Ben entered CatCo where every screen was showing the breaking news that Supergirl had revealed that Superman was her cousin. He walked over to her desk.
Ben: Not a great choice of conversation when talking to the "Queen of All Media."
Kara: I didn't mean to tell her, she confused me and that slipped out.
Ben: Of course she did, she's one of the greatest reporters on the planet. That's why you don't do interviews in this line of work.
Kara: Superman does plenty of interviews.
Ben: Yeah, with his girlfriend, Lois Lane. One of the few people who knows Clark's secret.
Kara: Did you just say Clark?
Ben: Uh... no. I have no idea who Superman could be. Could be Clark Kent, could be anyone else. Who knows? I mean, you do, obviously. But I don't.
Cat: Kira!
Ben: Good luck.
Kara went into Cat's office.
Winn rolled over to Ben.
Winn: So, I've been thinking about your suit.
Ben: That makes one of us. What's wrong with it?
Winn: I was just thinking design-wise-
Ben: It's the hoodie, isn't it?
Winn: I hate it so much. Like so, so much.
Ben: The hoodie is what keeps people from thinking I'm Spider-Man. I don't wanna be Spider-Man.
Winn: I'm sure he wouldn't mind it if you did. I mean he is your dad, or template or whatever you call the person you were cloned from. Have you talked to him about-
Ben: No, I haven't. And I'm not going to. And the hoodie stays and that's final.
———
Ben swung through the city on patrol, when he heard Winn on the comms.
Winn: <Hey, Ben, there's a big pile-up on the highway. Kara's already on her way there.>
Scarlet Spider: On it. Thanks, Winn.
He changed directions to head for the highway.
———
Ben arrived at the scene to see Kara was already there helping out. He started moving people out of harm's way and getting people out who were stuck. Kara saved a bus driver and put her down on the EMTs' stretcher. Ben felt an immediate danger with his Spider-Sense and so he jumped out of the way, Kara was blasted into the bus by a figure wearing a suit of protective armor.
Scarlet Spider: Sorry! I forgot to warn you about that!
Ben went over and helped her up as the figure landed in front of them.
Supergirl: Who are you?
Reactron: I'm just a ghost.
Scarlet Spider: Not helpful, buddy.
Supergirl: What do you want?
Reactron: I want the Man of Steel to suffer. I want him to know what it feels like to lose everything. Starting with you.
He charged up a blast. Ben pulled Kara out of the way before it hit. However, he launched another one that neither managed to dodge.
Scarlet Spider: Ouch. That's definitely packs a punch.
Kara sped over to him and began fighting him in close combat. He managed to hit her with a charged punch. Ben made his way over and jumped on his back as he tried to web his arms together to stop him from using his blasts.
Scarlet Spider: Sorry, ET, glow fashion died out in the 90s.
He still charged his fist and broke out of the webbing.
Scarlet Spider: Wuh-oh.
Reactron blasted him off of his back and into the highway's railings.
Scarlet Spider: That knocked the wind out of me. Give me five minutes. I think my ribcage is no longer intact.
Kara continued fighting Reactron. Eventually she knocked him back and he retaliated with a powerful blast. He continued firing multiple shots which Kara blocked with a door she pulled off of a nearby car. She threw the door at him and it knocked him down. His chest plate started sparking and he could no longer fire blasts and so he took off into the sky.
———
Ben and Kara returned to the DEO where Hank briefed them on the villain they'd just fought.
Hank: Reactron. At least that's what the Daily Planet colorfully dubbed him when he showed up in Metropolis a few years back.
Supergirl: Reactron? That's kind of a stupid name. Who named him that?
Hank: Jimmy Olsen.
Supergirl: Oh. So, who is this guy really?
Hank: Unknown. He remains at large after a string of very public fights with your cousin. Neither of them ever came out on top.
Scarlet Spider: You're telling me that not even the Metropolis Marvel could take this guy down.
Hank: No one knows why he's so obsessed with killing Superman.
Supergirl: So, what's the plan? How do we stop him?
Hank: We don't.
Supergirl: So what are you saying? We just sit back and do nothing?
Hank: Reactron, whoever he is, is human. Which means this case falls outside the DEO's jurisdiction.
Supergirl: This man flies and shoots nuclear fireballs! How is that not extra-normal?
Alex: He's using advanced biomedical tech. Man-made tech.
Hank: I can't risk exposing this organization every time some human criminal shows up at National City.
Supergirl: And I just can't let this man run wild.
Hank: Call your cousin. Superman fights for truth, justice, and the American way. Last time I checked, National City was in America.
Scarlet Spider: Y'know what? We'll get him ourselves.
