With Nia's help, Nxylgsptinz escapes the dream realm and plots her revenge on Supergirl. Supergirl herself struggles to balance her celebrity influence pushing for social justice with her job as a superhero, Alex continues to train Kelly in martial arts, Mitch the bounty hunter returns to try and kidnap Supergirl, and Nia learns to fully grasp her dream powers.
Tropes:
- All for Nothing: Supergirl spends the whole episode trying to save the Ormfell apartment complex, only for Nxylgsptinz to destroy it.
- An Aesop: Nia's mom teaches her that once you've made a mistake, you can't undo it—you have to move ahead and accept the consequences.
- Artistic License – Economics: Orlando's dilemma is that his potential apartment is being bought out by a corporation, and without a place of residence, he cannot get a job, and without a job, he can't get a place or custody of his brother. Apparently National City does not have any homeless shelters, as they not only provide jobs to the homeless (even pardoned felons), but they also provide PO Boxes for use in job applications.
- Batman Gambit: Nxylgsptinz has the cryo-nuke designed in such a way that the likely outcome is Supergirl destroying it with her heat vision. The fragments of the bomb retain the energy, which Nxylgsptinz then absorbs to regain her power.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Mitch peacefully lets Nxyly go when he realizes that she is powerless (and therefore useless as an attraction), and Nxyly justifies her helping him by claiming this trope is in play.
- Big Damn Heroes: Of all people, Mister Mxyzptlk pops up at the end to help Kara.
- The Bus Came Back:
- Nia's sister Maeve appears in this episode after two long years, though as a kid in a vision.
- Mitch, the bounty hunter Brainy and Nia fought during their time travel jaunt, comes back, first to grab Nxyly, then Supergirl.
- Catch-22 Dilemma: The crux of the Orlando subplot. He was supposed to be moving into an apartment complex set aside for rehabilitated felons, but the building was bought out and is set to be demolished for a cloud computing company. Without a place to live, Orlando can't get a job, and without a job, Orlando can't get a place to live.
- Cliffhanger: The episode ends right when Kara calls Mxyzptlk for help.
- Continuity Nod:
- Kara tells Kelly about Alex training her to fight using Kryptonite dampeners.
- When she sees Mitch, Kara remembers him trying to kidnap her when she was a teenager. When inquiring whether or not he was supposed to be locked up in the D.E.O, J’onn explains that Lex released him and Maxim Tork prior to the organisation’s demise.
- De-power:
- After escaping the Dream Realm, Nxylgsptinz only has just enough power to resurrect Isabel and trap Nia in her apartment. Afterwards, she's powerless.
- Nxylgsptinz binds Kara's powers with her magic.
- Distressed Dude: Dr. Desmond Raab, a scientist from planet Edifar, whom Mitch and Nxyly kidnap to build the cryo-nuclear bomb.
- Dramatic Irony: Andrea telling Kara what Supergirl ought to do and how she ought to do it.
- For the Evulz: The only reason Nxylgsptinz destroys the Ormfell Apartments is to hurt Supergirl.
- Godzilla Threshold: Powerless against Nxylgsptinz, Supergirl summons Mister Mxyzptlk as a last-ditch effort to stop her.
- Happy Ending Override: Orlanda and Joey were seemingly set up for a better start in life last episode, only for them to lose their housing. And then Orlando makes a heartfelt appeal to the city council, swaying the vote, but then Nxyly just destroys the building.
- I Gave My Word: Nxyly really does resurrect Nia's mom for 24 hours. However, she conveniently neglects to mention that Nia will be trapped for those 24 hours.
- Irony: Supergirl's commercial with Brainy is about the joys and benefits of vegetables and healthy eating. Every single time we see Kara eating on-screen, it's extremely unhealthy food like cake, pizza, or Chinese food. Granted, the commercial is intended for humans who don't have the benefits of a Kryptonian physiology.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Councilwoman Rankin, who reveals to Supergirl after the council voted to rezone the Ormfell for affordable housing that she was the only one not moved by the speech.
- Kill It with Ice: The cryo-nuke can freeze everything within a mile radius solid, to such a degree that even a Kryptonian would be unable to escape.
- Kitschy Local Commercial: Kara and Brainy do a horrible PSA for healthy eating.
- Let's Get Dangerous!: After finally getting free, Nia vows to hunt Nxyly down.
- Motive Rant: Nxyly has one when she lures Kara into an ambush.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Nia is quick to realize how much she screwed up by freeing Nxyly.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Twice.
- Nia frees Nxyly, allowing her to plot her revenge.
- Supergirl uses her heat vision to destroy the cryo-nuke, which just powered it up and giving Nxyly her powers back.
- Overshadowed by Awesome: How Kelly feels, with Alex having her device and everybody else having superpowers.
- Perception Filter: In granting Nia's wish to see her mother for a day, Nxylgsptinz also seals her inside her room and makes it so anyone that might notice her absence will instead be distracted by other matters.
- Pet the Dog: Mitch releases Nxylgsptinz after hearing that she has no powers.
- Poor Communication Kills: Once again, Nia fails to contact Kara and warn her about Nxyly, though justified due to Nxyly's spell trapping Nia in her apartment and the spell ensuring that any attempted contact would fall on deaf ears.
- Refusal of the Call: What Nia thinks is her greatest failure. Back when she developed her powers, she ran away, knowing that Maeve wanted them and not wanting to hurt her. But then she still lost her.
- Revenge by Proxy: Nxylgsptinz wants Kara to suffer, so she starts by magically destroying the housing project Kara fought so hard for.
- Sympathy for the Devil: Supergirl has sympathy for Mitch, feeling sorry how he went right back to being a criminal after years in jail.
- What Happened to the Mouse?: In-Universe, no-one’s been able to find anything on Maxim Tork since Lex released him from the D.E.O.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Nia's mom is quick to let her daughter know how big she screwed up by freeing Nxyly.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Nxyly pulls this once J'onn finds her in the cell.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: When Kelly beats herself up, not feeling strong enough to contribute towards the team properly, Kara gives her a much needed pep talk.
