Supergirl Season 4 Episode 11 Review: Blood Memory
Lizzy Buczak
at
.
Updated at
.
Wow! This episode was a powerhouse.
Nia Nal was at the front and center on Supergirl Season 4 Episode 11, and her backstory was as intriguing as it was informative.
I've been wondering when the writers would expand on her backstory since she's only operated in the background with a few snippets about her family and upbringing mentioned here and there.
But now, we're on the brink of launching our new, first transgender superhero, Dreamer.
It all kicked off with a road trip back home to Parthas for the Harvest Festival, a trip about which Nia was skeptical.
Kara, knowing that one should never pass on a road trip opportunity, offered to come along.
I think Kara's curiosity to see a town where aliens and humans co-exist peacefully got the best of her. It's been a while since National City was the epicenter of cordial alien and human relations.
Brainy: I have discovered the species we apprehended last night.
Alex: They're human?
Brainy: Oh, no. Not just human. Frat boys.
What Kara didn't expect was pretty much everything that happened once they hit the road.
It's a shame Nia's mother-- oh hey, Kate Burton with a really glam and ashy wig -- had to die for Nia's powers to be activated.
However, if it wasn't for such a significant moment, I doubt Nia would have had the courage to embrace her true identity.
Nia has expressed uncertainty about giving into her dreams before, and she wasn't too keen on taking up Brainy on his offer to become Supergirl's new sidekick, though we never understood why.
After Blood Memory, it all makes perfect sense, and her reasoning weaves into her identity and, coincidentally, her dreams.
Nia, as we know, is transgender. Only one female in the family is passed down the gift of dreaming, and Nia's earthy sister, Maeve, who is also described as Isabel's protege, always assumed it would be her.
Nia's fear of accepting her gift stemmed from the fear of disappointing her sister.
Sadly, her fears were warranted because the moment her sister found out -- when raging teens attacked the peaceful harvest and Isabel's funeral -- she said some hurtful things.
Related: Supergirl Season 4 Episode 10 Review: Suspicious Minds
She probably didn't mean to question how a transgender woman could inherit the gift, but you can't take back words even if they were said in the heat of the moment.
Honestly, I also wondered how Nia was able to manifest the gift as she's technically not a biological woman, but the point of this storyline was to embrace the idea that Nia's destiny of being a woman and inheriting the gift was predetermined.
Nia was also skeptical about inheriting the gift because unlike her sister who was ready to dedicate her life to these dreams; she had other ambitions.
Nia wanted a career in the bustling city where she could report the news and be a vessel for change.
Well, here's the good part: she can be both just like Supergirl.
Hopefully, Maeve will come around when she realizes Nia is basically Supergirl with different abilities.
However, don't expect Nia to reach out to Brainy about a costume. Her mother, Isabel, made sure that it was passed down to her following her death.
As someone that was "one with nature," I was surprised by the intricacies of the costume.
Now that Nia knows Supergirl's secret, she's bound to embrace this new and unexpected side of herself.
Can we talk briefly about Supergirl revealing her identity to Nia?
Kara wanted Nia to have someone she could relate to, I get it, but there have been times where Kara's relationships could have benefited from her telling the truth (hello, Lena!), and she's never gone that far.
At this point, Lena has every right to be furious when she does finally find out. All her "friends" went to extreme lengths to keep her out of the loop. Even a newbie found out before she did.
Related: 25 TV Characters Who Would Make Great Fitness Friends
Though Supergirl was far from National City, her relationship with Alex was at the forefront as we experienced the side-effects of Alex's mind getting wiped.
Alex without her memories of Kara being Supergirl is mean to Supergirl.
She treats her no differently than Hailey does, which is unfortunate because it proves that the only reason she's ever been nice and understanding is because she knows Supergirl and her heart personally.
Without those memories, she sees Kara as the "other."
Does Alex have it in her to become a Child of Liberty?
I didn't expect this from Alex, and it seems like neither did Kara. I always believed Alex's empathy wasn't solely based on having an alien sister.
For now, with Hailey's mission to figure out Supergirl's identity still at the forefront, they have to accept this new reality.
Wouldn't it be terrible if Alex joined Hailey crusade to out Supergirl? With her distaste for Supergirl, I could see it happening, and J'onn would have no choice but to return her memories.
Guys, I don't think Alex and Kara's relationship will ever be the same after this -- memories or no memories.
Though I admit, I'm kind of enjoying this tension between Supergirl and Alex because it's so different than what we're used to.
Will Supergirl be able to do her job if she doesn't have an ally in this city?
The episode once again kicked off with the Red Daughter. The writers don't want us to forget about this storyline, and this time, whatever they are training her for had a direct effect on National City.
While they found a way to connect both storylines, I could have done without the rage pills. They were such a distraction from the important storylines getting told.
Max Rager pills, anyone?
If resuscitation efforts sent the gamma rays across the globe, why was National City the only one experiencing any side-effects? Wouldn't other pills around the globe be affected?
The storyline also didn't' give us anything else to work with when it came to the Red Daughter. Her rollout has been slow, to put it mildly.
All we know is that her training led to a nosebleed which means she's not as indestructible as they hoped.
Who is the Soviet general trying to reach in America? And what does this have to do with the overall plot?
Alex: Scan me. My mind.
J'onn: Why?
Alex: Something is wrong with me, J'onn. I don't know how to describe it, I just feel disconnected. I feel vulnerable. What if something went wrong when I underwent the truth seeker? Look, I know there's not supposed to be side-effects or anything, but that's when this began. I just need to know that I'm okay. And if I'm not okay, I just need to know that I'm not crazy. Please, J'onn.
And lastly, in the column of "storylines we don't care about all that much," we have James, Lena, and his reporter, who is chasing a story about a shady glitch in Luthor Corp's books.
James initially allowed her to go after the story, but his love for Lena prevailed, and he shut it down.
Now, we know that this isn't the end because sooner or later, someone is going to figure it out. The reporter's interest is already piqued especially if there are discrepancies even when genetic testing is allowed.
I don't care about all of that as much as I hate that James' journalistic integrity got compromised.
James is the CEO of CatCo, a reputable media company. If there is a story to tell, which there is in this case, he should be pursuing it and not letting his private life and bias dictate content.
How much do you want to bet that the "source" is either Lex Luthor or someone connected to Lena's brother?
After all, Jon Cryer has been announced in the role. You can get a first look here.
The season has been a bit all over the place, but this episode proved that if they streamlined storylines, it could make for some great television.
What are your thoughts?
How long will Alex be under the impression that Supergirl and Kara are two different beings? Will Nia Nal embrace her superhero identity? Is Lena in trouble?
Be sure to watch Supergirl online to catch up on all episodes!
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
