Beth and Rick

**Beth and Rick** is the friendship and romantic pairing between Justice Society of America members, Beth Chapel and Rick Tyler. They first met at Blue Valley High School where they shared a table with a fellow outcast. However, Beth and Rick didn't become friends until they joined the JSA.

Beth and Rick supported one another through their individual difficulties as superheroes, and opened up about their struggles as time went on. Rick served as a support system for Beth during her parents separation and Chuck's "death", while Beth helped him research various important topics to the JSA. They were often paired together during missions, looking out for each other whenever possible.

As much as Rick is the physical force of the JSA, Beth is the brains, making them a well-balanced duo who eventually learned to respect and appreciate the other's strengths. Beth knew and realized before any of the other JSA members that Rick was being impacted by the hourglass, which spurred her to research the artifact and reach out to him. She asked her parents to help with the situation, which brought them all together.

Over the next 10 years, Beth and Rick only grew closer, beginning a romantic relationship. Their impending nuptials are to be officiated by their longtime friend Richard Swift.

They are affectionately dubbed **Hournite** by the fandom.

## History

### Joining the JSA

Since the beginning of school, Beth and Rick eat lunch at the same table every day, alongside Yolanda Montez. One day, Courtney Whitmore joins them, introducing herself as the new girl. She tries to spark conversation from the silent group. She learns from Beth that no one at the table are friends; it's the losers table. Rick irritably tells Beth to speak for herself before grabbing his bag and storming off.

Beth discovers Dr. Mid-Nite's Goggles in Courtney's belongings, getting them to work. She proves herself a valuable asset to the team when she correctly identifies “Rick Harris” as being Rick Tyler, the son of Rex Tyler, the first Hourman. Courtney asks Beth to track Rick, ultimately ending up at Cindy Burman's Halloween party. When they find him, he goes through each girl, noting their superhero aliases - Stargirl and Wildcat. He gets to Beth, but Yolanda interrupts, as Beth isn't a member yet. Beth explains that the hourglass was built by Rick's father, a brilliant chemist. It gave him super strength for one hour per day, which doesn't initially impress Rick, but Beth adds that the hourglass only worked for Rex because it was tied to his DNA.

Rick's interest piques, but he doesn't know how to turn it on. Beth chuckles by saying it's how anyone operates any hourglass - by turning it over. He puts the hourglass around his neck and turns it over. Upon doing so, the sand inside glows gold, beginning to drip to the bottom as a gold wave envelopes him. Testing his strength, he easily lifts a keg and crushes it like a soda can. He drops it to the ground smiling, as Beth grins at the excitement. Courtney advises him not to test his superpowers like that in public, while Beth informs him of the need for secret identities and that he might need a costume. Rick rejects the idea, as 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.

Wildcat and Stargirl follow Rick to the place of his parents' car crash, where their attempts to reason with him go awry. Beth, left out of the escapes, opens up to the AI inside the goggles, Chuck. She admits to feeling alone as her parents are never home. Everyone ignores her, so she's starting understand why Rick's so angry all the time. She then learns that Rick's parent's death. She runs to the trio with the news. She announces his parent's death wasn't an accident. Dr. McNider can show them what she means. A holographic projection stems from the goggles; the group is shown the series of events that led to Rex and Wendi Tyler's deaths as Beth narrates. As the holographic car passes through Rex, he witnesses the last faces his parents made and his mother's dying scream. Stargirl tells Rick that the people who killed his parents are the same ones who killed her father, which is why she assembled this team - for justice. Rick tearfully says he'll do it, but not for justice; he wants revenge.

As the teams get to know one another, Pat gives Rick his father's journal, which is full of equations in the hopes he can figure it out. After school, he gives the journal to Beth, asking her if the goggles can decipher the equations. She's happy to try, but unfortunately, they can't match the equations. She gives the book back to Rick. She then receives a message from Chuck as someone is trying to hack into Empire Enterprises. Rick doesn't see the importance of a hacker trying to get into a lame phone company. She explains that The Gambler, a member of the ISA, is the one behind the hacking and fills the group in on what he does. Yolanda wants to go capture The Gambler and Rick chimes in that they'll interrogate him and make him talk. The JSA then goes on their first mission.

Rick, now dressed as Hourman, and Beth, dressed as Dr. Mid-Nite, and the rest of the newly assembled JSA arrive at Empire Enterprises, ready to fight The Gambler. Hourman wonders who came up with the names for the ISA and rolls his eyes when Beth says she likes them. Stargirl asks them if they're sure they want to do this, so Hourman activates his hourglass as confirmation. He wants to go in and get answers and brushes off Courtney with whatever, and she says to follow her lead. He goes on ahead without her. Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite follow. They come to a sealed metal door which Stargirl stops him from punching it down as he would set off the alarms. He then impatiently waits for Dr. Mid-Nite to put in the door code. Once inside, the JSA ends up splitting up when Wildcat and Hourman go rogue to attack Tigress and Sportsmaster. He's badly beaten by Sportsmaster. Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite arrives, rushing to his side. The trio joins Stargirl, ready to fight another round. Back at The Pit Stop, Rick, Beth, and Yolanda admire the S.T.R.I.P.E. Armor.

Once at school, Beth sees Courtney and Rick walking the halls together and joins them, alongside Yolanda. Rick gives a crooked smile to Beth as they walk. 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. Courtney is sympathetic but Rick snaps that isn't an excuse. He adds that Cindy is just a terrible person, though Beth disagrees. He then leaves to go to class.

The JSA goes to The Pit Stop for training, which Beth is very eager about, while Rick remains unimpressed. As they walk through the Pit Stop, Rick remarks that they already know what they can do. He can punch things really hard, Yolanda can climb walls and murder toasters, and Beth can talk about anything. Beth chimes in that she'd be happy to, which makes Rick roll his eyes. The group listens to Pat explain the members of the ISA. Beth and Rick stand next to one another as they listen and learn. However, 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. Rick remarks that it was lame of her and leaves now that the training is over. Beth tells Courtney that she could have used the training, following her teammate out of the building.

