Courtney and Yolanda

**Courtney and Yolanda** is the friendship pairing between Justice Society of America members Courtney Whitmore and Yolanda Montez. They met during Courtney's first day at Blue Valley High, when Courtney sat at the “losers table” for lunch. Courtney defended Yolanda from the slutshaming done by Cindy Burman and Henry King Jr., before learning of her boxing talents. She then recruited Yolanda into the Justice Society of America as the new Wildcat.

They are dubbed **Starcat** by the fandom.

## History

### A New Friendship

Courtney Whitmore is the new girl at Blue Valley High School, starting late in the year after her sudden move from California. She finds a table with one spare seat, approaching the trio sitting there. She introduces herself and Beth Chapel happily greets Courtney, while Yolanda Montez and Rick Tyler ignore her. Courtney takes a seat, trying to start a conversation as she asks what they do for fun around Blue Valley. Beth quickly explains they aren't friends; this is the table for the singles, the losers. Rick snaps for her to speak for herself, storming off in a huff. Yolanda barely reacts to the outburst, merely looking up at Beth. Henry King Jr. and two of his friends lean on the table to Yolanda's left, while Henry leans close to Yolanda's right. She leans away from Henry, visibly uncomfortable. Henry tauntingly asks her if she has any new pictures of herself that she would like to share with them. Courtney tells him to leave Yolanda alone, much to Yolanda's surprise. Yolanda incredulously witnesses a struggle between Courtney and Henry that results in Courtney being sent to the principal.

The next day, Yolanda eats her salad in silence as Courtney sits across from her. Yolanda notices Courtney looking at her but doesn't say anything at first. After a few moments, she angrily snaps at Courtney to stop staring at her and abruptly leaves the table. The days that follow are still unkind to Yolanda, as she deals with taunts from mean girl Cindy Burman. Yolanda comes to school to find that someone wrote "SLUT" on her locker in white paint. She traces the words rubbing at them, but they won't budge. Courtney approaches Yolanda and asks if she has nail polish remover, betting it'll come right off if they use it. She doesn't get to finish her offer, since Yolanda tearfully closes her locker and walks away.

That afternoon, Yolanda is taking books out of her locker, which now has a beautiful floral mural painted over the heinous word. Cindy teases Yolanda about the flowers, taunting her by reminding Yolanda that she never should have dated Henry after Cindy realized she liked him. Yolanda stays silent during the onslaught while Cindy asks Yolanda to say what she is - a slut. Courtney intervenes with a “hey!”. She stands up for Yolanda as slut-shaming is really damaging. It also sets women back fifty years. Cindy retorts that no one cares about her opinion, flaunting off with her friend. Courtney starts to follow but Yolanda stops her, saying it'll make things worse for both of them.

A few days later, Yolanda tries to get her books out of her locker when Cindy and Jenny confront her. Jenny. Cindy taunts Yolanda, telling her that she knows Yolanda said something dirty to Henry during their earlier encounter. She presses that he's seen enough of her - everyone has. Courtney quickly defends Yolanda who steps away as a tense standoff between the girls commences. Cindy warns Courtney that she has no idea who she's dealing with, but Courtney returns the sentiment, much to Yolanda's surprise. Cindy stands close to Courtney warning her that she'll never see her coming before angrily walking off with Jenny. Yolanda walks off but Courtney follows her and they converse in another hallway. Courtney tries to explain that she's trying to help, but Yolanda insists that she doesn't want Courtney or anyone else's help. She just wants to be left alone by the whole school.

After classes, Courtney finds Yolanda in the school gym angrily punching a punching bag. Yolanda once more asks Courtney to stop following her. Courtney says she can't and begins to say that something is happening, to which Yolanda counters that she's right - she has a freak following her around. Courtney ignores the comment and clarifies that it's something in Blue Valley and she needs Yolanda's help to fight it. Yolanda wants nothing to do with her or anyone in this school, but Courtney begs for the chance to be heard and invites her to dinner. She asks for her phone number, but Yolanda snaps back that her mom took her phone. Insistent, Courtney writes down her address, but Yolanda doesn't promise anything.

Yolanda asks her mom for permission to go to a friend's house for dinner, but Maria refuses, saying she's grounded. Yolanda asks for how much longer, but her mother sharply responds that she's grounded until she says so. Intrigued by Yolanda's public shaming, Courtney looks at the BVHS yearbook from the previous year. She learns how Yolanda went from being a candidate for school president, voted “most outgoing” alongside Henry, to the outcast no one likes. She sees photos of Henry Jr. and Yolanda together, having been a couple.

The next school day, Yolanda finds Courtney waiting for her at the gym. Yolanda angrily tells her to get a hint. Courtney, having discovered her and Henry's past relationship, reveals she was the one who blew up Henry's car. Yolanda is dubious, though Courtney knows what he did to her. Yolanda remarks that everyone does, and sits down as Courtney praises her bravery for coming to school day after day. Yolanda tears up, as she knew he could be a jerk sometimes, but he was so nice to her. After a few months, she thought it was getting serious. She now thinks that Henry didn't see her as anything other than just another girl. Her parents were devastated and embarrassed by the scandal. They couldn't bear to be around her. They don't take her to church, or talk to her. She doesn't want to hate anybody, but she does hate Henry. Courtney asks if she wants to see how she blew up Henry's car, and Yolanda does.

### Recruiting Wildcat

Courtney takes Yolanda to her basement and proudly shows her the Cosmic Staff, whose brightness is blinding Yolanda. She sets it down, and an unimpressed but curious Yolanda asks about it. Courtney proudly says that it belonged to her father, Starman. Yolanda doesn't know who Starman is, clearly confused. In simple terms, Starman was a superhero and now she's one too - she even has a costume. Yolanda is skeptical, thinking Courtney must be crazy. Courtney eagerly tells her that she has a costume for her too. Yolanda follows Courtney out of the basement, awkwardly avoiding the cosmic staff that is resting on a post.

Once upstairs, Courtney, dressed as Stargirl, eagerly asks Yolanda to come out of the closet and show her the costume. Yolanda doesn't want to as she looks ridiculous. Courtney retorts there isn't a mirror in there so she can't possibly know that. It's just them and no one else is home. Reluctantly, Yolanda emerges and glumly compares her suit to Courtney's, with hers being baggy and lame while Courtney's is cool and functional. Courtney begs her to put on the Wildcat cowl. Yolanda compares the smell to gym class. With insistence from Courtney, a hesitant Yolanda puts it on and the suit molds to her body in a sweeping blue nano-technical wave, perfectly fitting her physique. The girls are shocked, and Yolanda looks in wonderment at her now multi-texture clad arms and admires herself in the mirror. She asks Stargirl what Wildcat can do.

They check Wikipedia, peering speculatively at the screen on Courtney's phone and finding that the original Wildcat had claws that could cut metal. Yolanda whips out her long claws to their amazement. They head downstairs to test her ability on the toaster. The girls are thrilled when it works, squealing in excitement at the sight of the claw marks on the side of the toaster left by the new Wildcat's fingertip-mounted blades. They go outside to assess Yolanda's physicality. The suit enables her to jump onto a picket fence with catlike agility and walk on top of it by sending blue pulses through her. She's even able to land on her feet perfectly.

They fly to The American Dream clock tower to see if she can jump off the building. Yolanda's nervous as there's a big difference between murdering a toaster and jumping off a building. Courtney backtracks and says she doesn't have to do it. Yolanda admits this is the first time in months she listened to herself and prepares to jump, but stops, out of fear of the heights. Courtney reassures her that it's okay and they can take the stairs.

Once on the ground, she fills Yolanda in about the ISA and their history. Henry Jr. drives by so the staff knocks Yolanda to her knees, drawing a mild complaint from the latter. Courtney mentions that Henry's father is another supervillain, Brainwave. Yolanda takes a moment then mentions that his being a villain makes sense. She guesses that the other villains in Blue Valley might visit him in the hospital; though probably not as supervillains, but as their civilian identities to avoid suspicion. Courtney excitedly agrees with Yolanda, noting that she's a natural.

They head for the hospital, where Stargirl presents the plan - she'll create a distraction while Yolanda, as Wildcat, steals the visitor's log in Brainwave's room. Brainwave's room is on the seventh floor. Wildcat is confused as to how she'll get up there. Stargirl gestures to the wall, suggesting that she climb. Wildcat is again hesitant, but Stargirl will help her via the radio communication in their masks. She encourages her and hears Wildcat praying before finally building up the nerve to whip out her claws and jump. She manages to get a grip on the side of the building and begins to claw up, but mid-way, some bricks give way and she loses her grip. Wildcat falls and loose bricks shatter on the ground. Below, a medical orderly looks at the bricks on the ground, but a conversation with Beth Chapel prevents him from looking up. Wildcat sneaks in through the open window. She finds herself in a stranger's room, hiding behind the door as a nurse comes to check in on her patient.

