While I certainly don’t wanna rule out any drastic changes like that in the long term, I’d be very surprised if the Crows went away by the end of the season. Having an organization like this around is a natural vessel for creating further conflict beyond just the usual villains, and while getting rid of it could provide for a dramatic story shift, I get the sense that it’d take even longer to build up to something like that. Sophie might be conflicted about her future w/ the Crows, but Jacob and plenty of other people who work for him wouldn’t go down w/out a hell of a fight
But as for Sophie specifically, I do think the possibility of her leaving the Crows is a lot more likely. While I doubt that she’ll ever stop believing in the mission and what they’re supposed to stand for, I do get the sense that her loyalty to the organization is gradually wavering ever so slightly w/ every passing episode. I could very much see it get to the point where she discovers enough about the horrible things agents have done in both the distant and recent past that she becomes disillusioned enough w/ them to where she’d want to leave. Plus, w/ the show clearly dedicated to mirroring real-life elements of the intense backlash against police brutality, a move like this could be a truly meaningful way to work that into the story beyond just a single episode
I actually feel that it’s both. Like many great villains, Tobias is definitely the kind of manipulator who’s more than willing to do acts of legitimate good, but all in a way that also furthers his own agenda. It’s like how Lex Luthor, for example, will gladly help save the world from an alien threat, but when people aren’t looking, he’ll also take advantage of the situation to do something that will help him and hurt the heroes after the battle is over. I believe that Tobias is doing something similar here. We know that he legitimately loved his sister, and I’m sure he still very much wants to find a cure to honor her memory. But Lynn would certainly be naïve in thinking that’s all he wants to accomplish. I’m sure she’ll verify as best she can that Tobias’ efforts are legitimate as far as the ALS goes, but I’m hoping that she’ll still be able to see beyond all of that and also talk to her family about this instead of just keeping it to herself
I also have to wonder now about the timing of that. It seems like perhaps too much of a coincidence that soon after coming to the realization that she’s been trying to fit in where she doesn’t necessarily belong, Lynn gets an offer like this which specifically preys on that vulnerability. If I can break out the tin foil hat for a minute here, I think there’s an actual chance that her and Jeff’s therapist could be working for Tobias. As awful as it’d be, having direct access to some of their most intimate and vulnerable thoughts like that would actually be an invaluable resource for preying on their emotional weaknesses and better manipulating them. Granted, Tobias is also great at that skill in general, so it’s still entirely possible that he determined Lynn’s imposter syndrome on his own. But I honestly wouldn’t be that surprised to see a reveal like that, though I’m also desperately hoping it doesn’t happen
Though I don’t think it’d actually make a ton of sense to have a completely powerless half-Kryptonian, I think it would also be more interesting to see the dynamic play out where the two brothers have this major difference between them (among the other ones, that is). Because giving Jonathan powers as well would probably be the expected route, this move could force the writers to be a little more creative in how they approach the character not just over the course of this season, but for the show’s entire run. Not that powers are all you need to be an interesting character, far from it, but in giving the two of them even more differences, I think it’d actually be more satisfying to see them overcome those and form a unique bond regardless. And while I certainly don’t want to see parents playing favorites between their kids, it could also give Jonathan something more to bond w/ Lois over, similar to how Jordan will surely get to bond more w/ Clark over their shared abilities. I’m sure I’d eventually want to see an episode where Jonathan gains Jordan’s powers or he just gets temporary powers separately, but keeping him powerless in the long-term could be an even better reminder that not everyone needs them to be super
I’m certainly inclined to think as much. Given the circumstances, I’m thinking that this Luthor is actually one of Lex’s descendants, whether as close as a son or as far as someone who existed hundreds of years after him. I definitely like the idea of a world where Superman and Lex’s rivalry sparked a centuries-long conflict, and this Luthor is the latest in a long line of them dedicated to wiping out Superman’s family. Perhaps after being stranded on this earth post-Crisis, he found out all about Superman and Lex’s history while in hiding. When he realized that he came to a point in time where their rivalry was just beginning, perhaps he then dedicated himself to wiping out the original Kryptonian and presumably stop the same sort of everlasting conflict from happening here. I’m sure that’s too specific to actually be right, but it just goes to show how fun the speculation can be when a show is just starting out like this
But then again, we also have to acknowledge that this might just end up being a continuity error. True, Crisis can explain why Sam Lane and Morgan Edge look different, but we also saw post-Crisis Superman use his still-blue heat vision while fighting the Anti-Monitor, and now it’s back to its traditional red. Unless they offer some sort of specific explanation for that change (I did see an interesting theory that it could actually be a result of him getting shrunk), it’ll just end up being a direct continuity error, which would have to make you wonder how many other slip-ups could happen
Absolutely. While it’s been a while since I’ve watched Supergirl’s first season, I definitely remember plenty of instances where Kara or someone else mentioned Superman despite the fact that they weren’t actually able to bring him in until the second season. While I of course understand that Superman came first, both in terms of general history and the Arrowverse timeline, Kara was still the first to get a show and it was from that show that this version of Clark was introduced to us. This time, Superman really does owe a debt of gratitude to Supergirl, and I hope the writers don’t forget that over the course of the season
Additionally, not including Kara in any capacity will also raise some legitimate story questions. The main one from this episode is where was she during Martha’s funeral? Again, I get that Melissa Benoist (or Mehcad Brooks, for that matter – James is still Superman’s Best Pal, right?) couldn’t actually be there to film a cameo for that scene, but there still could’ve been something written into that sequence. Maybe Clark could’ve said that Kara couldn’t stay long or that she wanted to come but was in the middle of an emergency. All it would’ve taken is a single line to explain why we didn’t actually see her, and it’s honestly a little concerning that the writers didn’t even think to include something like that. To the viewers, Supergirl has a much more established legacy in the Arrowverse, and acting like she’s not even there would undoubtedly be the wrong move
