‘Supergirl’ recap episode 101: ‘Pilot’

Monday night was the pilot episode of CBS’s Supergirl. In this episode we find out who she is and how she became a superhero.

Kara Zor-El starts telling the story of how she became Supergirl. She says her cousin Kal-El was sent to Earth for his safety. Older, she was sent to protect him, but when Krypton explodes, it knocks her ship off course. She lands in the Phantom Zone, a region in space where time doesn’t pass. She slept there for 24 years until somehow her ship got loose and delivered her to Earth. She didn’t age while in the Phantom Zone, so when she arrives on Earth, her cousin has grown up to become Superman.

Superman delivers her to the Danvers family who raise her so she can have a normal human childhood. They are scientists who helped him discover his own abilities. They have a biological daughter, Alex.

Kara decides to try to fit in on Earth, thinking they don’t need another hero. She’s an assistant for a powerful female media mogul, Cat Grant. Her friend, Winn, works with her and is an alien conspiracy nut. He obviously wants to be more than friends, but Kara doesn’t notice or doesn’t care.

Cat Grant arrives at work. She has a nasty attitude. She wants Kara to write out termination notices for the employees at the Tribune which is Grant’s print newspaper. Kara asks what will happen to the employees and their families. She says the Daily Planet doesn’t have to downsize. Grant says the Daily Planet has Superman. If she wants the Tribune to stay in business, they need something just as juicy.

Kara goes looking for Ms. Grant’s layouts. She finds the new photographer, James Olson. He has a picture of Superman in his office. Kara realizes James is Jimmy Olson from the Daily Planet. She asks him what Superman is like in real life. James talks him up and tells her to take the picture. She thanks him and tells him her name. He says she looks a little like Superman in the face. Kara likes him.

Alex shows up to help Kara pick out an outfit for her internet date before Alex heads to Geneva by plane. Kara says she thought that working for Grant would be a way to make a difference in the world, but instead she just fetches layouts and coffee. Alex says she has a normal life, but Kara tells her she’s not normal. Alex tells Kara to text her about her date and leaves.

While at the bar, Kara’s date tells her he needs to take a call. She hears him ask the waitress for her number and he leaves her there. The television at the bar is on the news and they start talking about a plane to Geneva that is circling the city after apparent engine failure.

Kara runs out the door and sees the plane. She flies to it just as the other engine goes out. Kara lifts and guides the plane and helps it land in the water. When she’s done, she stands on the wing and passengers take her picture with their phones. Alex sees her from the window.

Alex comes to Kara’s apartment. Kara wants to celebrate, but Alex is not happy with Kara’s stunt. She says she exposed herself to the world and can’t take it back. Kara says she doesn’t want to. She’s making a difference. Alex says it isn’t safe. Kara is let down and asks her to leave.

The next day at work, Grant is upset because they don’t have an exclusive. She asks James if he thinks this new hero has anything in common with Superman. James says if she is, she’ll be back because they were born to be heroes. Grant says this could save the Tribune, but they need images and exclusive content.

Kara asks Winn to meet her on the roof. She tells him that she’s the new hero. He doesn’t believe her until she throws herself off the roof and flies back.

A man at a diner is upset with the rescue he sees on the news. He goes outside and climbs into the tanker on his truck where a hologram asks him why the DEO agents on the plane aren’t dead. He said he placed the bomb on board and it detonated, but they were rescued. He says Kara is Alura Zor-El’s daughter. The man in the hologram tells him to add her to the list of people to kill; human casualties don’t matter.

Winn helps Kara find a hero outfit. He taps into the police department and finds a series of crimes for her to help stop. She heads for a fire, but is shot down and collected by uniformed agents. Turns out they work for the DEO – Department of Extra-normal Operations. Alex is one of them.

Alex’s boss, Hank, tells Kara that the DEO helps protect earth from extraterrestrial threats and invasion. He says she accidentally brought a Krypton prison to Earth when she left the Phantom Zone. The worst criminals in the galaxy escaped on Earth. They’ve been emerging over the last year. Kara says she can help the DEO stop them. Hank says the best thing she can do is go back to her normal life and put away the cape.

Kara confronts Alex about always encouraging her to not be who she really is. When Kara leaves, Hank tells Alex that Kara is dangerous.