Through their intercoms, Stargirl plans to turn off the electricity but the Staff prevents her from getting close. Wildcat urges her not to as some people are on life support, including the guy laying in front of her. Stargirl embarrassingly smiles at the Staff, and Wildcat confronts her on how long she's been a superhero. Stargirl awkwardly confesses that it's been about a week. Yolanda asks how long her father trained her, and Stargirl guiltily admits he didn't. Wildcat scoffs that maybe she shouldn't be listening to her, then. Stargirl eventually creates a non-lethal diversion. The nurse hears the commotion and leaves her post, allowing Wildcat access to the receptionist area and the visitors log. She sneaks into Brainwave's room and finds Henry sitting next to him, emotional. She contemplates hurting him with her claws, but decides against it when she hears his emotional pleas for his dad to wake up. She hides until he leaves the room, dropping down to find Stargirl sitting on the staff outside.

They hear someone else coming in and hide. Principal Anaya Bowin briskly comes in with a suitcase. She opens it and holds up a violin, proceeding to play a dramatic tune. Wildcat watches in complete shock, mouthing words to Stargirl, who shares her surprise. Brainwave's heart rate increases, but nothing changes physically. When Anaya leaves, the girls wonder if she's a villain. Stargirl calls out Yolanda's name as she leaves out the window, causing them to unknowingly be caught by Beth Chapel.

The girls retreat to the Whitmore-Dugan house, disheartened to see that only Henry signed the visitor's log. They find it odd that Principal Bowin didn't sign it either. Courtney doesn't take this as a loss, thinking out loud about how they can track the villains. Yolanda sadly confesses to Courtney she isn't her Wildcat - she needs to get back to her old life first before she can put on a costume. She hands Courtney the suit and leaves to go home. Courtney understands but is extremely saddened by Yolanda's choice.

Yolanda goes home and has an emotional talk with her parents, who still don't forgive her for “disgracing” the family. As she cries on her bed, she sees that her window is open. She finds the Wildcat suit folded neatly on the windowsill, a handwritten note from Courtney resting atop it. It reads, “I can't do this alone”, with a star and a cat drawn below it. Yolanda smiles and leans into her new way to move forward. She suits up and sneaks over to Courtney's window, tapping on the glass and waving. Courtney, elated to see Yolanda, grins at her newfound friend and teammate.

### Building a Team

The girls begin scouting for new members to join the JSA while also hiding the duffle bag full of Golden Age JSA paraphernalia. Yolanda helps her shove the duffle bag into the locker, complaining that she brought it all to school. Courtney couldn't leave it at home since her mom was in her closet that morning. The girls, unaware that Beth Chapel is following them and eavesdropping on their conversation, discuss who they can trust to recruit. They rule out Artemis Crock and any adult.

That night, Yolanda meets with Courtney to help her find Rick Tyler, a new recruit for Hourman. She admits that when Courtney told her that she found a new recruit for Captain Mid-Nite, she wasn't expecting Beth Chapel. Courtney corrects her that the alias is Dr. Mid-Nite, but clarifies that she didn't exactly find her - Beth just found the goggles and activated them. Their search for Rick brings them to the Burman house, which Cindy refuses to enter. Courtney understands and doesn't pressure her, instead going in with just Beth. She calls her when they find Rick. By the pool, Rick goes through each girl noting their superhero aliases - Stargirl and Wildcat. He gets to Beth but she is interrupted by Yolanda who clarifies that Beth is just borrowing the goggles for the night. Yolanda stays quiet as Rick activates the hourglass but seems unnerved when he is able to crush a keg with ease.

Rick rejects joining the JSA saying he's doing his own thing. Courtney protests that he can't take the hourglass, but Rick reminds her it was his father and now it's his. He sharply tells her later before leaving. Yolanda sarcastically congratulates Courtney for making the biggest delinquent in school an unstoppable beast, but Courtney's determined to get through to him. Yolanda doesn't think he'll listen, but Courtney tells her he won't when they're dressed like this. The girls leave to confront Rick. Wildcat and Stargirl follow Rick to the place of his parents' car crash, where their attempts to reason with him go awry. Beth suddenly arrives with news that Rick's parents' car crash wasn't an accident. She casts a holographic recreation of the murder for everyone, which makes Rick decide to join the JSA for revenge.

Courtney faces the unhappy wrath of Pat Dugan for recruiting new JSA members. Pat tells her to get all of the JSA objects back from the kids as they aren't ready. Courtney starts with Yolanda that morning at school. They watch a fight between Ted Grant and another boxer. Yolanda explains that despite false accusations against him about fixing fights, Ted bounced back in his career. Resilience is what being Wildcat means. If he can do it, so can she. Yolanda thanks Courtney for choosing her to be Wildcat. Courtney nods, unable to tell her that she needs the cowl back.

That afternoon, Yolanda and Beth sit together at lunch when Courtney approaches them. They are excited at the idea of having their first mission, with Beth admitting that she is nervous but excited. Yolanda remarks that she's ready. Courtney admits that she needs the JSA stuff back as Pat found out and wants them back. Yolanda instantly gets defensive over her Wildcat suit, saying that being Wildcat gives her a purpose. She's not going to give it up. She angrily stands up and walks away from the table.

The group argues outside after school, with Courtney realizing she wouldn't give the staff back if Pat wanted it. Beth gets an alert that ISA member Gambler is hacking into a telephone company, so the JSA suits up for the first time to go on their first mission. When prompted by Stargirl, Wildcat nods that she is ready for the fight. The team navigates the halls with Wildcat following the lead of Stargirl. They approach a desk where they discover a man who was shot in the head and they are shocked at the sight. They are interrupted by voices that Chuck quickly identifies as Tigress and Sportsmaster, Icicle's attack dogs. He apologizes for the mix-up in who is at Empire Enterprises, and Dr. Mid-Nite relays their names to the rest of the team.

Stargirl has a plan to stick together, which Dr. Mid-Nite is all for, but Hourman has other plans and attacks Sportsmaster. The villains split in different directions, with Wildcat proclaiming that she's got Tiger lady covered. The team doesn't fare well separated, and each member is knocked down by the experienced villains. They reassemble outside, ready for another round. S.T.R.I.P.E. interrupts the battle, scaring off the villains. The JSA returns to The Pit Stop, where Pat agrees to let the team keep their mantles.

Now a legitimate team, Courtney walks down the halls when Yolanda, Rick, and Beth slowly join her. Their moment is interrupted when Cindy Burman shoves into them knocking them apart. She calls them losers before walking off. Courtney asks why Cindy is so mean, to which Beth explains that Cindy lost her mother in third grade. Yolanda remains quiet on the subject but seems to be more on Rick's side about her meanness not being excused because of her mother's death.

After school, the team goes to The Pit Stop for their first training session with Pat. Yolanda is underwhelmed by the mop-bucket replicas of the ISA, but agrees to give it a chance. He begins giving them information on their foes. However, impatient for some actual training, Court and the Cosmic Staff make quick work of the mop bucket enemies, wrecking the course before any of her frustrated teammates get a crack at it. Yolanda remarks that she could have at least saved her one - she needs the practice too. She collects her things and leaves now that the training is over. Pat promises that Rick, Yolanda, and Beth will get to try the course tomorrow. Yolanda glares at Courtney as she leaves.

That night, Courtney tries to follow Anaya Bowin alone, unknowingly catching the attention of Cindy Burman, who is a new supervillain named Shiv. The girls have a brutal fight in the halls of BVHS, which ends in Stargirl unconscious on the gym floor. Courtney is taken to the ER by Pat, who lies that the injuries were sustained in a car accident. The remaining JSA convene at The Pit Stop, with Rick wanting to find Cindy and “take the bitch out”. Yolanda wants a plan, while Beth convinces Rick not to act impulsively. They decide to follow Beth's plan of getting more information on Cindy. In the morning, Courtney is released from the hospital and given a bedrest. She tries to text Yolanda throughout the day, but doesn't get a response.

Cindy visits Courtney and reveals she knows Courtney is Stargirl, threatening to come for her after she kills her friends. Courtney texts Yolanda to warn her that Cindy knows of her identity. Yolanda relays the information to Rick, and they quickly work to get Beth out of the Burman residence. When Courtney can't reach any of her friends, she fears Shiv went after them and confronts her as Stargirl. They fight again as Stargirl demands to know what she did to her friends. Ultimately, their fight ends on the street when Henry King Jr., desperate to stop the fight, unleashes a telekinetic blast that separates the girls.

