"Midvale" Roundtable, Supergirl Season 3, Episode 6

This week's episode tries something that Supergirl hasn't really done before: a full flashback, origin-story episode. And while we've seen the origin of Supergirl before our eyes, this episode focuses more on her "human" origin and her early relationship with Alex. Did they do it well? Is it just another filler episode? See what we think below!

We came into this episode off of what some thought was a filler episode; what do you think they did well with this one?

Mia: While this was also a filler episode, to be honest, what they did right with this one was having an actual story that served as development. Flashback episodes can be a hit or miss, but I definitely think the show did everything right here. It served to show us more about how the Danvers sisters became so close--and this is where I think the biggest success was: they finally SHOWED us instead of telling us.

Michelle: I really thought they did a good job of showing us the Danvers sisters and how they became the way they are today. It was the first thing they did as “sisters” and the first time they created that bond. You really feel that core aspect of the show come back in this episode and it really opened my eyes to why they’re so, so close knit. And from the first season, you kind of just assume they hit it off, so I really appreciated that backstory and it was executed really well, I think.

Winnie: There is VERY little I didn’t thoroughly enjoy in this episode, and I agree with Mia and Michelle that they finally showed us the development of the “heartbeat of the show” as Chyler said. Another thing I found done very well - and one that I did not expect - was that even though this was a flashback episode, the theme of exploring Kara’s humanity remained. The episode revealed that Kara has been struggling with this for pretty much her entire time on Earth. And time and time again Alex has been that grounding force for her. I thought that was a very nuanced angle to take for this episode and well executed also.

Cristina: I have mixed feelings regarding this. I liked seeing the flashback, but I don’t think it was integrated as well into the main current plot as it could have been. For example, I know a lot of people didn’t like the island flashbacks on Arrow, but you have to give them credit for ALWAYS explicitly relating something that happened in Oliver’s past to his present. I feel like I wanted more of that in this episode. So in that aspect, I think they missed the mark. Although, I do think an attempt was made to tie it to the current timeline, with how Winnie mentioned that they brought up the issue of Kara being “human” or not.

Opal: I’m with Cristina here, it was a mixed bag for me. On the one hand, I do think they needed to explore the Danvers sisters dynamic and redefine it especially after Season 2 where they were less of a support structure for one another. On the other, I think there’s just been too many fillers this season and it’s really dragging the main plot of the season. I agree with the points of Mia & Michelle where they state that it was nice of the show to show us the incarnations of that relationship and why they’re so close today. I always feel closer to relationships we’ve seen blossom on screen. Kara and J’onn’s relationship is one example of that. The flashback was a good character study and served to reinforce the theme of the season with Kara’s internal struggle as Winnie mentioned, but it didn’t do anything for the main plot.

This episode was all a flashback (for the most part); what parts do you feel they did well? Was there anything you would have wanted to see more or less of?

Mia: What surprised me the most was that the flashback was one continuous portion of the episode, instead of going back and forth between past and present. In general, I thought it was fine the way they did it, though I did miss maybe one or two little glimpses of present-day in between. The story itself I think was good and I didn’t miss anything while watching.

Michelle: I agree with Mia, I thought we were really going to go back and forth and have an integrated storyline. But I’m not mad about it? I really liked the casting of Olivia Nikkanen and Izabela Vidovic and I thought the episode was written well. There were a lot of events that kind of explain their personalities now (like Kara’s desire to help and save people or her abandonment and grief issues, although we could have guessed that one). I also liked how present-day Kara and Alex were very multifaceted here; you saw their tensions riding high and it was addressed as it needed to be. Winnie had pointed out to me before that this solidified their bond, which had been a little strained as of late, and I think that will be super important going forward (especially looking at next week’s episode).

Winnie: I can’t say I was fond of the teacher-student thing but I thought little Kara and Alex detectiving to be pretty fun! I would have obviously loved seeing more of adult Kara and Alex in this episode but I did not hate the direction they chose to take. The thing I would’ve liked to see less of (and this is more a personal preference and not a critique of the episode) is Kara in pain. Our girl has suffered so much at every juncture of her life that I’m about to start throwing fists.

Cristina: Generally speaking, I actually enjoyed the flashback part of the episode. There were a few parts, acting and dialogue-wise, that made me cringe just because they were cheesy, but overall it was good. I think Olivia especially really sold young Alex. There were a few moments where I could almost hear Chyler’s voice instead of Olivia’s!

