Earth’s yellow sun gives Kryptonians incredible, god-like powers, but that doesn’t make them gods. Kara Danvers (Melissa Benoist) spends most of this week’s Supergirl trying to convince a religious group of just that: Kara isn’t a gift from the gods, come to save Earth.
This post contains spoilers for Supergirl Season 3, Episode 4, “The Faithful.”
Viewers are introduced to a strange group of people who attempt to induct new members by somewhat nefarious means in “The Faithful.” Upon tracking this group down, Kara learns that they worship Supergirl. The group was started by a formerly troubled middle-aged man named Thomas Coville (Chad Lowe), who just so happened to be aboard Flight 237, the plane Kara saved on her first night out as Supergirl in Season 1, Episode 1 of the series.
Coville, much to Kara’s horror, believes that Supergirl is the Kryptonian god Rao’s gift to humanity. People across the city start intentionally endangering themselves so Kara will save them and so they can join in on Coville’s “religion.” Kara confronts Coville about his bastardizing the Kryptonian religion, growing more and more upset that he has misinterpreted the god of light and life’s words so much.
“Today, we reaffirm to her and to all that she is the god of our Earth,” Coville says to his followers moments before arming a bomb in the form of a Kryptonian probe. He thinks she’s lost her way, and that saving the city from a bomb and gathering more followers will put him back on the path.
Supergirl saves the day, fighting through Kryptonite poisoning to help stop the bomb.
But even after Kara reveals herself as not a god by cutting her hand and showing Coville and his followers her blood, Coville remains convinced of his “mission.” No doubt, viewers will see more of him in the future.
Supergirl airs on The CW on Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern.
