Nevertheless, She Persisted (Supergirl)

"Nevertheless, She Persisted" is the twenty-second episode and season finale of the second season from The CW television series Supergirl, which aired on May 22, 2017.

Plot
Supergirl fights Superman, who hallucinates that she is General Zod due to Rhea's silver Kryptonite. Supergirl knocks Superman unconscious and carries him to the Fortress of Solitude. She and a recovered Superman research the Daxamites. They return to National City and Supergirl challenges Rhea to single combat, a sacred Daxamite tradition. Superman affirms that Supergirl defeated him and is Earth's champion. M'gann telepathically wakens J'onn.

Lillian acknowledges Lena is a better ally than Lex. They meet with Supergirl and Superman. Lena will adapt Lex's failed anti-Superman weapon to use against Daxamites; designed to seed the atmosphere with Kryptonite, it will instead spread lead. Lena regrets that Mon-El would have to leave Earth, but Supergirl authorizes the plan as a failsafe. Winn assists Lena, and Mon-El supports Supergirl's decision. Supergirl trains with Superman. She reflects that Rhea could ruin her happiness; Superman reveals that his love for Lois Lane motivates him in every fight.

Supergirl and Rhea duel. Rhea dishonorably resumes the full-scale invasion; Mon-El, Superman, and J'onn fight the invaders, joined by M'Gann and sympathetic White Martians. Lillian tries to activate the perfected lead device, but Lena reveals Supergirl controls it remotely. Supergirl bloodies Rhea, who reveals she laced her blood with Kryptonite. Supergirl still overcomes Rhea, who orders the city's destruction. She explains that even if she dies, the invasion will never stop. Mon-El arrives; with his support, Supergirl activates Lena's device. Rhea dies and her forces flee Earth. Mon-El, strengthened by yellow sun exposure, has time for Supergirl to give him her mother's necklace before he leaves in a Kryptonian ship. They declare their love. He thanks her for her influence and vows to live up to her example. Alone in space, Mon-El's pod enters an anomaly.

Supergirl's allies celebrate. Superman praises Supergirl's strength as superior to his and returns to Metropolis. M'gann has started a social movement on Mars, but can temporarily stay on Earth; she and J'onn kiss. Supergirl tells Alex that she is truly happy for her loved ones' romantic relationships. Alex proposes to Maggie, who smiles but doesn't answer. Kara confides in Cat about her relationship ending. Cat advises her that a woman's vulnerability is her greatest strength, and notes Kara's professional successes. An emergency prompts Kara's departure; Cat knows that Kara is Supergirl.

A flashback from 35 years earlier reveals that as Krypton died, a sinister group of Kryptonians sent a baby ("it") to Earth to become its conqueror.

Production
The episode's title mirrors a statement from Republican U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell to characterize the actions of Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, which has since become a rallying cry for supporters of women's rights.

Ratings
The episode attracted 452,000 viewers upon its British premiere, making it the 6th most watched programme on Sky One for the week.

Critical response
This episode received mixed reviews. Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave the episode a 5.9/10: "It's a real shame that two of the worst episodes of Supergirl's second season had to arrive at the very end. "Nevertheless, She Persisted" only managed to make use of a handful of its massive cast, and it left way too many plot threads and crucial character arcs dangling. Only the return of Superman and a fittingly tragic end to the Kara/Mon-El romance managed to salvage an otherwise poorly executed finale."

Caroline Siede of The A.V. Club gave the episode a B: "Unlike last week’s episode, “Resist”, which wove together a whole bunch of the season’s ongoing storylines while maintaining a palpable sense of forward momentum, “Nevertheless, She Persisted” is a tad clunkier. After resolving last week’s cliffhanger and defeating a mind-controlled Clark, Kara decides to take on Rhea in an ancient Daxamite single combat duel. But when Rhea goes back on her word, Kara has to activate a device that will fill the Earth’s atmosphere with lead, making it inhospitable to Daxamites, including Mon-El. The episode’s heart turns out to be the Kara/Mon-El relationship, although it takes about 2/3 of the episode to get there. But if the plot is a little thin, at least the action isn’t."