Now that Kara’s connection to the DEO has been severed, she’s adding one more enemy to her ever-growing list when Supergirl returns tonight (The CW, 8/7c). And as you’ll see in TVLine’s exclusive sneak peek, neither one of them is willing to back down.

This new enemy is none other than Colonel Haley, who not only questions the Girl of Steel’s usefulness but also attempts to ban her from an alien-related crime scene. “I didn’t come here because of the DEO,” Supergirl tells her. “I came here because people needed help. … Just because I don’t work at the DEO anymore, that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop being a hero.”

“Kara’s seeing herself in the role that Superman had, being Earth’s protector,” executive producer Robert Rovner tells TVLine. “Clark gave her the wisdom that she doesn’t need to be part of the DEO to interface with Alex and protect the world, though complications arise that make their working dynamic more difficult.”

Rovner also confirms what was teased in the promo for Supergirl‘s midseason premiere, that Haley’s new mission is to uncover her secret identity. “Haley feels that if she knew the answer to that, it would be a way to leverage Supergirl so she could control her and keep her from butting into things she shouldn’t be,” he says.

But before you go labeling Haley a full-blown villain, EP Jessica Queller offers another perspective: “Like most of us, Haley is mixture of things. She may not always be on the same side we’re on, but she’s a company person with a strong sense of integrity. She figures out her own moral stand as the season progresses, and she really evolves as a character.”

Besides, the real villain of Season 4 is still Ben Lockwood (aka Agent Liberty), who remains a thorn in Supergirl’s side moving forward. He may be behind bars, but as Rovner explains, “he’s grown in popularity as a result. His reach extends throughout the season. He’s still trying to ferment this fear and hostility of aliens.” (Gulp.)

Hit PLAY on the video above for an exclusive sneak peek of tonight’s premiere, then drop a comment with your hopes for the rest of Season 4 below.