Although it first debuted on CBS, Supergirl kicked off its sophomore season on The CW alongside fellow DC Comics series Arrow, The Flash, and Legends of Tomorrow. The network change allowed the Girl of Steel to participate in the network's massive four-show crossover - which drew record-breaking ratings for The CW - but Supergirl included a number of other alterations in season 2. Most notably, Calista Flockhart departed the series, and Supergirl welcomed Daxamite Mon-El (Chris Wood) to National City.

The winter finale of Supergirl seemed to wrap up the season's storyline concerning Cadmus - a mysterious anti-alien organization run by Lillian Luthor (Brenda Strong) - but teased a new arc focused on a group of aliens searching for Mon-El. Now, Supergirl will return from its hiatus with a premiere directed by Kevin Smith, who has previously helmed two episodes of The Flash. Although The CW released a trailer for the Supergirl midseason premiere, the official episode synopsis offers more information.

The CW debuted the synopsis for 'Supergirl Lives', which was directed by Smith from a script by Eric Carrasco and Jess Kardos, and story by Andrew Kreisberg; the episode features Smith's daughter Harley Quinn as a guest star. Take a look:

KEVIN SMITH DIRECTS; ROULETTE RETURNS — Kara (Melissa Benoist) is moved by the story of a missing woman named Izzy (guest star Harley Quinn Smith) and decides to investigate despite Snapper Carr’s (guest star Ian Gomez) order to leave it alone. Kara takes Mon-El (Chris Wood) with her to the last place Izzy was seen and the duo find themselves thrust through a portal to another planet, Slaver’s Moon, where the downtrodden are sold as slaves. The leader of the trafficking ring is none other than Roulette (guest star Dichen Lachman). To make matters worse, Slaver’s Moon has a red sun, which means Kara and Mon-El are stripped of their powers and stuck on the planet with no way home. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Alex (Chyler Leigh) blames herself for Kara’s disappearance, fearing she’s become too focused on her new relationship with Maggie (guest star Floriana Lima) and too complacent in watching out for her sister.

Supergirl Mon-El Chris Wood Changing

This synopsis explains certain aspects of the episode that were shown without context in the trailer for 'Supergirl Lives' - specifically, the red sun and the name of the planet on which Kara finds herself. Of course, while a planet named Slaver's Moon doesn't come up in the DC Comics, it could be a nickname for a known planet, or one without any ties to the comics. It also remains to be seen how the human villain Roulette got involved in an inter-planetary trafficking ring, though the amount of public attention paid to alien refugees in the first half of season 2 may offer some explanation.

Still, while Slaver's Moon may not be a reference to the comics, Smith promised a "pure comic book" episode at least in tone - and 'Supergirl Lives' appears to live up to his comment. Certainly, the scope of the midseason premiere, spanning both Earth and Slaver's Moon, is one of the biggest Supergirl has tackled in its two seasons, with the exception of its Martian Manhunter-focused episodes. Whether 'Supergirl Lives' is as well received by the audience as Smith himself remains to be seen, but fans won't have to wait much longer since Supergirl returns later this month.

Next: Supergirl Midseason Premiere Clip

Supergirl season 2 returns with 'Supergirl Lives' Monday January 23 at 8pm on The CW.

Source: The CW