### Becoming Friends

Courtney is hospitalized following a brutal attack by Cindy Burman, who operates as a supervillain named Shiv. When he learns Courtney's in the emergency room, Rick angrily swipes objects off a table in The Pit Stop. He wants to act instead of just standing around and tells Yolanda his plan to break down Cindy's door and "take the bitch out". Beth refuses the idea as Cindy has powers, but Rick gestures to himself and Yolanda saying that they have powers too. Beth tries to explain that Cindy's parents might be members of the ISA, but Rick hopes that they are and storms past her. He grabs his hourglass and tries to leave. Beth blocks his path and tries to rationalize with him - there is a smarter approach to all of this. Rick merely states that an eye-for-an-eye is how things work. He tries to move past her but she stops him by grabbing his bicep, making him stop. He looks down at her in surprise. She's mad about this too, but he has to sit down and cool off. He asks what she'll do if he doesn't, making a snide comment about her not having powers, which she is hurt by. She calls him out on being so hurt that he wants to make everyone else hurt too. He takes a moment before turning and slamming his fist on the table as he sets the hourglass back down. Beth reiterates that they need to be smarter about their next move, to which Yolanda agrees with her. A moment passes before Rick steps forward and asks Beth what she wants to do. She holds up her goggles saying she has a good plan.

Rick and Yolanda hide behind the bushes at Cindy Burman's house, anxiously waiting to see if Beth can pull off her plan. Yolanda asks if he thinks the plan will work, and he remarks that it better work. Pat questions what they're doing, and where Beth is right now. Rick guiltily points to the front door of the Burman residence. Pat and Beth go into the house where Beth puts her goggles on to look around the home. Rick talks to her through the JSA's coms, asking if she's found anything yet. She hasn't, but finds it odd that even Chuck can't identify Cindy's mom. Rick asks about her dad, but Beth doesn't think he's home yet. As Beth travels to the underground tunnels she begins to lose connection with Rick and Yolanda, their voices coming through sounding jumbled and robotic. Yolanda looks to Rick telling him worriedly that she lost Beth. Yolanda learns that Cindy knows Courtney is Stargirl, so Yolanda tries to warn Beth that Cindy is home and knows about the JSA. Rick gives Yolanda a worried look as Beth decides to keep looking, as she refuses to leave without knowing something. As Beth continues on in the house, Rick decides to take matters into his own hands. He takes off his backpack and Yolanda asks what they should do. They exchange a look and Rick unzips his bag and takes out his hourglass.

Beth finds herself trapped in Cindy's room with no escape, frantically looking around for a place to hide. Wildcat taps on the glass, coaxing her outside. Beth doesn't want to jump down, as she's afraid of heights and falling. She begins to ramble, so Wildcat grabs her and throws her out of the window by her shirt. Beth screams on her way down but is caught by Rick, who is under the effects of the hourglass. He looks her up and down before remarking, "got you". They stare at one another for a moment. The pair is long gone by the time Cindy looks out her window, though she heard them leave.

The next day, at the gym in Blue Valley High, Yolanda is incredulous that Courtney wants to recruit Henry Jr. to their team after what he did to her. Rick steps forward, saying that 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 won't think twice about hurting any of them. Beth and Rick exchange a look as she thinks people can change, though Rick still isn't convinced. Courtney tries to explain that he can be helpful, as sometimes they have to take a leap of faith. Yolanda thinks that leap will lead to their deaths. The team leaves the gym in disagreement.

After school, Beth and Rick greet Pat at The Pit Stop. Pat asks where Yolanda is, clearly having expected the girl. Rick says she's pissed since Courtney wants to recruit Henry, and asks why Pat would even let Courtney recruit him in the first place, saying it's a "classic anti-Pat plan." Pat reminds Rick that Courtney trusted him when no one else would, and Rick retorts that he's never sent pictures of some girl around. Now annoyed, Rick asks what they're doing here in the first place, to which Pat explains how he wants them to find out if there's a tunnel system under Blue Valley. He shows them old books and thinks that Beth's goggles will speed along the process. Rick isn't impressed with the homework but Pat claims that planning and preparing are all part of being a superhero. Pat leaves on a family matter, leaving only Rick and Beth there. Rick starts to walk off in the other direction of Beth but she stops him by saying that they should get started. He isn't interested in helping, as she and Chuck can handle it on their own. He takes his father's journal out of his backpack, noting that he still has to figure out the formulas in the journal. Something in it is the reason his parents were murdered, and he has to figure out what it was.

That night, Beth finds something with her goggles and looks to Rick, who is now sitting next to her on the couch. She tells him that Blue Valley was settled in 1876, by a group of Freemasons that called themselves The Other Founding Fathers who wanted to make the land free of interference from the outside. Rick bluntly asks if Beth thinks that a group of separatist freaks built the tunnels, and Beth tells him that it explains why the ISA chose their town--because they could meet in secret, underground and do whatever they wanted without being seen. They exchange an equally worried look.

The next day at lunch, Courtney brings Henry Jr to the table, informing her teammates that Henry is aware of their superhero antics. She also tells them that the Cosmic Staff has been taken hostage by Icicle, along with Brainwave, whom Henry wants to rescue. The talk escalates into near-violence between Rick and Henry. Beth reminds everyone that they have to do this for Courtney, who will be forced to leave if they don't save Blue Valley. Rick refuses to work with Henry but begrudgingly agrees to help Courtney.

The group goes to the Underground Tunnels where Rick learns that Beth can't access Chuck in the tunnels. Upon reaching a crossroads, the team decides to split up. Hourman doesn't seem to have a preference, and just glances at Dr. Mid-Nite when paired together. They go left while the other three go right, and decide to meet back at the split in fifteen minutes. Beth and Rick are walking through the tunnels when they hear growling and snarling coming from down the hall. Beth is nervous as to what could be making the noise, but Rick doesn't hesitate to go towards the noise and investigate what it is. They come to a large cell where a creature is locked inside. Beth wonders what the creature is, with Rick angrily stating that it is Solomon Grundy, the thing that killed his parents. He angrily storms to the cell doors and activates his hourglass out of emotion. She questions what he's doing, and he snaps back that he's going to rip the door off and kill the thing - he thought it was obvious. Beth tries to calm him by saying that killing Grundy isn't why they're here, but Rick retorts that there has been a change of plans.

