This post contains spoilers for Supergirl.
Check out our last review here.

Supergirl returns to pick up the slack while the rest of the DCTV Universe is on hiatus until March. “Menagerie” helps set up a future villain set (that will get a very quick payoff), but its primary focus is love. Doesn’t matter if it’s a platonic love or a romantic love, basically everyone’s sad. But some folks are finally taking important steps toward happiness. So, there’s that.

The mind-wipe woes continue as Kara realizes that she’ll never be able to work with her sister in the field again. There’s also the unfortunate realization that she was holding Alex back. Though there’s nothing that can be done about the mind-wipe situation for the time being, Alex takes some first steps to taking her life back. Kara may blame herself for the pause in her sister’s progress, but it’s all on Alex to move her life forward. After a Valentine’s party, some sister adventures, and a nudge from an old flame, Director Danvers finally realizes that it’s time to start chasing after what she wants rather than worrying about everyone else.

If you recall the last Nia-focused episode, you know that Kara isn’t the only one with sister drama. While the future Dreamer deals with her grief over the loss of her mother, she also has to reconcile with the fact that her sister may never speak to her again. Though Brainy is eager to help her become the woman she was always meant to be, Nia’s not quite ready to take the leap at the beginning of the episode. She is, however, ready for a date! Have we decided Brainy and Nia’s ship name yet?

Nia will overcome her fear of taking on the Dreamer mantle before the episode’s close. Equipped with a dream and a kick-ass super suit, she helps Supergirl and DEO stop the evil Menagerie. Unfortunately, they don’t get the credit.

Colonel Haley returns to National City to help her daughter with a project. Pity, because if it weren’t for that call, Ben Lockwood would still be in jail. The Children of Liberty arrive to kill Menagerie, making the DEO and Supergirl’s job infinitely more difficult. When the dust settles, the Children (currently led by a literal child) take the credit for Menagerie’s defeat. Because Haley would have to admit to getting help from Supergirl if the “FBI” pointed out that they were the one to apprehend the alien, she elects to remain silent.

Haley’s silence results in Ben Lockwood’s release. Now viewed as a martyr by xenophobes everywhere, Lockwood gives an impassioned speech to his followers. The President’s choice to release him means that the White House has chosen humans first, he says. And he’s right.

Something’s vexing Lena throughout “Menagerie”. I’m inclined to believe that it’s something to do with brother dearest, since Lex is about to enter the Supergirl picture. Since it’s Lena, she tells no one. Instead, she bottles it up and uses the White House asking to contract her research on super-humans as a distraction. That distraction ends up being what finally shatters Lena Luthor and James Olson. James was willing to support the research, but he knows that the government will weaponize it immediately. A smart lady like Lena should too, but, like I said, she’s a little distracted.

Things will undoubtedly continue to bubble over in National City, but next week we’ll be focusing on Super Friends VS The Elite! Manchester’s free, and he’s created a little gang to take down The Children of Liberty. Everyone wants the Children gone, but Supergirl can’t just let them kill Ben Lockwood and his brood. Turns out the enemy of your enemy isn’t always your friend.

You know what to do if you had thoughts on this week’s episode!