Ben was at the DEO, where he'd been all weekend since he lost his powers and underwent testing along with Kara, who was in a similar position, to determine the extent of their power loss. Alex stepped into the med bay with Ben.
Scarlet Spider: Hey, what's up, doc? You figure out the issue with us?
Alex: We've figured out the reason for Kara's power loss. She used up all the solar radiation in her body when she took down Red Tornado.
Scarlet Spider: How does that explain what's going on with me?
Alex: It doesn't. Look, Ben, Kara told me what happened with the Spider-Slayer.
Scarlet Spider: Okay, I lost control. So what?
Alex: She also told me that you were afraid of developing rage due to your... background.
Scarlet Spider: Still doesn't explain why I lost my powers.
Alex: Ben, I can find nothing wrong with you physically. I think the problem may be psychological.
Scarlet Spider: Let me get this straight, I lost my powers because I feel bad?
Alex: Essentially, yes.
Scarlet Spider: Well, how do I get them back?
Alex: That's for you to find out. Whatever's bothering you is blocking your powers. You need to take the day, try and figure things out.
Scarlet Spider: That's it?
Alex: That's it.
The two left the med bay and met up with Kara in the command center.
Alex: This happens to Superman too, Kara. He looses his powers for a couple of days, right?
Supergirl: Yeah, but it's been two days and I don't feel any different.
Alex: You're just stir-crazy because the DEO has been testing you all weekend. Now you get to go out in the real world and see what it's like to be human for a day.
Hank: Might learn a thing or two about what it's like for the rest of us.
They turned to see Hank behind them.
Hank: How are you feeling?
Supergirl: Fine. I guess... If this is what fine feels like now.
Scarlet Spider: I feel like I'm 15 again. But not in the energetic, 'new lease on life' way. I mean in the way that I have 20/100 vision and asthma. Speaking of which, I need an inhaler or I will die before I leave the building.
Alex tossed him an inhaler.
Scarlet Spider: Thank you.
Alex: They were just heading to work. I was just going to walk them out.
Hank: I'm off to deal with an unruly guest. Might need your help with him when you're done.
Alex: Happy to, sir.
Hank left the trio.
Supergirl: Nice. I'd have no idea you suspect him of anything.
Alex: I have to play it that way until I find out whether or not he was involved in Dad's death.
Supergirl: Do you really think he's involved? You've served with Hank for years.
Alex: And all that time, he never told me Dad was an agent here at the DEO. Or that they were together when Dad died. Everything Hank has said to me has been a lie. I can't trust him anymore, Kara. I... I know he's hiding something.
———
Ben and Kara were in the CatCo elevator and she started sneezing.
Ben: Are you sick already? When did you have time to get sick? We were in a sterile lab all weekend.
Kara: Then we took public transport here. It was like a Petri dish on that bus. What prescription are those glasses, Parker? You look like a cartoon character.
Ben: They're -7 lenses.
Kara: Oh, that's pretty bad.
Ben: Yeah, I was blind as a bat before my powers kicked in.
Kara sneezed again.
Ben: For God's sake, cover your mouth, Danvers!
Kara: Sorry, I've never been sick before.
Ben handed her a tissue.
Ben: It's basic germ theory!
Ben started coughing and wheezing so he used his inhaler.
Ben: You're stressing me out.
Kara: I still can't believe you have asthma.
Ben: Let's just say, I wasn't a very athletic child.
The elevator doors opened, Ben and Kara stepped out and were greeted by Winn where she then sneezed once more.
Winn: Hey, Kara. What's happening?
Kara: Oh, there was a 10-year-old on the bus with a runny nose.
Winn: Okay, you're late, you took the bus and, what, you have... you have a cold?
Kara: I blew out my powers fighting that android.
Winn: Both of you lost your powers? For how long?
Kara: Oh, stupid Red Tornado.
Winn: Okay, I'm going to help you figure this out. Oh, I still have the, uh... the Kryptonian bio-analysis from Alex's DEO files. Yeah, we've got to find some answers.
Cat arrived on the floor and Kara sneezed.
Cat: Did someone just sneeze?
Kara turned away to try and hide her cold.
Cat: Who did that? Who among you sprayed my office with a million microscopic killers? I can already feel my throat closing up.
Kara sneezed yet again.
Cat: You, Kira?! You never get sick. That's the best part about you.
Kara: That's the best part?
Cat: If I get sick, I will underperform. If I underperform, our stock prices will fall, thousands of people will lose their job, the S&P will take a hit and you will personally have triggered the next recession. Do you want to be the next Lehman Brothers?
