02x08 - Medusa

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Supergirl...

My blood is turning you into a White Martian.

You're Hank Henshaw. The real Hank Henshaw.

Henshaw: Hank Henshaw is dead.

I'm Cyborg Superman.

Mike: What did they do to you?

Supergirl: They took my blood.

Kelex: Hello, Kara Zor-El.

How can I help you today?

Tell me everything you know about the project you call Medusa.

I will never get tired of watching you do that.

I'm gonna tell her.

Just...

Let me start it out, all right.

I'm gonna casually drop how badass the suit is...

Oh, my God.

Yeah, yeah, it's like...

"Oh! Oh, this is so good!

"It's like somebody from the DEO must have made it."

Enough with the suit, already. Okay, it's a badass suit.

But I'm the one in the badass suit, so I should be the one to tell her.

Yeah.

Tell who what?

Alex...

Um, okay, so we thought about what you said...

Mmm-hmm.

About Kara.

Right, about not keeping secrets from her.

We talked about it and, um...

I'm gonna be the one that tells her I'm the Guardian.

No, no, no, no, you're not.

Yeah.

No, because I have something to say, something very important.

And I'm not going to have you two hijacking the night with your vigilante hijinks.

I'm sorry, um, I couldn't sleep a wink last night.

No, I can't wait.

Kara: Can't wait for what?

(CLEARS THROAT)

(HESITATINGLY) Eliza's glazed carrots!

Oh, yeah.

Yeah, I mean...

Winn was gushing about those ever since last Thanksgiving.

Family tradition!

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Oh, I'll get it.

(LAUGHS NERVOUSLY)

Jolly Thanksgiving!

(LAUGHS) Thanks!

Thank you, and it's "Happy Thanksgiving."

Oh, right. Happy...

What's this?

Oh, that? You asked for stuffing.

So I ripped open my mattress and pulled some out.

Oh, uh, well, that's not quite what I meant.

Kara, is this your friend from Daxam you were telling me about?

Yes!

Um, this is my adopted mother...

Dr. Danvers!

It is an honor and a privilege.

Please, call me Eliza.

Eliza.

Well, Kara tells me that you're a brilliant scientist.

That must be riveting.

I have to hear about this science. What is science?

Are you okay?

Yeah.

What?

Yeah.

I think Mon-El is hitting on Eliza.

No way.

Mmm-hmm.

And, uh... He brought stuffing.

Oh, boy.

Ooh! Mmm-mmm.

No, please.

(CLEARS THROAT) So...

You really hit it off with Mon-El.

(LAUGHS) Oh, Kara. He's chatting me up because I'm your mother.

What?

He likes you!

Uh, no. No. (GIGGLES)

Yes.

He's trying to score points with me to impress you.

There's no way.

Believe me. A mother knows.

(CLEARS THROAT)

Kara, will you do us the honors?

Oh, yes. Okay. Okay.

So, it is a Danvers family tradition that, before the meal, we go around and we say what we're thankful for, so...

All: Ah!

I like that.

Whoever wants to go first...

(ALL MURMURING)

I wanna go first. (CLEARS THROAT)

(CLEARS THROAT) Kara, I for one would like to say how thankful I am to have such an understanding friend.

Oh, he's right. You are so understanding.

James: You are.

No, she's not.

Yes, she is.

No, she's not.

(WINN CLICK TONGUE)

(SIGHS)

Uh... (CLEARS THROAT)

Yeah, I just wanna... I just wanna say something.

I'm also thankful for you, Kara, um...

Because not only are you understanding, but you're also gracious.

(CHUCKLES)

Out of everybody who could have found me in that pod, I'm the luckiest guy in the world that it was you.

I'm just going to jump in and say there are so many things that I'm thankful for.

And, honestly, I don't think I've ever really felt this much like myself than right now, and so there's a reason for that.

And that reason...

Well, that reason is... (CHUCKLES)

(ALL EXCLAIM IN SURPRISE)

Does that normally happen on Thanksgiving?

