Courtney Whitmore

* Courtney
* Stargirl

**Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore** is the main protagonist of The CW and DC Universe series, *Stargirl*.

Her smooth-going high school experience is derailed when her mother marries Pat Dugan and moves the household, which now includes Courtney's stepbrother Mike Dugan and a family pet, from Los Angeles to bucolic Blue Valley in distant Nebraska. Struggling to adapt as a Sophomore in a new school, Courtney discovers her stepfather has a secret past as a superhero sidekick. She also discovers an artifact of immense power, a long-lost hero’s cosmic staff that has powers only she can wield. With the guidance of a reluctant Pat, Courtney becomes the superhero **Stargirl** and the unlikely inspiration for an entirely new generation of superheroes, and the leader of the Justice Society of America.

She soon rallies together an unlikely group of teens, including social outcasts Yolanda Montez, Beth Chapel, and Rick Tyler, to continue the legacy of the JSA. Together, they defeated the Injustice Society of America, stopped the demonic entity of Eclipso, and shut down the Ultra-Humanite. The JSA went on to become heroes for the entire country, and Courtney continued to lead the team as **Starwoman**.

She is the only daughter of American Dream employee Barbara Whitmore and the absentee Sam Kurtis. She is the stepdaughter of Pat Dugan and stepsister of Mike Dugan.

## Biography

Courtney was born and raised in Valley Village, California, to Barbara Whitmore and Sam Kurtis. Courtney was raised by a single working mother. Her father was constantly in and out of Courtney and Barbara's lives from the time Courtney was born. Courtney herself only met Sam a handful of times, but still cared deeply for him.

When Courtney was four, Sam gifted her one of the lockets his mother had given him. He placed a photo of himself in the locket so Courtney would also have him with her. They sang Christmas carols together - "Frosty" was Courtney's favorite. They made a snowman out of Styrofoam. The memory made an impact as Courtney remembered it a decade later. She cherished the locket he gave her and wore it well into her teen years.

On Christmas Eve, 2010, Sam was scheduled to meet a now five-year-old Courtney to celebrate the holidays. Courtney waited for Sam all night with a special gift for him; a "Worlds Best Dad" mug that she made. However, he never arrived and vanished that night. The Whitmore's didn't have contact with him for ten years.

Barbara dedicated nearly two years looking for Sam for the sake of their daughter, but eventually gave up. Courtney persevered and became a skilled gymnast who won many medals. She practiced martial arts where she learned incredible fighting skills, having reached at least a blue belt. She attended Sherman High School and was on their gymnast team. She also had a strong circle of friends in California.

## Series

### Season 1

Ten years ago on Christmas Eve, a five-year-old Courtney Whitmore waited for her father to arrive, only to be disappointed once again when he didn't. Her single mother Barbara Whitmore leaves for work but tells her daughter to focus on the positives, such as spending the holiday with her close friend Mary. In the present day, Courtney packs her room in California to travel across the country with her new step-father, Pat Dugan, and stepbrother Mike Dugan, to the small town of Blue Valley, Nebraska, where her mother has secured a new job. The move is against Courtney’s wishes but she does her best to try and get along with Pat for her mother’s sake.
Her first day at Blue Valley High is met with obstacles as she makes an enemy of mean girl Cindy Burman and is ostracized to the loser table, forced to sit with the talkative Beth Chapel, social outcast Yolanda Montez, and delinquent Rick Harris. Courtney lands in detention after standing up for Yolanda against a cruel jock, Henry King Jr. She returns to her new house where Mike has plans with his friends while she is having trouble fitting in.

Her annoyance over the day and Pat trying to bond with her causes her to snap that he isn’t her father. She runs to the basement where her anger turns to curiosity when she finds boxes of superhero paraphernalia in Pat’s things. She learns from a series of photographs that Pat was a hero named Stripesey, the famed Starman’s sidekick, and a member of the Justice Society of America. She also finds a magical staff that glows in her presence. When she picks it up, the staff whirs to life and displays its larger-than-life attributes.
The staff has a mind of its own and takes her on a nightly adventure, where she learns that the staff grants her powers such as flight, cosmic blasts, and allows her to perform gymnastics feats. The staff brings her to a drive-in where she once again encounters Henry Jr, this time he is heckling other movie watchers. To teach him a lesson she attempts to poke holes in his tires but the staff, wanting more, shoots a cosmic blast at the car causing it to blow up. She engages in a fight with Henry and barely wins before flying back to her home. She is confronted by a worried Pat who tells her about his life as a sidekick, and that his best friend Starman, Sylvester Pemberton, was murdered during a fight. He explains that the staff only ever worked for Starman, prompting Courtney to see a resemblance between her father and Starman. Now believing that she is Starman’s daughter and that this is her destiny, she convinces Pat to help her be a hero.

Things take a turn for Courtney when the staff takes her on a bonding exercise that results in an unpleasant meeting with Injustice Society of America villain Brainwave. She is rescued by Pat, who operates a massive robot called S.T.R.I.P.E. He once again warns her of the dangers of being a hero and how Brainwave was responsible for the deaths of many JSA members, though it was Icicle who ultimately killed Starman. She learns about surviving member Rex Tyler, who operated as Hourman, and how Rex was murdered a few years after the JSA were defeated. Pat stresses the importance of keeping her identity a secret to protect her loved ones. She decides to steal Starman’s old suit and turns it into a suit fit for herself.
In her school life, Courtney continues to fail in making friends with Yolanda or Beth. Brainwave confronts Courtney at a school assembly, outing himself as Dr. Henry King Sr. He threatens to kill Courtney’s mother if she doesn’t give him the staff, which forces Pat into accepting the fight on her behalf. Unable to stand by and let Pat fight for her, Courtney dons her superhero costume and arrives at the fight just in time to save Pat from being crushed. She reveals herself as the masked heroine Stargirl, fighting Brainwave until the staff connects with his forehead resulting in a telekinetic blast that renders him comatose.
Courtney stands up for Yolanda the next day in school, defending her from the slut-shaming antics of Cindy Burman and Jenny Williams. She also befriends Cameron Mahkent, an artist in her math class, and Joey Zarick, an aspiring magician who shows her kindness. Courtney soon realizes that if Brainwave is in town there is a good chance the other ISA members are there too, refusing to believe everything that everything that has happened is a coincidence. She is proven right when Icicle makes his presence known, with Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E. working together to fight Icicle in the woods. He proves stronger than them and distracts them long enough to make a point by killing her fellow student Joey Zarick. She is heartbroken over his death but refuses to give up, believing that they have to stop Icicle. He takes her to the JSA’s former headquarters where he shows her the remaining artifacts from the Golden Age of heroes, explaining each of their backgrounds and real identities. She goes against Pat’s wishes of giving up her superhero fighting by stealing the JSA’s artifacts.

She plans to recruit a new JSA and begins with the Wildcat mantle, which she believes should go to Yolanda Montez, a former boxer and outcast at Blue Valley High after topless photos of herself surfaced. Courtney struggles to connect with Yolanda but ultimately convinces her to try the Wildcat suit, with Yolanda working brilliantly alongside Courtney. They break into the Blue Valley Medical Center to see if any of the ISA members have visited the comatose Dr. King, finding only their principal Anaya Bowin who plays her fiddle before leaving. A few hours later, Yolanda agrees to become Wildcat and joins Courtney in her recruitment mission. Courtney discovered by accident that the hourglass that once belonged to Hourman lit up in the presence of delinquent Rick Harris. She confronts him with the hourglass but it doesn’t work, causing him to call her crazy.
In the meantime, Courtney discovers that she hasn’t been discreet in her recruitment since Beth Chapel overheard Courtney and Yolanda talking about being superheroes. Beth was able to turn on the goggles that once belonged to Dr. Mid-Nite, and reveals to an exasperated Courtney that Rick Harris was born Rick Tyler and is the son of Rex Tyler. Courtney pieces together that Rick is a legacy just like her, and confronts Rick with her evidence alongside Beth and Yolanda. Though he is apprehensive at first to join them, he ultimately agrees as he wants revenge for his parent’s who were murdered by ISA member Solomon Grundy.

Courtney faces backlash from Pat who scolds her for involving more people as the situation is dangerous. He tasks her with retrieving the artifacts from her friends, though she is unable to go through with it when she sees their excitement. Yolanda, Beth, and Rick are determined to follow through with their mantles and a break-in at a cell tower proves to be the perfect training. The group suits up for the first time to confront The Gambler, a highly skilled hacker who works with the ISA. Their “easy first mission” turns dangerous when they are confronted by ISA attackers Sportsmaster and Tigress. Stargirl instructs her team to stick together, but the villains bait the group into splitting up. Stargirl ends up in a ferocious fight against Sportsmaster and later Tigress, who gang up on her, though her tenacity and relentless attitude make her a formidable foe. She saves her team and they unite, being joined by S.T.R.I.P.E. at the last minute.
Upon realizing that Courtney won’t give up and that the team is assembled, Pat agrees to teach Courtney and her friends how to work together. In the meantime, he sends them to school to be normal teens. Courtney furthers her friendship with Cameron Mahkent, is paired with the seemingly insufferable Cindy Burman in science, and plans to hang out with Cindy that weekend. After school, Courtney heads to The Pit Stop where the rest of the JSA are waiting to begin their training. She is brimming with excitement and dominates the course with the staff, disappointing her teammates who wanted to try for themselves. Pat tells Courtney that she needs to be a team player and can’t do everything by herself.
Pat, Courtney, and Mike go to the football game that night where her secrets with Pat cause Mike to snap at her that Pat isn’t her father. He reminds her that just because she doesn’t have a father doesn’t mean she can be selfish with him, reminding her that she doesn’t know what they have been through. When Mike storms off, Courtney is asked on a date by Cameron Mahkent. She cancels her plans with Cindy before spotting Anaya Bowin acting suspiciously. Her attempts to pin down an ISA member alone get her into trouble when the villainous Shiv, Cindy Burman’s alter-ego, arrives. They get into a ferocious fight in which Shiv’s regenerative powers and immense training make her a dangerous foe. She renders Stargirl unconscious, though Stargirl is saved by a masked assailant.

Courtney recovers from her wounds in the hospital and later at home, though Barbara’s anger toward Pat for “letting her drive" as per his cover story, jeopardizes their relationship. Courtney is visited by a sympathetic Mike who makes pizza rolls for her. They apologize to one another and agree to be siblings. Later that night, Courtney is visited by Cindy who knows that Courtney is Stargirl and threatens to kill her friends. When Courtney is unable to reach her friends, she defies Pat’s orders to stand down and suits up again to confront Cindy at her house. The girls’ fight lands onto the streets where they are interrupted by Henry Jr, Cindy’s boyfriend who, in a desperate attempt to stop them from fighting, unleashes a telekinetic blast that separates them. Courtney realizes that Henry inherited his father’s ability to read minds and control things telekinetically. She turns to Pat for guidance as she wants to recruit Henry, believing that his mind-reading abilities will be crucial in their fight to stop the ISA. Pat also tells her that Cindy Burman’s father is the inhuman Dr. Shiro Ito, better known as Dragon King, who Pat thought was dead after encountering Ito during his days with the Seven Soldiers of Victory, another superhero team.
Yolanda is insulted that Courtney wants to recruit Henry after what he did to her, as leaking her topless photos ruined her life. The rest of the team is in agreement that Henry is the enemy, though Courtney still isn’t convinced and visits Henry herself. She learns that the thoughts he’s been reading are vulgar and sickening. He is starting to think his father was right about humans being monsters. She reveals that Brainwave killed Joey Zarick, William Zarick, and her father, which is why the JSA wants to stop Brainwave. She tells him that despite the thoughts he's hearing, people want to be good. They want to love and be loved. She tells him to dig a little deeper next time he reads someone’s mind, referencing that the JSA can help him. She tells him to talk to her when he’s ready. Meanwhile, Courtney and her family have dinner with the Mahkent’s, as Jordan Mahkent is Barbara’s boss at The American Dream. Courtney and Cameron are excited but nervous to spend an evening together, especially joined by Jordan’s parents. The dinner makes Courtney believe that Jordan Mahkent is Icicle, as he is unfazed by an oven-hot pan. She begins to worry that Cameron could be like his father, though her judgment is clouded with the belief that Icicle killed her father. Pat tries to stop her from following Jordan but they are interrupted by Barbara, who screams at the sight of the Cosmic Staff glowing in her daughter’s hand.
Courtney excitedly tells her mother everything that she’s been doing and how her father is Starman. Barbara refuses to accept this as the truth and denounces her claim that Starman is her father, ordering her daughter to her room. The truth causes Pat and Barbara’s already rocky relationship to crumble, and when Courtney awakens the next morning to find the staff missing, she is informed by Barbara that they are leaving Blue Valley. Courtney tries to find Pat as she’s worried about the staff but instead finds Mike who is hurt that she won’t tell him what is going on as he thought they were siblings. As she retreats to pack her things, Henry tracks Courtney down and tells her that his father woke up from his coma, was taken by Jordan Mahkent, and that they plan to restore Brainwave’s cruelty. He also warns that the ISA has the cosmic staff. He also reveals that his Uncle is Sylvester Pemberton/Starman. She is elated to have a cousin and agrees to help him save his father. After much convincing, Yolanda, Rick, and an enthusiastic Beth agree to help Courtney.

They travel to the underground tunnels where they track Brainwave to Dragon King’s lair. They are outed by Cindy who has been held hostage by her father as punishment for attacking Courtney. Stargirl, Wildcat, and Henry battle Dragon King’s minions and retrieve the staff. They are too late in saving Brainwave, whose memories have been restored. He wants Henry to join him in the ISA but Henry refuses, fleeing the tunnels with the JSA. Stargirl fends off Brainwave while the team escapes to the exiting tunnel, though Henry refuses to let her get hurt and uses his powers to put her on the other side of the tunnels. Brainwave places a shield around the entrance, rendering the JSA unable to help Henry as he and Brainwave fight. Brainwave overpowers his son who refuses to join the ISA. Henry looks to Courtney and tearfully tells her that she was right about people wanting to be good, and tells her not to let this change her beliefs. Moments later, Brainwave kills Henry by collapsing the tunnels on him.
Courtney is struck with grief and guilt over the death of not only Henry but Joey Zarick. Her world is rocked again when Sam Kurtis, her biological father, arrives in Blue Valley. Her grief and guilt are elevated when she realizes she isn’t Starman’s daughter and puts everyone she loves in danger. After spending a day with Sam, he convinces her that he plans to buy a place in California, that she can come live with him, and they can go shopping this Summer. He just needs her locket so he can sell the matching set to afford a down payment. She tearfully gives over her locket before running inside, breaking down into tears in Pat’s arms. She goes to the basement to be with the staff, only to learn that it no longer lights up in her hands. She tells her mother that whenever Barbara is ready to leave Blue Valley, she is too.

Courtney goes to BVHS that afternoon to tell Yolanda, Beth, and Rick what she’s learned about not being Starman’s daughter. She also tells them she is ending the JSA, though she changes her mind when Dr. King threatens the JSA during a vigil for Henry. He threatens to kill Barbara and the Dugan’s, so a frantic Courtney rushes home where she begs the staff to work again. When it fails, Pat tells her that the staff knew she wasn’t Starman’s daughter but worked because it believed in her. He thinks it isn’t working because she doesn’t believe in herself anymore. She asks Pat and Barbara to stand with her, needing the help of both her parents, as she accepts the staff once more. By believing in herself, Courtney can wield the staff once more. Meanwhile, across town, the ISA launches its global initiative to reprogram every developed mind.
Jordan sends Tigress and Sportsmaster to the Whitmore-Dugan household to kill the family, forcing them to flee to Pat’s family cabin in the woods. They also divulge the truth to Mike which he finds amazing, even trying to see if the staff works for him, though it ultimately doesn’t. 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 has joined the group for their fight.
Brainwave controls Pat and forces him to attack Stargirl. She pleads with Pat to fight as she needs him. She calls herself his daughter just as Beth figures out how to enable the telepathic blockers in the tunnels. Pat is freed from his control but tells her that he heard every word she said, to which she smiles that she meant every word. The team regroups in Dragon King’s lair where they are confronted by the ISA, and a dangerous fight ensues. After gaining the upper hand, the JSA prepared to disable the satellites, forcing a defeated Icicle to demand The Gambler release, Solomon Grundy. S.T.R.I.P.E. and Hourman attack Grundy while Stargirl and Wildcat break into the satellite room. Stargirl is attacked by Cindy which gives Wildcat time to kill Dragon King’s minions. When Stargirl blasts Cindy unconscious, she joins Wildcat and finds her with a dead Brainwave, his throat having been slit by Wildcat's claws. Stargirl is in disbelief but they press on, with Stargirl taking flight and blasting the satellites. Stargirl and Wildcat flee the scene only to learn that Jordan has kidnapped Barbara.
Stargirl swoops in to save Barbara and Pat, fighting Icicle atop The American Dream. He collides with the Cosmic Staff which sends an icy blast across the platform, knocking Barbara, Jordan, and Stargirl off the platform. Pat saves Barbara while Wildcat leaps off the tower to save Stargirl, taking a chance that her suit will absorb the impact. Mike speeds to the scene in his father’s truck, running over a frozen Icicle. They emerge victorious with only a few scrapes and are left to pick up the pieces of their battle.

Courtney promises Beth they’ll find a way to fix her goggles, and Chuck too, which Icicle had destroyed. They then bid goodbye to Justin, who plans to find the rest of the Seven Soldiers of Victory. The family celebrates Christmas together, with Courtney inviting Rick, Beth, and Yolanda. Courtney gives Pat a Christmas present, the one she was planning to give Sam ten years ago, and he accepts the #1 Dad mug. The Whitmore-Dugan's, joined by Rick, Yolanda, Beth, and their bulldog Buddy, take a family photo. The next morning, Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E. take to the sky to fly over Blue Valley, taking a seat on the water tower where they look over the town before taking to the sky once again.

### Season 2

In the months since the defeat of the Injustice Society of America, Blue Valley is back to being its quaint self, though Courtney struggles to accept that the town doesn't need Stargirl or the JSA. She leads her team on a mission one night to check the town's perimeter, expertly using her gymnastics skills with the Cosmic Staff to approach a foe. She is sore to learn her great enemy is a raccoon. Hourman, Wildcat, and Dr. Mid-Nite appear from the corner after their leader calls them out that it's safe. The trio knows there isn't any real threat in town anymore. Hourman sarcastically asks if she checked inside the trash can, but Stargirl doesn't let his attitude phase her. It isn't until Dr. Mid-Nite's scan of the town comes up clear that Wildcat insists they are protecting a small town that doesn't need protection. Hourman recaps that the ISA is gone now that everyone is either dead or in prison. The rest of the JSA agree to put away their superhero acts for now but will gladly suit up if any trouble arises. Courtney flies back to her home, where she stays up all night pouring over the ISA's files, trying to find any enemy that she might have overlooked.
Pat finds her around four in the morning and isn't pleased that she's been at it all night, especially with her history test the next day. Courtney brushes it off as she'll ace that and hands Pat files on ISA members. He explains that Per Degaton, Blackbriar Thorn, and the others were defeated by the JSA a long time ago. She refuses to give up as being Stargirl is her destiny. She points out that the staff still lights up even though the ISA is defeated, so that has to mean something else is out there. Pat can't explain why the staff works but reminds her that Stargirl isn't her only destiny. She has a real-life to focus on and a career to make. She corrects that she needs to make a career as Stargirl. After some banter, Pat tells her to pack it up and go to bed before it gets much later. Courtney bemoans but doesn't argue as she and Pat leave the basement, unaware of a JSA artifact lighting up.
The next morning, Courtney learns of Pat's plans to take the family on a lake house vacation for two weeks. They would leave behind all their superhero paraphernalia - including the Cosmic Staff, to take a well-deserved break. Courtney and Mike protest as they both want to focus on their respective superhero careers, but Pat, Barbara, and even Buddy are pro-vacation. As Courtney walks to BVHS for her final days as a sophomore, Courtney complains to Yolanda about the trip, 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 happened. They notice Cameron Mahkent across the street, and Courtney admits that she 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. Courtney understands, and they walk to BVHS together.

At lunch, Courtney runs through a list of possible scenarios for how she could stay in contact with the JSA if anything happened. 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 overhears Artemis talking about her incarcerated parents and how it's a sham, then sees the hockey stick approaching her quickly. Courtney reacts on instinct, grabbing the hockey stick and flipping Artemis on her back. The girl stands up angrily as she was giving the hockey stick back to a friend. Courtney is escorted to the principal's office immediately.
The new principal meets with Barbara and Pat to discuss Courtney's recent behavior, though Courtney tries to explain the fight even though that's not what Principal Sherman was referencing - yet. Courtney tries to explain what happened to Pat but can't without outing her secret. Principal Sherman explains that Courtney failed three classes, and if she wants to be a junior next year, she has to attend Summer school. Once in the hall, Pat and Barbara scold Courtney for focusing too much on being Stargirl and not enough on normalcy. Because she is so obsessed, they all have to pay the consequences by not going on their family trip. Barbara tells Courtney to figure out how to balance her life and think about what she's giving up by putting on that mask. With Barbara gone, Pat and Courtney disagree in the halls over how to handle the situation, though Pat remarks that he's disappointed. On the walk home, Courtney spots Cameron by the Blue Valley Tires mural and approaches him. They talk about him being back, and she asks about the mural. He's planning to alter it to honor his dad. They converse for a while, laughing and smiling before she leaves.

That night, Courtney sits on her bed with the Cosmic Staff as she goes over the files again. She puts them aside as she looks at Cindy's photo in the yearbook. She hears a sound downstairs, and the staff whirs awake. They investigate the sound and find a girl leaving the basement with Green Lantern's Power Battery. The two begin to fight, with the staff cutting the basement door in half. The fight's matched as the girl is skilled in her combat. Courtney has the advantage with the staff, her experience, and her territory. The girl uses her green ring to send a blast of energy at Courtney, throwing her into the dining room table. Courtney is astonished as she looks up at the girl clutching the glowing lantern and ring, and her eyes are green. Courtney asks who the girl is, and she replies that she's Green Lantern's daughter. Pat emerges to see what the commotion is about, with Courtney admitting there might have been a misunderstanding. Pat sighs that she's been having a lot of those today.