Opal: I’m not gonna lie I was initially very apprehensive about this episode knowing it was being helmed by two young actresses. The CW doesn’t have the best track record for casting them. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised. As other have mentioned, I would have much preferred that there be an integration of the past and present storylines as I think the chemistry between Chyler and Melissa is very special and I wanted them to open and frank discussion about their grief ( the scene at the end was touching ). The young actresses were good, but I don’t think they were extraordinary like Chyler and Melissa are. The flashback did feel a bit like a backdoor pilot and had serious Smallville vibes ( I squeed at that Chloe Sullivan namedrop ) so I enjoyed it for what it was.

What do you think of the casting of young Kara and young Alex? Anything you’d change?

Mia: 100%, completely, utterly, super happy about the casting of young Kara and Alex. Izabela and Olivia look a lot like their older counterparts, yes, but what impressed me the most was how intrinsically in tune with the characters they were. They tapped into the soul of Kara and Alex and managed to portray that in such a short time. I was thoroughly impressed. Absolutely perfect casting.

Michelle: Couldn’t agree more! The actresses obviously looked the part but the way they acted out these characters were absolutely perfect and were Melissa and Chyler to a T. Yeah, and also along with the fact that they had one episode to really establish themselves as these characters, they did a fabulous job.

Winnie: I thought Olivia Nikkanen and Izabela Vidovic were nothing short of outstanding. It is clear they spent time studying Chyler and Melissa’s performances. In the scene with the Sheriff, Olivia spoke EXACTLY like Chyler with the same speech inflections while Izabela had Melissa’s facial mannerisms almost down pat throughout. Blown away by these two and can’t wait to see more of them in the future.

Cristina: I agree with all answers so far! I wouldn’t change anything about the castings - I think they were great!

Opal: I was pleasantly surprised like I said previously. I agree with everyone for the most part. I really think Olivia was simply brilliant as Young! Alex. She had the same mannerisms, the vocal inflections, and even the way she carried herself. It was a joy to watch. Izabella I felt was less successful, it was a series of hits and misses. At times I was sold on her as Kara while other times I was cringing. Again when it comes to child actresses on the CW, these two are the cream of the crop.

A lot of people (including Melissa and Chyler) missed the Danvers’ sisters strong relationship; how do you think the Danvers’ sisters dynamic showed in this episode (in the past and/or present)?

Mia: I missed their relationship so much, too, during season 2. It was my biggest problem with the season, in fact. This episode brought the heart of the show back together and showed us why these two women and their relationship is the most valuable aspect of Supergirl as a show. They started out as teenaged strangers suddenly forced together and became true sisters, not through blood, but through shared history and love. I think it was heartwarming to see.

Michelle: Yes, I think I speak for a ton of people when I say that these two are the heart and soul of the show and to see them back in action this season was amazing! I loved season 2 SO, so much, and I think it was important for them to grow and have those mature relationships. But to see them so essential on the screen is super great. Like I said above, to see their problems kind of blow up in this episode was also I think super important in moving the story forward, which is also so crucial.

Winnie: I’ve never asked, do we have a word limit on these cause I could go on forever on this. I think it was a great moment in the Danvers sisters life to decide to zero in on. I was honestly happy they decided to include that argument scene at the beginning, Kara and Alex have had their issues throughout the show (Red Kara’s speech to Alex? When Alex told Kara that she is either part of the family or she is not?...like hello?!); but they always seem to be swept under the rug or glossed over and an explosion like this one (and “Kara Danvers was a mistake”) was overdue. I think a few quotes stuck with me that I think do a good job capturing how I feel about these two and their sisterhood dynamic in this episode.

“I’d rather be human than risk losing you” - I found it endearing that potentially losing Alex/ being unable to save Alex is something that has been top of mind for Kara for such long time.

“She’s coming” - That even when they didn’t like each other very much, Alex always had faith Kara would come when she needed her.

“I never wanna hurt you” “It was your turn” - That because they’ve been through thick and thin and came out stronger on the other end, they both know they would do anything for each other, always.

Cristina: Okay, no one hate me for this answer but...I really enjoyed the build up of their relationship in the flashback, even if it was a little rushed, I think it was done as realistically as possible in the circumstances. However....their present dynamic? I’m still not sold on it. I just really miss their dynamic from season 1 and as much as they’ve said they’re going back to that, the writing has yet to show it. Here’s the thing, I shouldn’t have been as shocked as I was when (current) Alex actually apologized to Kara for treating her horribly the previous night. After the multiple horrible things that Alex has said to Kara in the past that she never apologized for before, I wasn’t expecting this episode to be any different so I was truly shocked. I’m not sure how else to explain it - the only thing that I can say is that the writing has been failing the Danvers sisters lately.

