Ben Lockwood quotes from Supergirl

Lockwood

Sometimes things happen in life that we can't explain. Like a good man being sent to an early grave. And when, not if, these things happen, it can make us feel like we want to give up. So, I'm very happy to, uh, read to you my father's favorite quote. Well, it's the only quote he knew. Winston Churchill. "Never give in." "Never give in. Never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty, except in considerations of honor and good sense. Never yield to force, or the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy that confronts you. Never. Never, ever, give in."

We lost the Luthor Corporation contract last week.

Ben Lockwood

What?

I had to shutter two blast furnaces. Takin' on statue commissions just to make ends meet.

Lockwood

What if you retrofitted the factory to process Nth metal? You could re-train your employees.

This town was built on steel. American steel. You rip out that foundation, and everything will crumble around it. You mark my words.

Lockwood

People thought textiles would be the end of modern society, but the Industrial Revolution, it created unprecedented opportunities...

I'm not one of your students, Ben. And I'll remind you, it was called a revolution for a reason. And I'll also remind you that steel is what paid for that fancy college education of yours that you only wanna use when you wanna condescend to your old man.

Lockwood

Worth every penny. Right, dad?

Not so much.

Lockwood

Nativist. A term often used in a derogatory fashion to describe those who fear the other. Question for you. What's wrong with those who wish to protect their homes from the outsiders?

Well, America is a country of immigrants.

Lockwood

Yes, but that's always been controversial. You see, in 1775, Benjamin Franklin himself writes of his own fears of immigrants, whom he warned "The immigrant will never adopt our language or customs any more than he can acquire our complexion."

Franklin was talking about German immigrants back when America was still a British colony. I don't see how it applies to anything.

Lockwood

Oh, I can see why this, uh, point of view would be problematic, especially since we are talking about human immigrants; human immigrants who, in the past 200 years, made America great no matter what their complexion. But now, we welcome immigrants not only from outside our borders, but from beyond our atmosphere, so let me just ask you, how does the human worker compete? Anyone? How does the human worker compete against an alien who could lift two tons of steel over its head without even breaking a sweat? How does the human worker compete against an alien that can fly goods from one coast to the other, leaving our trucks to rust away in the sand?

[confused] Sorry, professor, what page are we on?

Lockwood

Ben Franklin's fears have come to pass. The modern immigrant cannot assimilate, and it's not a question of desire, it's not a question of culture. It is a question of biology, and from that context... [an alien student, insulted, stands and leaves] From that context, I should be proud if you were to call me a nativist.

This... isn't nativism. It's xenophobia.

Lockwood

Well, I can't say I'm surprised to hear that from someone with your complexion.

Mercy

People love you, Ben. You have a rare gift of communication, like Franklin Roosevelt or Mussolini. The people I work with, they don't have such gifts. But I think if we could all work together, we could make this country a much better place.

Lockwood

How?

Mercy

We're gonna expose the president as a liar, a fraud, and an alien.

Lockwood

Read a little 4chan, do ya?

Mercy

I can understand why you wouldn't believe me. But can you imagine if we proved it was true? How that would change the world?

Lockwood

Well, that's a nice dream, but, um, I don't even know who you are.

Mercy

Mercy Graves. And that's my brother, Otis.

Otis Graves

[rolling down the limo's driver partition] What's up?

Mercy

[offering Ben a folder] And most importantly, this is Fiona. Part-time bartender, full-time alien rights activist. Don't be fooled by the lipstick. Beneath the disguise, she's a monster. One who is organizing other monsters to defend themselves against us. But that's okay. Because some of these creatures have skills we can use. So what do you say? Besties?

Lockwood

I seem to recall you telling me that Supergirl was dead.

Otis

We never said it was official.

Mercy

We'll make her dead. The plan still stands.

Lockwood

Well, your plan is small.

Mercy

Excuse me?

Lockwood

You want to show people that aliens are monsters. That's good, but you don't do that by attacking their protectors, the police, the DEO. Yeah, that will make them afraid. That'll make them feel fear, up here, in their mind. What you need to do is make them feel it in their bones.

Mercy

And how do you plan on doing that, exactly?

Lockwood

You show them that they need to be afraid for their children.

Lockwood

You know, I was just talking about you on my show recently.

James

So I heard. And just to be clear, you and I do not represent the same things.