Courtney tries to explain the situation to her family, since Jennie broke in and Courtney was defending the home. Courtney's parents are disapproving of Courtney's use of the Cosmic Staff while being more lenient on Jennie. Through Pat's inquisitions, the Whitmore-Dugan's learn that Jennie is the alleged daughter of Alan Scott - the Golden Age Green Lantern. Courtney is surprised when Jennie reveals that she knows of Pat as he's a mechanical genius and infamous member of the JSA. She eagerly assumes Courtney is the daughter of Starman, but Courtney bashfully declines. Jennie assumes she's Stripesey's daughter, but Courtney solemnly corrects that she's his stepdaughter. Courtney watches as Jennie asks Pat to help her train with the Green Lantern ring, and as Barbara insists that Courtney surrender her room to Jennie. Courtney tries to sleep on the couch but can't get comfortable. Pat emerges to give her an extra pillow as he thought she might need it. She expresses her worries that Jennie is a spy for one of the other ISA members like Baron von Blitzkrieg. Pat corrects her use of "Von" and explains that the villain died. He thinks she's looking for villains everywhere which makes sense, but he does think Jennie is really Alan's daughter.
She wakes up the next morning and stretches uncomfortably. She quickly discovers that Jennie has made pancakes, fixed the table, and treated the Whitmore-Dugan family to a large breakfast spread. Pat and Jennie have plans to visit The Pit Stop for training. Courtney wants to come along but Mike quips that she has Summer school. Courtney goes to BVHS and takes her seat in the back of the classroom. She is shocked when Yolanda sits next to her. Yolanda's mom is making her attend to keep her out of trouble, which Courtney tries to remain sympathetic despite her happiness of having a friend there. 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 girls powers while Yolanda and Courtney are skeptical. Yolanda ultimately gives the girl a chance. Courtney than accuses Jennie of coming to Blue Valley because she heard about the JSA being active again. The girls argue before Jennie runs out, with Beth and Yolanda chasing after her. Rick pauses a moment to tell Courtney her behavior wasn't cool. During an and honest with Pat, Courtney revealed that she feels like a fraud around Jennie. The girl is everything Courtney should be: perfect, kind to Pat, and the real daughter of a superhero. Pat reminds her that her power goes beyond the Cosmic Staff - it's her ability to see the good in others that makes her special.
Courtney realizes he's right and apologizes to Jennie, making amends with her. As they talk, Courtney drives her point that Jennie has everything now, which causes Jennie to lash out. She knocks the lantern off the table and exclaims that she only put on the ring to find her brother. The lantern begins to shoot rays of green energy. 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. 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. 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 next morning, Courtney wakes up to learn from Barbara that Jennie has left the Whitmore-Dugan household. Courtney goes to the basement where she talks with Pat. She is ready to accept that her life as Courtney needs to come before her life as Stargirl from now on. Pat, while happy to hear that, is forced to admit that Shade, the only ISA member unaccounted for, has returned to Blue Valley. Courtney can barely contain her enthusiasm as she squeals that she'll get her staff. Now feeling vindicated over her feeling of a looming threat in Blue Valley, Courtney dives into researching The Shade. She reads the ISA files and shares some of them with Mike before taking them back.
Courtney and the JSA meet at The Pit Stop to discuss the new threat with Pat, who doesn't know much about the villain other than his power to manipulate shadows. The pair go back-and-forth giving information to Yolanda, Rick, and Beth, who are surprised to learn that Shade killed Charles McNider. Rick raises an interesting question of how they punch a shadow, but Pat still isn't sure. Courtney and Yolanda head to class, where Yolanda begins to experience her headaches again as they've been getting worse. Yolanda confesses that she won't do what she did to Brainwave ever again - she can't. Courtney assures her that it won't come to that as they'll make a plan. Mr. Deisinger calls on Yolanda to answer a question, knowing that she wasn't paying attention. While Yolanda struggles to find the answer, Courtney answers quickly but with a few adjustments. She quips to Yolanda that history is easy when you read the book.
They walk home together where they witness dozens of stop signs falling from the sky. They rush over to find Mike holding a pink pen. He states that he's the new member of the JSA just as Thunderbolt appears to correct *they* are the newest members. The trio returns to The Pit Stop where they talk with Pat about the arrival of Thunderbolt. Courtney is reprimanded for not disclosing to Pat that she took the pen. She explains that she didn't think anything of it because it was just a pen that she forgot about. He asks Mike to give him back the pen and the team is amused when the pen continues to disappear and reappear in Mike's hand. Pat demands to talk with Thunderbolt alone, so Mike goes outside where he's joined by Courtney. The siblings discuss Mike joining the JSA as he feels ready - like this is his destiny. She is reluctant to bring him into the JSA since Pat doesn't want him to join, but Mike reminds her that Pat didn't want Courtney to join at first either. She convenes with the rest of the JSA to tell Pat the team has decided to let Mike join. Pat is against it at first but the team presses that Thunderbolt could help them find The Shade since they haven't had much luck yet. Pat agrees but it has to be the perfect wish, so they take turns writing and re-writing the wish on the whiteboard until they reach the perfect outcome. Mike makes a wish and Thunderbolt burns a hole in the map where The Shade is hiding.

The JSA, minus a benched Mike, are cleared by Barbara Whitmore before they head to William Zarick's old house in search of The Shade. The team bursts in with Wildcat unsheathing her claws. The Shade merely invites them to sit for tea. Pat coolly dismisses his proposal as they want to know what he's doing in Blue Valley. Shade places Pat's name as the superhero sidekick of Stripesey, and learns that the new hero is Stargirl. He invites them to sit down again as they could do it they 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. Hourman pulls her back to stop her from attacking Shade. He calmly responds that she doesn't know what she's talking about.
The team has a reluctant seat at the table but continue to question Shade's motives for being in Blue Valley. He wonders why he would hurt the town, but Wildcat answers that he's a member of the Injustice Society. Shade assures them he did not agree with Jordan Mahkent's plans. He assures them he has no dark design for Blue Valley, and if they stay out of his way, he'll be gone before they know it. As things begin to calm down in the room, Mike Dugan bursts in and makes a wish for Thunderbolt to zap The Shade. Thunderbolt attacks but Shade easily renders the being useless. The rest of the JSA react to attack Shade, but he incapacitates them. He slams Wildcat into her chair once again, ultimately knocking it over. He then straightens it up but keeps her restrained in his shadows. With the team unable to move, Shade tries to take the Cosmic Staff from Stargirl but fails. He then warns them to stay out of his way before he disappears into the shadows.
The JSA sweeps the house and neighboring areas but are unsuccessful in finding Shade. Courtney and Mike return home where they are scolded by Barbara and Pat for being reckless. Courtney defends Mike as his superhero journey is just starting so he's going to make mistakes. Mike knows he messed up and is ready to surrender the Thunderbolt to Pat, giving up his chance for now. He mistakenly wishes the Thunderbolt were in better hands, causing it to vanish just as Courtney tries to stop him.

The next morning, Courtney overhears a conversation between Pat and Barbara where they mention the villain Eclipso. Courtney questions how they know about him, with Barbara and Pat asking her the same thing. Barbara makes Courtney tell them first and the teen admits that she doesn't know much. Beth's goggles told her to be careful as Eclipso is here, but they aren't sure what it means. Pat tells her that Eclipso is a very bad person and can make people see things that aren't there. Barbara worries that Courtney will go rushing in, but Courtney assures her mother that she can handle this. She plans to hit the books with the team after school to learn more about Eclipso. She leaves the house and meets Yolanda at school for breakfast. They overhear Artemis Crock complaining to the lunch lady about the lack of healthy options available. Courtney offers Artemis her apple, much to the girls surprise, though Courtney passes it off as being a peace offering after the incident with the hockey stick. She sympathetically brings up Artemis's parents being incarcerated, but Artemis becomes angry as she believes her parents are innocent. She 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. She and Beth explain through maps and books that the diamond itself is from Diablo Island, a now-forgotten island in the Pacific Ocean, that was removed from maps by 1832, as those who visited never returned. According to legend, there were two waring tribes living on either side of the island. One tribe summoned an evil entity of vengeance trapping it inside the black diamond, which Courtney believes is also Eclipso. Rick wonders how the diamond came to Blue Valley, with Courtney stating that an explorer named Bruce Gordon rediscovered Diablo Island, but when he arrived everyone had been dead for decades. He wrote many books about the island and was the only person who ever returned. She hopes to find books written by him in the used bookstore. They make a plan to meet up later, with Courtney leaving.
She heads to the House of Secrets bookstore and startles the older man working behind the counter. She asks for books about or by Bruce Gordon, but the shop owner isn't sure if he has those and directs her to the general section it would be in. Courtney is searching for the books when Richard Swift's voice calls out to her. He knows who she is while she knows what he's planning. When she rounds the corner he's disappeared to the other side. She confronts him for wanting the black diamond to team up with Eclipso, for reasons she hasn't figured out yet. She and her friends will stop him. He is bored by the scope of her imagination and chooses to ignore her comparison to the team-up of Icicle and Brainwave, calling them incompetent. He appears behind her and snarls that the greatest slight is thinking he wants to conspire with Eclipso. She accuses of him of killing Dr. Mid-Nite which makes him just as bad as Eclipso.

Richard finds what Pat chooses to tell Courtney very interesting, before calling her a poor and diluted child. He tells her there's a difference between bad and evil. He's been called wicked more than once, broken laws, bent a rule, and taken the lives of people who deserve it. He presses that Eclipso killed Dr. McNider's ten year old daughter, something that Courtney didn't know before. When he finds the black diamond he intends to throw it in the deepest and darkest part of the ocean so Eclipso can't hurt anyone ever again. She asks why he would do that and he claims that he's lived so long that he's bored. He tells her to leave this all to him and hovers over her in a domineering way. He then disappears into the shadows while she looks around for him, stunned by the revelations.
Courtney rushes home looking for Pat, and Barbara directs her to the football field. Courtney finds him with the escaped convicts Paula Brooks and Larry Crock. Courtney begins to gesture at Pat from the grass seconds before she is tackled by Artemis and attacked by her. The players pull Artemis off Courtney who is confused over what just happened. Afterward, Pat fills Courtney in on the deal he made with the villains to help them watch the football game in exchange for them breaking back into prison that night. She is hurt he didn't tell her about McNider's daughter, but he wasn't sure how to broach the topic as it's very sensitive and painful. She understands but wants him to be honest with her from now on. The pair head back home, but when night falls, Courtney dons her superhero costume and her Cosmic Staff. It pulls her away from the window to point at her algebra textbooks and the clock, alluding to her needing to study and get up early the next day. She argues that they need to find out the truth since Pat isn't telling them everything. Together, they fly out of the window as she rides the staff over the sky.
She returns an hour past curfew to find Pat waiting for her. His presence startles both her and the staff, making her soothe the staff before putting it down. She confronts him about being in her room but he retorts that she shouldn't have gone out that night. She was looking for Shade as she wanted to team up with him. Pat scoffs at the idea though Courtney reminds him that there's a difference between bad and evil. He doesn't need The Shade to find the black diamond, and shows her the newspaper that lays out the weather patterns. Everywhere else in Nebraska has been nice weather except for Blue Valley. The diamond draws out the darkness in not only people, but places. While he still doesn't know how to find the exact location of the black diamond, he knows they won't be asking Shade for help. He reminds Courtney that Shade has killed people and goes to leave her room. She stops him as she'll abide by the curfew from now on, apologizing for breaking it. He apologizes for not telling her about Dr. Mid-Nite's daughter. She asks him if there's anything else she should know but he assures her there isn't.
The following day, Courtney and Yolanda head to school 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. The girls are in class as they listen to Mr. Deisinger's lectures. He begins to cough and act strangely, ultimately ending class early, something that Courtney doesn't pay attention too. They walk home to 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.

Courtney joins Cameron across the street, complimenting how far along his mural is coming. She loves the colors and asks if that's his father, which it is. A moment passes before Cameron admits he wants to show her something even though it's a bit weird. He usually does still life but has been trying his hand at people. He shows her his sketchbook which has a sketch of Courtney. She realizes it's her and smiles happily. The pair go back to the Mahkent residence where they admire the gardens as Cameron explains it was the selling point for his father. Cameron's both loved the yard so they bought it for the garden. His grandparents want to move away from Blue Valley, but he doesn't as this is his home until he graduates. She asks what his plans are for after graduation. He wanted to go to art school like his mom but after everyone has told him how much his father impacted their lives, being an artist seems selfish. She thinks denying the world of his talents could be selfish too. She turns back to him as he stands closer, and they nearly share a kiss. Their moment is interrupted by Yolanda's incessant texting, alerting Courtney to rapid changes in the weather. She awkwardly admits that she has to go and he worries that the sketches freaked her out. She assures him that isn't the case, even giving him permission to sketch her as many times as he wants. She has to go but he solemnly admits that she did this to him last year. She's always leaving or not showing up. She promises this is the last time but has to go. She gathers her things and leaves the residence.
At nightfall, Stargirl meets with the JSA 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, until a splash of paint covers her goggles. 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 glob of paint. Stargirl realizes it's Eclipso and tells her team to run.

Hourman breaks down the door as they spill into the hallway, however, the team is soon ambushed with paintings of their darkest fears. With Wildcat, Hourman, and Dr. Mid-Nite affected by Eclipso's manipulation, Stargirl is left to face Paul alone. She follows the glob of paint into another hallway, where she finds Deisinger standing there, his body engulfed in the black paint. Before she can react, he throws her aside using a tentacle made of paint. She protects herself from another attack by using the Cosmic Staff to shoot a ray of energy. The two forces collide in middle, though Stargirl is stronger than the paint. She asks Deisinger if he can see the light, and he can, so she tells him to reach out and grab it. He touches his finger to the tip of the Cosmic Staff. His body glows brightly as light fills him, peeling away the darkness of the paint, until all that remains is Deisinger on the floor. He whimpers unconscious over losing his muse, while Stargirl kneels over his body. The JSA meet her in the hall now that they're free from Eclipso's visions.
They retreat to The Pit Stop where Pat tells them Paul is under psychiatric evaluation. Their cover story is that Courtney forgot something at school when she found him. Yolanda remarks that Eclipso made her see things, with Rick adding that it was things that weren't really there. Beth chimes in that Eclipso was working through Mr. Deisinger and it was scary. Pat asks if Deisinger had the black black diamond on him, but he didn't, which means Eclipso's powers are getting stronger as they're spreading beyond the containment of the black diamond.
The next day, she and Pat visit BVHS to examine the damage done to the art room. Courtney discovers a painting of Diablo Island which she thinks has to mean something. The rest of the paintings seem to be of black diamond, nothing that can help them. Cameron Mahkent arrives and questions what they're doing, with Courtney explaining that they volunteered to help clean up. He asks if they know what happened to Mr. Deisinger, but Pat only knows that the man is receiving psychiatric care. Cameron emotionally asks why bad things keep happening to good people in Blue Valley. Before she can answer, Pat interrupts as he's discovered a painting of Cindy Burman holding the black diamond. He and Courtney realize that she has the diamond, with Cameron revealing that Cindy is back in Blue Valley as she tried to talk with him about his father. He asks what Cindy is holding but Courtney and Pat play it off as not knowing why she's holding a diamond. Pat and Courtney quickly explain away their exit, Courtney promises to find Cameron later, and once in the hall, the duo makes a plan to meet up at The Pit Stop with the Cosmic Staff and S.T.R.I.P.E..
Their plan is derailed when Pat is attacked in The Pit Stop and S.T.R.I.P.E. is dismantled. Courtney visits her stepfather in the hospital. Barbara reveals that he has a severe concussion but should be okay. Courtney feels guilty over having split up as she should have gone with him, but Barbara embraces her daughter as it wasn't her fault. As they sit, Courtney gets a call from Mike's phone. Cindy Burman is on the other line threatening to kill Mike if Courtney and her friends don't show up at BVHS by midnight. She plans to get vengeance on Courtney for everything she's done to her, but Courtney argues that everything that happened was Cindy's fault. Cindy reiterates her threat to kill Mike and hangs up. Courtney relays the message to Barbara, but the teen worries she can't handle the fight or save Mike. Barbara reminds her that she can do this and has to be Stargirl for her friends and her brother. She tells her to go get her brother back. With a renewed confidence and a request from Barbara to kick Cindy's ass, Stargirl and the JSA head to BVHS.
They arrive to 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 first, leading to the first blows being delivered. Stargirl and Shiv pair-off as they exchange brutal blows and blasts with their respective weapons. Shiv continues to taunt Stargirl over having Mike prisoner, and Stargirl manages to kick Shiv off a cafeteria table and onto the ground. She turns to see her team being overwhelmed by their counterparts and rides the Cosmic Staff through the cafeteria, taking out Isaac and Artemis so Wildcat and Hourman can gain the advantages. She circles back to Shiv who rolls out of the way. Stargirl and Shiv are soon locked in another battle as Shiv presses her wrist blades against the Cosmic Staff, pinning Stargirl to a wall. As they struggle, a recently freed Mike Dugan bashes Shiv across the head with a toaster. The siblings embrace, but their victory is short-lived when Shiv stands for another ambush. This time, Wildcat is propelled across the cafeteria by Hourman and knocks Shiv away from her team.
Now reunited, Stargirl and her team assemble in front of Shiv and her team, ready for another round. The Injustice Unlimited, however, is badly beaten and barely standing. Isaac meekly reveals that Wildcat destroyed his violin, so Cindy calls him a loser. She decides to do this herself and takes the diamond out of its necklace. Suddenly, The Shade arrives in a wall of shadows that surrounds the JSA and protects them from the light of the diamond. Shade warns Cindy that she has no idea of the power inside the diamond. She knows what she's doing but he scoffs that if she knew what it truly was she wouldn't be using it in a petty teenage rivalry. He instructs her to give him the diamond, triggering Eclipso to take control of Cindy's body, much to her screams to stop.

As Shade battles with Eclipso, Stargirl takes charge and attacks using the Cosmic Staff, against Shade's warnings. Eclipso relishes in the incoming attack. When the staff touches the diamond, it causes the diamond to shatter and Eclipso is set free. The blast causes everyone to fall to the ground, and Eclipso rises in his true form. Stargirl is horrified as she watches Cindy realize Eclipso tricked her and attacks him. Eclipso grabs Cindy's wrists and sneers that they used each other. He tears out one of Cindy's blades from her wrist and throws it at Isaac Bowin, impaling him in the stomach. He then throws Cindy against the wall. Eclipso approaches Isaac and relished in the impurities that he senses. Eclipso then absorbs Isaac's soul, turning his body into ash. Shade holds out one hand to stop Stargirl from intervening. Cindy rises and demands Eclipso remember that she's the only reason he's here. She threatens that she should have kept him in the box she found him and starts to attack. Eclipso causally throws a piece of the shattered diamond at Cindy's feet, and it opens a black portal that produces tentacles that latch onto Cindy. Stargirl lunges for Cindy in an attempt to save her, but Cindy is ultimately engulfed in the vortex.
The Shade antagonizes and attacks Eclipso, who walks through Shade's shadow wall, angrily reminding Shade that his powers come from Eclipso's homeland. He impales Shade with his claws, calling him human, before throwing him aside into the air. Shade teleports away as a result. Stargirl then attacks Eclipso with the Cosmic Staff. He grabs hold of the staff and while it appears to hurt him, he drains the staff of its light and pushes Stargirl to the ground. Eclipso then runs out into the night in an animalistic way, disappearing once he's outdoors. Stargirl pursues him despite Wildcat's screams for her to wait. Stargirl emerges outside with a dimmed staff but Eclipso has vanished. That night, Courtney, Mike, Barbara, and Pat discuss Eclipso's release and what the creature could possibly be planning next. Mike is ready to start his training and Courtney supports his choice.
On July 3rd, Courtney visits the basement to check on the staff which barely whirrs to life at her touch. She doesn't know how to help it recover faster and feels useless. Pat reminds her that they have to take this time to make a plan and wait for the staff to heal itself. As she walks the streets of Blue Valley, she talks with Beth who doesn't know if the goggles can still track Eclipso now that he's out of the diamond. The weather is impossible to track as the conditions are completely erratic over the entire town instead of isolated. She's not having any luck in communicating with Dr. McNider either. She's worried as Pat warned that the voice could be Eclipso, so she doesn't know what's real anymore. Courtney doesn't either but tells Beth to keep looking and to stay safe. Beth returns the sentiment and they hang up.

Courtney feels a tap on her shoulder and instinctively presses the perpetrator against a wall, but quickly releases him when she sees it's Cameron. They exchange apologies for the misunderstandings. He and his father used to set up the town for the fourth of July and he wondered if she wanted to help him hang decorations. They are interrupted by a text message from Mike, who is beginning his training. Courtney wishes him luck while Cameron, now disappointed, understands if she has to leave or is too busy. She pauses but then pockets the phone, taking Pat's advice to try and balance a normal life. The pair walk off together and spend the day laughing and hanging decorations, completely oblivious to the world around them.
At school, Courtney texts with Cameron and they send one another photos of their time together and selfies. 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 that 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 brings up 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 back and leaves despite Courtney's pleas for her to wait. Beth emotionally apologizes as Courtney looks at her remaining friends. Courtney ultimately follows Yolanda to the church, where she find Yolanda suffering from a hallucination. She uses the Cosmic Staff to awaken Yolanda, who know things won't be okay again.

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. Courtney hangs up the phone as she sits on the ledge crying.
On July 4th, Courtney still hasn't heard anything from Yolanda and confides in her family over the loss of her friend and team member. Pat advises that she wait it out and give Yolanda space, but Mike vehemently disagrees as the way to help Yolanda is by defeating Eclipso. They also haven't heard anything about Eclipso, leading them to worry when he'll attack. The doorbell rings and when Courtney answers it, she finds a duffel bag with the Wildcat suit inside.

She puts the suit with the rest of Pat's former superhero paraphernalia in the basement before sitting with the depowered staff. She calls the staff her friend and knows it will never leave her. It tries to warble in response but the response is still rather weak. She becomes empowered to take action, and visits Pat at The Pit Stop as she wants to fix Cosmo. He is confused that she named the staff Cosmo, but she defends her choice as he named S.T.R.I.P.E., though he reminds her that she named it. She shrugs it off as they can't just sit around and hope things will work out. He explains they are doing something by fixing S.T.R.I.P.E. and the staff was designed to fix itself. She still feels useless, so he recommends calling Rick and Beth. As they try to reach Rick, he is in a panic over hunters going after Solomon Grundy in the woods. He begs them for their help and will explain everything later.
Courtney, Pat, and a depleted Cosmo, rush to the woods in search of Rick. They wonder why Rick didn't tell them about Grundy and where the trucks are for the hunters. They catch-up with Rick near the river, where he's screaming at Grundy for killing a little girl in the lake. Rick chases after Grundy while Pat and Courtney wade into the water to check on the girl. Pat brings her to shore and rolls her over. The girl is the body of Rebecca McNider. Her eyes snap open as she laughs before vanishing. Courtney and Pat realize that Eclipso is behind everything.
They rush to the Harris farm where they find Rick assaulting who he thinks is Grundy. They try to stop Rick who is empowered by the hourglass, but can't reach him. Courtney blasts him with Cosmo, sending him flying backwards. The blast is enough to snap Rick out of his state long enough for him to realize he assaulted his uncle, Matt Harris, and not Grundy. Rick tears the hourglass off his neck and smashes it on the ground. The police and ambulances arrive, arrest Rick, and take Matt to the hospital. Courtney and Pat are left helpless as they watch the scene unfold.
The Whitmore-Dugan family prepares for the increasing threat of a storm. They pack supplies while Courtney tells Pat that Rick's hearing was canceled because of the storm. He promises they'll try to help Rick when the storm clears, but she accuses him of knowing the storm won't pass as Eclipso is responsible. She knows Eclipso is getting stronger, and she and Beth will go after Eclipso when they find him. Pat insists they aren't prepared, but Courtney points out that they've never been prepared enough for Pat's satisfaction. She calls Beth to discuss a fight against Eclipso since they'll be down Hourman and Wildcat, but she doesn't see any other choice as they have to do something. Meanwhile, the rest of the Whitmore-Dugan family is targeted next by Eclipso, as he forces them to see their worst nightmares play out in front of them. Courtney struggles to protect her family. She uses the staff to awaken Mike from his shaken state and rushes to find Pat, who is equally affected but locked in the basement. She struggles to break into the basement, and when she does, she finds him on the floor. She places his hand on the staff and awakens him. Courtney asks what he saw, and he reveals he saw Bruce Gordon. She wonders what he hasn't told her, and he finally tells her how the JSA really defeated Eclipso.
They take advice from The Shade, who told them the only way to trap Eclipso was to kill his current host. The team voted to kill Bruce as their families were being targeted by Eclipso one-by-one, all of which was heightened after Rebecca McNider's funeral. Because the majority of the team agreed, the act was committed and Eclipso was trapped back in The Black Diamond. Overcome with a feeling of betrayal, Courtney threatens what her mom will say when she find out the truth. Pat is forced to tell her that Barbara already knows. Courtney runs upstairs where she confronts her mom in the kitchen, leading to a massive argument between the family as Courtney struggles with the deep betrayal and secrets. As they fight, Eclipso watches from the yard, pleased with the destruction he's caused.