Because of Henry's powers, Courtney wants to bring him into the JSA. Yolanda is incredulous that she wants to do that after what he did to her. Rick steps forward, as people only change on the surface but never deep down. Beth argues that isn't true or fair since each of them has changed since joining the JSA, especially Rick. Yolanda claims that Henry is his father's son, and he won't think twice about hurting any of them. Rick agrees with Yolanda, but Courtney wants them to take a leap of faith. Rick quips back that he can take a leap of faith - right before he lands on his face. Courtney retorts by saying she took a leap of faith with them, and she's still on her feet, claiming that they need every advantage they can get. Annoyed, Yolanda takes her things, telling Courtney that she's not on any team with Henry on it, and leaves the gym.

That night, Henry is getting water at Blue Valley Medical Center when he is yanked into a room and thrown against a wall by a mysterious figure. He is terrified until he looks up and reads the mind of his assailant, recognizing her as Yolanda - dressed as Wildcat. She warns him to stay away from Courtney to which he quips that Courtney needs to stay away from him. She knows Courtney thinks his soul is worth saving but Yolanda knows that it isn't. She tells him to read her mind, thinking the most horrendous thoughts about him and the ways she wants to kill him. He is overwhelmed at first but digs deeper into her mind, remembering what Courtney said, and she admits that her actions come from a sense of betrayal. She reiterates that he needs to stay away, then leaps away into the darkness.

### Fighting the ISA

The next school day, Courtney learns that Henry is her biological cousin - being the son of Starman's sister. She brings Henry to the group, telling them he knows about the foursome being the JSA. Rick sarcastically congratulates Courtney for giving away their identities to the enemy, but Courtney doesn't think he's the enemy. Yolanda protests against Henry's presence, and Henry says that if it helps, Courtney didn't tell him anything; he read her mind. Courtney hastily adds that he's not going to do that anymore. Beth says that's only polite, earning a glare from Yolanda. Courtney explains that her mom wants them to leave town today, forever, and Beth says she can't leave. Yolanda doesn't want that either. Courtney thinks that if they can get the staff back from Icicle and defeat the ISA, they can save the town, along with Pat and Barbara. Rick adds that they'll also be saving Henry's dad, reminding Courtney that if Brainwave gets his memories back, he'll kill her first, then all of them. He worries that Henry will give them up first, and Henry insists that he won't tell anyone anything.

The boys begin to argue and Rick wants to fight right now, but Henry rejects the idea. Rick pushes the issue until Henry loses control and telekinetically throws Rick, who instigated the fight, across the cafeteria. Yolanda reminds Henry that she told him to stay away from her friends and that he knows what she'll do to him. She threatens him by holding her hands like claws. Courtney intervenes telling her to save it for the bad guys. Yolanda angrily retorts that Henry is the bad guy. Rick says there's no way he's working with Henry, and Beth asks what Pat thinks about it. Courtney explains that he's with her mom, and Beth thinks they have to do this for Courtney. Yolanda takes a moment before telling Courtney that she's only going along with it because she knows Court will do it anyway, and she wants to be there to watch her back. She glares at Henry as she claims someone has to watch Courtney's back. She then glares at Courtney, crossing her arms over her chest, saying that since Courtney chose Henry over her after all he did, they aren't friends anymore. Courtney raises her chin and doesn't waver from her belief in Henry.

The group travels to the underground tunnels through the Burman residence. Stargirl leads the group through the tunnels, with Wildcat staying close to Stargirl. The situations of the mission annoy Wildcat, which she voices repeatedly. The tunnel splits into two parts. Wildcat is hesitant to split up, since Stargirl always says to stick together. Stargirl notes that they don't exactly have a choice. She and Henry should go one way while Dr. Mid-Nite, Wildcat, and Hourman go the other way. Wildcat quickly states there's no way she's leaving her alone with Henry, and that she's going with her. She moves to stand next to Stargirl as she speaks, standing between Henry and Stargirl. She agrees as they don't have time to argue.

Stargirl, Wildcat, and Henry arrive in Dragon King's lair, where they see Brainwave in his suit, hooked up to different wires. They spot the Cosmic Staff in a cage hanging from the ceiling. They walk past Cindy, who is still imprisoned by her father. Upon seeing them, Cindy yells for her father and tells him that the bitch is here and begging him to let Cindy kill her. Dragon King looks at them, and signals for his henchmen to kill them. Stargirl grabs a spear from the wall, while Wildcat unsheathes her claws standing in a battle stance as they prepare for a battle against the army of henchmen. Wildcat begins slashing the henchmen with her claws and combatant skills before she spots Stargirl being overwhelmed by the henchmen. She hurries over by doing flips and acrobatic skills, helping Stargirl fight off the henchmen by clawing them.

The team separates once more until Wildcat notices Stargirl fighting Dragon King, who is heavily armed and skilled. She looks for the staff which is still caged from the ceiling. She nonchalantly slashes a minion before running and leaping into the air, using the podiums to propel herself and soar through the air. She grabs the cage, cuts the metal with her claws, and lands promptly on her feet. She tears the cage open and grabs the staff, angrily shaking it in the hopes it will work. She notices Stargirl is about to be stabbed by Dragon King and runs toward her. She slides across the floor, barely giving the staff off in time for Stargirl to protect herself. The girls stand side-by-side ready to face Dragon King, who whirls around - his hood gone and his reptilian face revealed. Wildcat and Stargirl scream before the latter blasts him with the staff. They are joined by Henry moments later, who tells them they are too late and Brainwave is back to his normal self - they have to leave. The trio runs through the tunnels with minions and Brainwave on their heels. They meet with Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite who also have minions on their trail and they retreat together.

They reach a tunnel that is gated off by metal bars that stops them from progressing. Hourman bends the bars creating a space large enough for them to move through. He motions for the girls to go through first, with Wildcat following Dr. Mid-Nite through the gap. Seconds later, the metal bars snap shut cutting the team off from each other. Wildcat stiffens when she sees Brainwave and then hears his ferocious voice telling them to calm down. Stargirl doesn't hesitate and attacks with her staff. Unable to help her teammates, Wildcat stands back and watches Henry assist Hourman in pulling the bars apart, now that Brainwave is controlling the bars. Henry snaps at Hourman to move it through the bars. Stargirl refuses to go through before Henry, who can't leave her behind, despite Wildcat calling for Stargirl to come. He uses telekinesis to move Stargirl through the bars which snaps shut seconds later.

Father and son face off in the tunnels, with Brainwave sending a telekinetic attack toward Henry that cripples him to the ground. Wildcat doesn't hesitate to motions for Stargirl to move out of her way as she slashes at the bars with her claws. Brainwave places a force field around the bars, making all their attempts to break through futile. Henry looks over and up at Yolanda, Brainwave seconds away from collapsing the ceiling on him. He assures her that he really is sorry and she nods, tears falling even through her cowl. He tells Courtney that she's right and people are good - don't let this change her mind. Brainwave collapses the ceiling on Henry and disappears. The JSA is left in shambles over the loss.

Over the next few days, Yolanda struggles to cope with Henry's death. At lunch, she is quiet but still listens as Courtney explains that she's giving up on being Stargirl because she doesn't deserve the mantle now that she isn't Starman's daughter. Yolanda tries to reason that Ted Grant wasn't her father either, but she's still the new Wildcat. Courtney won't hear it and cries as she explains the staff doesn't want her anymore. Yolanda attends the memorial service for Henry at Blue Valley High School, sitting next to Courtney. The JSAis shocked when Henry Sr. gives a speech on the loss of his son, threatening the JSA telepathically.

With their identities revealed, the JSA retreats to a cabin in the woods that Pat arranges. Courtney is relieved to see her friends, and hugs Yolanda tightly. The group heads inside where they try to figure out the ISA's plan. Rick deciphers his father's journal to learn that Rex figured out what the ISA was planning, which is why he was killed. Rick shares that the ISA are building satellites, which is why The Gambler was hacking into a tower, and plan to use Brainwave's powers to broadcast a telepathic signal to half of America that will effectively reprogram everyone's minds to follow their ideals. The team leaps to action as they confront the ISA in the underground tunnels to destroy the satellites. They are seconds too late as Jordan and Brainwave begin what they call Project: New America, which will kill 25% of all affected people. Pat, who is operating S.T.R.I.P.E., falls victim to the signal, alongside Justin who joins the group for their fight.

Beth manages to free the adults in the tunnels, and works overtime to find a way to stop the programming. Meanwhile, Stargirl, Wildcat, Shining Knight, and S.T.R.I.P.E. converse in Dragon King's eerily empty lair. Jordan, Dragon King, Sportsmaster, and Tigress arrive, and the team's square-off. They leap into a fight and pair off rather quickly. Stargirl notices Hourman and Wildcat struggling in their fights. Determined, she pounces on Tigress and hits her with the Staff, throwing her over to Wildcat.

