Supergirl Season 5 showed potential with the promise of Leviathan and the intriguing, yet predictable, fight between Kara and Lena. But as the episodes aired, it was clear that the show was struggling to figure what story it was trying to tell.

Was it Lena's falling out with Kara? The rise of Leviathan? Malefic's revenge? The dangers of technology?

A lot was going on all at once, and it was difficult for the viewers to keep up. And then Crisis happened, making the story even more jumbled with the reintroduction of Lex.

It was not all bad, though, as we saw Kara grow as a character, the incredible complexity of newcomer Andrea, and so much more.

Best Episode

Hands down, the best episode of the season has to go to Supergirl Season 5 Episode 19. The makeshift finale showed more progress for the characters in just that one episode than it had all season.

Kara and Lena finally talked about their issues instead of ignoring each other, lying, and purposefully hurting the other person.

Everyone knew that the two of them were capable of forgiveness, but as the episodes went on, the deeper they dug themselves into a hole. Thankfully, the finale saw them start to climb out and repair their friendship.

Supergirl works so much better when we see women working together, especially the two women who have one of the strongest connections on the show.

Kara and Lena, with the help of the rest of the Super Friends, were able to take down Leviathan and showcase all that makes Supergirl great. Let's just hope they continue on this high on Supergirl Season 6.

Best Villain

This category is a difficult one since there are so many contenders in the running.

It might be best to go with the villain who had the most potential, which was Leviathan.

The alien criminal organization presence always lingered throughout the season, whether that was in the background or right front and center with episodes focused on Rama Khan and Gamemnae.

Unfortunately, Leviathan got pushed to the side in favor of Lex Luthor or other bad guys who ended up just being distractions for Supergirl.

The real threat appeared to be Lex, but Leviathan was far more enjoyable with their elusive leader and fascinating powers. And with their leader still unknown, there is still so much to learn.

Character Who Deserved More Screentime

Nia Nal got introduced on Supergirl Season 4, and since then, we only had two episodes that have shown us an in-depth exploration of her character.

And if those two episodes have proved anything, it is that she is more than deserving to have more screentime as Supergirl continues.

Nia is a badass as Dreamer and a sympathetic, kind friend to Kara. If she is taking over more of the saving National City duties from Kara, it would be much appreciated if the focus shifted to her on ocassion.

It is rare when a show introduces an intriguing new character that is immediately loved, especially when they already have a cast full of beloved characters. It is time for a better, season-long storyline for Nia.

Best Costume Change

It was a season full of new super-suits for the Super Friends, from Alex's vigilante suit to Brainy's comic-book-appropriate suit.

But the best was Kara's new pants.

While her skirt was an iconic staple from the comics, it wasn't very practical when it came to taking down the bad guys.

Kara's new Supergirl suit and bangs, for that matter, created a much-needed new look. Barry Allen and Oliver Queen got new super-suits almost every season, and it was about time that Kara got a new look, as well.

Worst Character Development

Lena took a huge step back when she decided that Supergirl was her enemy and not her ally.

Lena has gone out of her way since her character was introduced on Supergirl Season 2 to prove that she is not a typical Luthor and is a truly good person.

Now, the viewers know that deep down, she is a hero in her own way, which is why her degression into becoming a villain on this season was so frustrating.

Lena has gotten hurt countless times, and the betrayal that she felt when she found out Kara was Supergirl was the last straw for her.

But she knows better than to work with Lex or create a program that controls the actions of others. By the finale, Lena had realized her mistake, but it feels as if she ended up right where she started -- helping Supergirl save the world.

Best Character Development

This might be a controversial choice, but I feel as if Kara has come a long way this season.

She has always been a people-pleaser, and like Barry on The Flash, she is her own worst critic.

Kara blamed herself for hurting Lena, but on Supergirl Season 5 Episode 13, she realized that her one mistake was not the catalyst for Lena's bad decisions.

She has learned that she sometimes has to put herself first because she is allowed to be happy.

If there was one good thing that came out of Kara and Lena's argument, it was that Kara has finally realized her worth.

Best Couple

Alex and Kelly might just be the cutest and healthiest couple we have ever seen on Supergirl. They work so well together as they challenge and bring out the best in the other.

Kelly is patient and caring while Alex is passionate and protective. They are opposites that complement one another so well, and it is a joy to watch their relationship progress.

As a couple, they did not get as much screentime as we hoped for the season, but the little that we got proved that, together, they are a force to be reckoned with.

We can't wait to see what is in store for them on the next season!

Worst Couple

The worst couple has to go to Kara and William -- if you can even call them a couple since they went on one date, and not much has happened since.

