[Kara] Previously onSupergirl...
You think your brother's using his powers in prison?
They're being forced to steal against their will.
If you come with me,
I will do everything in my power to make sure your voices are heard.
Don't let us down.
[Kelly] The Kelly Olsen that I know never gives up.
I wanna be the new Guardian.
[Nyxly] An evil man took my powers and banished me to the Phantom Zone.
I couldn't cross the barrier into your real world and got trapped.
If you get me out of this dream realm,
I will have enough power to bring your mother back to life.
I'm in.
I'm free.
Oh!
I'm free.
-[sighs] -All right.
I brought you out of the dream world just like I promised.
-So where-- -Oh, relax, Naltorian.
I haven't forgotten our deal.
You will have your mother back for one day as promised,
but this will sap the last of my power.
Hmm.
Let's get it over with so I can be about my business.
What business?
I thought you said you were going straight home.
Oh! [chuckles]
Nearly forgot. There is one more stipulation.
As long as Mummy is here,
you'll be trapped inside a magical realm
and no messages can come in or go out.
No, my friends will worry.
Doubtful. But if anyone does,
my magic will redirect their thoughts to more worthwhile concerns.
Wait...
[grunts]
Bollocks!
Where's my mother?
You know, a simple "thank you" would suffice.
Wait!
[Isabel] Nia.
Mom?
My darling...
what have you done?
I know it was a dangerous deal to make.
And I know that she wasn't to be trusted
and that bringing back the dead probably wasn't the best idea,
but I sensed that she would keep her end of the bargain, and she did.
She brought you back to me.
I need you, Mom.
You left so suddenly, and I don't have any training.
I never left you, Nia.
I was with you, always. You just haven't heeded my signs.
Why did you send my owl away?
That was you.
I thought it might be, but I wasn't...
sure.
See, this is my problem!
I have been trying so hard to be a hero and to make you proud,
but I just can't interpret my powers.
Everything's muddy, and I'm just guessing blindly!
I knew it was wrong to let Nyxly out,
but I just figured that once we were together,
if she caused a problem, we could fix it.
And we will, right?
Sweetheart...
you've unleashed a force of hell on Earth.
Then we have to stop her.
No.
No!
There has to be some way out of here.
Not today.
You made the bargain, Nia.
You called me back.
Let's get to work.
-Hi. -Hello.
[both] We're your friendly neighborhood Super Friends.
Wanna know how us superheroes stay strong and sharp?
We eat our greens.
You see, kids, I used to eat a lot of donuts.
Mmm! Good, correct?
Incorrect.
I could barely keep up my strength to fight crime.
But now, I have 86% more energy than I used to
because I eat my greens.
And you would know all about being green,
-wouldn't you, Brainiac-5? -[laughs]
Supergirl!
[monitor beeps]
Oh! That's even worse than I thought.
I cannot believe I let you talk me into doing that.
Nonsense. That PSA is pitch-perfect.
I mean, sure, your hair looks a little weird,
-but no one's gonna notice that. -Okay.
Look, you said you wanted to use our role in the media
to bring attention to important issues.
I meant weightier issues,
like mental health, or the welfare system.
Healthy eating? That's important.
I mean, you must have heard how I struggled with it.
It was gross.
Brainy, I'm sorry, but I cannot let this go live.
CatCo posted it 20 minutes ago.
What? You-- You sent it to Andrea without asking me?
-I asked you, didn't I? -No! No, you didn't...
Whatever. It's fine. It's fine.
We can have Andrea pull it before too many people see it.
-It's already garnered 800,000 views. -800...
You were right. When we spotlight an issue,
the populace really listens.
My heart is beating so fast.
-[panting] Listen... -[woman grunting]
[grunts]
Come on.
Your turn. Get me on the ground.
[both grunting]
Come on. Get me on the ground.
-[grunting] -Come on. You got this.
How did you do that?
Doesn't matter, it's not the move you showed me.
-Yeah, but it works better, anyway. -Let's just go again, okay?
Okay.
I remember my training days. [chuckles]
Alex made me train blindfolded under Kryptonite emitters.
And if that wasn't bad enough, then she made me study the tapes.
