town and the two of them don't get into town. Sam is army like them, and they don't get along because Sam thinks Superman is a threat to national security. Kara mentions what Lucy said, and James explains that he invited her to game night. Surprised, Kara has no choice but to agree.
At CatCo, Cat's mother Katherine is in her office complaining about all of the televisions. Cat insists that the "visual noise" is her work, and Katherine explains that she's in town to promote the new book that she edited for Paget Willoughby. When Cat suggeststhat Carter would love to see her, Katherine says that she doesn't have the time. She's more interested in Supergirl and wonders why she isn't named superwoman. Katherine admits that she feels in safer in Metropolis with a male superhero.
Kara comes in and finds Alex waiting for her. Alex wants to talk about her father Jeremiah, and Kara says that it isn't a good time. However, Alex wants to talk to Winn. They talk privately and Alex says that they need his help to break into the DEO mainframe. Winn refuses to do it until Kara points out that it's for Alex's dad, and explains how the DEO forced Jeremiah to work for them. Alex figures that they are keeping the truth from her and insists that Winn is the only one who can help them, and he reluctantly agrees. Hank calls Alex and Kara to summon them to a meeting.
In the desert outside of National City, General Sam Lane and his men arrive to meet with Hank, Alex, and Supergirl. Sam wants Supergirl transferred to his command. He figures that his special forces can handle their covert operations without "foreign" assistance, and want Supergirl because they've been developing an anti-insurgent combat device. They need her to help test it. Lucy steps forward and presents an executive order forcing Supergirl to comply. Supergirl agrees and Sam says that she needs to fight his robot. The designer, T.O. Morrow, steps out and explains that it's a pseudo entity with combat capabilities, and far more than a robot. He opens the containment case and activates the unit, which he calls Red Tornado.
Later at CatCo, Winn hacks the DEO mainframe while Kara tells Winn and James that he's fighting Red tornado. She insists that she has to do it and show that she and Superman can be trusted. When Winn wonders if they're cancelling game night, Kara insists that they're going to have it to keep their lives normal. Once James leaves, Winn questions whether Kara invited Lucy. She insists that it'll be fun: Winn isn't convinced.
Kara meets with Cat and tells her the dinner reservations she made for Cat and Katherine. Katherine is early, waiting in Cat's office, and says that she can't meet for dinner because Toni Morrison is in town. She says that it's an intimate party and Cat isn't invited. When Cat says that she's disappointed, Katherine dismissively says that she would have nothing to talk about with them. Once she leaves, Kara tries to talk to Cat. Cat brushes off her concern and tells her to work late. Kara says that they have an office game night, and Cat says that she's making a fool of herself over James and should be more professional.
That night, Lucy, James, Kara, and Winn are playing a partner-matching game. Lucy and James are easily winning, and Kara and Winn don't do as well. One of the answers is Superman, and Lucy says that she met the heroine earlier and wasn’t impressed.
The next day, Supergirl flies to the testing ground and admits to Alex that she wants a good fight. Alex joins the others in the command tent, and Sam has Morrow begin the test. Outside, Red Tornado fires blasts of wind from its hands, knocking Kara into the air. It then fires missiles, and Supergirl burrow into the ground. She comes up behind the android and knocks it off its feet, and then closes in to punch it repeatedly. Morrow notes that his creation is taking heavy damage, and Alex orders Supergirl to stop. She freezes the android's hand and keeps beating it, and she finally gets control. Red Tornado takes off Morrow suggests that Supergirl's attack activated its self-preservation circuit. It's in cloaked mode, and Sam complains that Supergirl's recklessness has unleashed a killing machine on National City.
Everyone goes to the DEO base, and they examine the severed hand that Supergirl knocked off. Sam wants to destroy it, and Morrow insists that he's invested too much time and effort into the android. The general points out that the android failed and so did Morrow, and fires him on the spot.
Cat calls Kira into her office and she finally arrives. The CEO points out how valuable her time is compared to Kara's, and Kara snaps at her, telling her not to yell at her. She asks why Cat is so mean to her, and then covers her mouth, shocked. Cat stares at her as she apologizes, and then shushes her and tells her that they're going somewhere without saying where.
Alex visits Max at Lord Technologies and says that she's not convinced someone tried to kill him the last time they met. Max figures that she's been talking to Supergirl and dismisses her as confused, and Alex tells him to prove it. She shows him the severed hand, and Max cheerfully examines it. Max figures that Supergirl froze it, and Alex explains that the android has gone rogue and needs Max to help her find it. When he wonders why he should, Alex says that it will prove to her that he's not a bad guy. Max says that he's busy and hands the severed hand back.
At dinner, Sam, Lucy, and James eat and James orders a club soda. Sam off-handedly insults James, and Lucy excuses herself. Once they're alone, James says that he knows about Red Tornado. Sam figures that he's in contact with Supergirl because Lucy would never divulge classified information. He tells James that he's not good enough for Lucy, and he doesn't want her to invest too much time and energy in a glorified paparazzo. Sam says that just because James associates with people who are special doesn't mean he's special. As James takes that in, Lucy comes back and they order.
Cat takes Kara to Noonan's and explains that everyone gets angry. When Kara tries to apologize, Cat points out that she apologizes too often and says that she can't get angry at work... particularly when she's a girl. Cat continues drinking and explains that it's okay when men get angry. If she had got angry then it would have been professional and cultural suicide. Cat advises Kara to find some way to release her anger outside of work... and figure out what's really bothering her. She figures Kara isn't really mad at her, but something else. Cat tells Kat to find the anger behind the anger and figure out what is making her mad.