Rick tries to pry the metal door open but has only managed a small dent. Beth sees the henchmen, and tells Rick they have company. He initially doesn't care and is intent on his task until he notices how many henchmen there are. He simply punches one of them, which causes a domino effect, and the rest of them fall to the ground in succession. Beth tells Rick they should go, pulling at his cloak as he tries to pry open the doors. He angrily gives up but tells Solomon Grundy that he'll be back, and runs off with Beth. As they run, they meet with Stargirl, Wildcat, and Henry, who also have minions on their trail, along with Brainwave, 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 shouts for Beth to go, and she runs through the gap first, followed by Wildcat and himself. Stargirl gets cut-off from the team and has to fight Brainwave with only Henry's help. Henry and Hourman work together to pry the bars apart, getting Stargirl to safety. Brainwave and Henry fight in the tunnels until Brainwave collapses the tunnels on his son, killing him in front of the stunned team.

The next day, Rick and Beth head to the Pit Stop before school per the morning ritual. Pat enters claiming to have news that he wants to share with the duo, but the kids are eager to share their news as well. Rick states that he's been working on his father's journal nonstop and has read every chemistry book at BVHS in an attempt to crack the code. Pat tells him that is a great feat but asks where Yolanda is, earning a solemn moment of silence in the garage. Beth informs Pat that Yolanda went to church to pray for Henry before school. Pat is quiet for a moment before telling them that Courtney's father is back, much to Beth and Rick's surprise. Rick thinks it's great since maybe Starman can help him crack the journal while Beth is shocked that Starman is alive. They are confused when Pat informs them that Courtney's father isn't Starman. They are interrupted by an older man who calls Pat by Stripesy, asking for his help. Rick is confused as to why their school janitor is at The Pit Stop - and why he has a sword. Justin becomes hostile quickly and Rick is eager to fight the man, but Pat keeps him at bay by saying that he thinks he knows the man. Rick tells Pat to let him take the man but Pat refuses, finally able to talk Justin down from his hallucination episode that led to his violent outburst. He had hallucinated Rick and Beth as Dragon King's minions. Pat comforts a now emotional Justin, while Rick asks Pat how he knows this freak, with Pat explaining that Justin is the bravest and strongest man he's ever met.

Rick looks at an old picture of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, dubious their leader, the Shining Knight, is huddling in front of him in a lowly custodian's attire. Pat takes the picture and hands it to Justin, urging him to remember who he is. Rick reminds him he tried to attack them with a sword, to which Justin angrily names it "Excalibur". This furthers Rick's disbelief in Justin's story. Pat quiets Rick then urges Justin to retell the story on how he got the sword. Honored, Justin recounts his past as a "lowly but loyal" stable boy who bestowed King Arthur's sword on his deathbed, being told, "heroes can come from anywhere". Beth asks if he's from the past, to which Justin replies he was from the time of dragons and knights. Rick slyly comments that the man is delusional. Pat ignores Rick and encourages Justin to open up about how he got to Blue Valley. Rick listens to Justin's story and then watches as the man admires S.T.R.I.P.E. Later that day, Rick and Beth attend Henry's memorial and are visibly surprised by Brainwaves speech - both the public one and the one he broadcasts mentally to the JSA. They sit next to one another and exchange worried looks with the rest of the JSA members.

### Fighting the ISA

With the ISA closing in, the JSA and Whitmore-Dugan family flee to a cabin to complete their plan to stop Project New America. Rick obsesses over cracking his father's journal, rightfully believing it's the key to stopping the ISA's plan. He cracks the codes and gives the journal to Beth to scan with her goggles and explains to the gathered group that the formulas were coordinates for the map of the tunnels. His father went to the tunnels and scoped them out. The map shows the tunnel entrances, their meeting room, and the center which is where they're building some kind of machine. Courtney believes the satellite codes were used to build something, with Beth adding that it's something big. The amplifier is meant to transmit brain waves to reach other people's minds. Beth determines that she will go to the American Dream and hack the hackers, with Barbara noting that she's going too.

Beth speaks to the team through their coms and tells them about the countdown clock and the ISA's manifesto for the broadcast. They want to combat global warming, force people to embrace solar and wind power, and eliminate discrimination of all kinds. Hourman stops in the tunnel in surprise, asking if she's kidding. Beth adds that they want universal healthcare too. Stargirl mentions that it's good and asks if it isn't. Hourman squeakily asks Pat if they're on the right side of this fight, with him adding that there has to be something else. Beth then explains that some people will fight too hard against the programming process and their brains will shut down, causing death. Hourman stalks forward with his group as they find out that 25 million people will die from the process as Gambler takes control of Beth's goggles. Gambler informs the JSA that the broadcast begins at the 30-minute mark and there are 30 minutes until Brainwave is finished programming.

Justin falls prey to the programming. Hourman speaks over the coms to Beth, telling her that they need help. She whines back that she knows but she doesn't know what to do. This sparks an idea that she can hear them while the JSA listens to Beth. They are confused as she asks about a frequency blocker in the tunnels. Beth begins to hack into Gambler's bank accounts with the assistance of Chuck, explaining that she volunteers with the Red Cross every Christmas. There are so many charities so she can't just pick one - she picks them all. Hourman grins at Beth's plan as he exchanges a triumphant look with Wildcat. Once the frequency jammers return due to Gambler's distraction over his money, Shining Knight snaps out of his trance. Hourman looks in the opposite direction of Wildcat to tell Beth she did a great job.

Wildcat, Stargirl, Hourman, Shining Knight, and S.T.R.I.P.E. physically fight the ISA in the tunnels, winning over their enemies. Rick and Justin dart out of the tunnels as Beth is fleeing The American Dream. He calls her name out as she stumbles backwards, looking up at the roof. She sees Rick and calls out to him, asking if he's okay. They meet up as he claims to be fine but asks where Yolanda is. Beth notices bursts of energy and ice coming from the top of the building and mutters out an "*oh no*", pointing to the top of the building. Rick and Justin turn and look up at the battle commencing before them.