As the family argues over the parent's not sharing vital information, Courtney is disturbed that the JSA killed an innocent man. Pat insists it was more complicated than that, but Courtney brings up Cindy Burman and how they didn't kill her when she had the diamond. Suddenly, the lights in the house go out and seconds later, Richard crashes through the kitchen table. He remarks that wasn't his best entrance, but he needs their help. The family helps him onto a kitchen chair as Courtney wonders how he's dying, since he's supposed to be immortal. He explains that even immortals have their weaknesses. He wants to help them defeat Eclipso but Pat is reluctant to trust Richard after everything he's done. Richard is adamant that he's just trying to help the same way he tried to help Pat and the Golden Age JSA all those years ago. Courtney is willing to listen to him and hear his idea, remarking that he's never lied to her. Richard tells them that fusing the shards of the diamond back together will force Eclipso back into the diamond. It will work in trapping the being, but they have to be careful as to not touch the diamond. Mike wonders how they can fuse it, with Richard smiling that they have to use the opposite of darkness - the power of light. Courtney heads to the basement with Pat as she blasts the shards with the Cosmic Staff, but it's still too weak. Pat has an idea that might just work.
The next morning, Courtney prepares to leave with Pat on their mysterious road trip. Mike warns her that the diamond does weird things even without Eclipso inside. He wonders where she and Pat are going, but she doesn't know as Pat won't tell her. She thinks it's because he knows that if he told her then she would go alone. Mike worries about him and Barbara being alone with Richard there and Eclipso lurking around town. Courtney smiles that she has that covered. A few minutes later, Beth enters the house and Courtney proudly states that Beth will look after them while she and Pat are gone.
The road trip is filled with awkward silence, tension, and silent arguing over radio stations. Pat finally says it was better for Courtney not to know what the JSA did to Bruce Gordon. He elaborates that there was a team vote, and the ones who voted to kill Bruce were the ones whose families were being threatened by Eclipso. Pat feels guilty that he didn't stop the team from going through with their plan. Courtney is angry as him not telling her everything left her team without the full story and vulnerable to Eclipso's actions. For instance, Yolanda would have known she wasn't the first JSA member to take a life. Pat didn't want her to look at him differently, but she remarks that it already has. As they drive, Courtney wonders where they're going but Pat doesn't want to tell her. She doesn't want him to shut her out. He finally gives her a newspaper about a green fire that destroyed a federal building. Another green fire destroyed an orphanage a week earlier in Civic City. He knows exactly where he would go if he found himself in trouble in Civic City.
The pair arrive at the JSA's headquarters. Courtney is surprised that the garage is still standing, to which Pat explains that each member of the JSA had a workspace they could retreat too and use. The garage was him and Sylvester's. Courtney looks at the mounted photographs of the team, memorabilia from their active years, and the costumes framed behind glass. She then discovers proof that Jennie has been staying in the garage. Amongst her things are papers for the Helix Institute. The name Todd Rice is on all of the papers, and Courtney realizes that Todd is Jennie's brother that she left to find. She and Pat head to the Helix Institute where the receptionist reveals that Todd isn't there anymore, but Jennie is still in her room.

Once reunited with Jennie, Courtney admits that they need her help. However, Jennie explains that she only broke into the federal building to access Todd's sealed adoption papers, but they wouldn't give them to her. She lost control of her powers and the fire was an accident. She begins to get emotional, her eyes glowing green as she does, but Pat calms her down by talking her through her feelings. Jennie admits that Todd was arrested for shoplifting and that's why he was put in the institute, but she thinks he only got into trouble because he's been looking for her too. She understands that Courtney and Pat need her help, as there's nothing she wouldn't do to protect her family. Courtney looks at Pat as if realizing for the first time why the golden age JSA killed Bruce. The trio leave the institute together and return to the JSA's headquarters.
Pat lays the shards on the floor of the garage while Courtney fills Jennie in on everything she's missed. Jennie is surprised that demons and entities are real, asking if ghosts are the next thing that turns out to be real. Courtney admits that there was a ghost called Gentleman Ghost, but Pat interrupts before she can continue. Jennie apologizes for leaving but Courtney assures her that she's here now and that's what matters. Jennie focuses on the shards and blasts them with her ring. The shards suddenly begin to pull together like magnets, fusing together piece by piece. When the diamond is fused together, the lights in the workshop go dark, forcing the emergency lights on. Courtney grips the staff as she looks around.
Eclipso appears and picks up the diamond. It becomes apparent that Richard lied about the diamond trapping Eclipso. Pat attacks Eclipso with a wrench, but the creature bats him away with minimal effort. Courtney tries to use the staff but it doesn't work as it's still too weak. Eclipso advances on her but Jennie stands between them. She blasts Eclipso with her ring and the power seems to be working as it pushes the creature backward. However, Eclipso resists the power and knocks Jennie into a wall. He glares at Courtney and states that it's to the shadows for her. He throws the diamond at her feet, shattering it in the process, and a portal opens at her feet. Black tentacles appear and wrap around her ankles and wrists, pulling her down. Pat cries out for Courtney as he grabs her hand, trying to keep her from being sucked through the portal. She begs him not to let go but the pull is too strong and Courtney vanishes into the darkness.

Courtney awakens in The Shadowlands in a world that is black and white. It is eerily similar to Blue Valley, though the citizen who greets her move in slow motion. She walks the streets as she sees the theater is temporarily closed. She comes across Richie Rock's Diner where she peered inside. She sees the Zarick family inside laughing and enjoying their time together. The Zarick's welcome her to Blue Valley. Joey revealed his plan to become a famous magician one day. Despite the overzealous laughter, everything seemed normal, though Courtney was aware it was wrong. Joey asked Courtney to pull a card in the exact same recall to their first meeting at Blue Valley High School. She pulled the same card as before, but before she can lie again that he got it right, Joey asked if she would lie again. He realized he would never be a talented magician and knew he messed up the trick. Things began to take a turn in the diner as the patrons advanced toward Courtney while Joey and the Zarick's threw insults. Courtney quickly ran out of the diner and into the next illusion.
She enters the halls of Blue Valley High School where she sees Principal Anaya Bowin and her son Isaac, both of who had been killed during Courtney's escapades as Stargirl. Anaya quips that new kids are always trouble, while Isaac merely misses his tuba. Before they can converse more, Courtney is attacked by Cindy Burman who dons her Shiv costume. The girls fight and Cindy slices Courtney's arm. She then freezes when she sees the blood. She realizes Courtney is actually there and not an illusion, as no one in the Shadowlands ever bleeds. Their reunion is cut short when the illusion of Dragon King appears, ready to torture Cindy more. Cindy promptly shoves Courtney through another door an they land in a little girls bedroom.
In the bedroom, Courtney learns that she is trapped in the Shadowlands. A place of despair and negativity where Eclipso was born. It feeds off the darkness in humanity and torments its inhabitants with memories of all the terrible things they have committed in their life. All the people they've lost and all the mistakes they've made. She warns that Courtney would never survive the place as she's too good. She sees things in black and white but the world is more grey than that. Cindy also presses that there isn't a way out. She hsd seen peoples souls be ripped apart by the things they endure in the Shadowlands. Though, Cindy views it as a personal paradise as she gets to murder her father repeatedly. Courtney, fed up with Cindy's attitude, flees the room once again.
This time, she arrived in a memory. She was in an apartment where her mom prepared to work Christmas Eve yet again. She told a babysitter that Courtney asked about her father again, even though she's the one here and taking care of everything. She had a business degree and dreams, but all that stopped when she got pregnant. Courtney ruined her plans and future. She could have had something better if it weren't for her. Courtney tried to communicate with her mother but the effort was futile. Cindy abruptly pulled Courtney out of the illusion and back into the room of a little girl. Cindy remarked that it sounded as though Barbara was going to wish Courtney wasn't born. The girls eventually argue back and forth before Dragon King arrives with Cindy's mother. She was moved by the sight of her mother and became emotional as she witnessed her younger self speak to her mother. Cindy advanced toward her younger self who was about to hurt her mother, but Dragon King's henchmen arrived and kidnapped Cindy. Courtney ran after her but when she pushed through a door she arrived in an abyss of darkness.

As the shadows consumed her, Courtney was pulled to safety in the JSA headquarters by Dr. Charles McNider, who wore his Dr. Mid-Nite suit. She was shocked to see him but also worried that it wasn't real. He confirmed that everything was an illusion but assured her that he was real. He confirmed his previous communication with her friend Beth. Courtney wasn't convinced so he offered his goggles to show her how the Shadowlands appear without Eclipso's illusions. He asked her to hurry as she put them on. The JSA headquarters faded away to reveal an abyss of darkness and shadows. She returned the goggles and asked how he could bear to look at that for a decade. He admitted that time moved differently, but it was also better than what he heard without the goggles - the screams of his daughter. Over the years, he managed to hack into the real world using his goggles, but he only ever received snippets of news. It wasn't until Beth activated his secondary pair of goggles that he held hope of escaping. He also believed The Shade didn't put him in the Shadowlands on purpose, but rather, in an attempt to save his life and didn't know he had been trapped. Charles than delivered a message to Beth that both he and Courtney were together in the Shadowlands.
Suddenly, the headlights of the Red Rocket Racer turn on and project a screen. The screen slowly reveals Barbara, Pat, and Richard in a movie theater in the real world. Barbara encourages her daughter to come through the portal. Before she does, Courtney realizes that Cindy is still inside the illusions. Charles states that they must move quickly to save her. Courtney assures her mother that she'll be right back. Courtney tried to focus on Cindy in the hopes the Shadowlands would take Courtney to her, but her first attempt was futile. She instead walked into Yolanda's bedroom where she saw her friend sit on the bed with the bible. She looked depressed. Eclipso, in the form of a young Bruce Gordon, greeted Courtney and asked if she wanted to play a game. He tried to make her feel guilt over Yolanda's state, as he assured her this was a real manifestation of Yolanda in the real world. He toyed that Courtney ruined Yolanda's life and made her do horrible things. Courtney refuses to play and left through a bedroom door.
She arrived in the Blue Valley prison where she saw Rick behind bars. Eclipso taunted that the monster was in a cage now because of Courtney. She retorted that Eclipso did that, not her. Eclipso then realized her true feelings toward him and tried to bait her into admitting her hatred of him. She refused and tried to leave again, this time, she walked into the Whitmore-Dugan House. Eclipso stood on the steps and gloated over having hurt her family, friends, and everyone she cares about. He complimented her locket but knew it came from her estranged father. She claimed to be over him but Eclipso knew that wasn't the truth. She felt the same way about Sam that she does about him. He and Sam both hurt Courtney, after all. Eclipso continued to goad her and asked how she about him. She admitted in a whisper that she hated him. He only gave her a twisted smile.
Courtney was then taken to Dragon King's lair in the Blue Valley Tunnels, where she witnessed Cindy be injected with a syringe. Dragon King knew Courtney didn't have her staff and prepared to attack her with a sword. Dr. McNider appeared and told Courtney to ignore him as he wasn't real - he won't have any power if she ignored him. She did just that and Dragon King vanished into smoke as she walked by. She quickly freed Cindy, who was then consumed by an illusion of her dead mother. Courtney told her it wasn't real as Cindy cried for the loss and apologized for having murdered her. When Cindy realized it wasn't real, her mother's body and the body of a young Cindy faded away. The trio hurried to the JSA headquarters where they pushed through the barrier The Shade had created. Courtney pressed through the film first and transitioned from black and white to back into color. Dr. McNider followed soon after, with Cindy having crossed through last. When all three were safely returned, The Shade closed the portal.
Courtney hugs her mom happily and their reunion is tearful. The group, minus Cindy, gathers around a dying Richard who apologizes to Charles for having sent him to that dreadful place. Charles assures his old friend that it's okay. Richard asks Barbara to tell people that he died doing a good deed. She agrees and moments later, he fades away into shadows that disappear into the air. From the stage, Cindy asks if anyone else is ready to kill Eclipso.
Courtney and her family return to the Whitmore-Dugan House to find Buddy eagerly awaiting their return with a fully healed Cosmic Staff. Courtney remarks that the staff is feeling better, smiling at the warbling artifact. Meanwhile, Courtney reaches Beth through the goggles to tell her that she's back in the real world. Courtney hugs her mom happily then sees Cindy watching them. Courtney snaps that Cindy better not trying anything, but Cindy doesn't have an ulterior motive this time. She'll be happy to leave Blue Valley once Eclipso is defeated. She tries to divert the blame to Courtney for Eclipso being freed, since she broke the diamond, but Courtney refuses to be blamed as Cindy is the one who went out for the diamond in the first place. Before Cindy can retort, Barbara intervenes that it was a really bad choice to get the diamond. Cindy finally relents that it was a bad idea. Just then, Beth and Jennie rush back to the house, with Beth happily embracing her friend as she's overjoyed to have her back. Their happiness is cut short when Beth sees Cindy in the entry way. She demands to know what Cindy is doing there, but Cindy is offering a truce until Eclipso is defeated. Neither of the girls want to work with Cindy as she's evil and can't be trusted, though Courtney knows it's a necessary alliance.

Later in the kitchen, Courtney and Pat talk while they watch Cindy eat a sandwich that Barbara prepared. Cindy smiles and tries her best to be nice as she admits to Barbara that the sandwich is good. Courtney ignores the statement and tells her parent's that she's going to talk with Yolanda see if she can convince her to rejoin the team, as they need all the help they can get if they want to defeat Eclipso. Pat states he'll try to get Rick out of prison. Courtney and Barbara wonder why Mike is, to which Pat reveals he's chasing the lightning.
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 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 one 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.
As Cindy works reverse psychology on Yolanda to get her back into the JSA, Courtney returns home to have a much needed talk with her mom. She admits that in The Shadowlands, she saw a version of Barbara that said some horrible things she can't unhear. She asks if by having her, if Barbara's life was hard as a single mom. Barbara admits that it wasn't always easy, but she wouldn't trade it for anything. Courtney believes her mom could have had a career, but Barbara states she has one. Courtney means that Barbara could have had a lot more sooner, but Barbara stops her. She assures her daughter that no matter what she could have had, nothing compares to what being Courtney's mother brought into her life. The two embrace as Barbara admits that Courtney can defeat Eclipso - she might be the only one who can. Courtney emotionally admits she misses her best friend.
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.
That night, Courtney goes out to the porch where Cindy is sitting. She asks Cindy why she went to see Yolanda, believing it was just her toying with Yolanda to get her to come back. Cindy hesitantly agrees that was her reasoning. Courtney wants to know why she did it. Cindy admits that Courtney has to embrace her dark side - just like she did, Yolanda has, and the JSA did when they killed Bruce Gordon. The only way to defeat true evil is with a little bad. Courtney heads back into the house where she goes to the basement again. This time, she takes out the staff as she prepares for the impending battle. Behind her, Yolanda looks at the Wildcat cowl.

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. Eclipso reveals he has Beth's parents trapped in a shadowy illusion that'll lead to them killing each other.
Beth uses her goggles to see Eclipso in his true form sneaking up on Stargirl. 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 world merged 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. Stargirl uses the staff in partnership with Shiv's fighting abilities, allowing them to work together to wound the creature. He bats Wildcat aside rather easily. He ultimately throws the heroines out of a window. The staff saves Courtney by keeping her from falling to the ground, though the landing weakens her.

Eclipso defeats STRIPE, Jakeem, the Thunderbolt, Grundy, and Hourman before turning back to his true target - Stargirl. He grabs Pat by the arm and drags him across the road until they're standing in front of Stargirl. She struggled as she watched Pat writhing in pain as his shoulder and arm were broken. Stargirl, finally at her breaking point, screamed that she hated him. Eclipso stopped, sighed in satisfaction, and then used his hyper speed to appear in front of her. He grabbed her by the throat and raised her above the ground. 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.

A shaky Pat called out to her, and she raised her head up as her eyes glowed red. She reached out and grabbed the Cosmic Staff, which reacted to the darkness inside her, glowing with purple energy. Eclipso spoke through Courtney as he revealed that he now wielded the power of both darkness and light. He could now merge The Shadowlands with this world. He turned to the sky and shot beams of Cosmic Staff energy into the rifts.
Wildcat and Shiv agree to try and take the staff from Eclipso instead of killing the host as the Golden Age JSA had. They descended on Stargirl as Wildcat tried to pull the staff from her hands while Shiv wrapped her arm around Stargirl's neck. Eclipso cackled that they couldn't beat him and easily flung Shiv backward. Wildcat tried to reach Courtney but Eclipso had already taken hold. He shouted that the staff was a conduit for spiritual enlightenment and is creation itself. Only one person can wield the staff. He threw Wildcat aside as he repeated that only one could wield the staff.

Sylvester Pemberton grabbed the staff and smirked that maybe two can wield it. He gripped the staff as Eclipso struggled against his pull. They locked into a battle of will as the staff rose them several feet above the ground. The JSA and their allies watch in awe as the scene unfolds. As they struggle for control over the staff, Sylvester admits to Courtney that he's still catching up. However, if the staff works for her, that means she was chosen for a reason. He 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. Pat encourages her from the ground as Sylvester pulls at the staff. Eclipso begins to groan and shout before Courtney expels him from her body in a burst of dark energy. Courtney lets go of the staff, letting Sylvester clutch it, and the pair fall to the ground. Sylvester uses the staff to guide himself to the ground, and catches a falling Courtney in his arms. She looks at him in shock before they look over at Eclipso.

The group is joined by other allies as Courtney and her friends, including Sylvester, advance to Eclipso's weakened form. Shade states that Eclipso is in a weakened state, so those who command the light must act fast. Sylvester grips the back end of the staff while Courtney holds the front half, and together, they blast Eclipso. They are joined by Jennie who wields green energy and Thunderbolt who uses pink energy on the command of Jakeem. With their combined efforts, Eclipso is defeated, though Jakeem's wish for Eclipso to "be toast" is taken literally as the creature transforms into a half-burnt piece of toast. After the blasts are over, Courtney turns to Sylvester and introduces herself as Courtney. He smiles as he says his name is Sylvester.
In the days that followed, 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. Pat leaves the group to "take care of some things", though Courtney doesn't push for answers. She enjoys the nice weather that has returned.
Courtney talks to Pat in the basement of the Whitmore-Dugan House. She wonders how Sylvester is alive as Pat saw his body, but Pat isn't sure. Sylvester promised to explain it all later. Courtney admits that she's worried he came back to take the staff for himself. Pat doesn't know what the future might hold. She admits that being under Eclipso's control made her realize that there is darkness in everyone - even herself. But there's also a lot of good in people too, and his manipulation made her believe in people that much more. Sylvester descends the basements stairs as he remarks that is why the staff chose her. He isn't here to take the staff, but rather, offers to show her what it can really do. Elated, Courtney agrees to the mentorship. Pat intervenes that it's great but only after Courtney finishes summer school. Sylvester smirks and says that superheroes don't need school, giving Courtney a mischievous smile that she returns.

As Courtney prepares for her final day of summer school, Pat and Barbara prepare an elaborate breakfast to celebrate. Mike shares quips with Courtney, while Pat brushes off Barbara's concerns over his shoulder that is in a sling. A knock at the door causes a distraction. Pat answers to find Paula, Larry, and Artemis standing before him with big smiles and a muffin basket. They eagerly relay that they bought the house next door and are now neighbors. Pat looks to an astonished Courtney, Barbara, and Mike.

### Road Trip

For a more detailed recap of the Whitmore-Dugan family trip, please see Road Trip.
Courtney, Pat, Barbara, Mike, and Buddy head out on their family vacation that was previously thwarted by Courtney's summer schooling. They travel across the country to Yellowstone National Park, and on the way Courtney wields the Cosmic Staff on her trip, saving a convenience store owner from a robber. They settle down at a campsite, with Pat and Courtney heading out on a hike. The find a dead animal corpse, but are interrupted by a man calling himself Pat's archenemy. After a moment, Pat recognizes him as The Needle. Needle comments on Pat's youthful appearance as opposed to his own, which has been tainted by prison. The pair prepares for a fight, though Needle is only looking to give his thanks to Pat.

He wants to thank Pat for putting him on the right course to finding Melanie and his new life. Courtney finds it wonderful wile Pat is skeptic. They hear a commotion where a bear is about to kill the boy scouts by pushing them over a cliff. Courtney uses the staff to distract the bear, wile Needle sends needles into its arm. Pat realizes the bear is protecting its cubs. Courtney stuns the bear while Pat tries to get the kids clear. A boy slips on the rocks but Pat saves him just in time, though he goes over the cliff himself. Courtney saves him using the staff while Needle tries to protect the scouts from the bear. They lock eyes as he insists no one wants to hurt her or her cubs, so the bear passes.

The trio hikes as Needle compliments Pat for training Courtney so well, though he brushes it off as her being self-taught with the help of the staff. Needle insists that he should take the compliment and be proud, which Pat is - of both Courtney and Needle. Needle meant that Pat should be proud of himself too, as Courtney isn't the only one who shines a light. Needle heads off into the woods while Courtney and Pat decide to see more on the way ahead. That evening, Courtney flies above the mountains on the Cosmic Staff while Pat watches happily.

### Season 3

Courtney texts with Yolanda that she's finally coming home after her family trip to Yellowstone Park. She arrives home with her family and Cosmo to a gleeful Sylvester Pemberton and Buddy. Sylvester asks how the trip was, getting three different answers. He comments on Pat's facial hair, joking that he left home a boy and came back a man. Mike isn't thrilled about it, earning a sideways look for Sylvester, as facial hair is a man's birthright. He'll understand when he starts shaving. Mike argues that he shaves, but Sylvester doesn't believe him. Barbara goes into the kitchen and remarks on him fixing everything, including the new expensive marble countertop. He knows a house needs to earn his keep. Pat had that on his list, confusing Courtney and Mike who didn't know he had a list.
He and Courtney head downstairs, where she's amazed by the newly transformed basement. Courtney can't find Cosmo's crate, which he moved into the garage - because he made a new one. He gestures to an elaborate case next to his bed. The staff warbles and takes off into the case. Sylvester surmises that he likes it, but his happiness fades when he sees Courtney's forced expression. The case might be overkill, but he didn't know how else to thank a big, golden stick that's the reason he's not dead now. She's been wanting to ask but didn't want to be rude. He's still trying to figure that out, as he woke up in his own coffin, screaming. He dug himself out only to be completely fine. He doesn't understand it, but thinks when Courtney formed the bond with Cosmo, she woke up the bond he has with it too. She worries he's reconsidering letting her keep the staff. If he is, she wants him to tell her now she can figure things out. He assures her that he's done being Starman.
She stands on the front porch when Pat finds her, asking what's wrong. He thought she was happy that Sylvester is here, and she is, but he put a lot of hard work into building that display case. He was talking about the bond he has with staff, which makes her insecure. Pat thinks that's exactly why Sylvester can show her how to do things with it that he can't. There's a real opportunity for her to learn directly from him, as he really knows what he's doing. While he teaches her how to be a better Stargirl, Pat will help him navigate his life post-Starman. The sound of a lawn mower whirring off catches their attention. Paula and Larry wave vibrantly from their lawn, welcoming them home. Paula grins as she tells Pat to tell Barbara they have to go get coffee together. Pat promises he will as Barbara will be thrilled. He and Courtney quickly retreat into the house as he mutters that she won't be thrilled.
Once inside, he locks the front door which confounds her. He's locking the door but she laments that they have to learn to trust them, unlocking it. He's incredulous and thinks she's kidding at first, relocking the door. They're not their enemies anymore. He knows she's very trusting which is a great quality, but when it co comes to people like that, she has to be very careful. She thinks they can make a difference in the world by helping the bad guys break good. If they can learn to trust each, not only would they be better people for it, but no matter what evil comes their way next, they'll be on the same side like they were against Eclipso, making them unstoppable. The doorbell rings and Pat goes to open the door. Courtney reminds him it's locked. When he opens the door they see Steve Sharpe standing on their porch, greeting them cheerfully. He's come to make amends and even brought their mail.

