Stargirl

S.T.R.I.P.E.S (Stepfather)

Mike Dugan (Stepbrother)

Patrica Dugan (Half-Sister)

Infinity Inc

## **History**

### **Courtney Whitmore: 2002 - 2017**

Courtney Whitmore is the daughter of Barbara Whitmore, a single mother from Gotham City that had fled across the country to escape her abusive boyfriend and raise her then-unborn daughter in peace. Little did Courtney’s mother know what she had put her daughter on a collision course with a life filled with crime-fighting adventure. Though Courtney was born in Coast City, she and her mother moved around a lot. Eventually settling down in the calm small city of Blue Valley; Barbara Whitmore befriended Patrick Dugan, a single father, and a mechanic.

When Courtney was ten, the single parents joined their families and Courtney got Mike Dugan as a stepbrother. It was shortly after moving into Patrick’s home that Courtney discovered an old STAR Labs container with a digital keypad. When she asked Patrick about it, all he did was tell her to stay away from it. Of course, she didn’t listen.

In time, Courtney realized that she lacked the know-how to get into the container. Snooping in her stepfather’s workshop, she found evidence that Pat had once worked as a mechanical engineer in the U.S. Military and had worked with S.T.A.R. Labs to create a belt that, when worn, would endow an individual with enhanced physical prowess through a process called Cosmic Conversion. Armed with this, Courtney confronted her stepfather, forcing Pat to explain that he had been the field technician for a special forces team of seven soldiers, all armed with these Cosmic Converter Belts. The team had been given the call sign “Victory” and was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan after the events of September 11th, 2001, and had worked with the likes of Steve Trevor and Wonder Woman. When Pat’s team was disbanded in the aftermath of UN Sanctions being leveled at the military for use of “persons of mass destruction”, Pat was able to quietly retire from service amid the confusion, taking his belt with him. Of course, after hearing that story, Courtney was made to promise to not tell her mother… but their were no promises made about showing her mother. Returning to the locked container, Courtney punched in the numbers corresponding to the word “Victory” and just like that a hero was born.

### **Star-Spangled Kid: 2017 - Present**

After unlocking her stepfather’s old war chest, Courtney Whitmore discovered Pat Dugan’s old Cosmic Converter Belt and a variety of wartime memorabilia. Though Courtney’s original plan was to expose Pat Dugan’s secret past to her mother, Courtney got sidetracked as she decide she had to at least test out the dangerous military equipment herself. Clipping the belt around her waist, Courtney Whitmore went for a joy ride and found that through this process of “Cosmic Conversion” she gained superhuman attributes. Of course, like any responsible teenage heroine with newly found superpowers, Courtney decided to become a superhero and made herself a costume (originally consisting of a black hoodie and pink ski mask).

Fortunately, Courtney’s plans were derailed when on her debut outing in costume; she was quickly caught by Pat as she snuck out of the house. Courtney tried to knock-out Pat (in those early days, Courtney didn’t really like Pat), but he disabled her despite her superpowers with the use of his military training, easily outclassing Courtney’s frantic swings and aimless kicks. Once Courtney cooled her jets, Pat surprised her once more by not taking the belt away or grounding her, but rather offering her a chance to train with him with the promise that once she was ready, he would let her go superheroing… with a chaperone. Not really sure what he meant by “chaperone” but wanting that offered training, Courtney agreed.

After a couple of months of proper training, Pat Dugan took Courtney to the outskirts of town and introduced her to their new lair… and her very own costume. Court did not care for Pat’s sense of style so she insisted on some modifications. Pat agreed, on the condition that the costume had a patriotic theme. After getting her costume just right, Court got to meet her chaperone: a giant mech-suit worn by none other than Pat himself. Talk about father/daughter bonding time! I wish my dad would fight crime in a mech suit…As the Star-Spangled Kid and STRIPES, the two heroes became U.S. Mascots overnight, replacing the dated Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter. Courtney even got to join the Titans!

## **Appearance**

Courtney is an attractive, young teenage girl. She has long blond hair, blue eyes, and a slim build. While in civilian clothes, she is usually seen wearing white, red, or blue: a combination of her costume's primary colors.

In the guise of **Stargirl**, she wears a fabric costume, with leather shorts, very similar to her mentor, The Star-Spangled Kid's costume. Her costume is navy blue, adorned with stars on the chest and sleeves, with red gloves and her famous cosmic converter belt. To hide her identity, Stargirl wears a blue leather mask that covers the top part of her face. She also carries with her the Cosmic Staff.

## **Personality**

Courtney is a complicated young girl whose disposition and nature was greatly affected by her mother's marriage to Pat Dugan and their subsequent move to Blue Valley, causing her to lash out her negative feelings. She detested her new stepfather and initially dismissed him as lame, refusing to acknowledge him as her new father figure as she secretly held out hope her biological father may soon return one day. Following the move, she struggles to assimilate into small-town life and the typical teenage problems of socially navigating high school as a friendless new student. Her first encounter with Brainwave revealed her subsequent feelings of being alone and isolated. She also harbors many unresolved issues from her father abandoning her.