-Yes. -It was not pretty.
-[chuckling] -[phone vibrating]
Oh! It's work. I gotta go, I'm sorry.
Is everything okay?
It's Joey's group home.
Apparently he just got some news from Orlando.
The apartment fell through.
What? I thought they were supposed to move in next month. What happened?
I don't know. But I need to be there for Joey.
I promised him I'd have his back.
Yeah, I made the same promise to Orlando. I better find him.
Supergirl. What are you doing here?
I heard from Joey's caseworker that you lost your housing.
I'm sorry.
Same old story.
As soon as things start to get better,
the world just knocks you right back down.
You think I'd be used to it by now.
Can you tell me what happened?
Joey and I were supposed to move into this building, the Ormfell.
It was a part of a program
that offered affordable housing for people like me.
People who were recently incarcerated.
But now, some tech company is buying it instead, so...
back to crashing on a friend's couch.
The same friend that landed me here in prison in the first place.
I'm sorry. That's so horrible.
Can I help you find an apartment or...
Wish it was that simple.
I can't afford a place here until I get a decent job.
And I can't get a decent job until I have a place to live,
and I can't get Joey out of that group home until I have both.
I was really counting on that housing program.
A lot of people were,
and City Council just took it away without a thought.
Look, I appreciate everything you've done, Supergirl,
but this is how it always goes.
Things get better until they get worse.
Orlando.
I told you I'd have your back, and I meant it.
[beeping]
[man] Bingo!
There she is.
My main attraction.
Let me out of here. Now.
Sorry, no can do.
It's not every day you run into a Fifth Dimensional imp,
let alone expertly trap one.
No, I got big plans for you and me.
See, with you as my leading lady,
there's no way Naxim can resist starting up the menagerie again.
Oh!
-Uh... -[keypad beeping]
I'm sorry to have to tell you this...
but I have no powers.
I was stripped of them and banished here,
to walk the Earth a mere mortal. It's pathetic, really.
I mean, who wants to see a powerless imp?
I'm afraid I'm useless to you.
Well, Naxim isn't gonna wanna team up with me now.
You're free to go.
I'm sure you'll find the exit.
You know, I might not be a worthy headliner in my current state,
but perhaps I can help you get someone better.
Someone like... Supergirl.
Do you think she'd help bring your Naxim back?
-You wanna go after Supergirl? -Mmm-hmm.
And how are you gonna do that? You've got no powers.
Powers aren't everything.
An effective trap requires know-how and ingenuity,
and I have those in spades.
We'd just need a little help constructing said trap.
An expert engineer or...
Well, I could capture an engineer.
Oh?
Wait, why are you doing this for me?
You were just very kind to me when you didn't need to be.
This is my way of saying "Thank you."
So do we have a deal?
Okay.
[chuckles] Okay.
Let's go find our third wheel, then, shall we?
-[elevator dings] -And she's HUD?
Uh-huh.
Okay, great, thanks for the contact, Franklin.
Thank you.
Kara. I've been experimenting with almond flour alternatives,
and I need a honest palate.
You know I'm always down for a taste test,
but I'm kind of snowed under right now.
Okay. "Affordable housing suffers funding cuts,"
"Housing statistics for the Heights." What is all this?
Our next cover story with Supergirl.
Okay.
You've heard what's going in the Heights
with the Ormfell building, yeah?
Councilwoman Jean Rankin was able to negotiate a bid from Orquoia,
the largest cloud computing company in the world.
They wanna use the Ormfell as their new HQ.
-Why? -Thank you.
Well, did you know that before the bid was negotiated,
the Ormfell was actually set aside for low-income housing
with a percentage of the space dedicated to recently unincarcerated.
I'd heard rumors the bid was pushing out the earmark,
but people in the Heights seem ecstatic
at the prospect of this company.
So much so I guess the Council is holding the vote at the Ormfell.
Yeah, the community's only ecstatic
because they don't know the other side of the story.
Especially when it comes to
how housing stability and recidivism are related.
Plus a lack of permanent address
could make it difficult for people to get jobs,
and make them more at risk for parole violations.
I mean, the ramifications are endless.
