Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Geekcap: Arrow "Beacon of Hope"


At Iron Heights prison, Brie Larvan AKA the Bug-Eyed Bandit hacks into the prison system to change her release date. When a guard tries to spot what she’s doing, she quickly switches to research on bees, stating that she likes bees. Meanwhile, the rest of Team Arrow train hard with Oliver beating Thea, Laurel, and Diggle to an exhausted pile. Oliver insists they train again, but everyone is exhausted and Thea’s running out of excuses for her bruises at work. Laurel states that this training is excessive since the streets are clear after Dahrk’s takedown, but Oliver says they must prepare for whatever HIVE has planned next. Thea then informs the group that Alex has been offered a job on Ruve Adams’ campaign since Oliver refuses to go back into politics after dropping out in the first place. Laurel awkwardly hints that Palmer Tech is looking for a new head of public relations without personally saying Felicity’s name. Oliver reminds them that she’s not Voldemort, and they can talk about Felicity without worrying about his feelings. Diggle and Thea, however, are more surprised that he’s heard of Harry Potter.

Oliver surrenders himself to Reiter, but Taiana quickly shows up with their weapons to challenge him. Reiter demands for the idol, but Taiana responds by shooting him repeatedly. Unfortunately, none of her shots seem to faze the man who is more determined to see the idol returned to him.
Felicity and Curtis analyze the biochip that they have implanted in Felicity’s spine. Felicity is disappointed in the expensive cost to recreate the technology, preventing them from properly marketing the product to other victims of spinal injuries. Curtis attempts to help the situation, but his current cold keeps interrupting him. Felicity tries to send him home while she deals with the next board meeting for the microchip, but both are interrupted by an impromptu visit by Donna Smoak. Curtis is pleasantly charmed by Donna who came to visit her daughter following the breakup with Oliver, but eventually leaves to nurse his illness. However, the two are later interrupted by Thea who came to ask Thea about Alex’s possible position.

Malcolm visits Damian Dahrk in prison where the man is handcuffed to a table. While he’s curious as to how and why Malcolm Merlyn came to visit him, Dahrk is more curious as to where his followers and resources have gone. Malcolm reminds him that this is what happens when he’s more known for choking and killing people on a whim. His friends at HIVE are glad that he is now locked up in a prison.

Oliver continues to train on his own before he’s stopped by Laurel. From her personal experiences, Laurel understands that he loves people intensely and, despite their history, helps him work through a loss of a love. She then reassures him that she will be there for him.

The board for Palmer Tech waits for Felicity. Suddenly, a board member convulses and falls to the ground dead with hundreds of bees flying out of his wounds. Brie Larvan then appears to the surprise of the board with an army of thousands of bees. Using her own technology, she holds the board and the building hostage for the microchip in the possession of Felicity Smoak allowing her to walk. Unfortunately, this also includes Thea, Donna, and Felicity herself. While Felicity recognizes Larvan from their fight in Central City, she believes that Larvan does not recognize her and merely wants the biochip in the base of her spine. Still, Thea and Felicity are unable to get a signal out of the building thanks to the bees.

Larvan: “You’ll have to excuse my little friends. Their…bee-havior can be appalling sometimes.”

Curtis spots the bees surrounding the building on the news and, despite Paul’s insistence, searches for a way to help Felicity escape. Team Arrow also witness this attack on Palmer Tech on the building when Lance comes to inform them on the details. He informs them on Donna’s presence in the building since he dropped her off and warns the team that not even the police’s Kevlar could protect themselves from the swarm. The team still traces the bee problem back to Brie Larvan using mechanical bees but are unable to come up with a solution on how to stop them.
Time begins running out for the hostages where the women try to find a way out the office. Felicity, fortunately, comes up with a way through the air vents since the bees tracked them down the halls. Using a phone that the team gave him to look for Ray Palmer, Curtis finds the bunker just as the team is prepared to rescue the hostages. From the excitement of discovering the identities behind the Green Arrow and his team, Curtis faints.

Dahrk continues his life in prison when a group of prisoners, including Murmur, gang up on the famous criminal. To prove who’s really in charge, the men beat Dahrk until the guards call them off.
Felicity, Thea, and Donna sneak through a back room while trying to come up with another plan. Since Felicity is away from a computer, she is unable to hack into the bees like last time. Suddenly, the group hears the buzzing of bees, and they sprint down hallways to find a safe spot.

The team wake Curtis up, only to find him still excited to meeting the team and exploring the bunker. Oliver tries to keep Curtis focused in finding out why he’s here. Curtis explains that he wanted to help Felicity and explores her computers to catch up to speed. He then offers himself to hack into the bees and help the team rescue the hostages. Although Oliver is less enthusiastic about having Curtis here, the team needs his knowledge with the absence of Felicity.

Reiter says that he has gained power since killing the men and continues to grow strong off the dead’s life forces. He plans to continue this system through the use of the idol and orders Oliver to hand it to him. When Oliver refuses, Reiter utilizes magic to throw Taiana against the cave wall.

Felicity, Thea, and Donna hide in a utility closet while Curtis attempts to hack the bees after a false start in shutting down the power. He then successfully hacks into a bee and communicates with Felicity that snuck through the closet door. He also informs them that the team is on their way and will meet them at the west exit with the rest of the bees deactivated. When they’re about to meet up, however, Brie Larvan takes control back and forms the bees into a man-sized warrior and stings Oliver.

The team rush Oliver back to the lair while the women remain trapped at Palmer Tech. Oliver begins convulsing as the bees begin to multiple inside him. The women return to the utility closet and begin boarding up the door. Donna starts panicking as Larvan was able to take out the Green Arrow, but Felicity states that they need to trust that he’s okay. Larvan then returns to the screen to inform her that Felicity has only five minutes before she starts taking out board members, making a casual threat to Oliver in the meantime. Thea states to Felicity she cannot turn herself in, but Felicity deduces that if Larvan is in her office, the board members are out of her sight, leaving them open for rescue. Donna interrupts trying to find out what has happened between Felicity and Oliver, but Felicity refuses to talk about it.

Donna: “From now on, I’m wearing flats. These assaults are weekly, it’s ridiculous.”

Curtis tries to devise a way to shut down the bees inside Oliver despite his own sense of panic. He believes that if they could generate a sonic-signal they could damage the frequency of the bees, a technology that is used in Laurel’s Canary Cry. She lets out a powerful scream which disrupts the bees and saves Oliver’s life.

Oliver fights Reiter, but Reiter easily takes him down thanks to his new power. Reiter exclaims that this power is just from one man. With more, he will soon become a god. When he tries to kill Oliver, however, his power begins to wane, giving Oliver the opportunity to fight back.

Thea sneaks supplies from Curtis’ office while Felicity unlocks a secret elevator. Felicity plans to rescue the board members by sneaking them through the old lair. They make through the elevator just before they are caught by the bees. They take the elevator up to the board room, but since the elevator technically doesn’t exist, they stop at a concrete wall. Felicity then uses Curtis’ old T-spheres to cause an explosion into the conference room. The women shove the board members into the elevator before being confronted by Brie Larvan herself. Felicity shoves her mother into the elevator before it closes, leaving her and Thea to confront Larvan on their own.

At gunpoint, Larvan forces Felicity and Thea back into Felicity’s office. Larvan admits her love of bees which Thea and Felicity ridicule before Larvan convulses in pain. She then reveals that there is a tumor wrapped around her spinal cord and, without the biochip, would end up paralyzed. Thea states that having a sob story doesn’t give an excuse for killing people, but once Larvan turns the gun on Thea, Felicity offers the biochip blueprints.

Curtis examines the remaining mechanical bee in the bunker. Since Larvan has discovered Curtis’ hacking, she will undoubtedly be prepared for the next time. Fortunately, Curtis says, they defeated a horde of mechanical bees and the board members are safe. Oliver, however, berates Curtis since Felicity and Thea are still in danger with the city in peril. In a private conversation, Laurel says that Oliver cannot take his anger out on Curtis. Oliver reveals that he simple wants Curtis to see that this life is not good, that he would walk away from it if he could and only returned for Felicity. Laurel reminds Oliver that he only lost Felicity because of his own choices, not because of the Green Arrow, and that life will not be fair. Still, they have saved the city every night and remain a beacon of hope to people because of that.
Dahrk sits in his prison cell where the same prisoners come to finish their goal. Before they can make their move, Murmur then slashes his own partner on Dahrk’s orders. According to Dahrk’s account, the former HIVE leader had threatened Murmur with the death of his grandmother in order to gain some compliance. Now Dahrk retains control of the prison.

