04x07 - Rather the Fallen Angel

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Supergirl...

"To all true Children of Liberty, who believe this country is ours.

We must resist the alien scourge."

If people feeling inferior is what makes them join these hate groups, then we could just level the playing field.

Did the Harun-El do this?

It made the heart invincible.

[LENA] I want to move forward with the Harun-El protocol.

We're gonna need a human subject.

[MANCHESTER] They took my baby, man.

Sorry, Fi. I've got to do it my way.

I got connected with some Children of Liberty.

Tom, nice to meet you, bro.

I don't have direct access to Agent Liberty.

But I can connect you with people who do.

[OFFICER OVER RADIO] All units respond to a hostage situation

at the alien fission rod factory.

[SIRENS WAILING]

Lower your g*n and get down on the ground.

Or I can't promise you'll walk out of here.

[GRUNTING]

You're safe now.

Good job.

So what did your partners want with the fission rods?

[MANCHESTER] Go ahead, tell her what you told me.

I don't know anything.

Hey, hey, that is not how we do things.

Look, you're getting in the back of a police car anyway so just tell us the truth.

I swear I don't know any more.

I said I wanted to help and they gave me two options.

I could show up here and steal some fission rods, or hang out, waiting for some cargo shipment.

We're done here.

Hey, partner. Wait up.

Look, I appreciate what you're doing, but I can take it from here.

Look, Agent Liberty took everything from me.

I will do anything to see him brought to justice. Anything.

Just let me help. I'm resourceful.

I tracked them here, didn't I?

I'll call you if I find anything.

[EXHALES]

I apologize for the blindfold. A necessary precaution, you understand.

Yeah, I get it.

But I'm no thr*at to you.

I came here on my own accord.

To talk to you.

To listen. I'm prepared to hear your side of the story.

I mean, obviously, you have an agenda, but why?

There has to be something.

The core of your anger, something that's happened to you.

[AGENT LIBERTY] Something did happen to me, Mr. Olsen.

I saw men struggling to remain relevant, to provide for their family,

I saw human beings being treated less than they deserve.

Less than exceptional.

Surely, there has to be a part of you that can find a commonality between aliens and humans.

We just want good, safe lives for our loved ones.

No, we're not here to talk about my empathy, or lack thereof, for aliens.

Okay, you tell me.

What am I writing?

You won't be writing anything.

I'm giving you an opportunity to step in front of the camera for once, to be the story, to galvanize and to inspire.

Because Guardian stands for everything that my followers strive for.

Human exceptionalism.

You want me to inspire your followers?

And how exactly do you want me to do that?

I want you to destroy something.

A monument, something that stands against everything we believe in.

I don't tear things down.

That's not my style.

I get it, you're not a willing participant yet.

But you will be.

I believe in you, Mr. Olsen.

The fission rods were just delivered.

What about the rest? It's set?

- Yeah.
- Good.

Then the men we lost on Thanksgiving will be avenged.

And by tomorrow night, Supergirl will be dead.

[DOOR OPENS]

Miss Luthor, the subject's here.

- He's early.
- Well, he's eager to get started.

He's a real nice guy. He's got nice green eyes, like yours.

Eve, doing experiments of this nature on

a human subject is extremely serious.

I've had qualms about even proceeding.

You are not making this any easier.

I'm so sorry. Of course.

You have to proceed.

My cousin's in hospice.

Metastasized cancer, she's got two little girls.

You give those kids their mother back and just imagine all the other families that you'd rescue.

Not to mention saving our country.

If you level the playing field and make humans super, you could be preventing another civil w*r.

Have you prepared the subject?

Yes. His name...

No. No, don't tell me his name.

We'll refer to him as subject .

Well, you must be the lab tech.

I'm your rat. Name's...

Subject , male, brown hair, green eyes, approximately ' ".

Three-inch scar on the left rear flank.

Hockey injury.

Buffalo Boys.
Can't trust us on the ice.

I assume you've read and considered the conditions of the experiment before you signed the contract.

Feel free to look it over, but I will need your thumbprint to make it binding.