-[chewing] God, that's good! -Thank you.
All of this is terrible, but what does that have to do with Supergirl?
Well, City Council is voting on the Orquoia deal tomorrow morning,
and Supergirl wants to change their minds.
That might be a tall order.
My source at city hall said
Rankin spent years putting this deal together.
I doubt she'd fold.
Well, she might,
if her constituents can pressure her to see things differently.
Supergirl thinks that an interview from her
and a few educational articles from us
could get people in the Heights
to see the benefits of affordable housing
and convince City Council to restore the Ormfell building
to its original status.
Ten out of ten for enthusiasm, dear Kara.
But as for entertainment value, this strategy is DOA.
Look, I hear the import on Supergirl's cause,
but the vote's tomorrow.
If she wants to sway the council's opinion,
she needs the public engrossed and engaged like yesterday.
And a few statistics and a colorful pie chart
might not get the blood pumping.
I've got three words for you.
"Social media takeover."
Supergirl can use CatCo's account to do a Q & A.
We'll stream it live on the website,
let our readers chime in with questions and comments in real time.
I don't know if that's her style, though.
Oh, dare I remind Supergirl that we are living in a technological age
where hashtags are battle cries,
and the fuse of a revolution can be lit by just one tweet.
This takeover can circulate her cause around the world in a millisecond.
I mean, just look how fast the PSA went viral.
-I mean, about that PSA-- -My point exactly.
Have Supergirl do the takeover. She can thank me later.
I did it!
There you go.
[raven screeches]
The cage, what does it mean?
You tell me.
[raven screeching]
No!
[screeching intensifies]
I have to get out of here.
You have to fight the impulse to run, Nia.
You must never exit a dream out of fear.
I'm not afraid. I just...
I just saw enough of the dream to decode Nyxly's plan.
The ravens are just a distraction.
There are no distractions in the dream realm.
Everything has meaning. What do the ravens mean?
I don't know!
You do.
Quiet the voices in your mind.
Quiet the fear.
-[screeching continues] -Ravens mean misfortune...
wisdom...
Connect to the interplay between your deepest self and the universe.
What do the ravens mean to you?
[screeching fades]
That's...
It's my old dollhouse.
This dream...
I've been here before.
Nia?
Maeve.
[clears throat]
Hey. Sorry I'm late.
Well, thank you for helping with this. I've never done one of these before.
You got this. Ready?
I guess.
Can we have our first question?
Uh... A lot of comments about broccoli?
Here.
[man] Supergirl, your perspective about the Ormfell surprises me.
I live in the Heights,
and Orquoia will bring improvements my neighborhood needs.
How is that a bad thing?
That is a very good question, sir, and you're right.
The deal would bring new improvements to the Heights,
but it would come at a human cost.
Next question?
[woman] Supergirl.
You're always going on TV, telling people like me
to have hope that things will get better.
And now that they finally are, you want us to give all that up?
You're a hypocrite.
Um...
[device beeping]
-[man 2] Help me! -Someone's in trouble.
I'm sorry, I... I have to go.
Let him go.
Wait, don't I know you?
Interesting story.
I've searched every corner of the city
and I still can't find them.
Do we have an ID on the victim?
His name is Dr. Desmond Raab.
Originally from the planet Edifar,
a race of aliens known for their building capabilities
and technological advances.
Moved to Earth two years ago with his family.
[Supergirl] Huh. What about the kidnapper?
Naxim Tork and his sidekick, Mitch.
Though thanks to image inducers,
Mitch is looking less blue these days.
-They used to run a cosmic menagerie. -That's right.
He tried to kidnap me in high school, make me a part of his sideshow.
But I only saw Mitch. No Naxim.
According to the files, Naxim fled Earth sometime last year.
How? I thought the DEO put those two away years ago.
We did. Naxim and Mitch were released by Lex
sometime before the DEO was destroyed.
Well, what's Mitch been up to since he was released?
Well, there's no known address on file.
It looks like he's been in and out of county jail,
just a few petty thefts, one B and E.
Sounds like small-time crime wasn't paying him enough money,
so he sparked up the menagerie again.
Hence the kidnapping.
