Serving as something of a Cat Grant origin story, one of the episode’s strengths was showing an earlier incarnation of Cat at her best. Whether that meant giving Kenny Li (Peter Sudarso) a pep talk or pushing back on her sexist boss for pigeonholing her with weightless stories, it’s easy to see how CJ becomes the Cat that both terrified and inspired Kara in equal measure. As a way to bring Cat Grant back to say a final farewell, it’s a lovely homage to the character Calista Flockhart and the writers created at CBS and brought over to the CW before Flockhart departed.
CJ’s arc also contributed to a lovely theme of the episode where Nia had the chance to shape the lives of two women who had such a profound impact on her own. While we never saw it on screen, (and it’s incredibly hard to believe given her age and experience), Nia was a political speechwriter for Cat Grant when she was press secretary for President Marsdin (Lynda Carter.) It was Cat who recommended that Kara hire Nia in the first place. Here, Nia gets to do some managing up, reminding Cat of her own value and why she got into the business in the first place. Nia even unwittingly helps Cat toward reclaiming her name and launching her media empire.
Nia and Kara’s relationship has been a joy to watch unfold over the last three seasons, especially as Nia truly grew into a reporter and hero of her own in the fifth season. It’s a nice grace note on their relationship for Nia – who is clearly instrumental in saving Kara – to offer teenage Kara a heroic alien to look up to, and some sense that she’s not alone. If anyone wasn’t already sold on the concept of a Dreamer spinoff, this episode makes a compelling case.
Finally, this trip to Midvale and its corresponding consolidation of Earths leaves the question of Kenny Li, the best high school boyfriend a superhero could hope to have. The writers painted themselves into something of a corner by bringing back Kenny. Kara needed a new reason to stop being a superhero, so that she can choose the heroic life as an adult after years of shunning it.