Felicity begins to hack back into the system to assure the board members’ safety, all the while bemoaning putting more people in danger. Thea remarks that the team has to push back worrying about things and people to be a beacon of hope for the people since no one else will. Felicity still refuses to rejoin the team since observing the danger from a different perspective, especially since they are now in a Die Hard movie with bees.

Oliver attempts to apologize to Curtis, but Curtis has discovered a virus to upload into the bee system. If Oliver can fire an arrow virus into one of Brie Larvan’s minions, he can probably shut down all of the bees. Oliver congratulates Curtis, but Curtis says not to say anything until it works. Felicity makes her way onto the Internet to see that the rest have gotten to safety when Larvan reenters her office. While she has received the blueprints, she states that she recognizes the coding behind the system as the same one that sent her to prison and now plans to take revenge on Felicity.

Team Arrow returns to Palmer Tech to fight Larvan with Diggle and Laurel blasting the bees surrounding the building while Oliver works his way to Felicity. Felicity’s nearly cornered by another swarm, but Oliver comes in the nick of time. Back at the bunker, Curtis attempts to hack into the new firewall system. Oliver fires the virus arrow but has to wait until Curtis can successfully attack the system. The bee minion knocks Thea aside while Oliver fights back. Curtis nearly controls the bees until the one in the bunker returns to life and attacks Curtis and Lance. Finally, Felicity uses a lamp to attack and short out the bee minion. Lance squashes the bee in the bunker, and Curtis regains control just as Larvan is about to shoot Oliver.

Once the fight is over, the team returns to the bunker where Oliver actually thanks Curtis for a job well done. Laurel remarks on Oliver’s change in tone when he responds that he simply wants to be the beacon of hope that Laurel described. Laurel informs the team that Larvan has suffered from the bee toxin and is now in a coma, preventing her from endangering anyone else. Cutis returns home with Oliver stating that he is welcomed back any time.

Oliver moves to Taiana who remains alive but spots that Reiter has escaped. Oliver says that this is the time to save her friends from Reiter’s prison. When Taiana argues that they would have to face Reiter’s men in order to save her friends, Oliver replies that they will kill them.

Curtis makes his way back home to Paul who’s anxious to know where Curtis has been all day. Curtis informs him that he was chasing a crazy dream of helping the police in a crazy and scary adventure. He states that he believes that his place is with Paul, and he will never go off on crazy adventures again. Back at Felicity’s office, Felicity and Thea clean up the area where Thea asks Felicity if she truly misses the adventure. Felicity admits that she misses helping people and being the beacon of hope that the team provides, yet she refuses to rejoin the team. Instead, she plans to revitalize Palmer Tech to provide the same life-saving technology that saved her to the masses.  

Finally, Malcolm meets up with a new agent who connects him to HIVE: Andy Diggle.

Arrow Notes

  • Lots of movie references in this one episode including but not limited to Aliens, Die Hard, Star Trek, Panic Room, My Girl, and Independence Day.
  • We see the return of Michael Amar AKA Murmur in the release of Damian Dahrk, but what exactly is Monument Point?
  • Curtis may be out of the hero business for now, but do you think he can return for his Terrific destiny?
  • Feel free to visit christopherreeve.org to learn more about how to help real-life fights against paralysis for the world today. 

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

The Geekcap: Supergirl "Worlds' Finest"


Siobhan wakes up in the DEO where they analyze exactly what happened to her. Supergirl states that she’s not Kryptonian, and she doesn’t recognize her from Fort Rozz, though it was a big place. Meanwhile, Supergirl has still had problems winning back the city’s trust, down to organizing a family’s Ikea table. A doctor reveals that Siobhan is not an alien but merely emitted a super-sonic scream that pulverized the cement. However, neither can explain where her powers emerged. Siobhan is furious that no one can help her, but Winn insists that no one will abandon her. Suddenly, she experiences a vision of a strange woman and states that she has to go. Before she leaves, she spots Lucy Lane interrogating a captured Livewire on recent electrical surges in the city. Livewire declares her still-strong desire to take down Cat Grant.

At CatCo, Cat lays out a box of cupcakes which Kara eyes deliciously. Cat states that she knows Kara wants one but knows that she won’t do anything about it until they are swept away by somebody else. The conversation then shifts more literally to Kara’s non-existing romantic relationship with James. While Kara’s less optimistic about the possibility, Cat implies that the best way for Kara to win James back is to show disinterest, make him come to her. Kara still states that she’d rather not talk about it but admits that James was the one who wanted time.

Siobhan walks through the city where she keeps having visions and hearing a high-pitched scream. She then marches into CatCo, despite her previous ban, and stares down Cat and Kara for ruining her life. She lets out another ultra-scream which breaks windows and sends Kara flying out the window. When Kara’s falling down the building, a rip in the universe sends a streak bursting through the city that rescues Kara and brings her to the outer desert. The streak is revealed to be none other than The Flash who’s at once shocked that Kara’s not reacting to her clothes on fire. Kara instead removes her clothes and flies back to the city as Supergirl while the Flash runs behind her. When they meet up, he questions how he can fly. When she responds she’s Supergirl, he states he’s never heard of her. She then asks him about what he is where he introduces himself as the Flash, the fastest man alive, whom she’s never heard of before now. When The Flash learns that she has also never heard of Green Arrow, Black Canary, Firestorm, the ATOM, or Zoom, he realizes what’s going on now. He introduces himself as Barry Allen.

Barry: How'd you do that?
Kara: I'm Supergirl?
Barry: You're who now?

At CatCo, Barry researches and finds that while there is a Central City, there is no STAR Labs, Harrison Wells, Cisco Ramon, or Caitlin Snow, no one who can help him return home. Kara’s more curious to learn about Barry’s statement that he is from another earth. She then introduces him to Winn and James, the former who is more than excited at the concept of the multiverse being true. Meanwhile, Barry’s surprised to learn that Kara is an alien. He then explains the concept of the different earths which vibrate at a different frequency with alternating realities, proving if one could move fast enough and vibrate at the same frequency, he could travel to different universes. When James questions how someone could travel that fast, Barry demonstrates by speeding through and giving them all ice cream cones. He explains his story as another superhero, but while has traveled through time before accidentally, he has never breached universes. Until he can figure this out, he’s stuck. Kara says they will help him and proceeds to start by giving him his 10,000 calorie intake. In the meantime, Winn notices James’ discomfort with Barry’s appearance.

Before they can leave, however, they come across Cat who is eager to create a new story about Kara’s rescue by a new superhero rival for Supergirl. When Kara and Barry both try to reason out of that title for the Flash, Cat questions who he is, leading to everyone bumbling through an alibi. Cat then requests James for a photo of the speedster with Kara speaking to no one about the story until they break it. She then tries to come up with a name for the hero, first starting off with The Whoosh or The Red Streak or The Blur. Barry throws in The Flash, but Cat rejects it as a name for a guy who’s only power is jumping out of alleys in a trench coat and settles with The Blur. Cat then talks to Kara and also remarks on James’ discomfort with Barry.

Siobhan meets up with an eccentric aunt as she pawns off items to gullible customers. Her aunt explains to her that their family has been cursed with a banshee who will haunt her for the rest of her life. However, since she has been wronged in her life, she can tap into the power of the spirit with her super-sonic scream. The only way to quiet the spirit is to kill the person who wronged her, though her aunt warns that she will lose her humanity should she do so. Siobhan desires to kill Kara for getting her fired but believes that she is protected by Supergirl and Cat Grant. She decides to break Livewire out of the DEO with her scream, allowing the villain to escape.

Lucy informs Kara that Livewire has escaped, so Kara immediately informs Cat. Kara believes that Livewire will eventually take her revenge on Cat, but Cat stays where she is, stating that unlike the rest of the city, she has faith in Supergirl. With the threat alive and Siobhan still loose, Kara turns to Barry for help. She promises that once those two are caught they will resume their plan of getting Barry home.

Kara introduces that Flash to the DEO where he excitedly tries to take a picture with Kara’s spaceship. Lucy is at first furious with Supergirl bringing a powered being in the premises, but Supergirl states that he is here to stop Livewire with the Flash introducing himself as Barry Allen. He also states that he can help as a CSI forensic scientist, his day job. Supergirl brings him to her sister’s lab, something that is currently vacant after Alex’s absence.

Livewire appears in an abandoned warehouse where there’s case filled with her favorite beer. Siobhan introduces herself, but Livewire’s unimpressed. Siobhan holds her ground revealing that she was the one who broke her out of the DEO and wants her help. Since Livewire wants revenge on Cat Grant and Siobhan wants revenge on her assistant, Siobhan deduces that if they work together, they can take out both women and defeat Supergirl who protects them both. Livewire then agrees to the teamup, as long as Siobhan can change her look.