-[keypad beeping] -I tried tracing their ship.
Either it left with Naxim, or Mitch is using a cloaking device.
God, another dead end?
Feels like we just put this guy away and now we have to do it again.
What are the odds of that?
Based on Mitch's history of non-violent offenses,
his destitution, lack o support system and welfare available to him,
and his overall lack of aptitude,
two in five.
Recidivism is nothing if not statistically reliable.
[Supergirl] That's why the Ormfell vote tomorrow is so important.
I need to figure out how to sway that vote stat.
Maybe if I speak directly to Councilwoman Rankin,
I can convince her not to hand the building over to Orquoia.
You guys keep looking for Mitch and Dr. Raab.
Let me know if you find anything.
[Maeve] Nia, wanna play?
What's that in your hand?
I don't know.
It's beautiful. Can I have it?
Pretty please?
If you give me the light, I'll love you forever.
[crackling]
-It hurts. -I'm sorry.
Turn it off!
I'm trying. I-- I don't know how!
[raven screeching]
Maeve.
The ravens are Maeve.
You were right.
I was afraid.
I didn't wanna face them because I can't face Maeve.
I never meant to hurt her.
I know, my love.
All she ever wanted were the powers.
Deep down, I knew they were mine.
So I ran.
I ran to become a reporter.
I ran so my light wouldn't burn her.
And I just kept running.
Even now, I'm running.
Because if I own these powers,
it just means I'm gonna hurt her more.
My darling girl,
your authentic self is the greatest gift you give to the world.
Hiding my light hurt me.
And never helped anyone.
I still lost her.
[sobbing]
CatCo, the Daily Planet
and the big five networks are all confirmed, right?
I want this vote to get wall-to-wall coverage.
[whooshing]
Supergirl. What a pleasant surprise?
By the way, my daughter loves your PSAs.
She gets a kick out of that funny little green man.
Just trying to make a positive impact on my community,
which actually brings me to the purpose of my visit.
Please consider voting no on the Orquoia deal.
Why in high heavens would I do that?
Reverting the Ormfell back to its original purpose
could give the recently unincarcerated people living there
the support they need to get their lives back on track.
Housing projects like this
also benefit the community by reducing eviction--
That's exactly what I'm trying to do with Orquoia.
Improve the community and the lives of everyone that lives there.
A deal like this could inject the Heights
with new money, growth, opportunity.
That's exactly what affordable housing could do.
Instead of investing in a corporation,
you'd be investing in the people to create that change.
Do you know how many people are Orquoia employs?
They add billions to the GDP each year.
A business of this magnitude
would increase property values in the Heights,
bring better schools to the area, improve infrastructure--
You're talking about gentrification,
which prices out everyone who currently lives in the Heights.
I am talking about progress.
I've spent years putting this deal together,
and when it closes, it will be the largest community investment
in the history of National City.
You want me to sacrifice all that
so a bunch of criminals can have a roof over their heads?
Stick to leafy greens, Supergirl.
Leave the politicking to me.
Looks like I'm not the only one working out my aggression.
Mind if I join?
Be my guest.
Any sign of Dr. Raab or Mitch?
No, but everyone's out searching the city,
so we should hear something soon.
-[grunts] -[crashing]
Rankin doesn't care about anything but her own ambition.
I even talked to two other City Council members
to try to get them to see my way, but it was useless.
Looks like the Ormfell is going to Orquoia anyway.
[sighs]
Nothing is going right today.
[grunts, groans]
Hey, I know you're frustrated about your training,
but don't you think you're being a little hard on yourself?
You, Nia, Brainy, J'onn,
you have powers.
Alex has her gauntlet and her combat skills.
How am I going to fight beside all of you
when I can't even master one move?
What are you talking about?
I saw you take down Alex. That was awesome.
Yeah, but I couldn't get the move she was showing me.
Who cares?
The way you used her momentum against her
was efficient and brilliant.
You just have to shift your perspective
so that you see how capable we already know you are.
Maybe you're right.
[cell phone chiming]
Is it Joey?
No, I, um...
I set an alert for your healthy eating PSA.
Oh, wow, you are already at five million views.
