Maid of Steel: A Supergirl Podcast

John McGrail & Karen Lindsay

Maid of Steel is a podcast discussing the CW Show Supergirl. John and Karen talk about the show each week, give some background information about the characters, and share listener feedback. If you'd like to join in the fun, you can do so by calling 304-837-2278 or visit www.goldenspiralmedia.com/feedback.

  1. MOS 163 - The Last Words

    02/12/2022

    MOS 163 - The Last Words

    The Legacy of Supergirl for me will always be friends.  The friends that I would not have found if I hadn't entered the superhero world. I began as many did with Arrow. Having no comic knowledge. I sought out a podcast to help understand this new world. The adventures of Oliver Queen were always a little dark for this butterfly, but I kept watching. Not as much for the show itself but for the Arrow Squad and the people it was drawing into its ranks.  Green Butterfly was technically born on the Central City Underground which celebrated The Flash. The brighter, more humorous tone suited my personality better, but I was still waiting for my hero. I had never heard of Supergirl.   I had seen a few superhero movies when I was younger, but my memories were hazy.  Almost everything I knew was coming from these new CW shows.  Then I met the Scarlet Cougar and Miss Ice. They both helped me understand the multiverse that was beginning to unfold in front of me.   I knew from the very first episode that Supergirl was going to be my favorite show.  It was funny, light, and full of hope. I was immediately drawn to the characters and the bond I could already see forming between them.   The podcast was super fun too. I often invented a role for Green Butterfly to play in that week's plot. I always wanted to make people smile so I let my silly side come out.  I love that the characters on our show are not bonded by blood but by something stronger. A deep emotional connection and commitment to each other. They support each other through this life all while keeping the world safe.  I also felt my friendships getting stronger as the show continued. Friendships that I feel may not have existed if Supergirl had not come into our living rooms.   There were aspects of the story that mirrored my life in ways that made the show even more meaningful for me.  One example is when Kara is exposed to kryptonite she is weakened and sometimes nearly paralyzed. I have Cerebral Palsy so when my muscles get sore and tired moving can seem like a monumental task.  Supergirl always fights through and I do too. When they had Alex come out in season 2 I was moved by how much that story resonated with me. The words and emotions Alex was expressing echoed mine from a decade before.     The stories entertained me every week.  However, the people in the real world that I met because of the show will always mean the most.  In the years that have passed I have learned so much about my Superfriends. I understood which story elements would excite them and which one's would drive them crazy. When Miss Ice said she had to step away I was really sad because I was worried Maid of Steel would not continue. Immediately I started praying for a hero and I was rewarded. I can't imagine my life now without Silver Vox. He swooped in when we needed him most.  National City got a new voice to speak the truth about what was happening there and I got a treasured friend.   I could never fill the Scarlet Cougar's shoes. Karen taught me so much about superheroes and really ignited my passion to know more.   It was with her encouragement and the help of John, Geoff and Emilee that I found the bravery within myself to let my voice be heard on a weekly basis. I can't be Scarlet Cougar, but I will always honor her and be your eye in the sky.   The Legacy of Supergirl for me will always be one of fun, friendship, and hope.  Whatever our next adventure holds, I hope you all will join us. Because the most important thing to remember is tv shows will come and go but Superfriends are forever.