Kara: I guess I'll go home.
Cat: Don't exhale on the way out.
Kara went to leave. Ben started coughing and wheezing.
Cat: What's that noise now?
She turned to face him as he used his inhaler.
Cat: Who are you?
Ben: Ms. Grant, it's Ben. Ben Parker?
Cat: You're wearing glasses. Ben doesn't wear glasses.
Ben: I... lost my contacts?
Cat: Why are you hacking and groaning all over my building?
Ben: Allergy season?
Cat: It's December.
Ben: Yes. December is my allergy season. You know, all that holly and peppermint around, it's giving me a hard time.
Cat: Unlike Kira, you don't actually work here so please leave immediately and come back when you're feeling like you won't spread germs.
Ben: Of course, Ms. Grant.
———
Ben caught up to Kara and James in the street. He stopped to catch his breath.
Ben: He... hey... hey, guys. Oh... my God...
Kara: Ben, are you okay? You're sweating. Like... a lot.
Ben: Yeah... I just... I'm not suited... for running... that far.
James: Ben, I can see CatCo from here.
Ben turned to see exactly how little of a distance he'd ran.
Ben: God, I miss my powers.
James: You're having a web-block?
Ben: Is that what it's called?
James: I mean, that's what Spider-Man told Clark.
Ben: I always forget they were friends.
Kara: Don't worry, Clark named my power loss too. Apparently, he calls it a "solar flare."
Suddenly, a large, city-wide earthquake caught them off guard. Bridges started collapsing and the ground began to crack. Kara stood in the way of a car, forgetting she was no longer invulnerable, and James pushed her out of the way and onto the ground where she broke her arm.
Ben: You guys alright?!
James: I'm fine. Kara's hurt.
Ben went over to check on her.
Ben: Can you move your shoulder for me, Kara?
Kara: I'm trying. I can't.
Ben: I'm gonna try moving it a little. Tell me if it hurts.
Ben slowly moved her shoulder.
Kara: Ow! Yes!
Ben: Okay, that's a humerus shaft fracture. Your arm's broken. We need a sling for that right now. James, give me your shirt.
James: Why not your shirt?
Ben: You have the body of a Greek god, you'll be fine without a shirt, now hand it to me.
James took off his shirt and Ben took it and made Kara a sling for her arm.
Ben: That better?
Kara: A little.
Ben: Can you stand?
Kara: Yeah.
Ben helped her up. The three walked around to see the damage caused around the city. They then saw a large cloud of smoke coming from the CatCo building.
Kara: Oh, my God.
———
The three went up to the CatCo office to see everyone moving in panic. Someone knocked into Kara's broken arm which caused her to wince in pain.
James: You've got to be really careful with that. Why don't you let me take you to the hospital to get your arm looked at?
Kara: No, it'll heal when I get my powers back. Are you okay?
Winn: Yeah.
Ben went through the office tending to those who were injured in the quake. Cat stepped out of her office.
Cat: Okay, so, is everyone okay? Anybody hurt? Good. Sometimes it takes a shock to realize what really matters. So, if you need to go, if you want to go, go. Go be with your families.
Some people went to leave and Cat took pictures of them on their way out.
Cat: And you. You, are you staying?
Tech Support: Yeah. Yes, ma'am.
Cat: Well, we need to get my station back online. People are scared they're looking for information, and it is our duty to help them.
Tech Support: We're working on it, Ms. Grant. But best estimate is four hours.
Cat: Unacceptable. Think creatively and get us on the air.
———
A few minutes went by and the station was still not back online.
Winn: Hey, hey. You want to see some magic?
Winn was then able to bring them back online.
Kara: Winn, that's... oh, my gosh. Look.
Cat looked to see that they were back in business.
Cat: Oh. Well, if I didn't have an issue with personal space, I would give you a hug.
Tech Support: It wasn't me.
Kara: It was Winn.
Cat: Who?
Winn: Me.
Cat: Are you from the satellite company?
Kara: No, he's from the desk right across from mine that you pass on your way to your office every day.
Ben: He's worked here longer than most people.
Cat: Oh.
They looked to see a broadcast of Maxwell Lord leading a disaster relief aid shelter.
Lord: <People need help now. This city's a powder keg. We can't wait around for the government to save us. Or Supergirl. Just when this city needed her the most, she's nowhere to be found. The world's most unreliable superhero. Let this be a lesson to all of us. We need to rely on ourselves, not aliens in capes.>
Cat: Look at Max. Using the earthquake as a branding opportunity.
James: He's sticking to Supergirl pretty hard.
