In Plain Sight

"One of the main reasons I moved to National City was because Clark wanted me to keep an eye on you. But you're the one who kept an eye on me. You never needed me. Not then, and certainly not now."

—James Olsen to Kara Danvers before his departure

"In Plain Sight"
Information
Season 5 » Episode 4
Episode number	91 of 126
Original airdate	October 27, 2019
Written by	Jay Faerber Jess Kardos
Directed by	David McWhirter
Chronology
Preceded by	"Blurred Lines"
Followed by	"Dangerous Liaisons"

"In Plain Sight" is the fourth episode of the fifth season of Supergirl, and the ninety-first episode overall. It aired on October 27, 2019.

Synopsis

Kara's investigation into William Dey's "criminal" activities results in the shocking revelation he is not who she thinks. Meanwhile, the conflict between Malefic and J'onn J'onzz reaches a boiling point.

Cast

Starring

• Melissa Benoist as Kara Danvers/Supergirl
• Mehcad Brooks as James Olsen/Guardian
• Chyler Leigh as Alex Danvers
• Katie McGrath as Lena Luthor
• Jesse Rath as Querl Dox/Brainiac 5
• Nicole Maines as Nia Nal
• Azie Tesfai as Kelly Olsen
• Andrea Brooks as Hope
• Julie Gonzalo (credit only)
• Staz Nair as William Dey
• David Harewood as J'onn J'onzz

Guest starring

• Jalen Thomas Brooks as Simon Kirby
• Luisa D'Oliveira as Breathtaker
• Patricia Isaac as Agent Igle

Co-starring

• Phil LaMarr as Malefic J'onzz
• Jerry Bannister as Construction Worker
• Ryan Hesp as Agent Sloan
• Paul Jarrett as Nelson Stewart
• Lorenzo La Rosa as Male Jogger
• Larry MacDonald as Strange Man
• Kristi McMullan as Female Jogger
• Chris Nowland as Grocer
• Camille Posadas as Obsidian Woman
• Michel Issa Rubio as Doorman

Plot

After a failed attempt at catching Malefic, Supergirl, Alex, J'onn, and Brainiac all returned to headquarters. As part of the precaution against Malefic everyone at the DEO is being scanned to confirm their identity. Alex is very upset with everyone, especially Brainy, being too emotionally invested she blams him for their failed attempt at capturing Malefic before storming off. Supergirl calls Nia wanting an update on any information regarding William. She is given the name Elena Torres and Kara travels to Mexico City to find her. While there she finds out to there was a car crash and Ms. Torres died. She also sees William before he gets into a car. After finding Elena Torres's apartment, Supergirl is met by an alien who is under the impression that she is Elena Torres tries to kill her. Kara returns in uniform, then after almost suffocating is able to arrest the alien and bring her into the DEO. After returning she tries to console the J'onn was upset after Alex blames him for what he did to his brother. Upon the realization that it was actually Malefic everyone realizes that Alex is missing. J'onn in a failed attempt tries to find her but is blocked by his brother. J'onn agrees to meet with his brother at the planetarium only to find Alex there, and pointing the Verdex Blaster at him. The two fight and J'onn is able to mentally bring her back, along with the help of Supergirl the two engage in a fight against his brother. When Kelly and James show up, they put a force field between them and the hypnotized audience shooting at them. Was super girls tries to stop the building from caving in, they realize Alex has a bomb attached to her. J'onn is able to face her out of her jacket, and Supergirl contains the bomb. Realizing his defeat Malefic tries to make an escape, but is temporarily stopped by Brainiac's updated Phantom Zone projector. however, he appears to have escaped the Phantom Zone.

James and Kelly are on the road, on the way to their Aunt Vi's town of Calvintown where they spend time growing up. Once they arrived they are surprised to see the town in such disarray, with the large increased homeless population, accompanied by a new prison. Once they get to their aunt's house, two kids run away and appear to have been doing homework while squatting. James and Kelly ran into Simon Kirby at a local convenience store when he's caught shoplifting. Kelly coppers for him, and James invites him to dinner. While making pizza, Kelly gets a headache and steps outside, James and Simon talk about how his mom is in jail for petty theft. Deciding this doesn't sit well with him, James goes to visit his old mentor Nelson Stewart at the newspaper he started working at. He too confirms that a rational crime rate in the city, that keeping people in prisons, lines the pockets of those in charge. After getting on the phone with a lawyer from National City, James promises to get Simon's mom out of prison and agrees to cover the cost. But when Simon finds out James isn't staying in town, he gets upset and runs away. James and Kelly soon return to National City to help Supergirl.

Lena is working with Hope still working with Q-Waves frequency but are at a dead end when Kara calls her friend for assistance in helping Brainy and J'onn. After hours of research and trials, Lena suggests J'onn get some fresh air, and while talking to Brainiac, convinces him to allow her to help. She requests a special tool, and in his absence, she attaches something to the Phantom Zone projector. it is later revealed that when Malefic tried to vanish, instead of escaping to the Phantom Zone he found himself in her laboratory. While he is trapped there, she requests they work together on Q-Waves frequency.

James announces to his friends that he will no longer be coming back, and plans to move to Calvintown to help the citizens in the town. Buying the newspaper, he hires Simon as a photographer.

Trivia

• Mehcad Brooks makes his last appearance as a series regular.
• This is the first episode not to feature Julie Gonzalo (Andrea Rojas) after signing on as a series regular.
• The bomb on Alex Danvers is from the planet Tamaran. DC's Starfire from Teen Titans is from that planet.
• Simon Kirby's name is a reference to both famous comic book artist, Jack Kirby, who is widely regarded as one of the medium's major innovators and one of its most prolific and influential creators, and also his partner throughout the 1940s and until 1955, Joe Simon. The partners were oftentimes referred to as "Simon and Kirby", and their most famous creation while working together was Captain America in 1940 for Timely Comics (the company that went on to become Marvel Comics).
• This episode shares its name from the USA Network series In Plain Sight.
• At episode's end, when James passes his camera on to Simon, Simon says "Thanks, chief", to which James replies "Don't call me chief." In the comics, this was a famous, and often repeated, exchange between employees at the Daily Planet and Perry White.
• Kara Danvers/Supergirl tells Lena Luthor that she is a superfriend, which is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1985 on ABC as part of its Saturday-morning cartoon lineup.

Goofs

• At the end of the episode, James gives Simon his dad's camera, however in "Crossfire" James loses his dad's camera which is what causes him to take up the mantle of Guardian.