KARA & LENA | Supergirl (6x20)
Kara landing at the tower and stepping up behind Lena working at the table, her hands falling to rest on Lena's shoulders, Lena tilting her head back to look up at Kara, her head bumping Kara's chest, Kara leaning down to press a kiss to Lena's forehead WHEN
Anonymous asked:
The prompt: Nia’s tasked with building one of those buzzfeed style quizzes and the theme is “Which Superfriend Would You Marry?” She sends it on their group chat as a test run. Kara and Lena are having a movie night and they take the test together. Lena gets Dreamer as a result . Kara’s immediate, not censored reaction is to say that there must be something wrong with it because there’s no way Lena would get Nia. The (fun) thing is, Kara and Lena aren’t dating (until that night oc).
“Which Superfriend would you marry?”
Lena promptly chokes on her mouthful of red wine, coughing and spluttering as her cheeks flush a deep puce. “Excuse me?”
Which— right. She probably could have phrased that differently. Kara grimaces, reaching out to rub soothingly over Lena’s back as her best friend tries valiantly to expel the last of the alcohol from her lungs.
“It’s a quiz. Craft Your Perfect Taco to Find Out Which Superfriend You Would Marry,” she explains once Lena’s breathing has settled, nudging closer on the couch to hook her chin over Lena’s shoulder. “Nia made it after Andrea decided Catco was going to become the new Buzzfeed within the week or we were all going to lose our jobs. I guess she finally finished it?”
Kara tilts her phone between them, showing Lena the message. “She sent it in the group chat. Wants us all to try it to make sure there are no bugs.”
“Which group chat?” Lena asks, hitting pause on the movie and rooting through their nest of blankets and pillows for her own phone. “Superfiends? Brain Train 2: Intergalactic Boogaloo? Alex Danvers' Blue Eyeshadow Support Group? America’s Ass?”
“Superfiends, I think— wait. America’s Ass?” Kara’s eyes narrow. “What’s that?”
“Woops.” Lena presses her lips together, blinking big and angelic. “You might not be in that one.”
"You've been afraid to become the worst version of yourself because for so long, Lex was the only family you had. He wanted you to be a monster, and there was no one around to pull you back when you went too far. But he's not your family anymore. We are. I am. I love you, Lena."
Besides it should be me thank you for pushing me to use my magic. Because I now know for sure, I really am free of Lex.
I will drink to that.
So here’s my review for 6x16. Buckle up. I ramble.
In a word: yikes. Or, maybe just “sigh”.
THE GOOD
- Lena lookin’ at Kara like a whole snack. 😂
- Great scene of Nia unloading on her sister. So deserved.
- Brainia’s sweet domesticity.
- Esme’s cute drawings of everybody.
THE BAD
Literally everything else…
- Cringe CGI and a nonsensical monster.
- Once again they present it as if Kara can’t ever do the job she’s been doing for years and even won a Pulitzer for without a man’s help. And now William is even her go-to advice giver instead of Alex or Lena or J’onn or Brainy or Nia or anyone else. He of all people is telling how to be a reporter, how to live her life, and even how to be Supergirl. The writers have truly lost it in this effort to prop up this man, so that his death is more impactful, but in the process have diminished Kara in every way and simply alienated more fans with every passing episode. Alas that’s on brand, I guess.
- Nia failed in the end after repetitive drama in a plot that dragged on and ultimately had very little pay off other than closure she should’ve had with her transphobic as hell sister long ago.
- Kelly was gone.
- Alex did literally nothing. Same for J'onn. And Lena was basically at a desk the whole time, also doing nothing.
THE SUPERCORP OF IT ALL
Allow me to, despite this disappointing episode on all almost all fronts, put on my clown shoes. You can join me in my clown car or you can give up the show now and never tune in again. That’s your call, because you have to guard your own heart. And nothing I say from this point on could mean jack shit. But I’m just rambling aloud.
In 6x08 Kara said she didn’t want to be alone anymore. For the three episodes upon Lena’s return: she wasn’t. Lena was her sounding board, her partner in Supering, her comfort, and even her intimate conversationalist at the end of a long day. And with Lena by her side she was “happy and hopeful”, and that’s canon via Nyxly. Tonight though, things got out of hand, Kara and Lena had no time one-on-one, and Kara has begun to spiral. Her PZ issues are coming back, she spun out, and William’s advice? Lead her to give up a part of herself and quit a job that meant the world to her. And it was yikes. But he did issue one challenge that was interesting as hell: “What does Kara Danvers want most right now? Go after it.”
So when he obviously dies within the next few episodes, it possibly opens up for Kara to say “One of the last things he said to me was to go after what I wanted… well what I want is __________.”
So, what is it that Kara wants? The show has shown us one second that’s to be Supergirl and save the world. The next that she wants a normal life. The next that she wants to be a reporter. The next that she wants it all. The next that she just wants peace. The next that she wants a challenge. The next that she wants true love. The next that she’s okay being alone. The next that she doesn’t want to be alone. The next… you see my point here? Either it’s just more bad writing, or it’s intentional to show how truly lost she is post-PZ.
Which leads us then, presumably, to her finding herself between Episodes 17-20, likely at the last possible second for “maximum effect” in their minds. Next week is the love totem. One would think it’s the perfect opportunity for SC to have its first real moment, alas we can already see from the preview it will be focused on Dansen and Lex/Nyxly. You know, because it’s super important to spend the final episodes establishing a brand new love story for villains, rather than make canon a five year long one for the titular hero.
