S3E9 "Reign" Discussion and Review

We often talk about the music that is added to the episodes and how great a job they did first season. I think they're doing a good job this season also and, after repeated viewings of this episode, I really noticed its impact - specifically during the fight scene. The Christmas music at the beginning of the scene was, at first, almost a distraction but, now I see how it actually helped build the intensity of the fight.

The part that I really noticed was during the fight on the street. I'm not sure what the music was, or who the composer is, but the score was timed very well with what was going on in the fight. Specifically, how the instruments changed from a lighter (maybe clarinets, violins??) to deeper instruments (maybe tuba's and trombones?) when Reign headbutted Kara and she dropped to the ground and then crawled up the street. That change really emphasized to the viewer that, it was at that moment that the momentum of the fight had changed and that things were not going to go well for Kara. Great job!

--Sorry for the lack of musical technical terms or knowledge, my musical background consists entirely of listening pleasure only.

the music I noted the most the entire episode was Kara slowly, step-by-step, making it to the top of the street rubble. Totally ominous!

We often talk about the music that is added to the episodes and how great a job they did first season. I think they're doing a good job this season also and, after repeated viewings of this episode, I really noticed its impact - specifically during the fight scene. The Christmas music at the beginning of the scene was, at first, almost a distraction but, now I see how it actually helped build the intensity of the fight.

The part that I really noticed was during the fight on the street. I'm not sure what the music was, or who the composer is, but the score was timed very well with what was going on in the fight. Specifically, how the instruments changed from a lighter (maybe clarinets, violins??) to deeper instruments (maybe tuba's and trombones?) when Reign headbutted Kara and she dropped to the ground and then crawled up the street. That change really emphasized to the viewer that, it was at that moment that the momentum of the fight had changed and that things were not going to go well for Kara. Great job!

--Sorry for the lack of musical technical terms or knowledge, my musical background consists entirely of listening pleasure only.

So, I have no way to prove this. It's just a theory about that last scene, where Ruby comes down for Christmas and we see Sam at the window, possibly as Reign.

I think it's too early and too convenient for Ruby to find out about her mother this way. I think that ending was a red herring.

In that scene, we see Sam at the window, her hands kinda shaking or twitching, and then she turns to see Ruby.

I think it's possible that she's standing there, her hands shaking, because she's seen the news, and doesn't know how to tell Ruby what happened to Supergirl. We've seen multiple times that Supergirl is absolutely Ruby's hero. So to wake up on Christmas day and see the news about what happened to her...I think that would be really hard for Sam. And that's where episode 10 would pick up, with her trying to break the news to Ruby.

Just a theory. But I think it makes sense.

I don't think it is Reign either; and I like your theory; and I think it is plausible.

I don't think it is Reign either, but it certainly could be Sam fighting Reign within, and when she hears Ruby's voice it brings her back to Sam at the last minute. But I like the theory about telling Ruby about Supergirl.

So, I have no way to prove this. It's just a theory about that last scene, where Ruby comes down for Christmas and we see Sam at the window, possibly as Reign.

I think it's too early and too convenient for Ruby to find out about her mother this way. I think that ending was a red herring.

In that scene, we see Sam at the window, her hands kinda shaking or twitching, and then she turns to see Ruby.

I think it's possible that she's standing there, her hands shaking, because she's seen the news, and doesn't know how to tell Ruby what happened to Supergirl. We've seen multiple times that Supergirl is absolutely Ruby's hero. So to wake up on Christmas day and see the news about what happened to her...I think that would be really hard for Sam. And that's where episode 10 would pick up, with her trying to break the news to Ruby.

Just a theory. But I think it makes sense.

I don't think it is Reign either; and I like your theory; and I think it is plausible.

So, I have no way to prove this. It's just a theory about that last scene, where Ruby comes down for Christmas and we see Sam at the window, possibly as Reign.

I think it's too early and too convenient for Ruby to find out about her mother this way. I think that ending was a red herring.

In that scene, we see Sam at the window, her hands kinda shaking or twitching, and then she turns to see Ruby.