Hank: No, you won't. You are DEO assets.
Scarlet Spider: I never signed anything. You guys just kinda let me in here. And by that I mean, you kidnapped me. Look, we have the power to stop him, so it's our responsibility to stop him.
Hank: Yes, I have heard your father's motto many times before. We're done with this matter. Leave it to Superman.
———
Ben arrived at CatCo to see Cat inside her office, looking more tense than usual while writing her Supergirl article.
Kara: I would not go in there.
Ben: Yeah, looks like I'd be walking into a minefield. Is she wearing two pairs of glasses?
James: Whatever you get paid for those photos you got, is not worth whatever she'll say to you once you go in there.
Winn approached from across the room.
Winn: Psst! Psst!
Kara: Why are you doing that? We're standing right here.
Winn: Follow me and act natural.
Winn took them to the elevator where they went to a lower floor.
Kara: Where are you taking us?
Winn: To your new office.
Kara: I think Ms. Grant prefers me to be within yelling distance.
Winn: Oh, no. Not for that job. For our other job. This used to be Ed Flaherty's office from Actuaries but after he died of a heart attack behind his desk, nobody wants it. Which makes it perfect for our needs.
He opened the door to the office. They entered the room to see bare walls, servers, and monitors.
Winn: Now, we can't just crowd around your desk every time we want to talk Supergirl stuff. So, I loaded this office up with some, uh, state of the art, top of the line tech.
Kara: Winn, I can't believe you did all this for me.
Winn: Um, believe it. Okay, so for our first mission, versus Reactron. Okay, so his true identity remains a mystery. Right? We know Superman has fought him multiple times over the years.
James: I know. I was there.
Winn: How could I forget? Anyway, he shoots these highly concentrated...
James: Bursts of nuclear energy.
Winn: From his gauntlets. Um, his chest plate provides an increase in stren-
James: Strength.
Winn: And flight. Now, I've written an algorithm that will sweep the city for any variable changes in radiation. And maybe we can use this to find him.
James: And then what?
Winn: And then Kara goes all Supergirl on him, Ben shoots a few webs. Job done.
James: Kara, you might consider calling your cousin on this one. I've seen what Reactron can do.
Kara: James, if I call for help now, I'm done. We're done. Every villain out there will think of National City as an easy target.
James: He nearly killed Clark once.
Winn: Clark? Clark- Clark Kent is Superman?
Ben: Yeah, it's wasn't that hard to figure out.
James: I'm just trying to keep you safe.
Kara: And, yes, I appreciate that. But of all the things the "S" stands for, safety is not one of them.
Winn: Clark Kent is Superman.
Kara: Winn...
Winn: Sorry, I can't...
Kara: I'm... I'm still trying to figure out what being Supergirl means. Who I am. And now I know. I'm not Superman's cousin. I'm Supergirl. And if I'm going to be defined, it's gonna be by my victories and my losses. No-one else's.
James: I guess stubbornness runs in the family.
An alert pinged on the computer.
Winn: Reactron just broke into Lord Technologies.
Ben: You go, I'll stay here and help come up with a plan to stop him.
Kara: On it.
Kara ran out of the office.
Winn: How are you gonna help me come up with a plan to stop Reactron? What, is one of your five PhDs in Nuclear Physics?
Ben: Uh yeah. I also have one in Radiochemistry and Radiobiology. So, I'm probably the best person for this.
Winn: Oh. Well, yeah, that makes sense.
———
The next day, Ben stood next to Kara and Winn at CatCo as they watched the news report on Maxwell Lord's kidnapping.
Reporter: <It's been 24 hours since tech billionaire Maxwell Lord was abducted from his research facility by the Metropolis-based criminal known as Reactron. Authorities still will not speculate whether Mr. Lord is alive or dead.>
Ben: Maybe I should have come too.
Kara was distracted sorting out Cat's article launch party on the phone.
Kara: Yes, yes, I'm still here. Yes, Ms. Grant wants all of the hostesses dressed as Supergirl. Right, uh, red, blue, the "S." Thank you.
She hung up the phone.
Winn: This isn't on you, Kara.
Ben: Winn's right. He was already gone when you got there. There was nothing you could do.
Kara: I have to find this man. How am I supposed to do that?
Alex: With my help.
They looked over to see Alex come from behind them.
Alex: Do you have someplace private we can talk?
Winn: Do we ever.
Ben: To the Supercave, we go.
———
Alex connected the computers in the secret office. She downloaded information about Reactron onto it.
Alex: I used the DEO satellite to scan the highway where you fought Reactron. And I was able to isolate the nuclear signature of his weapon system.
She put the information up on the monitors.