Oh, my God.
-Congrats. -[groaning]
[laughs]
You know what?
Good for Brainy.
He found something that resonated with people.
Meanwhile, I can't get anyone to see
how important the Ormfell would be to someone like Orlando.
Maybe I should publish the recidivism statistics.
I don't think it was the healthy eating statistics
that resonated with people.
It was Brainy's personal story.
Okay. Um... When you talk down a bad guy,
you don't rattle off facts and figures.
You share your personal experiences.
And that's what inspires people to do the right thing.
Yeah, you're right.
My voice is not the one that's important right now.
Maybe I step aside
and use my platform to amplify others' voices.
Now that will resonate with people.
Hi. Um, I thought our little friend was building a trap for Supergirl.
That cube looks too small to snatch a mouse.
That device might not look like much,
but trust me, it's our Trojan horse.
Thanks.
I knew that if I could just see you,
I would gain the knowledge that's been eluding me.
Yes, you've gained the knowledge you seek.
But at what price?
Whatever it is, I'll fix it.
There's an ancient story...
About a woman who slandered her friend.
The woman went to her rabbi, full of remorse.
The rabbi told her to cut up a feather pillow
and to scatter the feathers into the wind.
He then instructed her
to go out and collect every single feather.
She cried, "That was impossible!"
And the rabbi replied,
"No more impossible
than to completely undo the wrongs of your actions."
You made a dark bargain, Nia.
You unleashed Nyxly on this world.
And the actions she will inflict
will be like those feathers.
So what should I do?
This is not about doing, Nia.
Just like your dreams, the ravens, your sister,
you cannot run away from this.
You must have the courage to sit with the pain
to take in the gravity of what you've done.
I'm so sorry.
I know.
Our time is almost up.
No, I still need you.
What about Nyxly? How am I supposed to stop her?
The times ahead will be the most trying yet.
But you can face them.
Trust your dreams, even if they frighten you.
Sit with your discomfort,
just as you have sat with your grief today.
If you are willing to face them,
your dreams will give you everything you need.
I love you.
I love you and I believe in you.
[sobbing]
All right, Nyxly.
I'm coming for you.
Good afternoon, everyone. Let's get straight to the vote.
Supergirl.
National City wants this deal.
And if you couldn't tell from your little social media stunt,
they don't want to hear from you.
You're right. They don't need to hear from me anymore.
But you should hear from the people you're planning to displace.
People like me.
Councilwoman, you don't know me.
But I'm one of your constituents.
My name is Orlando Davis.
I spent the last two years at Van Kull Prison,
and was one of the people counting on housing in the Ormfell.
I've lived in National City my entire life
with my little brother Joey.
We lost our parents when I was 14.
I quit school to take care of my brother.
But there isn't a big market out there for dropouts,
so the bills piled up.
I made a stupid mistake
and I've been paying the price ever since.
But I'm not the only one who's paid it.
See, I remember what it felt like to go to bed at night
with my family nearby.
To feel safe.
To feel loved.
But Joey doesn't.
He's been in and out of the system his entire life,
and I am so scared that he's gonna make the same mistakes that I have
and I can't even be there to help him.
Because what he needs is a home.
He is not the only one.
So, I'm here today to ask you one thing.
See us.
All the people hoping to live in this building,
when you're deciding whether to vote for this deal...
you're voting on our lives,
on our families.
On my chance to give my brother some hope.
So, please...
see us.
[beeping]
Naxim Tork's ship just appeared on our radar.
It's go time.
[Mitch] So, I put the device where you said.
And...
We need to hurry.
[Nyxly] Help. Hello? Help me.
Don't worry. You're safe now.
None of us are safe.
That man was creating some kind of weapon.
It's a cryo-nuclear bomb.
Strong enough to encapsulate a Kryptonian in ice forever.
Supergirl.
[screaming and indistinct shouting]
We need to get everyone out of here now.
-Stairwell's over there. -Let's go.
[people screaming]
The cryo-nuke is in the basement of the building.
It's a freeze bomb?
If its core gets to minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit,
a chain reaction will occur,
instantly freezing anything within a one-mile radius.