I think it's possible that she's standing there, her hands shaking, because she's seen the news, and doesn't know how to tell Ruby what happened to Supergirl. We've seen multiple times that Supergirl is absolutely Ruby's hero. So to wake up on Christmas day and see the news about what happened to her...I think that would be really hard for Sam. And that's where episode 10 would pick up, with her trying to break the news to Ruby.

Just a theory. But I think it makes sense.

Alex told Kara to go to her alien side. That may have been the wrong answer, at least if they ever work out who Reign is.

I've gone back and forth on the advice that Alex told Kara. My first thought, and the one that I still favor, is that it was the right advice. Humanity is generally a strength but, in a battle, it can also be a weakness. Alex knows this and only wanted to give Kara the best odds of survival. We actually witnessed this when Kara's humanity actually did distract her during her fight with Reign.

On the other hand, her advice could cause Kara more confusion going forward. Here we have Kara, who is already questioning her humanity and we have Alex, who is an important guide to Kara, telling her that survival depends on shedding her humanity. Then, we see Kara allowing her humanity to distract her in the fight, which ultimately allowed Reign to get the upper hand. Will the combination of these two events throw her over the edge of humanity and impact how she approaches future events in her life?

My favorite part is the guy throwing his Christmas package about 100 ft in the air.....LMAO.

Ha! Ha! This one?

Yep, that was pretty funny, too. And, the timing with the car flying up in the air was just about perfect.

From a photography teacher, let's just call it...the "fill light." Maybe he learned it from a photo class back in high school.

Yeah, maybe Forensic Photography 101. In my head, I can imagine what he's thinking as he runs up to the scene, squatting down behind Alex with his little flash light in hand, intensely scanning the scene, "Okay, boss, I'm here. Just tell me where you need it."

Alex told Kara to go to her alien side. That may have been the wrong answer, at least if they ever work out who Reign is. Appealing to Reign through Ruby may be the right answer.

Agreed, they keep emphasizing Sam's relationship to her daughter.....which was something the evil scientists dismissed too quickly. I think Reign herself might dismiss Ruby but too late. Because I hope the kid is smart enough to realize the difference between her mother and Reign when she gets into her episodes.

My favorite part is the guy throwing his Christmas package about 100 ft in the air.....LMAO.

Alex told Kara to go to her alien side. That may have been the wrong answer, at least if they ever work out who Reign is. Appealing to Reign through Ruby may be the right answer.

Every time I re-watch the episode, I get to this scene and I have to chuckle a little. Obviously, the scenario is not a funny situation but, I can't help but laugh a little at the guy kneeling down behind Alex. Here we have a big ole' spotlight shining down on Supergirl, flooding the area with light and then we have this guy, who's holding a pin-light in an attempt to help shed some light on the area.

Makes me laugh in an otherwise very dreary scene.

Bah ha ha ha great catch, Sully. lol Umm... From a photography teacher, let's just call it...the "fill light." Maybe he learned it from a photo class back in high school.

Every time I re-watch the episode, I get to this scene and I have to chuckle a little. Obviously, the scenario is not a funny situation but, I can't help but laugh a little at the guy kneeling down behind Alex. Here we have a big ole' spotlight shining down on Supergirl, flooding the area with light and then we have this guy, who's holding a pin-light in an attempt to help shed some light on the area.

Makes me laugh in an otherwise very dreary scene.

No, I think they used material from clothing from the pod as well as Kal-el's blanket for the cape.

Right, at the end of the pilot. But her very first cape, during the montage sequence with her costume changes, her "original" gets all shot up at the bank.

I was saying the reason her main bodysuit doesn't get shredded due to that "aura" of enhanced durability.

I'm probably in the minority but, I don't think that Lena should find out. I really don't see a necessity for it. Everything that has happened can either be excused or covered by J'onn. And with Lillian as her mother and Lex as her brother, Lena knowing would do more harm than good to Kara. It would just be another door opened to the Luthors and the rest of the world finding out and getting to Kara. Not to mention the fact that we still don't know how Lena is going to be down the road, if she will stay on the right side of morality or not.