In a flip, she kicks her leg at Sportsmaster's neck and knocks the villain out. Icicle notices, and begins to form an ice attack until Hourman punches him into a pillar. Wildcat checks to see Tigress is unconscious, and ambushes Icicle, striking him across the face and throwing him into the center of the room. Stargirl swipes the Staff up his chin, sending him into the air. His body lands on the steps. With the rest of his comrades defeated, he looks up at the JSA. S.T.R.I.P.E. raises his fist, but is suddenly punched across the room. The teenagers look over, surprised to see Solomon Grundy, who roars at them. Stargirl and Wildcat step back but Hourman doesn't. He charges at the monster, who simply bats him away. Hourman violently crashes into some wreckage. Pat advises Courtney and Wildcat to find the machine, as he'll take on Grundy and protect Hourman.

As Wildcat and Stargirl try to access the machine room to stop Project New America, Cindy tackles Stargirl and they begin fighting. Stargirl tells Wildcat to go without her, and the heroine does. She takes out several minions on her way. Stargirl fights Cindy off her. She mutters she doesn't have time for this and blasts her against a doorway, which knocks her out. Stargirl rushes into the hallway to the satellite room, only to find Wildcat standing over Brainwave's dead body. They exchange a look as Wildcat admits to killing him. Wildcat tells her the machine is ahead, and Stargirl continues with the mission at hand. Finding the machine, Stargirl flies to it as Wildcat yells what she's going to do. Stargirl takes to the sky with the staff, blasting it from multiple angles until it crumbles down. They flee the hallway just in time as the satellites smash the tunnels.

Barbara is taken hostage by Jordan, who is deranged into thinking he and Barbara can be together and change things together. Pat keeps him distracted until Stargirl swoops in, stopping Jordan. Stargirl and Icicle clash, and she tells him he can never save America since he is full of too much hate. The staff blasts them both off the room, and the shockwave causes Barbara to fall. Stargirl shouts as she falls over the edge, the staff flying out of her hand and going inactive. Wildcat reaches the rooftop in time to see Stargirl fall. She doesn't hesitate as she leaps over the edge, diving down to her friend. She wraps her arms around Stargirl and they land on the ground below, Wildcat's suit absorbing the impact of their fall. Stargirl incredulously looks at her, remarking that she saved her life. Wildcat smiles, shrugging that she was just returning the favor. Stargirl hugs her tightly and they embrace for a moment.Icicle is about to attack again when a car runs into him and smashes him to bits. The car is driven by Mike, who asks if this means he gets to be in the JSA. Pat and Barbara embrace and kiss as Stargirl watches with joy. Hourman pulls his teammates into a surprising hug.

The family celebrates Christmas together, with Courtney inviting Rick, Beth, and Yolanda to attend. The Whitmore-Dugan's and the happy JSA take a group photo to commemorate the happy moment.

### Summer School

In the months since the defeat of the Injustice Society of America, Yolanda continues as a member of the JSA despite Blue Valley being a quiet town once again. While on nighttime patrol, she suggests to an overeager Stargirl that they should cut back on patrols as they're protecting a town that doesn't need protection; the ISA is inactive as its members are either dead, incarcerated, or at large. The rest of the team agrees, though Wildcat assures Stargirl that the team will suit up again if they're needed. She, Hourman, and Dr. Mid-Nite leave Stargirl to go back home.

Yolanda meets with Courtney as they walk to BVHS together for final days as sophomores. Courtney complains to Yolanda about the two-week trip Pat is forcing her to take without the Cosmic Staff, though Yolanda thinks it could be good to get away. Courtney notices that something is wrong with her friend and asks about it. Yolanda admits that she's still upset over Brainwave's death, asking Courtney if she thinks just because it was self-defense that it was right. Courtney can't answer because she wasn't there, so she didn't know what else could have been done. They notice Cameron Mahkent across the street, and Courtney wants to see how he's doing after his father's death. Yolanda reminds Courtney that she can't without drawing suspicion or admitting what really happened to Jordan. She advises Courtney to stay away from him.

At lunch, Courtney runs through a list of possible scenarios for how she could stay in contact with the JSA if anything happened during her family's road trip. She offers Yolanda a key to her house, just in case she needs to send her the Cosmic Staff, but Yolanda thinks Courtney should try to relax. Courtney bumps into Isaac Bowin and apologizes, though the boy stalks off without a word. The girls sit with a visibly distant Beth, who blames her attitude on the sadness of school being over. The group notices Artemis Crock and her teammates coming toward them, with Artemis clutching a hockey stick. Courtney grabs the stick and flips Artemis over, misunderstanding her passing the stick to someone as a threat. Yolanda is shocked as she watches the event unfold.

The next day, Yolanda attends Summer school at the insistence of her mother. She sits next to Courtney who is both surprised and excited to share the experience with her straight-A friend. Yolanda scoffs that her mom has her in the classes so she won't get into trouble. They talk about the newly arrived JSA legacy, though Courtney still doesn't trust the girl. They watch as Isaac Bowin snaps at the teacher and are surprised to hear Rick's name called, despite him not being there. At lunch, Courtney vents to Yolanda about her displeasure over the arrival of Jennie and her annoyance over Jennie making pancakes. Yolanda tries a bit of a pancake and admits that it's really good. Courtney bites it and is disappointed that they are really good.

After school, Courtney and Yolanda make their way to The Pit Stop where they see Jennie using the Green Lantern's ring to create a toy car in mid-air. Beth, Rick, and Pat are enthralled by the girl's powers while Yolanda and Courtney are skeptical. Jennie makes the car disappear when she sees the girls enter. She happily realizes that Yolanda is the new Wildcat, praising the girl for having a fighter's spirit. She presses that Ted Grant would have been proud to know his mantle was in such good hands. She extends her hand for a handshake, and after a few seconds, Yolanda concedes to shake her hand. When Courtney and Jennie argue, Jennie, overcome with emotion, flings the Green Lantern off the table.

The JSA grabs the lantern and takes off to the park, where they will be away from people. Pat follows them and tells Jennie to control her emotions as it affects her power and the lantern. Courtney realizes that Jennie is the lantern. Jennie is charging the ring which is why it worked for her before she found the lantern. Courtney believes Jennie can absorb the energy before it explodes. Jennie picks it up and tells the JSA to leave in case it doesn't work. Courtney won't leave and tells her she can do this while Yolanda nods in agreement. The absorption works for a moment before the power explodes across the town, blasting the JSA backward and leaving a giant crater in the ground. Courtney and Yolanda sit up, having landed next to one another. Believing they've lost Jennie to the crater, the JSA is left stunned. But floating above the crater, surrounded by green energy and smiling, is Jennie. She happily notes that she can fly now.

The JSA wonders how to fight the arrival of Richard Swift/The Shade, making a plan to figure out how to punch a shadow. Meanwhile, Yolanda attends Summer school but is still crippled by waves of headaches. She clutches her head painfully and Courtney asks if she's okay, to which Yolanda admits that she can't do what she did with Brainwave again. She won't ever do it again. Courtney tries to assure her it won't come to that this time, though Mr. Deisinger calls on them just then. He asks them to answer his questions regarding history, and Yolanda struggles to search for the answer. Courtney gives the correct answer which impresses Yolanda, who asks how Courtney knows all of that. Courtney explains that history is easy when you read the book. After school, they walk together when they see a cluster of stop signs falling from the sky. They run over to see Mike Dugan holding Thunderbolt's pen, proclaiming that he's the new member of the JSA.

The JSA, minus a benched Mike, track down The Shade to confront him. Their calm meeting takes a turn for the worse when Mike arrives. He uses Thunderbolt to attack Shade, sparking a fight. Shade ultimately escapes after wounding the JSA with his powers.

The next morning, Courtney and Yolanda meet for breakfast at Blue Valley High School, where they overhear Artemis Crock complaining to the lunch lady about the lack of healthy options available. Courtney offers Artemis her apple, much to the girl's surprise, though Courtney passes it off as being a peace offering after the incident with the hockey stick. Artemis glares at Yolanda and snaps at her for staring, reminding her that it wasn't long ago that Yolanda was the outcast. Yolanda brushes her staring off as also being surprised at the lack of healthy food. Courtney sympathetically brings up Artemis's parents being incarcerated, but Artemis becomes angry as she believes her parents are innocent. Unfortunately, she heard Yolanda scoff under her breath behind Courtney leading to Artemis intensely proclaiming that her family have indeed fallen far down from the public's good graces in light of her parents' imprisonment; but the Crocks do not let slights like that go unreturned. She then crushes the apple in front of Courtney and storms out of the cafeteria, leaving Courtney and Yolanda unnerved.

After school, the JSA meet at Richie's Diner where Yolanda is beginning her first shift as a waitress. Yolanda brings Beth and Rick the wrong order which upsets her. Courtney gives Rick a look that makes him admit that chocolate is fine, while Beth adds that Rick can have her whipped cream. Courtney quickly changes the subject to their research, as she's learned a lot about Eclipso, the black diamond, and where it all came from.

