The ending of last week’s Stargirl ended with Starman’s killer, ISA member Icicle, returning, and in the newest episode, Courtney wants to take him down, despite Pat’s pleas not to. Meanwhile, another former ISA member wants nothing to do with Icicle, but things could change once a tragedy happens.
Find out what happens in this week’s Stargirl, “Icicle.”
At home, as Courtney gets ready, Stargirl suit in her backpack, she tells Pat to not drive her to school. They have to find the rest of the Injustice Society. Courtney thinks they probably have all new identities in Blue Valley, like Brainwave, but Pat wonders if she was even a little scared of Brainwave at all. They both could have been killed. As crazy and insane as it was, Courtney points out it was the first time since they moved to Blue Valley that she felt like she was in the right place.
“Like I finally know who I really am. Starman’s daughter. Stargirl.”
Pat tells Courtney that even if there are other members of the ISA there, they need to proceed carefully — lay low and make a plan. However, Courtney has a three-point plan: “Find them, surprise them, kick their asses.” Pat says that being a superhero is not being one most of the time. He needs to find out if Brainwave was alone or not, and he needs for Courtney to go to school and act like a normal teenager. It may be boring, but it’s safe. Courtney reluctantly agrees and tells Pat to keep working on STRIPE and to get her from class if Brainwave wakes up.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Brainwave is still unconscious, and Henry is in his room waiting for his dad to wake up. He sees someone looking through the window, and the guy walks away. Icicle, aka Jordan, calls someone on his phone as he’s walking away from the hospital room. In another part of town, a guy, William, gets a call from Jordan, but he doesn’t answer it. His son, Joey, comes out of the house, ready for his magic act at the talent show. William gives Joey some pointers for his act, and Joey leaves for school. Jordan keeps calling William, and Denise, William’s wife, asks if everything’s okay. William simply gives Denise a rose and goes off to work.
Pat shows up at the hospital to check on Brainwave, and Dr. Chapel comes up to him, wondering if she can help. Pat makes up that he and Dr. King are old friends; he heard about what happened, a seizure. Pat asks where they found him, and Dr. Chapel says it was just outside the emergency entrance. What did he have on? Confused at the question, Dr. Chapel answers that he had his lab coat. After Dr. Chapel leaves, Pat realizes that Brainwave isn’t alone.
William gets home and sees Jordan waiting for him, who tells him that Brainwave is in a coma. William admits he came to see him; his son was attacked by someone using Starman’s staff. Jordan asks William what Brainwave told him about this new Starman, and William tells him it was a girl and that he’d take care of her. Brainwave was insistent. William tells Jordan that Brainwave has never been a team player like him; he was the one who cleaned everything up. Got him to the hospital, took care of the costume, and came up with a story. William’s wand is capable of so much more, but instead of thinking big, Jordan tells him he should continue to think small. William spends his days making promises to people, but much like every politician, he doesn’t keep them in the same way; he didn’t keep his promise to Jordan.
“You seem to think that power comes from other people’s perception of you. From recognition or applause, but that’s not true power.”
Jordan tells William that true power doesn’t need to be seen. He traveled the country taking down people that exposed his wife to the toxin that killed her; he made a promise to her to combat injustice for their son and for everyone’s children. William says there’s nothing more important to him than his. Project: New America is Jordan’s destiny; he wants it to be William’s too.
At school, Courtney puts her stuff in her locker, and Joey comes up to her, introducing himself, and does a card trick for her to practice for the Regional Talent Competition. He doesn’t pick the correct card, but Courtney lies and says it was the 7 of Hearts; Joey gives it to her for good luck. Later, Courtney sees Yolanda at her locker and popular girl Cindy harassing her. Someone had painted on Yolanda’s locker, covering up “SLUT” that was graffitied on it. Cindy tells Yolanda she should have never dated Henry when she liked him; Yolanda is a nobody. Cindy is a somebody, and she’s never going to let Yolanda forget that. Courtney interrupts them after Cindy calls Yolanda a slut, saying that slut-shaming is really damaging. Cindy tells Courtney no one cares what she thinks and walks away, but Courtney is still trying to get a few words in; Yolanda stops her. She tells Courtney she’s only going to make things worse for the both of them.
In math class, Courtney spots a drawing from the guy sitting in front of her, realizing that he’s the one who painted Yolanda’s locker. Courtney introduces herself, and the guy introduces himself as Cameron. Cameron welcomes her to Blue Valley just as Mr. Levine interrupts them, saying this is not The Dating Game. Courtney walks through Blue Valley Park after school but notices it’s getting colder and colder, stepping on ice that turns out to be a big star.
