Supergirl Season 6, Episode 9 recap: Dream Weaver

The following article contains SPOILERS for Supergirl Season 6, Episode 9.

Last week’s episode of Supergirl truly felt like a hot and fresh start regarding the second half of season 6. Kara escaped the Phantom Realm with massive repercussions, papa Zor-El sees how “super” his daughter is, and the rest of her super friends’ stories were just beginning.

The first story that received a deep dive is all about Nia Nal/Dreamer. After being teased in the previous episode, Nia looks to have a dream about that dastardly Nyxlygsptlnz (or Nyxly to people who can’t pronounce her full name). This fifth dimension Imp princess has been a slow-burning villain since we first met her in the Phantom Zone needing revenge against her father. Audiences could tell she was bad news, but since she was not in immediate opposition to Kara, we knew her time would eventually come.

Supergirl Season 6 Episode 9 Recap: Nia and Nyxly have a lot in common

Nyxly’s role in this episode is sewing the seeds to her being the big bad for Supergirl Season 6. During Nia’s Naltorians dreams, she is chasing after her deceased mother to try and get some answers about her family and her ancestral roots. This is subtly referenced with Nia chasing after her mom through the trees and a forest within the dream plane. Although she did not receive any answers about her family just yet, she did gain an uneasy ally with Nyxly.

The comparisons between Nyxly and Nia are not necessarily in the audiences face’s but they are beautifully written into the episode. Both the 5th dimension imp and the Naltorian have their own parental issues and desire to get some answers from them. We were reminded that Nxyly’s desired answers are more Shakespearean in nature, but I do think her mission is similar to Nia’s.

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At the beginning of the episode, Nia had some clear reservations when the group was participating in one of their infamous game nights. The friends were discussing Lena and how she was in search of some answers about her birth family, which made Nia (with her sleeping issues mentioned above) visibly upset. I do not know if this will lead to a divide and resentment from Nia Nal, but I do know this is going to be a prominent talking point for at least the rest of Season 6.

When we last saw Kelly Olsen, she was doubting how strong she was as a person considering she is surrounded by superheroes and geniuses. After the whole Obsidian debacle, we now see Kelly as a social worker who is specializing in alien children.

Although Supergirl has never shied away from drawing not-so-small references and comparisons to alien species on Earth and undocumented immigrants, the show is taking it to another level. I am assuming the civil unrest following George Floyd’s murder impacted this show like it has many television series, but it should be mentioned Supergirl has been doing its part for years now.

Supergirl Season 6, Episode 9 Recap: Kelly begins guarding

So when it comes to Kelly, a black woman, her story within this episode is all the more poignant and beautiful. In this episode, her social worker job has her looking after an alien orphan named Orlando Davis, who is unable to control his alien abilities because of emotional unrest.

We find out it is because of his incarcerated brother, Joey. looks to be not doing well and is being harmed while he is imprisoned and participating in a prisoner worker’s program. Something feels off to Kelly so she asks her super-friends to help investigate.

Following some super investigations, it is unveiled that the prison system where Joey is being held is abusing their prisoners and using them for their alien abilities rather than as human beings. While this is a science-fiction television show, this aspect of the show could not be more prominent in the real world.

No matter if it is aliens helping a tyrannical prison system make a bomb, or California prisoners fighting fires for spare change but unable to do the same thing once they are released from prison. Prisoners are human beings and the incarceration system should help those folks rather than just hold them in a concrete box for their sentence.

The closing scene for Kelly is what everyone has been waiting to see for weeks now. After the last crossover in the Arrowverse and we saw Kelly wield her brother’s shield. Since Jimmy Olson left National City to build a small-town newspaper, there has been no Guardian to look over the people. Alex knew this, saw her girlfriend kick butt during Crisis, and set up a plan. This plan is finally coming to fruition and I expect to see Kelly Olson dawn the Guardian guise sooner rather than later.

The final point of this episode that stood out to me was the relationship between our favorite Kryptonian girl Kara and the stunningly handsome Catco reporter in William. These two have had a unique and unordinary journey, and I honestly do not know where the showrunners are going with this. They could easily leave Kara and William as great plutonic friends and coworkers and I would be a happy viewer. Also, they could make them romantically involved and I am never opposed to two beautiful people being together.

No matter which direction they go with, I have no doubt in my high level of enjoyment for seeing it transpire.

Supergirl Season 6 returns to The CW next Tuesday, September 7th, at 9 p.m. ET.

How do you feel about Nia working with Nyxly? Are you excited for Kelly Olson as Guardian? Let us know in the comments below!