The following day, Courtney and Yolanda head to class together. They find Paul Deisinger speaking with Cameron Mahkent outside the class. Courtney happily greets Cameron while Yolanda just stares at him. An awkward silence falls before Yolanda tells Courtney they have important things to discuss like the weather. Courtney agrees and says goodbye to Cameron, heading into the class. They walk home together as Courtney asks Yolanda how her headaches have been. They've been better now that she has something to take her mind off things. Courtney sees Cameron across the street working on his mural. She reminds Yolanda that they can't let the rest of their lives fall apart, no matter what they're focusing on. She tells Yolanda to text her if anything big happens, and the two go their separate ways. Sure enough, Yolanda finds something regarding Eclipso and bombards Courtney with text messages for her to meet the team.

At nightfall, Wildcat and the rest of the JSA gather outside of Blue Valley High School, where the goggles are indicating an electrical disturbance and odd weather pattern above the school. As the group waits for S.T.R.I.P.E., Stargirl sees Paul Deisinger's car still in the lot. She knows he could be in danger and leads the team inside to search for him. They cautiously enter the art room where they find paint splattered across the walls and floors, and frantic nonsensical drawings covering every canvas and blank space of wall. Mixed in with the nonsensical paintings are sketches of the black diamond. The team begins to look through the canvases just as Wildcat begins to experience another headache, though this one leaves her in agonizing pain. Stargirl calls out for Wildcat who is balanced in Dr. Mid-Nite's grasp. The door to the art room slams shut as Stargirl looks at a drawing of the black diamond on the wall. It morphs into a face that pushes through the wall. It then spirals upward in a giant black blob of paint. Stargirl realizes it's Eclipso and tells her team to run.

The rest of the JSA fall into visions cast by Eclipso, leaving Stargirl to fight Mr. Deisinger, who is under the influence of The Black Diamond. She ultimately defeats him and frees her friends. The JSA goes up against Injustice Unlimited when they kidnap Mike. Wildcat fights with Isaac Bowin who is the new Fiddler. She is overwhelmed and nearly defeated by the music. Stargirl sees Wildcat struggling, then the rest of her teammates. She intervenes with her staff to give them a fighting chance against their respective foes. Shiv jumps up and heads to attack a vulnerable Mike. Wildcat spots this, as does Hourman, and they meet in the center. She lunges and Hourman launches her across the room so she can kick Shiv in the chest, before landing behind Stargirl. The JSA assumes their positions as they face a depleted Injustice Unlimited.

The JSA squares off with Shiv, who is the only capable member remaining. She summons Eclipso from The Black Diamond to destroy Stargirl, unknowingly setting off a chain of events that leads to Eclipso's freedom, Isaac's death, the staff being drained, and Shiv being dragged into a black pit. Eclipso escapes so Stargirl takes after him despite Wildcat's shouts for her to wait.

### Yolanda Leaves the JSA

On July 3rd, Yolanda continues to wrestle with the realization that Eclipso must die, and her crushing guilt over Brainwave's death. She leaves work after her shift is over but has another episode of pain. She goes to text Courtney, when she sees her across the street with Cameron Mahkent laughing and having a pleasant time. She raises her hood and walks solemnly away.

Yolanda goes to summer school where she watches Courtney text with Cameron before Yolanda falls asleep in class. Courtney is jostled from her bubble when Yolanda begins to scream in her dream, forcing Courtney to wake her friend in the middle of class. Yolanda runs out and sits in the hall with Courtney, who struggles to console her friend. Yolanda is overcome with grief and guilt over Brainwave's death. She feels haunted by him and explains the visions she's been having. Courtney worries it could be Eclipso, but Yolanda believes it's Brainwave haunting her for her sins - warning her that she'll burn with him in hell. Courtney convinces Yolanda to tell the others what happened so they can deal with it as a team, assuring her they will understand.

The team is called to the Whitmore-Dugan House, where Yolanda and Courtney reveal the truth regarding Brainwave's death and the part Yolanda played. Rick understands as he would have killed Brainwave too, but she mentions him sparing Grundy's life. He claims his hour was up but she asks if he only spared Grundy because he couldn't do it - because he's a better person than her. He knows she had to do it for the team. He looks to Beth for backup, but Beth isn't sure she can understand or rationalize the murder. This triggers Yolanda to stand as she emotionally unloads. She knows they aren't capable of doing what she did. She also knows that when they find Eclipso they'll have to kill him, and that burden will land on her because she's the JSA member who kills. She doesn't want them to live with that guilt or know they're a killer in God's eye. She grabs her backpack and leaves despite Courtney's pleas for her to wait.

Yolanda runs back to the church where she sits in the confessional again. The priest turns into Brainwave who taunts her for his death and the death of Henry. He begins to taunt, belittle, and torment her. She hears Courtney's voice and suddenly, Stargirl is there with the staff. Brainwave drops Yolanda and attacks Stargirl mentally as he forces her to the ground. Yolanda watches in horror before she suddenly is wearing her Wildcat costume. She wastes no time flinging herself across the church to slash Brainwave's throat again. The man staggers backwards and transforms into Henry before falling to the ground, clutching his throat. She instantly regrets her choice and falls to her knees as she apologizes. Henry coldly says she'll burn with him. Seconds later, his body erupts in flames. Courtney's voice calls to Yolanda as the Cosmic Staff pulls her out of another Eclipso-induced nightmare.

Courtney tells her it will be okay but Yolanda knows it won't be. She didn't want anything but to be left alone but Courtney couldn't do that. She asks why Courtney chose her to be Wildcat because she wasn't supposed to be Wildcat or hurt anyone. Yolanda sobs into her hand as Courtney struggles to console her friend through her own tears. Yolanda emotionally says she's never going to put on the costume again and quits the JSA. She runs out of the church, leaving Courtney alone and in tears. That night, Courtney tries to call Yolanda multiple times but never gets an answer. Mrs. Montez answers the final call to ask Courtney to stop calling. She knows her daughter is off-track because of Courtney and tells her to stay away.

The next day, Courtney answers her front door to find a duffel bag on the porch. Inside is the Wildcat suit, undoubtedly from Yolanda as a sign of her really leaving the JSA. Eclipso uses Yolanda's absence to create an illusion for Courtney while she's trapped in The Shadowlands. He shows her Yolanda sitting on her bed, crying. He tries to blame the situation on Courtney, but she knows that it isn't her fault.

Over two-weeks pass without a word from Yolanda, forcing Courtney and Beth to act alone in their hunt for Eclipso. With the battle only hours away, they need all the help they can muster. Courtney waits outside the Blue Valley church for Yolanda, who isn't happy to see her former friend. She tries to ignore her but Courtney blurts out that she isn't the only JSA member to take a life. Yolanda turns around and walks back to Courtney, asking what she's talking about. Courtney reveals that the Golden Age JSA killed Bruce Gordon to stop Eclipso, including Ted Grant. Yolanda wonders why she's telling her this. Courtney admits that she hopes it will bring her some comfort to know she isn't the first Wildcat to kill, and that it will help her return to the JSA as things haven't been the same without her. She then admits that she hasn't been the same without Yolanda. However, Yolanda bitterly states that it just makes things worse to know Ted Grant was a killer. That she wore the costume of a killer. She angrily states that she will never put that costume on again and stalks off. Courtney is left emotional as she watches her friend leave. Unbeknownst to Courtney, Cindy watches the event from behind a tree line.

Cindy confronts Yolanda in her room to masterfully use reverse psychology to get Yolanda to return for the fight against the JSA. She cites her working with the JSA now, which disgusts Yolanda, who sneers that if Courtney is working with someone like Cindy then she's fallen farther than she thought. Back at the Whitmore-Dugan house, Courtney heads to the basement where she talks to the Cosmic Staff about the impending fight. She is suddenly joined by Yolanda, who is furious that Courtney is working with Cindy. She states that the girl can't be trusted. Courtney argues that Cindy is just helping them with Eclipso, but Yolanda stands close to Courtney. She snaps that she's only there to protect everyone from Cindy, and once Cindy is gone, Yolanda will be too. She asks if Courtney understands and she nods briskly. Yolanda asks where her suit is. When her back is turned, Courtney silently celebrates her friend's return.

Stargirl, Wildcat, Shiv, and Pat walk the streets of Blue Valley, watching as portals to The Shadowlands appear above The American Dream. They head inside in the hopes of helping Beth, whose parents have been taken by Eclipso to serve as bait. They face-off against Eclipso and Stargirl sends Pat to find Beth. Eclipso, in his Bruce disguise, conjures up illusions of Ted Grant, a young Cindy, and Pat. With her team distracted by the illusions, Stargirl tries to blast Eclipso, who keeps vanishing.Stargirl blasts him, and all the illusions disappear, including Eclipso's appearance of Bruce. Now back together, Stargirl realizes that Eclipso wants to bring The Shadowlands to their world, and he confirms her theory. Once the two worlds merge he can consume all of humanity at once and become a god.

