Supergirl Season 4 Episode 10 Review: Suspicious Minds
Lizzy Buczak
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Supergirl is staring down her biggest threat yet: Colonel Haley.
Alex attempted everything humanly possible to derail Colonel Haley on Supergirl Season 4 Episode 10, but the Colonel was too adamant about finding out Supergirl's identity.
Her desire consumed most of the episode which was both good and bad.
When J'onn wiped Haley's mind so she'd forget that she figured it out, Haley didn't give up; she hit back harder by rolling in a 'truth seeker.'
Knowing Supergirl's identity was in peril since no one could fool the creature, Alex and J'onn came up with a plan that didn't sit well with Kara: all DEO members who knew Supergirl's identity agreed to have their minds wiped including Alex.
There were a few surprising things about this.
First of all, the writers were bold enough to go there and pulled the trigger.
Second of all, since when do so many people know Supergirl's identity at the DEO?
Third of all, if Alex's primary purpose in life is to protect Kara's secret, why does she speak so freely about Kara in the DEO corridors?
It's amazing Kara has been able to keep her secret as long as she has.
Still, Kara and Alex's emotional goodbye hit me right in the feels. I got blindsided because I wasn't expecting to go through what felt like a permanent break-up.
Just because I don't work at the DEO anymore doesn't mean I'm going to stop being a hero. No matter what you say.
Supergirl
Supergirl and Kara are both a significant part of Alex's identity. Without those memories, which go back all the way to her formative years, Alex is bound to have an identity crisis.
If you think about it, just knowing that Kara came from another planet would be dangerous, so to succeed, J'onn had to erase everything Alex has come to know of her sister.
It's almost as if her own identity has been pulled out from under her feet.
Will she even remember that Kara is her sister?
There's a reason why mind-wiping is almost taboo -- it comes with serious consequences.
As we saw on the Supergirl Season 4 Episode 11 preview, Alex will begin experiencing considerable gaps in memory which she's vocal about saying that it feels like "something is missing."
While Colonel Haley may be a terrible person, she's also not stupid. She's going to realize that Alex is experiencing memory loss, which means Alex had something to hide in the first place.
It screams cover-up from miles away.
Speaking of how terrible Colonel Haley is, I couldn't help but cheer when Alex sucker-punched her. It's rare to see Alex lose control, but when she does, oh man, it's warranted.
With someone personally threatening Alex's sister, I thought she was going to allow the Morae to kill Haley.
It's unlike Alex, but when pushed into a corner, I could see her getting away with it and making it look like an "accident."
We've seen our fair share of bad guys on this series, but I've never despised someone quite as much as Haley.
It's not even Haley's self-righteousness that's irritating; it's that she's a complete idiot.
Following orders does not mean one is making smart choices and decisions.
How do you think we keep this country safe? Every soldier in every war has had to things they considered awful. Now this is reality. Sometimes reality is messy. And it's ugly and uncomfortable. And you end up doing things you thought you'd never do.
Colonel Haley
Why on Earth would someone want to limit Supergirl to saving trains and kittens when she's capable of so much more?
The DEO wouldn't have even know about the Morae attack if Supergirl hadn't alerted them to the crime scene and even provided a witness.
Haley dismissing Supergirl because she didn't want to give up her identity was negligent.
Be careful who you make enemies with, Haley.
Supergirl is such a good person that even after Haley tried to ruin her, she saved her life. And how did Haley repay her? By trying to control her!
If she wanted to continue barking orders at Supergirl, she probably shouldn't have fired her in the first place.
Supergirl has only become an "annoyance" to the DEO since her mission, and moral codes don't add up with their unethical agendas.
We've seen repeatedly that Haley doesn't care about doing the right thing, she cares about doing something that will help her save face.
Kara: But who am I without you? The whole reason I became Supergirl... it was to save you.
Alex: And I'm still going to be the reason. I'm still going to be me. And you're still going to be Kara, my sister. I just won't know that you're Supergirl.
If Alex and Brainy didn't uncheck her, I fear what she would do.
Finding out Supergirl's identity may give her the upper hand and the control, but in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't help her keep the citizens of National City safe.
If Haley were smart, she'd realize that having an alien in the fold with connections to the media could come in handy for the DEO.
Haley's hatred towards Supergirl got explained with her involvement with Project Morae.
She doesn't consider aliens to be humans and believes violence is the only way to keep them in check, and that sentiment extends to Supergirl.
You had me fooled, Danvers. I thought you were a soldier. But then I find this out. All the lies you must have told. You have undermined everything that we stand for, all to protect your own sister. Supergirl.
Colonel Haley
But my overall biggest issue with Haley is that she lacks dimension.
Much like the rest of Supergirl Season 4, it's all black and white.
Everything she does is with the intention of making you hate her even more. It's black and white, and there's no gray area in sight.
Possibly the only thing the Colonel has going for her is that she beat Lena in figuring out Supergirl's identity.
Lena, who can find the cure for cancer and then find a way to create superhumans, still doesn't know that the only difference between Supergirl and Kara is a cape and glasses.
Speaking of superhumans, Lena and James kissed and made up, but there's no way in hell James will approve of what Lena is doing which makes this drawn-out relationship so frustrating.
I had to.
Alex Danvers (punches Colonel Haley)
I could not stop cackling -- yes, cackling -- at the lot trying to take down invisible aliens. Was Supergirl's budget cut for this scene? It looked like the DEO was paintballing instead of taking down a severe threat.
All my joy came from Brainy, who carried the episode from helping Supergirl to compartmentalizing his thoughts to inadvertently asking Nia out on a date and then encouraging her to fulfill her destiny as Dream Girl.
Ladies, weren't you so upset that she got all dolled up thinking it was a date just to get told it's a "meeting"?
At least Brainy gave her sketches of a potential costume! He really is the new Wynn.
Without Alex around Supergirl could use a crime-fighting buddy.
Kara and Lena's spin class was the comic relief we needed for an emotionally-loaded episode.
Forgetting she was supposed to be tired while Lena was sweating and out of breath is literally me at any fitness class ever.
We also got a glimpse of the Red Daughter training for battle, but everything else surrounding that plotline is moving at a glacial pace.
I'm afraid we're all going to start losing interest soon, especially since there are too many open-ended storylines happening at once.
Lastly, J'onn is living his best post-DEO life as the modern-day Sherlock Holmes. Can you think of a more fitting profession?
He probably won't ever be able to shake the DEO's grasp entirely, but it is a promising start.
Be sure to watch Supergirl online and comment your thoughts below!
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
