Supergirl...
Mar. 21st, 2017 12:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conuly0. Just a warning, I am extremely critical of Kara. And I shouldn't be - her feelings are valid and understandable - but I am.
1. That reveal was way less interesting than I'd hoped, but about what I'd expected.
2. Mon-El, the time to tell Kara was *before* you went up there. Seriously, you had to know she'd do something bizarre and reckless. When does she not? Isn't that why you like her? (Though - hypocritical much? When he does stuff like this to her, she freaks.)
3. Yes, Kara, I'm sure you think he should've told you weeks ago, or never lied in the first place. But you didn't exactly make it easy for him! I'm going to lay the blame around nice and evenly.
4. When did he have time to put on a shirt!?
5. This story makes Mon-El look bad. However, it sounds even more traumatic than the original one, especially if his hesitation is true to life and not just him retconning his past (for his own benefit or for Kara's). I am not any form of shrink, but seriously, shouldn't he be more traumatized by all this?
5a. I wonder if he initially lied not to make himself sound better to them, but because that's how he seriously wished it had happened. I'd definitely prefer to handle survivor's guilt by thinking that I had no choice rather than that I'd cowardly shoved other people out of the way. (And no coincidence that his original story makes the prince - totally not him! - into a real stand-up guy, self-sacrificing for some anonymous guard.)
6. So, all right, his parents loved him, etc. Got it. Buuuuut... they're monarchs. And really invested in that concept. Shouldn't they have spent the past few decades making new heirs and spares? Shouldn't all of Daxam be involved in this great work?
7. "This changes everything!" Well, Kara, I can't explain why he started out lying, but that's exactly why he kept lying. Because he knew you'd react that way. You know, Kara, you benefited from your parents' frankly selfish choices. How many people could have been saved from Krypton, not to mention Daxam, if they hadn't put their efforts into saving their own child and nephew? They could've cut down on the quality of those pods somewhat and boosted production. I refuse to believe that nobody would've been paranoid enough to buy a few "just in case" pods. But nobody is asking you to stop loving your parents, or to introduce yourself to everybody you meet with "My parents contributed to the destruction of our planet and the genocide of two different cultures, then selfishly chose to save me rather than trying to save more people". (Good thing, too. That'd make the title sequence a complete downer.)
Slavery is wrong, but I'll just point out, genocide is also wrong. And for all his personal flaws, Mon-El at least has the courtesy to keep from throwing that in your face every time he's pissed off. (I'll also point out that vanishingly few people seriously repudiate their home culture as children, adolescents, or young adults - especially when it benefits them. Maybe Mon-El should have, he was certainly old enough, but whom exactly was he going to believe? His loving parents and entire society which told him that they worked for the greater good? Or those obnoxious Kryptonians who told him he ought to give up his comfort and luxury because, actually, his loving parents and entire society were evil? Gosh, tough question there. It's easy for Kara - and by extension, the rest of us - to imagine that in his shoes she'd make the right choice, but statistically speaking, she wouldn't. People generally don't.)
7a. And for that matter, unless Earth-3 is dramatically different from our Earth, Kara benefits from slavery right now. But she doesn't seem too broken up over the fact that her ice cream was produced with chocolate harvested by child slaves.
7b. Many people point out that Mon-El has changed. In Kara's defense, to him, it really hasn't been that long... and he only changed to get into Kara'spants good books. But he definitely gets his A for Effort. (E for Effort?)
8. Honestly, Winn? Doofus. You're a complete doofus.
8a. In fact, Starry Night is at the MoMA. Seeing it in person is worth the $25 admission fee, if you can shove your way through the crowd.
9. I really wish Supergirl (the series, not the character) had taken the bold choice not to have any relationship drama.
10. Drunk and distracted? How oppressed could they have been with all that free booze? Were they being oppressed by being forced to party hearty? Because I find it hard to imagine a little liquor is going to keep them from noticing that they're routinely rounded up and shot or that they have to labor in the salt mines 30 hours a day or that... I don't know, whatever is going on besides the enslavement of non-Daxamites. (Which is bad, but not really the sort of oppression that it sounds like Kara means. I doubt the slaves are getting to go to all those parties either, at least, not as guests.) Kara is showing the political sophistication here of a 12 year old child. Which is fair, I mean, how old was she when she last heard anything about those awful Daxamites? But I really wish somebody else would point this out to her already!
11. I'm glad to hear you can admit that your people made mistakes too. But can you accept it? Because you seem to have spent the past season trying not to think too hard about it. Which is probably normal, but maybe not very healthy.
12. Wow, Kara. Everybody is giving you the same advice, even if Mon-El's mom is doing it in a fucked up way and probably didn't mean to give it to you. You can't get away from him. The plot is going to force the two of you together whether you like it or not. Well, "think about other people's viewpoints and consider that you aren't perfect yourself" is good advice anyway, even if you're not going to take it. (I mean, taking it doesn't mean you have to hop right back into bed with him, does it?)