William got introduced as a new, stuck up reporter at CatCo who was immediately at odds with Kara.

It was later revealed that his whole persona was a lie as he was trying to uncover what happened to his best friend.

Maybe if the storyline had stuck, Kara and William might have developed their relationship into one that was semi-interesting to viewers, but alas, Crisis reversed it, and they started from scratch when the second half of the season resumed.

From there, it was as if their relationship was put into overdrive when they sang karaoke and caught feelings for the other that then came to a screeching halt.

Pursuing a relationship now would just make no sense, as their backstory has been tainted, and they, unfortunately, have very little chemistry.

If all goes well, Supergirl will forget they ever tried to make the relationship happen.

Best New Character

Andrea Rojas immediately got on people's nerves with her unfiltered mouth and her abrasiveness as the CEO of Obsidian North and the new owner of CatCo. But, as we soon came to realize, there was more to her than her first impression.

Andrea's surprising and complex backstory showcased on Supergirl Season 5 Episode 6 painted her in a brand new light, and it was one of the standout episodes of the season.

Sadly, after Crisis, Supergirl did not focus on Andrea as much until the finale.

But there are still many different sides to her, and we are looking forward to learning more about her. And maybe, just maybe, she will join the Super Friends as Acrata.

Most Inspiring Hope Speech

It is no surprise that the finale speech Kara gave to the Obsidian users and the way it connected with Lena's speech to Andrea, is the best of the season.

Kara convinced billions of people to exit a virtual reality simulation that reunited them with their lost loved ones. If that isn't her greatest feat, I don't know what is.

Alternating between Kara and Lena as Lena was talking down Andrea from killing Supergirl, connecting the two speeches and showing the audience the magnificence of their friendship was masterfully executed.

Both Kara and Lena had character building revelations during their respective speeches, showing that they affected the people to whom they were talking as well as themselves. Their heartfelt spiels resulted in forgiveness for one another and a truce that ended the season on a hopeful note.

Worst Storyline

I will not say that Lex is a poor villain because it is quite the opposite. He is one of the best villains Supergirl and the DC comics world have ever seen. But his return after Crisis added an extra layer to a season already up to its neck with storylines.

It was incredible seeing him take control of everyone around him, but he had already done so on Supergirl Season 4. He had his turn to shine, and it was time for Supergirl to deal with a new villain.

Leviathan had all of the promise to be a worthy adversary of Supergirl, but they got pushed to the side, and we saw history repeating itself with Lex.

Lex's reintroduction was a great plot twist, but the more we saw of him, the more evident it became that Supergirl was trying to continue the high he previously provided.

Favorite Returning Character

When it got announced that Winn would return for a few episodes, I immediately felt giddy.

Winn was one of the founding members of the Super Friends, and he was the first person with whom Kara shared her secret, so he has been sorely missed since he left the show.

With his return on Supergirl Season 5 Episode 11, we got reminded that his humor and emotion brought a breath of fresh air to Supergirl, an his dynamics with many characters were always a delight.

Given that he has a family now, it is unlikely that he will ever return to as a series regular, but hey, a girl can dream.

Most Shocking Twist

Supergirl Season 5 had many plot twists as a result of Crisis, but I'd argue that the destruction of the DEO is tops that list. With Crisis, we  expected shocking moments for Supergirl's characters, but outside of that, we never saw DEO's fate coming.

It might seem minuscule compared to Brainy working with Lex or Eve killing Jeremiah, but the DEO was quite significant during Kara's time as Supergirl.

It has been her home base for years, but now that they're leaning more towards the Super Friends as vigilantes working against the government, they have the Tower to call home.

With the creation of the Tower and Rama Khan's destruction of the DEO, it signals a significant shift in the show's direction. But it is too early to say what that will mean.

Overall Grade: C+

While there were a couple of outstanding episodes of Supergirl Season 5, the season as a whole felt more like a chaotic mess than one cohesive story.

You can blame that on the way Crisis on Infinite Earths changed, quite literally, everything for every Arrowverse show, and they subsequently thrived or fell apart as a result.

Unfortunately, it was the latter for Supergirl.

Given that the finale was an outstanding hour for the show, I have faith that it can get back on track and return to the show that we all fell in love with on Supergirl Season 1.

What do you think Supergirl Fanatics?

What did you enjoy most and least about this season? Are you looking forward to its return next year?

And what grade would you give Supergirl Season 5?

Let me know in the comments, and do not forget that you can watch Supergirl online right here via TV Fanatic!

Sarah Little was a staff writer for TV Fanatic.She retired in September 2021.