The trio sits in the living room as they discuss Steve's return. He assures them he isn't here for trouble. He wants to follow the example that others in his ilk have set forth. Pat calmly breaks the news that Steve isn't given the chances that others are, as he didn't help them defeat Eclipso. Instead, he ran from everyone and went into hiding. Steve heard about that, but has a change of heart now. He found a birth certificate for a daughter he never knew he had, as her mother put her up for adoption. He wants to be better for Becky. He has no delusions of being a role model like Pat, but he can apologize to those he's wronged and become a productive member of the community. If his daughter ever wants a relationship with him, he'll be worthy. This matters to him because his father abandoned him, and he doesn't want his daughter to go through life thinking he abandoned her. He wants her to know he loves her. This sentiment hits home for Courtney.
The next morning starts with the sound of a juicer whirring. Courtney comes downstairs, confused, finding Crusher in her kitchen making juice for Pat. Pat tells Courtney that Crusher broke in, but the man dismisses the claim as the door was unlocked. He's trying to get her old man back into the program. He cuts off Pat to say the juicer is on them, so is the first protein powder, and hopes to see him at Ripped City which is having a grand reopening. He playfully fights with Pat, laughing at Pat's claim that he almost killed Crusher. He leaves full of energy. Pat looks to Court; they have to start locking the doors.
Courtney heads to school for her first day of junior year. She has lunch with Yolanda and they discuss the villains. 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 of they catch her sneaking out on more time. They sit at the table as Beth hangs up with her eager parents. 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.
Once home, Courtney, Barbara, and Mike wait up for Pat and Sylvester to come home. They stumble into the Whitmore-Dugan house late at night, gushing over their adventures of saving a crashing plane. Courtney realizes Sylvester took the staff, as Barbara critiques Pat for being out way past dinner. Sylvester just wanted to see Stripesy's tech in action, recapping the big plane that S.T.R.I.P.E. caught. Barbara presses that he told Courtney he wouldn't be Starman anymore. Cosmo warbles sadly, with Sylvester lowering his head. He apologizes to Court, who tells her what he did saving a place is amazing, really. He gives her the staff and apologizes for causing trouble. He goes down to the basement.
Courtney follows him with Cosmo, asking if he's okay. He admits to lying to her, as he did come back for the the staff, which she thought so. She knew there had to be something. When he came back to life he realized he didn't have a life to come back to. His sister and parents died, he never married, or had any kids. All he had was Starman, so he doesn't know what he would do without it. She sadly asks if he wants the staff back, letting it float towards him. He doesn't, and the staff stops. He thought Pat was holding the staff but when he saw her with it, he knew it chose her. He would never ask for it back, because she's the future, not him. He can train her, though, and shows her some pretty great tricks. After that, he doesn't know what will happens. The staff drifts back to Courtney before stopping when she speaks. The staff still works for him and that has to mean something. She can't ignore that. She decides to make an arrangement, where he uses the staff while she's at school, and she'll take it back when she's out. He's reluctant but Courtney proclaims that settles it - Starman is back. The staff twirls in the air in joy, sending sparks. Sylvester holds it in his hand until Courtney gets a call from Beth that there's trouble.
The JSA suits up for the truck robbery outside a warehouse. It's their first mission since Shiv's membership. Shiv's presence annoys Wildcat and they begin to bicker. Stargirl cuts it off as they don't have time for squabble. She runs towards the gang until Artemis leaps over a wall, donning a super suit. She takes out the gang alone as Shiv smiles proudly from the sidelines. An astonished Stargirl looks at her team.
They head to The Pit Stop to debrief. Cindy is incredulous over them hanging out at a greasy garage, even if it's the only place big enough to keep S.T.R.I.P.E.. She remarks that it smells like a gas station bathroom. Rick asks if she's going to complain about everything. She 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. Beth gets a hit on the gang, who are the No Limit Gang that used to work for The Gambler. Yolanda and Rick don't think that's a coincidence, as Gambler is back in town. Bad guys like him don't change. Cindy proclaims that it's boring and to call her when something exciting happens. Courtney's attempts to stop her are useless.
She turns back to her team. Yolanda makes her annoyance clear, as the JSA isn't going to 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. They head to the trailer park where The Gambler lives.

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. A huge explosion 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 to Stargirl, insisting that 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. In a flashback to finding Cindy, Shiv professes her innocence. She came there to see if The Gambler had any connection to the lame robbery earlier. 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. In a flashback, Shiv drops the gun, so the JSA slowly walks closer to the body. Stargirl kneels beside him and finds the letter addressed to Becky. She holds it close to herself.
Now, 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. Rick adds that it's only because Cindy killed him. He adds that if Courtney thought she was innocent she would be at this meeting. Courtney quickly tells Pat about the missing laptop, which still hasn't come back online yet, and that Cindy didn't have it. If they find the laptop they can find the killer. Sylvester is guessing it was one of The Gambler's former colleagues from the Injustice Society that they're hoping to reform. The fact is, it wasn't until The Gambler came back to Blue Valley that he was murdered, making the former villains all suspects, including Cindy Burman.
Courtney sits in her room, somberly looking at Gambler's letter. She opens it and reads the touching words inside. The next morning, Pat checks on Courtney who will be late for school unless she gets a move on. He sees her somber expression and asks if she's okay. She's read The Gambler's letter to his daughter a dozen times since last night. He didn't expect anyone to see this except her. Courtney really thinks he was trying to be better. He wrote about his regrets, how he wanted to know her. Courtney would have given anything to have her dad say half the things in this letter to her. She knows the others don't care that The Gambler died, but she does. After they find his killer, she's going to find Becky, and give her the letter. Pat thinks it's a great day and a plan. Sylvester wants to question some of The Gambler's old colleagues, so they'll see what they can find out while she's at school. She can't help but smile at his support, and he nudges her gently then leaves her room.
That afternoon, Beth, Rick, Yolanda, and Courtney sit at their usual lunch table at BVHS. 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 bruises, 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. She eyes Cindy, telling her non-verbally to sit, and the girl does.
Courtney sits in algebra class when she sees Sylvester in the door window, gesturing for her to come outside. She reluctantly does, demanding to know what he's doing there. Pat just gave him some great advice, and he wants to pay it forward. It's time for her to level-up, like in a video game. They leave school together.

Courtney and Sylvester walk to the Blue Valley water tower. She thought training was going to wait until after school, but that was before there was a killer on the loose. He wants her to know everything the Staff can do now, in case they try to strike again. Plus, they both need to have some fun. The staff warbles in response, making them both smile. Sylvester needs to see what she can already do. She executes some acrobatic flips and then takes off into the air, throwing the staff and landing on it. She flies around the tower by standing on the staff, then lands perfectly on the ground. He applauds her, smirking that she should teach him. She wants to see what he can do, and tosses the staff to him. He does a flip and then twirls the staff, creating a whirl of energy. He poses with the staff, then lowers his head. When he looks back up, his eyes glow with energy. An aura surrounds his body, drawing from the staff and filling his immediate surroundings. He hits the end of the staff on the ground, then takes off in a burst of pure cosmic energy. He soars into the sky, sparks like fireworks popping from behind him as he flies. Courtney looks up at him in awe.
Courtney questions Sylvester about what the move was. He calls it the Shooting Star, tossing her staff. She wants to try it. He tells her to dig her feet in. She's going to funnel her energy - the positive emotions she exudes - into the staff. Then, she'll amp it up, and when she's ready, slam the end of the Staff down into the ground. He adds that she should hold the hell on. She smiles and prepares to try it. She grips the staff and focuses, then raises it, slamming it down. A blast knocks her onto the ground with a thud. He rushes over, asking if she's okay. She is, so he asks what she was thinking about. She didn't want to screw up in front of him. He chuckles as this is not about him, it's about her. She has to give herself credit for the home she gives everyone, and the love she has for her mom, and Pat, and sometimes Mike. For the faith she has in her friends. She smiles, adding "like him", which makes him smile softly - she can throw that in there, too. He backs up and she digs her feet into the ground. She grips the staff and focuses. Energy swirls around the tip of the staff and slowly creeps down the staff, swirling around itself and through her hands. She flashes to her best memories - sitting with the JSA on her front steps after defeating Eclipso, hugging the team after defeating the ISA, reuniting with her mom from The Shadowlands, hugging Pat on Christmas when she gives him the mug, and finally, meeting Sylvester for the first time. She opens her eyes and they fiercely glow with cosmic energy. She thrusts the staff into the air, a golden aura surrounding her body and flowing through her. She slams it to the ground, blasting into the air in a bolt of cosmic blast. She cheers loudly in the air, two sparks of firework-type-sparks spraying behind her. Sylvester watches her with a grin.
After they finish training, Sylvester, Courtney, and Cosmo visit The Shade's house. He screwed things up with him earlier, and if they're going to get answers, Sylvester has to apologize - even if he's a douchebag. Richard clears his throat from behind them. If they're selling life insurance, he's sorry, but has no intention of dying, ever. Sylvester forces a laugh at the joke. Shade asks how Courtney keeps getting rope into these witch hunts. Courtney quickly explains this isn't a witch hunt. Sylvester is here to apologize. She gestures to Sylvester, who steps forward. He's come to make peace. It doesn't clear him from being a suspect, but he was out line at the diner. Richard sighs, asking why he would waste his time on gaudy theatrics and rip his trailer to pieces. He would have simply dragged him off into the Shadow Lands. He turns to walk away, until Sylvester asks if it was like Dr. McNider. Richard stops - he saved his life. Sylvester concedes that maybe he did. But what about the others - Jay Garrick, Wesley Dodds, they died heroes, fighting him.
The staff warbles in Courtney's hand. She looks at it worriedly. Richard turns and steps up to Sylvester, asking if Pat's told him about his funeral yet. They had a rather impressive ceremony for the rest of the Justice Society of America, but for plain old Sylvester Pemberton, Pat Dugan was the only one there. Nobody wants him back, or here. He should do them all a favor and give Courtney the staff, and go. He turns to leave and Sylvester opens his hand. The staff whooshes to his hand and he blasts Richard, sending him tumbling across the yard. He flips off the porch and points the staff at him, trembling with rage as he repeats that Shade killed the JSA.
Courtney rushes to the yard and yells out, "stop!", which makes the Staff fly to her hand. Sylvester turns in surprise. After a moment, Richard provides his alibi of being with Maria at Richie's, teaching her the art of tea brewing. She may be the finest tea maker in the world, thanks to him. Courtney asks if he's okay, apologizing to him, as he stands, trying to smooth his suit. He had hoped to spend time in Blue Valley, but Sylvester has made it intolerable. Courtney thinks that if he didn't do it they can help them find who did. Richard scoffs - he has problems of his own to attend to. He disappears in a cloud of black smoke. Courtney glares at Sylvester, who doesn't meet her gaze.

Once they return to the Whitmore-Dugan home, Barbara and Pat scold Courtney and Sylvester for their little rendezvous. Pat scolds him for taking her out of school and attacking The Shade. Sylvester went to apologize and things got out of hand. Seeing The Shade at the diner, at his house, that took him back. Shade was the one that told him that the key to stopping Eclipso was to kill Bruce Gordon. He took that to the JSA and they killed a man in cold blood. He's not running away from that. But it all started with The Shade. The JSA broke up, only to get back together, still broken, to take on the ISA. Shade played a role, but it's not himself that Sylvester's really mad at. He's mad at himself for killing the Justice Society. He asks why he got to come back. He questions why he is here and not them. He swells with emotion as he admits to missing them. He softly apologizes and leaves the room. Pat, Barbara, and Courtney watch him go with sympathetic expressions.
Sylvester sits on his bed as he talks to the Staff, listening to its warbles in response. Courtney comes downstairs to ask if he's okay. He merely remarks that he's alive. She thanks him for already teaching her so much, but Pat's taught her a lot too. The most important thing he's ever taught her is that her whole life can't be about being Stargirl. She needs to be Courtney Whitmore, too. He remarks that she has a great life here. She thinks he can have one, too. A life outside of Starman. A life as Sylvester Pemberton. He doesn't even know who that guy is. Blue Valley helped her figure out who she is. This place has been a second chance for her, for a lot of people, and she really believes it can be that for him, too. He admits that it's a maybe. Neither one of them thinks The Shade killed The Gambler, but wonder who else is left.
In the morning, Courtney makes a big breakfast for the family. Barbara is happy by the meal, asking what the special occasion is. Courtney claims there is none, but Mike thinks she's still kissing up for ditching school. Pat remarks that it looks great and thanks her. She smiles that she learned from the best. As the family sits for their waffles, Courtney jumps back to what's important. They know The Shade was at the diner when The Gambler was killed, which puts them back at square one. They know the killer has incredible strength and that The Gambler was stabbed in the heart with something, which is why there was so much blood. Barbara stops drinking her juice and puts it back on the table. It's a little too much murder talk in the morning for her liking. Mike shrugs it off as he grabs a waffle - it doesn't bother him. Barbara asks if Sylvester is coming up, but Pat tells everyone he went on a walk to find balance, and get to know the real Blue Valley. Mike snorts that he's going to be disappointed. Pat disagrees, because Blue Valley is the perfect place to hit the old reset button. If someone can't find balance here in the heartland, he doesn't think they can find it anywhere. Mike asks if he works for the chamber of commerce. Crusher, Paula, and Artemis Crock arrive suddenly. Crusher agrees with Pat - balance is important, starting with a balanced breakfast. He throws away the waffles as that stuff will kill him. Artemis cheerfully greets Courtney, presenting Quinoa and tofu bowls alongside Paula, who knows Barbara will love it. Larry tells everyone to pull up a chair as the whole family's on the program now. They join the family, ignoring the awkward tension that arises. Larry pulls Mike and Pat into a three-way hug and tells Mike to dig in. The boy laughs nervously and Larry stares him down, repeating for him to dig in.

Cindy waits for Courtney by her locker, greeting her as new girl. She asks if there's any updates on the JSA front. Courtney admits there is - apparently, The Gambler's been blackmailing someone, they just don't know who yet. Cindy crosses her arms, remarking "huh". Courtney points out that she doesn't seem surprised. Cindy brushes it off - birds fly, fish swim, and blackmailers blackmail. Courtney looks away and agrees in morose, forcing Cindy to ask what's going on. Courtney just thought The Gambler was trying to be a better person for his daughter. Cindy understands, but lots of bad fathers talk the talk. It doesn't mean anything unless they actually follow through. She asks what Starman thinks, but he's taking the day off to find balance. Courtney eyes Cameron Mahkent who walks past the girls to find his locker. Cindy notices the fleeting stares and smirks, asking if Courtney has balance. The girl scoffs that she's balance. She made breakfast this morning - waffles. Cindy mocks surprise over how far she's come finding a life outside of Stargirl. Courtney sighs and brushes off the remark. Beth is tracking the accounts, so they'll hopefully have an update soon. She'll see her a lunch. Cindy walks away and Courtney walks over to Cameron's locker, smiling nervously as she greets him. He looks at her coolly but doesn't say anything. He puts his book in his locker and walks off. She watches him go, confused.
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. Beth cheerfully points out he's like Courtney, who darts her eyes at her friend. She meant that he'll rush in like he did with The Shade. Rick thinks they should all rush in if they're guilty. Courtney laments they have to wait. Cindy asks what they're waiting for - Beth has solid evidence for murder. Courtney tells the team that just because The Gambler was blackmailing the Crocks doesn't mean they killed him. She looks over to Artemis who is sitting on a cafeteria table laughing with her friends. 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. Until then, they don't say a word to Sylvester.
That night, Rick arrives late to the Pit Stop, something Pat points out. He apologizes as he had a flat. He looks up at Courtney who stands on the balcony with Yolanda and Beth. He asks if they're going after the Crocks. Courtney and Pat are going to talk to them, give them a chance to explain. They're just waiting for Cindy. Her phone rings with a call from Mike that shocks her. He tells her that Sylvester went after the Crocks alone. The team sends S.T.R.I.P.E., who interrupts the intense battle that spills into the parking lot of Bell's Market. He tells Sylvester the fight is over.

The Crock's and Whitmore-Dugan's assemble at the Whitmore-Dugan House, where Paula cracks Larry's shoulder into place. The Gambler was blackmailing them, that part is true. But they didn't kill him. They wanted to, but they stayed strong. He was blackmailing them for ISA crimes they didn't commit. Stuff other members didn't without them. They're dead now so they wouldn't have a chance in hell of proving their innocence. Pat reminds them that they're not all the innocence. Larry agrees as they're guilty of plenty of things. The admission makes the couple chuckle. Some of the crimes they even went to jail for. Truth be told, they wouldn't even be sitting there with their freedom if it weren't for a legal loophole. Pat thinks some people, like Sylvester, might call that just a little but unfair. Larry doesn't care what he says, as the guy is a freaking lunatic. Paula intervenes, as regardless, they couldn't risk going back to prisons, so they paid Sharpe. Courtney references the payments stopping two months ago.
They admit the putz stopped blackmailing them. He didn't say why and they thought he was playing a new angle, then, he paid them back right before he died. Barbara brings them ice packs, while Courtney realizes Sharpe really was trying to be better. Paula and Larry didn't realize that until after he was killed. Larry wants to get everything on the table, admitting he did pay Steve a visit the day he was murdered. When Sharpe showed up in Blue Valley spouting off his "turning over a new life" jambalaya jive talk, Larry didn't buy any of it. He figured he came back to start blackmailing them again so he drove out to his trailer to have a little talk with him. But he left before he did something stupid. Barbara asks why they didn't tell them this before. He admits he was trying to protect them from any unnecessary heat. Paula apologizes to Barbara, as they should have been honest with her. The last time they went to prison it nearly destroyed their family, not to mention the food - so many carbs. She asks that Barbara please believe her. They would never make the same mistake twice. Whoever killed Sharpe, it wasn't them. The front door opens and Sylvester was in with Cosmo. He sees the group and glares at them, heading to the basement. Pat excuses himself.
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.
Now that school is over for the day, Courtney straightens up her locker when Cameron walks over. He apologizes for being a jerk to her and everyone, but most importantly, to her. She asks if everything is okay and he chuckles. Everyone has been asking him that lately. She asks if it is. He flexes his hand then admits he's not sure, but he isn't ready to talk about it just yet. He apologizes but she tells him it's okay. They don't have to talk about it. Thy can just go for a walk together if he wants. They progressively move closer to one another throughout the conversation, now only few feet apart as she looks up at him expectantly.

The duo walks down Main Street in silence. She notices his distant look and playfully nudges him with her shoulder. He gives a small smile as she smirks mischievously. They pass the theater, now standing closer, though still in silence. Her fingers flex out towards his and they brush hands. He loops his pinky around her ring finger, but jerks away a few seconds later. They stop walking and she turns to look at him, her happy expression fading. He looks to her to say he has to go, apologizing. She tells him it's okay and he pauses for a minute, then walks away. She watches him leave with a sigh, before walking in the opposite direction.
Cosmo rushes up the stairs into Courtney's room to find her sleeping. It begins tapping on her until she wakes up. She tells it to go away, covering her face with her pillow. Cosmo then blasts the pillow much to Courtney's shock. The staff then flies behind her, nudging her to her feet. Once she's holding it, Cosmo yanks her out the window, flying her to The Gambler's destroyed trailer. It drops her on the ground. She asks why Cosmo took her there. Cosmo then points at Sylvester who's still unconscious on the ground, much to her surprise.
Once at the hospital, Courtney, Pat and Dr. Chapel have a conversation about the attack. Sylvester is unresponsive, but stable. He has large contusions across his body, and in his back, a puncture wound much similar to that of The Gambler's fatal wound through the heart. Dr. Chapel isn't sure what caused the puncture. Pat concludes the police won't blame this on a freak tornado. Dr. Chapel already reported his injuries with those consistent with a hit and run. She picks up on their shiftiness, asking if it was the right thing to do. Pat remarks that the police will be looking for a driver. Courtney suggests she should have said that he hit a tree. Bridget's confusion pushes Courtney to admit that it worked for her before. Pat assures Bridget they'll take care of it. Bridget reflects on her and James getting so caught up in it all, being proud of Beth for being Dr. Mid-Nite. She didn't realize there's a cost to it. She then leaves to call Beth.

Courtney asks Pat why Sylvester went out there alone without telling anyone. He expresses that it’s just Sylvester, and how he does things. She questions why he didn't take the staff. Pat remarks that it wasn't his turn to be Starman, and that he was trying to do the right thing. Courtney asks if it was. Pat hopes they'll know more when he wakes up. She curls up in the chair, fighting back tears. Courtney sits on a chair next to Sylvester's hospital bed, nervously waiting for him to wake up. A few seconds after he wakes up, remarking "ow". Courtney tells him that he was attacked and asks if he knew who attacked him to which Sylvester responds that he knows, as he remembers. She asks who did it, but he didn't see who attacked him - coming or going. Sylvester feels like a rookie after this ambush. He tries to sit up but can't out of pain. He can now confirm personally that yes, the killer is, in fact, very strong. She asks what he was doing at the trailer park alone. He went looking for new clues since all their leads dried up. He assumed the criminal would come back to the scene of the crime, just not at that very moment. She asks why he didn't take the staff. Sylvester reminds her of their agreement - it wasn't his turn, and a deal's a deal. She wants to rethink their agreement. However, getting jumped made him want to rethink a lot of things. Courtney decides that if she's not around and he needs the staff, then he should take it. He notes it should go both ways, then. Pat enters the room and says he called someone who can help with that. Charles McNider then enters the room and greets Sylvester, remarking it's nice to see him again. Sylvester greets him as "doc".
As McNider examines Sylvester, 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 classes, Cameron closes his locker and walks into the art room. Courtney watches him and quickly follows him. She pauses for a moment at the door then calls out to him, walking inside. She closes the door behind her as he stares at the blank canvas. She asks what he's doing, setting her bag by the door. He's quitting art class, which surprises her. He can't do this anymore. It's time to admit that the artistic side of himself is gone. She refuses to accept that it's gone, as he loves art. He's just been through so much and if anything's going to help him heal, it will be the things that he loves. He painfully tells her to stop, but she wants him to let her help him. He thinks she can't help him, so she reiterates that she can. He firmly tells her that she can't, but she puts a hand on his shoulder and tells him it's okay. He contorts his body and loses control over his powers, letting out a shout as ice explodes from his body, which hardens into a block of ice. The blast knocks Courtney onto the floor, throwing the canvases away. She sits up in time to watch icicles forming on the ceilings and sprouting from the flooring around Cameron, who is breathing heavily. He looks down at his hands then over to her.
She locks the door and picks up a stool, gesturing for him to take a seat. He fearfully asks if she's okay, though she only returns the question. He asks if she's not scared. She admits to feeling a bunch of stuff. He looks up and says that his grandparents call it cryokinesis, a gift that his family has had for generations. As they talk, flurries of snow fall around them, with Courtney pulling her jacket tighter around her. He explains that his family used their gift to help people. His grandmother and grandfather want him to do the same to carry on his dad's legacy, but he doesn't know what that means. He knows that must sound insane to some like her. She questions the sentiment. He clarifies that he means normal. She hesitates then starts to tell him about his father, but he interrupts to say that his death wasn't an accident - he was killed. She tries to act surprised, asking what happened to him. Cameron doesn't know as his grandparents won't tell him. He knows that Jordan died trying to help people. This is why he was avoiding her before. He could really hurt her. She's not afraid and he hangs his head, breathing shakily.
They walk down Main Street, passing his mural of Jordan. They stop to look at it for a moment before continuing on. They arrive at the Mahkent garden, walking by the gazebo. The mural was the last thing he was able to paint before his hands stopped working. She asks if he's ever tried using this gift like he does his art. They drop their bags by the gazebo posts, standing under the twinkle lights to talk. He asks what she means. She explains how he expresses himself so beautifully through color and paint, wondering if he can do it through the ice. He realizes she wants him to express how he feels. He looks away before meeting her gaze again. He could have really hurt her. She knows it's only because he was alone and afraid. But he's not alone now. He asks how she's calm about this, and she chuckles awkwardly as she fidgets. He decides it's too dangerous, but that's only if he lets it be. She knows because she knows him and he's sweet and kind and thoughtful.