Barry and Supergirl work on tracking Livewire while James looks on in jealousy. Lucy remarks on that to James who tries to brush it off, but Lucy knows better. She then tells him that if he’s holding back because of her that he has to move on since they were never meant to work out together. Barry finds Livewire in her abandoned warehouse, and Supergirl prepares to rush out to them. Barry, however, states that they should probably have a plan rather than just popping in and fighting, but Supergirl insists that the longer they wait, the worse things will become. The two heroes then take off for the warehouse.



Supergirl and the Flash arrive at the warehouse, which Supergirl proudly states she got there first. The Flash, however, states that he was securing the block. They face off against Livewire with the Flash attempting to use his lighting toss against her, only to help recharge her and have her blast him. Supergirl attempts to set off the sprinkler system but is caught off guard by a sonic scream. Livewire introduces them to Silver Banshee, Siobhan’s new alter-ego. Supergirl tries to reason with her, but she blasts another scream. Supergirl and the Flash use their abilities to blast the villains aside but end up retreating with no other plan.

Back at CatCo, Kara tries to recover but feels loss at how to deal with everything. She apologizes to Barry for rushing in without a plan and explains her sadness at losing the trust of the city. Barry then recounts a time where he also lost the trust of his city but eventually regained it with time. Ironically, he says the best thing she can do is slow down and let the solution happen. Kara thanks him for the advice. The two head back to the DEO.

Cat remains at CatCo despite the threat of Livewire around, but Livewire then appears on the monitors before appearing in the flesh. Silver Banshee then appears to face down Cat about to blast her through the window. Winn tries to reason with her, understanding what it is to have family he isn’t proud of, but she blasts him as well. At the DEO, Barry helps recreate a pair of earbuds he used to defeat a villain named the Pied Piper to block out Silver Banshee’s eardrum-shattering scream. Lucy then informs the two that Cat has been kidnapped, only to be called out by Livewire on screen. The two then race off to face the villains at National City Park.

Barry: What’s say we step away from the nice lady. Settle this like women. What? There are more of you guys here than me.

Livewire and Silver Banshee hold Cat Grant hostage at the city center terrorizing the people to goad Supergirl into appearing. When Livewire’s prepared to kill Cat, Cat finally begs for her life, if only for the sake of her sons. Without her, they would have no one. Supergirl and the Flash then appear to resume their battle with the villains. When Silver Banshee tries her scream, Barry’s earbuds protect the two from shattered ear drums. The superheroes take the fight to the villains with the Flash fighting Livewire and Supergirl stopping Silver Banshee. Supergirl breaks Cat free but is slammed to the ground by Silver a surprise attack Banshee. The Flash tries to fight Livewire, but she escapes through a powerline. When she reappears by Silver Banshee, Livewire spots a helicopter and attempts to take it down. Supergirl then bravely flies in front of the helicopter and takes the full assault of the electrical attack, bringing her down to the ground. Moved by Supergirl’s selflessness, the people of National City stand to protect Supergirl from the villains, even if it risk themselves. When Livewire prepares to blast the citizens, she is blasted by an intense spray of water from a group of firemen, the same ones Supergirl saved before her red kryptonite encounter. They proudly help her stand, stating that it was their turn to save her.

After the takedown, the people of National City have renewed sense of trust of Supergirl, much to Kara’s delight. She then reveals that thanks to Barry, the National City police has a new method of locking up metahumans where they will receive the fair trial they deserve. Kara then asks Cat for some time to see Barry off which Cat allows given his time zipping around in red costume. Kara is shocked that Cat knew all this time, but Cat points out that Barry showed up the same time, insisted on the name The Flash, and portrayed a too up-beat demeanor that he just had to be a superhero. After all, she can spot the extraordinary pretending to ordinary easily.

In the desert, Barry reveals his plan which bares resemblance to his foray into time travel with the Reverse Flash. He believes that with Kara and his speed combined, she can give him the push to finally break the dimensional barrier. In other words, Kara notes, they need to have a race. Before they start, however, Barry gives her a last piece of advice on how to deal with James. While he previously advised to take things slow on being a hero, he states that perhaps she should take things faster in relationships since he figures from experience. The two then take their positions and race through the area before Kara gives Barry a push through the next dimension.

Barry: Think you can keep up, Girl of Steel?
Kara: Just you watch, Scarlet Speedster.

Back at Kara’s apartment, Kara talks to James about what Barry talked to her about different universe, more specifically how they can coexist despite vibrating at different wavelengths. Through the metaphor, she actually states that she believes that they can coexist together, that she’s ready to try this relationship. She punctuates this moment with a passionate kiss to James which he seems to reciprocate. When she’s finished, however, he just stares at her. At first, Kara fears she did something wrong, but then James abruptly walks out of her apartment without a word. Kara then looks out her door and window and sees that everyone in National City is wordlessly walking to the center like mindless drones.


In the distance, it is revealed that Non is responsible for the situation, proclaiming that Myriad has been activated. First, they will take over National City, then the world, for Astra. 

Super-Notes

  • The title "Worlds' Finest" refers to the popular comic-book run of adventures featuring a cross between Batman and Superman called "World's Finest." Obviously, the slight tweak refers to Supergirl and the Flash being from two different worlds (and networks). 
  • Lots of references to the Arrowverse in this episode including but not limited to Green Arrow, Black Canary, Firestorm, the ATOM, Zoom, Central City, STAR Labs, Harrison Wells, Cisco Ramon, Caitlin Snow, Blackout, the Pied Piper, and Speedy (the name Lucy Lane gives Barry before he introduces himself).
  • Barry's reference to an earth where all the good guys are bad guys comes from the episode "Welcome to Earth-2" where he faces off against Killer Frost, Deathstorm, and Reverb, evil counterparts of Caitlin, Ronnie, and Cisco. 
  • Cat refers to Barry with Supergirl’s team as "the attractive yet non-threatening, racially-diverse cast of a CW show" without really knowing that Barry is indeed from a CW show.
  • The Blur might be a familiar term to some DC/CW fans. It’s the same name Clark Kent used for his early superhero days before Superman in Smallville. 
  • The device on the Flash's costume looks pretty similar to the Reverse Flash's tachyon particle device from the previous season. Could Barry be using it to go faster than Zoom?
  • Who do you think would win in a race: Supergirl or the Flash?

Thursday, March 24, 2016

The Geekcap: Arrow "Broken Hearts"



In Star City, a couple is being held hostage by Cupid. She asks the two how much they love each other, and each replies with their whole lives. With this response, she instead rebukes them that love is a bullet to the brain or, in this case, an arrow to the heart. She then fires two arrows killing the couple. A court case begins with the people represented by Laurel against Damien Darhk. Darhk’s lawyer moves to end the case by claiming that his client, Kenneth Bender, had nothing to do with the case. Laurel protests that he was found at the scene of a kidnapping case, but the lawyer remarks that Bender too was kidnapped and that Laurel has no proof of anything otherwise beyond the words of the media.

Meanwhile, Felicity begins organizing her items for the moving truck as she prepares to leave the loft. Oliver remarks on how well her physical therapy is doing with Felicity adding that Paul and Curtis are a perfect team, the marrying type. While the two are still awkward regarding their recent breakup, they still attempt to help each other with canceling the wedding plans. Felicity, however, states that she will still remain part of the team, just like she was before they were an item, something that surprises Oliver. 

In the flashback, Reiter forces Oliver and Taiana through the tunnel until the group comes to a totem, the same one that will be owned by Damien Darhk. Reiter tells them the story of him growing up in Africa, how his entire village was destroyed. From that moment, he vowed that he would never be powerless again. Oliver questions him on what makes him different than the men who killed the villagers, but Reiter states that he is different. To prove it, he kills one of his own men.

After a slow night in the city, the team returns to the base to have Laurel alert them to Darhk’s case. Since the ghost at the scene took a cyanide pill and Andy’s officially dead, there is no one left to testify against Darhk. Diggle suggests himself, Thea, and Felicity since they were kidnapped by Darhk at the holiday party. Laurel states that a kidnapped fiancé would make a sympathetic story, only to have Felicity reveal to the team that she and Oliver are no longer a couple. Thea then informs Oliver that Lance wants to talk to him about a special case. When Oliver arrives, he finds the kidnapped couple placed in a heart shape with a note that reads “Love is dead.”

Thea: "It's Cupid, stupid."

