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‘Supergirl’ Episode 17 Recap — Martian Manhunter Origins, Jeremiah Danvers Lives, Silver Banshee Revealed

By Dustin Murrell
Published on: 15:02 PST, Mar 21, 2016

The Flash will make his Supergirl debut next week just as Kara Danvers and friends all begin a new chapter in their National City stories. As last week’s Supergirl ended, J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter’s charade as Hank Henshaw had been revealed to the federal government, and Supergirl had lost the trust of the citizens of the city she has been trying to protect. While in mean-girl mode, Kara sabotaged Siobhan Smythe’s career, and needless to say, Smythe wasn’t pleased.

This week’s episode — “Manhunter” — concluded like a season finale, as several roles and story arcs were concluded and supplemented with new ones. Despite spending a significant amount of time revealing the backstory and origins of several characters, almost everyone begins a new adventure of some kind. The following includes spoilers for Supergirl, Episode 17, originally airing on CBS on March 21.

Episode Recap

As the episode began, Kara Danvers/Supergirl was calling in sick to work as she was having trouble dealing with the fact that the people of National City no longer trusted her. While several other characters had major role shifts at the conclusion of this episode, Supergirl was simply taking steps towards earning the trust of the National Citonians. She will also have to adjust to working alongside Lucy Lane while J’onn J’onzz and Alex Danvers go after Dr. Jeremiah Danvers — Alex and Kara’s father, portrayed by Lois and Clark‘s Dean Cain — who they just discovered is still alive.

A federal investigation lead to the revelation of just how and when J’onn J’onzz/Martian Manhunter assumed the body of Hank Henshaw. As it turns out, the original Hank Henshaw wasn’t an especially nice guy, and Dr. Danvers did his best to save the last living Martian refugee. In what appeared to be Danvers’ dying request, he asked J’onzz to watch after Alex and Kara. Henshaw had just died after a scuffle with Danvers, so J’onn took over Henshaw’s lifeless body and assumed his life from that point on.

Pledging her undying allegiance to Henshaw/J’onzz even after he is taken into custody, Alex Danvers becomes a fugitive when Lucy Lane calls her out for lying about having any knowledge of Manhunter living in the body of Henshaw. When J’onzz later learns that Dr. Danvers is still alive, he and Danvers — both fugitives — tell Supergirl goodbye as they run from the law and search for Jeremiah Danvers.

Speaking of Kara’s adoptive father, here’s everything we know about Dr. Jeremiah Danvers so far: he was a former DEO agent who worked under Hank Henshaw. After Martian Manhunter saved Danvers’ life, Danvers prevented Henshaw from killing Manhunter. While it appeared that both Danvers and Henshaw died, it is discovered that Jeremiah has been alive — and held in captivity — for almost a decade.

After a serious talk in which Kara reveals to Lucy Lane that she is, in fact, Supergirl, Lucy is eventually persuaded to team up with the woman that came in between her and James Olsen. The two team up to rescue J’onzz and Alex. While those two are on the road as fugitives, Lane is named the new head of the DEO.

As her hate for Kara Danvers (and, separately, for Supergirl) continues to build, Siobhan Smythe makes one last attempt to get Kara fired from CatCo. But when Cat Grant sees right through her, Smythe nearly kills herself in a drunken stupor as she falls off the roof of a building. Her supersonic scream creates a sound barrier that prevents otherwise certain death, and the first evidence of her eventual role as DC’s Silver Banshee is revealed.

Next Week — The Flash!

As CBS advertises it, next week will be a “Superhero Event” as The Flash visits Supergirl in National City. While it doesn’t make the CBS superhero-drama an official part of the CW’s Arrow-based universe that also includes The Flash and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, it does open the door for more potential crossovers resulting in Supergirl invading the CW.

The trailer for next week’s Episode 18, “World’s Finest,” really only reveals two things. First of all, a situation arises in which Supergirl needs assistance from The Flash to defend National City. Secondly, the young superheroes get their flirt on as they appear to race on more than one occasion. While the rest of the world is talking about the upcoming Batman vs. Superman epic, CBS and the CW bring you a friendlier showdown featuring Supergirl vs. The Flash.

Where To Watch

CBS airs Supergirl on Monday nights at 8/7 p.m. Central. Replays of the most recent episode of Supergirl are available to stream on-demand at CBS.com.

[Image via CBS]

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