So, last night, the space-time continuum ripped apart in the middle of your apartment.

Which only makes it slightly less intense than last year's Thanksgiving.

Any idea what caused it?

Oh, maybe some extra-dimensional being just had a craving for your mom's cranberry relish.

Yes.

Ugh. Okay, time to keep scanning for tachyons and other reality-shredding particles.

All right, people, holiday is over, let's get back to work.

Now, question of the day, what did Cadmus want with Supergirl?

And why did Lillian Luthor take your blood?

I mean, why not just k*ll you?

I think she probably has something a little more nefarious planned.

Oh, yeah, those Luthors do love an epic criminal scheme.

I just need to know what Lena knows.

Will do. I will tap every phone.

I will hack every computer.

No. I'll do it.

I mean, I know her.

I bet you I could get her to say what she knows.

How?

Reporting skills.

And good old-fashioned sneakiness.

Solid plan. No problem.

Yeah, absolutely.

You guys! I can be sneaky when I want to be.

Definitely.

Sounds like a plan.

Hack Lena anyway.

Duh.

So what is this interview for, really?

Oh, it's a puff piece.

"Women of Power and the Mothers Who Molded Them."

Oh, I mean, of course, I'm happy to help, Kara, I'm just not sure how interesting my mother and I really are.

Oh, I'm sure your mother is fascinating.

Listen, Kara, you can write whatever sounds good, but the truth is, as a daughter, I always seemed to fall short.

We could never agree on anything.

What sort of things didn't you agree on?

Was it with the business or...

Oh, God, no! My mother couldn't care less about L-Corp.

What about back when it was Luthor Corp?

How did she feel when you changed the company's direction?

You mean when I changed it from its "murdering world domination" direction?

(LAUGHS)

Sure, yes.

It's just, you said to me once you wanted L-Corp to be a "force for good."

She has to be proud of that.

Yeah, I would hope so.

Look, Kara, you know, I'm a complete idiot. I forgot I had a meeting.

I trust you will do us justice.

Yes.

It's good to see you.

Mom?

We need to talk.

Can I get ya anything?

Man: No.

Suit yourself.

Wow. You must be a regular here.

So, are you looking for some company?

I am very good company.

Yeah, I'm sure you are.

And I actually am looking for company, but with someone else.

Ah!

I'm sorry, excuse me.

(BEEPING)

J'onn!

(GRUNTING)

(BEEPING)

(BEEPING QUICKENS)

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(PEOPLE COUGHING)

(ALL CLAMORING)

Hey, what happened?

They're dead! All the aliens are dead!

Is this really necessary?

I feel fine. I could do 1,000 push-ups one-handed.

While that's very impressive, we can't risk you transmitting whatever you were exposed to in the bar to the rest of us.

Which begs the question, what the hell was he exposed to?

Tell us what happened again.

I already... I told you guys...

(SIGHS)

I saw you. But not you, the real you, the original Hank Henshaw.

I followed him outside, we fought and I lost.

And then I heard the screams.

If I hadn't followed him outside, I could have stopped this.

The only reason you're still alive is because you chased Hank Henshaw outside.

I have never heard of a w*apon, bio or otherwise, that can target only alien physiology.

And that thing k*lled everything in that bar except human beings.

I would like to bring my mother in to help analyze the crime scene.

She specializes in astrobiology, I think she could really help.

That's a good idea.

Great, let's get going.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

You and I will remain quarantined here at the DEO until we can figure out exactly what sort of toxin we're dealing with.

J'onn, this is Cadmus.

I know it. They're planning something.

My alien sister is not leaving here until we figure out how Cadmus was able to target only aliens.

It's better safe than sorry.

(SIGHS)

This is quite a depressing sight.

I'm used to celebrating holiday weekends alone at my desk.

Overworking does run in the family.

Now I know you're in the holiday spirit.

Usually that kind of thought is followed by the backstabbing jibe about how I'm not really a Luthor.

You never let me forget that I'm adopted.