My point is… what does Kara want? Just to go charge off as Supergirl and save the world like always but have no normal life? Okay… and then? How is that new? Or different? Or any sort of closure or step forward for her? It’s not. It’s actually a step backwards, in so many ways, because it tells women they can’t have it all. So, again…
“What does Kara want?” Well, exactly 8 episodes ago she said she wanted to not be alone anymore (right after Lena left). And in Season 1 she said she wanted love, a perfect partner at game night, someone she’d fight for, etc etc. In 6A via the Kenny retcon they showed us what she wants in a romantic and adventure partner. And all this season they’ve shown Lena to check off every single box of what Kara wants on ALL these fronts.
I wish I could say that Kara has an arc outside of Supercorp because she deserves one as an individual, but at this point they’ve written themselves into a corner where the only thing we have been shown for sure that she wants… is to not be alone and to have someone, and also not be so stressed all the time. And there is ONLY one person who fits the bill of everything she’s ever said past or present that she wanted when it comes to having someone, and that’s Lena. It just is. Unbiased facts, it’s what they’ve actually shown us all along, but especially lately.
They have no choice but to make SC canon in some way or another, or Kara will literally end the series without ever having it all. Her simply deciding to hang up the cape and be alone the rest of her life is absurd and not enough. Her deciding to take a break as Supergirl and just be a reporter again and alone for the rest of her life is absurd and not enough. Her revealing her identity just to circle right back to being a reporter again and alone for the rest of her life is absurd and not enough. Her leaving her family, new niece, friends, and a life made on Earth to run off to the future with an old friend and toxic ex is the ultimate insult to Kara and the audience and the worst messaging possible, and would be extra absurd and out of left field. Her giving up her powers seems absurd and out of left field at this point as well. So…? How will it end for her?
What. Does. Kara. Want.
All I can see is: Lena, and some peace from being torn in a million directions all the time. Because they’ve not shown us anything else in any consistent way they way they have shown us she wants love and wants Lena in her life and wants to breathe. Lena is her one constant. In all these years. When she quit CatCo before, when she suffered loss, when she felt alone, when she needed inspiration, when she had an obsession, when she needed her life saved, when she needed hope, it’s always been: Lena, Lena, Lena.
And we still have the courage totem issue and Pilot flashback to revisit and find out what mistake she really made and how that ties into what Kara wants. And right now, nothing makes any damn sense or ties into the possible endings for Kara unless they maybe reveal Lena was there that night and Kara missed out on meeting her and knowing her as Kara and Supergirl from Day 1 and living a life in the open, with Lena by her side, and having it all. And thus in the end she realizes THAT is what she wants, reveals her identity, confesses her feelings for Lena, and the show ends with Kara finally having it all.
THAT is the only way that Kara has it all. Not leaving her family and friends. Not giving up her powers now. Not hanging up the cape. Just being who she is in EVERY way, living openly as Kara so she can be both Supergirl the hero and Kara the reporter, and having her soulmate Lena finally as her love, with her found family by her side.
THAT is having it all. THAT is what Kara wants. Because THAT is all they’ve given us any indication of at all, especially this season.
So if they do literally anything else… it not only won’t make any sense and prove them to be the worst queerbaiters in TV history, but it will also be a complete and total letdown and waste of a six year series.
Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.
this is so beautiful 😢
Highlights/best bits of 6x14:
- Lena at game night knowing when Kara would arrive. Ahem. Wifey shit.
- More SuperFriends bonding between Lena/Nia. Sweet, and really funny.
- The final Dansen scene with Esme made me misty. Love this for them!
Low points/negatives:
- This William thing, shoehorning him in, is beyond out of control. They’re trying so hard to make him the ultimate “Nice Guy” with everyone so his death resonates with all the SuperFriends and the audience. And while they can control the SFs reception in the writing, they can’t with audience manipulation. People. Don’t. Care. It’s a waste of screen time, taking away from other beloved characters that actually have an organic role to play. So tiresome. And, obviously something they plan to continue to do. Sigh.
Overall observations, especially where Supercorp is concerned:
- Lena in the traditional love interest role of keeping the hero grounded and reminding them not to lose sight of their true self. Talking Kara down from acting on fear and advising her against what she herself had done in the past and learned from, aka balancing her? That’s partner/soulmate shit. Yet again.
- The last totem (courage) we had Lena helping Kara figure out her issue with it and why she failed, and propping up her courage by saying she’s the most courageous person she knows. Now in this episode we had Lena helping Kara maintain her humanity for the humanity totem. If this trend keeps up… what the hell happens with them and the love totem?
For that matter, it’s as if there’s a build up…
Last episode was Lena coming home and SC quickly opening up around each other and Lena building Kara up and them relaxing around each other. Now this episode was showing they can argue and have different perspectives and it be totally healthy and resolved with great communication, Lena can keep Kara’s head in check like a perfect partner, and once again, them relaxing and now even flirting with each other on more than one occasion.
As a reminder, Kara said in 6x08, “I don’t want to be alone anymore.” and she’s not alone anymore. She has someone to end the day with/go home to every night now: Lena. They have made this so abundantly clear, even separating Alex and Kara, with each of them focused on their respective partners at the end of the day/night with these last two episodes in a row.
The only difference is one is canon lovers and one is… friendship? Please.
If this show doesn’t make it canon in these final episodes, the queerbaiting legacy will be off the charts. You can’t frame a pair’s interactions as romantic, have them openly flirting, passionately obsessed with each other, late night dinner dates, paralleled with other romantic couples, etc and think saying “friends” covers your ass on queerbaiting.
The only thing that covers your ass on queerbaiting? Delivering on a friends to lovers tale you’ve stretched out for nearly an entire series.
Let’s see which side of history the show chooses to fall on. I’m hoping the right one, by making Supercorp canon.
Alas, we shall see.
P.S. This shit?
“I won’t use my fingers.” “I’m going to.” “Oh, thats classy.” “You know me.”
Jesus Christ. I cannot. Even.
i’m screaming lmao kara protecting lena like it ain’t nothing i love it
