Supergirl S3E7 Wake Up dials the relationship drama up to 11, between the J’onzz family drama and the return of Maybe Mon-el there’s enough second guessing and baggage to propel this episode forward. Kara and J’onzz head off to investigate a mystery ship and come across Kara’ s banished love, J’onzz tries to break the shackles of mental oppession from centuries of slavery the hands of the white Martians and, Samantha goes to visit her adopted mother and unpack her feelings of abandonment and get answers about her inability to be hurt. Lucky for us viewers, the writers at Supergirl central seen to know how to tell multiple stories with depth, intensity and honesty that manage to connect with a central theme while having autonomy.

Kara faces the hard choices when the returning Mon-El seems to be not himself , J’onzz helps dad adjust to freedom and find happiness in coffee and Samantha tries to come to terms with who or what she is with a road trip to the middle of nowhere. There are so many heartfelt moments in this episode it’s hard not to have all of the emotions. Wynn tries to have a heart to heart with Mon and we get one of the most heartfelt and emotional performances that his character has ever given.

Overall this episode is a rich, realistic peek behind the curtains of some of the most solid characters and , there’s less magic and more relatable realness. Without giving away all of the endings , or depriving you all of some truly beautiful and emotional moments, I can tell you that this episode is fill of character development, subtle reminders of the thread of humanity that runs through some our favorite aliens. There’s beautiful navigation going on that in every single instance begs the question, what do you do for love? Even though the characters situations seem different on their face, they’re all trying to help their loved ones deal with their new realities. There are brutal truths and, life altering regrets that shake alliances to the core but, none of these shifts are taken lightly or for cheap emotional tricks. Every scene is raw and perfectly written and shot in a way that draws you in and softly reminds you how boss the writers, cast, and directors are.

Overall: 8.9