    2h 39m
  2. MOS 161 - The Flash Armageddon

    12/20/2021

    MOS 161 - The Flash Armageddon

    Welcome back to Maid of Steel - post Supergirl!!  We're talking about The Flash!!  No, we haven't jumped shows or heroes, we're back to discuss the first five episodes of The Flash Season 8 - "Armageddon."  Why, you ask?  So glad you did!  Armageddon involves a kind of crossover event within the Arrowverse that includes many of our favorite heroes and villains.  Among those is our very own Alex Danvers / The Sentinel!  So, let's run down the plot summaries of the five episodes and summarize the Alex aspect of things, shall we?  Yes, we shall! Part 1: When a powerful alien threat arrives on Earth under mysterious circumstances, Barry, Iris and the rest of the team are pushed to their limits in a desperate battle to save the world. Part 2: Despero warns The Flash that great tragedies will lead to Armageddon; Barry doubles down on proving his innocence, but a devastating revelation pushes him to seek counsel from Black Lightning. Part 3: Barry meets Black Lightning at the Hall of Justice after things take a dire turn with Despero; Iris suspects something is off with Despero's vision of the future so she seeks help from a powerful ally. Part 4: Barry is shocked when Eobard Thawne returns in the most unexpected way, and with a tie to a loved one. Damien Darhk offers advice to Barry but there is a catch. An epic battle begins with The Reverse-Flash against The Flash and Team Flash. Part 5: Barry must decide whether to let his greatest enemy die, or save his life. As for Alex and The Sentinel, she is consulted when Team Flash interacts with Despero to find out anything the DEO knows about Despero's species, which is not much.  We then catch up with Alex at the celebration event on the impending nuptials of Eobard Thawne and Iris West.  When Barry Allen shows up on the scene (as Reverse Flash) everyone goes into battle mode, including the Sentinel.  Alex stays to hang with Team Flash to understand why Barry is here and what kind of trouble he might be trying to cause and takes it upon herself to try to navigate the potential relationship between two members of Team Flash, Allegra and Chester.  She is successful in bringing the two together with the help of the Paragon of Humanity - Ryan Choi.  And, that's about it.  When Eobard is discovered to have created a Reverse Flashpoint most of everything in Parts 2-4 of this event are...negated.  Gotta love the time shenanigans on The Flash!! Summary:  This Armageddon event was highly advertised with amazing visuals and the potential for some very cool crossovers but ultimately was uneven in its story telling and the heightened expectations fell short.  As we mention in the podcast, this is sooooooooooooooo much better than what The Flash Season 7 delivered so we'll see what the rest of the Season delivers beginning in March of 2022!

    1h 45m
  3. MOS 159 - S6E19 & S6E20 - The Last Gauntlet & Kara, Part 1

    11/12/2021

    MOS 159 - S6E19 & S6E20 - The Last Gauntlet & Kara, Part 1

    The fight for the totems has taken a desperate turn.  Supergirl and her team have five totems however Lex and Nyxly have stolen the most precious of them all.  The love totem has fused itself with Alex and Kelly's young daughter Esme.  In true Lex fashion, he gives the Superfriends an ultimatum. They must give him the five totems they possess and the destiny totem then he will return Esme. The love totem is different from the others.   Not only did it fuse with a living being, but each time it is activated some of the petals from the flower tattoo on the little girl's neck fall. Nyxly predicts that if all petals are allowed to fall then the totem will find a new host and will be lost to them. Lex and Nyxly disagree on how to separate the totem from Esme. Lex does not care if the little girl is hurt in the process. Lex thinks he is so clever, but we are shown a different side of Nyxly. She wants to possess the totem, but she doesn't want Esme to come to any harm. Nyxly also wants to obtain the totem honestly by passing the love gauntlet. In making this choice the gauntlet is achieved and the love totem judges Nyxly worthy of possessing it. Meanwhile Alex and Kara are disagreeing on how to rescue Esme and keep the world safe. Alex wants to meet the ransom demands and take out Lex with her bare hands. Kara is worried about surrendering that much power to the enemy.   If Nyxly and Lex can unite the totems to create the All Stone, Supergirl is concerned they will be unstoppable.  She heads to Prague in pursuit of the destiny totem.  This magical item shows Kara a possible destiny that she cannot allow to happen.   If Nyxly and Lex wield the power of all the totems combined into the All Stone then they will destroy this planet and enslave its people. They must make a plan, so this future does not become a reality. Brainy has an idea to use a satellite to concentrate sunlight to super charge Supergirl. Alex just wants to take the totems and exchange them for her daughter. The sisters go their separate ways to try to achieve victory. In the final moments of absorbing the extra sunlight Kara has second thoughts.  The people she wants to help are scared and running away. This can't be the right decision. Through the power of Brainy's legion crown and a little magic from Lena, Supergirl is able to deliver one last hope speech to everyone all at once. This mobilizes the citizens of National City to be the heroes in their own life. As a result of that speech there are many people to back up our Superfriends.  The heroes won the day and evil has been defeated.  Now it is time for the happily ever after. However, our paragon of hope is still conflicted. In the quiet moments following Alex and Kelly's wedding Kara gets an unexpected phone call. Cat Grant has bought Catco back and wants Kara to be her Editor in Chief.  Can she find the balance in her life? Can she be both?  After some encouragement from Alex and prodding that only Ms. Grant could provide Kara has made a decision. She does have the courage to do both and she will tell the world. She is Kara Danvers, Pulitzer winning reporter and Supergirl.  Kara reveals to the world she is our beloved Maid of Steel.

