Imagine you're so powerful that you're basically a god. You can fly. You're invulnerable. You're extraordinarily fast and strong. You're tasked with keeping an entire city safe. People look to you as a hero, a role model, and more. It's all a privilege, sure, but in some ways it's also a burden. You have to carry the weight of expectation, and even though you have a support system, no one truly understands. Considering those factors, it's no wonder Kara got so exuberant about having her cousin in town. He's the only other person who knows exactly what it's like to be her. They're both from Krypton, they have the same powers, they dress similarly, they have the same ideals, and heck, they even have the same day job now.
Why wouldn't she latch onto him?
Superman's visit to National City continued in the latest episode of Supergirl, "The Last Children of Krypton." Kara has figured out so much about being Supergirl on her own that she doesn't need his help in that regard, and he doesn't try to offer it. He knows his cousin is more than capable of doing her job; he's not trying to one-up her. No, he's also enjoying having someone around who shares the same experiences as he does, someone who knows what it's like to wake up and lead two lives.
Since Clark and Kara clearly get along, the logical thing to ask is: "Why don't they spend all their time together?" The episode addressed the question, and the explanation was deeper than splitting them up because the series is Supergirl, not Kara and Clark 4Eva (note: never let me name a television series). They have separate lives, separate cities to protect, and separate developments to pursue. The looming threat of Cadmus made that clear to the cousins.
We learned about Cadmus in Season 1—it's where J'onn and Alex almost ended up after J'onn's true identity was revealed and it's where Jeremiah Danvers is being kept. Now, the organization is showing their face to the world. Well, not their actual faces, that wouldn't be a smart move. They're masking their identities and trying to turn citizens against Supergirl. For their first play, they created Metallo.
Is it horrible of me to say I wasn't impressed with him? The super-villain has roots in the comics as one of Superman's regular adversaries—he's a cyborg powered by kryptonite. This Metallo shared those traits. He blasted both Superman and Supergirl with a stream of the lurid green substance. He was effective in showing Cadmus is powerful and smart enough to actually inflict harm upon our heroes. To me, that was the important part about his presence. He sent a message.
Cadmus is a threat beyond Non and the Myriad project. It's not only the fact that they have access to advanced technology. On top of their skills, they're ruthless and righteous. And oh hey, they have kryptonite. Good job letting the material out of your sight, D.E.O. Superman had a point about the dangers of keeping it around. Go figure.
Anyway! Cadmus. They've made the first of many moves. Superman, Supergirl, and the D.E.O. were able to put a wrench in Cadmus' plans, but unless they can be better—I know Winn made those shields in a hurry, but dude, they didn't exactly cover a whole lot of surface area—they could lose. The possibility of failure has to be established so we can sit on the edge of our seats and legitimately feel concerned about what will happen to Supergirl and her friends, and with Metallo, they nailed it. I'm worried about what else Cadmus has up their sleeves.
Now, let's focus our attention on a big ol' #DCTV Secret dropped in this episode. Did the scene of Superman carrying Supergirl off the bridge jump out at you? If it looked familiar, it's because it's an homage to the iconic cover of CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #7.
The cover by George Pérez depicts a weeping Superman holding the body of a dead Supergirl. Thankfully things didn't get as extreme in "The Last Children of Krypton." I mean, the series is called Supergirl; it wouldn't be the best idea ever to kill her off. But in the comic book by writers Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, titled "Beyond the Silent Night," Kara wasn't so fortunate. During a fight to stop the five Earths from merging, the Anti-Monitor killed her after an intense battle. She perished saving the galaxy and also the life of her cousin. Superman later wraps Supergirl's body in his cape and sets her free in space.
And how about another #DCTV Secret? Snapper Carr is Kara's cantankerous new boss at CatCo, but in the comics, he was a hip, finger-snapping (hence the nickname) civilian and a member of the Justice League. He was introduced in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #28.
Amy Ratcliffe covers Supergirl as a part of the #DCTV Couch Club. Look for Amy on Twitter at @amy_geek. Supergirl airs Mondays at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. CST) on The CW.