Yeah, wait, by conditions, you mean this part, right?

"I, the subject, understand and acknowledge the full range of risks including, but not limited to a % chance of expiration."

"Expiration" as in death, right, lab tech?

That makes me sound like a carton of milk.

If you're uncomfortable with the terms, you can just get dressed and leave.

No, no, no. I'm just messing with you.

Of course, I understand the terms. It's just...

Why the soft-pedaling?

I mean, it's kind of like when everyone would say, "I'm so sorry your brother passed."

Passed what, gas?

Passed his driver's test?

No, he didn't pass, lady.
He freaking d*ed.

Dead, as in a doornail.

Anyways, I digress. It's a thing I do.
I'm totally in.

- Here is my thumbprint.
- [DEVICE BEEPING]

Can I see your arm, please?

I suggest my left.

The ad for this gig made a pretty big deal of secrecy of the whole thing.

But, uh, seeing as how I'm putting my life on the line, well, I'd love to know what it's for.

Well, you must know the scientist pretty well, right?

Can you tell me what he's up to?

It's the advancement of science.

You're tough.

But under all that ice, there's a heart.

I can tell.

So will I ever get to meet the man behind all this?

You have met him. I'm the scientist.

Hey, I have to show you something.

Okay, in a minute.

Brainy, I need you to track...

Missing alien fission rods?
Already on it.

Great. And I need to track any rogue cargo ship...

Gentlemen, you are watching The Lockdown with Ben Lockwood.

What is that man doing on TV?

I told you I needed to show you something.

[SUPERGIRL SIGHS]

And I'm sorry to say we're going to start

tonight's show on a very somber note.

Because on Thanksgiving night,

five men peacefully protesting

the alien takeover of their home planet went missing.

Roaches think they can blow us out of the water whenever they want.

They see Supergirl flying around, rounding up innocent people.

They're blaming me!

Is Supergirl a hero,

or is she the seed that may very well

'cause the eradication of the human race?

- What?
- Hey.

Hey, you saved hundreds of people on Thanksgiving.

And we don't even know if aliens were involved in the disappearances.

- We're still investigating.
- [CELL PHONE RINGING]

Hang on.

J'onn, what's happening?

Hi, I just got a call from Manchester Black, said you two were working on something?

He wanted me to give you a message.

Something about a cargo shipment?

Really? Send me the details.

Will do.

[GRUNTS]

Tom?

I'm so sorry I got you involved in all this.

They lied to me.

I thought they were gonna give you an interview.

I didn't know they were gonna use you.

My gauntlet.

Come on, we don't have a lot of time.

Welcome to Earth.

You are about to be processed for immigration.

The island will dampen your powers,

but rest assured, they'll return as soon as you leave.

Earth is a friendly place,

you are safe here.

Welcome to Shelley Island.

[JAMES] Shelley Island?

I thought this place was shut down after President Marsdin resigned.

It was. That's why it's the perfect place

for the Children of Liberty to gather.

[MAN ON PA] James Olsen has escaped. Search the island.

No boats on or off.

[TOM] Come on, the boat's this way.

[GRUNTS]

[CHILDREN OF LIBERTY YELLING INDISTINCTLY]

Go! James, go!

Go!

Earth traitor.

[g*ns COCKING]

Stop, stop, stop. Wait, wait, wait!

I'll do whatever you want.

Just don't hurt him.

You see?

I knew you'd heed the call.

Psst.

- Hey.
- Hey.

Thanks for the tip.

So what's this code you've cracked?

Follow me.

Once I realized that little weasel in the energy factory gave us everything we needed, the rest was easy.

[SUPERGIRL] DISL label.

International standard codes for ID and freight containers.

I nicked the logs from the shipyard foreman, did a little cross-referencing and found our prize.

So, shall we see what's behind door number one?

[SUPERGIRL] It's empty.

And freezing.

Whatever was shipped in here was kept at sub-zero.

Yeah, now it's gone without a trace.

Maybe not.

[GRUNTS]

It's part of a shipping label.

Manchester?

You better tell me what I need to know.