Someone once told her that emotions are what fuels them. It affects everything they do and how they do it. By embracing the love and hope she had for the people she cares about, it worked. She tells him to think of all the love has for his mom and dad and what they mean to him. Let his gift out while feeling that. He doesn't want to hurt her again, but she assures him he won't and takes his hands. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes before letting out a burst of power. Courtney laughs gleefully as snow falls from the sky around them. They hold out their hands as it falls. She stares at it in wonder, remarking that it's magical. He meets her gaze, responding, "like you". He smiles and holds her hands as they move closer, until they finally kiss under the falling snow.
Cameron walks Courtney home. She thanks him for walking her home, even though he didn't have to. He just wasn't ready for the night to end. She plans to do more research tonight to find out more about what she can do and why. He questions how she's going to research what he can do. She nervously says Wikipedia, making them both chuckle. She insists they'll figure this out together, touching the palm of his hand with her fingertip. He looks at her softly, as she's good at making his world feel less dark. They kiss on the front porch, the world spinning around them. When the kiss ends, she remarks that he's good at that. He'll see her tomorrow, and they say goodnight. She watches him leave then walks into the house.
Courtney leans against the front door, smiling widely, sighing in content. Pat rounds the corner and greets her, asking why she's smiling. She just had a good day is all, though nothing specific happened. She asks for dinner but he's not sure. Her mom's at work and he just dropped Mike off at Jakeem's. She assures him that's fine as she can find something to eat. She starts walking past him, but he stops her by asking if she's not going to ask for an update. She asks him for one, though he first mentions he's been trying to call her and Yolanda. She surmises she must not have heard her phone. He reveals that Sylvester, Yolanda, and Rick went down to the tunnels to look for clues of Dragon King being alive, but so far, have found nothing. She makes sure he took the staff and he did. She's glad and he asks what she's going to do now. Since Sylvester's leading the JSA at the moment and they haven't heard anything from them yet, she's got homework to do. She starts into the kitchen as Pat awkwardly walks off. Courtney waits until he's gone and sneaks down to the basement. She opens the chest containing the JSA files, locating Icicle's. She starts back upstairs but stops, deciding to tuck it into her jacket for safe keeping.
In the morning, Barbara and Courtney walk into the kitchen, giving each other a hug. They discuss how things went with the kids last night, learning Sylvester came up empty handed with no Dragon King. Sylvester plans to find one of his hidden labs across the country, which is news to Courtney. Sylvester explains that he and The Crimson Avenger tracked them back in the day. There's one south of them he wants to check out. As he talks, Courtney keeps checking her phone and smiling. Sylvester knows she missed out on the tunnels, so he offers to wait until after school if she wants to come check them out herself. She's good as they've got it covered. She grabs an orange and tells everyone to enjoy the waffles, walking out happily. Pat corrects that they're having omelets. Sylvester wonders if Courtney knows the difference.
Over at BVHS, the lab teacher calls for everyone to grab their notes and a lab partner. Courtney sees Cindy alone and walks over, tapping her on the arm to ask if she wants to be a team. She smirks at the double-meaning. Cindy wonders if she's going to apologize for leaving her out of the JSA meetings again, but Courtney's not going to. That's too bad, because groveling looks really good on Courtney. However, Cindy's been the one itching thr group at lunch. Cindy sighs that they can be partners. As they work, Courtney asks if Cindy grew up in Blue Valley. Cindy sees through the introductory question and wants to know what she wants. Courtney admits she's been hanging out with Cameron more, though he's in a bad place right about his dad. She feels guilty about what happened. Cindy insists she can't tell him what happened. He'll be just fine as he's basically a nice guy, though he's not nice to her. No one is besides Courtney, really. Courtney knows Cindy's changed and that other people will see that eventually. Cindy asks why Courtney is talking to her about this and not Catgirl or someone else. After a moment of silence, Courtney admits it's because she knew Cindy wouldn't judge her and would give it to her straight. Cindy takes the compliment. She likes the idea of her and Cameron, which means a lot to Courtney. Cindy knows that no one wants to hear how awful their father is, or was. After all, she's sure Courtney would rather still think Starman is her father instead of some degenerate who didn't want her. She laments that Courtney doesn't want him to feel like they do.
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.
Across town at Richie Rock's Diner, Courtney sits at the counter with a chocolate milkshake. Maria sees her sitting along with a solemn mood, asking if she's okay. Courtney gives her a silent smile so Maria passes, putting a hand on her shoulder as she leaves. Cindy enters and tells Courtney there's one big difference between them: Courtney sees the good in people while she sees the bad. She talked to Cameron about her as a favor. She knows his grandmother is a freak like Jordan. She saw her eyes get white with ice last summer because she made her mad. She wanted to push Cameron's buttons to try and trigger him and she did. He has his family's powers. The lack of surprise from Courtney makes Cindy realize she already knew. Courtney admits she's going to help him control them. Cindy scoffs, telling her to cut bait, new girl. She's read this story and it only ends one way. She also wouldn't finish the milkshake. Once Cindy's gone, Courtney looks at the drink.
That night, Courtney and Cameron sit at the Mahkent residence. She opens a book about the Ice Inn, asking if he thinks it's beautiful. Not taking his eyes off her, he agrees. She smirks as she's talking about the ice hotel. He chuckles as he tries to correct that he was too. She thinks this could be a perfect example of what he might be able to do. He thinks they should go there sometime. He opens his hand and swirls a circle around his palm, the building slowly manifesting in ice form. He looks up at her as she looks in amazement. He brought the ice hotel to her. She takes it and looks it over. She remarks it's beautiful and cold. Lily and Sofus watch from the doorway before walking away. Cameron smiles up at Courtney.
Courtney leaves the house early the next morning, heading to the Mahkent residence once again. In a beautiful garden, Cameron takes deep breaths as the birds chirp in the background. Courtney watches from a few feet away. She reminds him that how he feels affects what he does, so if he's scared or angry, the ice will be too. But if he keeps focusing on the good, though he loves and the love she knows he has for the rest of the world, then his heart will control it. He continues to breathe with his eyes closed. He still doesn't understand how she knows all of this. She flashes back to Sylvester teaching her, smiling that her coach told her the same thing. She quickly adds it was the gymnastics team coach back in California. He warns her to keep her distance, but she's not worried. He opens his eyes which are white with ice. He lets out an ice breath as she tells him to focus. He holds out his palms and snows flurries down with gusts of cold wind. A statue forms in the center of the garden, rising to several feet above them. He smiles as he does it. She nods back at him and he gazes up at the statue, which is of his dad. She looks a bit uneasy before complimenting its beauty.

They go inside only to find Barbara, Pat, Sofus, and Lily sitting together in a large room. Courtney calls out to her mom and Pat, asking what they're doing here. She questions why her parents didn't call her. Barbara reminds Courtney that she was ignoring everyone. Cameron reveals that Courtney was helping him on a new sculpture, which unnerves Lily, though Sofus is sure it's fine. Courtney presses there was no reason for her parents to come all the way out here. Pat shrugs it off, as if he hadn't come then he never would have gotten to try lutefisk, which now enters the pantheon of great fish. It's right up there with catfish, grouper, and tilapia. His humor lands hollow, prompting Pat to think they should get going. They don't want to overstay their welcome, as they've all been so hospitable. Like he said, they just wanted to come by, say hello, and wish the teens good luck. Sofus looks to Cameron - as long as their children are both happy, that's all that matters. He looks to Lily and urges her that Cameron and Courtney being happy is all that's important now. She gives a brisk nod, glaring at Courtney. Cameron and Courtney hold hands.
The Whitmore-Dugan's leave the house. Courtney remarks that it was humiliating, asking what they were doing there. Barbara was worried about her. They're the one always telling Courtney that she can't just be Stargirl. Pat was just concerned for her, that's all. Courtney exasperatedly asks how many times she has to tell people that Cameron's not his father. They understand, but his grandparents knew Jordan was up to something. They're worried they have the same abilities that Icicle did. Courtney nervously reveals they probably do, according to Cindy, anyway. She thinks she saw his grandmother have the same type of powers Jordan did. But even if she does, if they both do, if they wanted to hurt them they would have done it already. Pat's not sure why they would wait. He loves old people, but they scare the hell out of him.
Courtney sits on her bed when Barbara knocks on the door. She brings in a vase of beautiful flowers that Cameron just dropped off. Courtney is surprised by the gesture. She grins happily and takes the card from the bouquet, which now sits on her end table. Barbara pauses at the door, smiling happily. Courtney looks up and gives her mom a slow look, so Barbara leaves. Courtney opens the note and reads, "*Thanks for giving me hope*". She smiles and holds it to her chest, grinning down at it as she sets it on the bed spread. She gets an urgent call from Beth about Cindy, Wildcat, and Hourman fighting on the Burman lawn.

In the Burman cul-de-sac, Wildcat and Hourman gang up on Cindy, slamming her into the ground. From above, a bright light emerges as Stargirl performs the shooting star into the center of the fight, blasting everyone away from each other. She looks up, her eyes glowing brightly from the power of the staff. 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. They should have had a plan. They did have a plan, she just wasn't involved 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.
She goes to her room and takes the polaroid of her and Yolanda off the wall to stare at it. A knock on the door makes Courtney sigh, as she assumes it's Pat and doesn't want to talk. Sylvester opens the door to ask if she's okay. Beth told him what happened. 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. She's sorry for not telling him about Cameron. He insists she doesn't need to apologize to him, as he's been there. He's guessing she thought she could handle it, fix it all, straighten out Cameron, and then present it to everybody all wrapped up in a neat little bow. She tearfully nods, and he continues on that they think alike. They're a lot alike, actually. Barbara and Pat keep telling both of them to find balance, but it's not so easy for people like them. They love it too much, they live for it. Pat walks up to the door and stops to listen. Sylvester knows the line between Courtney Whitmore and Stargirl is blurry at best. They bleed into each other. It can make living a normal life on any level almost impossible. She has to give herself a break.
His sister Mary, who Courtney knows about, always saw the good in people. She thought, given a chance, bad people could change, just like Courtney does. Merry thought even Brainwave could change. Brainwave was different from The Shade or the Crocks or Cindy. He was too far gone. No matter what he told Mary about him, she was in love for some reason. Sylvester blamed his powers. Thought he had tricked her into loving him or planted the idea in her brain, but he doesn't know. They married, had a son, Henry. She kind of proved Sylvester wrong for a while. But in the end, Icicle convinced Brainwave to turn on Sylvester's sister and his nephew. Courtney nods as Henry died protecting them. Sylvester, emotional, admits he was the only family he had left, but he never even met him. He doesn't know Cameron Mahkent, but he does know her. He trusts her gut more than anything. So if she says he's a good kid who just needs some guidance, he's on board. She smiles nodding tearfully. He smirks, quoting a wise man named Stripesy, which makes her chuckle. She can't try to do everything herself, because she can't. She thanks him and he tells her not to worry about the others, as he'll talk to them. They're going to get through this, together. Pat sighs from the hallway and walks away.

That evening, Courtney joins Pat in the kitchen, expecting him to say something. He thinks she's been piled on enough by everyone today. He can't say anything better than Sylvester already did. She remarks he's pretty great, which he knows. She doesn't know what she'd be doing without him. A knock at the door reveals Beth, which makes Courtney smile hopefully. She asks what's going on, as Beth looks worried. Beth tries to brush it off, nervously saying "nah" and grinning widely. Pat knows her and asks what she's worried about. She asks what's with all the worried talk. She's not worried, they're not worried. No one's worried. She grabs a glass offering juice, as she'd love one. She starts feeding the juicer. Pat warns her to be careful of her fingers. Beth hurries over to them with her laptop, talking through a smile for them to just act super normal. The machine whirrs in the background as Beth explains she hacked into The Gambler's files and found something she thinks he found. She shows them a feed of Cindy's house, but that's not all. She flicks through to show The American Dream, The Pit Stop, the exterior of the Whitmore-Dugan House, and the very kitchen they're standing in. They all look up for the camera but don't find it. Whispering, Courtney asks Pat what they do now. He remarks they don't say another word, closing the laptop.
The Whitmore-Dugan family sits for dinner, awkwardly trying to act as though everything is fine for the cameras. Pat asks Michael if he'd prefer a leg or a thigh. Mike thinks a thigh would suffice, so Pat remarks that one wing is coming up. Over the comms, Sylvester groans at Pat, wondering if he and Leonardo DiCaprio can lay it on any thicker. Courtney clears her throat, asking her mom how work was today. Barbara shrugs it off as not bad, asking about school, which was boring as usual. Sylvester calls the girls naturals. Courtney elaborates that class, homework, and painfully, friends are fine. Sylvester tells them Beth needs ten more minutes, so just try and act normal until then. Pat asks Michael if he would lead them in grace, confusing the boy. Pat brushes it off as he's got it. They finish their prayer, which is remarkably similar to the pledge of allegiance.
Once the lights go out, the Whitmore-Dugan's jump up, clicking on their flashlights. Courtney remarks that Beth has no idea how much time they have until the power comes back, so they have to find the cameras and take them down. Mike turns to Courtney, shining the flashlight on his face, asking how creepy he looks. She rolls her eyes that it's no scarier than usual, and he jabs that hurts. She chuckles that she was kidding.
Courtney walks down to the Whitmore-Dugan basement, finding Pat removing a camera from the ceiling beam. He asks if she's okay. She thinks Sylvester's plan is good. He meant if she was okay with everything else. She vents that someone has been spying on them, and they don't know who or for how long. She's just worried about finding them, but he doesn't think that's all. She admits there's more but she can't talk about her own problems when they're dealing with some kind of psycho voyeur. He glances at her as he starts removing another camera.
He reminds her that she can talk to him about anything, she knows that. 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.
Before she can respond, air begins swirling in the room and shadows creep in from the corners. Moments later, The Shade appears, shocking Courtney and Pat. He removes his sunglasses and points to Miss. Whitmore, who is just who he needs. She questions why he's here and if he knew about the cameras. He waves her off - if there's some kind of nonsense going on in Blue Valley, he no longer cares. He requires her services for something far more urgent. Pat tells him that she's not available, but Shade assures Stripesy that she won't be long. He starts walking off but she refuses to go. Besides, Sylvester has the staff right now, not her. Frustrated, Shade stalks back to her. He doesn't need the staff, he needs Courtney Whitmore. He grabs her arm and drags her along as he quickens, disappearing into the shadows. Pat calls out for Courtney and runs after them, leaping into the shadows. The trio vanishes - leaving only two flashlights clanging on the floor.

Shade, Pat, and Courtney land in some kind of basement with a thud. Courtney and Pat stand up, having landed off their feet. Pat asks where Shade dragged them too. Shade rebutts the statement, as he didn't drag Stripesy anywhere, he invited himself and he'd send Pat right back, if he could. He starts walking off, so Pat and Courtney follow him. Pat asks what he means by "if he could". Shade admits that his abilities are, to be frank, coming apart like an old suit. Unfortunately, the one seamstress in all the world who could stitch them back together again is the most frustrating, immature, defiant, emotional, unreasonable, utterly vexing creature he's ever come across. But he doesn't need to tell them that, as they already have the misfortune of knowing her, too.
They round a corner and find Jennie sitting on some steps. Courtney is surprised to see her. Jennie told Shade to let her call Courtney first to explain everything, but he never listens to anything she says. Shade baulks at the statement, as he daresay he felt quite neglected when she almost burned down that tea house. She argues that he called her stubborn, and he admits to be guilty of that. She elaborates that he called her as stubborn as her father, who she told him to never talk about, since he helped murder him. Shade starts to retort but Pat intervenes, telling them to all take a breather here. Courtney asks her what's going on. Jennie admits she finally found her brother, and he needs their help.
Courtney and Pat question where Todd is. Jennie admits he's upstairs, revealing they're in the basement of the Helix Institute. Pat remembers it as a home for troubled youth, though the nurse said Todd left. Jennie reveals that she lied. Whatever this place really is, he's been their prisoner this entire time. She's going to get him out of here, even if she has to burn this place to the ground. Shade first wants to explain their problem as simply as he can, but she doesn't think he can simply explain how to make a cup of tea. Offended, he rears that brewing tea is more complicated than perhaps Jennie might imagine. She rolls her eyes at him so he continues to explain. For weeks, when he was accessing the shadows, he was drawing in some mysterious emerald light somehow - and it hurt, immensely. He traced the light to this delightful girl. After several days of attempting to separate their tangled power sources, he's afraid they remain at an impasse. She has no control over that ring. She snaps that it's because her ring was corrupted by The Shade's shadows, and now his darkness is leaking into it. He corrects that her light is leaking into his darkness. Pat intervenes again, as they have a real "peanut butter and chocolate type" situation. He asks how they got tied up together in the first place. Jennie explains it was right before they defeated Eclipso.
Jennie looks at the ring as she muses that it's connected to The Shadowlands now. Shade fears if they don't sever that connection, their conditions will worsen. Jennie needs to exorcise the darkness from her ring to shut off the link between the light and the dark. They think once she does, they won't be drawing on each other's respective powers anymore, and she'll have full control of the ring again. Then she can help Todd. Shade waves it off as he doesn't care about any of that. He just wants the girl cut off from The Shadowlands so he can get back to a pain-free life. Pat argues that these kids need help, causing Shade to wonder when they don't. Or why it's always his problem. No, it was amusing at first, but now it's just annoying. Jennie turns to Courtney, hoping she can help her overcome the darkness within her. She did it when she beat Eclipso. Courtney doesn't remember much as it was all kind of a dream. She heard Starman and Pat, but she broke free from Eclipso because she knew if she didn't, her friends family would get hurt. Shade questions what she's saying, and she clarifies that saving Todd might be the thing that lets Jennie expel the darkness out of her ring - and get him back to normal. Pat thinks she's right, so Shade reluctantly says they should go upstairs and get her brother.
Courtney, Jennie, Pat, and Shade reach a split in the Helix Institute. They don't know which way to go. As they walk, Shade experiences ringing in his ears and discomfort. He tells them to wait, then points that her brother is down there. Pat asks how he knows but he's not sure.
The group reaches the double doors sealed with a key card swipe. Courtney tells Jennie to focus and breathe. Shade sarcastically tells Jennie not to burn the whole place down again. Pat snips for Shade to let Courtney do the coaching. Shade is gravitas as he gestures for the girls to continue. Jennie takes a deep breath and holds up the ring, letting it glow. She aims at the keypad and a beam of green light streams from the ring, hitting the keypad. As it sears the electronics, Shade groans in pain, clutching his head. Jennie is out of breath as she looks to Pat, who tries to help a snippity Shade. They rush through the doors and reach a sealed door. Shade announces Todd's through there. He grabs the doorknob only to be thrown backwards into a wall.

Jennie and Courtney hear Todd screaming and rush in, finding him convulsing in pain on the table. Jennie calls out to him, though he questions who's there and who she is. The girls slowly approach as Jennie explains it's his sister. He breathes out her name, and they lock eyes, flashing back to being torn apart as children. Courtney wants to get him out of here, but Todd protests, just as Pat and Shade enter. If they take him out of this room, he'll destroy the world. Jennie isn't about to leave him here. She grabs his arm and they experience flashes of their childhood. Their eyes glow emerald green. Shadows creep into Todd's eyes which turn pitch black. He lets out a shout and a blast of shadows explode out of him, swirling with green energy. The blast sends everyone in the room flying in opposite directions. Once the darkness clears, the electricity in the room crackles back to life. Todd is now a monster made of black shadows, his eyes white as he shrieks and moans. Jennie and Courtney look-on in horror. Shade and Pat stand as streams of shadows erupt from Todd's body. One of the shadow tentacles launches towards Courtney, and Pat calls for her to watch out. He jumps in front of her and takes the brunt of the attack. Courtney screams for Pat while Jennie calls for Todd, darkness consuming the room.
Jennie and Courtney watch Todd turn into a creature made entirely of shadows. He groans that it hurts. Courtney calls out to Todd, telling him that he can control this. He just has to focus on his sister and his family. He repeats the word "family" and slowly transforms back into himself, his shining white eyes fading to normal. A man appears in front of Todd, asking what's wrong with him. The man taunts him for liking boys, as that's sick. It's no wonder his real father didn't want him. As for him, he runs his group home for normal kids. Todd is filth, tainted, and will be alone forever. But they're going to fix his sins - the man will beat them out of Todd for as long as it takes. Jennie calls out to her brother and grabs his arm, sending another blast of green and dark energy rippling across the room.
Courtney wakes up on a couch and sits up, scanning the room around her. She sees trophies on one stand and a desk with the plaque "Louise Love Head Nurse" engraved. She hurries to the door but it's locked, as are the windows. She tries to work the rotary dial but hears a dial tone. Nurse Love walks into the office and scolds Courtney for causing quite a lot of trouble tonight. Courtney demands to know what's going on and where her friends are. Love didn't hear a "ma'am" in there anywhere, scoffing over the disrespect. Courtney gapes at her - she wants to talk about disrespect, when Love lied to them by saying Todd wasn't here. Love concedes that she lied, but insists that Courtney doesn't understand how necessary it was. Courtney can't believe that - his sister's been looking for Todd everywhere and going out of her mind. She looks around and questions where Jennie is. Love assures her that Jennie-Lynn is safe for the moment, but her brother is a different story. Courtney's drop-in visit tonight interrupted a very important procedure, and now she's endangered everyone, including him. Jennie-Lynn may burn down buildings in her weaker moments, but Todd's powers are deadlier. The whole world could be swallowed up in shadow if they don't get him under control. They're going to help him, while Stargirl is going home. Courtney protests as she thinks Todd sent her dad, Pat, and The Shade into The Shadowlands. Love's interest piques at this mention. Courtney presses that what Pat could be going through could kill him. It's a horrible place, and Love incredulously questions if she's been there. Courtney has - it's where The Shade gets his power from, and Todd too, it looks like. Love shakes her head as Courtney shouldn't have come here. She breezes out the door and closes it firmly behind her. Courtney shouts for her to wait, but the door locks, trapping her inside.
As she sits on a couch, she sees a camera in the corner of the room watching her. She stands and asks if he's been watching them. In their town, their school, and their homes. She defiantly paces the room, telling him he's picked the wrong people to do this too. They're going to find him if they haven't already. Starman, the Justice Society of America, all of their friends. They'll be coming for them, for her. She pauses and shakily admits that she's not helpless without her staff. The PA system clicks on and the man's voice admits he doesn't believe she's helpless without the staff, which is the point. She can set the staff aside, just as Yolanda can put her Wildcat suit away, Rick the hourglass, and Beth her goggles. She's not like Jennie and her brother, or him. Courtney doesn't even know who he is.
The door opens and Mister Bones walks through the door, revealing himself to her. She assumes he's trying to scare her, which he'll have to try harder to do. He assures her that his appearance is not a choice he can make. His mother was subjected to experiments while pregnant with him. Beyond his flesh being transparent, he was born with what these doctors called a cyanide touch. He removes his gloves to show his translucent skin. He touches a plant and it hisses as it wilts, dying. Anything he comes into contact with dies, which included his mother. Nurse Love rescued him from the people who did this. But there was nothing to be done. Courtney's sorry, she really is, but he cuts her off before she can continue. He's just as cursed as Jennie and Todd, as unlike Courtney and her friends, they were born this way. Here at Helix, they help those like them learn to live a life of isolation. Courtney is perturbed that he teaches kids how to hide from the world. He admits they help their patients survive the only way they can - alone. When Jennie's ring was infected by the shadows, it connected her to Todd, and his power became unstable. If they cannot suppress Todd's power, he will destroy all of them.