Despite this, her short temper and the fire within her leads Courtney to defend those who are being bullied. She isn't afraid to stand up for herself. Instead of being frightened of the impossible sight of the Cosmic Staff, Courtney demonstrated a curious, brave side of her which was a factor of her succession as the new handler. She was chosen by the staff for her remarkable heart and enthusiasm to fight for justice. Even when things seem lost, Courtney manages to find her way back to the ideology of justice and heroism. She can be overly enthusiastic and didn't understand the full depths of being a superhero until the death of a fellow student finally taught her the consequences the life can have. Even when faced with grief, Courtney was able to convince Pat that it was because a kid died that they had to continue their mission. Courtney is also a feminist and fights for justice against Cindy when the latter slut-shamed Yolanda. She also told Cindy that slut-shaming is damaging and sets women back fifty years.

## **Abilities, Equipment, and Weakness**

### **Abilities**

* **Peak Human Condition:** After training with Pat, Courtney's bodily functions are pushed to the pinnacle of human conditioning; therefore, her strength, speed, stamina, senses, agility, reflexes, accuracy, durability, healing time, flexibility and combat skills are near enhanced/superhuman.
	+ **Peak Human Athleticism:** Courtney agility, balance, flexibility, dexterity, and bodily coordination are enhanced to the levels that are similar to an Olympic gold medalist.
	+ **Peak Human/Enhanced Combat:** Courtneyis a master of hand-to-hand combat, being extremely skilled in numerous martial arts through her training in military training and direction under various private instructors such as Wildcat, Black Canary, and by her own Stepfather in close-quarters combat. Courtney has stated that she is adept at every form of hand-to-hand combat known to man. She utilizes boxing, Judo, Defendu, kickboxing, Jujutsu, Tōde, Aikido, Karate, and various other forms of unarmed combat disciplines, with her gymnastics ability creating a style that suits her strengths and enables her to use her knowledge to the best of her ability.
	+ **Peak Human Reflexes:** Courtney'sreflexes are to the levels that are to that of any Olympic-level athlete that has ever compete.
	+ **Peak Human Speed:** Courtney can run and move at great speeds faster than normal humans. She is capable of reaching up to 30 mph. At peak capacity, she can fully exert her speeds for no more than 35 mph.
	+ **Peak Human Stamina:** Courtneymusculature produces considerably fewer fatigue-toxins, allowing her to physically exert herself for up to one hour before showing any signs of fatigue. Her lung capacity is at peak human level enabling her to hold the breath for 5 minutes underwater.
	+ **Peak Human Strength:** Courtney physical strength is enhanced to the very peak of human potential, making her consistently able to sustain lifts 800 lbs (363 kg)

* **Staff Proficiency:** Even when she's not using the staff's amazing abilities she can use it as a melee weapon. She became skilled in Bōjutsu by Black Canary. The staff is both collapsible and made of an indestructible light gold titanium promethium. It can be used to strike and attack and spun around as a makeshift shield. The composition of the staff is strong enough to block blasts of energy and support a large amount of weight.

### **Equipment**

**Cosmic Converter Belt:** When the son of the Orignal Starman Jack Knight got obtain his father's original gravity rod he fashioned it into a belt for his husband Sylvester Pemberton, who became Skyman.The Cosmic Converter Belt converts cosmic energy (starlight) and into a very useful and flexible force enhancing physical functions. Following Pemberton's death at the hands of Solomon Grundy, the belt was found by Courtney Whitmore, the step-daughter of his former sidekick Stripesy, who used it to become the second Star-Spangled Kid.