Courtney gets home, telling Pat she saw a frozen field in the shape of a star while walking through Blue Valley Park. Courtney knows it’s a message from Icicle. It has to be. She tells Pat they have to find him and do what? Arrest him? There are more of them there, Courtney was right, but Pat tells her she has no idea how dangerous he is. The only thing he’s ever seen hurt Icicle is the Staff, which is terrible. Pat says they can’t go after Icicle if it is him; he clearly wants to be found. They’re talking about the man who killed Courtney’s father. The Staff lights up, and Courtney says it wants justice, too.
“We’re going with or without you.”
Stargirl rides on STRIPE to Blue Valley Park, but the field is completely gone. However, Courtney notices something and gets off just as icicles hit STRIPE, freezing it. Pat’s okay, but he can’t move, he’s icing up, and the controls are all locked. Courtney runs off to find Icicle, and Pat tries to stop her, even though he really can’t. Courtney walks through the park, finding any sign of Icicle, and she finally finds it. An icicle shoots out at her, hitting the staff, which freezes up. STRIPE’s hand comes in the nick of time as it hits Icicle and takes him for a little ride, landing him on the bridge.
The school bus is driving on the bridge, getting back from the talent competition, and Icicle freezes the road. The bus swerves on the bridge, and the kids are fearing for their lives. The bus hits the side of the bridge, slowing down, but is now half on the bridge and half over water. STRIPE is finally free from the ice and flies over to the bus just before it falls into the water. STRIPE safely puts the bus back on the bridge and flies away. Everyone gets off the bus, relieved and trying to catch their breaths. A car is coming onto the bridge, and Icicle blows one of Joey’s cards away, Joey following it to the middle of the road. However, the car is coming too fast, and the driver tries to stop, but it’s too late. There’s a thud, students scream, and Courtney watches from the park in horror. Joey’s card floats away in the wind.
Denise is at home on the phone with the news playing in the background. She’s wondering where he is; he hasn’t called her back. She gets off the phone, and William is at the front door. He’s looking at his phone, and Denise wonders what it is. Even without saying anything, Denise can tell by the heartbreaking look on her husband’s face that their son is gone. Denise breaks down, and William hugs her. He runs up the stairs, grabs his wand from a safe, and leaves, leaving Denise in tears and heartbroken.
At Pit Stop, Courtney is heartbroken over the loss, saying that Joey was so sweet. He was the first kid at school who was actually nice to her. “We’re going to find Icicle and…” Courtney is too choked up to say anything. Pat tells her he wants to show her something, and they fly to the headquarters of the Justice Society of America.
At HQ, there’s a round table and posters of each member, and in front of it is a little podium with items on each one. Pat says each JSA member had abilities, powers, and tools, like the Cosmic Staff, and they used them to protect the world against people like Icicle. Pat tells Courtney about Wildcat, Hourman, The Flash (though a different one than what Arrowverse fans are used to), and Dr. Fate; they were all his friends and family. Courtney notices an owl, wondering if it’s real, and Pat says it is. It’s Dr. Mid-Nite’s owl. There’s something special about it, but he doesn’t know what. The owl doesn’t know Dr. Mid-Nite’s dead; he’s been waiting for him for years.
Pat tells Courtney that Dr. Mid-Nite isn’t coming back; none of them are. Icicle and the Injustice Society killed them all. Courtney looks at Starman’s poster while Pat tells her that they don’t stand a chance against them. What if they had help? Courtney’s the new Starman, so why couldn’t there be a new Hourman or Dr. Mid-Nite? Pat says no one can take their place, and Courtney points out that’s what he said about Starman, and then the Staff picked her. Those guys were the best in the world; with years of experience, they didn’t defeat the Injustice Society. Courtney says this stuff belongs in the hands of possible heroes, not collecting dust. Pat tells her everything in that room is dangerous; this life is. “A kid died today. A child. That’s why we can’t go on.” That’s exactly why they have to. It’s their destiny. Pat says that’s exactly what Starman said to him the night he died. Until he says so, no more Stargirl and STRIPE.
That night, William shows up at Jordan’s house, and Jordan says he’s sorry. William comes in, grabbing Jordan, telling him that he didn’t mean to kill his son. William brings out his wand, and Jordan puts his hands up, walking backward. He’s truly sorry, he knows William loved his boy, but he wishes he understood what he was doing was also for him. Jordan begins to freeze William until he’s stone cold and no longer breathing. Later that week, Cameron comes home, and a voice tells him he’s late; they were worried. Cameron says they had a memorial for Joey. The voice asks Cameron if he’s okay, and he says Joey was such a good kid. Everyone liked him. Jordan turns out to be Cameron’s father, and when Cameron leaves the kitchen, Jordan’s dad tells him what he’s doing will keep Cameron safe. Project: New America will keep everyone safe.
Courtney is in her room with Joey’s card, looking up at the sky. Soon after, she’s at the JSA headquarters, grabbing gear; props, costumes, and weapons.
“Let’s go do some recruiting.”
New episodes of Stargirl stream every Monday on DC Universe and airs Tuesdays on The CW at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT, available to stream for free on The CW app the following day.
