In this week’s episode of DC’s Stargirl, as Sylvester struggles to balance his life after Starman, he grows suspicious of new neighbors, the Crocks. Meanwhile, Cindy keeps trying to be included in JSA stuff, Cameron has his own struggles, and the murder mystery continues.
Keep reading to find out what happened in “Frenemies — Chapter 3: The Blackmail.”
Goodbye Starman, Hello Sylvester
After going out into town to check out the area and find something to do, Sylvester ends up at the diner that Yolanda works at. In a sweet moment, Sylvester tells Yolanda that Ted Grant would think she’s a badass as Wildcat; they have a lot of the same qualities. Sylvester wonders what there’s to do in Blue Valley, and Yolanda figures that Courtney’s been telling him to find balance.
Sylvester later struggles to find a job and find out who he really is without Starman.
After a fight at the store, Sylvester confronts Pat about stepping in front of him when he fought the Crocks. Pat tells Sylvester that he’s no longer a sidekick and there’s a different way to solve everything. He confesses that Courtney initially thought Sylvester was her father when the Staff first lit up. Sylvester’s mood changes after hearing about Courtney’s father. Pat tells him that he has a responsibility to set an example to Courtney and the rest of the JSA and to be the Starman he set out to be.
Sylvester pulls out a file for JSA Classifieds, going over everything again. He wants to go back but knows it’s not his turn with the Staff again. He has to respect the rules and be a better Starman. However, he goes off by himself and checks out The Gambler’s trailer. Pat, meanwhile, is sewing up a new Starman suit.
Murder Talk in the Morning
Courtney makes breakfast for the family, not so subtly trying to kiss up after she ditched school. She changes the subject to The Gambler’s murder, but it was a little too much murder talk than Barbara would like in the morning.
As Rick and Beth continue to dig into the murder, Rick admits that his uncle is no longer in the picture but would rather not talk about it. Beth gets some unknown documents sent to her through the goggles, and it’s revealed that Cindy was the one who did it, hacking into the ISA’s files.
At lunch, the JSA discuss the documents. Beth tells them the deposits made to The Gambler came via wire transfer from Irwin Hasen, aka Lawrence Crock. Courtney doesn’t want to tell Sylvester for fear that he’ll want to rush in, but Rick thinks it’s a good idea to rush it. Courtney wants to wait, not so sure that they killed him. She doesn’t want them to take Artemis’ parents away from her again until they are positive.
In the final minutes of the episode, we are greeted with several TVs, all with different camera footage, spying. Of course, no reveal. As Sylvester checks out The Gambler’s trailer, something or someone comes up behind him, and he is lifted into the air, his flashlight falling to the ground, with Sylvester soon following, bloody and unconscious, a roar in the distance.
Breakfast with the Crocks
The Crocks interrupt the Dugan-Whitmore murder talk breakfast, but they are less than willing to comply.
At work, Paula talks to Barbara about the Women’s Rotary Club, not knowing what to do. Barbara gives Paula advice about it, trying to be nice. Sylvester later confronts the Crocks at the grocery store with the Staff. He tries to get them to confess but they won’t budge. In a very cool fight scene, Sylvester fights the Crocks at the store, causing much destruction and chaos just as the store is about to close. Just as the Crocks are about to win, the Staff comes to Sylvester’s rescue.
Before Sylvester can destroy them, S.T.R.I.P.E. comes down, and Pat tells him to walk away. At home, Courtney and Pat interrogate the Crocks, and they admit The Gambler was blackmailing them for ISA crimes they didn’t commit and stuff other members did without them. They couldn’t risk going back to prison, so they paid Sharpe. Two months ago, he stopped blackmailing them; they thought he was playing a new angle. Then he paid them back every cent before he died.
Lawrence admits to paying The Gambler a visit before he died. He didn’t buy his “turning over a new leaf” deal and figured The Gambler came back to start blackmailing them, so he drove out to his trailer to have a chat with him. He got too worked up and left before he did something stupid. Paula apologizes for not saying anything sooner. When they went to prison, it nearly destroyed their family. They’re not the ones who killed him.
Taking Barbara’s advice, Paula tells the Women’s Rotary Club how much she loves Blue Valley and the people in it. Being a better person, Paula meets with Barbara’s boss and tells him he’s going to be a lot nicer.
Cameron’s Struggles
Courtney tries to talk to Cameron at school with no luck. It’s later revealed that Cameron has been struggling in his classes and hasn’t been painting, and he’s backtalking teachers who are just trying to help. Rick puts him in his place, and Cameron makes sure to bump into him as he leaves.
As Cameron walks through the parking lot, he throws an icicle at the tire of a car. Later, Cameron apologizes to Courtney for being a jerk, telling her he’s not quite ready to talk about anything yet. Courtney offers to go on a walk with him instead.
Cameron gets a text and tells Courtney he has to go, and his grandparents are seen rushing out of their house.
Trust Issues
Cindy shows up at the Dugan-Whitmore house for a JSA meeting, and Sylvester opens the door. She tells him about what the meeting’s about and what the Crocks have been up to, but of course, Sylvester doesn’t trust the Dragon King’s daughter.
“Why don’t you go find someone who’s impressed by a dime-a-dozen cheerleader in green Spandex with daddy issues?”
Sylvester slams the door in Cindy’s face, and she walks away. However, Sylvester takes the Staff and goes after the Crocks himself.
Cindy admits to the JSA she told Sylvester about the Crocks because she wanted to prove herself, but she knows now she shouldn’t have. Courtney tells her if she pulls something like that again, she’s off the team.
DC’s Stargirl airs on The CW on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Stay tuned for our continued coverage of the series, including episodic recaps and more!