Stargirl, Wildcat, and Shiv face Eclipso once more. He blasts them backwards with his power but they quickly recover. He ultimately throws the heroines out of a window. Eclipso defeats STRIPE, Jakeem, the Thunderbolt, Grundy, and Hourman before turning back to his true target - Stargirl. He admitted that everything he did - torturing her friends, family, the illusions, it was all so she would admit one thread of darkness inside her. That was all he needed to get his claws in her. Eclipso turned into darkness as he possessed Stargirl, entering her body through her eyes and mouth. causing her body to fall to the ground.

Wildcat finds Shiv who is still healing from her injuries of falling from the window. Shiv thinks the only way to stop Eclipso is to kill the host, but Yolanda refuses to let that happen. They just have to get the staff away from him. They descend on Stargirl as Wildcat tries to pull the staff from her hands, as Shiv wrapped her arm around Stargirl's neck. Eclipso cackles that they can't beat him and easily flings Shiv backward. Wildcat tries to reach Courtney but Eclipso has taken hold. He shouts that the staff is a conduit for spiritual enlightenment and is creation itself. Only one person can wield the staff. He throws Wildcat aside as he repeats that only one could wield the staff.

Sylvester Pemberton grabs the staff and smirks that maybe two can wield it. He grips the staff as Eclipso struggles against his pull. The JSA and their allies watch in awe as the scene unfolds. As they struggle for control over the staff, Sylvester tells her to fight the monster inside of her. Eclipso taunts Courtney by telling her she's unloved, though memories of her friends and family flood her mind. She sees Yolanda in her visions. Eclipso begins to groan and shout before Courtney expels him from her body in a burst of dark energy. Once on the ground, the entire JSA and their allies turn to a weakened Eclipso, using their combined energies to defeat the beast.

In the days that follow, the young JSA members convene on the Whitmore-Dugan House steps as the town has finally returned to a normal weather state. Yolanda confirms that she's back as Wildcat, much to Courtney's happiness.

### A New Year

The town of Blue Valley is back to its cheerful, kind, and welcoming state, as citizens chat with one another. Courtney happily texts her friends that she's finally coming home from her road trip, and Yolanda smiles down at the phone from her spot in front of the church.

Courtney and Yolanda get their lunch their first day back at Blue Valley High School. They discuss the villains in the town who are getting second chances. Courtney doesn't think The Gambler is up to something bad, with Yolanda pressing that he wouldn't tell them if he was. None of them are good, especially Cindy. She stabbed Yolanda in the back and will do it to Courtney the first chance she gets. She has enough problems with her parents, who will ship her off to boarding school if they catch her sneaking out on more time.

They sit at the table as Beth talks with her parents using the goggles. They continue to show her samples and a digital design for a new suit. Bridget suggests lemon yellow as a new color scheme, but Beth reminds them that yellow and black are Rick's colors. She likes her cape, too. She ends their call and sighs that she shouldn't have given them this number. Courtney eagerly asks what she's eating, with Beth telling her the rundown which sounds less appealing to Courtney. Beth admits her parents made it; breakfast too. Rick joins them looking tired. He's had no luck with Grundy yet. He's buried him everywhere The Shade's told him to. In a clear field under a full moon, between two oak trees, but nothing ever happens. Yolanda instantly thinks The Shade is lying, that Grundy is never coming back. She shoots Courtney a pointed look, earning an exasperated one in return.

Cindy interrupts the meeting as she pulls a chair up, welcoming them back to school. She quips that they can't call it the "losers table" anymore if she's there, with Rick retorting that it never was the losers table. Courtney tries to start their meeting by discussing teamwork, wanting to wipe the slate clean. If she can look beyond her past with Cindy, the rest of the JSA can, too. Yolanda isn't so eager to forgive and forget, with Cindy snapping that she should get over her trauma already. Yolanda makes it clear they don't want her here. Courtney argues that they agreed on this, but Rick corrects since she and Beth agreed, while he and Yolanda didn't. They skip ahead to Starman being back, with the JSA anxiously wondering what's happening to the staff. Sylvester plans to teach Courtney how to use it since it has a few more tricks up its proverbial sleeve. An eager Artemis slams her fists on the table as she proclaims a "go, team!" on her way past them. This action confuses the JSA. Yolanda snaps at Courtney that it seems anyone can join the JSA now, storming off as Cindy promises to see her later, calling her a teammate.

The JSA teams up to stop the No Limits Gang, and Stargirl continues to play the mediator between Shiv and Wildcat. They reconvene at The Pit Stop to debrief and research the gang, who have a connection with Steve Sharpe, whose recent return to Blue Valley already made waves. Shiv abruptly leaves the meeting from boredom. Yolanda makes her annoyance clear, as the JSA isn't gonna work if she lets people like Cindy Burman join the team. Rick says to screw Cindy Burman and go after The Gambler, as he's guilty and they all know it. He's sorry for Court, but her little experiment where they hang out with supervillains is over.

Stargirl, Hourman, Wildcat, and Dr. Mid-Nite arrives at Cornhusker Estate Trailer Park to confront Gambler. Hourman is ready to wreck him, but Courtney wants to give him a chance to explain, that's it. Wildcat asks why she's giving someone like The Gambler a chance. Stargirl takes a breath as she faces her team, admitting that he's trying to be better for his daughter. The Gambler, of all people, is a better dad than hers ever was. Wildcat and Hourman avert their eyes at the revelation. A gunshot startles the team. They race to the source - The Gambler's trailer. They find the trailer destroyed, Gambler on the ground dead, and Shiv crouching by his body. She stands, his pistol smoking in her hand. She looks at Stargirl, insisting she didn't do it.

Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, Rick, Pat, and Sylvester meet at The Pit Stop. Courtney tells him that someone murdered The Gambler. Pat asks who would have the motive to do that. Sylvester glibly says it could be anyone who ever met him, which is exactly why Rick doesn't care. Courtney reminds him that a man is dead, and there's a killer out there. Rick and Yolanda still think Cindy Burman did it, as she was standing over his body. She was, but Cindy told them she didn't do it. Yolanda exclaims that the case is closed then, a sentiment Courtney ignores. Cindy went to investigate when she learned The Gambler's old gang was back together. When she showed up, she found the trailer destroyed and The Gambler dead. Sylvester reminds Courtney that she was holding a gun, but Cindy said she saw the gun, picked it up, and it accidentally went off.

Beth tells everyone that the goggles couldn't find a bullet hole anywhere. Rick tells her that doesn't mean Cindy didn't kill him, and they exchange looks. Sylvester surmises that whoever twisted that trailer into a pretzel had to be as strong as Solomon Grundy. Rick is sure Grundy's dead, while Yolanda repeats that Cindy is strong. She's a walking science experiment, who knows what else she's done to change herself. Courtney argues that she isn't that strong, and that Dragon King changed her, and he's dead.

Beth, Rick, Yolanda, and Courtney sit at their usual lunch table. Beth accesses the coroner's report, which lists the official cause of death as blunt force trauma from the tornado. Rick assures them that Grundy did not kill The Gambler, earning dubious looks from Yolanda. He checked the grave site and he's still buried. Beth believes him and refocuses on the autopsy report. Aside from the broken bones and bruisers, The Gambler also had a stab wound right to the heart. The coroner theorized it was debris thrown by a tornado.

Yolanda is certain it wasn't a tornado, just as Cindy slams her bag on the table. She's upset they held a meeting last night without her, realizing they're having another one now. Yolanda sneers that The Gambler died from a stab wound, like a shiv. Courtney adds it could have been a knife or an arrow. She apologizes to Cindy about the meeting, with Yolanda cutting her off as the circumstances were she was standing over a dead body. Those circumstances were completely circumstantial, according to Cindy. Courtney reminds everyone that The Gambler's laptop is missing, and whoever has it, is who killed him. The sooner they find the laptop and catch the killer together, the sooner they can all move on.

Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, Rick, and Cindy sit at the JSA table to discuss what Beth found out about the documents. The deposits made to The Gambler came via wire transfer from an Irwin Hasen, which is an alias for Lawrence Crock. She concludes The Gambler had been blackmailing the Crocks before his death. Courtney instructs them not to tell Sylvester, as he'll want to rush right in. If they're going to take Artemis' parents away from her again, they have to be sure. The team is quiet as they agree to regroup with Pat and come up with a plan.