Bones hears thunder and the building shakes as if from an earthquake. He thinks Jennie's still too close to Todd. He needs to take her far from here. Courtney squares her shoulder - maybe she wasn't born like Jennie or Todd or him, but she knows what it's like to lose family, to feel so flawed she must have pushed them away. She's carried that curse too. But Jennie and Todd are meant to be together. She saw Jennie's powers react to his hurting. She's the light he needs, not those lamps. She moves around the desk to stand in front of Bones, who listens to her. She explains that her power, and Jennie's, it reacts to how they feel. That's why she thinks Todd's connection with Jennie is the only thing that can save him. Bones turns away as he thinks over her plea. This might also be the one thing that brings Pat home. She knows what he's doing here and she understands why, but life isn't about living in isolation. It can't be. Because if they're alone, what's the point of anything. Bones turns back to her and warns that if she's wrong, they all die. Courtney looks at him with a serious yet accepting expression.
Jennie sits in her cell when the door opens and Courtney runs in. She crouches next to Jennie, asking if she's alright. She only asks about Todd, and Courtney remarks that he's waiting for her. She needs to be with him. Jennie is afraid because of what happened the last time she touched him. Courtney knows they were both frightened, and what fear does to her and the fire. For Todd, well, she thinks he became a living doorway to The Shadowlands. Jennie has to do what the JSA did for her - stand with him, don't go away, and have faith. Courtney stands up and extends her hand. Jennie takes it and stands up, hugging her friend tightly. The girls hurry out of the room together.
Helix rumbles as Courtney, Love, and Jennie rush into the gallery room and watch Todd groaning. His eyes spill black shadows and he floats several feet above the ground as he hemorrhages shadows. Courtney urgently tells Jennie to go to him, but she's worried she'll hurt him. Courtney reminds her that she'll only hurt him if she wants to. Jennie leaves the gallery as Todd continues screaming. She looks up at Todd who gives a distorted roar. He bursts off the table into a shadow form, his eyes glowing bright white. He turns to Jennie, telling her to please leave. She's not going anywhere and reaches out to him, grabbing him as her eyes glow green. Courtney and Love watch from the gallery as green energy swirls with shadows. Love remarks they shouldn't have trusted her.
A burst of green energy shines in the room. Love and Courtney shield their eyes and when they do look, they see Todd and Jennie embracing. The siblings part and smile at the duo. Moments later, the wind gushes with the return of Pat and Shade. The Shade looks incredulously at Courtney, then gives her a proud nod when he sees Todd and Jennie together.
Courtney, Pat, Shade, Jennie, and Todd gather in the hallway of Helix, facing Nurse Love. Courtney gives her a satisfied smile and Love admits she was right. Courtney asks where the skeleton guy is. He's calming their other patients, as they don't usually have nights with this much excitement. She hopes this won't become a regular occurrence. Jennie thinks they have it under control now. Love reminds them they both still have a home at Helix. Courtney thinks what they're doing here is wrong. Love pensively states that all of their patients are free to go any time they wish. No one is being held against their will. Todd confirms that's actually true, though Courtney still isn't pleased with them spying on her or her friends. Love doesn't know what she's talking about. She's talking about the camera they put up all over Blue Valley, inside their homes. Love is disturbed by the accusation, as they did no such thing. They know so much about Courtney and her friends because they did their research. But spying on her with hidden cameras is ridiculous. Shade hopes they're all done here, as he knows he is. He leaves the hall and Todd tells Love he's going to go with his sister. She doesn't think that's wise but wishes him the best of luck. She gestures to the door and the teens leave.

The teens talk on the front lawn before approaching Pat and Shade, who stop talking at their presence. Shade awkwardly greets them. Rather than make his exit, he'd liked to extend a hand - that is, if they're amenable to his help with the shadows. Todd would appreciate that, though Jennie's not sure. Shade tells her to please, turn him down, then. Jennie needs to get to New York, which is news to Courtney. Jennie elaborates that's where Sandy Hawkins lives who is Wesley Dodd's nephew. Pat is surprised at her mention of Wesley Dodds, the Sandman. Shade wrinkles his face in disgust, as he agreed to help two children, not three. Jennie ignores him. Sandy has nightmares of people in trouble like his uncle used to. That's how she knew Todd was here. Sandy dreamt about her and Todd and reached out to her. She promised she'd help him with his nightmares once she found Todd. Shade groans over New York, begrudgingly agreeing to go. But things are going to be different from now on, as he'll have none of her outlandish theatrics. He flicks his cane and a portal appears. He instructs them to follow him as she walks through the portal. Todd and Jennie follow him, and she calls back a goodbye to Courtney. The portal closes and Courtney looks to Pat, wondering how they're going to get home now.
They take a bus out of Civic City. Courtney can't believe The Shade actually agreed to help them, but that proves it's possible that people can reform. 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. Pat remains silent as she asks what he thinks. It sounds good to him, all of it. He apologizes as he just can't shake it. She understands - when she went to The Shadowlands, she saw and heard stuff that was really hard to see too. If she wants to talk about them she's here for him, whenever, but he doesn't yet. He thanks her and she nods to him. This has left them with one question, though. If Helix hasn't been the one spying on them, she wonders who has.
Barbara nervously sits on the steps of the Whitmore-Dugan house, fighting back her emotions. The door opens and she lets out a sigh of relief at the sight of Courtney. She embraces her daughter, who she knows must be exhausted. Courtney isn't as they got some sleep on the bus. She asks where Yolanda is, and Barbara explains that she's in Courtney's room. The teen heads up the stairs and walks into her room to find Yolanda sitting at the window seat. She 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.
They sit on the bed to talk 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.
After school, Courtney walks to the Mahkent's front door, nervously knocking. A moment later, Cameron answers with a smile, greeting her happily. She asks to come in as they need to talk, and he opens the door for her to enter. They convene in their usual room, and she remarks on never noticing the snowglobes before. His dad used to collect them. Every time he went on one of his business trips, he'd bring one back for Cameron, calling them trophies. Courtney nervously mentions he went on a lto of business trips. Cameron nods and sadly admits that sometimes when he wakes up, and his dad's not here, he thinks he's on a business trip. Then he remembers the truth.
Courtney walks a few paces away before admitting she wants to talk to him about his father, specifically, about what happened to him. Cameron reiterates that he doesn't know much. He knows his dad was trying to do something to help the world, and he was killed for it. She slowly tells him that's not exactly what happened. She asks for him to please, just let her explain everything she's about to say before he says anything. He takes a deep breath than agrees, so Courtney readies herself. His father wasn't who Cameron thinks he was. Lily bursts in angrily declaring that's enough. Sofus joins and tries to stop her. Cameron moves next to Courtney, asking what's going on. Lily and Courtney lock eyes for a moment.

Suddenly, the door smashes open as Hourman slides into the room below, shattering the door into piece. Cameron takes a few steps forward in front of Courtney, who looks at Hourman in surprise. The masked hero shouts up at Courtney that he warned her. He assumes a fighting stance and Lily steps forward. She sneers that the children will finally die for what they have done, her eyes freezing over. Hourman shouts that these creepy old ghouls are the one who have been watching them. He attacks but Cameron blasts him aside with his powers, knocking him into a table. Courtney shouts out a no as she grabs and lowers Cameron's arm.
Sofus pulls Lily out of the study as Cameron, stunned, tells Courtney they have to get out of here. She protests, as that's Rick, surprising Cameron even more. Hourman readies himself for another attack. Courtney yells at him to stop but he ignores her, charging forward and lifting Cameron over his head. Courtney is caught in the crossfire and sent flying across the room, smacking into the bookshelf, just as Hourman slams Cameron to the ground. Lily and Wildcat continue their battle in the hallway, the force of which is enough to knock several books off the shelf. All the books land on Courtney's head, disorienting her.

Hourman grabs a table and flips it aside, nearly hitting Courtney, who rolls out of the way. The boys engage in hand-to-hand combat as she shouts for Rick to stop. Hourman snaps Cameron's arm which makes the boy scream. He throws Cameron forward, sliding him into Courtney, knocking them both to the ground. They look at each other as they sit up. Hourman grabs a ladder and swings it at Cameron, who has one arm around Courtney. She shields her face as he projects an ice shield over them, leaning her against his leg. The ladder smashes against the ice and splinters into pieces, leaving the couple unharmed.
This doesn't deter Hourman, who comes at them again. Cameron slides Courtney across the floor to safety, ducking under Hourman's attack. As he tries to stand, Hourman punches down at Cameron, who blocks it with a smaller ice shield around his hand. The pair are evenly matched as Cameron dodges and blocks each punch. He uses his powers to stun Hourman, who then counters with a punch. They both fall and Hourman tries to kick Cameron, who at the same time, sends an ice blast. The impact causes them both to fly over the railing and land in the room below. Hourman is on his knees in an instant, locking eyes with Cameron, who crouches. They charge at one another, yelling angrily.
Hourman and Cameron are evenly-matched now as they exchange punches. However, Hourman lands a hard punch in Cameron's ribs, making the boy double over. He follows up by punching Cameron to the floor. As Hourman recovers from his injuries, he looks at Cameron's still body. After a moment, Cameron leaps to his knees, crouching down for another round. Hourman looks up slowly, a dark expression in his eyes. Cameron pushes his ice to the ground, using the blasts to propel himself upwards and through the air. Hourman reaches out a single hand and grabs Cameron by the chest. Courtney looks up from the mezzanine, her eyes widening at the sight.

Hourman wraps his hand around Cameron's throat, choking him. Courtney, who looks on in horror at the sight, quickly leaps to her feet and jumps over the railing. She yells for Rick to let him go, grabbing at his arm and tugging on him. He throws her aside without a second thought. She slams into the wall with enough force to make a cracking sound. Hourman turns back to Cameron, whose eyes dart to his girlfriend, bleeding on the floor. He clenches Hourman's arm, letting out a scream as he sends ice crawling up his arm and shoulder.
Hourman drops him and Cameron quickly attacks him with ice, then freezes each of his feet to the ground. He blasts ice under Hourman, using it to slide under the hero, hit the wall, and launch himself into a flip. He braces his feet on the wall as he sends a blast of ice strong enough to knock Hourman to the ground. Lily watches with a smile. Hourman struggles to his feet and Cameron kicks him in the torso, sending him back to the ground. Courtney watches as she struggles to regain her composure. Hourman crawls away from Cameron, who glares at the boy.
Lily calls out for her grandson, catching his attention. She reveals they killed his father. He looks to Courtney who can't manage the words, though her emotional expression is the confirmation he needs. He swells with emotion as ice swirls around his body, his eyes freezing over. He blasts Hourman backwards with enough force to smash the stairs. Hourman lays there, weak, unable to breathe well. Cameron holds out his hand which swirls with ice. Lily cheers from the sidelines, telling him to do it, as Hourman reaches his hand up weakly. Sofus enters and tells him to stop. This hate is what killed his father. His anger, his grief. He tells Cameron to not let them take control of him. Cameron looks to Hourman and then to Courtney. Sofus croaks out for him not to ignore love, then falls to the ground, clutching his arm. Wildcat, Artemis, and Dr. Mid-Nite enter the room. Cameron walks up to his grandma, sitting next to her. Courtney crawls over to the steps, managing to sit next to Rick.

Dr. Mid-Nite reads that Sofus is having a heart attack. She decides to call her mom, who tells her that Sofus's heart has stopped. James reminds her about the gloves, which double as defibrillators because of their power. The suit will insulate her, she just has to get everyone clear. She sends a shock through Sofus then another, successfully reviving him. The man groans as Lily holds his head, relieved that he's alive. Wildcat and Artemis share a look. Cameron holds Lily's shoulder as they look down at Sofus. He looks over at Courtney, who is crying. She looks away as Hourman croaks out that he's sorry. When the carnage rests, Beth calls 911.
In the morning, at the Whitmore-Dugan House, Pat tries calling Mike's cellphone, though he doesn't pick up. He tells the family that he still isn't answering his phone. Courtney puts her phone away, since Jakeem isn't answering either. Yolanda asks where they could possibly be. Pat sighs that Mike told him he was going to spend the night at Jakeem's and that Jakeem told his mom that he was spending the night here. Yolanda wonders if they think the Mahkents did something to them. Pat, begins to worry if they found out that Mike killed Jordan, but Sylvester then cuts him off. Mike and Jakeem lied about where they were before everything with those Norwegian frosted freaks went down. So they boy were already off doing whatever they set out to do. Pat still has to be sure that the Mahkents are not involved and Barbara agrees. Courtney nervously says that Beth tracked the receiving signal from the spy cameras to the Mahkent house. They're the ones who've been watching them, so they have to be involved. Sylvester isn't convinced, as they've been set up before. She looks at him curiously. He tells her to think about it -- at 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 Mahkents haven't been watching the ones watching them, then who's left.
In the later morning, Courtney meets with Cameron behind The American Dream, nervous over the meeting. He looks over at her from the bench and stands as she approaches. She asks how his grandfather is. He replies that he's fine. Courtney is so sorry - she never meant for any of this to happen. He asks why she did it. She explains Yolanda and Rick were just trying to protect her. They though his grandparents were part of it, but he cuts her off, as his grandparents are not evil. They're just angry, and so is he. She knows he is. He has every right to be. He insists she should have told him the truth. She wanted to, but she didn't know how. He coldly says she just needs to open her mouth, and say it. She knows but she knows how much his father meant to him, and she didn't want to change that. He questions her statement, and she steps closer, admitting that Jordan did bad things. He killed people to get what he wanted and was about to kill more, so, so many more. Cameron's learning that he wasn't a good guy all the time, but he was his dad - his. He asks if she had to kill him to stop him. If she had to take his dad away from him forever.
Courtney insists they never set out to hurt him. He wants to know who did it, who killed his father. She carefully tells him that it was accident, she swears to him. If it wasn't accident, then someone needs to own up to it. He closes the gap between them and again asks who killed his did it. She tries to avoid the answer, as it doesn't matter who did it. It matters to him. He pleads with her twice for the answer, his voice shaking as he does. Courtney looks down for a moment then up at him. She lies that she did it, just as a tear falls from his eye. She apologizes and tries to stop him, but he holds out his hand. He's quiet for a moment before leaning closer. He doesn't want to ever see her again. She nods and he back away before leaving. She watches him go and then tearfully walks away too.
Courtney returns home after her meeting with Cameron, 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. Pat asks about Rick, but Beth hasn't heard back from him yet. Pat scoffs that he needs to get his head on straight, because the man that Mike and Jakeem found, he's worst threat they can imagine. Mike reminds Pat that the creature isn't a man. Sylvester says that he used to be. 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", but he went by a lot of other names. 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. Barbara is stunned over him putting his brain into Dolores Winters, the famous actress. Jakeem asks how could he do that, with Yolanda suggesting magic. Pat reveals it was surgery, with a little help from Dragon King. Sylvester doesn't even know if the scientist body they first met him in was his original one. Anyway, he assumed Dolores Winters' identity and fooled everyone. Pat adds that Dolores went on to win an Oscar, which Beth knows is for "Remembering to Forget", as it's one of her mom's favorites.
Sylvester reveals that the Ultra-Humanite had been in Dolores' skull for over a year by then. Jakeem realizes that he won the award, with Pat confirming. Sylvester adds that when the JSA found out the truth about Winters, the Ultra-Humanite sought out a body strong enough to destroy the JSA. So he and Dragon King stitched that mutated ape together and put his brain in it. Sylvester thinks that has to be the one who sucker-punched him back at The Gambler's trailer. that Humanite had been in Dolores's skull for a year by that time. Jakeem says then he technically won the award. Pat tells Jakeem exactly. Mike thinks that's probably who killed The Gambler, too. Sylvester confirms that would be his M.O., with Barbara wonder what he wants. Aside from revenge against the JSA, Sylvester admits it's anyone's guess.

Courtney suggests the Ultra-Humanite is the next Eclipso. Pat asks what she means by that. He's the 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 Mahkents. If this villain is as powerful as they say, it'll take everyone to stop him, including the Mahkents. 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, and get another new start. Sylvester thinks she might be right. Pat insists it's gonna take each and everyone of them, though, working together. One-by-one, the teams agree on the decision - first the Young All-Stars and then the JSA.
Courtney concludes the Ultra-Humanite killed The Gambler, destroyed his trailer, and stabbed him in the heart with his claw. Mike didn't see any claws, so it's more like it was his teeth. Jakeem adds they were big and sharp. Courtney dismisses the teeth, as however he was killed, this is exactly why she's been asking everyone to work together. Whether someone belongs to the JSA or the ISA, their town needs them again. She knows putting the past behind them has been challenging for everyone. Sylvester cuts her off, admitting that it's especially hard for him. Pat reassures him that he's working at it, and that's what matters. Courtney agrees as they've made progress - the Crocks are with them, and she thinks they can get Cindy back on board. Yolanda questions why they're bothering with Cindy again. It's because she's already on the hunt for the Ultra-Humanite, so she might know what he's up to. Jakeem admits that Cindy seemed pretty firm on working solo. If history has taught Pat anything, it's that whatever grand plan the Ultra-Humanite might have, it'll involve hurting a lot of people, including them. This "ain't no Donkey Kong". Sylvester chimes in that if they don't stop him, it'll be game over, imitating a losing video game sound from 1981. While Mike and Jakeem laugh, the rest of the team force smiles. Pat tells Sylvestser that he doesn't have to make a joke on top of every joke he does. Sylvester smirks that it's called banter - all superheroes use it during stressful situations to defuse tension. Pat knows, but it just seems like he always has to get the last work in on him. Sylvester doesn't know what he's talking about, and Pat points out that he's doing it right there.
A silence falls over the room. Sylvester asks if this is what he wants - no banter, just an overly serious conversation that scares the hell out of everyone. Barbara tells the guys to stop, and Pat apologizes to Barb. Sylvester does the same seconds later. Courtney shakes it off as banter aside, they need the Mahkents too. They need Cameron. Mike smirks that she means that she does. She ignores his comment, insisting he's as powerful as his father was and that he could be a valuable asset to the JSA. Mike worries that if they team up and then the Mahkents, they will put him on ice when they figure out that ran their son over. Courtney assures him they won't, admitting they think she killed Jordan. Everyone questions this, but she dismisses it as not being important. She steers the conversation back to Cameron. A pounding on the front door casts a silence over the room. Courtney starts towards the door, with Pat telling her to be careful. She opens the door and is surprised to see Artemis Crock on the other side. She asks if Courtney has seen her parents.
Beth tells the team she picked up a signal from Sportsmasters mask. It's coming from under Blue Valley, and she thinks she's found an access point with the maintenance hole cover. Artemis lowers into the tunnel, with Beth telling her to wait up. Courtney, Yolanda, and Beth joins her in the tunnel. Yolanda asks where Rick is. Beth isn't sure as he didn't return her calls. Courtney shakes her head as they can't wait for him. Beth leads the trails as she scans the hallway. Yolanda wonders if the Mahkents did anything to the Crocks or maybe that animal did. If that white ape hurt her parents, Artemis is going to skin it alive. Beth's goggles pick up the signal being stronger. They're on the right path. They follow her down the hall and to a door. Yolanda suggests suiting up, and asks Courtney where the staff is. Sylvester has it as he's trying to get on the Ultra-Humanite's trail. Artemis rushes into the room, ignoring Courtney's attempts to make her wait. She calls out to her mom and dad, rushing into the room.
The room is full of monitors. They conclude this is command central for the peeping Tom, who can't be the Ultra-Humanite as this room is too small for a giant mutant gorilla. Beth spots remains on the floor covering Sportsmasters mask. Courtney questions what it is, crouching next to Beth, who nervously reveals its human remains. Artemis lets out a breath as she picks up her fathers mask, trying to piece it together. She starts to sob and Courtney consoles her. Yolanda looks down at the sobbing girl who tries to gain her composure. She lets out a heartbroken scream that echoes through the tunnels. She emotionally screams again.
Pat turns on S.T.R.I.P.E. when his phone rings. He answers a call from Court, and his face falls at the news he's given. Next, she calls Starman, who is in Etter Produce Farm barn. His comms ring and Courtney asks if he can hear her. She's been trying to call him. The reception is spotty out here, and he asks her what's up. She admits they found the Crocks, or what's left of them. Starman assumes it was the Ultra-Humanite, but Courtney states it wasn't. She looks over at the dining table where Pat is comforting Barbara. She then tells him that Icicle's back. The news lands hard for Starman, who thought Icicle was dead. He's already gone public, showed up at The American Dream, so they need to regroup. Starman goes quiet as the staff warbles in the background. She questions if he's still there, and he whirls around, screaming as he blasts the barn with a stream of heated cosmic energy.
That night, Cameron approaches the Whitmore-Dugan's front door, knocking gently. Courtney answers and steps outside onto the porch. She asks what he's doing there. He knows she's heard about his dad being back, which is a miracle. She agrees it's certainly surprising. She crosses her arms as she stands in front of him. To Cameron, it's unreal. It means that everything has changed. Nothing has changed for Courtney. Jordan's been back one day, and Artemis's parents are dead. He knows and that is awful. Jordan feels horrible about it, but it was self-defense. He thought they were attacking him. She asks why they would do that. He was wearing a mask, a suit that was helping him heal. They didn't know who he was, so they probably just jumped to conclusions. She shakes her head, interrupting him, as his father hasn't taken responsibility or accountability for any of his actions. Cameron questions where the accountability is for the Crocks or Cindy. He wonders how she can say they deserve a second chance, but his dad doesn't. She doesn't have an answer for him.
After a moment of silence, Cameron continues. Jordan wants to live in peace, as a family. He asks if that's what she wants too. Courtney distrustfully asks if he sent Cameron here. He assures her that he didn't. He steps forward, closing the distance between them. He takes her hand in his. Whatever happened before, between them, with his dad, things can be different now. They can work together like she always wanted. Jordan told him that, and even his grandmother agreed. He wants them to just start over, please. She gazes at him, still unsure about her feelings. He asks her to think about it and she half nods, shifting her stance. He leans over and kisses her. When the kiss ends, their foreheads graze until he pulls away. They share a look before he slowly leaves. She watches him go from her spot on the porch.