13. Winn, let's say she IS a career con artist. Don't you think she's really good at lying to people, no matter where she looks? Sounds like a necessary skill in that line of work. (Not that that line really works anyway. Most people are crap at telling if somebody else is lying, even people they know well.)
13a. Of course, one would assume a career con artist/art thief would be living in classier digs.
13b. And her thugs would be classier too.
14. Supergirl is working with the DEO. Guardian is doing gigs with the DEO. Doesn't this make them state actors? Even if they're not drawing wages, that's got to create some legal issues.
15. Honey, you're a telepath. Just pay her a damn visit.
16. Oh, Mon-El. You're cute... but you have got to try harder. Your life? Is not a romantic comedy. And just because Kara watches them doesn't mean she wants to live one.
17. That's good advice, Kara. He should definitely talk to his parents.
18. Wow. Winn is a really, really crappy actor.
18a. Yes, he is willing to die for her. Sincerity works better on Winn than lies.
19. Kara, Winn is giving excellent advice here. Consider taking it. The plot isn't going to give you a choice, after all - and I'm sure you could spare yourself a lot of pain by just going along with it.
20. Oh. Well, actually, letting himself in, now that's creepy and stalkery. This is something not to forgive Mon-El for.
21. Seriously, Mon-El, the plot is on your side. Just give her some time.
22. Mon-El always wants things to be easy? Kara, you're the one who breaks up with him every time he sneezes funny! Oh, well. Just add this to the list of things she ought to be speaking to a professional about, but won't. (Seriously, all my favorite characters on this show really ought to be getting professional help, but aren't. Why is there no mental health care on Earth-3?)
23. You know, Mon-El... it seems to me that staying on Earth where it's easy to be the person you like actually *is* easier than going to Daxam to improve things there. It's not going to be easy to rebuild your society while fixing all its myriad flaws - but you're just going to self-righteously leave your parents to make all the same mistakes, aren't you?
23a. Wow, Mon-El. Harsh. You could at least offer to keep in touch. Unless there's more to this story and they're actually super abusive, I guess, but it seems like they love their kid even if they're really crappy monarchs. But maybe no-contact is the way to go with them, in which case, good move, Mon-El.
24. I wonder exactly how many people, from both planets, survived the disaster. I mean, honestly, Kryptonians and Daxamites seem to just keep popping up. Like daisies!
25. Crossover ep is being really blatantly foreshadowed.
I actually enjoyed this episode quite a bit - but the more I like it, the more I want to nitpick it. And even if I criticize their actions, I think everybody acted fairly consistently with their characterization, and in ways that real people would act. I might say from my position that I would act differently, but I know I probably wouldn't.
1. That reveal was way less interesting than I'd hoped, but about what I'd expected.
2. Mon-El, the time to tell Kara was *before* you went up there. Seriously, you had to know she'd do something bizarre and reckless. When does she not? Isn't that why you like her? (Though - hypocritical much? When he does stuff like this to her, she freaks.)
3. Yes, Kara, I'm sure you think he should've told you weeks ago, or never lied in the first place. But you didn't exactly make it easy for him! I'm going to lay the blame around nice and evenly.
4. When did he have time to put on a shirt!?
5. This story makes Mon-El look bad. However, it sounds even more traumatic than the original one, especially if his hesitation is true to life and not just him retconning his past (for his own benefit or for Kara's). I am not any form of shrink, but seriously, shouldn't he be more traumatized by all this?
5a. I wonder if he initially lied not to make himself sound better to them, but because that's how he seriously wished it had happened. I'd definitely prefer to handle survivor's guilt by thinking that I had no choice rather than that I'd cowardly shoved other people out of the way. (And no coincidence that his original story makes the prince - totally not him! - into a real stand-up guy, self-sacrificing for some anonymous guard.)
6. So, all right, his parents loved him, etc. Got it. Buuuuut... they're monarchs. And really invested in that concept. Shouldn't they have spent the past few decades making new heirs and spares? Shouldn't all of Daxam be involved in this great work?
7. "This changes everything!" Well, Kara, I can't explain why he started out lying, but that's exactly why he kept lying. Because he knew you'd react that way. You know, Kara, you benefited from your parents' frankly selfish choices. How many people could have been saved from Krypton, not to mention Daxam, if they hadn't put their efforts into saving their own child and nephew? They could've cut down on the quality of those pods somewhat and boosted production. I refuse to believe that nobody would've been paranoid enough to buy a few "just in case" pods. But nobody is asking you to stop loving your parents, or to introduce yourself to everybody you meet with "My parents contributed to the destruction of our planet and the genocide of two different cultures, then selfishly chose to save me rather than trying to save more people". (Good thing, too. That'd make the title sequence a complete downer.)
