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Supergirl: Confidence Women

Lena Luthor, Andrea Rojas, and Rose Dawson: “I jump, you jump.”

The back story of Lena Luthor and Andrea Rojas.

Two themes keep running through the Lena/Andrea friendship. “I jump, you jump,” which is a quote from the movie Titanic, which I think is when the heroes were forced to jump overboard (it’s a long time since I’ve seen that movie, and I’m not planning to research it). The other is that when you have enough confidence to do something, people let you get away with it. I rather liked both themes, as they helped propel both women to become major players in the business world.

And these are both women under tremendous pressure. We know about Lena’s dysfunctional family, especially her brother’s obsession with attempting to kill Superman. Andrea, too, has a problem father – a father who is successful but threatened with failure (and who threatens to kill himself if he fails).

Lena has heard of a special medallion that will help her stop her brother and enlists Andrea’s assistance in finding it (Andrea studied this area of Costa Rica and so has knowledge that would be of assistance). It turns out Andrea was key to finding it, as the earth, when she was near, opened up and she fell into a hole. While she is waiting for a vine ladder to rescue her, Andrea discovers the medallion. Thanks to a visit from a male Leviathan agent, she takes it for herself, because she believes she will be able to save her father with it. When Lena finally makes it into the pit, Andrea tells her that the medallion was missing when she fell down – thus betraying her friend and endangering multitudes as Lena’s brother is a vicious madman.

But the truth does not stay hidden forever. Lena, on a day when she’s down, decides to go to a party in London, where she runs into Andrea – who is wearing the medallion as a necklace. Lena feels betrayed – again – it’s a theme for her. Andrea explains that her father needed its powers more.

Lena helps Andrea (who is a shadow superpower) free Rip Roar (who, as Russell Rogers, was her beloved) from a DEO holding cell, by incepting nearly all the DEO agents. It’s interesting that the instruction “Do No Harm” can be used to weaken people as they refuse to defend themselves. Afterwards, Lena takes the medallion from Andrea (but she doesn’t lose her powers, even though she wants to).

We only see a little of the other characters during this episode. Kara attempts to make friends with Lena more than once, and Lena finally lets her join her table, as Kara is planning to eat a whole bunch of food by herself.

Title musings: For once Supergirl's title choice, “Confidence Women,” doesn’t seem to be using the title of another artistic work. The phrase “confidence women” is a play on “confidence men,” which is the long version of con men. (I’m sure most readers out there are aware of this, but just in case you aren’t, I include it.) Are Lena and Andrea conning the world? Somewhat, I guess, but that doesn’t seem to be how the title applies. These are women who have confidence, and for a while, when they were friends, they shared confidences when they told each other secrets. It's not a bad title, but it doesn't have the zing of some of the others. I think "Poor Little Rich Girls" would have been better.

Bits and pieces

Seems strange that the Leviathan agent in the pit would communicate in English and not Spanish with Andrea.

I also think it’s odd that Andrea, if she didn’t want Lena to learn she had the medallion, would wear it in any public place. Paparazzi follow the wealthy everywhere.

It’s a good thing Andrea never drummed on the medallion before!

I liked how Alex, when her Supergirl summoning watch wasn’t working – due to Lena’s dampening field – just simply shouted and Supergirl heard her.

I am becoming less and less impressed with William Day, who is not showing any investigative skills. How can he not see the resemblance between Kara and Supergirl?

If Brainy is under the influence of “Do No Harm,” how can he attack Alex? Or maybe that explains why she won so easily?

Quotes

Andrea: Lena, I’m asking as a friend.
Lena: We’re not friends.

Andrea: The key to getting what you want is confidence.

Lena: I looked you in the eye and you lied to me.

Lena: If I stay in Metropolis, I will always be the sister of the egotistical monster, but if I go to National City, I can be the Luthor that shares her home with a Kryptonian.

Russell Rogers: What drove you to a heavy day of non-drinking?

Andrea: I’m not a killer.
Leviathan agent: You are what we say you are.

Kara: I’ve been the new girl in town, and I put my guards up. But I was miserable. And if I hadn’t let someone in, my sister, actually, I think I would have drowned in it.

Kara: People have been underestimating how much I can eat for years.

Andrea: I am well aware of how much blood there is on my hands.

Kara: It is never too late to try to make things right. Or, at least, better.

Brainy: That is an erroneous assumption. We must do no harm.

Overall Rating

I think Supergirl is always weaker when there is not much, you know, Supergirl. Still, Lena is one of my favorite characters and her back story was interesting. We also got plenty of background on Andrea/Acrata, which may be needed for going forward. Two and a half out of four medallions.

Victoria Grossack loves birds, math, Greek mythology, Jane Austen and great storytelling in many forms.

1 comment:

  1. I agree that I feel there is something lacking when there isn't much of Kara herself in an episode of Supergirl, but I'm interested enough in Lena to have enjoyed watching this one. We do seem to get an episode like this one about the villain once a season, though, don't we?

    Victoria, you wrote: (it’s a long time since I’ve seen that movie, and I’m not planning to research it). Lol.

    ReplyDelete

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