By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell
Clark (Jack Quaid) is feeling a bit haunted. It’s the night of an award ceremony, and he’s supposed to be taking a picture of Lois (Alice Lee) and Jimmy (Ishmel Sahid), but he’s having some flashbacks of his fight with Hank Henshaw. Lois and Jimmy try to coax Clark into the picture, but Clark doesn’t want to because Jimmy, Lois, and Superman were nominated to receive awards for saving Metropolis. After his fight with Hank, Clark says he isn’t Superman anymore. The conversation is interrupted by Steve Lombard (Vincent Tong) driving up in his van to drive them to the ceremony. He jokes about the trio fighting over who gets to sit next to him, but no one wants to sit next to him because he’s annoying. The seating arrangement ends up being Jimmy and Lois in the back because they’re “VIPs” and Clark riding shotgun. Without realizing it, Steve rubs in Clark’s depowered status by asking if Superman will make an appearance at the ceremony. Clark awkwardly says he thinks Superman really misses the city, but he doubts he’ll be able to show up.
In the back, Jimmy and Lois talk about their growing concern for Clark. They know that losing his powers has hit him hard, but apparently, he hasn’t really wanted to talk about it. Lois wonders how long it takes someone to open up after their identity has been shattered. She resolves to give it another shot tonight. Speaking of tonight, Jimmy wants to know if Lois knows who Kara (Kiana Madeira) is bringing as her date to the Gala. Lois doesn’t think Kara has had time to find a date because she’s been full-time Supergirl for the past month.
When Lois asks Jimmy if he has a date, he says yes, with another W.O.R.M.S scientist, which shocks Lois considering his previous experiences. But Jimmy explains that despite their tendency to be mad scientists that experiment on him, he is still contractually obligated to go out with a W.O.R.M.S scientist one final time. Considering that Kara is scheduled to receive an award, Lois feels that bringing a date might be in poor taste. But, since Kara’s on the apps, Jimmy doesn’t think she’ll be particularly bothered. Lois hopes that Jimmy’s latest W.O.R.M.S scientist turns him into an octopus, but Jimmy says he has everything under control. He promises Lois that nothing is going to happen tonight, which means everything will probably happen.
When they arrive, everyone is in formal wear, and Jimmy tells Lois that he’s right that everything will be fine. Midway through the “I told you so,” Jimmy gets tackled by Flip Johnson (Azuri Hardy-Jones), the kid reporter. She excitedly tells Jimmy that Perry said that she and her fellow “junior investigators” are being featured tonight and they’re Jimmy’s problem. Jimmy doesn’t want to watch them, so Clark volunteers, which Lois is unsure about because the kids can be a handful, but Clark stresses that he needs something to do. Before the conversation can go much deeper, Kara makes her entrance by floating down in a beautiful dress. Jimmy thinks she looks beautiful, but any greetings are cut short by Princess Marina Maru (Melanie Minichino) showing up with her security. She is Jimmy’s date for the night, which bothers Kara a lot.
Lois is mostly confused because Princess Marina doesn’t appear to be a scientist. Clark thinks it makes sense because Jimmy has a boyish charm. At any rate, Lois tells Clark that she hopes they get a chance to talk. But Clark gets pulled away by one of the kid reporters setting someone’s dress on fire. While Clark is tending to the fire, Lois bumps into Vicki Vale (Andromeda Dunker), who tells Lois that she made a mistake not coming to Gotham to work with her. Since Lois is nominated in the same category as Vicki, Lois says she’s doing just fine. But Vicki points out she is co-nominated with Jimmy and accuses her of not being able to do anything without one of her “boy toys” at her side. Then, Vicki issues a challenge: Whoever walks away with the biggest scoop tonight is the better journalist.
Clark is still wrangling the kids, but looks upset when Lois tells Vicki that it isn’t what you say but what you can do that matters. Clark says he’s okay, but Lois doesn’t seem to believe him.
Elsewhere in Metropolis, Bizarro (Jack Quaid) has a job at an ice cream parlor, and we hear on the news that people have noticed that Superman has been M.I.A since the fight. Still, the reporters wonder if Superman will appear to accept an award alongside Supergirl. Bizarro calls Clark his friend and seems interested in his whereabouts.
Back at the gala, Kara tries to learn more about the princess. Jimmy tries to explain, and Princess Marina compliments Kara. Jimmy agrees that Kara is impressive and deserves just as much credit as Clark for saving Metropolis. Using the city as a metaphor, he says he knows Metropolis is confusing and doesn’t always know how it feels but everyone in the city really cares about her. But before he can say more, Princess Marina interrupts him and says he’s being very kind to his “platonic friend.” The awkwardness is further interrupted by Silver St. Cloud (Melanie Minichino), a famous philanthropist, officially starting the gala proceedings.