When it comes to your children, Lex was always your favorite.

And you always your father's.

You sound almost jealous.

You shouldn't take it all so personally.

No parent truly loves their children equally.

And though maybe I loved Lex more, I do love you, Lena.

In my own way.

Well...

Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way, let me ask, what the hell are you up to?

We've hardly spoken since Lex's trial.

I thought maybe you called me here to make amends.

It's Thanksgiving, after all.

But I see I was mistaken.

There's a reporter sniffing about.

She's smart.

She knows something about you.

What is it?

I couldn't possibly imagine.

See, I know you're lying.

And how would you know that?

Because you told me you love me.

And we both know that's not true.

Thanks for stopping by, Mom.

Oh, crap.

Aw, sucks for you.

My turn.

I mean, please.

And you're in jail.

That feels appropriate.

You'll be out of here soon enough.

Both of us will. So don't pout.

(LAUGHS)

Hey, you don't, uh... You don't like me, do you?

Of course I like you.

No, I mean, like, you don't "like me" like me?

"'Like you' like you"?

Sorry, English is my second language.

My mom, Eliza, she... She thought you were being extra nice to her on Thanksgiving.

That's like a thing that boys on this planet do.

They're nice to the moms of girls they have crushes on sometimes.

"Crush"?

Sorry, (STAMMERS) I'm not following.

You don't want to mate with me, do you?

(LAUGHING)

Um... (COUGHING) I mean, have you seen the women that I've been attracting, earthlings and otherwise, since I've been on this planet?

(CHUCKLES)

Uh-huh, thank you for the clarification.

(COUGHS)

(WHEEZING)

Mon-El!

Oh, Mon-El!

Automated voice: Warning! Containment breach.

Hey! Hey!

Warning! Containment breach.

Hey! Hey!

Stay with me! Stay with me!

Warning! Containment breach.

Help!

He's stable for now.

Thank Rao.

But he is infected.

(SIGHS)

Did he pass it on to Kara?

The virus isn't transmittable organism-to-organism.

You have to come in contact with a weaponized aerosol in order to be infected.

Well, that's some good news.

There's something else.

I isolated a strand of the virus from Mon-El's blood.

Based on the protein code, I'm fairly certain the virus is from Krypton.

A Kryptonian virus?

How did Cadmus even get its hands on that?

My blood.

That's why they needed it. To get in.

To get into what?

The Fortress of Solitude.

Kelex, what happened here?

Kara Zor-El, there is an intruder in the Fortress.

Where? Who is it?

You. You are the intruder.

And you will be destroyed.

(POWERS DOWN)

What did you want here, Henshaw?

(BEEPING)

"Project Medusa..."

Dad.

Hello, Kara.

What do you wish to know?

Uh...

(CLICKS TONGUE) Um...

(INHALES SHARPLY)

What is, uh... What is Project Medusa?

Medusa, a weaponized virus that I created for the defense of the planet Krypton.

Wait, a... A virus you created?

It was a joint partnership between the Science and m*llitary Guilds.

We bio-engineered the virus to att*ck non-Kryptonian physiology.

In the event of an invasion, Medusa could be deployed to k*ll alien combatants while keeping our civilians and infrastructure safe from harm.

Growing up, you told me your work was saving lives.

I was saving Kryptonian lives.

It was the perfect w*apon.

Well, now your perfect w*apon is in the hands of my enemy.

Henshaw stole the virus's formula from the Fortress of Solitude, which means Cadmus can make as much of the virus as they want.

An unstoppable bio-w*apon that kills every alien except Kryptonians.

The news just gets better and better.

Well, that explains why Mon-El is still alive.

Kryptonians and Daxamites share similar DNA.

So, he'll recover?

His immune system is battling the virus and he is fighting hard.

But without a cure, the infection will win.

Well, here's everything I found on the virus at the Fortress.

Mom and I will get to work on it right away.

We'll find a way to combat it.

Are you all right?

Yeah. Yeah, I'll be fine.

