The Past
Twenty-four years ago on the planet Krypton, the infant Kal-El is sent to Earth. Meanwhile, Lara and Zor-El send their 13-year-old daughter Kara-El--Kal-El's cousin--to protect her infant cousin. Lara explains that she will sleep in suspended animation and wake up on Earth. Because of Earth's yellow sun, Kara will have great powers and do extraordinary things. Kara promises that she won't fail Kal or Lara, and Lara gives her daughter her necklace as a keepsake. The planet shakes and Kara's parents get her into the spaceship after one final hug.
Krypton's explosion knocks Kara's ship into the Phantom Zone, where time doesn't pass for 24 years. Something finally knocks the ship free and it lands on Earth, but Kara is still 13 years old. Kal-El--who has revealed himself to the world as Superman--finds her and asks the Danvers to raise Kara. The Danvers are scientists who helped Kal learn how to use his abilities, and have a daughter, Alex.
Now
Kara tries to fit in and moves to National City where she works as an assistant at CatCo Worldwide Media, an online media empire built by her boss, Catherine "Cat" Grant. Her IT co-worker, Winslow "Winn" Schott, greets Kara when she arrives and says that there was an armored car robbery. The only witness claimed that aliens stopped it, and Winn insists that aliens exist. As they get to Kara's desk, Winn invites her to a movie and Kara says that she can't because she has a date. Winn is less than thrilled to hear that Kara is dating a guy she met through an online dating service. He says that she'll know real love when she finds it, and it won't be online.
Due to her super-hearing, Kara hears Cat in the elevator and warns Winn. Everybody stands up and welcomes Cat, who complains that someone has been using her private elevator. Kara accompanies Cat into her office and her boss tells her to prepare to downsize the Tribune. Kara points out that it was Cat's first acquisition, and wonders what will happen to the workers when they lose their jobs. She points out that the Daily Planet isn't downsizing, and Cat reminds her that they have Superman in Metropolis and the Planet boosts sales by featuring him regularly on the cover. She sarcastically tells Kara to find her a hero if she wants to save the Tribune.
Cat sends Kara to the new art director, James Olson. He has a picture of Superman in action, and James says that Superman posed for him. Kara realizes that James is the famous James Olson of the Daily Planet, and she asks what his pal Superman is like in real life. As they chat, James offers her the picture once she introduces herself. He tells her that she looks a little like Superman and reminds the flustered girl to take the layouts with her.
Later, Kara goes to her apartment and calls Alex--a doctor heading for Geneva--to come over and help her pick a dress for her date. As they get ready, Kara complains that she's stuck as an assistant, and Kal gets to be out as a superhero. She admits that she isn't sure about her powers since she hasn't used them in years. Alex points out that she has a job and is cute, and life isn't so bad. She then tells her foster sister to pick a dress so she can get on her plane overseas for her job. Kara finally picks a dress and Alex tells her to text her with the details of her date.
That night, Kara meets her date at a bar and he claims that he has to take a call. However, Kara hears him pay and leave once he's out of sight. On the TV, the news runs a report about Alex's flight having engine trouble. Kara runs outside and sees the plane circling overhead, and uses her x-ray and telescopic vision to confirm that Alex is aboard. She runs into an alley and tries to fly, and finally takes off.
The plane loses another engine and it slams into Kara. Brushing it aside, she takes the engine's place as Alex looks out the window and sees her. After stabilizing the plane, Kara moves underneath it and tries to hold it up as it heads for a bridge. She lifts it up and over just in time, and then it touches down in the water. Everyone applauds as Alex looks out at Kara, who climbs up on the wing. Other passengers see her and take photos as Kara flies away.
Later at her apartment, Kara is eating pizza and watching the news. The reporter on the scene complains about the destruction, and Alex comes in. She asks if Kara is okay, and Kara gets her a drink to celebrate. Alex asks what she was thinking, pointing out that Kara exposed herself to the world. Kara says that she doesn't want to take it back now that she finally got the chance to help people. Alex warns that it's not safe for Kara to do anything like that ever again, but Kara refuses and tells her foster sister that she should go.
The next day, the networks are running stories non-stop about the mysterious heroine. Winn complains that no one is going to take the mystery heroine seriously if she doesn't have a suit. Cat calls her staff in and complains that they know nothing about the girl. She asks James if there's any connection between the girl and Superman, and he says that his friend never mentioned it. However, if he figures that the new heroine is anything like Superman, then she's a real hero and figures that she'll be back. Cat figures that the heroine is exactly what she needs to save the Tribune. She plans to feature National City's new heroine non-stop but says that they need images, video, and an exclusive interview. As the others go, Cat tells Kara to get her a lettuce wrap.
Kara takes Winn up to the roof and asks if she can trust him with her secrets. Winn assures her that she can, and Kara tells him that she's the mystery heroine who saved the plane. He doesn't believe her, and Kara jumps off the side of the building and then flies back up. Shocked, Winn realizes that she was telling the truth.
At a diner, a man watches a newscast about the hero and digs his fingernails into the countertop. He demands coffee from the waitress, who apologizes and says that her daughter finally has someone to look up to. Outside, the man climbs into the tanker on a tanker truck and removes his hat, revealing extruding bones. He contacts his superior, the Commander, who demands a report from Vartox. Vartox says that their plan worked and the DEO agents were on the plane when the bomb detonated. However, the hero saved the plane and Vartox figures that Alura's daughter Kara is working with the humans. The Commander warns that the General's arrival is imminent and nothing must interfere, and tells Vartox to eliminate Kara along with the DEO agents. Vartox warns that there may be human casualties but the Commander doesn't care, and Vartox promises that Kara will pay for Alura's debts as he picks up a high--tech ax.
