“Resist” is episode twenty-one of season two of Supergirl.
In the previous episode, “City of Lost Children”, Rhea had activated Lena’s portal, bringing through a host of Daxamite ships. Lena had been knocked out during a battle with Supergirl, and Rhea transported herself, Mon-El and the unconscious Lena out.
The episode opens with Lena waking up in bed, to discover Rhea there. Not a sight she is happy to see. Rhea says that she has been taking care of Lena, since Supergirl nearly killed Lena after attacking their portal. Not quite how Lena sees it. Lena says that Rhea lied to her, used her. Rhea states she did what she had to for her people, and did it for Lena as well. Lena is capable of bigger, better things and her planet displays wasted potential. Rhea considers Lena to be the best of her race, and will make a society worthy of Lena. They will preside over the new world they will create together.
The Daxamite ships and ground troops are shooting everything, and Rhea broadcasts a message, telling people not to be afraid. When your forces are killing people, that’s not very easy. Rhea is bringing a new way, a better way, which involves attacking NCPD. Maggie calls Alex at the DEO, then the Daxamites start appearing there as well. Alex orders an evacuation and calls Kara. Who is almost there but isn’t going to make it in time. Alex says she will meet Kara outside – which means Alex will jump off the balcony and wait for Kara to catch her.
Mon-El asks his mother how the invasion is progressing, and if it’s as much fun as she hopes. Rhea plans to make the world a better place, building monuments as they did back home. Well, getting the humans to build monuments for them. According to Rhea, Daxam’s best are onboard the ship. Mon-El has a lower opinion of the ‘best’ than Rhea does. Mon-El tells Rhea that the people of Earth will not lay down, and Kara will stop her. Rhea has a plan for Mon-El; it was customary back home for the Regent to arrange the marriage of the oldest child. The lucky woman is Lena Luthor.
Alex has regrouped at the alien bar. J’onn is still out of it after the White Martian device Rhea used on him. James arrives as well and asks where Clark is. He isn’t at the Daily Planet, nor is he at the Fortress of Solitude. Maggie arrives, and comments about how when things are at their worst, they head to a bar. Then Lillian Luthor arrives.
Lillian wants their help, to take down their common enemy. Because everything she warned against has come to pass; an alien invader has come to claim the planet and destroy their way of life. Rhea’s ship has Kryptonite cannons, they have no transmat devices and the Daxamites have upgraded their shields. Lillian needs help getting onto the ship. No-one is really interested in her help. Before Lillian leaves, she tells Kara to call her if she changes her mind.
President Marsdin contacts Rhea from Air Force One, demanding Rhea abandon her siege of National City. Towards which Marsdin is heading. The conversation is getting rather heated when Cat Grant, not seen since “The Last Children of Krypton”, intervenes. Although Cat does make a comment about Rhea’s tiara; true royals don’t need them. Cat’s negotiating doesn’t work and Rhea has Air Force One shot out of the sky. Kara catches Cat, who appears to be the only survivor. Until Marsdin – clearly not human – pulls herself out of the wreckage. The president supposes she owes them an explanation.
Back at the alien bar, Marsdin reveals that her home planet was invaded and enslaved. (She was also Cat’s RA; Cat realises that when she thought she saw ET in a bathrobe, it wasn’t pot brownies that did it.) Marsdin says that there is a positron cannon on top of the DEO building. She wants Alex to retake it and shoot down the Daxamite mothership.
Rhea tells Mon-El and Lena they are getting married and providing an heir. The heir can be produced with just genetic materials, and if they don’t want to agree to get married now, they can do it after she has killed everyone in various hospitals across the city. Rhea sounds really, really deluded about how grateful everyone should be.
Kara doesn’t want to shoot the ship with Mon-El and Lena onboard. So, a conversation with Cat leads her to do something expected – go and speak to Lillian again. Alex is going to infiltrate the DEO to get the cannon up and running whilst the others attempt to rescue Lena and Mon-El. Timing is going to be tight.
The story continues in the next episode, the season finale, “Nevertheless, She Persisted”.