At the DEO, the hologram of Alura analyzes Supergirl and warns that after her battle with Red Tornado, she drained her powers. Once she reabsorbs solar energy, she will be restored to her typical power level. Alura tells Supergirl to rely on those she trusts. After the hologram fades, Supergirl meets with Alex and she points out that Superman has lost his powers on occasion as well. Supergirl is going stir-crazy, and Hank suggests that she can learn what it's like to be human like the rest of them. He says that he's dealing with an unruly prisoner and will need Alex's help after she walks Supergirl out. Once they're alone, Supergirl wonders if Alex suspects Hank's involvement with Jeremiah's death. Alex points out that Hank never said anything about Jeremiah and figures that he's hiding something.
At CatCo, Kara is sniffling and Winn asks her what's happening. She explains how she lost her powers, and Winn goes to check the Kryptonian bio-analytics from Alex's files. Cat comes in and hears Kara sneezing, and realizes that it's her. She's surprised that Kara has gotten sick for the first time since she knew her, and tells her to go home before she spreads her cold to Cat.
At the DEO, the prisoner Jemm tries to blast his way out without success. Hank and Alex come in, and Jemm advises them to let him go. Jemm's psychic powers don't work on Hank and he explains that the cell has neural shielding. The alien threatens to expose Hank's true identity... as a coward, and promises to kill everyone he loves. Hank mutters that there are none left, and tells Alex to clean Jemm's cell.
Kara is heading home when James runs into her. He explains that he and Lucy are moving in together, and realizes that Kara has lost her powers. He advises her to take her time off and Kara figures that the world can survive without Supergirl for one day... just as an earthquake rocks National City. A truck heads toward Kara, and James shoves her out of the way when she freezes.
Alex is preparing to move Jemm to a backup cell when the earthquake hits. They lose power and the system reboots, and Alex and Hank realizes that Jemm is loose. He orders Alex to seal the base, and after a moment she does so.
James warns Kara that her arm might be broken, and makes a crude sling for her out of his jacket. As they spot CatCo, they realize that it's falling apart due to the quake. They go to the office and Kara insists that she'll heal once she gets her powers back. Alex calls Kara, who explains that her arm is broken. Her half-sister says that they're in lockdown and tells Kara to keep safe. If Kara's powers come back, Alex tells her to call her.
Cat asks if everyone is okay, and tells them to go home if they need to be with their loved ones. No one offers, and Cat tells her technicians to get them on the air as soon as possible.
At the DEO, Alura warns Hank and the others that Jemm is one of the most dangerous prisoners, and only Supergirl can save them. Hank shuts off the hologram and Alex hands out neural disruptors to keep Jemm from reading their minds. There are only three disruptors left, and Hank has Tsung and Reynolds gear up. Alex points out that she has more experience than the other two agents, and Hank says that he needs her to stay behind because he trusts her. When Alex hesitates, Hank wonders if they have a problem and Alex assures him that they don't.
At CatCo, Winn brings the broadcast facilities online. Cat is surprised to discover that he works for her, and they listen as Max warns that they have to save the city on their own. He points out that Supergirl is nowhere to be found and they have to rely on themselves, and Cat refuses to let Max badmouth her creation. She tells Winn to start a feed in her office so they can counter Max's message about Supergirl. Kara wants to confront Max and stop him from spreading panic, and figures that James can get her close to the man.
Hank, Tsung, and Reynolds search the base for Jemm while Alex monitors them via the CCTVs. Something moves in the shadows and the lights go out. Hank disappears and the two remaining agents open fire. In the control room, Alex sees their life signs go dead, and wonders what happened to Hank.
James and Kara approach Max, and Kara says that she's surprised by what he's saying. She suggests that he spread hope instead of fear, but Max says that he wants everyone to know that a human being is the one who is helping the citizens. He dismisses Supergirl as lulling the people into a false sense of complacency, and figures that Supergirl lost her powers fighting Red Tornado. Max knows that it takes Superman 48 hours to get back his powers, and it's been more than 48 hours... so they're on their own. A woman comes over and says that her father needs help, and Max, Kara, and James run over.
At the DEO, Alex tells Agent Donovan that Hank needs their help and they're going in after him. When the door opens, Hank is on the other side. He says that Jemm's powers interfered with the cameras, and Tsung and Reynolds are gone. Hank notes that they only have one disruptor and tells Alex to stay in the control room. He tells her that he found burn marks on Reynolds' skull, which means he knows everything that the agent did... including how to release the other prisoners. The director tells Alex that she'll just get in his way and says that she has to trust him.
Max confirms that the father's heart is lacerated, and the daughter suggests that Supergirl fly her father to the hospital. The CEO points out that with no Supergirl there, the three of them are the man's only help. He doesn't know which vessel is bleeding, and warns that unless they find an X-ray machine then the man will die in a few minutes. Max comforts the daughter and Kara tries to summon her X-ray vision. James finally realizes that it's no good and tells her to stop, and Max warns that they can't save him.
Alex tells Donovan that it isn't the first time that Hank was the sole survivor of a botched operation. Donovan agrees to go with her despite the fact that they're out of disruptors.
Cat complains that Winn is taking too long to get the feed going, and Winn points out that he hasn't done a live feed in years. She says that since she can't fire him, she'll inspire him. Cat talks about how she used to be a want-to-be-journalist, and she has to raise the city's spirits because Supergirl isn't there. Winn gets the live feed going, and Cat says that the story is that ordinary people like him are doing extraordinary things in the midst of a crisis.