(SIGHS)

So, what is it?

Oh, I've got the mainframe breaking down the virus on a molecular level.

No, I mean, I know you've been trying to tell me something.

Oh...

No.

No?

(SIGHS)

How?

Keeping a secret disagrees with you, sweetie.

This isn't like that, Mom.

Does it have anything to do with Maggie?

You mention her a lot.

Oh, my beautiful Alexandra, why is it so hard for you to tell me?

I feel like I'm, uh...

I'm letting you down somehow.

Why would your being gay ever let me down?

(SIGHS)

You always wanted me to have a regular life.

Alex, look at the life our family has led.

Look at me, look at your sister.

I don't think you believe I ever expected you to have a regular life.

You were always gonna be different, Alex.

Because you were always exceptional.

And I love you however you are.

Come here.

(BREATHES HEAVILY)

I like this view much better than the stalactites at our last office.

(CHUCKLES)

Here, the lives we've been charged to protect are always in view.

Kinda reminds me of the view from my room on Krypton.

I could see the whole city from that window.

All the lights, pods zooming by...

But then again, I guess I didn't truly see anything.

All my life I thought my parents were the good guys.

And now, the more I learn, the more I see things, how they really are.

And the more I'm ashamed to be their daughter.

Kara, your parents tried to protect a planet.

They tried to save lives.

I'm sure Lex and Lillian Luthor thought their intentions were good, too.

Is this their legacy?

Death and destruction across the universe?

Your parents' legacy is not death and destruction, Kara Zor-El.

It's you.

(SIGHS)

(GROANING)

J'onn! J'onn!

What's... (GASPS) What is happening to you?

(GASPS)

M'gann's, uh, blood infusion saved my life, but...

It also poisoned me.

(GRUNTS)

I'm, uh...

I'm turning into a White Martian.

Oh, my God.

But Alex and Eliza, they can find a cure, we can fix this.

The priority has to be Medusa.

I don't want them or anybody else being distracted from the primary mission.

We have to stop Cadmus.

We found out how Cadmus intends to weaponize Medusa.

They need a dispersion agent, one not available on our planet, but there is an analogous element, Isotope 454.

Which is incredibly rare because it's made exclusively by L-Corp.

If Cadmus gets their hands on it, they'll be able to spread the virus across the entire city.

There's nothing we'll be able to do to stop them.

Maggie?

Get every available unit you have to L-Corp now.

(DETECTOR BEEPING)

Keys, belt, any metal...

Hey, wait!

(ALARM BLARING)

Stop!

(GRUNTS)

(YELLS)

(GRUNTS)

I should have known you'd show up.

(BOTH GRUNTING)

(GROANS)

(GRUNTS)

(PANTING) Get out of here!

(GRUNTS)

Back away! Get down!

Back away! Get down!

All this time trying to save the world...

Who's gonna come and save you?

No one's coming to your rescue!

(SUPERGIRL GASPS)

(GROANS)

Maggie!

(GASPS)

Just get the bastard!

Officer: He's gone.

Did you secure the isotope from L-Corp?

No. No, but Henshaw didn't get it either.

How's Mon-El?

He's not getting better, sweetie.

And we're no closer to a cure.

There's got to be something on that crystal from the Fortress that'll help.

So far there's plenty describing how to synthesize and disseminate the virus.

But I... I don't think they ever even considered a cure.

What about Lena Luthor?

What about her?

Lena's mother took the Kryptonian virus and synthesized it on Earth.

If Lena is working with her...

Lena was shocked to see Henshaw.

He would've k*lled her, too.

Ah, the Luthors are pretty good actors.

Or, well, sociopaths.

Either way, they know how to fool people.

No, no. I looked into Lena's eyes.

She doesn't know anything about Cadmus and her mother.

I know it.

Would you stake Mon-El's life on that?

(CHUCKLING) You know that door's not really an entrance.

Yeah, actually, I just wanted to thank you for earlier on.