* **Solar Energy Absorption/Empowerment**: The Cosmic Converter Belt converts cosmic energy (starlight) and into a very useful and flexible force.
	+ **Enhanced Athleticism:** The belt increases it, wearer agility, acrobatics, and leaping skills. Even though Courtney was a skilled cheerleader her agility, balance, flexibility, and bodily coordination are all enhanced to levels that are far beyond the natural physical limits of an Olympic-level gymnast. Stargirl possesses the ability to achieve a state of perfect equilibrium in any position imaginable. She seems able to adjust her position by instinct, which enables him to balance herself on virtually any object, no matter how small or narrow.
	+ **Enhanced Durability:**  The belt increases it, wearer bodily tissues, making them far tougher and more resistant to injury than normal humans. Allowing her to take blades or small conventional bullets composed of conventional material, resistant to great impact forces and blunt trauma. Stargirl could withstand powerful impacts, such as falling from several stories or being repeatedly struck by a superhuman enemy, that would severely injure or kill a normal human with little to no injury to herself.
	+ **Enhanced Reflexes:** The belt increases it, wearer reactionary time it's reflexes amplified to the highest human potential and is said to have a reaction time ten times faster than a normal person. She has been shown which makes it possible for him to dodge gunfire, from multiple shooters simultaneously.
	+ **Enhanced Speed:** The belt increases it, wearer reactionary time Stargirl can run and move at speeds that are slightly beyond the natural physical limits of the finest human athlete, Stargirl is fast enough to catch up to an accelerating car while on foot, but prefers to fly. Stargirl moves faster than the eye can follow; she has even moved so fast he appears as a blur. Stargirl was able to easily outrun multiple shurikens and bullets, and outmaneuver their ranged attacks at the same time. In close combat, she was even able to dodge an all-out assault from Liberty Belle (Libby Lawrence) for an extended period of time.
	+ **Enhanced Stamina:** The belt increases it, wearer endurance. Stargirl now has advanced musculature produces fewer fatigue toxins during physical activity than an ordinary human. This allows her to exert himself physically for much longer periods of time before fatigue begins to impair her. At her peak, Stargirl can physically exert herself at her peak capacity for several hours before the build-up of fatigue toxins in his blood begins to impair him. Stargirl is able to hold his breath for eight minutes or more now.
	+ **Enhanced Strength:** The belt increases it, wearer Stargirl can easily overpower humans by lifting them up with one hand or by hurling them around. She can also lift extremely heavy objects, crush and breakthrough wood panels and templates, bend metal, and can punch through glass without gaining injury.
	+ **Shooting Stars:** Stargirl can shoot out light forms that can disrupt electric devices and organic nervous systems.
	+ **Solar Aura:** The belt allows Stargirl to create a sparkling stellar aura which increases her durability allowing her to take machine bullets straight into the face, her aura is so bright it blinds people, and it's strong enough to burn people who get near it or tries to touch it.
	+ **Attunement**: The belt and staff are to attune each other it allows the current wielder; to control the staff from remote distances such as turning it off or summoning it back to the wielder. It can receive commands from the wielder from certain distances.

**Cosmic Staff:** Knight also created a more advanced Gravity Rod and making it much powerful and he called it the Cosmic Staff and gave it to Pemberton to use in his adventures. Following Pemberton's death at the hands of Solomon Grundy, the belt was found by Courtney Whitmore, the step-daughter of his former sidekick Stripesy, who used it to become the second Star-Spangled Kid. Wielded primarily by Skyman and Stargirl, the Cosmic Staff is a powerful weapon/device that absorbed stellar energy and used it to create a wide range of abilities that its wielders used to fight crime. This device was invented by Jack Knight, and based on the earlier Gravity Rod. The Cosmic Staff sometimes called the Cosmic Rod, offered the wielder powers including rapid flight, levitation of objects, manipulation of energy, creation of defensive force fields, and offensive energy blasts of incredible power. Both powers could be used at once, to protect the wielder from atmospheric damage in high-velocity flight. At present, the staff is attuned to its current holder, Stargirl.