Team Arrow begins to work on the fact that Cupid has returned. Diggle reveals that she likely moved her way out of prison after working for Task Force X. When Thea recognizes the couple murdered as Blaine and Shannon, the wedding of the decade, the team believes that she is murdering high-profile couples. In the meantime, Diggle begins to testify on the kidnapping, but Darhk’s lawyer starts to poke holes in Diggle’s credibility by revealing his and Thea’s purchase of cocaine a few months earlier. While Laurel tries to argue against this relevance, the lawyer persists in proving Diggle and Thea’s mistrust. When the angle fails, Lance offers to testify himself as an accomplice to Darhk, but Laurel refuses since the act would implicate him as well. Felicity tracks Cupid in another kidnapping of a high profile couple Alison and Robert (Alibert), and the team moves.

Oliver and Thea track Cupid stealing a limo with the newlyweds. When Thea tries to grab hold of the vehicle, she’s thrown off when it crashes into warehouse. Against Felicity’s advice, Oliver goes after Cupid alone. While he finds and rescues the couple, Cupid attacks him by surprise. He tries to bring her in, but she escapes. When the team returns to the base, Thea and Diggle note Oliver and Felicity’s tension when Felicity says she understands Cupid’s pathology against couples. The two suggest to Oliver that he talks to Felicity about wanting to get back together, since it may be something Felicity wants to hear. Back on the island, the man who Reiter killed has his soul drawn out by the totem. When Reiter tries to draw power from it, Oliver and Taiana use it as a chance to escape while Taiana steals the totem.

Lance once again approaches Laurel about being put on the stand, especially none of the other holiday party witnesses will stand up to Darhk. Laurel doesn’t want to see her father in jail, but she agrees to let him on the stand as long as he says that he was under duress from Darhk threatening her. Felicity tracks Cupid’s movements to a single location where the team searches next. While they don’t find Cupid, they find a shrine of high-profile couples she plans to take out, the next one being Oliver and Felicity. From that shrine, Oliver says that a way to draw her out would be to fake their wedding with Thea and Diggle apprehending Cupid in the attack, an idea Felicity dreads. Thea plans to leak the news of a small personal wedding to drive the news while Oliver uses the service he never cancelled. Felicity nevertheless says that their relationship is over.

On the island, Reiter radios to Oliver that they can either willfully surrender or his men will shoot them. Taiana tries to break the totem but finds that she cannot break it. At court, Lance takes the stand and testifies against Darhk and H.I.V.E. through the crimes he committed after Darhk threatened his daughter. When Darhk’s lawyer tries to undermine his words, Lance says that he is risking his entire career revealing his connection to the crimes. He wouldn’t be saying these things unless they were true.

Oliver: “I will never lie to you again. You are my always, and I just want the chance to be yours.”

The team prepares for the wedding with Thea on sight, Diggle outside the building, and the paparazzi in the lobby. While the wedding is fake, Oliver and Felicity prepare and come dressed prepared for the event. Felicity wants to quickly end the ceremony by speeding through her vows on wanting to move on to the next chapter. However, Oliver personalizes his fake vow by stating that Felicity is his light and his always, and if he had a chance, he would never lie to her again. Before Felicity can respond, the two are interrupted by Cupid who fires an arrow into Oliver’s chest and plans to blow up the building. Oliver stands up, revealing that he had a Kevlar suit to protect himself. Cupid still plans to destroy the building after losing two men that she loved, the Arrow and Deadshot. Her actions will prove that love is death, but Felicity steps in and says that love is worth living for, that it ultimately changed her life and gave her hope. This gives enough time for Thea and Diggle to move in and take down Cupid while Oliver prevents her from blowing up the building.

Felicity: "Love is life itself and if I die tonight, it’ll be okay, because I was one of those people lucky enough to have experienced it."


Oliver and Felicity leave the lobby among many paparazzi with Oliver remarking on Felicity’s words. Oliver believes that the two should talk about what they said, but Felicity says she’s too tired to think about what happened. On the island, Oliver and Taiana defeat some of Reiter's men, taking back their guns and the fight to him. At the trial, the judge states that while there is limited evidence against Darhk, Lance’s testimony has proven to be especially interesting, opening the case to full trial and having them hold Darhk in custody without bail. Unfortunately, Lance’s testimony also forces him to be suspended pending an investigation of his actions.

Oliver and Felicity finally confront each other on their words. While Felicity states that she loves him, she doesn’t believe that she can be with him or marry him. Oliver says that he will change, but Felicity says that there will always be a part of him that will be the man on the island, someone who acts alone. As a final response, Felicity quits the team seeing it as too painful to see each other every night and not be together.


In the final scene, Darhk is placed in prison but secretly retains his ring which he places on his finger with a smile.

Arrow Afterthoughts

  • Alison and Robert's couple name Alibert doesn't just represent the wedding of the century. It may also be a shout-out to actress Ali Liebert who notably doubled for Felicity in "A.W.O.L." and appeared in Legends of Tomorrow as Sara's nurse love interest Lindsy Carlisle.
  • Look out for the first on-screen reference to the popular trend Olicity near the end of the episode!
  • Was anyone else surprised at Thea's knowledge of Star City power couples? She was so on point in this episode!
  • Oliver and Felicity may have remained broken up this week, but could there be "A Beacon of Hope" next week? (I couldn't resist)

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The Geekcap: The Flash "Trajectory"



Over a thousand-foot cliff, Team Flash try to get Barry’s speed up in a dangerous test. While everyone’s ambivalent about Barry running across one thousand feet of air, Barry insists that he needs to get faster to stop Zoom. He begins his run and makes it nearly halfway across the cliff before he falls. Fortunately, Cisco rigged up drones with a safety net to save the speedster.

Back at the base, where they now keep Jay’s helmet in a place of honor, Jesse sees the team return while being confused at Senator Knowles being a popstar. Barry is still frustrated at being unable to cross the cliff and wants to continue tests. Cisco, however, suggests that they take a break to recuperate by going out to a club, a suggestion that Caitlin actually agrees to trying. Jesse asks Harry for permission to go, but Harry initially rejects it. Jesse argues that he wanted her to be more active in the new world and get to know the team, along with the fact that Zoom is in an alternate universe. Harry then agrees, so long as she takes metahuman watch for protection.

Barry, Cisco, Caitlin, and Jesse go to a local club where they toast to Jay (until Barry points out that Jesse’s underaged). The group run into Iris and Wally, who’s equally out of place in the club that Barry picked. Barry then admits that he doesn’t know much about clubs, only that this place got four stars on Yelp. Jesse meets Wally, with the two unexpectedly hitting it off until Jesse’s watch beeps erratically. She goes to the bathroom to turn it off, only to come across a secret recording from Harry after killing the Turtle. Cisco then offers to dance with Caitlin which turns into wild moves on the dance floors. Alone with Barry, Iris notes how odd it is that they’re married both in the future and on Earth-2. Before they can discuss further, however, a burst of lightning bolts through the club and steals everyone’s wallets just like the Flash. Barry attempts to chase after the new speedster but finds himself unable to keep up the chase.

Joe arrives at the scene of the crime where they try to figure what happened. Iris, unfortunately, finds that a woman had taken a picture of the blur looking similarly to the Flash, something her new boss Scott is anxious to exploit. Iris tries to argue against the Flash being a petty criminal, but Scott insists on a new article tomorrow. Back at STAR Labs, Jesse confronts Harry on his desperation to rescue her leading to being a killer, but Harry doesn’t deny his fear of losing her to Zoom. The team try to discover the origins of the new speedster when Caitlin reveals the creation of the Velocity-9. While it creates super speed, it has devastating effects in cellular degeneration. Barry is frustrated that another way to gain speed exists, but Caitlin insists that she cannot find a cure for the effects. Cisco touches Caitlin but then receives a vibe seeing Zoom on Earth-2. Before he can explain it, the team is alerted to the new speedster’s presence downtown, and Barry races to find her.

The speedster causes chaos down the streets while Barry attempts to slow it down. After colliding, Barry discovers that the speedster is, in fact, a woman. Cisco’s surprised at the existence of a lady speedster and wonders how she looked (for science). Her identity is still unknown, but, from noticing that her suit was made from the same material as the Flash, the team deduce that she must have access to some lab. Caitlin recalls a colleague from Mercury Labs who helped her fill in some holes for the structure of Velocity-9 name Eliza Harmon. Harry notes that with the few details she had, Eliza could always reverse-engineer her own formula, but Caitlin believes that it would be out of character for her. Caitlin and Joe decide to see for themselves.

At Mercury Labs, Caitlin meets up with Eliza who appears friendly though addicted to work. Caitlin admits that she came to question her regarding a new speedster and the drug they worked on together. Eliza believes that it couldn’t have come from this lab but that security has been laxed since Mcgee’s kidnapping. While she doesn’t offer any leads, she offers any kind of help as a friend to Caitlin. Meanwhile, Iris has been putting off her article by stating that she knows for a fact that the speedster was not the Flash, but, without a valid source, Scott refuses to let her run that angle. In order to distract from smearing the Flash, Iris offers to go with Scott to get some coffee which he accepts.

