The latest Supergirl episode, It’s a Super Life, marks the first huge milestone for the Arrowverse series. It’s the one hundredth. Mxyzptlk (Thomas Lennon), having returned to Supergirl in a different form to what was previously seen, gives Kara Danvers / Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) the opportunity to put right what once went wrong. Whilst that might sound like Quantum Leap, the episode borrows a leaf from the 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life and modernises it to fit an ongoing fifth season narrative.

Fans of this Arrowverse show, ones that have been keeping up with the Kara/Lena Luthor (Katie McGrath) friendship subplot, will know the big reveal fell flat because Lex Luthor (Jon Cryer) beat Kara to the punch. When Kara finally told Lena the truth about her secret identity, even though she initially appeared to take the news well, Supergirl was being deceived. The friendship, in following episodes, quickly diminished.

Since Supergirl transitioned to The CW, the channel that it should have been on since day one, showrunners were gradually building up the Kara/Lena friendship. This friendship, beginning in the second season, was toppled with Lex’s dying breaths.

When Mxyzptlk’s offers a do-over, whilst it is something many people might jump at doing, issues soon become apparent. Kara soon discovers no matter what she does to restore her friendship with Lena, there is ultimately no going back. There are no take-backs.

In a fun way, by utilising various multimedia technologies from the past, Mxyzptlk shows Kara what life would have been like if she had handled her friendship with Lena differently. Any changes that occur here could have significant ripple effects throughout the entire Arrowverse.

Does anyone remember when Barry Allen / The Flash (Grant Gustin) decided to save his mother from Eobard Thawne / Reverse Flash (Tom Cavanagh)? The consequences for the Arrowverse, especially for Cisco Ramon’s (Carlos Valdes) bother, Dante (Nicholas Gonzalez), and John Diggle’s (David Ramsey) family were significant. What would happen if Supergirl rewrites history to save a friendship?

Do you remember that time when Dallas brought Bobby Ewing back from the dead and didn’t bother to loop in anyone over at Knots Landing? Whilst that’s not likely to happen within the Arrowverse, you get the point. The Arrowverse shows have an integrated timeline. Consequently, because of this, there isn’t much chance we will see any lasting changes occur from events depicted in this episode.

Image Credit: IMDb.com

There is a complex history within the series which can’t be ignored. Each time Kara returns to her past to interact with Lena, even though there is a genuine desire to restore the friendship, the ripples from that interaction aren’t favourable. None of the rewrites unfolds in the way Kara desires. The first possible rewrite, because Lena visits Samantha Arias (Odette Annable) in Metropolis, isn’t in National City when Kara needs her. Subsequently, because Ben Lockwood / Agent Liberty (Sam Witwer) poisoned the atmosphere with Kryptonite, Kara dies.

The second potential rewrite sees Mxyzptlk use a Netflix style streaming service to show Kara earlier events in her history. Kara believes Lena started to distrust Supergirl when she was asked about her Kryptonite reserves. Kara, suited-up as Supergirl, references something Lena told the CatCo reporter. It is here, in this rewrite, Lena realises Kara is Supergirl. This rewrite occurs before they take down Arias / Reign. Like the first go around, with unexpected ripples, it doesn’t go according to plan. Mxyzptlk is rightfully annoyed with Kara for not remembering big important details.

In the only do-over where Lena takes the news positively, early in the second season, there are serious negative repercussions. Agent Liberty, having kidnapped Lena and Thomas Coville (Chad Lowe), forces Kara to reveal her Kryptonian identity to the world. Shortly thereafter, something we should have seen coming, Agent Liberty and his followers track down and kill all Supergirl’s closest friends.

The final potential do-over, one where Kara and Lena where never friends, sees Mxyzptlk temporarily lose his powers. With no access to the Fifth Dimension, Kara and Mxyzptlk are stuck. Lena has been using the Fifth Dimension to power her H.O.P.E. robots. As we see with each do-over, something which was obvious from the beginning, nothing Kara did to save her friendship with Lena worked. The Kryptonite powered Lena, reminiscent of what Lillian Luthor (Brenda Strong) did to John Corben (Frederick Schmidt), makes a menacing female Metallo.

It’s a Super Life concludes with Supergirl visiting Lena. Supergirl tells Lena that she will be accountable for her own actions. Consequently, because of this, Supergirl decides to treat Lena the same way she would any other villain.

Next Time …