    2h 7m
  4. MOS 158 - S6E18 - Truth or Consequences

    11/05/2021

    MOS 158 - S6E18 - Truth or Consequences

    The truth is when a fifth dimensional imp has her sights set on your home there will be consequences. In the race to beat Nyxly to seven magical totems there is not much time to relax and unwind. Lena encouraged the group to celebrate Alex and Kelly's engagement with a bachelorette party.  The ramifications of the heroes taking the night off turns out to be devastating! Nyxly and Lex find and take control of the Truth totem. It has taken the form of a camera because a picture cannot lie. In the gauntlet to control this magical item Nyxly must become very vulnerable and tell the truth. Esme had an incident at school when another student made fun of her dessert in a baking competition.  She still doesn't have complete control of her powers, but this is understandable for a young alien like herself. Alex takes her to the tower to run tests to hopefully understand how to help her daughter.  When Kara suggests something to help control her powers, like the glasses Jeremiah gave her as a child, the sisters have an argument.  Alex does not want Esme to have to suppress any parts of herself. She wants her to live happily and true to all aspects of herself. Kelly and Alex are both relieved when the symptoms their daughter has, including a mysterious rose tattoo, can be explained by Esme mimicking the powers of a new student in her class. The Superfriends head to the party. William and Esme head to the tower kitchen to bake something delicious. When a monitor alerts William that the Tower security has been breached, he tells Esme to hide. Lena should have checked the Tower's defenses before leaving for the night. She should have been able to anticipate her brother's next move. She talked about Lex. I know it crossed her mind, but the Arrowverse has a long history with problematic security setups. This break-in at the tower has catastrophic results. Back at the party Brainy is struggling with news he received from the Legion earlier in the day.   Apparently if Querl Dox does not return to the 31st century to merge with the Big Brain the Coluan race will die. This is devastating news for our favorite 12th level intellect. He has had the opportunity in this time to be free of his emotion inhibitors. He has been able to develop his own sense of self. This is very different from the communal society he was born into. He has a family here that is connected not by blood but by love. Brainy is in love with Nia and can't imagine life without her. Another brainiac reminds him that the timeline will be irrevocably changed if he does not return to his own time. However, couldn't the same also be said for how much the timeline has been altered due to his presence in this century thus far?  Timeline hypotheticals make Green Butterfly's head hurt. Meanwhile, back at the tower, Lex Luthor has William at gunpoint. Lex is angry with William for publicizing his journals. Something he didn't even do. Andrea stole the private documents and published them under William's name.  His blood will be on her hands now because Lex shot and killed William for this crime. In another room Nyxly lures Esme out of hiding with promises of cookies. The imp only wants the love totem. What will she do to the little girl whose body now contains it?  Join us next week as our super series reaches an epic conclusion!