She decides to go for a walk, heading down Main Street, which is quiet. She stops at Jordan's mural where she sees Jordan gazing up at it. He muses that he's a talented son, his boy. He takes after his mother. Jordan looks over and greets Courtney. She maintains her distance but walks a bit closer. Whatever he's doing, whatever he's planning, they're going to stop him. Jordan knows that she and Cameron have been seeing each other. She scoffs as of course he does, he's been spying on them. His son is all that matters to him. If she's important to him, then she's important to Jordan. He doesn't want to be enemies, he wants to be allies. He approaches her so she moves around him, ultimately switching places. He really does think they could be a great team, the two of them. He'll be honest, revenge was the first thing that overtook him when he first regained sentience. But he sees now that vengeance has no purpose. It's misguided, primitive, even. She helped him see that, because the more he watched her, the more he saw who she truly is. She's changed countless hearts and minds. The Shade, Cindy Burman, the Crocks. She interjects that she did, right before he killed them. He admits he did, which was regrettable, and she cuts him off before he can justify his actions. He murdered the Zarick family. He tried to brainwash half the country and didn't care that it would kill millions. He murdered the JSA no one can just ignore that. He's not asking her to forget. He's just hoping she'll forgive so they can work together, all of them. Then she and Cameron can start again. She looks down so he thanks her for hearing him out. He walks away and she looks up at his mural.
Sylvester leans on the porch railing and Pat joins him. Courtney should be here any minute. Sylvester remarks that she has to agree to this, she just has too. Pat shakes his head as she doesn't have to do anything. Courtney walks up the steps, asking what it is she's supposed to do. Pat says they're just talking. Sylvester admits he wants to go after Icicle. Courtney, tired, says Jordan wants to work together. Sylvester scoffs, they all know that's a lie, but she wonders if it isn't. Sylvester lets out a sigh, telling Courtney that after everything she's been through since she picked up that staff, he wonders how she can be so naive. Pat protectively starts to tell Sylvester something, but is cut off. Sylvester's just saying that Jordan's just playing them like he always has. If he's sworn enemies with the Ultra-Humanite, then Jordan Mahkent is using them to save himself from that monster. Hell, for all they know, it came back to Blue Valley looking for the ISA, not them. He steps closer to her. After all the support he's given her, he's asking her to let him take the staff and face the man who killed him and his friends. Courtney looks up at him and then to Pat.
Pat walks into Courtney's room and finds her sitting at her window seat. She can't stop thinking about Artemis and how alone she is. "Sylvester" wanting to take the staff and taking on Icicle himself - there's so much wrong with that. Pat agrees but Sylvester still thinks Icicle is his fight. Barbara enters the room, remarking it's everyone's fight. She doesn't care what Jordan says about wanting peace. He didn't kill the Crocks out of self-defense and needs to be stopped. Pat agrees with her. Pat and Courtney head to the basement where they find Starman's suit on the bed and Cosmo in its case. Pat finds a note that says he has a few things to do but will be back soon. She remarks they have to find him.
That night, "Sylvester" argues with Pat in the basement. He stalks out of the basement and finds Courtney by the door. She heard them down there, all of it. He coldly tells her that it is what it is. Courtney steps closer to him. Since the day she found the Staff, he's been her hero. She nervously admits that she even thought he was her father for a while. But when Brainwave came after her, it was Pat who saved her. And when Cindy hurt her, it was Pat who got her to the hospital. When her dad came to take the locket and she was absolutely crushed, Pat was there for her too. He's been there for her every time she's ever needed him. She emotionally tells Sylvester that's Starman's not her hero. Pat Dugan is her hero. She was so disappointed when she found out he wasn't her father. But she thanks God every day that Pat is. Sylvester doesn't acknowledge her comments. He just needs the staff. She tearfully holds her ground, as she's not giving it to him. He holds out his hand and the staff whirls to life, flying into his grasp. She looks up astonished and tries to pull Cosmo back, but Sylvester tells it no and to stay. She might have swayed the staff to herself before, but deep down, she knows it belongs to him. She's not worthy of it. She looks at him in shock. He'll be back when he takes care of Icicle. She tells him to stop but he barely apologizes as he leaves the house, slamming the door behind him.
Pat, Courtney, Barbara, Beth, and Yolanda convene at the table. Barbara asks how he 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 their. Pat tells them to go talk to him and he'll check in later. He puts a hand on Courtney's shoulder, as he's really sorry. She tells him he didn't do anything wrong, and he leaves. She puts her head in her hand.
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. The JSA convenes in Courtney's 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.

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.
Courtney can't reach Mike on his phone, and Barbara's only getting Pat's voicemail. Beth relays that Zeek has S.T.R.I.P.E. fixed back up, but he hasn't seen Mr. Dugan since he went to the Mahkents'. Rick is ready to start there when Courtney's phone buzzes. She answers a call from Cameron, who tells her Starman is at the junkyard. He asks if she's looking for him and she questions how he knows that. He apologizes as his family is coming so he has to go. She tells him to wait, but he hangs up.
The JSA walks the grounds of Zeek's Junkyard. Dr. Mid-Nite hopes Barbara can find Artemis. Hourman knows she'll be here, as Icicle made her an orphan. Wildcat thinks she'll show up just when they need her. She wonders how Artemis always does that. They stop when they see Icicle, "Starman" who wields the staff, and Sofus, Lily, and Cameron waiting for them. Icicle greets Courtney, though Cameron barely meets her gaze. Icicle stands alongside his family and "Starman" tonight, here on neutral round, with only good intentions. Stargirl asks where Pat is. "Starman" is sorry, but she's gone. Pat came to see him after Jordan and he settled things. He apologized and tried to convince Pat to join forces with both of them, but he refused. He went into the woods alone, looking for the Ultra-Humanite, who killed him. This lands hard with Courtney. As she processes, Icicle tells her that if they're going to get any justice for Pat, they need to team up. She doesn't believe anything he says. "Starman" knows he was harsh earlier, but Stargirl cuts him off. They're both lying, and Sylvester has been lying since he came to Blue Valley. Cameron chimes in for the first time, as he wouldn't lie to her. He's sorry about Pat, he's so sorry, but the only thing they can do now is work together and stop that monster before it hurts anyone else. Stargirl struggles for a moment until a whooshing sound gets everyone's attention.
From the sky, S.T.R.I.P.E. appears, landing behind the JSA as his boosters burn into the ground. The motor revs and Stargirl questions if it's Pat. It is him, but that's not Sylvester, it's the Ultra-Humanite. The team turns back to their enemies. Ultra-Humanite rhetorically shouts out if Pat's kidding him, and angrily questions why Stripesy won't die. He shoves past Icicle and blasts S.T.R.I.P.E. with the staff, sending the robot tumbling away. He takes to the air after S.T.R.I.P.E. Lily steps forward as now, the wicked children will freeze. She summons ice to her palms and the JSA assumes their fighting positions.

Stargirl dodges ice blasts, landing on the roof of a car, just as the explosion from S.T.R.I.P.E. appears behind her. She stands and looks at Cameron, saying that Jordan lied to him. Jordan cuts her off telling her not to say another word. He holds out his hand and she gasps for air as her breath turns to ice. She clutches her throat and falls off the car, rolling onto the ground. Cameron shouts out for Courtney, rushing to her aide. Hourman charges forward and punches Icicle into a car. Courtney gasps for air as Icicle's hold on her fades. Hourman turns to Cameron, telling him not to be a tool. He's being played by his own dad, but he's still going to kick his ass. Cameron gets up and Hourman starts to advance when he suffers a disorientation spell from the hourglass. He tries to throw a punch anyway but misses. Cameron blasts him backward, with Icicle adding a secondary blast that propels him even further away.
Stargirl hurries to Hourman's side, checking on him. Icicle gives Courtney one last chance to pledge her loyalty right now. He holds out his hand, ice appearing. He's suddenly shot in the shoulder with an arrow. Everyone looks in shock to see Barbara a few feet away, lowering Paula's crossbow. She warns him to stay away from her daughter. Courtney questions her mom and Icicle pulls the arrow out. Barbara and Stargirl help Hourman to his feet, taking him away. Icicle calls it such a shame. She was going to be so perfect for all of them. Courtney and Cameron would have been together. He knows that he and Barbara could have reignited what they had. Cameron's face falls from behind his father, growing darker. Barbara, dumbfounded, shouts they never had anything. He tells her goodbye and summons ice, ready to shoot it at the trio. Cameron shouts out a no as he tackles his father, sending a blast of ice across the lot.
The JSA retreats while Stargirl and Barbara help Hourman to cover. Icicle tells Cameron not to do this, sending bursts of ice at his son, who dodges them with parkour while returning his own ice blasts at his father. The Whitmores sit behind a car, where they see Ultra-Humanite shoot another ray at Pat. Barbara tells Courtney the staff belongs to her. The teen desperately asks why it works for him, then. It's because Courtney thought it should. It's why "Sylvester" couldn't just take the staff. He had to make her believe it worked for him. Another explosion makes Courtney look over to the adjoining lot.

Pat tries to crawl away from the Ultra-Humanite, who twirls the staff happily. He points it at Pat, ready to end this for real this time. He tells Pat goodbye and the staff shifts color to orange, glowing brighter. Stargirl runs in shouting to distract Humanite. She firms says the staff doesn't work for him. Cosmo sputters then shuts down, going dormant in Ultra-Humanite's hands. She readies herself as they rush toward one another. She flips out of the way of his attack and lands, grabbing the staff. It lights up in her grasp and then goes dormant for a moment. She uses it to sweep "Starman" off his feet, though the man recovers with a flip. She swings at him but he grabs the staff, locking onto it with one hand. With his other hand, he tries to take the staff from her by sheer will. The staff jerks and the two warring handlers lock into place with the staff, pushing against one another as they try to pull the staff to their side. A battle of will commences as she tells Ultra-Humanite that he is not worthy. They groan as they push onto the staff. It sends out a blast of energy that sends them flying away from each other. Cosmo stays between them.

Stargirl flips through the air and lands on her feet in a crouch, while Ultra-Humanite skids across the ground. She looks up and triumphantly says, "but I am". She holds out her hand and Cosmo rushes to her grasp, reuniting with its true handler. The pair rise up from the ground slowly, sparks flying from the exploded car. She gives a confident smirk and raises the staff to her side. Pat stands up in pain as he looks at her. Ultra-Humanite watches in anger. Stargirl stands and looks at Cosmo, who warbles. She remarks that she missed it too. Her smile falls as she looks to her enemy, readying herself for a fight. Pat stands in front of Stargirl as Ultra-Humanite stands. Pat looks to Stargirl and nods, so she runs off.

Cameron fights his father and knocks him back a few paces by performing a front flip and kicking him. Jordan painfully tells Cameron not to force him to do what Brainwave did to his son. He holds out one iced hand, begging Cameron, who looks at him in surprise. Their attention is pulled to the sky where Stargirl barrels toward the ground, glowing in cosmic energy. She slams down in front of Cameron, performing the shooting star. The blast sends Jordan flying away from them. The fact that he went there says everything. She charges at him with the staff, now assisting Cameron in fighting Icicle.
Stargirl fights Icicle, performing flips and blocks with the staff. She swings it at him as he goes to hit her, ultimately sending a blast of cosmic energy that seers across his face, then burns into the ground. Icicle looks up with a scream as his face sizzles from the cauterized wound. This surprises Stargirl, who stands up from her fighting position. He sends ice at her, which she blocks with the staff. However, the force knocks her backward. She flips over Cameron who grabs the staff to stabilize her. With his free hand, he sends a gust of power at Icicle, striking him in the chest. Icicle recovers quickly, reasoning that he only wanted what was best for Cameron. The boy tearfully tells his father to give up, then. Icicle pulls his hands back as his power appears. He tells Cameron to do what he has to, or he will. Cameron pauses for a moment, then pulls his power forward and slams it into the ground, screaming as he sends a shockwave toward his dad. The power collides with Icicles' to form a cloud of snow, mist, hail, and ice. Icicle's face emerges from the cloud, screaming until it dissipates. Barbara, Hourman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Wildcat, and Sofus look in surprise at what Cameron just did as the mist subsides. Stargirl asks where he went.
Cameron rushes to Sofus's side, as the man groans weakly. Stargirl walks towards Cameron, hopeful, but tells her to stay back. Her smile fades as she questions it. He's taking his grandfather to get help, and then he's leaving. Overcome with emotion, Cameron admits to betraying Courtney. He betrayed his own family. His grandmother's dead and his father, he can't bring himself to say it as he rests his hand against Sofus'. The men wince in pain together. Stargirl, sympathetic, insists she can help him through this. He meets her gaze and tearfully says goodbye, Courtney. He thrusts his hand to the ground and the Mahkents disappear in a puff of mist. Stargirl looks away as the snow drifts over her. When she looks back, they're both gone.
In the morning, Pat pushes Cosmo's old crate across the basement floor. Courtney twirls Cosmo so it lands in her palm. She looks over at the case next to the bed. The staff warbles and Courtney insists that if he still wants to use the fancy crate, he can. Just because the Ultra-Humanite made it, but she doesn't get to finish. Cosmo twirls her around in excitement and flips over itself. The old crate opens as it rests inside the crate, glowing happily. Pat cheers at the Cosmo is back, closing the lid as the staff goes dormant. He guesses that Cosmo just wants old faithful. She smiles at him, alluding to him as being old faithful. He chuckles at her and takes a seat on the steps. She assures him the statement is because he showed up just in time. He's not sure how he feels about the "old" part, but he's definitely feeling his age today. She asks how in the world he got out, sitting next to him. He had experience - Sylvester's very first adversary took him hostage. A guy by the name of Dr. Weerd - W-E-E-R-D.

Anyhow, when Sylvester rescued him, he taught him a little trick. How to disjoint both thumbs so he could slip any restraint. That's what he did down there, and he was able to dig his way out. It's pretty lucky that Sylvester taught him to do that because he thinks he would have died down there. Courtney smiles that Sylvester saved his life one more time, which makes Pat chuckle at the irony. She's really sorry it wasn't really him who came back. He is too, and a moment of silence falls between them. She heard him, or the Ultra-Humanite, say all of those horrible things to Pat down here. She starts to tell Pat what happened when he came back upstairs, and Pat closes the distance between them. He puts his arm around her shoulders. He heard her too. Every word. She smiles tearfully at him and he thanks her. She nods and they rest their heads together.
Across town at the Blue Valley Medical Center, Dr. Charles McNider scans Sylvester's body with his sunglasses. He tells Pat and Courtney that Sylvester's body is still perfectly fine, but there was a brain bleed that has left the Ultra-Humanite's mind irrevocably damaged. For all intents and purposes, he's brain-dead. Courtney asks what they should do now. Pat tells her they don't worry about the Ultra-Humanite anymore. But she means about Sylvester and his brain. Pat reveals that Humanite said it was gone. Of course, he lied to them every moment of every day. He meets Courtney's gaze. He decides to keep him on life support, just in case.
Courtney walks down a residential street in the rain, holding an umbrella. She stops in front of a quaint house, walking up the path. She sets down the umbrella and knocks on the door. A girl answers, and Courtney asks if she's Becky, introducing herself as Courtney. She knew her dad.
Becky reads the letter from her father as Courtney talks. Her father didn't want her to think he abandoned her. He wanted her to know that he loved her. Beck closes the envelope and embraces Courtney, who hugs back after a moment. Becky thanks her then goes back inside, saying goodbye before she closes the door. Courtney turns around and instinctively reaches for her necklace, which isn't there. Her smile falls as memories of her father haunt her. She picks up her umbrella, then continues down the path.

Courtney walks down the street under the light of the full moon. She stops in front of the Mahkent house, which is dark inside. She looks up at it and becomes emotional. She doesn't notice the bright light that shines behind her, making the wind blow and her breath noticeable in the air. Snow falls around her and she notices it, looking up at the clear sky. She holds out her hand and catches the snowflakes. She puts her hand against her chest and looks up at the snow for a moment. She hears the wind blowing and turns around to see Cameron standing several feet away. He asks if she really thinks she can help him. She gives an emotional expression and crosses the road. They meet in the middle in a hug. She puts her hand on the back of his neck, resting her head on his shoulder as he holds her. She smiles softly as she looks up at the falling snow.
Ten years from now, Richard Swift leads a group of eager patrons on a tour of a museum. He guides the ladies and gentlemen, telling them not to be shy. They arrive at the centerpiece of the entire museum. The meeting table of the Justice Society of America. He identifies who sits around the table, pointing at where the chairs would be. Starwoman, Wildcat, Jade and her brother Obsidian, Dragon Queen, S.T.R.I.P.E. 2.0, Jakeem Thunder, Icicle, Artemis, Sand, Damage, as well as Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite. The latter of whose impending nuptials are just around the corner. He proudly says they are officiated by "yours truly", smirking. With those two, come their loyal if somewhat foul-smelling and simple-minded friend, Solomon Grundy.

Banners for each member hang around the JSA, along with exhibits dedicated to their specialties, and wings in honor of Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite, Jakeem Thunder, and Dragon Queen. Artifacts surround the museum, including Excalibur, Sandman's mask, a pink pen, and Shiv's scepter. Shade stops at the front of the table. United, they stopped the Injustice Society from brainwashing America, then prevented the demonic brute Eclipso from merging his nightmarish world with theirs. They shut down the Ultra-Humanite before he could tarnish Starman's legacy. They brought the true Sylvester Pemberton back to life. Then, they rescued the Seven Soldiers of Victory from a cosmic deity called The Nebula Man. He turns to look at the table. They're the greatest heroes the world has ever seen. But they won't be the last. Because there are other legacies of heroism waiting for a new generation to find, to take on, to rise up. For as much as evil has tried to destroy the Justice Society of America, it cannot. Nothing can. He smiles proudly. Moments later, The Flash appears through a portal as the Justice Society is needed. According to Courtney Whitmore, that includes Shade now, too. He tells Shade to gather the troops. Their adventures are not over.

### Titans

Gar Logan falls through the Multiverse and lands hard on the pavement outside Blue Valley High School. He stands, groaning in pain. A pair of blue boots lands on the ground, and Stargirl cautiously approaches the stranger while holding her Cosmic Staff. She calls out to him, and he startles, staring at the staff oddly. She asks if he’s alright, and he whispers back to ask where he is. She explains he’s in Blue Valley, Nebraska, which depletes him until he realizes he’s in North America. She looks up to the sky as she says he came from nowhere, just a light in the sky that she saw. The staff warbles and jerks toward Gar, who flinches away. Stargirl pulls it back and reprimands Cosmo, chuckling out an apology. She asks if he needs help which makes him laugh. Suddenly serious, he needs to get to his family. She knows how important family is, and he gets the sense that she does. He needs to get to them, but he’s not sure where that is. He turns away from her and positions himself, commanding to be taken to his family, but nothing happens. She whispers to ask him who he’s talking to. He takes a deep breath then shouts to be taken, and a bright red light swirls around him, then sucks him out of Blue Valley’s Earth.

## Personality

Courtney is an impossibly optimistic person, even from the time she was a little girl, holding out hope that her father would return. She grew into a confident, capable, and rather snarky teenager. She was raised by her single mother and holds her in high regards, having strong morals and a clear sense of right and wrong. Her disposition was greatly affected by her sudden move to Blue Valley, as it caused her to leave behind her support system and friends. She blamed her situation on her stepfather Pat, whose eagerness annoyed her. She showed a flippant and snarky attitude towards him. She has difficulty fitting into the small-town of Blue Valley, a fact that is furthered when she protects herself and Yolanda Montez from the sexist advances of Henry King Jr.. Courtney isn't phased by his intimidating nature and stands up to him. She becomes frustrated at her situation, annoyed, and angry. However, her inherently curious nature leads her to find evidence of Pat's superhero past and ultimately, discover the Cosmic Staff.

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, ability to see the best in people, and enthusiasm to fight for justice. She is unwaveringly loyal to her mother and sought to tell her truth about Pat's past, but was deterred when she saw how happy Barbara was with Pat. She decides to spare her mother that pain and forces Pat to keep the secret of her own heroic journey. Even when things seem lost, Courtney manages to find her way back to this ideology of justice and heroism. She can be overly enthusiastic and naïve to the dangers of being a superhero. It wasn't until a fellow student died that she realized the validity of her actions. Even when faced with grief, Courtney convinces Pat that it was because a child died that they had to continue their mission.

She was forced to work with Pat in her journey to become a superhero. She fought his advice at every turn, and often became injured or endangered as a result. As she searches for people worthy of the mantles, she finds looks beyond Yolanda Montez's hardened exterior to see the good in her. She brings a light, happiness, and sense of hope to the outcast. This becomes a pattern when Courtney learns that Rick Tyler is a legacy of the JSA. She sees past his toughened delinquent exterior to see the hurt boy within. She also doesn't care about pedigree, as she doesn't paint Henry Jr. in the same light as his villainous father when he comes into his powers. She reminds him that, despite the horrific thoughts people might have, they also want to be good and be loved. She is critical in his journey to becoming a redeemed hero.

At times, Courtney's ignorance, eagerness, and stubbornness get the best of her. This eventually led her to be injured in "*Shiv Part One*" after engaging in a fight with Shiv. Despite Pat's warnings and urges to be careful, Courtney can be reckless and even selfish when it comes to her team. With Pat's guidance and her team's patience, Courtney recognizes her actions and tries to improve herself. She places a lot of her confidence in her unwavering belief that Starman is her biological father. She believes herself to be the daughter of a hero, as it's easier to believe her father is a superhero who disappeared during a battle than the truth - that her father was just absent.

Courtney was heartbroken over Henry's death and felt her mistakes outweighed whatever good she was trying to accomplish. At the same time, she was hit with the revelation that her father wasn't Starman but Sam Kurtis, a man with a troubled past. The revelation sent Courtney through a spiral that affected not only her personal life but her life as Stargirl too. She tried to see the good in her father as she had everyone else, but struggled as she wanted to believe his stories despite the hurt he caused. She began to believe him when he promised to be in her life, and they made plans together. She was devastated when she realized that Sam was only after the locket he gave her as it was worth money. She was comforted by Pat and surprised him by hugging the man who had become her father figure despite their difficult past. He held her as she sobbed, a moment that brought them close together.

When the staff went dark in her hands, Courtney lost belief in herself and no longer felt worthy of the title of Stargirl. She feared she put everyone danger over nothing but a fairytale and was ready to give up on her team, Blue Valley, and Stargirl. When Brainwave threatened her family, Courtney was forced to confront her inner-demons and feelings of being an imposter. She had to protect the family she had begun to care for. It took the support of her parental figures before she was able to wield the cosmic staff once more by believing in herself and her worth. As she accepts into her blended family, Pat is brainwashed by the ISA into attacking Courtney. She breaches the mind control by admitting her acceptance of him as her father, even referring to herself as his daughter. When he is freed, she doesn't recant when he tells her he heard what she said. Courtney also accepts Mike as her brother and her teammates as her chosen family.

When the ISA is defeated, she becomes obsessed with fighting crime and patrolling Blue Valley with her team. She struggles to let go of "Stargirl" to focus on the aspects of her life that slipped - including school. She has become a vessel of hope and light despite her momentary feelings of anger or jealousy, especially towards the JSA legacy Jennie-Lynn Hayden. Jennie's arrival stirs Courtney's imposter-syndrome, causing her to act poorly. She apologies and ultimately helps the girl. Courtney has a clear sense of good and evil, something that is challenged with the arrival of Eclipso.