On the street, James finds Kara sitting alone. She blames herself for failing to save the man, and points out that Supergirl could have done more. Kara says that she'd had her chance to help people ripped away, and James says that she's still the same person. He says that she feels helpless--and human--and wonders what kind of hero she can be without her powers. As James tells her that a real hero never stops trying, they spot two looters nearby. Kara prepares to go over and stop him, but James reminds her that bullets won't bounce off of her.
At the DEO, Alex and Donovan find the two dead agents. They still have their disruptors, and Alex points out that Hank lied earlier. Before Donovan can put it on, Jemm telepathically attacks him and the agent draws his gun. He aims it at Alex and tells her to go before Jemm forces him to shoot her.
Supergirl enters the store and tells the looters to surrender.
Cat goes on the air and starts to read from a prepared statement. She tosses it away and tells the people to face their weaknesses and rise above them.
As Supergirl tries to control her shaking her hand, she tells the looter that they're all in it together.
Cat insists that Supergirl's spirit is still with them even if she's not there.
Supergirl tells the looter that a man with a gun isn't who he really is.
Cat says that they should have some faith in Supergirl, and she'll return when they need her most. Until then, they need to help each other. Cat invites people to call in and share their stories of heroism, and they'll show the world what they're really made of.
Supergirl says that they choose who they want to be, and she knows the looter will choose to be a better man. James takes a photo as the looter hands the gun to Supergirl.
Alex continues on and Hank grabs her from behind. He drags her into a circuit room and demands to know why she's there. Hank realizes that she lost Donovan and says that he lied about the disruptors because he didn't want Alex doing something stupid. Donovan calls Alex and says that he's okay, and asks where she is. Hank tells her that it's not Donovan, and addresses Jemm over the radio. Jemm warns that Hank has only delayed the inevitable, kills Donovan, and promises that he will feel the prisoners and break through to the surface.
Hank tells Alex that they have to get to a secure location, and Alex aims her weapon at him and tells him to drop his weapon. She says that she knows Hank blackmailed Jeremiah to work with the DEO. Hank insists that Jeremiah was a great man, and Alex yells at him to shut up. She gives Hank a pair of handcuffs and tells him to chain himself to the bars. Once he does, Alex calls Jemm and says that she has the access code for the blast doors, and the alien can find her in the control room. She then leaves as Hank yells after him.
Back at CatCo, Kara talks about how great stopping the looter without her powers was. James brings up the photo and says that it expresses what he feels about Supergirl. They talk about the first photo that James took of his father before he left for the Gulf War. He didn't come home, and James has never put the camera down since. James tells Kara that she doesn't need powers to be a hero, and she hugs James.
Winn comes in and sees them together, and Kara hastily pulls away. He has the DEO file and tells Kara that she'll get her powers back if she has a burst of Kryptonian adrenaline. Winn hastily leaves and Kara goes after him. He points out that Lucy will be back and so will Kara's powers, and warns that the superhero never gets the guy. Once she gets hers powers back, she'll be on a different level than the rest of them.
The building shakes and they realize that a gas line has exploded. There's a group of people on the upper floor, and James confirms that the stairwell is blocked. Kara realizes that they can get to them via the elevator shaft.
Jemm goes to the control room and Alex opens fire on him. She triggers an IED and then runs as Jemm tries to blast her with a psychic beam. She grabs a shotgun and opens fire, knocking the gem out of Jemm's forehead. He recovers and advances on Alex, knocking the guns out of her hands. As he prepares to kill her, Hank hits him from behind and snaps the alien's neck. He brings up the lights and tells Alex that he's not the enemy.
Winn tells the trapped workers to head to the elevator while James and Kara pry the elevator door open. They can't get their door open, and James climbs up the shaft despite Kara's warning. He makes it and opens the door, and the workers start climbing down. Another explosion knocks James into the shaft, and he grabs a cable to save himself. The cable starts start to break, and James can't reach the ladder. He falls... and Kara speeds down the shaft after James, catches him, and brings him back up. Winn and James tell her that the city needs her and she flies off to perform rescue operations.
Later, Alex calls Kara and leaves a message that they're okay. She then enters Hank's office and he says that he can tell her how he got out of the handcuffs, but Alex can't tell anyone--even Kara. Once Alex agrees, "Hank" says that the real Hank died the same night as Jeremiah. The DEO had been pursuing an innocent alien stranded on the planet. Jeremiah helped the DEO track the alien to Peru, and Hank led a squadron to kill it. When Jeremiah realized that the alien was a refugee, the sole survivor of a lost world, he tried to stop the mission. An obsessed Hank refused to give up the chase, and Jeremiah gave his life to save the alien. "Hank" admits that he's the alien, and he has shapeshifting abilities. He took Hank's form to reform the DEO, and promises Jeremiah that he would take care of his daughter. Hank recruited Alex and protected her, and explains that he is the Last Son of Mars. He changes into a green-skinned humanoid alien and says that his name is J'onn J'onzz.
As Winn clears the broadcast equipment out of Cat's room, Kara invites him to come over to her apartment. He refuses and she apologizes for disappointing Winn with James. When Kara says that Supergirl should be better than that, Winn says that he wasn't disappointed in Supergirl: he was disappointed in Kara.
Kara looks over and sees James, and walks away. She sees Cat in her office and then flies to the balcony as Supergirl. Supergirl tells Cat that her broadcast was amazing, and Cat angrily asks where she was. She points out that regular people are depending on Supergirl, and she has to understand that most people look to their heroes for inspiration and consistency. Supergirl says that Cat inspired the people because Cat inspired her, and flies off.
As Supergirl flies away, two Kryptonian men knock her to the ground. Astra lands and says that they're with her, and says that it's not over between them.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 14, 2015