Cat: Well, I'm not going to let that bloviating narcissist knock my creation down just to build himself up. Whit.
She looked over at Winn, fully believing "Whit" to be his name.
Winn: That's close enough.
Cat: You've proven yourself not to be incompetent. Let's start a feed in my office. We are going to counter Max's message about my girl.
Cat went to her office.
Winn: If I'm not back in half an hour, send... send help.
Winn followed after her.
Kara: Max is spreading panic. People are already scared.
James: What do you want to do?
Kara: Go down there and stop him.
Ben: I'm down. Do not like that guy.
James: You can't just fly up to him like you usually do. I mean, this guy is waist-deep in security.
Kara: Yeah, but he's also a showman who loves preening for the press. And luckily for Supergirl, she's friends with Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jimmy Olsen.
———
The three went down to the shelter and James took photos of Max while he posed handing a civilian supplies.
Lord: Jimmy Olsen. Thank you for shooting our relief efforts.
James: Of course.
Lord: I'd heard you hung your camera.
James: Ah, well, I still break it out when the need arises.
Lord: You look familiar.
Kara: We've met. Um, I'm Cat Grant's assistant, Kara.
Lord: Alright. And you?
Ben: Dr. Ben Parker.
Lord: Doctor of what exactly?
Ben: Oh, how much time do you have?
Lord: Not a lot.
He started walking away and they followed.
Kara: I have to say, I think what you're doing today is wonderful. But, uh, I found what you said on TV a little surprising.
Lord: You mean about Supergirl? If you knew me, you wouldn't be surprised.
Kara: Oh, I know you. But don't you think that people need a more positive message right now? Hope instead of fear? I just think that if Supergirl could be here today, right now, she would be.
Lord: Why? Because Cat Grant says so? She might as well be Supergirl's PR flack, slapping that S on everything just to make money.
Kara: What are you doing?
Lord: I want everyone to know who's helping them in their time of need, a human being.
He handed them each or bottle of water.
Lord: Supergirl lulls us into complacency. She fools us into thinking she'll save us and renders us incapable of saving ourselves. Like heroin, or the welfare state.
Kara: That's cynical.
Lord: It's realistic. If anything, Supergirl should be thanking me for what I'm not saying.
Kara: Which is what?
Lord: She lost her powers. Explains why she's nowhere to be found. Seeing as her masked boy-toy isn't around either, I assume the same for him. I'm guessing she blew out her photovoltaic capabilities fighting that military android. She's just a dead battery now.
James: You can't be sure of that.
Lord: I've studied Superman. It takes him roughly 48 hours to recharge. We're way past that. If Supergirl hasn't gotten her powers back by now, there's a good chance she never will. And that means, we're on our own.
Ben: You can't know that. She's not Superman, there's lots of parameters to consider. BMI, genetics, rate of absorption, lots of things.
Lord: You seem to know a lot about Kryptonians, Dr. Parker.
Woman: Help!
A woman ran up to them.
Woman: Please, my dad needs help over there!
They ran over to check on the woman's father. Ben and Max went down to assess his injuries.
Lord: He's got a tension pneumothorax.
Kara: You're a doctor?
Lord: Did med school in a year.
Ben: That would be impressive if you weren't talking to me. Did it in half that time.
Lord: He needs to go to the hospital.
Woman: I called 911, but they haven't come yet.
James: Paramedics are swamped.
Woman: I once saw a clip of Supergirl in the news. She flew someone over to the hospital.
Lord: Unless you know where she is, we're your dad's only hope.
Ben: Alright, if we can't get him to the hospital, we'll have to do it ourselves. We need to perform a needle thoracostomy. You ever done one, Max?
Lord: Nope. You?
Ben: Never. No time like the present though.
Lord: Wait a second. Damn, it's a venous bleed.
Ben: No, no, no!
Kara: What?
Lord: He must've lacerated another vessel.
Kara: So we find the vessel, stop the bleeding, right?
Lord: He's got 100,000 miles of vessels. We'll never find the right one. Unless you have an X-ray machine.
Woman: Please. Please!
Lord: He's exsanguinating into his chest.
Ben: Once that hemothorax develops, he's gonna go into shock and die in a few minutes. We have to do something.
Lord: What exactly do you suggest, Dr. Parker? We're on the street, not in an ER.
Max went to comfort the woman away from the three.
Kara: Ben, what do we do?
Ben: There's nothing to do. He's gonna die.
Kara: You have to think of something. You always do.
Ben: Kara, I may be many things but a trained trauma surgeon isn't one of them. I don't have supplies, I can't move him. And I can't find the bleed.