Ben: Thorium-232? Nasty stuff. It's used in breeder reactors.
Alex: Which means it could only be found in one place.
She put the location on screen.
Kara: Bakerline Nuclear Power Station.
Winn: I remember this. Terrorists tried to start a full-on meltdown like five years ago, but then...
James: Superman stopped them.
Alex: Yeah, he prevented the core from going into overload. Saved millions of people. But two reactor engineers were killed when the facility was flooded with radiation. Ben and Alyssa Krull. They were married.
Alex pulled up their pictures.
Kara: Ben Krull is Reactron.
Alex: Yeah, he somehow survived the radiation exposure.
Kara: That's why he hates my cousin. He blames him for the death of his wife.
James: But Superman still managed to prevent an American Chernobyl.
Ben: Chernobyl. James, you beautiful man, you just gave me an idea. Give me and Winn a few minutes and we'll have his location.
Kara: Nice, well, Ms. Grant is expecting me to proof-read her exposé on Supergirl, so let me know.
Ben: Will do.
Everyone left except Ben and Winn.
Winn: What exactly are we doing?
Ben: After the Chernobyl meltdown, there was this black mold that would grow. It thrived on gamma radiation. So, my bet is, if we can find this mold, we can find Reactron.
Winn: Alright, let's get to work.
———
Ben and Kara landed at the junkyard where they found the black mold.
Scarlet Spider: So, how do we find him?
Supergirl: Like this. I'm not here to fight you!
Scarlet Spider: And I already hate this plan.
Supergirl: I know who you are! I know why you hate my cousin! I know what you've lost, too!
Kara looked around, using her X-ray vision.
Supergirl: Lord's in the shed over there.
Scarlet Spider: Well, that's obviously a trap.
Kara walked over to it.
Scarlet Spider: Or we could just cross our fingers and hope.
Ben followed her in where they found Maxwell Lord tied to a chair.
Lord: You look taller on TV.
Supergirl: Where is he?
Lord: He forced me to repair his suit. I don't know where he is.
Kara ripped his bindings off to free him. Ben sense an incoming danger.
Scarlet Spider: Supergirl, look out!
Ben pulled Maxwell aside as Reactron smashed into the shed and blasted Kara through the wall and into the scrap outside. Ben went to punch him but was grabbed by the throat and also blasted outside.
Supergirl: Get out of here! Go!
Lord ran out of danger.
Scarlet Spider: Here goes round two, I guess.
Supergirl: Ben, I don't think your wife would want you hurting anyone.
Reactron: Ben Krull is dead! Superman saw to that. Now he's gonna lose someone too.
Reactron fired a nuclear blast from his gauntlet and knocked Kara backwards Ben tried to rush him but was met with a charged punch to the ground, shattering his ribcage. He continued firing on Kara, damaging her enough to keep her from getting up.
Reactron: And after you die... your city dies too.
He fired several more shots until the arrival of Superman, the Man of Steel. Reactron flew away as soon as he arrived. Both Kara and Ben had passed out soon after his arrival.
———
In Kara's apartment, Alex and James were waiting for Kara to wake up as Ben grabbed an ice pack for his chest. Suddenly, Kara regained consciousness.
Alex: Kara? Kara. Hey. Easy, easy, easy. You're okay.
Supergirl: How long was I out?
Alex: Just a few hours.
Supergirl: We were fighting Krull. Wait, where's Ben?
Ben: Right here, I'm fine, don't worry.
Alex: You broke most your ribs and cracked your sternum.
Ben: And it's healed now, hasn't it? Spider powers for the win.
Supergirl: My cousin, where is he?
James: He had to go. Volcanic eruption in the South Pacific.
Ben: Can't believe I missed him.
Their attention was drawn to the TV that was displaying Maxwell Lord's interview after having been rescued by Ben and Kara.
Lord: <Reactron is a great danger to everyone in this city. Luckily, I wasn't harmed. In fact, I'm lucky to be alive. And I owe it all to the great hero who rescued me. Superman.>
Ben: Booo. Totally regret saving him.
Supergirl: I don't understand. How did he know that I was fighting Krull?
She looked at both Alex and James to gauge their reactions. James's face was telling.
Supergirl: You called him?
James: Kara, he gave me this a long time ago.
He opened his watched to reveal a call button for Superman.
James: If I ever got in trouble, I could contact him.
Kara: But, you weren't in trouble. When did you even call him? The second I left?
James: Kara, I made a promise to your cousin. If anything ever happens to you...
Supergirl: My cousin didn't have a "get out of a jam free" card when he first started. Neither should I. It feels like you don't believe in me.
