This episode offers something we haven’t seen in quite a while – a glimpse into Kara’s life on Krypton. Usually her Kryptonian roots are swallowed up by everything else going on in the present, but this episode is all about Rao, the God the Kryptonians worship, and a cult created in the name of Supergirl. Despite a few hiccups, the last couple of episodes have been strong, and ‘The Faithful’ continues the quality run.

The episode begins with a scene from Supergirl‘s very first episode – the plane crash that resulted in Kara revealing her powers to the world. We learn that a man named Thomas Coville was also on the plane, and ever since then he’s worshipped Supergirl and asked others who have been saved by her to join him. It would’ve been a nice sentiment if they didn’t see her as a God and put themselves in harm’s way just so that she could come and save them. So, overall, it’s a little creepy.

We’re also given some great moments of female bonding, especially between Kara, Sam and Lena. It’s nice to see that Lena has finally joined the friend group, but it must be annoying to constantly be dancing around the topic of Supergirl in her presence. Kara hosts a girls’ night at her apartment, which includes the three of them, plus Alex and Maggie. They drink wine and talk about their relationships, as you do, until once again the topic of children comes up. Supergirl really likes beating this dead horse, don’t they?

One of the cult members approaches Sam and gives her a pamphlet regarding the Children of Rao. She thinks it’s as weird as we do, and ignores it. Later, Kara finds the pamphlet and recognises the symbol for Rao on it. She decides to go to the meeting in Sam’s place (along with Winn and James, in what seems to be their allocated screen time for the week) to do some research. During the meeting, a woman tells a story about how Supergirl saved her from suicide, and that’s why she believes Supergirl is a God come to save them all. Again, it would be nice, if it weren’t completely creepy.

After an unsuccessful attempt to get Coville arrested, Kara goes into reporter mode and tries to get information out of him. However, he sees right through her secret identity immediately and knows she’s Supergirl. This automatically makes him a much more dangerous foe than before. She’s unsuccessful in her attempt to stop the cult, and when she leaves, Coville goes into the next room and begins talking to a big glowing object. Creepy.

Lena and Sam have a nice bonding moment over who is the worst mother – Sam or Lillian. It breaks my heart, really, knowing that Lena made a friend who will definitely turn out to be evil. I wouldn’t worry about your parenting too much, Sam, since Ruby is one of the whiniest kids I’ve ever seen. James and Kara also have a nice scene together (which I’ve sorely missed) and it proves he’s still the best love interest she’s ever had. Just saying.

Coville has decided that he’s going to take the glowing alien technology (or, a probe, which Kara figures out) to a large stadium during a hockey match, so Supergirl can come save them all when it inevitably explodes. There’s Kryptonite in the probe, which makes it impossible for Kara to go near it. Alex saves the day by getting rid of the Kryptonite, and Kara uses her heat vision to burn a deep hole into the ground to push the probe into. This will turn out to be a deadly mistake, as we learn at the end of the episode. Kara then visits Coville in jail later, who says he will continue praying to and for her. Okay, one more time: creeeeepy.

A heartbreaking Danvers sisters scene towards the end (provoked by Ruby’s adorable school recital) makes it pretty clear that Alex and Maggie will be ending their relationship very soon. Alex has tried to accept that Maggie doesn’t want kids, but she just can’t. The show has really backed itself into a corner with this storyline, because if Floriana chooses to return (which she’s expressed she would like to), what are they going to do? Alex said herself that Maggie won’t change her mind, and it’s not healthy for either of them to settle for what the other wants.

In the final montage, Kara begins to pray to Rao with the hologram of her mother that’s kept in the DEO. While this is happening, we flash to a lot of different scenes – J’onn with his father, Alex crying in bed next to a sleeping Maggie, and what can only be described as Sam continuing to transition into Reign. She looks in the mirror to find her face covered in symbols and voice whispering to her that “one day soon you will reign”. Sam gets scared and cowers on the floor, until Ruby finds her and snaps her out of it.

We then flash back quickly to 22 hours earlier, seeing the probe falling through the hole and into the water. This triggers some sort of activation, and then we see a hand press against the glass. This could be the introduction of the other Worldkillers (like Reign), which would be badass. It’s nice to see that this episode and its villain isn’t just a one-off, and the events actually contribute to the overarching plot of the season.

THE REEL SCORE: 8/10

Next time…