Kara took her glasses off and tried to use her X-ray vision with no success.
Kara: Come on, come on, come on. Please. Please. Come on, come on. Come on!
James: Kara.
Kara: No. No, no, no.
James: Kara, look. Kara. Please stop.
Kara begrudgingly gave up and put her glasses back on.
Kara: Just... do something! Come on! This can't be it!
Lord: We can't save him.
Woman: No!
Lord: Sorry.
Max stormed off in a fit of rage at this failure and James went to comfort the woman.
Ben: Kara, we can't save everyone. I wish we could. But, this one was my failure, not yours.
Kara: I could... I could of-
Ben: Stop that. You'll drive yourself crazy.
———
Ben sat down on the side of the street. Max sat next to him.
Lord: Something bothering you?
Ben: Can you not? Sorry, it's just that I don't like you. It's hard to dislike you if you're being nice.
Lord: Let me guess, you feel bad for not being able to save that guy?
Ben: (unapologetically sarcastic) Wow, your insight amazes me, Lord.
Lord: I get it, I feel bad too, but we're only human. We're not gods. We don't have god-like powers even like some people. We can only do so much.
Ben: Mhm. It's good advice, but it's coming for you so I'm gonna ignore it.
Suddenly, there was a crashing noise from a nearby building. Civilians cleared out of the building.
Woman: No! My son's still in there!
Ben looked over at the building.
Lord: Don't do it, that building is about to go down.
Ben ignored him and ran in the building. He searched the building, eventually having to stop and use his inhaler after exerting himself too much. He then heard the boy cry out.
Child: Somebody help!
Ben gathered himself and continued through the building until he found the boy. He was on the other side of a large gap on the floor with nothing but a steel beam left to connect them.
Ben: Hey, kid.
Child: Help me!
Ben: Okay, give me a second, I'm coming across.
Ben shuffled his way across the beam, carefully as he no longer had the equilibrium he'd usually have. He stumbled a few times but managed to maintain his balance for the most part.
Ben: Alright, kid, we're gonna do exactly what I did but in reverse.
Child: I can't do that, I'm gonna fall!
Ben: Alright, kid, look at me. What's your name?
Child: Peter.
Ben: Peter? Of course it is. Okay, Peter, what we're gonna do is you're gonna face me the whole time. Whatever you do, don't look down. You got that?
Peter: Okay.
Ben got on the beam backwards and led Peter onto it. Peter immediately looked down.
Peter: I can't do this!
Ben: Yes, you can! Peter, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. Have you ever watched The Karate Kid movies?
Peter: Yes.
Ben: Okay, good.
Peter: The one with Jackie Chan?
Ben: Oh, you've seen the 2011 one. Well, nobody's perfect. Okay, so in the 1984 Karate Kid, the greatest movie ever, there's this kid, Daniel. And Daniel has just moved to LA from New Jersey and immediately finds an enemy in these kids from a karate dojo called "Cobra Kai." We know they're bad guys because their motto is "no mercy." Anyway, they continue bullying Daniel until eventually this wise man, called Mr. Miyagi, he agrees to teach him karate. But the thing is that Mr. Miyagi's karate is all about defense. So Daniel's all like "how am I gonna win this karate tournament with defense?" Then Mr. Miyagi shows him all the techniques. There's some expositional scenes then we get to the tournament where Daniel wins by hitting Johnny Lawrence in the face with a well placed crane kick.
Peter: What does that have to do with anything?
Ben: Nothing. I was just trying to distract you while we walked across.
They looked down and saw that they'd walked across the beam without noticing. Ben helped the kid out of the building and back to his mother.
Woman: Peter, oh my god. Thank you.
Ben: No problem.
Ben noticed his glasses no longer fixed his sight. He took his glasses off to see his vision had returned to normal.
———
Back at CatCo, Ben talked with Winn.
Winn: So, you have your powers back?
Ben: No. That's the thing. It's just my sight. Also, I can run further than a meter without having to catch my breath now. Still don't stick to walls or have the proportional strength of a spider.
Winn: I never understood that phrase. Like what does "proportional strength of a spider" mean?
Ben: Well, I mean, spiders can lift 50 times their body weight. So can I.
Winn: 50?
Ben: Yeah, I could lift, like, two rhinoceroses if I wanted to.
Winn: That's so specific.
Winn's computer got a ping.
Winn: Yes!
Ben: What?
Winn: I figured out Kara's power loss.
They went over to James's office and opened the door to see Kara and James in a close embrace. They quickly separated as they walked in.