* **Solar Energy Absorption/Empowerment:** The Cosmic Staff is a powerful weapon/device that absorbed cosmic energy (starlight) and used it to create a wide range of abilities that it wielders used to fight crime.
	+ **Gravity Manipulation:** The Cosmic Staff gives the user the ability to manipulate gravitons (that carry the attractive, gravitational force between atomic nuclei), enabling Stargirl to control gravity. She can surround any object or person including herself with gravitons and anti-gravitons (particles similar to gravitons but with opposite charge and spin), thus increasing or decreasing the Earth's pull of gravity upon it. Stargirl can exert her gravitational control over a maximum distance of 2.36 miles from her body. Thus, the maximum volume of matter she could influence at once is 55.0585 cubic miles. She once exercised this control by lifting into the air an inverted conic frustum-shaped landmass whose uppermost area was 4 miles across and causing it to fly as though it were a dirigible. She can also erect a gravitational force-field of similar proportions. (Stargirl can perform as many as four separate tasks simultaneously. (She has not only lifted a 4-mile wide landmass as high as cloud level, but she has also surrounded herself with a force-field, gyrokinetically held most of the Titans against a slab of rock, and projected force-bolts at Wonder Girl and Superboy all at the same time). By decreasing the pull of gravity beneath her, she can fly at any speed or height at which she can still breathe. However, by using her force field generation she can also breathe in space. By increasing the pull of gravity beneath her opponents, she can pin them to the ground, having made them too heavy to move or cause sufficient gravitational stress to impair the normal functioning of the human cardiovascular system. She can also cause an inanimate object (such as a 1-foot diameter rock) to radiate enough gravitons to give it its own gravitational field, able to attract nearby matter and energy.
	+ **Magnetism Manipulation:** The Cosmic Staff gives the user the ability to manipulate magnetism. Stargirl has the ability to manipulate magnetism. The exact limits on the amount of weight that she can magnetically lift at present have not been measured. The main feat made possible by magnetism is Stargirl's ability to lift and manipulate metal. She has shown such fine-tuned skills as to nearly liquefy, mend, and reconstruct metallic objects, and has some level of influence on the ferrous metals that reside in everything. She once mended and reconstructed silverware and metallic plates into a metallic suit identical to Stripe's Armor.
	+ **Deflection:** Just as previously stated; Stargirl can use the staff as a melee weapon to block incoming attacks without using the staff's energy powers.
	+ **Force-Field Manipulation:** In case Stargirl doesn't have her belt on her. She can use the staff project force-fields made out of energy, starlight, gravity, or magnetic energy. Also used in conjunction with a flight to protect against atmospheric damage in high-velocity flight. She can stretch her fields to protect a large group and can suspend persons or objects in the air. However, by using her force field generation, she can also breathe in space. She can also create a force field around her capable of protecting her from any concussive force up to and including a small nuclear weapon.
	+ **Energy Projection:** It can project yellow and red stellar energy blasts (these last particularly effective against Kryptonians such as Superman, Superboy, or Power Girl). By rapidly projecting gravitons in a cohesive beam, she can generate a force blast with a maximum concussive force equivalent to the primary shock wave of an explosion of 20,000 pounds of TNT. If concentrated enough Stargirl can exert its power to level a whole city. Stargirl can focus her magnetic energy into powerful concussive blasts. She can also overload or short-circuit electrical systems. She has been shown destroying Reach warships with single magnetic pulses. It capable of emitting red heat beams
	+ **Energy Absorption:** The Cosmic Staff absorbs stellar energy to power and strengthen it. But it has been shown absorbing some forms of energy. Such as electricity, Starfire's eye beams, and Solstice's energy beam at the same time. It gave Stargirl enough strength to propel an entire island from the earth and into space.
	+ **Energy Constructs:** Ted once even created a duplicate of the rod made with solar energy with the rod itself showing Stargirl the potential of The Sfaff, which "would make a nuclear bomb look like a bursting toy balloon". Stargirl has been practicing using the staff to make objects/weapons such as whips, cages, fireworks, or entities such as an eagle.
	+ **Warping Teleportation:** Using the Staff, Starman was able to create a gravitational singularity better known as a black hole and use it to travel it to dimension 2.

* **Star-Rocket Racer:** Thiswas a flying car operated by Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy. It was made by Stripsey. Following Pemberton's death at the hands of Solomon Grundy, It was put into storage but after Stargirl got her license she sharted using the Star Rocket Racer. Originally it was green but Stargirl later painted it Orange.
	+ Gaining further altitude (45,000-55,000 ft.) delta fins in the tail and snub winglets elongate to increase efficiency and stability as speeds approach supersonic.
	+ At cruising altitude (35,000-45,0000 ft.), telescoping wings retract. Exterior sections of tail and nose-cone envelop cockpit and cabin fuselage for higher altitude pressurization.
	+ At ceiling altitudes (55,000-60,000 ft.) "smart" paint on exterior radar-shielding ceramics responds to dropping air pressure and temperature, thus camouflaging the Batplane's exterior to stealthy black.
	+ Avionics include ergonomic "at-a-glance" viewing levels for all electronics and multifunction displays. The breakaway canopy allows for pilot/co-pilot emergency ejection. The reinforced acrylic glass canopy windows polarize at stealth altitude.
	+ Grapple cable to lift heavy objects.
	+ Machine gun

### **Weaknesses**

**Solar-Energy Depletors:** Starlight was able to absorb all the power from the Cosmic Staff during her fight with Infinity Inc. Leaving Stargirl powerless.

**Black Light Bands & Jennifer Knight's Shadow Powers:** The Black Light Bands were created by Sandra Knight, Ted Knight's cousin the original Starman and the ineventor of The Cosmic Staff. Black Light Bands are the total opposite of the Cosmic Staff. If the Staff was ever cast inside the black lights shadow beam it will be temporal negate the staff and cosmic converter belt as well.

## **Trivia**

* Courtney is a talented gymnast and was on her school's gymnastics team in California.
* Courtney's favorite is orange pancakes.
* Stargirl joined the Justice League in 2020 nominated by Wonder Woman.
* Courtney is dating Captain Marvel and is a roommate with Wonder Girl and Miss Martian.
* Unlike most teen superheroes, Courtney didn't start her career as a sidekick, she rather considers STRIPES to be her sidekick.
* Her identity is secret, but it's not a good secret.
* Courtney is studying American History at Ivy University.
* She received one of Vilgalnte's cowboy hats. It's his way of thanking other people.