At Mercury Labs, Eliza overworks herself, complaining that she’s six months behind in her work despite the drug’s effects. A voice remarks behind her that it’s only because she’s a perfectionist and refuses to revel in chaos. Eliza notes that it’s all her fault for getting them hooked on the drug in the first place, but the voice states the Caitlin was the one who left the formula out in the open for them to take. Against Eliza’s better judgement, she takes the remaining vial of her Velocity-9, revealing herself to be the female speedster with a new plan on how to get more.

Barry and Harry talk about Barry’s training where Barry once again suggests taking the Velocity-9 to level the playing field against other speedsters. Harry states that every time he compromises his values he loses a piece of his humanity, and taking the Velocity-9 is a great risk. Harry remarks that Barry should try to emulate Jay who worked for his speed. Suddenly, STAR Labs is infiltrated by the female speedster who locks the Flash in the pipeline. She then knocks Joe aside and takes his gun. She calls herself Trajectory and demands that Caitlin hand over a case of Velocity-9. In the chaos, Cisco gets another vision of Zoom, but Trajectory is adamant and threatens to kill them one by one starting with Jesse. Harry states that they will make some for her.

At Jitters’, Iris and Scott talk about the Flash, whom Iris considers a hero, but Scott looks with scrutiny. He tells a story of writing a story about a corrupt mayor who had the city’s support but had a campaign bought and paid for by the mob. He states that their jobs as reporters is to report on the truth, and even heroes are held accountable, remarking that this must be a turnoff for the people she dates. Iris, however, says this isn’t a date, leading Scott to understand that she just wanted to distract him from posting the article. Iris apologizes, but Scott tells her to save it.

Harry and Caitlin complete a vial of Velocity-9, but Trajectory doesn’t trust the scientists. She then sticks Jesse with the formula to prove its worth and steals the rest when Jesse survives. However, after Trajectory leaves, Jesse collapses in a seizure from the drug. Caitlin states that a blood transfusion will flush the drug from her system with Harry being a perfect match in PZ Negative, which Cisco notes is not a thing on this earth. Jesse survives the drug, but she still expresses mistrust in her father willing to give Trajectory everything she wanted just to save her.

Caitlin reveals that she placed a tracker in the drug to find her moving back and forth on a city bridge. Barry deduces that Trajectory is building up enough friction to destroy the bridge and everyone on it. Barry runs to find the bridge collapsing beneath the people. He manages to rescue the 200 people on them but still has to fight Trajectory. When the bridge collapses, he has no choice but to make the jump at Mach 3.3, a feat he finally accomplishes. He tries to stop Trajectory to appeal to Eliza, but she takes the drug anyway. When she attempts to run away, however, her lightning turns blue and causes her to evaporate into thin air.


Iris reveals to Scott her new article about the Flash stopping Trajectory, stating that it was easier to write the truth. She also remarks that after getting over the initial surprise, she wouldn’t be opposed to a date with him, much to his pleasure. At STAR Labs, Harry finds Jesse’s watch where she recorded a message stating that she has left on her own to discover what the world can offer in Opal City. Barry reveals to the others on Eliza’s blue lighting comparing it to Zoom. Harry believes that Zoom, too, is dying and requires a cure from the Velocity-9, just like Jay. Cisco then reveals his vibes about Zoom coming from Jay’s helmet, discovering for themselves that Jay is really Zoom.   

Favorite Quotes:

  • "Yeah, I picked it. I don’t go out much. It had four stars on Yelp." -Barry
  • “I wonder what our married doppelgangers are doing right now?” -Barry “Probably the Earth-2 equivalent of Netflix and chill.” -Iris
  • “Wow, how very Law and Order of you, Caitlin.” -Eliza
  •  “Villains gonna vill.” -Cisco 

The Geekcap: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "Parting Shot"


The episode begins with Bobbi being captured by a Russian officer at Interpol Black Site in Moscow. The officer questions Bobbi and accuses her of being responsible for the assassination of three Russian figures as a former SHIELD agent. Bobbi refuses to answer, instead asking for a cheeseburger. The officer then asks her what exactly happened.

We move back 34 hours ago where Bobbi and Hunter are trying to track a vehicle. Bobbitt tags the car for the rest of the team on the Zephyr One as they track the movement to a facility in a distant wasteland. Coulson deduces that they plan to keep the Inhumans in an out-of-the-way compound acting as a prison camp. Hunter steals a Russian vehicle, and the two head for the facility.
In another flashforward, Hunter is also being interrogated by the same officer who is less than flattered by Hunter’s attitude. Hunter claims that he and Bobbi were simply out picking mushrooms for mushroom soup, but the officer insists on their implication in the assassination. Hunter states that they were only accosted unfairly by Russian soldiers and proceeds to discuss his recipe for mushroom soup.

31 hours earlier, Bobbi and Hunter make it to the facility where the team searches for key figures. Hunter wants to kill Malick, but Coulson states that killing a former member of the World Security Council on Russian soil would only start a war. The two are put on surveillance duty awaiting a back-up team if things go south. Hunter takes the time to talk with Bobbi, remarking on how they haven’t spent any time alone together in a while. Bobbi says that they have to make sacrifices for their job, but Hunter says that they’ve made too many compromises involving Ward and Carl Creel. The best solution might be a break. Bobbi then spots the soldiers leading a man in the facility with an iron helmet around his head, believing him to be an Inhuman. Before they can react, the two are caught by soldiers.

Bobbi attempts to throw off the guards with Hunter claiming they were looking for mushrooms. When that doesn’t work, they beat the soldiers unconscious. The Zephyr One arrives to provide back-up with Bobbi discovering that Malick has brought cabinet members to see the Inhuman. With other figures on the line, Daisy, May, and Mack join the mission. Daisy and Mack join Bobbi to infiltrate the base since Bobbi’s the only one who can speak Russian while May works with Hunter to survey the area. In another flashforward, the officer continues to interrogate Bobbi and Hunter, asking Bobbi personal questions about her role with Hunter with Hunter responding only with his recipe for mushroom soup. The talk continues until Bobbi states to the officer that she did not kill one figure. Through that statement, the officer concludes that she has implicated Hunter as the assassinator, though she quickly says otherwise. Additional officers take Hunter away, likely leading him to the firing wall.

29 hours earlier, May and Hunter track guards around the area, only to find a dead body hidden in the shadows. May reveals that the body is, in fact, the Russian Prime Minister’s attaché. Meanwhile, Bobbi, Daisy, and Mack infiltrate a security office. Bobbi plans to sneak in as a Russian guard while Daisy operates the security system, despite being ancient and in Russian. Mack spots Malick and Petrov in the facility for Bobbi to make her move. In the meeting, Petrov asks for Malick’s assistance with the Inhuman sanctuary, mostly due to the Prime Minister’s opposition against the project. Petrov remarks that this is only because the Prime Minister’s opposition, the ministers currently at this meeting, support it, under their general who happens to be the first Inhuman politician. The general was, in fact, responsible for the murder of the attaché because of the Prime Minister’s view of Inhumans and is now restrained because of his actions. Malick, however, remarks that in order to properly lead and guide the Inhumans in sanctuary, they need a leader in the general. Coulson deduces that Malick is staging a coup to eliminate the Prime Minister.

Again in interrogation, Bobbi asks to know about Hunter’s well-being, but the officer wants to know about her connection to SHIELD. Bobbi maintains that SHIELD has fallen, and the only one responsible is Gideon Malick. The officer gives her the ultimatum that either she outs SHIELD and the American government for the assassination or Hunter faces the firing squad.

28 hours earlier, Hunter is restless watching guards with May who has admitted that she doesn’t trust him as a friend. May states that friends don’t risk lives for personal vendettas like he did for Andrew, but Hunter adds that he would sacrifice his life for any one of them with or without SHIELD. May remarks that SHIELD is about sacrifice for the greater good, and Hunter needs to accept that.

Bobbi nearly tails Malick before being stopped by a Russian officer and locked out by a mechanical door. While Daisy tries to translate her way to opening the door, Fitz and Simmons analyze the attaché’s body to discover that while he was strangled, there were no visible fingerprints, hinting at some telekinetic ability. Hunter and May spot Malick outside the building without the general, questioning his next move. Fortunately, Daisy finally unlocks the door for Bobbi to track Petrov. Fitz, howeverm tracks additional jets in the area matching the Prime Minister’s pattern, revealing that Malick plans to kill the Prime Minister in the facility. Coulson orders the team to stop the Inhuman general, but, as Bobbi notes, they have no idea what he can do.