Not only did you save the lives of countless numbers of my employees, but mine as well.

Now I need your help.

Anything.

I need help finding your mother.

My mother?

Your mother is behind Cadmus.

She's their leader.

You're lying.

I'm not.

She kidnapped me.

And now she possesses a virus that she could wipe out the entire alien population of National City.

I need you to help me find her, so that she doesn't hurt any more innocent people.

You know, I thought you were different.

You wear that symbol on your chest and everyone thinks you're good.

How many times did your cousin put on that high-and-mighty costume and come after Lex?

My mother is no saint, but you come in here and accuse her of being the Devil incarnate?

How long before you come after me?

I know what it's like to be disillusioned by our parents.

But I'm a pretty good judge of character.

And you are not like your mother.

She is cold and dangerous.

And you are too good and too smart to follow in her path.

Be your own hero.

You can leave the same way you came in.

Sorry. You okay?

Oh, I'm okay.

Just a little nervous, you're not very good at this.

Oh, well, clearly the dr*gs have kicked in, because you are done.

Thank you.

No.

Thank you.

For what?

Well...

I told my mom.

You did? How did she take it?

Better than me.

(CHUCKLES)

You know, when you first suggested that I was gay, I, uh...

I denied it.

And then I thought that it was just about you.

I mean, how could I not like you?

But, you know, deep down, I think I still wasn't comfortable that that was my new normal.

But it is my new normal.

And I'm happy that it is.

'Cause, um...

I, uh... I don't know, I finally... I get me.

And now I realize that it wasn't about you, but it's about me living my life.

So, thank you.

Anytime.

Hey.

Hey.

Did you learn a new power where you can duplicate yourself?

Because I'm seeing two of you and it's really cool.

No.

(LAUGHS) No, sorry. No new powers. Just...

I think the double vision is all you.

Oh, so I have a new power?

Yeah.

Your Earth mother, Eliza, she thinks I'm dying.

I might not have your hearing, but mine's pretty good.

She's gonna find a cure.

It's okay.

I've, uh...

I've cheated death more times than anyone should.

It's not okay, you shouldn't be dying.

The only reason you are dying is because of my family.

Eliza did her best.

No. Not her.

My birth father created Medusa.

He's the reason you are in so much pain, and he's the reason that I can't do anything about it.

(SIGHS)

You know, you look beautiful, with the weight of all these worlds on your shoulder.

You don't have to make me feel better.

Yeah.

Absolutely beautiful.

Twice in one day.

It's almost like we have a real mother-daughter relationship.

The Medusa virus.

That's why you sent your goon here.

For Isotope 454.

You're in charge of Cadmus.

Is this the part where you lecture me, like you'd lecture Lex?

No.

What you said before, there was truth in that.

Ask me for my help and I'll give it to you.

It's that easy?

It's that easy.

I didn't think you believed in the cause.

Then maybe it's time you got to know your daughter a little better.

(ALARM BEEPING)

What is it?

The radiological alarm.

Isotope 454 has a radioactive signature.

So I set a program to alert us if it was ever moved from the stockpile at L-Corp, and...

Let me guess.

It's moving?

And how.

Looks like Cadmus is preparing to release the virus at the Port of National City.

But why?

The Port isn't a drinkable water supply.

It's the perfect place to launch the virus in the air.

Disperse it right across National City.

Tonight, our nightmare ends.

Tonight, every alien who has stepped foot on our planet will die. Because Earth is for the humans.

The future is for the humans.

We are Cadmus.

We have to move. Right now.

Call Alex and get a strike team to meet me at the Port now.

There's no time, Supergirl. It's just you and me.

J'onn, you can't go out there.

If the virus spreads...

I'll die, I know.

But it's a fate I'm willing to accept.

No. I am not gonna let you do this.

I know you're upset about what's happening to you, but I'm not gonna let you go on some kamikaze mission.

Kara, if I die, I want to die as myself.

Fighting for what I believe in.

Not as some mutant horror show.

Let me share the fate of my alien brothers and sisters, come what may.