    2h 12m
  5. MOS 157 - S6E17 - I Believe in a Thing Called Love

    11/01/2021

    MOS 157 - S6E17 - I Believe in a Thing Called Love

    Previously on Supergirl…Bitter Imp!  Totems, Totems, Totems.  Battle for the Universe as we know it!  Supergirl has been one step behind since Season 6 – Episode 8!!  Pew, Pew, big booms!  Supergirl destroyed the Hope Totem, the All Stone will never be completed. Wait…wha? Lex Luthor?!?! Nyxly is not convinced that the "Fancy Banker" is the key to her success.  He (Lex) states that he is coming from the future, that he and Nyxly are partners and that in his future she did assemble the All Stone – but not in the right way and…she dead.  Lucky for her (WOW) Lex was there, secured her consciousness and put it in the Lex-O Suit that he delivered in the last episode.  Mitch identifies the fancy banker as Lex Luthor.  Nyxly knows Lex is the one who sent Kara into the Phantom Zone.  You know what Nyxly hates the most?  Men who send women into the Phantom Zone.  Lex zaps out of the scene. Supergirl declares her CatCo quittedness to the Superfriends.  Brainy has a plan to draw Nyxly out so they can finally show down the showdown.  He needs Lena and Nia.  Supergirl and J'onn are working together, interrupted by Alex who shows off the bling she's going to put on Kelly!  There's a history lesson on the year ago that Alex and Kelly mutually cried out Hans Gruber as the best movie villain and here we are ready to make it a forever thing.  Esme could not care less about elaborate proposal planning as long as there's mozzie sticks.  My girl!!  Al's Bar is not available on their special night because it's all booked up for a special event.  Alex is majorly disappointed, and confused, because Al's is never booked for anything. L Otis is thrilled to see Lex again, especially since he (Otis) is now on the LutherCorp Board of Directors – (Nice touch, writers – well played).  Otis tries to convince Lex that he doesn't need the Imp.  Lex explains that the only thing he wants is Nyxly – the love of his life.  Otis: "I'm sory, say what?"  Us:  "Bull*%&$&!!"  Lex has to convince Nyxly now that his heart and intentions toward her are genuine so that their relationship has a second chance (where she ain't…dead).  Otis no understand this but "if she loved you before just do that again."  Otis is a genius. William's on the case putting out the latest press release about the Superfriends Plan!  In a Kryptonian witch séance they have surmised that the next Totem will be the Love one that Nyxly will target.  Lena's going to magic up a fake love totem with the same totem energy as the real thing, and they're going to lure her to their ultimate trap!  MuHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.  (Sorry.)  Alex almost proposes to Kelly in a car but that is interrupted by Nyxly's appearance.  (Whew.)  Lena creates a magical ring that Nyxly can't cross and then the fireworks start exchanging.  Nyxly is.  Almost.  Done.  For.  And then Lex Kryptonite's his way on the scene.  Lena is a touch furious and starts a fire with the fake totem.  "Miss me, Sis?" drolls Lex. Nyxly is asking Lex how his sister can fake a totem, and fool her Mxy ball about its signal…and "how did you know where I was?" Lex reveals his little surveillance drone.  Imp.  No.  Pleased. "Creep!"  (She ain't wrong, y'all)  She rejects his offer to help and beams me up, Mitch!!  "I love you…" Lex whines to her absence.  Supergirl is healed with Lena's help and Supergirl wants to make sure Lena is OK, after seeing Lex and all.  Lena admits that her anger creates a FAWYER!  Lena needs to bench her magic and Supergirl agrees, "You're so much more to this team than magic."  AMEN, people, AMEN!  Andrea is drooling over William, drooling on William, drooling about William's news that Nyxly and Lex are working together.  William wants to make sure that the story is legit and Andrea ain't very interested.  He'll go undercover with Lex's organization if he has to.  The Superfriends can't figure out how Lex came back into the picture until Brainy realizes he's been hanging out in the 31st century.  Brainy wants to use the totems that they have against the evil duo.  J'onn says they can use the energy of the totems instead of the totems themselves.  I reach for my Advil… Brainy is uber bothered that Lex has technology from the 31st century and wishes he could know what Lex was up to.  He won't contact the Legion because the last time he knew future stuff he teamed up with Lex and things went fuzzbuckets.  Supergirl and J'onn figure they can only use the courage totem to work the plan.  What is the plan?  No earth-prime idea.  J'onn is going to go through Season 6 – Episode 13 "The Gauntlet" since Supergirl never passed it and she's not going to try now.  Thanks very much, writers!!  We go back in time to when J'onn lacked courage at the very end when the White Martians took out everything and everybody.  Not. This. Time. In. J'onn's.  