-Daisy: “De nada.”
Bobbi: “Pretty sure that’s not Russian.”

May and Hunter abandon their mission to track Malick to rescue the Prime Minister who’s walking into a trap with the general in the open. Coulson orders Hunter to protect the Prime Minister while May, Mack, and Daisy fighting the general. In the midst of this, Simmons discovers the general’s abilities by noticing his shadow moving on its own. In the meeting, the Prime Minister denounces the Russian soldiers as traitors to the country for the death of his attaché, but SHIELD quickly intervenes. May and Daisy take out the soldiers, Hunter takes the Prime Minister, and Bobbi takes the general. The general, however, sets his shadow loose on the team. The shadow proves intangible to hits, weapons, and Daisy’s powers by knocking Mack unconscious. Simmons notes that the shadow comprises of a dark force that can shift its density at will but can’t find a way to defeat it. In the fight, the general escapes.

Hunter escapes with the Prime Minister, shooting Petrov in the process, but Bobbi and Daisy are left to fight the shadow to no avail. The shadow finally knocks Daisy out and goes after Hunter. Mack offers to take Daisy back to the ship while Bobbi goes after the general himself. Unfortunately, Bobbi’s only choice is to shoot the general in front of other Russian officials, implicating her and Hunter in the assassination.

Now in present day, Bobbi and Hunter are reunited. While they’re happy to see each other, they realize that their opportunities are slim in their position of being accused of assassination. The Prime Minister speaks with President Ellis, believing Hunter and Bobbi to be either working for the government or SHIELD to move ahead in the Inhuman arms race. The president, however, remarks that he should be thankful they saved his life. Unfortunately, the Prime Minister is not in a hurry to explain the deaths of three of his political figures and demands an option. From the shadows, Coulson appears to speak with the Prime Minister as an advisor to the ATCU. Coulson notes that the general who was killed tried to assassinate him, so their motives weren’t exactly malevolent. The Prime Minister still demands some repercussions for what happened.
Coulson walks in and introduces himself to the couple to explain their options. Suddenly, the video feed to the room goes out, giving Coulson, Bobbi, and Hunter ninety seconds to go over the extraction plan. While Coulson gives them clear instructions, the two refuse to go through with it. They argue that even if they do leave, they will still be fugitives, and neither want to be stuck in the lab or at a desk. With few options left, Coulson gives them an out. The video feed comes back on to hear Coulson reprimanding them for straying too close the facility, and the two apologize for their actions. The two also confirm that SHIELD is dismantled to satisfy the Prime Minister. Before he leaves, Coulson thanks Hunter and Bobbi for their actions in saving the Prime Minister’s life and their sacrifice. To the team’s sorrow, Coulson returns to the Zephyr One without Hunter and Bobbi, revealing that they have abdicated their positions in SHIELD.

At a bar, Bobbi and Hunter share a drink while discussing where to go next with the world open to them. Unbeknownst to them, a stranger casually watches them talk, but the two are interrupted when the waitress comes by with a free shot from a secret admirer who preferred to stay anonymous. Bobbi and Hunter look around the bar only to find Simmons in a corner booth. The waitress comes by with another free shot, and the two then spot Fitz on the other side. Bobbi remarks that this is a spy’s goodbye, the team’s toast to their leave. The waitress then brings buy three extra shots, each one from May, Daisy, and Coulson on each side of the bar. Subtly, they all raise their drinks, take their shots, and leave one by one with Mack being the last one to tearfully leave. Bobbi and Hunter take each other’s hand, preparing for their lives outside SHIELD.


In the final scene, Malick practices shooting flying targets when he’s interrupted by his daughter. She asks him how the situation in Russia worked out which he admits did not go according to plan. She then wonders when she can meet the Hive himself, but Malick states that he’s not at full power yet and his plan is still unknown. Malick’s daughter, however, says she knows his plan: to change the world. 
A toast to Bobbi and Hunter. Let's hope we see them soon in Marvels Most Wanted!

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Geekcap: Supergirl "Manhunter"



Kara mournfully watches the news with a reporter presenting the failing image of Supergirl. Since her rampage on the city, both criminals and citizens alike are terrified of Supergirl arriving to the scene. While people, including CatCo, have implied that Supergirl was altered mentally when she attacked, but few believe the story and fear what would happen should it ever happen again. Cat is furious at the city’s inability to have faith in Supergirl, especially with crime rates up 40%, but still believes that there’s a chance that the hero can win back the city’s good faith. She asks for Kara, but Winn informs her that she took a sick day, which, shockingly, lasts a whole day.  Before Cat can protest, Winn receives a text from Siobhan and rushes out the room, leaving James to answer the phones for Cat Grant. The news also reports on the strange new alien monster spotted on the scene.

"If Mel Gibson can present at the Golden Globes, then Supergirl can win the city back."-Cat

Winn talks to Siobhan who’s suffering from unemployment. No other news system will take her after Cat’s disapproval, and all Siobhan can blame is Kara, especially since it was her dream to work in news. Winn tries to comfort her saying that she can accomplish anything she wants which Siobhan takes to heart. Meanwhile, Alex moves to talk to Hank, who is still be held prisoner by his own organization, by offering chocolate cookies, his favorite. Hank advises Alex to abandon her dedication to him and instead say he betrayed the group. Alex refuses to do that, but Hank warns her that they will do worse things to her if she stays by him. Alex agrees to lie but refuses to abandon Hank.

At the DEO, the army led by Lucy Lane and Colonel James Harper, the newly-appointed head of the DEO, come in to question J’onn J’onzz. Off the back, Col. Harper is immediately distrusting of the organization and plans to find out everything he can about the new alien. The military takes Hank into a fortified room containing a stasis field that prevents J’onn from using his powers as well as from Kara listening in on the conversation. Hank agrees to their interrogation nevertheless.
Ten years ago, Hank Henshaw led the DEO on a mission to the Peruvian Andes where the organization has been tracking an old alien fugitive, a manhunter. Hank advises the team to quickly swarm and destroy the creature, but Jeremiah, Alex’s father, wonders what they could learn from this alien who has been on the planet for so long. Hank still denies that curiosity, stating he is only interested in the color of its blood. In the Andes, the group wanders about the area, accidently losing Jeremiah on the mission. When a wounded Jeremiah is almost attacked by a boa constrictor, J’onn comes to his rescue.

Both Alex and Kara are desperate to hear the conversation, but Alex understands that they could be implicated in the act. Kara states that they couldn’t hold her back anyway. The interrogation continues with Lucy and Col. Harper finding it hard to believe in J’onn’s story. J’onn still denies killing the real Hank Henshaw.
In the past, Jeremiah and J’onn talk through the night over a burning fire, though J’onn is a little apprehensive about it. He reveals to Jeremiah that his planet burned and that he is the last survivor of the planet Mars. Jeremiah is fascinated by J’onn’s history, noting that J’onn is more of a refugee just like his own daughter. He shows him pictures of Kara and Alex which touches J’onn as he had daughters of his own who did not survive off Mars. With their connection, Jeremiah promises to protect J’onn, but unfortunately he is attacked by Hank. Hank shoots at J’onn with a special gun designed against the Martian’s regenerative abilities. Jeremiah pleads with Hank to stop, but Hank is insistent on killing the alien that even Superman considers the most powerful being on the planet. Desperately, Jeremiah tackles Hank, and the two fight until Hank stabs Jeremiah, causing Jeremiah to toss Hank off a cliff. With his dying breath, he asks J’onn to take care of his daughters. J’onn then proceeds to return to the DEO as Hank in disguise.

J’onn insists to Col. Harper that he has dedicated himself to the DEO and has prevented many real alien threats. Col. Harper instead believes that J’onn was planning to infiltrate the United States system and possibly raise his own alien army with the prisoners, an insult to Hank’s legacy. J’onn remarks that he brought honor to Hank’s name since the original one was a sorry excuse for a man. Col. Harper fires back that Hank Henshaw was his best friend, leading Lucy to end the interrogation. The military leads J’onn out the facility to a new secret location much to Alex’s arguments. Because of her connection, Alex is next for interrogation.

Cat leaves her office while speaking with Kate Middleton when Siobhan sneaks back into the building. She finds Kara’s desk and breaks into her laptop. With Kara’s laptop, she proceeds to compose a grating letter to Cat, posing as the assistant. Meanwhile, outside Alex’s interrogation, Supergirl is even more eager to hear the conversation. She pleads an agent to lower the field to allow her to listen. The agent states that she refuses because Col. Harper has a mission to complete but secretly leaves a listening device for her.


