Human for a Day did not disappoint. Week 7, once again, gave us the strongest episode of Supergirl to date.
We pick up right where we left off last week with a now powerless Kara being tested by the DEO. Hologram Allura and the “fortress” make an appearance for the first time since they were first introduced back in Stronger Together. Allura assures Kara that her powers will return, and that she just needs to be patient, relying on those she trusts most until they do. James recognizes that her power loss is the result of what her cousin calls a “solar flare,” which occurred when she drained all of her energy reserve fighting Red Tornado. I kind of love that Kara calls Clark a nerd for naming the “solar flare” and his various Kryptonian powers. That was actually quite funny. James tells Kara to enjoy the time off from being a superhero for a few days. However, before she gets the chance, Kara jinxes National City with her suggestion that they could survive one Supergirl-free day. Moments later an earthquake strikes and chaos ensues. Of course it does. Also due to the solar flare, Kara appears to have absolutely zero immune system, catching a cold from a kid on the bus mere minutes after sitting near him. Oddly enough, she seems to have a simultaneously amazing one, as shortly after the earthquake strikes, the cold mysteriously disappears without further mention. There was a little inconsistency in how they displayed Kara’s sickness throughout the episode. “You, Kira? You never get sick. That’s the best part about you.” Oh, Cat. Despite sending Kara home, Cat doesn’t seem to notice when she returns to work later that day, having exchanged the cold for a broken arm. Ouch. I’m glad I don’t actually know how much that hurts. “I feel so helpless.” “What you’re feeling is human.” Trying to adjust to a “normal” life in the midst of a crisis is far from easy for Kara. In this episode she has to learn the hard lesson that it is not possible to save everyone. When a woman’s father is severely injured as a result of the earthquake, Maxwell Lord, James and Kara try and save him, but to no avail. Kara desperately tries to call her powers to work, but it is of no use. That scene is hard to watch, knowing she’d give anything to be able to help the man. James steps in to remind her that being a hero is about more than just having powers. It’s about choosing to step up and do what you can again and again, and not being discouraged by failure.
“No hero can save everyone, not even Superman, but a real hero never stops trying.” With the extra push from James, we get what was one of the most powerful scenes not just of the episode, but of the series so far. Kara steps up, proving to herself and to the audience that her powers are not what makes her heroic. From the beginning, she has had an unfailing desire to help people and make a difference in the world. With a broken arm and nothing but words in her arsenal, Kara suits up to stop a gunman from robbing a convenience store. This scene was incredibly moving. It’s one of those moments that illustrates why I love Supergirl’s story beyond just the entertainment value. The message in that scene, both from Kara’s speech to the gunman, and Cat’s aligning speech to National City, is one of faith in humanity. It’s the idea that even when it feels like the world is falling apart, there will always be people who are willing to step up and be heroic. You don’t need special abilities. Just being compassionate and selfless and understanding can make all the difference in the world. It’s an extremely poignant message, especially given recent world events. When you consider the fact that Kara actually does know what it’s like to live in a world that literally did fall apart, her unwavering faith in humanity is all the more inspiring. That scene was incredibly well done. The way the camera moves down to show Kara’s shaking hand, and the intercutting of the two speeches elevates that scene into something really amazing. Even after rewatching it several times for the sake of this review, it still resonates strongly with me. I may or may not have gotten a little teary-eyed.
We pick up right where we left off last week with a now powerless Kara being tested by the DEO. Hologram Allura and the “fortress” make an appearance for the first time since they were first introduced back in Stronger Together. Allura assures Kara that her powers will return, and that she just needs to be patient, relying on those she trusts most until they do. James recognizes that her power loss is the result of what her cousin calls a “solar flare,” which occurred when she drained all of her energy reserve fighting Red Tornado. I kind of love that Kara calls Clark a nerd for naming the “solar flare” and his various Kryptonian powers. That was actually quite funny. James tells Kara to enjoy the time off from being a superhero for a few days. However, before she gets the chance, Kara jinxes National City with her suggestion that they could survive one Supergirl-free day. Moments later an earthquake strikes and chaos ensues. Of course it does. Also due to the solar flare, Kara appears to have absolutely zero immune system, catching a cold from a kid on the bus mere minutes after sitting near him. Oddly enough, she seems to have a simultaneously amazing one, as shortly after the earthquake strikes, the cold mysteriously disappears without further mention. There was a little inconsistency in how they displayed Kara’s sickness throughout the episode. “You, Kira? You never get sick. That’s the best part about you.” Oh, Cat. Despite sending Kara home, Cat doesn’t seem to notice when she returns to work later that day, having exchanged the cold for a broken arm. Ouch. I’m glad I don’t actually know how much that hurts. “I feel so helpless.” “What you’re feeling is human.” Trying to adjust to a “normal” life in the midst of a crisis is far from easy for Kara. In this episode she has to learn the hard lesson that it is not possible to save everyone. When a woman’s father is severely injured as a result of the earthquake, Maxwell Lord, James and Kara try and save him, but to no avail. Kara desperately tries to call her powers to work, but it is of no use. That scene is hard to watch, knowing she’d give anything to be able to help the man. James steps in to remind her that being a hero is about more than just having powers. It’s about choosing to step up and do what you can again and again, and not being discouraged by failure.
“No hero can save everyone, not even Superman, but a real hero never stops trying.” With the extra push from James, we get what was one of the most powerful scenes not just of the episode, but of the series so far. Kara steps up, proving to herself and to the audience that her powers are not what makes her heroic. From the beginning, she has had an unfailing desire to help people and make a difference in the world. With a broken arm and nothing but words in her arsenal, Kara suits up to stop a gunman from robbing a convenience store. This scene was incredibly moving. It’s one of those moments that illustrates why I love Supergirl’s story beyond just the entertainment value. The message in that scene, both from Kara’s speech to the gunman, and Cat’s aligning speech to National City, is one of faith in humanity. It’s the idea that even when it feels like the world is falling apart, there will always be people who are willing to step up and be heroic. You don’t need special abilities. Just being compassionate and selfless and understanding can make all the difference in the world. It’s an extremely poignant message, especially given recent world events. When you consider the fact that Kara actually does know what it’s like to live in a world that literally did fall apart, her unwavering faith in humanity is all the more inspiring. That scene was incredibly well done. The way the camera moves down to show Kara’s shaking hand, and the intercutting of the two speeches elevates that scene into something really amazing. Even after rewatching it several times for the sake of this review, it still resonates strongly with me. I may or may not have gotten a little teary-eyed.