Ep 3. Far From the Tree

In "Supergirl" season 3 episode 3, titled "Far From the Tree," we find the titular heroine still grappling with the fact that her birth mother, who she thought was dead, is actually alive and captive on a distant planet called Fort Rozz. Meanwhile, J’onn J’onzz (David Harewood), also known as the Martian Manhunter, receives a distress signal from Mars and decides to venture there along with his father M’yrnn (guest star Carl Lumbly) to help resolve an issue of great importance for their species.

Intriguingly, both of these storylines involve estranged familial relationships. On Fort Rozz, Supergirl (Melissa Benoist) reunites with her mother, who is understandably emotional about finally seeing her daughter after so many years apart. There are a lot of questions to be answered about what happened to Alura Zor-El (guest star Erica Durance) after Krypton exploded and how she ended up on Fort Rozz, a notorious prison ship that contains some of the galaxy's most dangerous criminals.

As Supergirl tries to learn more about her mother and the machinations of the sinister Kryptonian villain Reign (Odette Annable), she's also juggling her duties as National City's protector. This means dealing with a new villain on the loose, Psi (guest star Yael Grobglas), who has the ability to induce fear and control people's minds.

Meanwhile, J’onn's trip to Mars with his father is even more emotionally charged. M'yrnn is suffering from a debilitating condition that causes him to lose control of his telepathic abilities, making him a danger to himself and others. J’onn hopes that returning to their ancestral home and performing a certain ritual will cure his father's ailment, but of course, things don't go exactly as planned.

One of the most satisfying things about "Far From the Tree" is how it uses these two storylines to explore different aspects of family, identity, and legacy. For Supergirl, meeting her mother forces her to grapple with her responsibilities as a superhero and as a daughter, while for J’onn, returning to Mars prompts him to reflect on what it means to be a Martian and how his father's legacy has impacted his life.

Of course, it wouldn't be "Supergirl" without some action-packed superheroics, and "Far From the Tree" delivers on that front as well. Psi proves to be a formidable foe for Supergirl, and there are some thrilling fight scenes as the two women clash. Meanwhile, J’onn and M'yrnn's journey to Mars leads to a tense confrontation with a new Martian threat that has some surprising ties to J’onn's past.

Overall, "Far From the Tree" is a strong episode of "Supergirl" that balances character work, emotional drama, and superhero action in a satisfying way. It continues to build on the themes of family, legacy, and identity that have been central to the show's DNA since the beginning, while also introducing some intriguing new villains and storylines. Fans of the series won't want to miss it.