They can't assist Stargirl, as Rick's hour is up, so they're forced to watch their leader battle it out with the ISA's leader. They witness Stargirl knocked from the top of the building. Wildcat leaps after her and saves her from falling to her death. Icicle also falls to the ground, and is about to attack when Mike Dugan rams into Icicle with Pat's car, shattering the man into pieces. With everyone safely on the ground and the battle over, a sense of relief is found in the group who exchange camaraderie's. Courtney, Beth, and Yolanda stand by Rick, who pulls them into a group hug. They were surprised yet pleased by the hug. Rick has one arm around Beth and the other around Yolanda's Wildcat cowl.

The group reunites at the Blue Valley High School football field where Rick drapes his arms over the chain link fence, Courtney by his side as they talk. He's okay for the first time in a long while. He looks at Beth and Yolanda who are sitting apart on the bleachers. Courtney assures Beth, who is crying, that they'll fix the goggles. Beth isn't worried about the goggles, it's Chuck. He assures her that they'll get *him* up and running. He asks her "okay" with a soft smile, and she smiles back at him and nods. Six-weeks later, Beth and Rick celebrate Christmas with the Whitmore-Dugan family.

### A New Year

In the months since the defeat of the Injustice Society of America, Rick and Beth remain members of the JSA. However, they decide to go on break until a real threat shows up, much to Courtney's chagrin. One day, Beth calls Rick to tell him there's a new superhero in town, which surprises him. He goes to The Pit Stop to meet Jennie-Lynn Hayden, the daughter of Alan Scott/Green Lantern. The JSA wonders what to do with the power battery emitting waves of uncontrolled energy. They run the artifact to the park where Rick brings up crushing it, but Beth logically protests that breaking it could make it worse. Rick drops the artifact as he can't hold it any longer. Rick suggests crushing it. Beth logically protests that breaking it could make things worse. They watch as Jennie absorbs the energy into herself, but the team is blasted backward with the destruction of the lantern. They roll onto the ground where they look up to see a giant crater where the lantern and Jennie once were. Beth and Rick end up side-by-side during the blast, watching in awe as Jennie flies above the ground.

Beth and the JSA meet at The Pit Stop to discuss the return of a former ISA villain, Richard Swift/The Shade. Rick arrives late and lies that he was "feeding his dog". Yolanda questions when he got a dog but Rick doesn't answer, instead asking about the meeting. Pat explains The Shade's past and that Shade was responsible for the death of the original Dr. Mid-Nite, and Beth concludes that Chuck is the only person they haven't gotten justice for yet. Rick, who is sitting next to her on the steps, assures her they'll get The Shade. The team meets again when Mike comes into possessions of Thunderbolt, who can grant wishes.

The JSA goes to The Shade's home expecting a fight. He invites them to sit down again as they could do it the other way but he wants the more genteel approach. Dr. Mid-Nite lashes out at him as Shade murdered the Golden Age Dr. Mid-Nite so she doesn't deserve the genteel approach. She advances towards him until Hourman pulls her back to stop her from attacking Shade. He calmly responds that she doesn't know what she's talking about. Ultimately, The Shade gets away from them when Mike impulsively bursts in with the Thunderbolt.

Beth returns to The Pit Stop with Rick as she tries to fix Chuck once again. She fails and angrily slams the computer shut as she feels frustrated that it's still not working. He assures her they will get Chuck back. She snaps that they won't because it's pointless and she's never getting Chuck back, plus they lost Dr. Mid-Nite's killer. She proclaims that everything is falling apart. He softly asks what's going on with her, but she gets up to leave instead. Rick quickly reminds her that she can talk to him. A moment passes before he tells her to pretend he's Chuck. She stops and takes a moment as he waits patiently. She admits that she thinks her parents are getting a divorce as she found the papers. He logically reminds her that papers are just papers so she should ask her parents about them. She wipes a tear away and he simply states that he would talk to his parents if he could. A moment of silence passes before they are interrupted by the goggles which call out to Beth. She puts them on and the voice still doesn't know who she is but warns her to be careful, as Eclipso is here. His voice cuts off before he can finish. Beth lowers the goggles and relays the warning to Rick.

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 Yolanda. Courtney gives Rick a look that makes him admit that chocolate is fine, while Beth adds that Rick can have her whipped cream. Courtney fills them in on what she's learned about Eclipso. They make a plan to meet up later, with Courtney leaving. Rick has to leave to feed his dog, but orders a dozen burgers and fries from Yolanda. Yolanda asks if he's joking but Rick's expression tells her he isn't. She leaves to get his order, leaving Beth and Rick alone at the table. Beth asks him what kind of dog he has, to which Rick merely says a big one. She smiles and offers a toast with their milkshakes. They clink glasses before drinking.

In the days that follow, Beth meets with Pat at The Pit Stop as he wants to talk about the weather patterns and how they can use the goggles to track them, and thus, Eclipso. She tries to convince Pat that she spoke with the real Dr. McNider who is still alive. He doesn't believe her as it's impossible, as he saw McNider die. She argues that it could be possible just as Rick enters, asking about the bickering. She ecstatically says that she heard the real Dr. Charles McNider last night, that he's alive, and that's why he didn't recognize her voice. Rick tries to joke that the goggles are a Ouija board now, with Pat interrupting to say they can't talk to the dead. Beth states that he must be alive, though Pat still isn't convinced as it could be Eclipso making her see or hear what she wants. Rick believes Beth and asks Pat what that could mean, so Pat states that if Dr. McNider is alive then they'll stop at nothing to help him. But until they know for sure, they have to focus on the problem at hand.