Mind. Lex and Otis go over the future history of Lex and Nyxly going over the different options to get Nyxly on board the love train.  Otis suggests brainwashing.  "That is the underpinnings of a toxic relationship," replies Lex.  Otis suggests just telling her how Lex really feels.  Lex laughs.  The duo have Mitch captured.  Mitch is going to give Nyxly very important info but not tell her where he got it – where the love totem is.  Nia also simultaneously dreams where the Love totem is – Portugal!  Nyxly shows up, repels our heroes, again (oy, ve), and Supergirl has Phantoms all up in her mind grill.  The love totem disappears before Nyxly can get it. Supergirl recovers and they can't figure out where the totem went.  Except that the totems are now found out to appear and disappear randomly throughout history.  I reach for more Advil… Nyxly seeks out Lex, who is waiting for her at his grand piano.  She wants to know if he knows where it went.  But no lovey dovey, just his help.  J'onn is guilty that he couldn't protect Supergirl just like he couldn't ultimately save his Martian daughters.  Supergirl admits the dream energy took her back to the phantoms and that it's *really* hard to find hope. (Perhaps because you DESTROYED HOPE?!?!?!?) J'onn theorizes that maybe these experiences are trying to tell them that they are stronger than their fears.  He can't save his Martian daughters, but he can save his family now.  Supergirl says they should use their totems as weapons. If they use the humanity totem Supergirl could lose her (Kryptonian) humanity.  More Advil… Supergirl wants Lena to magic up her a force field.  Lena's like "did you not understand that I'm all fired up at the moment?!"  Supergirl is hoping that Lena will understand that using the totems is the only answer.  Supergirl knows that her family will pull her back from the nightmare of becoming a Phantom.  Lena can use her new family to pull her back instead of being attached to Lex as her family. William comes upon Alex, who explains that her proposal to Maggie went fuzzbuckets and she is worried about the same deal going down with Kelly.  William says that with Lex around nothing is guaranteed.  "If you have love to give, give it now."  (Still don't appreciate you, William, but you're not wrong.)  Lex has blended up magic and 31st century tech to fix the Mxy ball.  Nyxly asks if she gets her revenge in the future.  Lex paints a glory-full picture of her revenge.  "Every time you talked about it you glowed."  Mxy ball tells Nyxly where the love totem is for realzzz. Alex tries to bullrush Al's bar since it's supposedly booked but it turns out the surprise is on her because Kelly and Esme are the ones who booked the bar.  Kelly knows it's the anniversary of the first time that she knew Alex was the one.  (Chyler is going to make me cry.)  Alex wants to be the one who proposes.  She goes into her pocket and pulls out (not the ring but...) the love totem.  Nyxly and Lex show up and start firing.  Esme screams for Supergirl.  Lex and J'onn go toe to toe while Supergirl and Nyxly go at it.  Lena magic up's the force field, Supergirl uses the humanity totem as a weapon, J'onn takes Lex out and joins Supergirl in the fight.  Nyxly is almost done so Lex beams her out of there, even though he could have grabbed the love totem.  It turns black from the pink that it was. J'onn says he hit the love totem with all the energy of the courage totem, which turned it black.  Kelly wonders if the love totem is toast, does that mean all of the love in the. whole. world. gone?  Alex says no way!  "That thing turned black but I still love all y'all!"  Alex says we're surrounded by chaos, but nothing could tell her apart from Kelly.  She proposes.  All of the Superfriends are there to celebrate.  Except Lena.  And Nia.  But Brainy captured the video.  Booooooooooooo.  Meanwhile, Lex fixes Nyxly from her total blast of Humanity and Courage.  She doesn't understand why Lex abandoned the love totem to save her.  She wants the truth.  Lex declares the truth is that he loves her with the fire of 10,000 destroyed hope totems.  She is his equal in every way and he was overwhelmed by her.  She admits no one has ever acted selflessly for her and so therefore they can be friends.  Then there's the proposal party.  Brainy is moody because he can't understand Lex's selflessness either.  Brainy needs to know what changed him in the future and Nia assures him that he can call the future because he has her and team behind him.  Kara thanks Lena for her sacrifice and Lena thanks Kara for helping her free herself from Lex.  William ignores a call from Andrea to join a covert meeting with Otis.  She's not happy so she Acrata's up and goes for the information at Luthor manor herself and comes across a love poem Lex has written.  Nyxly is bummed because she can't build the All Stone without the Hope totem.  Lex has it in his hands!!  Lex explains that you can destroy the shell of the

