"Please, I've got this." (She doesn't have this)
The DEO is on the trail of a Hellgrammite, while General Astra plots to capture Supergirl.
Tropes in this episode:
- Beam-O-War: Astra and Kara provide a Heat Vision-version of it. Kara ultimately breaks it by looking up, severing a support beam so it will fall on Astra.
- Big Damn Heroes: Henshaw saves Kara and Alex from Astra with a Kryptonite knife.
- Blown Across the Room: Supergirl plugs a double-barrel shotgun's muzzle with the palm of her hand right as a thug fires it. Since she's not flinching an inch from the shotgun discharge, Newton's Third Law dictates all that kinetic energy has to go somewhere...
- Boxing Lessons for Superman: Alex takes Kara to a room which emits low-level Kryptonite radiation so she can teach her to fight someone of equal strength.
- Cat Up a Tree: Winn sends Kara to help with one of these... except it turns out the "cat" is a pet snake.Winn: Who names their snake "Fluffy"?
- Clark Kenting: The Trope Namer is lampshaded as getting by with some glasses and a slouch. James explains that it works because people don't connect the nerdy alter-ego with the impressive superhero, no matter how physically similar they may look.
- Didn't See That Coming: Astra wasn't expecting Kryptonite to throw a wrench into her plans.
- The Dreaded: The Hellgrammite mentions that he's learned bad things happen to people who mess with someone who has that shield on their chest.
- Foreshadowing: When Kara reveals to James and Winn that they both know her secret, Kara says James already knew and Winn "is my friend." Winn responds with a meek "yeah, friend."
- Genre Deconstruction: The show's explanation for why someone as powerful as Superman would hold down a mundane job instead of flying around in costume full-time has some of this going on: Even a superhero has to pay the rent and while saving lives is admirable, it generally doesn't rake in the cash.
- Groin Attack: Alex hits the Hellgramite's groin to escape from him.
- Guns Do Not Work That Way: While the armed robber in the pizza joint is waving his shotgun around, you hear the clack-clack sound of a pump-action shotgun being cycled... except he's clearly carrying a double-barreled break-action shotgun.
- Hero with Bad Publicity: Kara's well-meaning but destructive superheroics aren't earning her very good press.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Alex impales the Hellgrammite on his own spike.
- Internal Reveal:
- I Work Alone:
- The Hellgrammite doesn't want to work with Astra, and only does so when she has three Kryptonians make the point that she isn't giving him a choice this time.
- Lampshaded and averted with Kara, who states that while Superman operates as a loner, she can't afford to when she's just starting out. Moreover, she doesn't want to. The Kryptonian meaning of the El family crest also defies this (hence the episode title), and unlike Superman, Kara knows something of her family and her culture.
- Jerkass: Cat, once again. She blackmails James into using his connection to Superman to set up an interview with Supergirl... or else he'll lose his job.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: In her Opening Monologue, Kara says that it's "been a week" since she revealed herself as Supergirl.
- Mistaken for Romance: Grant mentions the possibility of Supergirl being Superman's girlfriend. Kara really
isn't pleased to hear that. - Mole in Charge: Seems to be the case with Henshaw, though to what end is unclear (it is clear he is not working with Astra's group, however).
- Mythology Gag:
- Supergirl contacts Cat for an interview by lifting her car into the air and taking it to a remote location, just as Superman did with Lois in Superman: The Animated Series.
- Kara stops a bank robbery on "5th and Siegel", referencing Jerry Siegel. She also helps an ambulance stuck in traffic on "Donner Avenue", referencing Richard Donner, director of Superman: The Movie.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: When Kara tries to blow out the oil fire, she only further fans the flames. Then she tries to drag the nearby tanker away, but in the process tears the bow and leaks oil into the bay.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Henshaw's eyes glow red near the end of the episode; doubles as a Wham Shot, as we'd had zero indication of him being anything other than human until that point.
- She Is All Grown Up: Astra comments that Kara has become beautiful now that she got older.
- Shout-Out: During the D.E.O's pursuit of the Hellgrammite, they use the callsigns "Greyhound" and "Trap." UNIT uses the same callsigns during their operations in Doctor Who.
- Spike Shooter: The Hellgrammite can fire spikes from his hands with enough force to pierce a car roof.
- Superhero Paradox: Maxwell Lord states that the existence of Superman in Metropolis has turned it into a superhuman battle zone and that Supergirl's presence in National City will do the same thing there.
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome:
- Two instances consecutive during Kara's attempt to help with the port fire:
- Any superbreath strong enough to extinguish a fire could spread the flames if not properly used.
- Even if you're strong enough to move an oil tanker, using the wrong leverage point will rip the ship apart.
- Had she simply moved the ship by using the tow ropes, like the tugboat would have, it probably would've worked.
- During her heroic montage, James warns Kara that even though she may be bulletproof, the bullets will still ricochet and endanger those nearby.
- Two instances consecutive during Kara's attempt to help with the port fire:
- Title Drop: The episode's title refers to the motto of the House of El, which is referenced by both Kara and Astra.
- We Can Rule Together: Astra offers Kara this after witnessing her power. She instantly turns it down.
