President Marsdin steps down, J’onn investigates Earth First, the DEO are betrayed by one of their own and the unthinkable happens.

It’s becoming clear that this is the year Supergirl pulls no punches. Not only do we get a direct engagement with immigration but the President Marsdin reveal is exactly what it first appeared to be. Not a frame job, not an elaborate scheme. President Marsdin is an alien and President Marsdin steps down. It’s especially interesting, to go all meta-textual for a moment, that her successor is being played by Bruce Boxleitner. The Babylon 5 star has never gone full Sorbo, but some of his social media interactions in recent years have skewed harder right than any of his characters. Which isn’t to say he’s not capable of doing good work, Boxleitner’s great. But this is a loaded role that he comes to with baggage and it’ll be interesting to see what’s he does with it.

Elsewhere the episode impresses too. Brainy’s brush with hate crime is well handled and the Lena vs Mercy exo-skeleton face is great. Not just because it feels untidy and real but because it’s fun. Just as fun is Kara quietly taking down Mercy’s forces in a manner that would make Bruce Wayne growl approvingly.

But the highlight this episode, for me, is Jimmy and Nia’s plot. This takes a shard of the central issue of the season, the media’s role, and examines it from every angle. Jimmy is both cautious and sensible, wanting to take a natural view. Nia, full of righteous compassion, wants the paper to take a stand. The moment that inspires Jimmy to side with her is obvious, yes, but also plays realistically. Micro-aggressions are a reality for a lot of people and seeing a black man and a transsexual journalist take a stand against bigotry is, bluntly, as inspiring as it is moving. The Supergirl/Superman side of DC has always been where journalism at its best has been explored and it feels as timely as it does necessary. If only more of Jimmy and Nia’s real world compatriots felt able to follow suit.

And then there’s the ending. The DEO betrayed from within, Lena’s technology used to poison the planet against Kryptonians specifically and Supergirl plummeting, irradiated, to Earth.

Verdict: No punches pulled, this season is out off the gate and swinging and I wont be betting against it any time soon. 9/10

Alasdair Stuart