Opal: I really like that they fleshed out the relationship more. I was hooked on the Danvers sisters dynamic since the pilot and to me this is the relationship that defines the show. It’s a show about sisterhood and it was powerful to me that we saw that the origins to that sisterhood weren’t so rosy and born out of tragedy. Since, often times in life you find kinship in tragedy and I think that’s the case for Kara and Alex. However, I agree with Cristina. I feel like the writers have lost their way with this relationship. It’s a hit or a terrible miss. But the worst part for me, is that Alex never apologizes for these misses. I miss the season 1 dynamic is all, and I’m starting to see more and more of that in episodes so it does make me hopeful.

There were a couple of twists and surprises; which one was your favorite?

Mia: J’onn disguising himself as Alura-but-not-Alura and having a little heart-to-heart with young Kara. That scene truly showed us how much Kara has lost and how she was not even close to coping with her life on Earth yet. It was short and emotional, but it added a lot to the episode, in my opinion.

Michelle: Yes! I also loved the J’onn-as-Alura scene as well. It really hit home how long he’s cared for the girls and how much he loves them; it gives so much more context. And then the content of the scene, as Mia said, was strong. Like I said before, it puts into perspective how much struggle Kara has gone through to conceal herself as Kara Zor-El and how important people like J’onn and Mon-El are in her life because she can actually be that to them (and not just Kara Danvers). I also like that they brought up Chloe, “Clark’s Friend” (aka Chloe Sullivan). I still think it’s also heartbreaking that Kara’s going through this whole new-to-earth thing and Clark doesn’t help her out. That’s kind of always what’s been alluded to, but it’s kind of reinforced in this episode.

Winnie: Obviously, the Jonn scene was THE unexpected twist (although I really did not appreciate him morphing into Alura, like that’s a bit cruel). Another one for me was how relatively well Kara got her powers under control in the short time she was on Earth. She was in school and in classes just like a normal human kid. But what really got me was that teenage Kara watched Grey’s Anatomy because she knew who Isaiah Washington was.

Cristina: I have to echo the 3 previous ladies - the Fake Alura scene had my head spinning for a bit as I tried to wrap my brain around it all! Although I still quite don’t understand how J’onn thought he could shapeshift into Alura and then claim to be someone else...with the exact same face...despite that, I really enjoyed their conversation and it gave us more insight into Kara’s struggles which I am always here for.

Opal: I think we’re all in agreement here, the J’onn/Alura twist was one I didn’t see coming. I was kind of both really happy and really disappointed with it. On the one hand, I love it when the show shows us the wonderful paternal commitment J’onn has towards both the girls. But, I felt it was a cop out. I think there’s something bigger going on with Alura this season and this would have been a perfect way to tease that and tie it into the main plot within the midst of a filler episode.

What did you like about the past they showed? Did anything surprise you?

Mia: I loved Kenny Lee! What a sweet boy. He reminded me a lot of Winn, and I can imagine Kara connecting with Winn so well because he probably reminds her of Kenny, too. I’m so sad he had to die.

Michelle: Again, I was thrown aback just a tad that Alex and Kara hated each other (but I have two sisters, so I also understand). Their relationship is just so close now. I, too, loved Kenny Lee; that boy deserved better.

Winnie: I found surprising was how nice the Danvers house is like…are you kidding? That house was stunning! That view, that patio? Gotta get me a DEO job!

Cristina: I loved Kenny and I actually think their little moment in the woods that Kara brings up later to Alex is underrated! To me, it showed me something very significant...although I technically already knew. Kara tells Alex at the end that now, knowing that Kenny was aware of who she really was, she wouldn’t hesitate to kiss him like she had before. That just reinforces to me that the people that Kara loves most and feels closest to have always been those who know and like her for everything she is, alien-ness and all. That conversation was a particularly poignant moment for my poor Karamel heart!

Opal: I really liked the inclusion of Kenny. I had a feeling they would include a love interest for Young Kara since she is a romantic at heart. I think it really fleshed out the way Kara viewed romantic relationships in her adult life. Why she was so willing to throw herself into a relationship with James and later Mon-El. Because, it was something she’d been craving since she was a young teen. Like Cristina mentioned, the people Kara loves get to see not Kara Danvers but the girl underneath all the bluster and artifice: Kara Zor-El.

Favorite line from this week?

Mia: “I remember thinking I would never feel at home on Earth. I still don’t, in a way. But I feel at home with you.” - Kara Danvers

Michelle: The “I feel at home with you” from Kara for SURE!

Winnie: I had like a 100 faves but as you guys said, “I feel at home with you” was the kicker.

Cristina: “All I want to do is help people with what I’ve been given, and no one will let me.” - young Kara (idk why this one just really struck a chord with me cause it just reflects her pure heart so well)

Opal: “I remember thinking I would never feel at home on Earth. I still don’t, in a way. But I feel at home with you.” - Kara Danvers

So now that you’ve heard our take on 3x06 "Midvale." What’s your take on the episode? Let us know on Twitter!

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