The Most Epic Fantasy and Sci-Fi Website

Supergirl "S1E9 Blood Bonds" - Review: Bloody good


Supergirl "S1E9 Blood Bonds" - Review: Bloody good
8 out of 10

Secret identities, the majority of superheroes and plenty of villains have them, but are they constructive or are they just a glorified plot device? While it’s fair that the non-playboy billionaire vigilantes out there need to earn some form of income, will they always find the right balance between work and crime fighting play? Should our heroes be doing less journalism, legal practice, test piloting, army nursing etc. and more patrolling the streets? It’s a topic that this week’s Supergirl addresses and in Kara’s case at least proves that a hero’s day job can mean much more than just keeping up appearances.

Blood Bonds – When Hank Henshaw is captured by Non, he demands the DEO release Astra in exchange with General Lane trying to stop this happening. Suspicions continue to rise over Maxwell Lord’s activities promoting James and Winn to investigate while Cat Grant gives Kara the dilemma of admitting she’s Supergirl or losing her job.

So after its later autumn start, National City’s first lady/girl becomes the first superhero TV show to return in January. It left us on quite the mid-battle, mid-air cliff-hanger as Kara along with the DEO were in a desperate fight against Non and his minions. As expected, that’s right where we pick up which brings the show back with one hell of bang as Kara and Non take their fight to the stratosphere. Yet after these opening minutes settle, Blood Bonds becomes a very aftermath/part 2 episode to the mid-season finale but in a good way as it allows many of its plot points plenty of exploration. Cat Grant making the Kara/Supergirl link becomes a great point of comedy as Kara desperately tries to convince her otherwise. It allows Melissa Benoist plenty of awkward and nervous, which as usual, she excels at, and Flockhart’s Grant is delightful as she works her position of power. The random childhood interrogation is a highlight as Kara trips by being too knowledgeable, “Only a person determined to lie can answer all the questions they’re asked; how do you think I caught Lance Armstrong?”. However, like their best exchanges in proceeding episodes, this ultimately develops a great paternal moment as Cat accuses Kara of being irresponsible for spending so much time at work that she could be saving people. Yet the episode still ultimately counters this by showing us that Kara’s day job isn’t just her cover but that spending such time with Cat and her friends is actually her link to humanity; it’s the difference between her and the likes of Astra and Non. It’s a great example of the show’s capability to successfully juggle different themes around the same topic.

click to enlarge

The many different story threads of the episode continue to demonstrate the show’s growth as it branches out in less expected directions. While the forces of Astra and Non remain the principle antagonists of the episode, the story slowly develops into a passing of the dark torch to Maxwell Lord. Kara and friends decide to expose him while slowly get glimpses of Lord in full blown villain mode rather than the sly press manipulator we’re used to. Peter Facinelli is really savouring this material as he slips flashes of sinister into his beaming grin. Much like Flash’s first season, his events (and implied secrets) pull together his part in the preceding episodes as biding his time before becoming a new player in the game. James even suggests he’s planning a “counter against the Kryptonians”, which as previously theorised could develop into a 3-way fight between the DEO, Lord and Astra/Non. Or based on General Lane’s reinforced “Human’s first” stance this episode, even a straight up Humans Vs Aliens & sympathisers showdown as Lane combines his military force with Lord’s techs forcing Astra’s Kryptonians to team with the DEO for survival. Either way, it’s going to be fantastic! The Astra & Kara scenes also continue to impress as we don’t just see Kara sympathising with her aunt but for the first time Astra reciprocating; at least to the extent of not wanting Kara to be killed for the loving bond that deep down still exists between them.

In other small areas, the show is already seeing benefits from establishing the James/Winn friendship as their Photographer Impossible antics prove to be very fun and rewarding, from James’s circumventing the outer door to Winn’s mocking boasts that he can’t just kick a laser grid. Hopefully, we’ll see them mounting more sub-plot side missions as the season continues. Their chemistry heavily benefits by all love triangle/quadrilaterals/whatevers being ditched this week due to having so much else going on. It just lets us enjoy them as quipping bros rather than caring about whose feelings are going where. The episode also sees the show working Hank’s new Martian Manhunter/J’onn Jonzz into the story well. Non’s minion (who looks awesome with its face full of eyes) failing to mind read him is brilliant as Hank plays it to his advantage and although the widening of his trust circle gets merely glanced over, it does produce one of the episode’s best moments.

Many pinpointed The Flash’s season 1 mid-season finale as the point it really started to accelerate, and there’s a real feeling here that Supergirl could be doing the same (even if it doesn’t reach the same top speed). Its long running plots are really getting interesting, especially concerning Maxwell Lord. The show continues present as a refreshing and unique offering among the current palate of superhero TV shows, and it looks like the sky really could be the limit.

For more articles like this, take a look at our Anime and Reviews page.