Hey, hey! Hey!
Whoa! What are you doing?

He's the supervisor.

He must know where that shipment was headed.

- Where did it go?
- Stop!

Stop, he can't speak through your fist.

Well done. Now he's gonna go call the cops.

I don't care.

You could've broken his jaw.

We don't hurt innocent people.
What is wrong with you?

Okay, look, sorry. Sometimes I just get a little...

I had a rough couple of months.

Yeah, well, maybe you should take a few more and cool down.

I said I was sorry.

This was a mistake.

What?

I've gotta say I'm surprised you haven't kicked me out yet.

For what?

Assuming the scientist was a man.

I was raised better than that. Sorry.

Apology accepted.

Can you at least tell me your name?

Doctor...

Kieran.

Dr. Kieran.

I'll bet your other lab rats haven't

offended you this much, Dr. Kieran.

I don't offend easily.

And there are no other subjects.

What?

I'm the only one?

That's right.

What, was I the only one crazy enough

to risk my life for something unknown?

Out of over applicants, all but were acceptably risk-tolerant.

Okay. But why did you pick me?

I have my reasons.

Oh, come on.

Dr. K, I have never been picked for anything.

So you have to tell me.

Nagel's spider in the shower conundrum.

The spider thing?

That was a multiple choice question.

There's a spider in a shower,

and it's been there for days, trapped.

And every time you turn the water on, it tries to run for its life to escape, but it can't get out.
So what do you do?

Do you move it to safety, do you k*ll it?

Nothing. You don't know what the spider wants.

You leave it the hell alone.

Yeah.

Was I the only one who picked C?

Other than me.

Okay. So you picked me because

I don't care whether a spider lives or dies.

If this thing works, the last thing I want is a hero.

Then you have nothing to worry about.

My brother, the one who passed, he was a hero.

He was so perfect it could be nauseating.

Believe me, I've never been a hero.

Neither have I.

You ever lost someone, Dr. K?

Yeah.

She was the only hero I ever had.

Oh!

Hey.

Oh, my.

I don't think you can cook a turkey four different times.

It's accumulating flavor.

Yeah. Uh...

Listen, Brainy called on my way over here.

He's still running tests on the label that you brought back from the shipyard.

But they did find the missing bodies of the Children of Liberty.

And there was no evidence they were k*lled by aliens.

- [SIGHS]
- But, this was personal.

Busted skulls, broke jaws, in addition to g*nsh*t wounds.

Broken jaws.

Do you think brass knuckles could cause that much damage?

If they're paired with a strong enough arm, yeah.

Huh.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

I, uh, thought you might be re-heating, so I brought wings.

- Oh, come on.
- Thank God.

Uh, no offense.

- Offense taken.
- [BLOWS RASPBERRY]

I, uh, saw Manchester at the bar when I was grabbing dinner.

He wanted me to tell you how sorry he was.

J'onn, you told me Manchester was on the path of peace, like you.

We share a similar struggle, yeah.

So I understand how much he wants to feel like he's doing something.

And how hard it is for him to resist his more violent urges.

You don't think he's capable of k*lling five Children of Liberty, do you?

He is angry.

But under that anger is just a lot of pain.

Fiona's death just rocked him.

Manchester has a good heart.

I'm not ready to give up on him just yet.

I mean, he's been on my side every step of the fight.

He's resourceful and stubborn.

And if he wants something he'll go after it.

He could be useful.

Okay.

Supergirl.

I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.

Yeah.

But I spoke to J'onn and he said I should give you another chance.

It's a pot pie. It comes in peace.

Thank you.

I never got the chance to meet Fiona.

But J'onn tells me she was remarkable.

She was.

I know you want justice for her.

I wanna help you find that.

- [BRAINY] Supergirl.
- Just a second.

Brainy, what is it?

Did we get a hit on the contents of the container?

The label itself was too destroyed to interpret.

But I found the residue on it to be % glue

and . % ink.

The rest was Nalcyite.

What is that? Is it dangerous?

It's Nalcian table salt.

However, on Earth, it could be quite volatile.

