The latest episode of Supergirl focuses not on Supergirl herself,

[Aristus]

but spins a narrative that traces the development of a murderous xenophobe.

For those who don't watch 'Supergirl', the show is a satisfyingly liberal analogy of today's immigration issue. Supergirl, or Kara Zor-El, is a refugee from the dying planet Krypton, who comes to Earth, and joins her superpowered cousin Superman in protecting Earth's innocent, downtrodden, bullied, and just plain different people.

Earth is portrayed as a haven for the Galaxy's oppressed and threatened alien people. And just as IRL, the aliens have their detractors and those who hate them. Call them 'roaches', etc.

The latest episode has Supergirl out of action due to Kryptonite poisoning. It charts the rise (or fall, I suppose) of a once reasonable factory-owner who sees his livelihood threatened by new, alien technology. Spurred on by his racist father, he refuses a lucrative partnership with the supporters of the new technology (shades of the WV coal miners declining job re-training...) And he does suffer some genuine setbacks caused by collateral damage from superheroes fighting evil aliens.

He becomes a pamphleteering nutcase passing out flyers on the street, and eventually murders the floor manager of the alien factory during a firebombing attack. Funded by a wealthy pair of brother-sister bigots, he becomes the leader of a powerful anti-alien hate group.

I think the show kept well within its liberal values by showing how reasonable people can become consumed by their hated, without condoning their extremism. It was a good hour of television.

[Stargleamer]

1. This really sounds worth watching n/t

[murielm99]

2. I have been watching this show from the beginning.

I was surprised by its liberal slant.

[Aristus]

3. Comic book superheroes have a history of liberalism.

And advocacy.

As early as the 1950's Superman was appearing in splash panels urging young kids to accept other kids regardless of differences in skin color, religion, nationality, etc. And he called bigotry 'Un-American.'

There have been some right-wing comic book superheroes. The original Iron Man, for example. But far more of them have been like Green Arrow; vocally liberal with an explicit, progressive aim: the protection of the oppressed and downtrodden.

[SuprstitionAintthWay]

8. Superman originally was a defender of the common man

...beginning with his introduction in 1938, until he got drafted into being a more institutional, flag-waving superpatriot by the demands of WWII. Before the war, though, he protected common people from abusive capitalists of various sorts: cruel business owners, greedy landlords, bankers a'foreclosing, etc. Along with protecting everybody from street crime. Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster grew up poor in Depression era Cleveland. Their Superman wasn't exactly a flying Woody Guthrie, but he did more than his part to help the little guy, the powerless, and the exploited.

By WWII's end Superman had largely left behind his democratic socialist leanings -- and good thing, because McCarthyism was coming -- and become more of a straight-up super-policeman. Like other cops on the beat, white collar criminals and plutocrats weren't high priorities for him. Bank robbers, supervillains, and increasingly, space aliens were his superconcerns.

But Superman continued to be written and drawn in NYC, so he did reflect the sensibilities of New Yorkers, not Alabamans, Texans, and Utahans.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. Last week's episode was very good too.

Basically, the new transgender actress playing a reporter at CatCo points out to Jimmie Olsen, the editor-in-chief, the need for the paper to take a stand against the bigotry facing aliens, after she witnesses a hate crime against Braniac-5.

[Aristus]

5. It was very good.

I think it has been the portrayal in such shows of liberal values that helped turn my wife, once a staunch conservative evangelical, into the progressive she is today. She has told me that she just never knew any better, raised as she was in a bubble of right-wing ignorance.

I think she would still bristle at the label 'liberal'. But she walks the walk. She is an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights. Her assistant at work is a lesbian, and my wife loves her and is fiercely protective of her. She is a stern supporter of the gun-control movement. And she has nothing good to say about the US's bumbling military adventuring around the globe.

I thank shows like Supergirl for helping her see the light...

[Behind the Aegis]

6. That is awesome.

"Wonder Woman" was one of the shows which helped me, little gay boy that I was. I think the episode you outline also does a great service to those of us who are liberals and gives a look at the thought process which births a bigot. Too many just want to "write them off" and, occasionally, I am one of those people. It doesn't mean we have to accept their reasoning or their narrative, but understanding it can help us find a solution.

[madaboutharry]

7. Supergirl is wonderfully written.

It is a great show, I still don"t get moving it from CBS to The CW, I guess it was an issue of demographics.