Lockwood

Hmm. Far be it for James Olsen to listen to an opinion that is not his own.

James

I listen to opinions that are not my own. But what I heard in your show was full of discrimination and hate, and that's when I stopped listening.

Lockwood

I see. So this is the part where you and others like you start making crass generalizations based on ignorance and stereotype.

James

And you forgot the part where people like me walk away.

Kara

Most aliens want to live peacefully, just like humans do.

Lockwood

Okay, and where's the proof in that? Because there have been numerous alien attacks, human lives have been lost.

Kara

But there are also aliens making extraordinary contributions. Everyone that I interviewed for my "Aliens in National City" series was exceptional.

Lockwood

Okay, but for a second let's just talk about human exceptionalism. For example, your own editor-in-chief, James Olsen, he was supposed to be here tonight, was he not?

Kara

Yes, yes.

Lockwood

Okay, so Guardian. If the Children of Liberty are such a problem, why hasn't Guardian renounced them? In fact, rumor is he's meeting with them right now, which seems to indicate that James Olsen understands that these people have something of value to say.

Kara

There is a very clear difference between having something to say and the hate speech in these leaflets. This manifesto will only incite violence and fear, and as Americans we are better than that. On Thanksgiving, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, it is a day for family, for community. It is about welcoming different cultures and celebrating a gratitude for life together. That is what liberty is about.

Manchester

What's that?

Oh, Ben's great-great-great-grandfather made those.

Lockwood

Yeah, he was a blacksmith. That bayonet, well it's one of the first things the Lockwoods ever forged. It's from the American Revolution.

Manchester

Is it really? Can I? [takes out the bayonet]

Lockwood

You know, it's from Bunker Hill, remember that one? It's the one where the Brits thought they had won, but the battle ended up so bloody that it cost them the war and it wasn't worth it.

Manchester

Bloody is right. I mean, can you imagine sticking this into a bloke and then twisting it in his guts?

That's graphic.

Manchester

Graphic. It is. Lockwood, it's a fine piece. Do you ever wish your husband was a steel man, Lydia?

Lockwood

Stop.

Manchester

Of course that's not really the family business anymore, is it? Now you lot just dress-up in your wicked, metal masks. Isn't that right, Agent Liberty?

Lockwood

Don't look so troubled, son.

Why not? You're locked up, and you're the only one who's brave enough to stand up for humanity.

It isn't right.

Lockwood

Listen, the movement that was created, I have to believe will create the circumstances of my release.

George

But... I wanna do something for you, now.

Lockwood

Well, then be a man. A man of action. Be the man that your grandfather wanted me to be, but at your age.

Lockwood.

Lockwood

"Secretary Lockwood" now, of the Cabinet-level Department of Alien Affairs.

Alex

Should be inmate 42053 of the National City prison.

Lockwood

[sarcastically] So good to see you, too.

Mr. Secretary, how can we help you?

Lockwood

I am here to requisition any alien technology or weapons that may assist in containing Supergirl. And then you'll summon Supergirl here.

Alex

So you can ambush her?

Lockwood

So we can serve justice.

Alex

Even if we could summon Supergirl, I would need a presidential order to comply with your request, as per paragraph four, subsection A of the DEO charter. Isn't that correct, Colonel?

That is the protocol.

Lockwood

Okay, let me ask you a question. Are you absolutely certain that you want to waste my time?

We may not know each other well, Mr. Lockwood, but I do things by the book, even for Secretaries.

George

[rounding up aliens with his father] They look so human, I... sometimes I forget.

Lockwood

Yeah. It's a lot easier when there's a snake coming out of the back of their head. We can't humanize them, son. So remember, don't ever mistake them for anything but the roaches that they are.

Lockwood

[surprised to see George at the D.E.O.] What are you doing here?

George

You left in the middle of Mother's funeral.

Lockwood

Yes, and I know. But I had to. You want me to catch your mother's killer, don't you?

George

Of course I do, but you... you left me alone in a church full of people and... I just lost my mother. And I need you.

Lockwood

I know, but we need justice, son. First your grandfather, now your mother. Everything that I am doing is for their memories.

Lockwood

Arrest them!

Brainy

[moving in front of James and Dreamer] No! Each one of us swore an oath to defend this country and its Constitution. The Secretary is asking you to compromise that oath. I urge you, follow your hearts. Not your orders.