James: Of course, I believe in you. I wouldn't even be here if I didn't believe in you.
Supergirl: Maybe you shouldn't be here at all.
James got up and went to the door.
James: You know what, Kara? I'm sorry that you're mad at me. But I'm not sorry you're still alive.
He opened the door and left.
Ben: Well, thanks for the ice pack but, I for one, am pretty glad the big guy stepped in and stopped Reactron from killing you.
Supergirl: That's easy for you to say, it wasn't your family overshadowing you. I mean, what if he called your dad in to save you.
Ben: I'd say that's a hell of an achievement considering he's been dead since I was 16.
Supergirl: I... I didn't know.
Ben: You didn't ask. I'll see you later. Glad you're not dead.
Ben put the ice pack back in the fridge and left her apartment.
———
Later that night, Ben attended the party for Cat's Supergirl exposé. He sat at the bar as he brainstormed ideas to stop Reactron with Alex over text. Kara walked over to him. He looked over at her to see the dress she was wearing.
Ben: Wow.
Kara: Wow?
Ben: You look... wow. I'm just surprised.
Kara: Surprised?
Ben: Not surprised as in I didn't think it was possible for you to look so...
Kara: So wow?
Ben: Exactly, more like surprised because it's not something that happens so often kind of surprised. Sorry, I'm bad at words.
Kara: I just wanted to apologize for before.
Ben: Don't worry, I overreacted. You couldn't have known he was dead. I mean, no-one really does. Spider-Man's inactive, and Peter Parker just retreated into privacy, or so they say officially.
Kara: No, but you were right, I should ask you things. Like, where were you born?
Ben: In a test tube, in a secret lab, in a sewer. I'm a science experiment, Danvers, questions like those aren't really my forte.
Kara: Right, yeah, sorry. Um... any siblings?
Ben: A brother. Rick. He doesn't like me very much. He thinks of me more like a creature made with his dad's DNA than a brother.
Kara: Oh.
Ben: My life isn't as happy as I am, Kara. That's why I don't share things.
Kara: Okay, fine. One more question though.
Ben: Shoot.
Kara: Do you have a girlfriend?
Ben: Not after last time. I've kind of shut myself off from all that.
Kara: Why? What happened last time?
Ben: Nothing good. I thought we were okay and then she left and took some of my life's work.
Kara: Ouch.
Ben: Yep. My life is a total train wreck. Which is why I'm glad that I have you, and Winn, and James, and Alex to some level.
James stepped up to them.
James: Do you mind if I borrow her for a moment?
Ben looked over at Kara.
Kara: It's fine, Ben.
Ben: All yours, buddy.
Kara went off with James on the dance floor, seemingly to discuss their disagreement. Winn walked over and sat with Ben.
Winn: He's totally not her type, right?
Ben: She seems to like him well enough.
Winn: Yeah, but, she wouldn't date him, would she?
Ben: You're jealous.
Winn: What?! Me?
Ben: Yes, you. You're totally into Kara and seeing her get all weak-kneed for James is killing you.
Winn: I... how'd you know?
Ben: I have an IQ of 208... also it's the most obvious thing ever. You practically drool looking at her.
Winn: I do not.
Ben: You do. I've seen it. It's weird.
Ben's spider-sense went off.
Ben: Get down, I gotta go change.
Ben left to get changed into his costume as Reactron crashed down into the building. Everyone began panicking and running to leave.
Reactron: Where is Supergirl?
Reactron charged a blast but Ben webbed the gauntlet and landed in front of him.
Scarlet Spider: She's a little busy right now, but I can take a message. Or better yet, how about you and I just sit and talk this out?
Reactron blasted through the webs and Ben dodged the blast, but not quick enough to stop it from singeing the side of his suit.
Scarlet Spider: That wasn't one of the options, glowstick.
Reactron approached Lord, who was an attendee at the party.
Lord: Don't suppose my fixing your nuke suit earns me a hall pass?
Kara came in through the ceiling and knocked Reactron away.
Lord: Twice in two days. I should put you on the payroll as a bodyguard.
Supergirl: Get somewhere safe.
Lord: Good idea.
Ben webbed Reactron to the ground.
Scarlet Spider: Don't suppose that's gonna keep him down.
Reactron broke out almost immediately.
Scarlet Spider: Of course not.
Supergirl: I am sorry for what happened to you. But you are going to jail.
Reactron: I'm sure one day I will. But you won't live to see it.
Reactron continued firing on Kara, but she deflected the blast. One blast deflected into a column causing it to fall over. Ben went to grab it before it crushed Winn.
Scarlet Spider: I got it! I got it!
The column's weight started overpowering him.