If the chain reaction is triggered, it could trap even you.
I'm coming with you.
We'll get everyone else to safety.
Guys. Guys.
Watch out. Look out, look out.
God damn it.
The ice is too thick to penetrate.
There's a fire escape on the other side of the building.
-Let's go. -Okay.
Let's go!
The temperature's dropping too fast.
It's encased in lead. I can't see a way to defuse it.
[people screaming]
-[glass breaking] -[screams]
It's okay. This way. Come on.
The building will collapse if you don't calm the quaking.
I have to destroy the bomb.
This whole place could explode.
It'll explode if I do nothing.
Here goes nothing.
[indistinct shouting]
This is as far as we can go.
I know I was pushing hard to get into this building,
but, man, what I wouldn't give for a ride out.
[Brainy] How's this for a ride out?
[beeping]
Everyone, on the ship.
Come on.
Nobody touch my chair!
We did it.
[panting]
[indistinct chatter]
Thank you all for staying.
After much deliberation, the Council has decided...
to rezone the Ormfell for affordable housing,
effective immediately.
You did this.
Joey's not gonna believe it.
Hey, Councilwoman.
You did the right thing.
Thank you.
That little speech may have swayed the rest of Council, but not me.
Now the Heights will be left to the criminals.
I hope you are happy.
The formerly incarcerated are members of the community too,
and your council agrees, they deserve a second chance.
Maybe you should've let her get taken out.
While Rankin may literally be the worst person ever,
saving her made me realize that being a great superhero
isn't about mastering a single move.
It's about adapting.
That's why I'm gonna make a kick-ass Guardian.
Damn right it is.
[raven screeching]
Truce.
I must admit,
it was worthwhile to use our platform
for more than just promoting healthy eating.
Orlando really made a difference today.
Why the burdened look?
I was thinking about Mitch, actually.
How he went back to a life of crime after all these years.
People like him slip through the cracks every day
because the system isn't designed to help them.
Don't get me wrong. I am so happy Orlando won this one today.
But I can't help but think that's all this is...
It's one.
The fight for systemic change often feels never-ending.
All we can do is keep showing up.
Keep sharing our platform.
I can't promise you it'll ever get easier.
But I can promise this...
I will be beside you.
Every step of the way.
Sorry to interrupt.
We picked up an energy signature coming from the Ormfell.
That's strange.
The energy from the cryo-nuke should have dissipated by now.
It could be residual from my heat vision.
I'll check it out on my way home.
Nyxly?
Miss me? Be honest.
[Supergirl grunting]
[Nyxly] Well, look at that. You're powerless now.
[grunts]
I know we didn't end things on a chipper note
when you left me to die in the Phantom Zone.
But I wanted to thank you.
You see, when I got to Earth, my powers were nil, nothing.
Nada.
I had to use every resource, every ounce of my ingenuity
to build something that would restore me.
But, you know, it just wasn't quite enough.
-[grunts] -Until you came around.
Then you gave it the boost it needed.
My heat vision didn't destroy your weapon, it powered it.
-I gave you your powers back. -Mmm-hmm.
Sentinel, Martian Manhunter, I need backup now.
Uh-oh.
-You're all alone. -[grunting]
Utterly powerless.
I felt that, time and time again.
All those years in the Phantom Zone,
there was only one thought that kept me going.
Do you wanna know what it was?
That, one day, I would go back to my home,
to my father, and I would kill him.
I would stick him with a spit
and roast him like the pig that he is.
A violent thought. [chuckles]
I know.
But he betrayed me.
And so did you.
You gave me no choice.
We were partners, friends.
And yet you destroyed my last hope right before my very eyes.
I never thought I would recover.
But as I struggled to keep myself alive,
a new thought kept me going.
That, one day,
you would know the pain that I felt.
You would watch
as your greatest hope crumbled before your very eyes.
And unlike you, I'm a woman of my word.
So...
Let's get on with it, shall we?
No!
-No! -[rumbling]
Struggle all you want, Supergirl. [chuckles] It won't work.
[grunts]
You're bound by magic now.
And only magic can beat magic.
Mr. Mxyzptlk!
[theme music playing]