At nightfall, Dr. Mid-Nite and the rest of the JSA gather outside Blue Valley High School, where the goggles indicate an electrical disturbance and odd weather pattern above the school. Beth, Rick, and Yolanda begin to experience the power of Eclipso's hallucinations while in the art room. They try to leave the room but Eclipso slams the door shut, trapping them inside. Beth shouts that it won't open, so Rick tells her to move. He proceeds to punch the door off the hinges. Ultimately, the trio falls victim to Eclipso's twisted visions. Each of them are affected by what they saw. Beth takes Rick's advice to talk with her parents about finding their divorce papers, ultimately learning that it's something that might happen. The next morning, she tries to get her parents back together but fails. She leaves The American Dream heartbroken, leaving a voicemail for Rick to call her back as she needs to talk with him. Artemis Crock appears and grabs Beth, warning that the fight of jock versus nerd is coming - she wants Beth to pay for putting her parents in prison.

That day, Pat is attacked by Artemis Crock and Isaac Bowin, while Mike is kidnapped by Cindy Burman and held hostage as leverage for the JSA. The JSA heads to BVHS and arrives in a tense showdown against Isaac Bowin, Artemis Crock, and Shiv - the newly formed Injustice Unlimited. Stargirl demands to know where her brother is, but Shiv taunts her that she got bored and had killed Mike, leading to the first blows being delivered. Wildcat lunges for Artemis but misses. Artemis aims her crossbow at Dr. Mid-Nite, who freezes in shock. The arrows fly towards her, but Hourman jumps in front of Dr. Mid-Nite, saving her life. The arrows break upon contact with his back. He whirls around to catch the third one, throwing it to the ground in anger. He's about to attack when Isaac blasts them backwards, smashing the duo into a table

Artemis stands over Dr. Mid-Nite and taunts that it's "joke 1, nerd 0". She is about to deliver another blow when Dr. Mid-Nite uses her goggles to project the mugshots of Larry and Paula, distracting Artemis as she's surrounded with the imagery. This allows Hourman to attack Artemis and kick her across the room, her body hitting a pillar before landing on a table. The fight rages on until all but Cindy remain of the Injustice Unlimited. Things go from bad to worse when Eclipso takes over Cindy's body, The Shade arrives, and Stargirl accidentally frees Eclipso from The Black Diamond. Yolanda, Rick, and Beth, meet at The Pit Stop where they talk about Isaac's death. Beth also uses the goggles x-ray vision to determine which of Rick's ribs are fractured. Yolanda thinks Isaac was troubled but not evil, though Eclipso is evil. She coldly states that while Isaac didn't deserve to die, Eclipso did.

Eclipso's dark visions make Hourman mercilessly attack his uncle, thinking that it's Grundy on a murder spree. He ends up in jail awaiting news. Because of Rick's less than ideal circumstances, he is separated from Beth and the rest of his friends until Pat springs him from jail by getting Matt to drop the charges. Dr. Mid-Nite, Stargirl, Wildcat, Shiv, and Pat head to The American Dream to fight Eclipso, as Beth's parents were kidnapped by the creature. Rick stays behind at The Pit Stop, trying to repair his fractured hourglass. As things worsen for Beth and the team, Rick decides to forget the hourglass and take his chances as a non-powered superhero in the battle. Hourman arrives with Grundy, who puts up a fight against Eclipso until the demon murders him and knocks Hourman unconscious. He and Dr. Mid-Nite arrives to witness Starman breaking through to Stargirl, getting her to see the light and excising Eclipso from her body. Together, the JSA defeats Eclipso as the light-wielders of their team turns him into a piece of half-burnt toast.

With things finally back to normal, Beth, Rick, Courtney, Jennie, and Yolanda gather on the steps of the Whitmore-Dugan House. Yolanda announces that she's back in the JSA full-time, while Rick admits he has some things he needs to do. Beth looks up at him expectantly, but he doesn't offer an explanation.

### Investigating a Murder

Once summer is over, Beth talks to her parents at lunch through her 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. After she hangs up the phone, Rick joins her, Yolanda, and Courtney at the table. The pair end up disagreeing with Cindy Burman joining the JSA, as Beth wants to give her a fresh start, while Rick isn't willing to forgive and forget so easily. After nearly taking on the No Limit Gang, the JSA returns to The Pit Stop to debrief. While there, Cindy offers her house as an alternate meeting place, as she has comfortable chairs and wine. Rick presses that they don't drink on the job, with Beth adding they aren't 21 and don't drink at all. Cindy calls the situation lame.

The JSA ultimately heads to Steven Sharpe's trailer to interrogate him about the No Limit Gang being in Blue Valley. Dr. Mid-Nite continues to search for connections between The Gambler and his old gang, but hasn't found anything. She doubts they're working for him now. 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. Dr. Mid-Nite looks at Hourman with a matter-of-fact expression. 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.

Back at The Pit Stop, Pat and Sylvester join the JSA as they discuss the murder. Rick and Yolanda still think Cindy did it, despite the girl professing her innocence. 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. The next day, 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.

Rick works on the hourglass in The Pit Stop, pensively looking at the wiring. Beth thought he fixed it. He thought so too, but the timing's off. He sighs that he's supposed to be Hourman. One hour of super strength a day every time he puts that thing on. But lately, it's been completely random intervals. 48 minutes, then 6, and then 17. He sighs that he can't have his powers drop out mid-fight, especially if The Gambler's killer is as strong as they think they are. Beth looks at him sympathetically, understanding his struggle. A whoosh makes Beth turn around, just as The Shade arrives on the couch. She crinkles her face as she doesn't look so good. He grumbles that he ran into something rather large, and rather stupid. Rick prickly asks what he wants. Shade is leaving Blue Valley, for now. There are things he needs to attend to elsewhere. Quite honestly, this town is too small for the vast egos of Sylvester Pemberton and himself. He just wanted to apologize that he wasn't able to help Rick with Grundy's return. He tells him not to give up. Rick nods and asks what he's supposed to do with him now. Shade simply smirks and puts his top hat on, disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.