Under the right conditions, it has an expl*sive factor

of , joules per gram, or that of a tiny, precise nuclear expl*si*n.

I should get back to the DEO.

No, wait. The DEO is already on it looking for that b*mb.

So maybe you and I can cr*ck something here.

Your friend said he'll call if he finds something, right?

Right. Yeah.

Here.

Whoa.

Want some?

Thank you.

So are you ever actually gonna tell me what it is we're doing here?

In success, which I'm counting on, you'll need to know.

We're attempting to cure everything.

Like cancer?

Everything that makes men weak.

Are you telling me if this had happened a year ago, that my brother might still be here?

Not only that, but if this works, we'll cure not only all human ailments, but you'll get...

Abilities.

What, like superpowers?

Something like that.

But you didn't want a hero.

I wanted someone responsible.

Somebody who wouldn't think that they knew what was best just because they had powers.

Whoa. Um...

I don't think this is a good idea.

I'm not a good person.

You know, I lied to you about my scar?

Yeah, it's not from a hockey stick.

Looks like a surgical incision.
Maybe from a kidney transplant?

That kidney is the reason my perfect selfless brother is dead.

I needed a kidney and he volunteered.

And the whole thing was supposed to be routine, but he d*ed on the operating table to save me.

You know what the worst part is?

If the roles had been reversed,

I wouldn't have given him my freaking kidney!

No way! I was too selfish.

I was the one dying, I am the one who's supposed to be dead!

Is that why you signed up?

Because you don't care if you're gonna live or die?

Um, look, Dr. K, you're obviously doing something great here, and I don't wanna mess this up for you.

I mean, you said that this could save, what, millions?

Hundreds. Hundreds of millions.

Yeah, well, everything I touch is cursed.

If you've had a change of heart and you wanna drop back, that's...

- That's okay.
- That's not it at all.

You deserve someone way better than me to help you achieve this.

Out of applicants, I chose you.

What if you chose wrong?

Well, I'm a very smart woman.

I stand by my choice.

[TOM] I was so wrong.

I thought if I joined the Children of Liberty

- I wouldn't feel so...
- Helpless?

I guess this is what happens when we let fear guide us.

Yeah.

We both made choices that got us here, right?

I mean, I asked you for help.

No. If you stay, if you blow up that monument then everyone's gonna think you're with them.

That you're a Child of Liberty.

You're gonna give them the face they've been dying for, the legitimacy.

So what?

That's what happens if I stay.

But if I go and I preserve my reputation, you die.

And then what, Tom? I'm lost.

And you're dead.

And then I am no better than him.

And I'm stronger than that.

I have spent my entire life building myself up into the man that I am today and I have not given society one reason to doubt me.

But what is reputation?

I mean, what is it? It's nothing.

It's not who you are.

So if the latest fringe group wants to tear that monument down, we will build it right back up.

Agent Liberty can do whatever he wants with my reputation.

I know who I am.

I keep coming across this problem.

The container was empty when we got to it, which means they had to get rid of the cargo somewhere.

But the logs say the shipment just arrived.

They didn't have time to unload there or to make land at any other docks.

At least not on the mainland.

They had to have stopped at an island.
That's the only way.

[SIGHS] The missing alien fission rods...

They're on Shelley Island.

That's where Fi came through.

I thought it was defunct.

It was, but it runs on alien fission rods, just like the ones that were stolen.

They turned the island back on.

I have to alert the DEO.

Wait. Hey, look, if this is their home base, and they're planning something, Agent Liberty will be there.

Exactly. That's why we need backup.

No, it's why we need to be smart.

A guy like that can smell
the DEO a mile away.

If we go in blazing, he'll hit the trigger, or worse.

We need to sneak in on the hush.

No big g*ns. You know, your way.

Okay.

But there are power-dampening pylons on the island.

We have to be careful. But luckily, I always come prepared.

It's a yellow sun grenade to boost my powers.

Think of it like a Kryptonian multivitamin.

Hmm. Can I see that?

Yeah.

Brilliant.

I knew I'd do right teaming up with you.

