Supergirl Episode Tackles Transphobia

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Supergirl, DC Comics, The CW,
Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl

Supergirl S04E11 Review and Walkthrough
“Blood Memory”

It’s no surprise that the communist Russian story line takes hold of this Supergirl episode. With the exception that this week the Russian trained Supergirl clone needs medical assistance. A blood transfusion from Supergirl prime. Rest assured, you don’t find out in this episode.

“Blood Memory” spends the majority of its time dealing with an emotionally absent DEO Director Danvers. The cloud of forced ignorance hangs over her head as she comes to grips with the mind wipe that J’onn J’onzz put her through to protect the identity of Supergirl. This internal threat falls by the wayside as enophobic Colonel Lauren Haley is noticeably absent from this episode. A big mistake from the Supergirl writers room.

Supergirl, DC Comics, The CW,
Supergirl keeps the peace. Well, sort of.

Supergirl and Dream Girl take a Roadtrip

The two main plot devices of this episode are Nia returning to her hometown to visit her family (with Kara/Supergirl in tow). While Alex Danvers deals with a street rage drug that turns its users into supercharged aliens.

The ongoing theme of acceptance is explored through Nia’s coming out story shared to Kara mid-roadtrip. With a difference, citing she is lucky to have transitioned as a trans-woman in a town accepting of aliens. Nia elaborates on the complexities of her family – her mother an alien, her father a human, her sister a Human/Alien – with 1 woman in each generation gifted with precognition. The challenge for Nia is how to tell her sister that she is the one who has been granted this gift. A trans-woman.

Supergirl, DC Comics, The CW,
Nia aka Dream Girl – a half human/half alien trans superhero

“How could you receive the gift when you’re not even a real woman?”

What follows in the episode is the two storylines as they intertwine and eventually meet up together. Spoilers aside, Nia’s sister finally puts two and two together. Surmising that the pre-cognition blood gift has been past onto her. The venomous spite from her, “How could you receive the gift when you’re not even a real woman?”

While clearly offensive, its progressive in pointing out the clear bias towards the transgender community – in western society. Nothing sugar coated. The reality of the transphobia felt on a daily basis. With the message behind it all : we need to do better.

A quick firefight between Nia’s townsfolk, the rage drug takers and the DEO ensues. Leading towards the ending of the third act. The episode’s clear highlight is Kara coming out to Nia as Supergirl. While Supergirl has lost a sister in Director Danvers she has found a sisterhood in Nia aka Dream Girl. Their differences will bring them closer together as the second half of this season edges further towards a close. Bravo CW.

How do we rate this episode of Supergirl? 6 Sodas
What did you think of the episode? Leave a comment below.

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