Slavery is wrong, but I'll just point out, genocide is also wrong. And for all his personal flaws, Mon-El at least has the courtesy to keep from throwing that in your face every time he's pissed off. (I'll also point out that vanishingly few people seriously repudiate their home culture as children, adolescents, or young adults - especially when it benefits them. Maybe Mon-El should have, he was certainly old enough, but whom exactly was he going to believe? His loving parents and entire society which told him that they worked for the greater good? Or those obnoxious Kryptonians who told him he ought to give up his comfort and luxury because, actually, his loving parents and entire society were evil? Gosh, tough question there. It's easy for Kara - and by extension, the rest of us - to imagine that in his shoes she'd make the right choice, but statistically speaking, she wouldn't. People generally don't.)
7a. And for that matter, unless Earth-3 is dramatically different from our Earth, Kara benefits from slavery right now. But she doesn't seem too broken up over the fact that her ice cream was produced with chocolate harvested by child slaves.
7b. Many people point out that Mon-El has changed. In Kara's defense, to him, it really hasn't been that long... and he only changed to get into Kara's
8. Honestly, Winn? Doofus. You're a complete doofus.
8a. In fact, Starry Night is at the MoMA. Seeing it in person is worth the $25 admission fee, if you can shove your way through the crowd.
9. I really wish Supergirl (the series, not the character) had taken the bold choice not to have any relationship drama.
10. Drunk and distracted? How oppressed could they have been with all that free booze? Were they being oppressed by being forced to party hearty? Because I find it hard to imagine a little liquor is going to keep them from noticing that they're routinely rounded up and shot or that they have to labor in the salt mines 30 hours a day or that... I don't know, whatever is going on besides the enslavement of non-Daxamites. (Which is bad, but not really the sort of oppression that it sounds like Kara means. I doubt the slaves are getting to go to all those parties either, at least, not as guests.) Kara is showing the political sophistication here of a 12 year old child. Which is fair, I mean, how old was she when she last heard anything about those awful Daxamites? But I really wish somebody else would point this out to her already!
11. I'm glad to hear you can admit that your people made mistakes too. But can you accept it? Because you seem to have spent the past season trying not to think too hard about it. Which is probably normal, but maybe not very healthy.
12. Wow, Kara. Everybody is giving you the same advice, even if Mon-El's mom is doing it in a fucked up way and probably didn't mean to give it to you. You can't get away from him. The plot is going to force the two of you together whether you like it or not. Well, "think about other people's viewpoints and consider that you aren't perfect yourself" is good advice anyway, even if you're not going to take it. (I mean, taking it doesn't mean you have to hop right back into bed with him, does it?)
13. Winn, let's say she IS a career con artist. Don't you think she's really good at lying to people, no matter where she looks? Sounds like a necessary skill in that line of work. (Not that that line really works anyway. Most people are crap at telling if somebody else is lying, even people they know well.)
13a. Of course, one would assume a career con artist/art thief would be living in classier digs.
13b. And her thugs would be classier too.
14. Supergirl is working with the DEO. Guardian is doing gigs with the DEO. Doesn't this make them state actors? Even if they're not drawing wages, that's got to create some legal issues.
15. Honey, you're a telepath. Just pay her a damn visit.
16. Oh, Mon-El. You're cute... but you have got to try harder. Your life? Is not a romantic comedy. And just because Kara watches them doesn't mean she wants to live one.
17. That's good advice, Kara. He should definitely talk to his parents.
18. Wow. Winn is a really, really crappy actor.
18a. Yes, he is willing to die for her. Sincerity works better on Winn than lies.
19. Kara, Winn is giving excellent advice here. Consider taking it. The plot isn't going to give you a choice, after all - and I'm sure you could spare yourself a lot of pain by just going along with it.
20. Oh. Well, actually, letting himself in, now that's creepy and stalkery. This is something not to forgive Mon-El for.
21. Seriously, Mon-El, the plot is on your side. Just give her some time.
22. Mon-El always wants things to be easy? Kara, you're the one who breaks up with him every time he sneezes funny! Oh, well. Just add this to the list of things she ought to be speaking to a professional about, but won't. (Seriously, all my favorite characters on this show really ought to be getting professional help, but aren't. Why is there no mental health care on Earth-3?)
23. You know, Mon-El... it seems to me that staying on Earth where it's easy to be the person you like actually *is* easier than going to Daxam to improve things there. It's not going to be easy to rebuild your society while fixing all its myriad flaws - but you're just going to self-righteously leave your parents to make all the same mistakes, aren't you?
23a. Wow, Mon-El. Harsh. You could at least offer to keep in touch. Unless there's more to this story and they're actually super abusive, I guess, but it seems like they love their kid even if they're really crappy monarchs. But maybe no-contact is the way to go with them, in which case, good move, Mon-El.
24. I wonder exactly how many people, from both planets, survived the disaster. I mean, honestly, Kryptonians and Daxamites seem to just keep popping up. Like daisies!
25. Crossover ep is being really blatantly foreshadowed.
I actually enjoyed this episode quite a bit - but the more I like it, the more I want to nitpick it. And even if I criticize their actions, I think everybody acted fairly consistently with their characterization, and in ways that real people would act. I might say from my position that I would act differently, but I know I probably wouldn't.
