Supergirl: What’s Next For Kara and Lena after “Event Horizon”

Supergirl returned tonight on The CW for its fifth season and brought with it a whole new chapter for Kara Danvers. Lex Luthor has been defeated, the anti-alien sentiment that plagued National City and the country in Season 4 has been exposed as a machination of his villainy. But those changes aren’t the only things that are different. At the end of Season 4, Lena Luthor discovered the truth about her best friend and now, in tonight’s season premiere we find out what comes next — for both Lena and Kara.

Spoilers for tonight’s season premiere of Supergirl, “Event Horizon”, below.

Early in the episode we see Lena (Katie McGrath) dealing with the reality that Kara (Melissa Benoist) is also Supergirl in a questionably healthy way. She’s created an AI and a simulation that allows her to confront Supergirl without actually doing so in reality. Lena is not okay, but she doesn’t want to kill Supergirl. What she wants to do is make her hurt and she has a plan for that. However, Lena isn’t the only one who is hurting. Kara is also struggling with the burden of lying to her and has been avoiding telling the truth — and avoiding Lena.

Things come to a head, though, at the ceremony awarding Kara her Pulitzer Prize. Kara won the award for her coverage and exposure of Lex Luthor’s machinations last season and it turns out that Lena is going to introduce Kara. Upon hearing this, Kara just blurts out the truth to her friend. Kara confesses everything, how she had planned to tell her but didn’t after Lena and Supergirl were at odds. She tearfully tells Lena how sorry she is, and Lena doesn’t say anything, but appears to be moved or upset by the information. Lena ends up going ahead and introducing Kara with a moving speech about truth. Kara later suits up in front of Lena, a landmark moment for their friendship.

However, while Kara may be unburdened by having opened up to Lena things may not be as resolved as perhaps, she thinks. You see, it’s subtly revealed that before Kara confessed, Lena had planned to leak proof that Kara is Supergirl to Andrea Rojas, the new owner of CatCo so that they could have a major, blockbuster story as the outlet switched from hard news to more tabloid-style stories. Kara’s confession ultimately prevents Lena from doing it, but it doesn’t change Lena’s heart. As the episode closes, Supergirl visits Lena at her office and gives her a signal watch if she ever needs Supergirl’s help. After she leaves, Lena reveals that now that Kara thinks they are on good terms, she will be able to use Supergirl. Lena is a Luthor, after all.

It’s unclear what Lena’s grand plan is for Supergirl, but as we’ve heard before, Lena may not be beyond redemption. The episode certainly sets the stage for what has previously been described by Benoist as a fight for Lena’s very soul.

“This season’s going to be a fight for Lena’s soul,” Benoist said, who was surprised and heartbroken by how Lena found out Kara’s secret. “I was devastated that it was Lex Luthor that told her. That was such a shot in the heart to Lena, a character that my character loves so dearly. It was painful.”

Supergirl airs Sundays at 9/8c on The CW.

What do you think Lena’s big plan for Supergirl is? Let us know in the comments below.