The next day, Beth and Rick drive down the street in his car. She wears her goggles for a video chat with her mom. Bridget is in disbelief that they still don't know who killed The Gambler, conferencing in Beth's father as he'll want to hear about this. He questions if this is about The Gambler, pressing that he can't believe he worked with supervillains. Beth can't talk about it right now. She has to run, but tells her parents to have a good day. They're still chattering away when she hangs up. She smiles nervously at Rick, apologizing for that. He thinks her parents being so into her being Dr. Mid-Nite is kind of cool. She shrugs at the idea, then asks if his uncle ever gets in the way of him being Hourman. Rick tenses as he admits that Matt's gone, which surprises Beth. He doesn't know where he went and sure as hell doesn't care. Just as she's about to respond, her goggles flick on and make a clinking noise. He glances over to ask what it is, but she's not sure, as she's never heard the goggles make this sound before. She sees bank statements appear in the lenses. Someone is forwarding her a bunch of documents. She thinks The Gambler was blackmailing someone. He asks who sent it to her, but it doesn't say. They exchange looks of confusion.

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. The group discusses Cindy potentially with Dragon King, as Courtney is adamantly against the belief.

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 asks them to please learn from his mistakes. So if Courtney wants to hang out with Cameron Mahkent, let her.

Rick and Yolanda attack Cindy after finding Gambler's laptop in her possession. Beth watches on a secret surveillance feed she discovers around Blue Valley. Cindy outs Courtney's true relationship with Cameron, that she's teaching him how to make icicles. The team regroups at The Pit Stop. Courtney 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.

The JSA works together to remove the hidden cameras around town. Beth puts Blue Valley into a blackout so they voyeur won't know they've found their secret. Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite arrive at Blue Valley High School. She scans the lunchroom to find a camera pointing directly at their table. He sighs as they're definitely being targeted, and she thinks so and Sylvester does too. She wonders what Courtney thinks, and so does he. But he also wonders if she still even wants to be Stargirl. Dr. Mid-Nite sighs that he knows she does. Hourman spots the camera and she relays that The Gambler must have stumbled onto the same security feed she did. He asks if she thinks whoever's watching them knew that and killed him for it, and that is what she thinks. It wasn't The Shade, the Crocks, Dragon King, or Cindy Burman.

He rears back and punches a hole in the wall, ripping out the camera as bricks go flying. He throws the camera aside and it smashes into pieces. He glibly remarks that another one bites the dust. His actions surprise her, and she asks if he turned over his hourglass just for that. He doesn't have to anymore - he took off the limiter, so now it works 24-7. He tells her to watch this, punching a huge chunk out of a concrete beam. A loud ringing echoes through the room from the impact, causing her to cover her ears. She demands to know what he's doing, but he chuckles that he was just showing her. That seems kind of extreme to her, and he relents that it might be, but it was kind of fun, too. Being Hourman can finally be fun for him and he never has to worry about time running out on him again. He's amped and ready to move.

They walk into a math classroom. He rips up a desk and throws it across the room into the chalkboard. Annoyed, she asks him to stop doing that, but he has to flex - it feels good. He asks where the last camera is and she points to the wall. As they walk over, he remarks that whoever's doing this is a real creep and she agrees, but wonders who's doing it and why. Hourman shrugs it off. What does anyone who comes have them want - revenge, power, never matters, he'll crush them all the same. The lights whir on and the building clicks back online. She remarks that isn't good. Hourman turns to the camera and speaks to the person on the other end warning that, "whoever you are, we're coming for you". He angrily punches the camera.

The JSA convenes for lunch, where Courtney makes her amends to the team. She apologizes as it was never her intention to put Cameron before them. Beth thanks her for the apology and accepts it, eyeing Rick when he's silent. The boy briskly nods they're good. Courtney wants to tell Cameron everything so she can be with him, but Rick disagrees with the choice. 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.

Yolanda, Beth, and Rick walk down Main Street. Yolanda muses that when this all started, she thought this would be easy, knowing the good guys from the bad. But she isn't sure anymore. Beth reminds her of what Courtney says about there being good and bad in everyone. Rick scoffs that some have more bad than others, though. He winces in pain, stopping on the sidewalk. Yolanda asks if he's okay, while Beth questions if it's the hourglass. He's fine, insisting it's just a headache, though Beth isn't so sure. The goggles continue to ring so she puts them on. He asks what's going on. She's been trying to lock into the signal from the camera, but it's been bouncing all around the country, sending Sylvester everywhere. The goggles show her information as she talks. This could just be another false lead, making her look around nervously. He asks where the signal is coming from, stating her name twice. The goggles pick up on his rising agitation levels. She nervously admits it's coming from inside the Mahkent house. Rick looks to Yolanda as she shakes her head.

Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite walk the perimeter of the Mahkent house. Wildcat wonders why Rick didn't wait for them, but Dr. Mid-Nite knows it's because he's not thinking straight. She starts to tell her about the hourglass, but Wildcat cuts her off, telling her to explain later. The fight results in Hourman being badly beaten by Cameron, and Sofus collapsing of a heart attack which requires Dr. Mid-Nite's services to save him.

In the aftermath of the fight, Beth brings Rick back to her home so her mom can give him a proper exam.He asks what his prognosis is and if he will ever be able to play the violin again. Beth replies that it's not funny, and that Mr. Mahkent almost died. Rick snaps back that he didn't, neither did he. Dr. Chapel tells him while that's true, his blood pressure and heart rate are elevated to unnatural levels. Beth insists it's that hourglass, as he's been wearing it for too long. He chuckles, standing up, as he feels better than ever, and with Cameron Mahkent and his grandparents out there, none of them can let their guard down right now. James tells Rick that from what Beth told them, it sounds like he just rushed in, even hit Courtney. Rick angrily and offensively yells back that it was an accident. Beth looks at her parents in surprise and he looks to Beth, insisting she knows that. She gestures for him to calm down as she takes a step closer. They do know that, but also knows he hasn't been acting like himself. They're all really worried about him him. Rick grabs the hourglass, insistings he's fine, really. Beth tells him to take off the hourglass, then. Take it off for ten minutes and see how he feels. Rick scoffs and approaches Beth, looking down at her. He warns her to don't ever tell him what to do. He leaves the house as she shouts after him, with James telling him to hold on. Rick ignores them as he leaves. The Chapel family stands together in worry.

