‘Supergirl’ Producers Talk Political Plots, Red Daughter and Whether [SPOILER] Is Ready for Love

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The CW

There is no denying that Supergirl‘s fourth season has been its most timely and for some viewers, divisive.

The parallels to the current political climate are all over the battle between Kara (Melissa Benoist) and Ben Lockwood (Sam Witwer) — the former liberal professor turned radicalized anti-alien vigilante Agent Liberty who infuses the season with hot-button themes of nationalism, xenophobia and anti-media bias.

In addition, the characters of James Olson (Mechad Brooks) and Nia Nal (Nicole Maines) have allowed producers to also tackle racism and trans rights. Like our heroine, the show itself has no plans to back down.

“We’re very excited that we’re able to tell a story that is resonating with what’s happening in the world today, that we can speak to the issues and that Supergirl is a beacon of hope,” says executive producer Jessica Queller.

Sam Witwer as Ben Lockwood/Agent Liberty

“I would say also we’re really proud to be telling stories that matter to us and that matter to everyone,” echoes Queller’s co-EP Robert Rovner, adding that this season’s plots are just the sort of stories that have the ability to inspire “the younger generation to think about these things in different ways, things like kindness and respect for others… things that didn’t used to be controversial.”

When the show returns on Sunday night, it’s Supergirl herself who is causing the controversy. No longer an asset of the DEO, the Kryptonian will face even more resistance from the military, even as she continues to fight for our best interests.

“She’s back protecting National City and the Earth, but because the President has kicked her out of the DEO, there are these conflicts right away between her and Haley (April Parker Jones),” continues Rovner, who hints that Kara is more than ready to fly solo. “I think Supergirl sees herself reimagined in the same role as Superman, protecting Earth as a hero who works by himself for the betterment of mankind.”

While she does that and deals with the lingering threat of the imprisoned Ben Lockwood’s angry acolytes, Queller reveals that Haley will exploit her own role as Director of the DEO to find leverage against the caped crusader — “Haley is going to be on a mission to discover Supergirl’s true identity.”

She had better hurry up, because a second Kara is coming our way soon. That’s right, the Red Daughter storyline is “becoming front and center as we return” promises Queller, joking that Benoist has gotten “very good at” speaking Russian. How this will fit into the action remains to be seen, but we can happily report that action of different kind is set for the other Danvers sister.

(L-R): Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers and Melissa Benoist as Kara/Supergirl

“Alex is ready to date!” says Rovner of Chyler Leigh’s beloved but lonely character. “One of the things that she addresses in one of the early episodes is that she had to put her life on hold, since the President was exposed as an alien and Supergirl was almost killed by the Kryptonite bomb. So she’s contemplating her life, asking ‘Why have I done this?'”

By the season’s 12th episode, Alex will begin to make herself a priority and start to pursue “the things that she was pursuing at the end of last season and over the summer, which we didn’t get to see on air, but in a much bigger way,” offers Queller. “And she definitely has love in her future.”‘

Please let it be Batwoman. Please let it be Batwoman!

Supergirl, Sundays, 8/7c, The CW