[SCOFFS]

Wow. It's beautiful.

Yeah. You should've seen this place when it was fully operational.

There's the power dampeners.

[SUPERGIRL GASPS]

[CHILD OF LIBERTY] Stay where you are!

Sorry, Supergirl. I saw an opportunity.

My new mates here promised me an audience with their king.

So I delivered.

You set me up?

All this time, you were playing me? Why?

Pain is a great motivator.

I told you I'd do anything.

[MANCHESTER] You must be Caldwell.

Petrocelli said I could trust you.

You get us Supergirl

and you get to meet the boss.

All right, gentlemen, you know the deal.
This has to look legit.

And, you, don't pull the trigger until we're near her.

[GRUNTS]

All right then, as the roaches say, "Take me to your leader."

Have patience. He'll be here soon.

Alex. Alex, can you hear me?

[GROANS]

Left arm.

Back to treating me like a number.

I guess you've finally seen the error of your ways.

I don't deserve to be here.

You're not a bad person, Adam.

You called me "Adam."

You're also not responsible for your brother's death.

There are hundreds of things that could've caused what happened on that operating table.

We know one thing that wasn't responsible, and that's you.

You didn't cause it, you couldn't have stopped it.

It was just bad luck.

Bad luck doesn't make you a bad person.

Bad choices do.

And I would know because I'm a much worse person than you.

Is this about the person you lost?

Who was she?

My mother.

My real one, not my adoptive, who is very much alive and kicking.

How old were you?

Four.

You don't have to tell me what happened.

No, I know. It's fine. I want to.

We were visiting family she said.

Somewhere by the water, a lake I think.

It was...

It was so green.

It wasn't a very bright day, it was overcast, but my mom said that's where the magic was.

It was the rain that made the green.

So of course, she went swimming.

She didn't come back.

- I'm sorry.
- No.

See, I was there.

I was with her on the shore, when she went in, and when she went under and I did nothing.

I didn't run, I didn't cry.

I just stood there.

You were four.

What kind of child doesn't run to their mother or doesn't scream for help?

I knew.

I knew something was wrong, but I did nothing. I just watched her die.

And afterward, I was brought to this terrible family.

And I have spent my life fighting their legacy, and their crimes and their evil deeds, but I've always know that...

That deep down inside, that I belonged with them.

Get some rest.

Tonight, the human hero Guardian pledged his allegiance to humanity as he exterminated not only the symbol of alien pride, but the greatest adversary...

"But the greatest thr*at to our survival, Supergirl."

Remember, if you say anything off-book, if you so much as frown at the camera,

- I will not hesitate...
- I know the rules.

And you're sure that there's no one in that monument?

Cross my heart.

Now stand in front of the detonator and say "cheese."

[PANTING]

[ELECTRICITY CRACKLING]

[GRUNTS]

[STRAINS]

Tiny, precise nuclear expl*si*n.

So, I've been thinking about starting a chapter across the pond.

You know, Children of Britain.

Here we are.

Come on in.

Five minutes, Mr. Lockwood.

You got it.

[MAN] Mr. Black.

I've heard a lot about you.

Please,

let's talk.

Yes, let's.

[GRUNTS]

[STRAINING]

[PANTING]

My name is James Olsen.

And I believe in the Children of Liberty, and everything they stand for.

Only humans

belong on Earth.

James!

[AUTOMATED VOICE] Device online.

James!

[BEEPING]

Device activated.

James!

I hear you want to discuss the possibility of expanding the Children of Liberty to Europe.

But I thought you made plans to live here with Fiona.

[SCOFFS]

Of course you're not Agent Liberty.

Because if you've connected me to Fiona, you know the only reason I'm here is to avenge her.

And he'd never risk that.

I made a deal with our dead friend over there and he did not deliver.

- Maybe you can.
- [g*n COCKS]

Who is Agent Liberty?

If I tell you, you'll let me live?

I believe disloyalty should be rewarded.

[GROANING]

James, come on, see me!

[GROANS]

I do this in the name of humanity.

[SUPERGIRL] James!