Courtney, Yolanda, and Beth meet at The Pit Stop that night. Rick is late and looks up at the balcony where the girls are standing. Courtney answers a call from Mike that warns her that Sylveste is attacking the Crocks at a store. The next day at BVHS, Courtney tells her team the Crocks didn't kill The Gambler. They seemed pretty sincere, and the way the trailer was ripped apart isn't really their style. The can now rule out the Crocks, Grundy, and Shade. Yolanda asks about Cindy, since she did exactly what Courtney told her not to do by going straight to Sylvester.

Cindy arrives just in time to hear Yolanda's remark. She didn't want to just sit around and do nothing. The Crocks looked guilty, so she wanted to take them down, and prove herself. She thought if the great Sylvester Pemberton gave her the seal of approval, they would too. Turns out, he's kind of an ass. Courtney stands up so she's at level with Cindy. If she does anything like that again, she's off the team. Cindy nods as she's got it. They all sit down together.

Sylvester is attacked by an unknown creature and ends up in the hospital. The JSA heads back to Cornhusker Estate Trailer Park to look for clues about who attacked Sylvester. Dr. Mid-Nite uses her goggles to look for clues around the destroyed trailer. Stargirl asks her if she's found anything, but there was no evidence - no strands, no drop of blood, as if someone wiped it clean since Sylvester was here. Shiv thinks someone probably did, as whoever attacked Sylvester wasn't stupid. Wildcat accuses her of doing it. Shiv assures her that she would've made sure Sylvester was dead, much to the discomfort of the whole group. She shifts as she's just being honest. Dr. Mid-Nite thinks they've hit a dead-end, so the team prepares to leave. Suddenly, Dr. Mid-Nite's goggles find a single skin cell, though it's unidentifiable. Since it doesn't belong to Starman, the team determines it belongs to the person who attacked him.

A new day begins at Blue Valley High School. Rick, Beth, Yolanda, and Courtney walk the halls as they discuss Dragon King being the prime suspect now. He thought Cindy killed him, but Courtney admits that Pat said Dr. Ito experimented so much on himself, that he might be unkillable. Yolanda's skeptical, but Beth confirms as Dr. McNider said the same thing. Courtney wants to warn Cindy that her dad might be back, though Yolanda worries he's working with him. Courtney knows she'd never do that, but Rick points out that she literally just did, last year. The group stops as Courtney admits she didn't tell them everything that happened in The Shadowlands. She saw glimpses of Cindy's childhood, as if she were living it too. Her dad treated her like a lab rate and not a daughter. It was a lifetime full of abuse. Now she's finally free, and would never work with him again. Beth wonders if Dragon King came back to Blue Valley for Cindy. Courtney asks if anyone's seen her today, but no one has.

After school, Yolanda and Rick go to the Whitmore-Dugan House looking for Courtney. Instead, they find Sylvester, and go with him to search the underground tunnels instead.

The JSA, with the exception of Cindy, sits at lunch as they discuss Sylvester not finding Dragon King at the other lab. Beth wants to bring her up to speed on everything since she's part of the team, and could probably help. Yolanda still doesn't trust her, but is open to it if that's what Courtney wants. They look at their leader expectantly, but she's lost in her phone, looking at a place called the Ice Inn. Beth calls to her to no avail, so Yolanda calls Earth to Courtney Whitmore, snapping her back. She insists she's listening and agrees to loop Sylvester in. Rick shakes his head as that's not what they were talking about.

Cameron walks up behind Courtney and stops next to her. He greets with a hi and a smile. She returns the hi back at him, smiling sheepishly. He looks at the table and asks how it's going, trying to be friendly. Rick scoffs as they're in the middle of a conversation. He tells Cameron to get lost. The boy's kind demeanor falters as he asks what exactly Rick's problem is. Rick retorts that he's staring right at him. Courtney snaps at Rick to knock it off. She apologizes to Cameron and claims they're in the middle of a project. Beth chimes in that it's for the Science Fair. He didn't mean to interrupt and apologizes to Courtney, who tells him it's okay. He'll see her later and walks off.

With him gone, Courtney throws her arms in the air in exasperation as she looks at Rick. He hopes she's not hanging out with that creep, earning a cold look. She firmly says he's not a creep and not to say that. Beth intervenes as it's kind of bad timing as they're trying to find a killer and need her. Yolanda agrees, as Sylvester's great, but Rick adds he has a temper. Courtney snaps back, asking if Rick doesn't. He looks to the ceiling in annoyance. She insists she's focused on the case, but she's helping Cameron too. They're the JSA they're supposed to help people. Beth asks what Cameron Mahkent needs help with, but Courtney doesn't answer. She's finally found someone she likes, questioning why they can't just be happy for her. Truthfully, Yolanda can't, not when it's him. She's sorry but starts to talk about his dad. Courtney snaps back that Cameron isn't anymore his father then she is hers. That's not fair to him or to her. She stands and grabs her bag, tearfully storming away from the table. Beth, Yolanda, and Rick exchange looks.

Rick's yellow mustang is parked outside The Pit Stop. Inside, Rick, Yolanda, and Beth fill Sylvester in on what happened during lunch. They've never seen Courtney like that before. Sylvester thinks it does sound like they went after her a little bit. Yolanda questions if he's on her side. There are no side and she shouldn't ever think that way. They know the story by now. The JSA got into a fight about what happened with Bruce Gordon, they never fully reconciled, then his choice about Bruce made everyone pick sides, which eventually destroyed them. He should have listened to Pat. He should have done whatever he had to bring the team back together. He asks them to please learn from his mistakes. So if Courtney wants to hang out with Cameron Mahkent, let her.

Things go from bad to worse when Yolanda and Cindy's rivalry causes them to fight in the Burman cul-de-sac. Wildcat, having found Gambler's computer in Cindy's room, believes her to be the murderer, but Cindy vehemently shuts down this accusation. Wildcat doesn't care and declares her guilty, which incites the fight. Hourman arrives and they attack Cindy together, until Stargirl barrels down from the sky with the Cosmic Staff, blasting her teammates apart.Wildcat and Hourman run behind Stargirl, ready to continue the fight. She turns to Cindy, asking what she's doing, though Cindy points out Yolanda started this. Wildcat reveals Cindy stole The Gambler's laptop, but Cindy swears she didn't kill him. Wildcat thinks she's just like her father, telling Courtney to just look at her scales. Stargirl realizes the DNA at the crime scene wasn't Dragon King's DNA, but Cindy's. She asks what's happening to her. Cindy wants her to stop acting like she cares. Stargirl does care, asking her to please talk to them. Fighting back emotions, Cindy explains she started changing when they got back from The Shadowlands. She doesn't know if it triggered this or if it was always going to happen. She doesn't know what her dad did to her. She was just trying to figure it out. She stole The Gambler's laptop so she could go through his files, locate labs, find a cure, but she didn't kill anyone.

The JSA stares at her and Cindy emotionally exclaims for them to stop looking at her like she's a monster. Her eyes flash reptilian and she covers them up, squelching and groaning. Stargirl wants to help her, though Cindy only throws the offer back at her. She's so tired of all of this. Stargirl defends that if she was just honest with them in the first place like they asked her to be, but Cindy cuts her off. She asks if she should be honest like her. She urges Stargirl to tell the JSA about her little secret she's been keeping about Cameron. Wildcat already knows she's dating Cameron. Cindy shakes her head at the definition, taunting a "like father, like son". Courtney's teaching that little psycho how to conjure up icicles, just like Daddy. This news shocks Hourman and Wildcat. Cindy presses that Cameron has powers like the rest of his family, turning to Courtney. When Cameron finds out what she did to his dad, which he will, he'll come for her. She hopes that he wins. Cindy storms off, leaving Hourman and Wildcat to glare at their leader with disdain.

Courtney nervously paces at The Pit Stop, rubbing her hand. She criticizes them as they should have had a plan. Rick bluntly tells her they did have a plan, she just wasn't involved. Yolanda adds it's because she hasn't been around. She's been too busy training the new Icicle. Courtney's not training anyone, she is just trying to help him, just like they should be trying to help Cindy. Yolanda snaps that this isn't about Cindy anymore - it's about her lying to them. Courtney didn't mean to. Yolanda thinks that after everything that happened with Pat and her mom that she would realize how damaging this is to them. Courtney insists it was Cameron's secret and wasn't hers to tell. Rick asks if Cameron mattered more than them, which isn't true. She promised not to tell anyone. Rick angrily shouts that he's a threat. Courtney snaps back that he's not. Rick thinks he is, but she made that decision by herself when all of them who are a team are at risk. Yolanda calmly adds she turned her back on them for him. Courtney, emotional, looks at Beth who shakes her head. She's been on her side this whole time, trusting everyone because she thinks they should. But Rick and Yolanda are right, she should have told them. Courtney nods, crying, as Yolanda talks Courtney wanting them to trust each other. Turns out, the person she's closest to is the one that can't be trusted. Courtney apologizes again, she's really sorry. She looks away taking a shaky breath. She thinks until they get this sorted out, that Sylvester should lead the JSA. Yolanda glares that he already has been. Courtney nods, her face scrunching in pain as she cries.