Pat calls a team meeting to discuss their newest threat, but notices Rick's absence. Beth reveals that she hasn't heard back from him yet. Artemis visits the Whitmore-Dugan's and asks for help in finding her missing parents. Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, and Artemis track Sportsmasters helmet to the underground tunnels.Yolanda asks where Rick is, but Beth isn't sure as he didn't return her calls.

Across Blue Valley in West Farms, Rick stands in the bathroom of his house. He breathes heavily as he clutches the hourglass. He takes it off and immediately starts experiencing side effects. The room around him blurs as waves of pain wash over him. His vision flashes then goes red. He cripples over and groans in pain, clutching his side as he stumbles back to the sink. He can barely breathe as he pulls the hourglass back on. Rick splashes his face with water as he pants, everything going dark until the power of the hourglass restores his strength. He looks up in the mirror, wheezing, letting out an shout. His phone buzzes with a call from Beth. In The Pit Stop, Beth ends her call to Rick and unplugs the goggles, turning to Yolanda. She still can't reach Rick, which Yolanda sarcastically calls a shocker.

Pat, Courtney, Barbara, Beth, and Yolanda convene at the table. Barbara asks how "Sylvester" took the staff from her. He asked Cosmo to come to him and she couldn't do anything about it. Yolanda wonders why it didn't come back. Courtney tearfully thinks it's because she's not Starman. Pat's going to go and get S.T.R.I.P.E. to try and intercept Sylvester before he gets to Jordan's. Beth says they need Rick and he needs theirs. Pat tells them to go talk to him and he'll check in later.

Courtney, Beth, and Yolanda prepare to leave the Whitmore-Dugan House to find Rick. Barbara asks them to call her when they do, leaving herself. Courtney opens the kitchen door to find Rick on the other side. He tearfully needs their help. Once in the living room, Yolanda thinks he should take the hourglass off. Barbara offers to help him manage the pain if it hurts. Beth thinks her mom can help. He asks about Ultra-Humanite and Jordan, as they need him powered up. Courtney assures him they just need him healthy. He shakes his head, asking where Sylvester is, as he might know what to do. He knew about the limiter. He told him how to take it off, which surprises everyone. Beth did some reading. His father went through the same thing once and the JSA helped him through it. Courtney notes that Sylvester would know the dangers of the limiter, with Beth confirming Starman was there. If he was there, he knew what it would do to Rick. They question why he would tell Rick to remove it.

### Battle of Blue Valley

A storm brews over Blue Valley as the JSA convenes in the Whitmore-Dugan House. Courtney reorients everyone that "Sylvester" told Rick about the hourglass's limiter, but he didn't warn Rick what happened to his father years before. "Mr. Pemberton" also told Beth to protect her parents. Courtney realizes that he was really getting her to do was push them away. After all the help they've given Beth, she knows that was a mistake now. "Sylvester" told Yolanda not to let up Cindy, so she never gave her a chance. Barbara wonders why "Sylvester" would purposefully give them all bad advice. One by one, the JSA realizes it was to keep them distracted, to break them apart, to weaken them, and Courtney morosely adds it was to take away their confidence. He took the staff from her and said she wasn't worthy of it. Barbara knows he's dead wrong, but Courtney questions why she couldn't bring it back to her. Yolanda thinks "Sylvester" might have wanted the staff for himself this whole time. Rick doesn't understand why he wouldn't just take it from Court in the first place, why he would wait. Barbara laments that they have to find Pat.

After a tip from Cameron, the JSA heads to Zeek's Junkyard where they end up in a vicious battle against Icicle, Lily, Sofus, Cameron, and Ultra-Humanite, who wields the cosmic Staff. Dr. Mid-Nite pairs off with Sofus, ultimately seeing that he doesn't want to fight and asks for his help in stopping everyone else. Hourman, however, fights Cameron and is weakened by the effects of the hourglass, which leads to his defeat by Cameron. The JSA comes out victorious, as Stargirl takes back the staff, Pat defeats the Ultra-Humanite, and Cameron defeats his father.

The morning after the fight, Rick sets the hourglass on the coffee table in front of Beth, Bridget, and James. He's sorry for the way he spoke to all of them. He's not going to blame that on anything other than being a thick-headed jerk. Bridget and James chuckle and she assures him it's alright. James adds they're just glad he's feeling better. He looks to Beth and says thank you, then to the parents, for being there for him. He looks back to Beth with a soft gaze as it's her turn. She nods and nervously stands beside Rick. They exchange a look before she talks to her parents.

They've been her guides since she was a kid, and they were her guides when she was Doctor Mid-Nite through all of this. Even when she told them she didn't want them to be. She becomes emotional so Rick puts a supporting hand on her back. She knows they love her, and she loves them too. Rick rubs her back gently in support. She does need their help. She wants their help, so she's asking for it officially. James and Bridget laugh and grin with excitement, questioning if she wants them to be her sidekicks. Beth quickly admits that sounds a little derogatory, but her parents are too eager to let her finish. James leaps over the couch, exclaiming it's a dream. They point to both of them, ready to talk costumes.

One night at the Whitmore-Dugan House, Pat and Barbara host a dinner. Beth, her parents, and Rick stand by the table talking. Beth tells her dad the dish he brought looks great. Rick asks James and Bridget about being sidekicks. He's decided to be Nite-Lite, while Bridget is choosing Hootie, in honor of Dr. McNider's wise owl. He has the whole suit design, which makes Beth chuckle as she puts her arm around him. Bridget greets Yolanda as she brings the bowl of pasta to the table on her way out of the room. Rick asks what James's powers would be, and he incredulously says he's glowing in the dark, man. Rick chuckles as that's cool. James has some new things and it's going to be great, it's going to be fantastic. Beth smiles that she knows. The group laughs together and talks.

### A Future for Hournite

Ten years later, in the year 2031, Beth and Rick remain members of the Justice Society of America as Dr. Mid-Nite and Hourman, respectively. The Shade gives a tour of the JSA museum, telling the tourists that Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite's impending nuptials are to be officiated by him, giving a proud smile. He adds that with the heroes comes their simple minded yet foul-smelling friend, Solomon Grundy.