***Editing this so I don't double post because I forgot to ask about Supergirl's suit. From the comics, is it supposed to have some type of special powers or is it reinforced in some way? The aftereffects of Reign's laser to her chest with the cloth ripped open but, the emblem still showing through underneath gave that impression.

For the question regarding why Kara's suit doesn't shred...

There were numerous reasons for this in the comics, for Superman, over the years. The first was that it was Kryptonian fabric that came in his pod. This obviously doesn't work for Kara, as Winn made her suit.

Another is that it was treated with certain chemicals. Again, out of the realm of possibility for Winn at the beginning of season one.

A more modern reason was that Kryptonians, under a yellow sun, emit a very thin aura over their bodies. This aura is at least part of their invulnerability. And it can protect any clothing close enough to their skin, but not loose fitting clothing.

This is likely the reason one would use for Supergirl. It explains why her original cape shredded in the pilot, as it's loose fitting. It explains why her clothes went up in flames in "Ace Reporter, but her suit was fine. And like any Kryptonian ability, this aura would depend on the solar radiation within the subjects cells. So if that radiation ran low or were exhausted, the subject's invulnerability would be compromised.

Also, invulnerability, in the context of Kryptonians, is a relative term. They aren't really invulnerable. It's just enhanced durability. If someone considerably stronger attacked, they would still be able to take damage, just as any human would in a fight.

This explains why Reign was able to make Supergirl bleed and bruise, as well as burn the emblem off her suit. She either exhausted the solar radiation in Supergirl's body, or was just strong enough damage Supergirl, despite her enhanced durability.

My theory is that the fight with Reign was a combination of those 2 factors. With every hit, bits of the solar radiation in her cells were depleted by the Supergirl's enhanced durability taking the overwhelming damage of Reign's blows. By the end, most of solar radiation was depleted, but not all of it. This is why Reign's heat vision damaged her suit, but did not completely penetrate it. It's also why Kara was still alive after her fall. If she were completely depleted of Solar radiation, she would have never survived the fall. She would have been just as vulnerable as any human. But enough of it was depleted to where she was either incapable of flying, or she was just on the verge of passing out before the fall even started.

She looked like she passed out on the way down, if you ask me.

No, I think they used material from clothing from the pod as well as Kal-el's blanket for the cape.

I'm probably in the minority but, I don't think that Lena should find out. I really don't see a necessity for it. Everything that has happened can either be excused or covered by J'onn. And with Lillian as her mother and Lex as her brother, Lena knowing would do more harm than good to Kara. It would just be another door opened to the Luthors and the rest of the world finding out and getting to Kara. Not to mention the fact that we still don't know how Lena is going to be down the road, if she will stay on the right side of morality or not.

***Editing this so I don't double post because I forgot to ask about Supergirl's suit. From the comics, is it supposed to have some type of special powers or is it reinforced in some way? The aftereffects of Reign's laser to her chest with the cloth ripped open but, the emblem still showing through underneath gave that impression.

For the question regarding why Kara's suit doesn't shred...

There were numerous reasons for this in the comics, for Superman, over the years. The first was that it was Kryptonian fabric that came in his pod. This obviously doesn't work for Kara, as Winn made her suit.

Another is that it was treated with certain chemicals. Again, out of the realm of possibility for Winn at the beginning of season one.

A more modern reason was that Kryptonians, under a yellow sun, emit a very thin aura over their bodies. This aura is at least part of their invulnerability. And it can protect any clothing close enough to their skin, but not loose fitting clothing.

This is likely the reason one would use for Supergirl. It explains why her original cape shredded in the pilot, as it's loose fitting. It explains why her clothes went up in flames in "Ace Reporter, but her suit was fine. And like any Kryptonian ability, this aura would depend on the solar radiation within the subjects cells. So if that radiation ran low or were exhausted, the subject's invulnerability would be compromised.

Also, invulnerability, in the context of Kryptonians, is a relative term. They aren't really invulnerable. It's just enhanced durability. If someone considerably stronger attacked, they would still be able to take damage, just as any human would in a fight.

This explains why Reign was able to make Supergirl bleed and bruise, as well as burn the emblem off her suit. She either exhausted the solar radiation in Supergirl's body, or was just strong enough damage Supergirl, despite her enhanced durability.

