STARGIRL - SEASON 1.3

REVIEW:  STARGIRL - SEASON 1.3:  "Icicle"

Things are heating up in Blue Valley!  

In the wake of the Justice Society of America's downfall, Pat Dugan - Starman's former sidekick Stripsey - takes his new family from California to Nebraska to set up shop and start anew...so we thought.  Turns out, he was just picking up the trail of the late Dr. Mid-Nite of the Injustice Society, led by the sinister Icicle.  But before he can track them, he finds out that the Cosmic Staff that he's kept as a request to Starman, until the worthy successor comes along, the Staff awakes and finds that successor - his stepdaughter, Courtney Whitmore...a high school Sophomore, who's having to adjust to her new life in Blue Valley.  She runs afoul of not only the star of the football team, Henry King, Jr., but his father, Henry King, Sr., as well.  Turns out that King is one of the Injustice Society - Brainwave. And as much as Pat discourages Courtney from using the Staff...she does.  She faces off with Brainwave, and gets an assist from Pat in his robot.  With Brainwave down, the Icicle has come to Blue Valley, looking to take down the new wielder of the Staff.  

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As I had stated in the last review, we've gotten this show off to a good start, what with not only giving us Courtney's origin to becoming Stargirl, but also background on what happened to the original JSA, as well as Pat's reason for moving the family to Blue Valley...namely, chasing the Injustice Society...of which the members now operate in Blue Valley in secret, as part of the community.  We also meet some of their offspring as well.  This episode, we get to see more of the offspring, but also Icicle's determination to initiate his new plan for the country, as well as stopping Stargirl at every cost.  

We opened up 8 years ago in Blue Valley, diving into Icicle's past, as we see his wife dying, and his son Cameron, who drew her a picture of the flowers in their garden, give it to her.  She then dies due to some disease, but not before telling Jordan tells her that he's going to make everyone that did this to his wife pay.  She tells him to make the world better, and to destroy anyone that gets in his way.  

Pat and Courtney talk about stopping the Injustice Society, and he wants her to lay low, and just keep a low profile.  He has no idea how many more are out there, and just wants her to go to school and be a normal kid.  She tells him that if he finds out anything, to let her know. We then see Hank King, Jr. keeping vigil by his dad's side, as Brainwave is still in a coma, after the battle with Stargirl.  He notices the coffee cup move, and then sees Jordan Mahkent looking in on him.  Jordan then calls William Zarick, but Zarick is ignoring his calls.  Zarick , who is secretly the ISA member The Wizard, gives magic tips to his son, Joey, before sending him off to school.  He again avoids another call from Jordan. 

Courtney's at school, when she runs into Joey, who performs his magic card trick on her.  While he doesn't get it right, she plays along anyway, and he says he's going to the talent show out of town.  She wishes him luck.  He's a sweet kid.  She then sees Yolanda, and the word SLUT spray painted on her locker.  Courtney goes to her, and wants to help, but Yolanda leaves, and doesn't want a part of it.  Courtney is then in class, when she notices a boy drawing flowers.  She introduces herself, and it's here that she meets Cameron Mahkent for the first time.  They hit it off well.  She then leaves class, and bumps into Rick Tyler in town, and they pass, but make minimal eye contact.  He's the aloof boy we meet in episode one.  

Pat heads to the hospital to check in on Brainwave, and asks Dr. Chapel how he was found, and she said he was found in front of the hospital in his hospital coat.  He tells her he's an "old friend" of Dr. King's.  He then realizes that there's more of the ISA here, and it's not good.  Zarick arrives home, and Jordan is there, and they talk about what happened with Brainwave and Stargirl.  Jordan is upset that William didn't help him, and he said Brainwave insisted on going solo, and wasn't much of a team player, but he cleaned the mess up.  Icicle says that William needs to step up, and not just put on a magic show...trading in one costume for another, and if he cares about his son, he'll make sure to help him out down the road---he's in charge.  

Jordan is at his company, talking about all the progress the town has made, and his plans for the future, including more revitalization.  However, Barbara, Courtney's mom, speaks up about the theater she once went to as a kid.  Jordan's brother says that the theater was operating at a loss, but Jordan decides that she's bold enough to stick up for it, let's see if they can save it.  Meanwhile, back at school, Courtney sees Yolanda getting picked on again, and decides to confront Hank's girlfriend over it.  After the mean girls take off after threatening Courtney, Yolanda tells her to stay out of it, otherwise she'll make it worse.  

On the way home, Courtney strolls through the park, and it gets cold, and the ground gets icy.  She sees a star symbol form, and she takes off, telling Pat what she saw.  They suit up and check it out.  It's here that the Icicle attacks by freezing S.T.R.I.P.E., immobilizing him.  Stargirl fends him off bfriefly, before he zaps the Staff, and it isn't working briefly.  Icicle is about to kill Stargirl, when S.T.R.I.P.E.'s fist comes barrelling in, hitting Icicle, and knocking him away to save Stargirl.  He then uses his powers to freeze the bridge, and the road on it.  Just at that time, the bus with the kids coming back from the talent show slide and crash.  Icicle takes off.  Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E. manage to save the bus, and while Pat is worried about Joey seeing him save them, Stargirl uses the staff to blind them enough to ensure they're secret is safe.  

