“Truth, Justice and the American Way” is episode fourteen of season one of Supergirl.
Kara and Alex are sat together on the couch and Kara is worried about going and seeing Cat the next day. She says that the really messed up part is she misses Astra. For, in the previous episode, “For the Girl Who Has Everything”, Astra was killed. Only Hank told Kara that he was the one who killed her when in actuality it was Alex. Kara says that, given a little more time, she could have brought Astra back to the light side (well, not in those exact words). Alex says to Kara that there is something she needs to tell her – for Hank’s lie didn’t sit well with her – but before she can speak the window apparently blows open.
Except it didn’t do it on its own accord, for Non flies in. He tells Kara that he needs her to come with him, and it’s none of Alex’s business. Non says that he has come for Astra, not for himself. So Kara goes with him. She meets him in the air by Astra’s coffin, and Non tells Kara that Astra would have wanted her here. Non says that it is their custom for a surviving female to lead the rites and asks Kara if she remembers the prayer for the dead. She does. Non tells her afterwards that he will observe the period of morning, then the next coffin will be Kara’s. Well, he never has much liked her.
At the DEO, Kara says that the mourning period is two weeks. Hank asks Kara if Non can be trusted; she’s pretty short with him but the answer is basically yes. Kara is then told that prisoner 5090 is demanding to see her, and she leaves the room. Alex tells Hank that Kara deserves to know the truth. Hank says he can take Kara hating him. Alex says it’s not right but Hank replies that Karta needs it to keep going.
Prisoner 5090 is, of course, Maxwell Lord. Who helped save Kara’s life. He says she owes him a little more than a thank you, such as early parole. Kara says why, when he would tell the world who she is and put her family in danger. Max insists that what he does is to protect the planet. Kara inquires if he means from her and he tells her that when gods walk the Earth it’s the tiny mortals who end up suffering. Kara tells him he asked for, and got, Netflix. Lord replies that if she thought he was dangerous before she would wait to see how dangerous he gets when he’s bored. He says that without him Kara would be dead and she responds that with Max the world is a better place. Maxwell actually shouts in the conversation; the first time he has appeared to get angry.
When Kara arrives at CatCo, Winn says that they have a problem. Kara says she can handle it. Then asks what a new desk is doing there. And who Siobhan Smythe is (and how to pronounce the name ‘Siobhan’). Cat arrives and says Siobhan and Kara is surprised, and perhaps a little upset, to find out that Cat pronounced the name correctly – as Cat has constantly called her ‘Kira.’ Cat tells Kara that, as Kara seemed to be having trouble coping, she hired another assistant to help. Kara is now ‘Assistant Number 2.’ Cat says she wants to speak to James and Lucy, and for ‘Assistant Number 1’ to come with her. ‘Assistant Number 2’ can cover the phones. Kara says to win that Siobhan is just a pawn and that really she feels sorry for her and will give her a chance. A crunching noise is followed by Kara saying she isn’t upset. And Winn pointing out she just broke her phone. Well, perhaps she is a little upset.
Kara decides to use her superhearing to eavesdrop on the meeting, and the first word she hears is ‘eavesdropping.’ Cat is saying that there is a major glitch with Lord Technologies’ new phone. The previous caller is able to eavesdrop on the next call. Cat says that, normally, Maxwell would be front and centre with this, but he isn’t. So Cat thinks he’s missing. James – who knows perfectly well where Max is – says that it’s too early to jump to conclusions. Max is a billionaire and could be anywhere on the planet doing anything. Such as being locked in a cell in the HQ of a secret government organisation. Cat agrees, and gives three options. Max is having an affair with Jennifer Lawrence. Again. He’s off developing new technology. Or he’s been kidnapped. She wants Lucy to use her Pentagon connections to see if she can find anything out.
After the meeting, James goes to see Kara. Siobhan says that she can help James, but he tells her that Kara is fine. James says that he knows exactly where Maxwell is and that everything the DEO is doing is wrong. Kara tells him that they are preventing Lord from hurting people; he replies that Lord still deserves his fundamental human rights.
Hank is briefing a DEO team on Forty Rozz prisoner 2444 who is living in National City disguised as a human. The prisoner feeds off rotting flesh and has been tracked to a warehouse. When Alex and the team enter the warehouse, prisoner 2444 is chained up. He asks them to help him, because he’s here. ‘He’ is something in high-tech armour that fires energy bolts. The armoured person takes the escaped prisoner and flies away.
Kara is angry with Hank that she wasn’t included on the mission. Heck, she’s angry with Hank, period. Hank suggests that, given the technology the armoured figure was wearing was alien, perhaps it was an interstellar bounty hunter. Alex asks if he doesn’t think but doesn’t complete the sentence. Hank replies that no, if he were in town they’d know.
The abducted alien is being told by the armoured individual that his disguise of human skin will not keep him from facing justice. By breaking the law, he has forfeited the right to exist. Prisoner 2444 says that there is no death penalty on Krypton. And is told, rather accurately, that they are not on Krypton. The prisoner asks to be let go but is told that no-one escapes the Master Jailer. It sounds like the prisoner knows that name but doesn’t get to continue, for his head gets chopped off by a high-tech guillotine.
Hank and Alex go and see the local police to see if there have been any other similar cases. Apparently yes; the armoured individual has been around for several months and there are at least five cases that they know of. They haven’t just been kidnapped either – all were found decapitated. And all the victims were weird in some way.
Lucy has discovered that the attack on Lord Technologies involved a secret government agency that tracks aliens and tells James as much. He tells her not to mess with he DEO. So she asks how he knows about the DEO. James replies that she just told him. Only she didn’t, not by name. Oops. Which brings up James’ relationship with Supergirl.
Five alien prisoners from Fort Rozz have been killed and Alex realises they have been killed in order by prisoner number. So prisoner 2445 is the next target. When the Master Jailer arrives to take the prisoner, Supergirl confronts him. And says that she thought that masks were only big in that other city (Star City?). She asks the figure to tell her who he is. Instead it deploys chains and attacks.
James is having thoughts and Cat speaks to him. She asks him if it’s work or personal; he says a bit of both. Cat tells him they aren’t doing their job unless it gets personal. And tells him a story from her early, one where she didn’t tell what she really knew, and may have helped someone get murdered as a result. James is having problems with current events.
At the DEO, analysing the chains used by the Mater Jailer shows that it is alien technology. He isn’t just killing aliens either; he’s executing them. Then James shows up at the DEO wanting to speak to Kara. He tells her you know things are bad when you get lessons in ethics and morality from Cat Grant. The DEO is holding human prisoners now, and is unaccountable, which is why Max hates her. More precisely, he is terrified of you, and that you could so easily kill him. James says that it’s a battle of values; Kara says she is doing what needs to be done to keep the world safe.
Which is pretty much what the Master Jailer is doing. Which brings Kara fact to face with just what happens in such a situation. Something that may cause her to have second thoughts about the way things are currently being done.