Supergirl may take place on Earth-35, but even alternate realities have Bon Jovi. In the triumphant Season 3 return of Supergirl, “Legion of Superheroes,” the titular Legion of Superheroes step up while Kara Zor-El (Melissa Benoist) heals from her wounds against her last fight with Reign (Odette Annable). With the help of a new ally, Brainiac 5 (Jesse Rath), as well as a very loud playback of “Livin’ on a Prayer,” the Girl of Steel makes a better comeback than Bon Jovi did with “It’s My Life.”
Spoilers for Supergirl, “Legion of Superheroes,” ahead.
The Legion of Superheroes are the biggest wrinkle for the rest of Supergirl Season 3. Straight from the comics, Mon-El, Brainiac 5, and Saturn Girl (who has yet to earn the moniker) step into the spotlight long enough in order for Supergirl to get back to fighting shape. She does, and succeeds, to the tune of “Livin’ on a Prayer,” courtesy of Mon-El. (Apparently there was a great culture burn before the 31st Century, so it was on Mon-El’s shoulders to teach the world Shakespeare, Plato, and rock music.)
Though National City has new super-allies to defend it, things are only going to get worse: Thomas Coville, the Kryptonian acolyte whom Supergirl stopped from blowing up the city earlier in the season, breaks free from prison and aligns himself with Reign. One should expect Coville to help Reign fill in the gaps of her Kryptonian knowledge, which will make Reign a truly dangerous enemy for the rest of the year.
For the first time since her debut, Reign takes the L in the mid-season return of 'Supergirl' on The CW.
For now, the sides are even. The fall finale ended with Supergirl’s defeat, and Reign got her rear handed to her in this week’s episode. Both sides have an influx of new allies. Of particular note is Brainiac 5, played by Rath in a show-stealing performance. Rath makes a genuine impression in his debut episode, even if aspects of his personality feel too familiar, as if he were kidnapped from the set of the next Marvel movie and forced to read new lines with the same manic energy. Also, the seeds for his canonical romance with Supergirl are now firmly planted, as Supergirl and Mon-El grow distant with each passing moment.
Supergirl is back, friends, and maybe better than ever. Gone is the gloom of Kara Zor-El’s heartbreak, in are more characters who can help jolt an ensemble dynamic that had been running on fumes. Sure, Supergirl can maybe live without a love interest for a little while longer, but being the CW, it’s unavoidable for the Girl of Steel to find someone new. And she’s halfway there (whoa oh).
Supergirl airs on Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern on The CW.