While she’s giving her speech, it becomes increasingly more obvious this night isn’t going to be boring because a group of men is breaking into the museum where the gala is taking place. Two of the men identify themselves as Fox (Andromeda Dunker) and Vulture ( Steve Lombard ). Back at the ceremony, Clark can tell that Kara is upset, so he tries to distract her with fun facts about the history museum. Clark tries to include the kids, but he looks over, and they’re gone. He gets up to go look for the kids, and Jimmy warns him that Kara’s award is soon. Clark promises he’ll be back in time, but first, he needs to find Flip and the other kids.
And, Clark isn’t the only person on a mission to find someone. Bizarro is on the roof because he is looking for Superman. We see that Clark, in fact, doesn’t make it in time because we see Kara getting her award, and we see Bizarro disappointed that Superman isn’t accepting his award alongside her. Kara gives a speech about how although she’s new to the planet, it’s already full of people she loves and friends she can count on. As she looks out into the crowd, she is disappointed that Clark isn’t there. We also see Princess Marina put Jimmy’s hand down when he tries to wave at Kara.
A few floors down, Fox and Vulture are hacking into the museum’s surveillance system, and they’re preparing to make their own broadcast. While Kara is speaking, Viki comes over to try and get a quote from Princess Marina. She asks her if she fears any backlash due to her public support of free expression. Her answer is that she’s received threats, but she refuses to be silenced. Lois gets worried about Clark’s extended absence and goes looking for him, and Vicki taunts her as she goes.
Somewhere in the museum, the kids are having fun in the dark when they stumble upon a bound and gagged security guard. The fun’s over, and Flip tells the other kids they need to tell someone about this, but before they can, they’re stopped by a member of the gang breaking in. Meanwhile, Clark is still looking for the kids, and he misses his superhearing because it’d make the search easier. He doesn’t get his superhearing back, but he does start hearing whispers. Knowing Flip’s mischievous streak, at first Clark thinks that maybe the kids are trying to scare him. But it’s not them; he sees ash raining from the sky, fire, and hears Flip yelling his name for help.
Upstairs, Lois Lane is trying to interview the guards, but they’re stonewalling her. When she asks who’s in charge, Silver comes over to introduce herself. She tells Lois she’s a big fan of her work, but she says Lois’s “interrogations” are sort of bringing down the vibes. Silver adds that the added security is Princess Marina’s private detail. Lois apologizes for being so suspicious and explains she is just having a competition with Vicki Vale. Silver asks when she isn’t competing with Vicki and wonders if the award they’re both up for isn’t enough. Lois admits it’s silly and Silver tells her that if she needs awards to tell her she’s good enough, she’ll probably never get there. Before leaving, Silver advises her to just do her best and celebrate whatever that brings her with her loved ones because that’s all anyone gets. With that, Lois wonders where everyone, particularly Clark, has gone.
Speaking of Clark, he finds the little ones, and an angry man is holding them at gunpoint. Clark jumps in front of them and tells the gunman to keep away from them. As he’s doing this, Clark remembers that he isn’t bulletproof anymore, but jumps in front of the gun anyway when the gunman shoots. He manages to subdue him and goes to check on the kids, who are pretty frightened. When Clark asks if anyone is hurt, Flip tells him that he’s hurt and points to his bleeding arm. She’s still upset and wonders where Superman is, because as Superman, Clark has shown up for the kids before. Clark tries to come up with a reason that Superman isn’t here, but then he hears someone coming and ushers the kids away.
Lois has reached the area of the building where the action is, and she runs into Vulture. When she’s spotted, she runs away and gets pulled into a supply closet by Clark. Chaos ensues when Fox tries to break into the closet, but Clark and Lois work together to keep him out. Then they overhear him talking about a plan to kidnap the princess.
Upstairs, Silver announces Princess Marina as the keynote speaker. While she’s giving her speech, Jimmy tries to talk to Kara, but he gets interrupted by a call from Lois. She tells him that Princess Marina is in danger and we and Jimmy see armed men aiming at her from the balcony. But, the princess might not be in as much danger as they think, because she tells the crowd that although she’s known as Princess Marina Maru they can call her Dr. Poison. Her guards turn their guns on the crowd, and she says she’s here to cure the planet of the disease known as humanity.
Upon hearing this, Lois scolds Jimmy for dating another mad scientist, and he says he guesses he has a type. The ceiling and seats have been rigged to release a gas into the air. The princess says that now the attendees have two choices: Leave as animals or leave as corpses.
