Supergirl has a Lena Luthor problem that needs to be fixed

Supergirl has taken one of its smartest characters on the show and done a disservice to her. The show has a Lena Luthor problem and here’s how they can fix it.

When Supergirl introduced Lena Luthor, I was hopeful that the show wouldn’t have her be just another Luthor who makes horrible choices and does unspeakable things. They didn’t have Lena go too dark in the show, thanks to introducing her mother, Lillian Luthor. However, they still treated Lena like she wasn’t as smart as she is based on what they’ve told us.

I find it hard to believe that other characters could figure out that Kara Danvers is Supergirl, while one of the show’s smartest characters remained clueless. They even gave her an entire storyline where she ranted to Kara and the others about how much she didn’t like Supergirl and no one ever really stood up for the hero. It is a baffling decision, to say the least.

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I’ve found myself largely disappointed with the choices Lena has made lately and how the show just continues to make her look like a fool. In Lex Luthor’s first appearance, he tricks Lena with ease and Eve turns out to be working for Lex. In “The House of L,” how Eve and Lex met is shoehorned in because there was no previous set up for it. She’s off with Lex in Kaznia while she’s working for Lena. So, how does Lena not noticed that the person helping her with her secret project keeps disappearing? That’s just one example of how they’ve taken a brilliant character and made her look completely incompetent.

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More than anyone, Lena should have known that Lex always has an ulterior motive for everything he does. She could have figured out in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” that Lex was the one who had James Olsen shot. It makes sense given the fact that he wanted the cure for himself, too. However, they have Lex spoon-feed Lena that information instead of having her put it together herself.

The only way for the show to fix these faults at this point would be to put Lena on a path of redemption. She was duped by Eve and Lex. She made a deal with the government to advance her work, too, but that hasn’t entirely come to fruition other than Colonel Haley checking in every now and then.

She’ll have to figure out a way to stop her brother, and possibly save Supergirl, in order for the show to finally use her to her full potential. They’ve shown glimpses of it when the introduced that the image inducer was L Corp technology (which Lex also uses against her). Beyond some of there “here’s what I’m working on moments,” it feels like Lena really hasn’t had a chance to fully explore what she’s capable of.

Lena has been given some nice moments with the other characters, most recently one with Brainy where he reminds her about compartmentalizing after James is shot. Now that Lex is in the picture, he’ll be the one doing the horrible, unspeakable things while Lena will finally have a chance to use everything she’s capable of for good. If the show doesn’t give her a redemption storyline, they’ll end up doing the character even more of a disservice.

What do you think about Lena? What would you like to see moving forward? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Supergirl airs on Sundays at 8/7c on The CW.