History Recap / Supergirl2015S4E3ManOfSteel

* RantInducingSlight: The first time Ben changes his class lecture is when he sees a label on the whiteboard tray indicating it is made of Nth Metal.

* AbsenteeActor: Nia Nal is absent in this episode.

* RealityEnsues: Ben gets fired from his teaching position for his bigoted views, which he pushes despite multiple complaints and warnings.

* NotSoDifferent:
** Both Ben and the DEO are guilty of painting with a broad brush; Alex assumes that Ben was part of the attacking mob at the start of the episode (he was actually trying to calm things down), while Ben's growing paranoia leads him to dub all aliens as the enemy (he gives a lecture to his class espousing the virtues of nativism).
** At first, the dean who fires Ben for his lectures appears to dislike what he's saying. Cut to a couple of years later as she meets with Ben, noting the University is suffering budget cuts and she lost her house due to the Genesis events. She openly apologizes to Ben for firing him and admits he was right to be "so concerned" on alien influence. This shows how even an apparent ReasonableAuthorityFigure can be so easily swayed by this anti-alien bias.

* NotSoDifferent: Both Ben and the DEO are guilty of painting with a broad brush; Alex assumes that Ben was part of the attacking mob at the start of the episode (he was actually trying to calm things down), while Ben's growing paranoia leads him to dub all aliens as the enemy (he gives a lecture to his class espousing the virtues of nativism).

* InnocentlyInsensitive: Lena showing up at Peter Lockwood's funeral ''really'' didn't help in easing tensions with Ben. Her offer to setup a fund in Peter's name comes across as an attempt to buy them off.

* KryptoniteProofSuit: To save Supergirl from the Kryptonite-poisoned atmosphere, Lena fits her with an all-covering suit designed to filter out the Kryptonite.

* NiceJobBreakingItHero: While never intentional, one way or another, each main character played a part in warping Lockwood from a good man to a bigot. All mean well, but each slight builds on the previous one to make Ben into Agent Liberty.

* AlcoholInducedIdiocy: Ben gets drunk with some of the factory workers after the death of his father. As they complain about losing their jobs, he gets the idea to burn down the Nth Metal factory. They throw some Molotovs into the window, forcing the floor manager, the same truck driver who wounded him, to flee. Ben bashes the guy's head in with a pipe, marking his transition from a rabble-rouser to a violent fanatic.

* DoubleMeaningTitle: In addition to being a common nickname for Superman, Man of Steel is used here to refer to Ben (and his father) being backed by the steel industry. EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The episode shows that Ben is/was a loving family man.

* FakeShemp: The bodyusuited Kara is not physically played by Creator/MelissaBenoist due to the actress being on broadway at the time of filming. Benoist only provides the dialogues via dubbing.

* DoubleMeaningTitle: In addition to being a common nickname for Superman, Man of Steel is used here to refer to Ben (and his father) being backed by the steel industry. EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The episode shows that Ben is/was a loving family man.

* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: The episode shows that Ben is/was a loving family man.

* DoubleMeaningTitle: In addition to being a common nickname for Superman, Man of Steel is used here to refer to Ben (and his father) being backed by the steel industry.

* LaserGuidedKarma: The dean who fires Ben (after his rant spurred by the loss of his home and his father's livelihood) later apologizes for doing so and joins his movement after she herself loses her home in similar circumstances.

* RememberTheNewGuy:
** Ben Lockwood is retconned into having met half the show's cast at some point, and is present during the events of several episodes. However, most of these interactions are brief from their perspective, so they have no reason to remember him.
** Jensen is said to be a former D.E.O. agent but is absent from the first three seasons.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Ben Lockwood is retconned into having met half the show's cast at some point, and is present during the events of several episodes. However, most of these interactions are brief from their perspective, so have no reason to remember him.

** The tension between the workers in the common steel industry and those who favor the upgrade to steel made from Nth Metal mirrors the {{real life}} tension between people who work in the coal industry and those who favor renewable energy.

* RantInducingSlight: The first time Ben changes his class lecture is when he sees a label on the whiteboard tray indicating it was made with Nth Metal steel.

* PerspectiveFlip: The events of Season 2 and 3 are retold from the viewpoint of an ordinary human.

* RealityEnsues: Ben gets fired from his teaching position for his bigoted views, which he pushes despite multiple complaints.
* RememberTheNewGuy: Ben Lockwood is retconned into having met half the show's cast at some point, and is present during the events of several episodes.

* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Pretty much ''everyone'' on the heroes' side unwillingly further radicalized Ben for a number of different reasons.

** Ben also uses typical right-wing rhetoric, with terms like "safe space" and "Snowflake," as a response to concerns expressed about his classroom behavior.

* InnocentlyInsensitive: Lena showing up at Peter Lockwood's funeral ''really'' didn't help in easing tensions with Ben.

* InnocentlyInsensitive: Lena showing up at Peter Lockwood's funeral ''really' didn't help in easing tensions with Ben.

** Ben's father refuses to modernize his refinery to process Nth Metal or to even try (Lena probably would've helped if he hadn't been so stubborn and prideful), claiming the old ways all the best. He then blames the aliens for his own self-destructive behavior when it's forced to close.