She instead, must watch her friends and family be tortured with illusions designed to hurt them. She is also forced to accept an alliance with Richard Swift, a man whose moral ambiguity bothers her. He is the first to tell her there is a difference between bad and evil. However, her ability to see the good in people does not waver as, despite Cindy kidnapping Mike and orchestrating everything with Eclipso, Courtney still tries to save her from almost certain death. Even The Shadowlands were unable to break Courtney's unwavering level of hope and light. What did impact her, is Eclipso taunting her over Sam leaving, having left a hurt that hasn't passed, and compares his actions of hurting her to what Sam did. Eclipso forcing her to admit that she feels hatred for him is the first crack in her good shell.

## Physical Appearance

Courtney is a young teenager whose spunky personality is evident in the way she presents herself. She strongly resembles her mother, with their matching shoulder-length, naturally curly blonde hair, and vibrant blue-green eyes. Courtney has a curvy, athletic, yet petite physique most likely from her time as a gymnast and now as a superhero. She has full lips, a round face, and a fair complexion. According to the A.I. of Dr. Charles McNider, she is 5'2", weighs 108 pounds and has a 120 BPM. She prefers relaxed clothing that is stylish yet comfortable. This includes graphic t-shirts with sayings or flannel with jeans. She wears sneakers for the majority of the time. She is almost always seen wearing her golden locket on a long chain. The locket holds a picture of her father. When she gives up the locket, she opts for the occasional accessory in its place.

When fighting crime as Stargirl, Courtney wears her signature suit.

## Powers

While Courtney doesn't have any powers herself, she is able to generate abilities through the Cosmic Staff, which only she can wield and command. The staff chose her as its new wielder, making her worthy of its power. She becomes a conduit for the cosmic energy within the staff, forming a bond that is so strong, her very belief fuels it and becomes entwined with its power. Through continued use of the staff, Courtney may become entwined with the cosmic energy from the staff, similar to her predecessor Starman. Overtime, she may become imbued with the energy which would alter her physiology.

* **Abilities via Cosmic Staff:** When wielding the Staff, Courtney is granted powers, including the ability to fly while gripping the staff.
	+ **Stellarkinesis:**      Courtney can create and manipulate stellar energy generated by her Staff to use against her opponents. She uses the energy as blasts, which blasts are strong enough to severely damage an average human and destroy furniture.
		- **Photokinesis:** She uses the light generated by her staff to temporarily distract people from their task at hand. She most notably used this to distract a school bus of students from seeing S.T.R.I.P.E. This power is also the only known thing that can hurt The Shade.
		- **Darkness Negation:** Courtney can use the light generated by her staff to counter Eclipso's darkness and negate the potency of his powers. Courtney can free anyone who is also in contact with the staff of his induced visions and hallucinations. Courtney uses the staff to free Yolanda from Eclipso's Brainwave vision. She also uses it to free Pat from his Bruce Gordon vision and Mike from his hallucination of being attacked by Cameron Mahkent.
	+ **Flight:** Courtney can fly when using her staff by gripping it and using her body to steer. She either uses one arm to hold the staff, or has been known to sit on it while flying.
	+ **The Shooting Star:**      Aptly named, this maneuver requires Courtney to funnel her energy and positive thoughts she exudes into the staff, then "amp it up". Courtney's eyes glowed with the energy of the staff, the light surrounding her and filling her skin. Slamming the end of the staff into the ground creates a huge energy blast that propels her into the air in a streak of cosmic energy. The staff releases two busts of sparks once in the sky. She can land on the ground with a blast of energy strong enough to knock anyone in the vicinity off their feet.

## Abilities

* **Peak Human Condition:** Courtney, as a former gymnast, is highly athletic. She is extremely agile and flexible, able to perform flips, aerials, and numerous other acrobatic maneuvers with ease. This allowed her to evade tires and other debris telekinetically hurled at her by Brainwave. Courtney has also shown impressive strength, able to quickly hurl Tigress away with a single kick. Against the ISA, she was notably able to knock out Sportsmaster with an axe kick to his head, something Hourman, who had superhuman strength at the time, failed to do. Many times she has come out of fights without any injuries, while her teammates tend to have more than she does.

* **Master Gymnast:** As the former captain of her school's gymnastics team and a repeated gold medalist Courtney is a skilled gymnast and extremely agile. Her gymnastic feats are remarkable and effortless. Her skills are accentuated when she wields the Cosmic Staff, though in her fight against Dragon King, she still demonstrated great acrobatic ability. Courtney also has a bronze medal in gymnastics. Her acrobatic abilities only grow during her time as Stargirl, as she lands gracefully from attacks, leaps over blasts, and utilizes the staff with perfection.

* **Master Martial Artist:** Courtney is a skilled fighter, being a karate blue belt recipient from an early age, and often incorporating her gymnastic prowess into her fighting style. Courtney proved capable of taking on and besting several of Dragon King's minions with little struggle even before she was able to hold her own reasonably well against the extremely skilled Sportsmaster. Later she was able to fight Cindy on two occasions, even briefly overpowering her in one encounter. When Tigress attacked her and her mother, Courtney held the upper hand for most of the fight, only requiring interference from Barbara when Tigress had her bent over the counter. Later, during the fight in Dragon King's lair, she was able to swiftly overpower both Tigress and Sportsmaster with little difficulty, something Wildcat and Hourman failed to accomplish. When fighting against Cindy again in the BVHS cafeteria, Stargirl was able to fight her on even terms and gained the upper hand during the fight. With Cindy's help, she was able to fight against Eclipso briefly before being blasted out of a window by the latter.
	+ **Staff Mastery:** Courtney has demonstrated great skill in bo-staff fighting as shown in both of her fights against Brainwave. She can also fight using improvised weapons, such as the bat she disarmed from Sportsmaster, or the poker she took from Dragon King's lair and used to kill his minions.
* **Sewing:** Courtney was able to create her Stargirl Suit from the old Starman suit, demonstrating some form of sewing ability.

## Weaknesses

* **Disbelief:** Courtney's connection to the staff is fueled by her belief in herself and the staff. She lost belief in herself when she found out she wasn't Starman's daughter, she didn't think she was meant to use it. She blamed herself for Henry and Joey's deaths. She decided to give up the staff and her time as Stargirl. However, when Dr. King threatened her family, Courtney needed to rediscover her belief in herself. Pat didn't think the staff ever thought Court was Starman's daughter. It worked because it believed in her, and consequently, she believed in herself. While Courtney restored her belief, she can still lose the staff if she doesn't believe in herself.

## Equipment

* **Stargirl Suit:** The Stargirl Suit is a protective suit used by Courtney Whitmore as the crime-fighting heroine, Stargirl. She created the suit herself by altering the original Starman suit to fit her form and needs. She often lounges in the suit with the mask after her escapades, showing its comfort and versatility.
* **The Cosmic Staff:** The cosmic staff is a weapon used by Stargirl to aid in her crime-fighting antics. She has an inexplicable bond with the staff as they understand one another despite the staff not being able to verbally communicate. They work in complete harmony with one another. Courtney believes that not matter what, the staff would never abandon her. It is wielded primarily by Starman and Stargirl, and is a powerful weapon that absorbed stellar energy and employs it to create a wide range of abilities that its wielders use to fight crime. The wielder can also use the staff to fly, perform acrobatic feats, and use it as a bo staff for hand-to-hand combat.

## Quotes

* Season 1
* Season 2

**Courtney:** So, uh, what do you guys do for fun around here?
**Beth:** Oh, oh, we’re not friends. This is the table for the singles.
**Courtney:** The singles?
**Beth:** The losers.
**Courtney:** What if Starman was my father?
**Pat:** If he… if what?
**Courtney:** Starman died the exact night my father vanished.
**Pat:** OK, that would be the coincidences to end all coincidences if Starman was your father. It’s not in the realm of possibility.
**Courtney:** What about fate, Pat? Destiny? Maybe the stars aligned. Stars, Starman. It would make so much sense. My father never showed up that night because he died saving the world.
**--** "*Stargirl*"

**Stargirl (to Brainwave):** I’m Stargirl, and that’s my sidekick.
**Pat:** Great.
**Courtney:** Come on sidekick. Don’t flake on me now.
**Pat:** The last time I was a sidekick my partner got killed.
**Courtney:** Yes, but this time you have a freaking robot. You can do this, Pat. The staff chose me, and I choose you. Stargirl and Stripsey. What about STRIPE? Ooh, like an acronym. Um, Subatomic Tactical Robot Internet Pat Enhancer. Nailed it, yes. That’s cool.
**--** "*S.T.R.I.P.E.*"

**Courtney:** We have to find the rest of the Injustice Society. They’ve probably assumed new identities in Blue Valley like Brainwave did.
**Pat:** OK, weren’t you even a little scared of Brainwave? I mean, we both could have been killed.
**Courtney:** But we weren’t, and as crazy and insane as it was, it was the first time since we moved to Blue Valley that I felt like I was in the right place like I finally know who I really am. Starman’s daughter, Stargirl.
**Pat:** Court, even if there are other members of the ISA here, we need to proceed carefully, lay low, make a plan.
**Courtney:** I have a three-point plan: find them, surprise them, kick their asses. We’re Stargirl and STRIPE.
**Pat:** Being a superhero is not being one most of the time. I need to find out if Brainwave was alone or not, and I need you to go to school and just act like a normal teenager.
**Courtney:** That’s boring.
**Pat:** That’s safe.
**Courtney (to Cindy):** I have to say, slut-shaming is really damaging. Not to mention, it sets women back like 50 years.
**Courtney (to Pat):** This stuff shouldn’t be sitting here, collecting dust. It should be in the hands of possible heroes.
**Pat:** Hey, will you just listen to me for once? Everything in this room is dangerous, all right? This life is. A kid died today, a child. That’s why we can’t go on.
**Courtney:** A kid died today, and that’s exactly why we have to do this, Pat. This is our destiny, Pat.
**--** "*Icicle*"

**Courtney:** What’s your problem?
**Cindy:** You have no idea who you’re messing with.
**Courtney:** Neither do you.
**Yolanda:** How long have you been doing this?
**Courtney:** Uh, I don’t know, like... a week.
**Yolanda:** A week? And how long did your dad train you?
**Courtney:** Technically, he didn’t.
**Yolanda:** Then why am I listening to you?
**--** "*Wildcat*"

**Yolanda:** OK, question, If the ISA is a bunch of murdering freaks, shouldn’t we be looking beyond Blue Valley High?
**Courtney:** We can’t trust adults. Anyone in Blue Valley could be a member of the Injustice Society.
**Courtney (to Pat):** I thought you were a professional mechanic. Have you ever even fixed a car?
**Courtney:** Beth, let’s sit down. Look, this is all top secret. You can’t tell anybody – nobody at school, not your parents.
**Beth:** I don’t really keep secrets from my parents.
**Courtney:** Do you want them to die? Because that’s how you’ll get your parents killed. Secret identities are Superhero 101. They keep the people you love safe.
**Courtney (to Rick):** My dad was a member of the Justice Society too. He was Starman. And even though I only met him a few times, I feel cheated. He was killed before I even got to know him. But now I get to keep his legacy alive, and you can too. You can be a hero like your dad, Hourman. It’s your choice.
**Courtney:** Your parents, I’m betting they were killed by the same people that killed my dad.
**Rick:** Who?
**Courtney:** I don’t know yet, but whoever they are, they’re in Blue Valley. They’re the reason I’m putting together this new team: to get justice, for my dad, for yours, for all of the JSA.
**--** "*Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite*"

**Courtney:** I know it was stupid for me to go off alone, but this could be the break we needed to figure out who’s in the ISA.
**Pat:** Court, nothing’s worth you getting hurt like this. Do you understand that?
**Cindy:** You know what I realized from yesterday? We’re not that different you and me. in fact, we’re kind of similar.
**Courtney:** How do you mean?
**Cindy:** I don’t know, our dads and staff. I think if things were a little different, you’d be a lot more like me, actually.
**Courtney:** Or you like me.
**--** "*Shiv Part Two*"

**Courtney (about Henry):** I could hear Henry’s thoughts in my head. He had no idea what was going on. He was screaming for it to stop. He was so scared, and I was scared too. I could feel everything he felt. He was lonely, confused, sad. I wasn’t expecting that. He’s not like Cindy or even like his father. I know what he did to Yolanda was awful. I want to ask him to help us. I know it’s a risk, but if he can read minds, he could tell us who else is in the ISA.
**Courtney:** Help us find out who else is in the Injustice Society, then we can stop them from killing anyone else. You know that they kill people, right Henry? Joey Zarick, his dad, my dad.
**Henry:** Yeah, well maybe they all deserved it.
**Courtney:** Joey deserved it? Do you really believe that?
**Henry:** He was a nice kid.
**Courtney:** Yeah, he was. Why aren’t you?
**Henry:** You know what it’s like to hear everyone’s thoughts? It’s hell on earth. You think I’m a jerk, well trust me, everyone else is worse. If my dad hurt anyone, he had a reason to. People are monsters. Deep down, they’re ugly and greedy and hateful and twisted. That’s the truth.
**Courtney:** Life isn’t that black and white, Henry. People can be bad, but people can be good too, and kind and compassionate. Maybe some of the thoughts you read, maybe, they are bad. I mean, sometimes we’re hurting or afraid and we think awful, awful things. Have you tried looking a little deeper? I bet you’d find something better.
**Henry:** I really doubt it.
**Courtney:** Behind the pain and the fear, it’s all about love. People want to love and be loved. I think you do too.
**Henry:** What makes you think that?
**Courtney:** Look where you are. Yolanda told me the way your father treats you, and you’re still at his side.
**--** "*Brainwave*"

**Courtney:** He’s not my dad, Pat. He can’t be. The staff works for me. That proves that I’m Starman’s daughter, doesn’t it? Right? Because if I’m not, what have I been doing this whole time? The staff, putting on a costume. I got Henry killed and Joey.
**Pat:** Courtney, you didn’t kill anyone, all right. Listen.
**Courtney:** I put all of us in so much danger because I believed in some fairytale.
**Barbara:** Courtney, all I want in the world is to take you and run and just keep you safe, but there are families in Blue Valley that need us right now, that need protecting. So what do I do? If I let you stay and fight, you might die.
**Courtney:** I don’t think it matters, Mom. It’s not meant for me anymore. I need to get to school, but I’m ready to leave Blue Valley whenever you are.
**Courtney:** I’m not Stargirl.
**Beth:** Yes, you are.
**Courtney:** No, I’m not Beth. My dad wasn’t… he isn’t Starman. He was just some jerk.
**Yolanda:** My dad isn’t Wildcat, but I am now.
**Courtney:** This is different Yolanda.
**Yolanda:** How?
**Beth:** Yeah, how? I never met Dr. Mid-Nite, but I’m the new one.
**Courtney:** Because the staff won’t work for me anymore, OK.
**Beth:** Why not?
**Courtney:** Because it knows I’m not Starman’s daughter.
**Rick:** Courtney, the staff is stupid then.
**Courtney:** No, it’s not. I used it when I wasn’t meant to, and now I know for sure. It was my fault Henry died, and it was my fault Joey Zarick was killed. I can’t have anyone else get hurt because I thought I was… because I thought I was someone I’m not.
**--** "*Shining Knight*"

**Courtney:** Please Pat, it’s me. It’s Courtney... Your daughter. Ever since we came to Blue Valley, you’ve been there for me, every time I needed you. I need you now, Pat. I really, really need you.
**Pat:** Court. I heard you. Every word.
**Courtney:** I meant every word.
**--** "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part One*"

**Courtney:** If you're worried I'm here to dig through old files again, don't be. I'm done with that.
**Pat:** What are you talking about?
**Courtney:** Jennie, she made me realize what was really important, my friends and family, Stripesy. I should have treated you more like Jennie did when we first moved here. So, it's Courtney Whitmore first. Daughter, sister, friend. And if a villain comes up, then it'll be Stargirl.
**Pat**: Right, it's actually funny you should mention that because there is this villain from the old days called The Shade. He was bad news, and he's the last member of the Injustice Society that's unaccounted for. I think he's in Blue Valley.
**Courtney:** I’ll get my staff.
**--** "*Summer School: Chapter Two*"

**Courtney:** Ok, just because you gave up and only looked out for yourself, doesn't mean we're ever going to. We're never going to stop fighting to protect the world from people like you.
**--** "*Summer School: Chapter Three*"

## Relationships

* **Yolanda Montez:** Courtney and Yolanda are best friends and teammates. They first met when Courtney moved to Blue Valley, taking a serendipitous seat at the "losers table" at BVHS, meeting Yolanda, Beth Chapel, and Rick Tyler. She witnessed Henry King Jr. harassing Yolanda and intervened, helping to get rid of him even at the risk of her own well-being. She continued to stand up for Yolanda against Cindy Burman and her lackey, Jenny Williams. Yolanda resisted Courtney's attempts at friendship, though the new girl had other plans. She appealed to Yolanda's status as a social pariah instead of the outgoing straight-A student she used to be. She recruited Yolanda into the Justice Society of America, offering her the mantle of Wildcat. Though Yolanda initially turned her down, Courtney knew she couldn't do this without Yolanda, who came around to the idea. She accepted the mantle and the two remained close friends ever since. Their friendship only grew overtime. They protected one another from enemies both as JSA members and civilians. They are each other's most trusted friend and allies. Though their friendship was tested multiple times and broke apart more than once, they always manage to reconnect and be stronger than ever before.

* **Cameron Mahkent:** Courtney and Cameron are close friends and romantic interests. They first met during BVHS' talent show day, when he watched her treat outcast Joey Zarick with kindness. They began to interact when Cameron painted over the word "Slut" on Yolanda's locker, replacing the word with a beautiful flower. As they grew closer, he invited her to the homecoming dance, which she happily accepted. She couldn't go after getting into a "car accident", though he and his family came over for dinner at the Whitmore-Dugan's, where their crush continued to blossom. Courtney longed to spend more time with Cameron, and vice versa, but her secret life as Stargirl with the JSA often got in the way, as he didn't know her secret. It was only when Cameron opened up to her about his newfound powers they rekindled their budding romance. She coached him through the early phases of his powers and he viewed her as the hope he needed in this dark time of his life. They started to get serious, which prompted Courtney's decision to tell Cameron the truth - about the JSA, his dad, and her being Stargirl. Her attempt to do so at his home was thwarted when Hourman, Wildcat, and Dr. Mid-Nite suddenly arrived. Cameron brutally fought an unhinged Hourman, largely protected Courtney from harm, and won against the masked boy. Lily urged her grandson to kill Hourman as they killed his father, which was news to Cameron. Sofus broke through to Cameron and told him not to give up on love. Cameron spared Hourman's life, but looked to Courtney as the carnage of the day lay around them. During the final battle against the Mahkent’s and The Ultra-Humanite, Courtney was attacked by Jordan for trying to turn Cameron against him. When Cameron finally saw what kind of man Jordan truly was, he joined forces with Courtney and helped her defeat his father. After the battle, Courtney offered to help Cameron, who felt lost and unsure of his place. Cameron initially refused her offer, but changed his mind and visited her outside the Mahkent residence. They embraced in the snow he created. Ten years later, Cameron/Icicle is a member of the JSA alongside Courtney/Starwoman.

## Appearances

* "Road Trip" - Comic Tie-In
* "*Dude, Where's My Gar?*" - *DC's Titans* cameo appearance

## Notes and Trivia

* Courtney is a talented gymnast and was on her school's gymnastics team in California.
	+ She won 1st place floor in the 2017 Heart of a Champion competition.
	+ She won 1st place in bars in the 2018 State Championships.
	+ She won 1st place in the balance beam for the 2018 Long Beach Open.
	+ She won 1st place in bars in the 2013 State Championships.
	+ She won a silver medal in the San Diego Classic.
	+ She won a gold medal for the OC Classic.
* She is 5'2" (157-158 centimeters) and weighs 108 pounds (49 kilograms).
* She is the only main character to have a middle name; Elizabeth.
* Courtney is a talented painter, as she painted the flower canvas in her room in 2012.
* During her family trip to Yellowstone Park, her methods as Stargirl were reported on by various news outlets.
	+ "Cowboy Country News" reported that, "Unexplained Light Foils Pizza Robbery", in which, "witnesses say they cannot explain what happened, except for seeing light".
	+ The Broadwater Citizen reported a, "Mysterious Glow Sighted During Rescue", and "speculation goes wild as theories pour in about possibilities."
	+ The Casper Sun Daily reported that a, "Lost Scout Troup Found Thanks to Strange "Shooting Star"" though "no one claims to have seen anything else".
* Courtney and Yolanda have both dated ISA legacies. Yolanda dated Brainwave’s son, and Courtney dated Icicle’s son.

## Comic Comparisons

* In the DC Comics, Courtney's first alias is the Star-Spangled Kid, using Sylvester's converter belt. When Jack Knight gifts her the Cosmic Staff, she took the "Stargirl" alias to honor the "Star" legacy. In the live-action series, Courtney immediately adopts the Stargirl name to continue the "Star" legacy from Sylvester Pemberton.
	+ In the live action series, she finds the Cosmic Staff first before the rest of Pat's paraphernalia. In the comics, she doesn't find the staff but rather, is given it by Jack Knight.

## Gallery

* Season 1
* Season 2
* Season 3

## References

1. ↑ Despite their embrace in "*Chapter Thirteen: The Reckoning*", and Cameron's joining of the JSA by 2031, "Camney"'s relationship status is unknown.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "*Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite*"
3. ↑ As seen in Beth's goggles in "*Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite*".
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "*Stargirl*"
5. ↑ "*S.T.R.I.P.E.*"
6. ↑ "*Icicle*"
7. ↑ "*Wildcat*"
8. ↑ "*The Justice Society*"
9. ↑ "*Shiv Part One*"
10. ↑ "*Shiv Part Two*"
11. ↑ "*Brainwave*"
12. ↑ "*Brainwave Jr.*"
13. ↑ "*Shining Knight*"
14. ↑ "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part One*"
15. ↑ "*Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two*"
16. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter One*"
17. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Two*"
18. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Three*"
19. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Four*"
20. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Five*"
21. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Six*"
22. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Seven*"
23. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Eight*"
24. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Nine*"
25. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Ten*"
26. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Eleven*"
27. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Twelve*"
28. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Thirteen*"
29. ↑ "*Chapter One: The Murder*"
30. ↑ "*Chapter Two: The Suspects*"
31. ↑ "*Chapter Three: The Blackmail*"
32. ↑ "*Chapter Four: The Evidence*"
33. ↑ "*Chapter Five: The Thief*"
34. ↑ "*Chapter Six: The Betrayal*"
35. ↑ "*Chapter Seven: Infinity Inc. Part One*"
36. ↑ "*Chapter Eight: Infinity Inc. Part Two*"
37. ↑ "*Chapter Nine: The Monsters*"
38. ↑ "*Chapter Ten: The Killer*"
39. ↑ "*Chapter Eleven: The Haunting*"
40. ↑ "*Chapter Twelve: The Last Will and Testament of Sylvester Pemberton*"
41. ↑ "*Chapter Thirteen: The Reckoning*"
42. ↑ "*Dude, Where's My Gar?*"
43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 43.5 43.6 As seen through Beth's goggles in "*Summer School: Chapter Eleven*"