Supergirl Round Table: Mon-El Returns!
Stacy Glanzman
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Mon-El finally returned on Supergirl Season 3 Episode 7, but we he came with a couple of shocking revelations.
On top of his big return, Sam has officially begun her transformation into the villain Reign, clearly against her will.
Below, TV Fanatics Jay Ruymann, Christine Orlando, Kathleen Wiedel, and Andy Behbakht discuss Sam's transformation, Mon-El's return, and the upcoming crossover extravaganza.
Join us!
Mon-El is back. React! Are you more shocked that he's from the future, married, or both?
Jay: I was more shocked that he’s married. I figured he went off to the future after researching the character in the comics. As the biggest anti-Mon-El watcher in this group, I think I could get behind this Mon-El, as long as his screen time was properly delegated and it didn’t eat up time from other characters.
He actually has a chance to be interesting now, seeing as he’s from the future, and I really hope they don’t go down a path where Mon-El and/or Kara are tempted to cheat, because like it or not, he is married and he did move on in his seven years away.
Christine: I kept thinking that it was going to be Kara from seven years in the future coming out of that tube, so I was shocked when it was Imra, his wife.
I really enjoyed Kara and Mon-El’s relationship so I’m not sure how he sticks around if the two of them aren’t together. However, this twist definitely gives both Kara and Mon-El a deep emotional story to play, and that much I’m looking forward to seeing.
Andy: I wasn't surprised because as soon as the casting of Saturn Girl hit the web, I had a feeling she would somehow have to do something with his return. Even though I had MAJOR issues with Mon-El last season, this Mon-El feels different and I might even feel....hopeful?
As long as the Kara/Mon-El romance stays dead, dead, DEAD - did I mention it should stay dead? - and they actually develop Mon-El as a character that, as Jay said it, doesn't take away screen time from other characters, I'm on board with having Mon-El back on the show.
Kathleen: Wow, you really dislike the whole Kara/Mon-El relationship, don't you, Andy?
While the whole time differential/Mon-El-is-now-married development makes for an interesting twist plot-wise, I'm actually a bit irked because this is about the forty-third doomed relationship for Kara so far in this series, and it's disheartening, to say the least. I'm curious to discover everything that's happened to Mon-El since he left.
What are your thoughts on Sam's transformation into Reign? Did you find it underwhelming?
Jay: I loved it. Sam is my favorite part of this season, and I thought the final scene with Reign taking over Sam’s consciousness was brilliant, and it shows how little actually had to happen before Reign would take over. I think Sam is still inside, and going forward I expect to see a battle between Sam and Reign inside of her body.
Christine: Oh, how I felt for Sam! She didn’t ask for any of this…and why does someone design a being to be a world killer anyway? I’m hoping that eventually, Ruby will be able to reach Sam and bring her back from the dark side. Ruby’s the one thing they didn’t count on, and I think the bond between mother and daughter is far more powerful than Reign’s creators realized.
Andy: The concept of how she became Reign? I dug it. The execution? That was lackluster. I was expecting some freaky effects or flashes of something. But I am excited, regardless, to see where they go from here.
Kathleen: "Underwhelmed" isn't the word to describe it. I do think they're setting up for a likely "I know you're in there, Mom!" turn with Ruby stopping Reign from, well, destroying the world. I agree that the whole concept is intriguing, though.
Are you looking forward to seeing J'onn reconnect with his father? Do you think J'onn needs to spend less time at the DEO?
Jay: This was the story I really didn’t care about in the episode. There’s nothing drawing me to these two or their relationship, and I found the quick turnaround from J’onn about spending less time at the DEO to be forced and not properly written.
I’m not saying he shouldn’t take a break and spend time with his father, but for the amount of time actually spent on his decision in this episode, it just wasn’t earned, and there were no past mentions of this problem to guide him to the solution he made quicker.
Christine: I’m the opposite of Jay here because I really enjoyed what little we got of J’onn and his dad. Everything about J’onn has been somehow linked to the DEO so I like that they’re giving him a storyline outside of that and I really feel for his father as he tries to navigate a whole new world and reconnecting with his son.
Andy: I'm 100% with Christine, I'm so happy for J'onn that not only does he have his father back in his life, which will give him a storyline, but I'm glad it will give David Harewood more to do on the show.
Kathleen: Sorry, Jay, I'm with Christine and Andy. J'onn's story outside of the DEO has been a bit lacking since M'gann went back to Mars. Plus the poor guy needs a little more joy in his life beyond Kara and Alex. And, yes, David Harewood is amazing and always needs more to do!
Are you excited about the big crossover? Will you watch all four parts?
Jay: I wouldn’t say excited, but I am curious. I’ve watched all of the previous crossovers and have been left disappointed, so I’m holding my breath for this one. I’ll watch all four parts, and I will say that I’m glad they’re making it more like a movie and focusing less on specific characters during specific time slots.
Christine: Since I don’t watch any of the other shows, I can’t say I’m interested in it at all. I just hope I’m not left with too many dangling story threads on Supergirl.
Andy: I'm definitely excited, I'm a sucker for the crossovers! I'm especially happy for Supergirl as a show because this year this show is actually getting a crossover chapter unlike last year.
Kathleen: Mark me in the "Excited" column! I watch all four shows, and what I've seen so far is fantastic. The effort these folks, both in front of and behind the camera, put forth to make such a complicated event as this four-part crossover seriously impresses me, too.
What was your favorite quote or scene?
Jay: I’d say every moment after Sam found her “sanctuary.” Learning that Ruby was never supposed to exist, and what Reign is and who she’s meant to be, all while Sam was discovering it herself, it was brilliant, and Odette Annable killed this episode. My heart broke for Sam.
Christine: Winn: Listen, we only have your best interests at heart. Kara: So, uh, which of you two is deciding what my best interests are? - I loved that Kara was quick to point out that she didn’t need either of their protection; she needed answers!
Winn: Listen, we only have your best interests at heart.
Kara: So, uh, which of you two is deciding what my best interests are?
Andy: When Kara verbally kicked Mon-El and Winn's asses. Can we stop having men deciding what's best for Kara on this show?
Kathleen: Courtesy of Winn-- Yes, leave us in charge. And by us, I mean Alex, because I should not be in charge of anything.
Alex [to J'onn]: I will alert you if anything happens.
Winn: Yes, leave us in charge. And by us, I mean Alex because I should *not* be in charge of anything.
Check out photos from the big crossover right here:
Stacy Glanzman was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in March, 2019.