Alex’s interrogation begins with Col. Harper and Lucy asking Alex what she can tell them about Hank Henshaw. She claims that whoever he is, he has saved her life more times than she can count. Three years ago, Alex was partying at a club, wasting her life before being arrested for public drunkenness. Hank came to bail her out, revealing that he knows about her scientist background, her love of watching stars, and, more importantly, her sister. He understands that growing up with Kara must have caused her to feel inadequate, leading to this lifestyle. In addition to bailing her out of jail, Hank offers her a spot on the DEO to put her knowledge to good use. Upon arriving at the DEO, Hank states that she will begin a strict training regime to become a field agent.

While Alex claims that she did not know that Hank was an alien, Lucy nevertheless claims that she’s lying to protect J’onn. With that connection, the military then transfers Alex with J’onn to a place they call “Project Cadmus.” Kara rushes to James to inform him what happened. James informs him that Project Cadmus is a place where aliens are experimented on to be weaponized for military purposes, the main reason why Superman doesn’t work with the government. Since neither Superman nor James know where Project Cadmus is, they have to look for other sources to save J’onn and Alex.
James invites Lucy to Kara’s place where he’s pretty interested in seeing that she returned to the military. Lucy, however, is a little bothered that James is once again with Kara, but this situation is more important. Kara then reveals to Lucy that she is, in fact, Supergirl in order to try and gain her trust. Lucy admits that she feels as though she always knew but still feels apprehensive about trusting Supergirl as well as any alien. Kara beseeches her by stating that when you are transported to a whole new world, fitting in becomes a desperate goal.

Twelve years ago, Kara and Alex attended the same school, but Kara’s abilities prove to be a little difficult for her in hearing every little sound and seeing through people’s skin. She can hear several girls commenting how weird the situation is with Alex sharing her life with a stranger. While Kara’s preoccupied, an older boy comes by and invites Alex to a beach party. Alex says she can’t go without Kara, but the boy lets her bring Kara along anyway. At the beach, Kara marvels at the seagulls flying around her which the others think is a little weird. Alex advises her to stop, even though Kara notes there were no birds on her planet. Alex says that she’s going to have to stop acting that excited about Earth things if she wants to blend in on the planet. Suddenly, Kara hears a cry for help. She quickly runs over to a burning, over-turned vehicle. Using her strength, she rips open the door and pulls the woman trapped underneath along with her baby. The other kids finally catch up and witness Kara somehow save the two before the vehicle explodes. Later on, Jeremiah speaks to Kara about her abilities, that in order to blend in she will have to hide her powers. Because the world has a Superman, all she has to do is be Kara Danvers. Fortunately, he developed a pair of lead-lined glasses to help her control her super-vision in public.
"I’m sorry, we didn’t have birds on my planet."-Kara
A few years pass, two years ago, and Kara goes in for an interview to become Cat Grant’s new assistant. She bumps into and meets Winn who’s instantly smitten, especially after Kara’s firm handshake. When a prospective assistant leaves the office crying, Kara already feels a little nervous, but Winn advises her to be herself. Kara enters Cat’s office who immediately despises Kara for appearing as an optimistic millennial who has a high opinion of herself. Kara, however, surprises her by claiming that there’s nothing special about her, that she’s completely average. While this initially catches Cat off-guard, Kara goes further by stating she can be helpful in picking up prescriptions and replacing pens (which she notices thanks to her X-ray vision). Cat seems subtly accepting of Kara but states that someone would have to be completely dedicated in order to be her assistant. Kara is initially distracted by seeing a forest fire on TV but stands firm that she is dedicated.
Kara tells Lucy that she understands J’onn’s desperation to be accepted in as well as Lucy’s, the reason she returned to the military. However, she states that if Lucy stood by while they tortured J’onn, then she will never truly accept herself.

While J’onn and Alex are being transferred with Col. Harper in a truck at night, two motorcyclists ambush the vehicle. When a soldier tries to fire back, the bullets bounce off one of the cyclists. The other fires back at the truck’s tires, causing the vehicle to stop. The soldiers fight back, but the cyclist proves to be too fast and strong from them. It’s then revealed that the motorcyclists are Kara and Lucy disguised to rescue their friends. In the fight, Alex manages to disable the stasis field, giving J’onn his powers back. He fights against Col. Harper but stops from killing him. Instead, he begins to erase his memories of the past few days. However, while looking in his mind, J’onn sees Jeremiah inside of Project Cadmus. He informs Alex that her father may be alive. Kara insists on helping, but Alex states that the city needs her. Besides, since Hank and Alex are both fugitives, they may as well go on their own to find Jeremiah. The two say a tearful goodbye before going their separate ways.
Cat invites Siobhan for a talk in her office to talk about Kara. Cat states that she has received an e-mail from Kara which she found curious. She then informs Siobhan that she had a Kara-expert, Winn, research further into it, finding that while the system of typing didn’t match Kara, it perfectly matched Siobhan. Cat then kicks Siobhan out of the building, stating that if she ever comes back or tries another stunt, she will call the police.

"I just want to be useful to somebody. I want to be worthwhile."      
-Kara  

Supergirl and Lucy return the DEO to await further orders from Col. Harper, only to learn from an agent that Col. Harper had resigned a while ago. Likely thanks to J’onn’s influence, Col. Harper has designated Lucy as the new head of the DEO. In the midst of this, an agent informs Supergirl that there is a bank robbery downtown with no real alien threat, but Supergirl should probably go to help. Lucy advises her to go, but Supergirl doubts that the city would be on her side. Lucy states that if Supergirl could somehow convince her to trust an alien, the city shouldn’t be too hard. With that, Supergirl returns to the city.


Siobhan stands on the top of a roof shouting with a bottle in her hand. Winn runs up to stop her from jumping, but she rebukes him stating she has too much self-esteem to kill herself, though she blames Winn for betraying her. Winn nevertheless rebukes her since she threatened one of his best friends despite believing that deep down she is a good person. Filled with anger, Siobhan shouts that she has no job, no friends, and all she wants to do is scream. She then falls off the side of the building but manages to save herself by demonstrating a powerful scream.

Super-Notes

  • Project Cadmus makes its first mention in the series. Cadmus was previously referred to in Arrow as the organization that employed Amanda Waller, but in Supergirl, it's referred to by its original form by being a government facility that experiments on aliens and other genetic research.
  • The title "manhunter" that Hank gives to J'onn J'onzz is an obvious reference to J'onn's superhero name the Martian Manhunter.
  • Siobhan debuts the first of her powers as Silver Banshee through a sonic scream, but eagle-eyed viewers will note that her full name, Siobhan Smythe, actually comes from the New 52 interpretation of her character.
  • The Flash arrives in National City next week! Let's hope they recreate Superman and the Flash's famous race to see who's really the fastest person alive!

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The Geekcap: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "The Inside Man"

We move back to Coulson killing Ward on Maveth. While Ward is left for dead, an eerie tentacle wraps around his view flashing back through Ward’s life before finally returning to the present. The creature stares at a multitude of screenings contemplating the character of Grant Ward, believing that he would have been an interesting man to have met in life. Gideon Malick reappears stating that he has a new plan to refresh the Inhuman supply and brings Lucio, the Inhuman with medusa-eyes, as an example. The creature asks to see his eyes, and Lucio freezes everyone in the room. The creature then moves out of an imprint made of dust that it causes to fly into Lucio.

General Talbot sees his wife Carla leave him off on a plane who blames him for choosing work over family and paying the price. Coulson arrives to see the act but states that he just wants to talk about the ATCU, claiming that technically he’s Talbot’s boss by order of the president. Talbot doesn’t take that claim well and insists that Coulson will never be his boss and they will never be partners.

Back at the base, the team prepare to follow Coulson with Hunter eager to grab a weapon out of the Inhuman threat. Fitz says that’s what they have Daisy and Lincoln for, but Hunter’s less convinced. He asks to see Fitz’s new invention, but Fitz says it simply makes gloves. Bobbi and Daisy comment on the gathering at the symposium with Daisy being less enthusiastic about people being negative towards Inhumans. She states that terrigenesis is not a disease but an awakening that caused her to become who she was meant to be and that she uses her abilities to do good things and stop bad people. Bobbi points out that some of those bad people are Inhumans, but Daisy comments that humans do bad things as well yet no one holds a symposium for that. Bobbi simply states that Inhumans are unchartered territory and asks about Lincoln’s first cov-ops mission.