My theory is that the fight with Reign was a combination of those 2 factors. With every hit, bits of the solar radiation in her cells were depleted by the Supergirl's enhanced durability taking the overwhelming damage of Reign's blows. By the end, most of solar radiation was depleted, but not all of it. This is why Reign's heat vision damaged her suit, but did not completely penetrate it. It's also why Kara was still alive after her fall. If she were completely depleted of Solar radiation, she would have never survived the fall. She would have been just as vulnerable as any human. But enough of it was depleted to where she was either incapable of flying, or she was just on the verge of passing out before the fall even started.

She looked like she passed out on the way down, if you ask me.

I'm probably in the minority but, I don't think that Lena should find out. I really don't see a necessity for it. Everything that has happened can either be excused or covered by J'onn. And with Lillian as her mother and Lex as her brother, Lena knowing would do more harm than good to Kara. It would just be another door opened to the Luthors and the rest of the world finding out and getting to Kara. Not to mention the fact that we still don't know how Lena is going to be down the road, if she will stay on the right side of morality or not.

I think that the way the plot is set, Lena and Kara are probably the ones who want to save Sam instead of destroying her. Their relationship can be the only one (with Ruby's) capable of doing that. I don't know if in that case, knowing about Reign and Supergirl identity isn't necessery.

***Editing this so I don't double post because I forgot to ask about Supergirl's suit. From the comics, is it supposed to have some type of special powers or is it reinforced in some way? The aftereffects of Reign's laser to her chest with the cloth ripped open but, the emblem still showing through underneath gave that impression.

Great insights to know for sur

James would have done nothing against Reign. Him stepping in is no different to Alex or Winn stepping in. In fact Alex is better than him.

Yes, I'm not stating that it would have made any difference. It's that he didn't even make an attempt to help. I can guarantee you that if Alex was there, she would have done everything she could have to help even if it meant dying by doing so. James is a self-proclaimed hero, Superman's best bud and one of Kara's closest friends. All factors that should have pushed him into the fight. I don't think it's a James issue, just a writing issue. They just shouldn't have put him in that scene in the first place.

Alex was there. Alex did nothing.

She ran up with the DEO agents after Kara was dropped from the sky scraper, we never saw her before that.....James was there with Lena the entire fight once it ended up on the street....all he did was tell everyone to get back.

HOWEVER, IMO, James would have been more of a distraction to Kara than a help at that point.

James would have done nothing against Reign. Him stepping in is no different to Alex or Winn stepping in. In fact Alex is better than him.

Yes, I'm not stating that it would have made any difference. It's that he didn't even make an attempt to help. I can guarantee you that if Alex was there, she would have done everything she could have to help even if it meant dying by doing so. James is a self-proclaimed hero, Superman's best bud and one of Kara's closest friends. All factors that should have pushed him into the fight. I don't think it's a James issue, just a writing issue. They just shouldn't have put him in that scene in the first place.

Alex was there. Alex did nothing.

I can picture Lena saying something like "Kara Danvers we will talk about why you didn't trust me but right now it's more important that we figure out how to beat this thing".

Yes, ma'am. That! Plus... Lena DOES tend to call Kara by her full "Earth" name when she feels Kara has been naughty. lol So, yeah... I'd be totally down for this being how Lena finds out.

You might credit Lena with assuming that Kara thought that giving away the secret would endanger her, Lena, not to mention that three people can keep a secret if two of them are dead. Luthors are taught to respect secrets.

I can picture Lena saying something like "Kara Danvers we will talk about why you didn't trust me but right now it's more important that we figure out how to beat this thing".

Yes, ma'am. That! Plus... Lena DOES tend to call Kara by her full "Earth" name when she feels Kara has been naughty. lol So, yeah... I'd be totally down for this being how Lena finds out.

Hmmmm....no, yes she would of course do everything she could to save her, but IMO, she wouldn't speak to her at all, she would just do what needed to be done. It has to hit deeper than that, to the point that she of course wants to save her, but she is hurt beyond compare at that time. So, no speaking to Kara only helping her.

Fair enough. I could see that.