Scarlet Spider: I don't got it! Supergirl!
Kara went over to help him with it. Reactron began charging a blast when they were distracting saving Winn.
James: Hey, Krull! Krull! Know who I am? Jimmy Olsen. I'm the closest thing Superman has to a best friend. You wanna see him hurt? Killing me would do that. Come on.
James started running out the building. Reactron flew through the roof to follow. Winn crawled out from under the column so that Ben and Kara could let go.
Scarlet Spider: Those things are surprisingly heavy.
Alex's voice came through to both Ben and Kara through their earpieces.
Alex: <Guys, we may have a way for you to stop Krull.>
Hank: <Krull's chest unit is powered by a Demon Core.>
Scarlet Spider: You're telling me this guy is powered by one of the deadliest uses of subcritical masses of plutonium in history?
Alex: <If you can remove it from his suit, it should shut down his weaponry.>
Hank: <But the core will melt down the very moment it's freed from its containment matrix.>
Supergirl: There has to be some way to stop him without nuking the city.
Scarlet Spider: If the core is encased in a non-penetrating material. Ideally tungsten, but you're not gonna find much of that around here, so lead would be the best alternative.
Supergirl: Lead.
Kara used her X-Ray vision to scan for nearby lead as it would be the only thing she could not see through. Eventually she found a bust made of lead and melted it down with her heat-vision. She then put her hand in to create a gauntlet of lead.
Scarlet Spider: That was probably worth a ton of money.
Kara flew out to stop Reactron from going after James. Ben followed just behind to see Reactron kick her into a column. As she struggled to get up, Ben webbed Reactron in the face to distract him.
Scarlet Spider: Dude, look, there are only so many nuclear jokes a guy can make, but while I have your attention I just want to point out the irony of you not thinking critically.
Reactron sent another blast which Ben managed to fully dodge this time.
Scarlet Spider: Don't have a meltdown.
Ben continued webbing him and dodging his blasts allowing Kara to get close enough to rip the Demon Core out with her lead covered arm. Reactron fell down after having been deactivated.
Scarlet Spider: That's teamwork, Dope-ennheimer.
James ran over to them.
Supergirl: You could have been killed.
James: No. I knew you'd save the day.
———
At the DEO, Kara and Ben stood as Hank and Alex reviewed the fight.
Supergirl: Thank you for your help. Both of you.
Hank: Something tells me this isn't the last non-alien you'll be taking on. And since the threat of federal prison doesn't stop your sister disobeying my orders, I guess in the future we'll just have to help you both again.
Scarlet Spider: Much appreciated, Hank.
Hank stared Ben down.
Scarlet Spider: I mean, thank you for your assistance, Director Henshaw.
Hank walked away.
Supergirl: Told you he'd come around on me.
Alex: So, what does the Girl of Steel do to celebrate after saving the day?
Supergirl: Um... how about the Danvers sisters take in a movie tonight?
Alex: Or how about you go find a certain ex-photojournalist with a penchant for tight shirts who makes you smile more than anyone else I've ever seen do? Yeah, that. Make sure she does that, Dr. Parker.
Scarlet Spider: Of course, Dr. Danvers. And you, Ms. Danvers, have work tomorrow and I need to deliver the photos of our fight with Reactron.
Supergirl: I didn't see you set up a camera.
Scarlet Spider: Yeah, I'm that good.
———
The next day, Ben and Kara exited the CatCo elevator.
Ben: You gonna do it?
Kara: I'm gonna do it.
Ben: Go do it then.
Kara: I'm gonna go do it.
Kara went to James's office. Ben looked through the window to see that James was already speaking with another woman. Ben waited for a while to see Kara walk back out.
Ben: Wait, what happened?
Kara: James's ex is back in town.
Ben: That girl? I mean, who even is she, some irrelevant Metropolis girl? You're Supergirl.
Kara: That was Lucy Lane.
Ben: Lucy Lane? As in-
Kara: As in Lois's sister, yes.
Ben: Oh, yeah, she's actually pretty awesome.
Kara: Thanks, Ben.
Ben: Not as awesome as you though. But they're not together again, are they?
Kara: No.
Ben: Then what are you worrying about?
Kara: I don't know.
Ben: Don't think so hard about it, Danvers.
———
Back at his apartment, Ben looked at a framed photo of him with his dad at a 3rd grade science fair where he'd won with a spider-drone he'd invented. Suddenly, he heard the sound of sirens from outside his window. He put his mask and took his clothes off to reveal the costume underneath.
Scarlet Spider: Time to go to work.
He dove from his window and started swinging alongside the cop cars as Kara showed up flying beside him.
EPISODE END