We get a montage of attendees transforming into bears, birds, and one boar, but luckily Kara is immune to the poison. She confronts Princess Marina, who is wearing a gas mask, but she tells Kara she has bigger problems. Her henchmen are preparing to release her poison directly into the city’s water supply, which would make Metropolis a zoo. She taunts Kara for not being able to be in two places at once, but Jimmy tells Kara to go save the water because, as his date, the princess is his problem.
Kara leaves and is so focused she doesn’t notice that Bizarro has been watching this entire mess unfold. Downstairs, Vulture is still trying to break into the supply closet, and Clark and Lois are holding up the door while the kids are starting to panic. Flip asks them how they’re going to stop them. Before he can answer, the Vulture starts shooting at the door, and Lois realizes something. When Vulture bursts through the door, everyone is gone. We do not immediately see where they went, but we see that Vulture isn’t wearing a mask and he gets turned into an alligator.
Princess Marina/Dr. Poison is running, and Jimmy is chasing her while trying very hard not to inhale the poison. He calls Lois and asks for some suggestions on how to stop her. Lois reminds her that she’s his date. Then she tells Jimmy to use his boyish charm to stop her. Clark is less convinced, but they’re running low on time. As the poison spreads, Jimmy cries that he doesn’t want to be a wolf again, but he’s not. Still, he has four fingers on each hand instead of five, so something is happening.
The kids, plus Clark and Lois, got out of the closet by climbing into the vents. They’re trying to crawl to safety, and then they’re stopped by Vulture in alligator form, and now, they’re all being chased. Downstairs, Jimmy is a turtle, and he is trying to seduce the princess. He manages to convince her that they’re perfect for each other and promises that he isn’t turned off by her mad scientist activities. It helps that she thinks he is a very cute turtle and every mad scientist wants to feel understood.
In the vents, Lois gets rid of Vulture by exploiting the weakness in them and ensuring that he falls. She falls too, though, and for a moment Clark worries that she’s lost, but she inhaled the poison and got turned into a black cat, which might be an Easter Egg for Sailor Moon fans. She tells him and the kids to come on.
Jimmy uses his charm to get close enough to Princess Marina to rip her mask off, and she turns into a fox. On the bridge, Kara stops the henchmen from poisoning the water, but uses it on them. On the roof, the remaining henchmen are prepared to make their getaway when they’re stopped by Bizarro. He ties them up and leaves before Kara sees him.
One by one, the gala attendees are being turned back into their normal selves. Princess Marina, however, is still a fox and still believes that Jimmy wants her. She apologizes for breaking his heart, but not for turning him into a turtle. Jimmy says there’s nothing to get over, and Marina says that he’ll find someone to love. At this, he gets annoyed and tells her he already loves someone else, and it’s Kara. However, Jimmy admits that he’s been stupid about being in love with her. Kara, superhearing intact, overhears this.
When Lois is no longer a cat, Silver gives her the award, which makes her really happy. Lois tries to act like it’s not a big deal, partly because of their earlier conversation and partly because Vicki is watching. She asks Flip if she wants the trophy and then, when Vicki storms off she gets it back and hugs it.
Kara confronts Jimmy, and she’s pretty angry with him. She wants to know why he told Dr. Poison about his feelings for her, but has never told her. Jimmy said his feelings didn’t change, but since Kara was dating so much, he thought she moved on. Yet, Kara reminds him firmly that she wanted to be with him and she told him as much, but he ran and played “Earth games.” Now, Clark is pulling away, and Jimmy stopped talking to her, which she finds hurtful. Jimmy says he thought she wanted to be just friends. How, Kara asks, can they be friends if he hides when she needs him? Or, if he’ll share his feelings with a mad scientist and not him? Jimmy apologizes and admits that he didn’t understand her feelings. Kara responds that he didn’t ask her about them.
Lois finds Clark, and she’s happy because they saved the city and stopped Dr. Poison. But Clark isn’t so happy because he says he didn’t do anything. He says Lois saved the kids, Kara saved the water supply, and Jimmy stopped Dr. Poison. Despite taking a bullet for the kids, he feels like all he did was get locked in a closet and shot. Metropolis needed a hero, but Clark says all he could offer was Clark Kent. Lois reminds him that she loves Clark Kent, but Clark says he’s no Superman. Very gently, she tries telling him that it’s a bad idea to compare himself to someone he might never be again. This upsets him more, and he yells, “Then who am I supposed to be?”
Before Lois can attempt to address Clark’s existential crisis we see she, Clark, Kara, and Jimmy are sucked through portals that appear in the grass. We don’t see where the portals took them.