Over the next few days, Kara tries to design a costume with Winn's help. She finally comes up with one and Winn hacks into the NCPD and finds a car chase in progress and then a bank robbery. They fine-tune her costume with a bulletproof cape and the S symbol on the chest, Kara flies over National City... and someone shoots her with kryptonite darts. She falls into an alleyway and masked soldiers move in on her.
When Kara wakes up, she finds DEO agent Hank Henshaw standing over her. She's restrained with Kryptonite restraints, and Alex comes in and releases her. Hank explains that she's at the Department of Extranormal Operations, and they monitor and protect Earth from extra-terrestrial threats. They take her to a room holding her Kryptonian spaceship, and explain that Kal's arrival triggered the need for the DEO. The Kryptonians used the Phantom Zone to contain a prison station, Fort Rozz. When Kara's ship broke free, it brought Fort Rozz with her and it crashed on Earth. The convicts escaped and have been hiding, but are starting to emerge, and the DEO figures that they're planning something. Kara realizes that the attack on the plane was caused by the convicts and offers to help the DEO, Hank refuses, pointing out that she's inexperienced, and tells her to go back to being an assistant.
Kara storms off and Alex goes after her. She insists that Kara has to listen to her, but Kara wonders if Alex got the job because she had an alien as a foster sister. Alex insists that she didn't, but that growing up with Kara didn't hurt her chances, and Kara says that she's leaving. Hank warns Alex that Kara is dangerous.
The next day, Kara arrives at work and discovers that Cat has dubbed Kara's alter-ego "Supergirl." Angry, Kara says that the name should be "Superwoman," but Cat reminds her that she's her boss and prepares to fire her. James comes in and claims that Kara has a teller friend at the bank that was robbed. Kara plays along and James says that Kara convinced her friend to let them use an image of Supergirl from the bank footage. Cat is shocked to discover that Kara captured a clean image of Supergirl, and advises her to learn to take credit for herself. She tells Kara that she's bought herself another day.
Outside, Kara objects to James coming in to rescue her. As they argue, Vartox contacts her at 50,000 megahertz, a frequency only she can hear. Vartox tells Kara that she's an alien, and to meet her at the city power plant or he'll go on a rampage. Supergirl flies to the power plant and realizes that the walls and tanks are lined with lead. However, she homes in on Vartox's heartbeat. Vartox leaps down and punches her, knocking her down. The convict says that Alura was the one who locked him in Fort Rozz, and he plans to kill Supergirl since he can't get at Alura.
Supergirl attacks Vartox, who throws her through a wall and then goes in, saying that she can't stop any of the convicts. He throws her back out and swings his axe, but Supergirl knocks him back. Vartox throws his axe, cutting her, and promises that soon the whole city will bleed. As he chokes Supergirl, a helicopter arrives and opens fire. Vartox flees and Alex rappels down to check on her foster sister.
The DEO takes Kara back to their base and Alex stitches her up. They ID Vartox's weapon from a sliver of it in Kara's wound and Alex admits that she knew Alura locked up the aliens. She didn't want Kara going out as a heroine because the escapees would come after her to get revenge. Kara admits that Alex was right and the world doesn't need her.
Later, Kara is sitting at home, holding Alura's necklace, when Alex knocks at the door. She says that it's not Kara's fault, and admits that she was jealous of Kara when they grew up. Alex admits that she felt like more when Kara felt like less, but says that the world needs Kara to fly. Kara lets her in and Alex shows her a recording that they found in the spaceship. It plays Alura, saying that she knows Kara will grow up to be the hero she was destined to be. She tells Kara that it's important she find her way back to the brave girl she always was. Kara asks Alex what they do now, and Alex tells her to change into her costume.
Supergirl and Alex go back to the DEO base and Alex insists that they let Supergirl help or she'll quit. A technician reports that they have a fix on the axe's atomic signature, and it's heading toward National City. They figure that Vartox plans to carry out his threat to make humans suffer, and Supergirl warns that his agents won't be able to stop Vartox.
Vartox is driving his truck toward the city and Supergirl lands in front of him, smashing it to a stop. The escapee and his axe go flying out, and Supergirl attacks him. As Vartox grabs his axe, Supergirl kicks him back through the fiery wreckage
At the DEO base, Alex tells Hank that she analyzed the sliver of the axe. The axe is powered by an atomic charge and it's close to detonating.
Vartox beats Supergirl down and she begs him to stop. However, when he brings his axe down, Supergirl grabs it and uses her heat vision. Nothing happens at first, and Alex tells her foster sister that she believes that she can do it. Concentrating, Supergirl increases her efforts and the axe explodes, knocking Vartox back. She tells him that it's over, and Vartox says that she has no idea what is coming that is the true threat. He then stabs himself to death with a piece of the axe.
At the DEO, Alex points out to Hank that Supergirl followed his orders. He merely says that she did so that time and Alex asks if she was recruited because of her relationship with Kara. Hank says that he did, but they kept her on because of what Alex showed she could do.
The next day, Winn asks Kara what happened. James goes by and Kara invites him to lunch, and James says that she must have burned a lot of calories fighting an axe-wielding alien. As Kara stares at him in confusion, James tells her to meet him on the roof. When she meets James there, he explains that he knew who she really was all along. Kal asked him to move to National City and keep an eye on Kara, and to not say anything because he wanted Kara to choose for herself. James then gives Kara the blanket that Kal was wrapped in as a baby. Kara can use it to make an invulnerable cape. James assures her that Kal is proud of her... and so is James.
The Commander informs his superior that Vartox is dead. The General--Astra, Lara's twin--says that it was her right to lead Krypton and she will lead Earth, and believes that Kara will be just as formidable as her cousin. Astra tells the Commander to find Kara and kill her, because no one can be allowed to stand against them... even her niece.
Written by Gadfly on Sep 13, 2015