After dinner, Sam deliberately takes Lucy's hand so that James can't. Red Tornado appears overhead and James secretly signals Kara. She tunes in with her super hearing as Red Tornado blasts Lucy back. James runs to her while Sam orders the android to disengage. It starts to punch him, but Supergirl catches the death blow. When she punches it,Red Tornado easily avoids her blows. As James and Sam get Lucy to safety, Red Tornado generates a massive tornado and lets it spin off toward a group of parked cars. The android escapes in the opposite direction, and Supergirl flies into the tornado and spins the opposite direction, dissipating it.
Back at the DEO base, Lucy thanks Supergirl for saving her life. Sam complains that Supergirl let Red Tornado escaped, and she points out that it's learned from their first encounter. Lucy figures that Red Tornado endangered innocents as a diversion, using Supergirl's humanity against her, and Sam insists that Supergirl and the DEO will both be held accountable for any further damage Red Tornado covers. Hank angrily interrupts and says that the android's dermal covering contains traces of lead to suppress x-ray vision. He figures that it was designed to kill Kryptonians, and Sam points out that the DEO has Fort Rozz aliens locked up. He figures the only difference between them and Supergirl is that she's attractive. Hank points out that Sam and Lucy owe Supergirl their lives, and Sam leaves without a word. After a moment, Lucy goes with him. Alex gets a call from Max saying that he saw the fight and wants to talk to her.
When Alex arrives at Lord Technologies, he pours drinks and says that he wants to know who he's working with. She points out that he only helps people when it helps him, and Max says that he has seen what happened to the selfless. Alex says that her father also died working for the government, and she doesn't know how he died. Max considers that and then says that the android is a drone with an advanced GPS system. He figures that Morrow is still controlling it, and Alex thanks Max for his help.
The next day, Kara calls James to a warehouse that she's set up to box. James admits that he's never seen Superman blow off his temper, and Kara says that's because he's a man. She tells James to let it out, and he starts hitting a bag while explaining that he can't stand Sam. Kara can't stand him either and punches a car suspended from the ceiling. They both talk about everything that is bothering them, and Kara finally says that she'll never have a normal life and knocks the engine out of the car. She realizes what's bothering her, and tells James that she was mad seeing James and Lucy together. Kara says that she's never going to have a perfect partner on a game night, and being a superhero doesn't make her feel more normal. She lost her chance at a normal life when her parents put her on the ship. Alex calls and says that she found something, and tells Kara to meet her at the base.
At the base, Alex tells Hank and Supergirl that Morrow wants revenge on Sam for mothballing his project. She suggests that they draw out Red Tornado and trace the signal back to Morrow. Alex tells Supergirl to keep the android busy while she traces the signal. Hank wonders if Supergirl can keep her cool, and Supergirl says that she'll channel her anger for her instead of against her. The DEO head then tells Sam that they have a solution to his screw-up but they'll need his help.
Later, Sam is standing alone near a warehouse. Red Tornado flies down, while Alex traces the signal to a basement. The android swings at Sam... and discovers that it's a hologram. Sam is safe at the DEO base, and Hank explains that they're using Kryptonian technology to project the image. Meanwhile, Supergirl blasts Red Tornado with an artillery piece and then flies at it.
Alex finds Morrow, who is wearing a telepathic relay linking him directly to Red Tornado. To stop the android, Alex will have to kill him. Morrow says that the android is his life and attacks her.
Supergirl spars with the android, while Alex fights back against Morrow. The android grabs Supergirl and beats her, and gets her in a choke hold. In the basement, Morrow prepares to shoot Alex. She manages to grab the gun and twist it around, and shoots Morrow dead. Red Tornado shuts down momentarily, but then reactivates. Hank calls Alex, who confirms that the signals have stopped. She warns Supergirl that Red Tornado has become sentient.
Supergirl uses her heat vision on the android, burning into the chest. Red Tornado stumbles forward against the force of the beam, and Supergirl remembers being sent away from Krypton. She focuses all of her rage and anger into her heat vision, blasting the android to pieces. Hank asks if she's okay, and after a moment Supergirl tells him that it's over.
Later, Sam meets Sam and Lucy at Noonan's. He tells his daughter that they have a flight ready to take them back to Metropolis. Lucy says that she's not working for him anymore and resigning her commission. She insists that James isn't holding her back and they're all on the same team. Sam says that he hopes that Lucy realizes the mistake that she's made, it won't be too late. As he walks out, James comes over and tells Lucy that she's his hero.
Alex goes to Kara's apartment and Winn tells her that he found a DEO file on Jeremiah's death. Most of it was redacted, but it shows that Jeremiah and another agent went to South America to apprehend a hostile alien. Both agents disappeared and they were presumed dead. However, a month later the other agent showed up, unharmed, and claimed that he didn't remember what happened. The other agent was Hank, and he redacted the files. Alex figures that Hank is hiding something, and may have killed her father.
At the base, Hank walks through the hallways, his eyes glowing red.
When Kara arrives at Cat's office, Katherine complains that her car was supposed to be there a half hour ago. She asks how Cat justifies paying Kara's salary, and Cat says that Katherine doesn't get to talk to her assistant that way. Cat lays out about how Katherine elevates herself by denigrating her daughter, but Cat refuses to let her insult Kara as well. She says that Kara is excellent at her job, and Katherine quickly excuses herself. Once she leaves, Kara thanks her boss for the compliment. Cat says that it was just for effect and asks for Advil for her hangover, and Kara immediately hands her some. Kara drops a glass and stares at her hand in shock as she realizes that she's bleeding from the shards.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 1, 2015