## Hournite Moments

* **The Catch -**
* **Pretend I'm Chuck -**
* **Car Ride -**

## Recurring Themes and Symbols

* **The Pit Stop -** Since their first late night research session, The Pit Stop has become a recurring location for Beth and Rick to hang out. They were seen together at The Pit Stop in "*Road Trip*", being the only two JSA members seen together in the strip.
	+ **Late Night Workshops -** In "*Brainwave*", during the beginning days of the JSA, Beth, Rick, and Yolanda are meant to stay at The Pit Stop after school for training. When Yolanda flakes, Pat takes them to find out if there's a tunnel system under Blue Valley. He wants them to use some old books and Beth's goggles. Rick initially doesn't show interest in helping Beth, believing she and the goggles can figure it out themselves. He focuses on his father's journal. However, they end up sitting next to one another on the couch. Beth finds information and relays it to Rick. In "*Summer School: Chapter Three*", Beth works late trying to fix her goggles. She expresses pure frustration for the first time, catching Rick's attention. He asks her what's wrong but she's reluctant to talk to him. He presses, telling her that she can talk to him, and to pretend he's Chuck. She stops and takes a moment as he waits patiently. She opens up about her family struggles, and Rick gives her advice that she needs. They are interrupted by the goggles which call out to Beth, warning her that Eclipso is here. Beth relays the warning to Rick. In "*Chapter Two: The Suspects*", Rick works late on his hourglass while Beth keeps him company. He tells her about the problems he's having with the intervals of his powers.
	+ **Additional Pit Stop Moments -** In "*Shiv Part One*", Rick finds out that Cindy put Courtney in the hospital. He plans to attack her, but Beth intervenes, stopping him. He is initially mean to her, until she calls him out on hurting so much that he wants everyone else to hurt too. He then decides to listen to her plan. This is the first time that Rick doesn't use brute force to accomplish a goal. In "*Shining Knight*", Beth and Rick are the only JSA members to meet with Pat in the morning, learning that Starman isn't Courtney's father, after all. When a distressed Justin arrives, Rick is eager to fight him and stands in front of an uncostumed Beth. In "*Summer School: Chapter Three*", the JSA prepares to go after The Shade, who is the ISA member that killed Charles McNider. Beth wants justice for him, and Rick assures her they'll get it. In "*Summer School: Chapter Six*", Rick walks in to Pat and Beth bickering over the possibility of Dr. McNider being alive. Beth thinks he is while Pat thinks it's impossible. Rick ultimately believes Beth is telling the truth, siding with her in the argument.

## Notes and Trivia

* They joined the JSA on the same day; October 31st, 2020.
* Beth is the person who tells Rick the truth about his parent's murder, which changes his life. Ultimately, knowing the truth allows Rick to embrace his father's mantle of Hourman and join the team.
* Rick's history of anger issues and impulsivity usually leads him to ignore everyone else's attempts at stopping him. The first time he stops to listen to reason is when Beth intervenes, telling him that he hurts so much that he wants to hurt others.
	+ Rick later stops Beth when she wants to go after The Shade for killing Dr. McNider, paralleling their moment in the Pit Stop.
* Their biggest character moments typically happen in the same episode. They both joined the JSA in "*Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite*", and were affected by Eclipso in "*Summer School: Chapter Eight*".
	+ They are the only superhero mantles to share an episode title. While Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E. were used in the Season 1 two-part finale, Stargirl's full alias wasn't used, only "Stars".
* Both have lost their primary superhero gear at some point in their careers as superhero's. Beth's goggles broke in "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two*", while Rick broke his hourglass in "*Summer School: Chapter Eight*".
	+ They help each other fix their respective gear, with Rick encouraging Beth not to give up on fixing Chuck, while Beth keeps him company as he fixes the hourglass.
* So far, they have disagreed over two prospective members of the JSA - Henry King Jr. and Cindy Burman. Beth is pro-second chance, while Rick is skeptical. They both seemed fine with the potential addition of Jennie-Lynn Hayden.
* Rick catching Beth when she falls out of Cindy's window in "*Shiv Part Two*" is a direct parallel to an iconic comic moment in Infinity Inc. In the comic, Rick says "I got you", holding onto Beth during an earthquake at her medical clinic, which is the same phrase he says in "*Shiv Part Two*" after catching her. Also in the comics, Hourman carries an unconscious Dr. Mid-Nite after rescuing her from a fiery explosion at the clinic that blinds her.
* Going to The Pit Stop was part of their morning ritual in Season 1 and 2. While they never arrive together, they arrive soon after the other.
* Beth is the first passenger seen in Rick's car.

## Comic Comparisons

* Rick and Beth dated in their initial comic runs, and were romantic partners for many issues. Their relationship only ended when Beth was killed by Eclipso.

## Gallery

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

"We'll fix Chuck."

"Pretend I'm Chuck"

## References

1. ↑ "*Stargirl*"
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "*Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite*"
3. ↑ "*The Justice Society*"
4. ↑ "*Shiv Part One*"
5. ↑ "*Shiv Part Two*"
6. ↑ "*Brainwave*"
7. ↑ "*Brainwave Jr.*"
8. ↑ "*Shining Knight*"
9. ↑ "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part One*"
10. ↑ "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two*"
11. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter One*"
12. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Two*"
13. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Three*"
14. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Four*"
15. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Five*"
16. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Six*"
17. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Eight*"
18. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Twelve*"
19. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Thirteen*"
20. ↑ "*Chapter One: The Murder*"
21. ↑ "*Chapter Two: The Suspects*"
22. ↑ "*Chapter Three: The Blackmail*"
23. ↑ "*Chapter Four: The Evidence*"
24. ↑ "*Chapter Five: The Thief*"
25. ↑ "*Chapter Six: The Betrayal*"
26. ↑ "*Chapter Seven: Infinity Inc. Part One*"
27. ↑ "*Chapter Nine: The Monsters*"
28. ↑ "*Chapter Ten: The Killer*"
29. ↑ "*Chapter Eleven: The Haunting*"
30. ↑ "*Chapter Twelve: The Last Will and Testament of Sylvester Pemberton*"
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 "*Chapter Thirteen: The Reckoning*"