Lincoln is at the airport tracking Talbot and Coulson under the watchful eye of May who’s trying to teach Lincoln not to rush in and use his powers. Talbot complains that the symposium will be a waste of time, but Coulson says that they need to figure out if any of the ambassadors would be possibly harboring Inhumans or secretly working for Malick. Meanwhile, Coulson also hopes that Talbot can work things out with Carla at least for the sake of their son. Before the two leave, Carl Creel, the Absorbing Man appears to them, causing Lincoln and May to attack. Creel first gets the upper hand by absorbing the rubber off a tire to block from Lincoln’s powers, but May hits him with a metal pole causing him to conduct the electricity. Before Lincoln can deliver a fatal blow, Coulson orders him to stand down while Talbot reemerges. To their surprise, Talbot states that Creel is actually his bodyguard.

The team transfer Creel back to the base where he is locked in a containment unit. Simmons begins to question him despite the bad blood between him and the team. He states he got his powers from an experiment, but Simmons also questions how he survived contact with the Obelisk. Creel says he doesn’t know, only that it hurt. Hunter is also furious that Talbot is working with Hartley’s killer, but Talbot states that he was only brainwashed by Hydra and has since reformed. Since Talbot refuses to go without Creel and bringing in their own Inhumans would ruin the symposium, Coulson agrees to take Creel and, even further, bans Daisy and any other weapons from going to the event.
Malick observes the creature, noting that Ward’s body is not the best shape. The creature states that the host must be dead, and that he cannot inhabit Inhumans as “we do not feed on our own kind.” Instead, he says that Grant Ward will suffice his needs.

May, Bobbi, Hunter, and Creel prepare to go on the mission with Hunter tempted to throw Creel off the plane. May states that he needs to focus on the mission, but Hunter doesn’t trust a guy who killed his friends. May throws back that the only reason Hunter is here is because of Bobbi, and that he couldn’t care about the mission otherwise. Hunter says he’s only trying to watch May’s back, but May states that they’re not friends.

Coulson states out their mission which includes five other delegates from separate countries. Coulson and Talbot believe that one of them is really connected to Malick and sends the team to gather intel on who it could be. Coulson will be attending the event as a CDC doctor while Talbot will be attending as himself, the president’s representative, wearing a traditional Taiwan outfit, which looks like a dress. Using Fitz’s technology and his new hand, Coulson gathers the fingerprints of the delegates for Bobbi, Hunter, and May to sneak into rooms. Talbot accuses many members of the symposium with being the inside man but eventually narrows it down to everyone. Back at Hydra, the creature requests Giyera and Lucio to find five humans alive.

With a break from the mission, Daisy invites Lincoln to train with her to prepare for an agent assessment test without powers. While Lincoln’s not excited to fight, Daisy’s impressed with how much better he’s doing in the field. Of course, he’s still not a match for Daisy and states that the field’s not really his thing. Simmons interrupts their sparring practice by requesting Lincoln’s opinion on a finding.

Talbot and Coulson begin the discussion by talking about the new “alien” threat. Coulson clarifies that the “aliens” are actually Inhumans who just want to find a place in the world. Rather than being a disease, the Inhumans contain a genetic anomaly that is not transferrable and only affects a small population. While some of the delegates are hostile or paranoid to concept of Inhumans, the Russian delegate Petrov is willing to create a sanctuary city within his country. Bobbi, however, does not trust the idea of all the Inhumans in one place where Malick’s involved. Hunter then becomes preoccupied when he notices Creel leaving his post.

Simmons demonstrates to Fitz and Lincoln a new reaction she observed using Creel’s blood. With a sample of Daisy’s blood from two years ago, she doses the sample with terrigen to cause terrigenesis. However, once she dabs the sample with Creel’s blood, the process reverses. In theory, Simmons finds she can create a vaccine for Inhumans to prevent them from going through terrigenesis, maybe even reverse the process in general. While Lincoln appears interested, Daisy is appalled.
Eventually, the rest of the delegates begin agreeing on the idea of a sanctuary city. While gathering intel, May intercepts a message meant for the Australian delegate Ellen King, leading Bobbi to break into her room. There, she finds evidence that King is keeping an Inhuman, Eden Fesi, under containment for military experimentation but has no connection to Malick. Hunter tails Creel to the back of a truck where he finds Talbot’s son in a stasis cube. After seeing the evidence, Creel knocks Hunter unconscious.

After the official vote, Talbot then calls out a traitor in the group: Coulson. Using the team’s surveillance, he proves to the delegates that Coulson has been spying on them, only to have Malick appear to group stating that Coulson is, in fact, the director of Hydra.

May and Bobbi rescue Hunter who explains that Hydra is keeping Talbot’s son in captivity. The group deduces that Malick is blackmailing Talbot to betray Coulson at the symposium, and that the building is actually surrounded by Hydra agents, leaving them with no weapons. Hunter, however, shows that he secretly smuggled in a plate of weapons along with Bobbi’s batons, so the fight is back on for SHIELD. Bobbi and Hunter search for Coulson and Talbot while May looks for Talbot’s son.

"I love you."-Bobbi    "I don't hate you quite as much."-May

Lincoln then argues with Daisy that the vaccine could be protection for people who don’t want to change or shouldn’t change, like Daisy’s mother wanted. Daisy points out that her mother was crazy and that he sounds like one of the Watchdogs on the Internet. Lincoln insists that there needs to be a balance, and the vaccine maintains a choice. However, Daisy states that the condition is a birthright, and if the government got their hands on a vaccine, it would no longer be a choice. Lincoln argues medically, their condition is actually a disease, but Daisy interrupts saying that just because he went to medical school doesn’t mean he’s the final judge. Lincoln fires back that he wasn’t hacking his way through life like Daisy was, causing small jolts of sparks to fly from his hands.

Malick states that while the symposium knows about his dedication to the World Security Council, little is known about Coulson. Through photo evidence of Hydra’s technology, Malick claims that Coulson wants to gather the Inhumans in one location to destroy them. Coulson, however, deduces that Malick must have something on Talbot to cause this and beseeches him to come clean as he is dragged out of the room.
Giyera and Lucio gather five humans for the creature and freeze them in place surrounding it. Giyera asks if one of them will be its new host, but the creature says that it has other plans for them. When the two leave the room, the creature spreads its dust around the room, leading to painful screams behind a closed door.

Hydra agents lock Coulson in a basement and disarm him (literally). Malick then betrays Talbot as well by handcuffing him to Coulson and locking him up as well. Coulson questions why Malick is doing this, but Malick responds that he’s building an army. Coulson states that there’s no way he can convert them all, but Malick’s not interested. While Coulson and Talbot are about to face death, Creel comes to their rescue, taking on a metal coating and beating the guards. While Creel has located Talbot’s son, he says he lost him trying to keep his cover in knocking out Hunter. He then helps the men escape while Talbot takes Coulson’s hand.

"Give me a hand!"-Coulson       "Got it!"-Talbot

Talbot admits that Malick took his son when he became the head of ATCU with Carla leaving him because of that reason. Bobbi and Hunter take on the rest of the guards. Just as one is about to shoot Hunter, Creel snaps the guard’s neck, though Hunter says they still aren’t even. Fortunately, the group escapes when May pulls the van with Talbot’s son and an unconscious guard ready to go.
Daisy goes to apologize to Lincoln for acting militant against the vaccine. Lincoln admits he’s envious of Daisy’s natural zen with her powers under pressure. When Daisy points out that he seemed in control at Afterlife, he states that it’s different being out in the field. Now he can’t seem to help himself. Daisy says that perhaps it’s good to lose control once in a while, and the two consummate their relationship.

The team recover Talbot’s son whom Coulson says will make a full recover, something that may interest Talbot’s wife. After the adventure, Talbot finally agrees to be partners with Coulson who can call him Glenn…occasionally. While they’ve succeeded in teaming with Talbot and rescuing another Inhuman in stasis, Coulson can’t help but feel as though Malick is reporting to someone else. In the midst of this, the creature emerges surrounded by the burnt remains of the five humans and slime. Ward’s body is now healed.


In the final tag, Malick has a toast with the Russian ambassador. After revealing the “director of Hydra,” Malick reassures the man that he will try to create the Inhuman sanctuary. Unbeknownst to them, Hunter and Bobbi have stored themselves inside the plane, listening to everything.

Interesting Notes

  • Eden Fesi is actually the name behind Manifold, a member of the Secret Warriors from Austraila who has the ability to teleport. If you notice in the report for Eden, the military states that witnesses have seen him dematerialize.
  • Mack is not present in this episode.
  • The Watchdogs is actually a group that was known to work against Captain America in the late 80's comics. Look out for more of them in future episodes.
  • While Carl Creel was something of a Secret Warrior in this episode, his son, Jerry Sledge/Stonewall, was actually the real Secret Warrior in the comics. Lots of potential in this episode!