Some mothers wear lockets with pictures of their children.

You wear the keys to a bazooka.

It's a rocket launcher.

And it's yours.

Take it.

Prove you're with me.

Unleash Medusa and end Earth's alien menace once and for all.

Don't do it, Lena.

Why not?

I'm a Luthor.

Go, I've got this.

You two are finished.

You're wrong about that.

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTING)

(GROANS)

(GRUNTING CONTINUES)

(YELLING)

You're a monster, and I'm gonna send you back to hell.

You're finally right, Henshaw.

I am a monster.

(ROARS)

Gotcha!

(BEEPS)

(GRUNTS)

Oh, my God.

You may be an alien, but I'm Cyborg Superman!

(GROANS)

You may be a cyborg, but you are no Superman.

I'm coming, M'yri'ah.

(GASPS)

They should be dead.

All aliens should be dead.

You.

You switched out the isotope.

You made the virus inert.

I did.

And I called the police.

(SIRENS WAILING)

You're okay.

We all are.

He's gone.

My lords.

We've reached the Well of Stars.

Both: And?

There is no sign of the Kryptonian pod.

Both: Find it.

The ion trail has dissipated.

I would not know where to look.

Both: Find it.

Both: I do not care how much space we must cross.

How many lives we lose, or how many suns we burn.

Mon-El of Daxam will be found.

Am I dead?

Is this heaven?

(CHUCKLES) No.

We were able to reverse engineer a cure from a living sample of the virus.

And when my mother says "we," she really means "she."

But Winn and I watched enthusiastically.

While this is good news, it gets even better.

The Medusa virus was so easily weaponized I was able to turn it against a common enemy, J'onn's White Martian blood cells.

J'onn!

You look great!

I feel great.

(SUPERGIRL CHUCKLES)

Thank you, Eliza.

My pleasure.

(SIGHS)

I'm so glad you're okay.

Yeah. Me, too.

I don't know what you would have done without me.

(BOTH CHUCKLE)

So, are we gonna...

Talk about what happened?

Yes.

Yes, I want to hear all about how you chased that m*ssile down.

No, I mean, are we gonna talk about what happened between us while you were dying?

I... What? What happened? What did I do?

Uh...

You drooled.

I... (LAUGHS) No.

You drooled all over yourself. (LAUGHING)

That's bad.

(LAUGHS)

But, that, that was... That was it?

Yeah, that was it.

Okay.

Well, get some rest.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Hey.

Hungry?

Yes.

Come in, please. Ignore the pajamas.

Oh, no, they're cute.

(CHUCKLES)

You, uh...

It's late. You got a case or something?

Oh, God. I could really use a good old-fashioned m*rder right now.

You know, I didn't come here for work.

I just... I really needed to see you and talk to you.

Is everything okay?

Mmm...

Um...

Well, here's the thing. I...

I almost d*ed.

Uh, yeah. No, I would not have let that happen.

Wait. I know that, but, um...

It got me thinking that I...

I was so stupid.

I thought that...

And I guess I was kind of right, that you came out for me.

And that scared me.

Um...

But, um...

Life is too short.

And we should be who we are.

And we should kiss the girls that we want to kiss.

And I really just...

I... I want to kiss you.

I just...

So, you're saying, you like me.

That's...

(CHUCKLES)

That's what I got.

Of course. You're not gonna go crazy on me, are you?

Probably.

(CHUCKLES) Yeah.

This better be the right place.

It is.

'Cause if this isn't the right place, someone's about to be real confused.

(GASPS)

Barry?

Hey.

I knew it.

I knew that was you.

I knew it was you in that weird space portal thing!

Yeah.

I'm sorry. It took a couple of tries to get here.

This is my friend, Cisco.

Well, friend is a loose term. We work together.

Hi. Cisco.

Hi.

I have to say it, this is a nice universe you got here.

Thank you.

Okay, do you remember last year, when I helped you out and you promised to do the same for me?

What are we up against?