Courtney goes to her room and takes the polaroid of her and Yolanda off the wall to stare at it. She cries as she looks at the picture and tries to turn away Sylvester who comes to talk with her about the fight. Courtney thinks she kicked herself off the team. He assures her she's not kicked off anything, but she worries they don't want her anymore. He reminds her that the JSA isn't about what they want. His pep talk proves useful, and he tells her not worry about the others - he'll talk to them. That night, Beth tells Courtney and Pat about the hidden cameras around Blue Valley that have been spying on the team.

The JSA work independently to remove them, with Pat questioning if Courtney is okay since the fight with the team.He's sorry that things are difficult right now, with her and Yolanda and the others not getting along. She knows it's her fault. She screwed up by keeping what was happening to Cameron to herself, and now Cindy's gone, along with any credibility she had as a leader of the JSA; forget leader, she doesn't even know they're still her friends. He assures her they are, but she doesn't think they need her anymore - they have Starman now. Pat turns to another camera, pressing that Starman's not the one who recruited them. He's not the one who made those kids grow into what they are today. She started all of that. Courtney worries that was all she was supposed to do, get them started. He doesn't think she believes that anymore than he does. That night, after a fight with her mom, Yolanda knocks on the Whitmore-Dugan's front door with a duffel bag, as she didn't know where else to go.

Courtney and Pat return to Blue Valley from their rendezvous to Civic City courtesy of The Shade. She's proud she helped Jennie and Todd just like she helped Yolanda, Rick, and Beth without the staff. She knows what she needs to do when she gets back. She needs to not give up on the villains, on her friends, or herself.

Once home, Courtney reunites with her mom then asks where Yolanda is, with Barbara explaining that she's in Courtney's room. Courtney bounds up the steps and walks into her room to find Yolanda sitting at the window seat. Yolanda stands and they stare at one another for a moment, before crossing the room and hugging tightly. Courtney begins to cry and they both apologize as they hug.

Yolanda and Courtney talk in her bedroom about Yolanda's parents. Courtney knew they were hard on her but never thought they'd kick her out. Yolanda isn't surprised as they assumed the worst and she couldn't defend herself. She can't tell them what she's actually out doing every night. They wouldn't understand any of what they do. Courtney tries to argue that she doesn't know that, but Yolanda knows she can't trust them. They'd tell people about everything just to try and control her life like they always do. She adds this isn't just about her secret, it's about Courtney's, Beth's, and Rick's. Courtney understands then changes the subjects - she needs to apologize to Rick and Beth too. But there's something else she wants to ask them. Before she does, she needs Yolanda's support, which confuses her. She asks what Courtney's talking about.

The JSA convenes at their usual lunch table, where Courtney once again apologizes for not telling them about Cameron, as it was never her intention to put him before them. Beth thanks her for the apology and accepts it, eyeing Rick when he's silent. The boy briskly nods they're good. Yolanda urges her to tell them the rest, making Rick shift in his seat. Courtney admits that she wants to tell Cameron everything, and Rick questions why she would want to do that. She can't be with him if she can't be honest with him about the JSA, about his father, or about her being Stargirl. She's asking for their support, but Rick quickly says no. She can't keep doing this to them. Every time she shares their secrets, it makes all of them less safe. Especially for that kid, all because Courtney likes him. He notices Courtney looking at Yolanda for support, and questions if she knew about this. She did, and he scoffs that she's gotta be kidding. Yolanda admits she was wrong about Cindy - not completely wrong, just a little wrong. Courtney wants to tell Cameron about who his dad really was and why they had to stop him. He can't spend the rest of his life never knowing anything. Courtney looks to her team, as she knows it's going to be hard, and she knows there's real risk here, but once they get through it, she has faith they will all heal. She needs to tell him the truth. Beth looks around the table and asks if they should vote. Rick tells her not to bother, leaning back in his chair. Courtney looks at him, hurt, but he averts his eyes emotionally. He tells her to do what she wants to do - he's got her back. He's got everyone's back here, no matter what. They all should know, because they're his family. Nothing will ever change that, but don't say he didn't warn her. He runs his finger along the hourglass as he quiets down.

As Courtney tries to tell Cameron the truth, the rest of the JSA get an alert that the cameras signal is coming from the Mahkent Residence. They suit up and approach the home, though Hourman barges in, starting a viscious fight against the Mahkent's. When the fight ends the JSA, wounded and exhausted, surround Sofus who has a heart attack. Wildcat looks to Courtney, who is emotional now that Cameron knows the JSA played a part in his father's death. Once back at the Whitmore-Dugan House, Pat, Courtney, Sylvester, and Barbara worry about Mike, who hasn't come home yet. They're concerned the Mahkent's did something to him after learning he killed Icicle, but Ultra-Humanite's not convinced the Mahkent's are even involved. The exact moment she and Cameron were trying to bury past demons, Beth suddenly cracks into info that points the rest of the team at the Mahkent house like a gun, making everything go boom. He's betting one of his red boots and one of Pat's puffer vests that the signal Beth found was a fabrication. Someone is trying to distract them. Yolanda questions that if the Mahkent's haven't been watching the ones watching them, then who's left.

Courtney meets up with Cameron behind The American Dream, and she apologizes for her friends attack. She explains Yolanda and Rick were just trying to protect her. They thought his grandparents were part of it, but he cuts her off, as his grandparents are not evil. She returns home after the meeting and subsequent breakup, finding that Beth, Yolanda, Mike, Jakeem, Barbara, Pat, and Sylvester are gathered. Barbara asks if she's alright, and Courtney says that she's fine. The man that Mike and Jakeem found, he's the worst threat they can imagine. When the Justice Society first formed, there was a scientist, though the didn't know his real identity. He just went by the "Ultra-Humanite". When they first met, he was just another criminal until he escaped the JSA by putting his brain into the body of an actress name Dolores Winters. Pat knows it sounds like a science-fiction horror movie, but it's exactly what happened. Ultra-Humanite sought out a body strong enough to destroy the JSA. He and Dragon King stitched together a mutated ape and put his brain in it. Sylvester thinks that has to be the one who sucker-punched him back at The Gambler's trailer. Courtney suggests the Ultra-Humanite is the next Eclipso - next great evil that has to be stopped by all of them. That's what she was talking about when she said they had to come together - the Crocks, Cindy, and hesitantly, now the Mahkent's. If this villain is as powerful as they say, it'll take everyone to stop him, including the Mahkent's. Yolanda knows Courtney wants to help Cameron, but Courtney cuts her off. This isn't just about helping Cameron, it's about all of them. Good and bad have come together before, and they can do it again. One-by-one, the teams agree - first the Young All-Stars and then the JSA.

## Recurring Themes and Symbols

* **I Can't Do This Alone! Note -** Courtney leaves the note on Yolanda's windowsill after she declines Courtney's offer to join the JSA as Wildcat. Courtney, knowing she needs to rebuild the JSA and that Yolanda is Wildcat, leaves the note and the Wildcat suit on the sill. Yolanda, fresh from an emotional moment with her family, finds the note and suit. She takes this as her sign to start a new life, knowing she can't go back to the one she once had. During hard times in their friendship, Yolanda looks at the note and keeps it in her nightstand.
* **The Polaroid -**

## Gallery

* Season 1
* Season 2
* Road Trip
* Season 3

## References

1. ↑ "*Stargirl*"
2. ↑ "*S.T.R.I.P.E.*"
3. ↑ "*Icicle*"
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "*Wildcat*"
5. ↑ "*Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite*"
6. ↑ "*The Justice Society*"
7. ↑ "*Shiv Part One*"
8. ↑ "*Shiv Part One*"
9. ↑ "*Brainwave*"
10. ↑ "*Brainwave Jr.*"
11. ↑ "*Shining Knight*"
12. ↑ "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part One*"
13. ↑ "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two*"
14. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter One*"
15. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Two*"
16. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Three*"
17. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Four*"
18. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Five*"
19. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Six*"
20. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Seven*"
21. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Eight*"
22. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Nine*"
23. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Ten*"
24. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Thirteen*"
25. ↑ "*Chapter One: The Murder*"
26. ↑ "*Chapter Two: The Suspects*"
27. ↑ "*Chapter Three: The Blackmail*"
28. ↑ "*Chapter Four: The Evidence*"
29. ↑ "*Chapter Five: The Thief*"
30. ↑ "*Chapter Six: The Betrayal*"
31. ↑ "*Chapter Seven: Infinity Inc. Part One*"
32. ↑ ""
33. ↑ "*Chapter Nine: The Monsters*"
34. ↑ "*Chapter Ten: The Killer*"