Winn: I... I accessed the DEO file on Superman... and I, well, I ran a differential... analysis, uh, on the rates at which you might metabolize solar radiation.
Kara: Winn...
Winn: You know, the long and short of it is basically that you might get your powers back if, um... if they're reignited by a Kryptonian version of extreme adrenaline.
He left and Kara followed after him.
Ben: Dude, what are you doing?
James: Excuse me?
Ben: If you're with Lucy, be with Lucy. Don't keep one foot out the door because you're driving everyone insane.
James: What are you talking about?
Ben: I'm talking about-
Another earthquake hit, shaking the building. James and Ben went to check on the others.
James: Everybody okay?
Winn: Yeah, yeah, we're okay.
A loud bang went off and shook the building.
Kara: That wasn't an aftershock, that was an explosion.
Winn: It's gotta be the gas line.
James: I'll check the stairs.
Winn called upstairs as James went to check the stairs.
Winn: Please let nobody be up there.
A man answered the phone.
Winn: Of course there's someone up there. Hi. Hi. Yes. We're just a few floors below you. Help is on the way.
He put the phone down.
Winn: Um, I just lied to an entire floor of trapped people in a burning building, what's our next move?
James came back.
James: The stairwell's blocked going up.
Kara: We have to at least get everyone on this floor downstairs.
Winn: So, what about the people upstairs?
Ben: I have an idea.
They walked over the elevator and pried the doors open. Winn stayed on the phone with the upper floor.
Winn: The elevator shaft?
Ben: I never said it was a great plan. But we're working with limited time and resources.
Winn: Uh, problem. They can't get their elevator door open.
James: Alright, I'm gonna have to climb up and open it from the other side.
Kara: James, no, we are 23 floors up.
James: I didn't say I was excited about it, okay?
Kara: James.
James: Be right back. I promise. Tell them I'm coming.
Winn: He's coming.
James started climbing up the elevator shaft ladder.
Ben: God, he has the proportions of a He-Man action figure.
James reached the upper floor and opened up their elevator door. He helped them to the ladder one by one. The others helped them out of the elevator shaft. Another quake occurred and James lost his footing.
Kara: James!
He grabbed hold of the elevator cable. Winn rushed the people from the elevator to go get help.
Kara: James! Reach for the ladder!
He tried to reach as the cable he was hanging on frayed. Eventually it snapped and he fell. In that second, Kara shed her cast and flew in to save James. She rose up with James as Supergirl.
Ben: Seriously, how do you get changed that quickly? I need tips.
Supergirl: You almost gave me a heart attack.
James: Well, I guess that's what you needed.
Ben felt something and went to move Winn out of the way. Another cable then snapped and whipped down where Winn was standing.
Ben: Oh, thank God.
Winn: Dude, I almost died!
Ben: You're welcome.
Winn: There's a city out there that really needs you.
Supergirl: You ready?
Ben: Always. But not literally, I need to get changed first.
———
The two went out into the city to work on damage control for people in danger because of the earthquake. Putting out fires and saving people from wreckages.
———
Later in the day, Ben and Kara sat on top of a building looking down at the city, eating pizza.
Supergirl: We just spent a full day as regular people.
Ben: Yes, we did.
Supergirl: It sucked.
Ben: So much, yeah. I never want to do it again.
They both laughed about this.
Ben: I don't think I've said this to you yet, but I'm glad that you're doing this with me. I really glad you're around.
Supergirl: Well, thank you for that. I'm glad to have you as my superheroing partner too. Hey, did you ever find out why you lost your powers?
Ben: Uhm... I think so. You remember the fight with the Spider-Slayer?
Supergirl: Hard not to. You pummeled that thing out of existence.
Ben: Well, that's the thing. When I pummeled it out of existence, I couldn't stop thinking about Smythe, he was who I really wanted to destroy in that moment. I blacked out. If that was him, then I don't know what I would've-
Supergirl: But, it wasn't him, so it doesn't matter.
Ben: I guess. I just felt like I let myself down. But today? I saved a kid from a collapsing building all by myself. I used my medical degree for something other than to show off at family events.
Supergirl: So, you're all good now?
Ben: I don't know. I guess, we'll find out. We should probably get back to it, lots to do.
Ben put his mask back on and jumped down into the city, swinging off into the distance.
———
Kara flew through the sky but was taken down to the ground by an unknown force. Two Kryptonian soldiers landed in front of her.
Supergirl: Who are you?
Astra and Annihilus joined them.
Astra: They're with me.
Supergirl: Astra.
The soldiers grabbed a hold of her.
Astra: My dear niece. Did you really think this was over?
EPISODE END