    1h 44m
  6. MOS 156 - S6E16 - Nightmare in National City

    10/22/2021

    MOS 156 - S6E16 - Nightmare in National City

    All is quiet at the tower. Brainy and Lena have secured the courage and humanity totems with a combination of Earth magic and Coluan calculations. This leaves Kara to focus on the interview of a lifetime. The leaders of Kaznia and Corto Maltese have agreed to sit down and decide on terms of a peace agreement.  Kara has secured access for Catco in this historic event. Needless to say, Andrea is over the moon about the news. Nia has returned empty handed from Parthas. Maeve took all their mother's books and research and fled to parts unknown. Brainy suggests that Nia have a healthy breakfast including her greens, give her mind over to her dream powers and let her visions lead the way. Meanwhile, Nyxly is also looking for the dream totem. She breaks into a research facility where a scientist has built a machine to harness dream power. She uses the gauntlet from her secret admirer to open a portal to the dream realm. What escapes in the interim will cause much havoc in the city and will need to be contained. Nia's dreams lead her to a university to speak to a professor there. Upon her arrival at the office door from her dreams, Nia comes face to face with her sister Maeve. This is the first time the girls have been together since Maeve insulted Nia at their mother's funeral.  Despite the pain that has been caused the sisters set out to the dream realm to save the next totem from Nyxly's grasp. Downtown a nightmare monster is tormenting National City.  Lena reprograms some of Lex's old satellites to project a dome over half the city. This is necessary to contain the creature who was steps away from causing a nuclear catastrophe. The Super Friends have saved the city, but the Governor does not see it that way. She sees a group of people who leap into action before consulting those in charge. She only sees a large barrier that is separating people from their homes and jobs. Also, parents from their children. The National Guard mobilizes against the dome nearly causing the monster to not be vanquished back to its realm. Nia and Maeve are still working to decode which path leads to the totem.  Maeve's jealousy takes hold again for what she feels is a birthright lost. I am glad to see that after such a deep hurt on both sides the healing is not instantaneous. However, their lack of solidarity in this moment cost them the dream totem. Needless to say, when a quiet day turned into chaos Kara missed her interview. William reminded her of advice from Cat Grant. "You can have it all but not necessarily all at the same time ". Maybe right now is the season for Supergirl to shine. Kara turns in her resignation to Andrea. Nyxly's suit is badly damaged from her battle with Dreamer.  The AI within the suit asks to hold the dream totem. A few seconds later Lex Luthor materialized in the room. What is he doing here?  What is his role in the story?  Will he ever pay for sending our beloved Maid of Steel to the Phantom Zone?

    2h 9m
4.3
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

Maid of Steel is a podcast discussing the CW Show Supergirl. John and Karen talk about the show each week, give some background information about the characters, and share listener feedback. If you'd like to join in the fun, you can do so by calling 304-837-2278 or visit www.goldenspiralmedia.com/feedback.

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