Just when they thought everything was okay, Joey, who had gotten off the bus with the rest of the kids, had one of his trick cards escape, and he goes across the road to get it, as Icicle had blown it away, and as Joey chased it, an oncoming truck hit the ice, and couldn't stop.  Joey is killed, and Stargirl is in shock.  Later on, as Courtney explains to Pat what a great kid Joey was, and that they need to find the Icicle and stop him, Pat takes her on a journey to the JSA's headquarters (I was mistaken, thinking that it had been destroyed in their last battle 10 years ago), and he shows her all the weapons left behind:  Flash's helmet, Hourman's hourglass necklace, Johnny Thunder's pen, Green Lantern's lantern, Wildcat's mask, and Dr. Mid-Nite's owl---who's been waiting for him to return, but hasn't.  Pat tells her the hero business is rough, and it's a hard life.  They shouldn't be doing it, and they can't take on the ISA alone.  She says what if they get help.  He's adamant that there's no one TO help, and it would take time to train new recruits.  

She feels it is their duty to stop the Icicle, and anyone else in the ISA still hanging around.  Pat said that a kid died because they played hero, and they're not cut out for it.  Courtney says that is EXACTLY why they should be heroes...it's their destiny.  But Pat says that they're done, and there will be no more Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E., and they leave.

We see William Zarick return home to his wife, and inform her of Joey's death.  William is outraged, and he goes to his secret safe, and grabs his Wizard wand, and goes straight to Jordan's house to confront him.  He wants the truth from Jordan, and goes to destroy him, but Jordan freezes his wand, and him...killing him.  Jordan's parents see what happened, and they tell him they'll clean it up...he has work to do.  Operation:  New America is the goal to make the country better..as per his plans he promised his wife, Christine.  We later find out that Zarick had died of a "heart attack", and that the refurbished theater will be renamed in his honor.  We then see Barbara a part of Jordan's new development team, and she's working late, while Pat, Courtney, and Mike sit down to have a quite dinner.

Later on, we're back at JSA headquarters, when we see a pair of hands making off with the various weapons of the JSA---it's Courtney, and she looks to the owl, and asks him if he's ready to find new recruits for the new JSA.

This series has gotten off to a VERY fast start, and it's put things in a nice gear.  We learned more about the Icicle, and his motives, and I have no doubt that in the coming weeks, we'll learn more about what Operation:  New America is, but it CAN'T be good.  And within the first three episodes, we've seen Brainwave taken down by Stargirl, and Icicle kill off The Wizard.  That's two members of the Injustice Society already down, and we know there are a few more out there, but I wonder if Icicle will be recruiting?  We FINALLY got to see the JSA HQ, and it looked cool!  I see that, outside of Wildcat and Starman's pictures up on the walls, it looks like all the other photos were just illustrations from Alex Ross.  It loooked that way, anyway.  We also saw the artifacts of the JSA - GL's lantern, Flash's helmet, Hourman's hourglass necklace, Johnny Thunder's pen, Wildcat's mask, and so on (though I did NOT see Dr. Fate's helmet nor Sandman's mask).  But we got the big table with the name on it, so we know where the new team will be set up at some juncture.  Courtney pilfering the items will also set up her getting the new team together, with the currrent crop of misfits we've met.

As for Courtney...we can account for youthful energy and enthusiasm for her wanting to go out and be a hero---but it's more.  She's a natural leader.  She's already been giving Pat orders, and he's the step-parent.  I know Pat will be Courtney's sense of reason, but he also cannot deny she has the tangibles to be a great hero.  He's still reluctant to do it, hence WHY the Staff did NOT choose HIM, and Sylvester knew why.  She's also still trying to navigate high school, and try to help Yolanda, who doesn't appear to want help, Tyler, who's just distant, but I expect Beth to be eager to help.  

Having the child of one of the villains get killed off is the harshest thing we've endured on this show.  Not something we were really expecting, but--in turn--makes the Icicle an even MORE dangerous villain.  It also raises the stakes for Courtney and the new JSA to stop him.  While we have gotten some fairly heavy drama, the show isn't MIRED in it, like the other Arrowverse shows have tended to be at times, thus dragging them down a bit.  It's keeping a nice balance, and I like that they're giving a mixture of old school music, and modern music to keep the show lively and fresh.  

Overall, I'm liking what they've done so far.  Enjoying the story, invested in the characters, and can't wait until the next episode.  

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Okay, gang!  That does it for this week!  Subscribe, leave a comment, and lemme know what YOU think so far of this show!

Until next time...Keep looking to the Stars!