Supergirl?

James!

Get him!

Come on!

Take him down!

Don't move!

[AUTOMATED VOICE] Countdown initiated.

Twenty, ... I honored my end of the deal.

I delivered the goods.

But I think now I'm gonna take it back.

Time to let our caged bird free.

[AUTOMATED VOICE]
Ten, nine, eight, seven,six, five...

[CHUCKLES]

What? What's this?

It's your payment. We're shutting down the experiment.

You're free to go.

Wait, why?

- Was it something I did?
- No.

No, we're just not moving forward, okay? I've changed my mind. It's not worth the risk.

Of course there's risk.

There's no progress without risk.

I just can't have another death on my hands, okay? It's not worth it.

I've never done anything meaningful in my life.

And what you're doing here is... is miraculous.

If I can be a part of this my life will finally make sense.

Good people don't let other people take this kind of risk.

I have a % chance of my kidney transplant not working.

I live with risk every day.

I mean, people risk their lives for the things they believe in all the time.

They enlist and go to w*r to protect their country.

They become firefighters to save other people.

The risk I'd be taking is worth it to me.

And you are a good person.

You said it yourself, you could save hundreds of millions of people.

How many people can say they have the ability to do that?

So you made one very human mistake when you were practically a baby.

That was not your fault.

And look at all the good you're doing now.

Please don't take this gift away from me.

Please let me do something good.

Subject ,

trial one commencement.

[BEEPING]

Thank you.

[BREATHING HEAVILY]

You betrayed Supergirl tonight.

You betrayed me and your promise to Fiona.

No vengeance is worth your soul.

What soul, old man?

I saw the love you had for Fiona, how you fought for her.

I also know what you're gonna do, and I can't let you k*ll a man, even if that man is Agent Liberty.

Once you cross that line, Manchester, there is no going back.

You have no idea what lines I've already crossed.

See that there?

That's your heart b*ating.
Mine is dead.

And every time I close my eyes and wait to hear Fi's voice, there's nothing. There's just silence.

I'm empty, man.

That is not true!

You wanna know the truth?

Look.

[DEVICE BEEPS]

[g*nsh*t]

Why won't it stop?

It's an empathy amplifier.

It was created to use against empaths, double the hurt and keep everything in.

If I can't escape this pain, neither can you.

You shouldn't have believed in me.

[CRYING]

We have concluded our first human trial.

Test subject exhibited what could be considered extra-human powers for precisely three minutes and seconds.

Time of death, : a.m.

Despite the expiration of the subject, the trial reaped new and critical information on the human genome.

Future trials run at an % probability of success.

Payment will be sent to the subject's next of kin.

I'm so sorry, Adam.

I moved the spider.

What you working on?

Hey. Um...

You know, they made me say a lot of things in that camera today.

Horrible things that I don't believe in.

So I just wanna tell my side of the story about my time with the Children of Liberty.

Yeah, I've been thinking a lot about that, too.

Duality.

How people can surprise you.

Manchester Black is... [SIGHS]

is bad.

He k*lled people, he betrayed me, but...

But then he turned around to help me. I...

Well, maybe he wasn't trying to help you.

Maybe that was just a consequence.

Yeah, I guess people only show you what they want you to see.

And that's not always who they are.

Yeah. I mean, look at me, I...

I compromised myself today.

You saved Tom's life.

But I risked everything I've worked for.

Everything, my reputation, my life.

Your life.

You know, though, I guess I kind of understand a little better why Lena lied to me about the DA now.

You should tell her that.

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Pasta is in.

[SIGHS]

Look, I know we didn't leave things off on the best note, and I was just...

I was thinking we could try again.

How was your day?

You know what, I'm pretty tired.

Got a lot of work to do.

See you tomorrow?

Tomorrow it is.

[MAN ON TV] What do we got, a couple of wise guys over here?

[KNOCKING ON DOOR]

Hey.

What's wrong?

I failed.

I was wrong. I was wrong.

Manchester, uh...

He k*lled all of them.

I'm so sorry.

I'm so sorry.

[SOBBING]

[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]