Icicle

## Episode Guide

"**Icicle**" is the third episode of the first season of *Stargirl*, and the third episode overall. This episode aired on June 1, 2020 on DC Universe and June 2, 2020 on The CW .

## Synopsis

*"THIS IS OUR DESTINY -- After a dangerous run-in with a member of the Injustice Society of America, Pat warns Courtney to back down from her attempts to go after them. But when she encounters what she believes to be a message from one of them, she urges Pat to help her. Meanwhile, Barbara makes strides at work, which impresses her new boss Jordan."*

## Summary

Eight years before the present in Blue Valley, Jordan Mahkent holds his son Cameron's hand as they enter a room, greeting his parents. On his mother, Christine's deathbed, Cameron's mother gives him a drawing. She tells him she loves him in her dying words, as the heart monitor begins to accelerate and scares the little boy out of the room. Jordan tells her he'll make the world pay for what it did to her, but she begs him to continue his mission and make it safe for their son. With her last breath, she makes him promise to destroy anyone who tries to stop him and dies. In a state of grief, Jordan runs out into the garden and freezes all around him as he belts a scream of pain, all witnessed by his son.

Back in the present in the Dugan-Whitemore household, Courtney packs her costume in her book bag and heads downstairs to find Mike complaining to Pat about music and dinner. He tells Courtney he'll drive her to school but she refuses, reminding him they need to find the rest of the Injustice Society. As crazy and insane as it is, she wasn't afraid of Brainwave despite his deadly intentions, and felt she was in the right place as Starman's daughter. Pat tells her they need to lay down and lay off the plan, of which Courtney always has - find them, surprise them and kick their asses. He says being a superhero isn't being one all of time, and orders her to go to school and act like a normal teenager.

At the hospital, a snoozing Henry King Jr. is startled when a coffee cup moves suddenly. Rattled, he stands up and sadly places his hand on his father's, and is greeted with the sight of Jordan Mahkent staring into the room's window. He leaves and begins to make a phone call to William Zarick, who doesn't answer. At his house, Joey shows him his magic trick. He gives his son a pointer about distracting the audience through talking. Denise gives him a magician's hat as he leaves. Her husband gets another phone call but doesn't answer. She asks him if everything's alright. Giving her a rose he pops from his sleeves, he kisses her goodbye.

As Blue Valley High's students enter the school, most take note of the destroyed front sign, and Courtney makes a point to walk straight ahead, thought accidentally makes eye contact with the janitor. In the hallway, she's greeted by Beth and many students dressed for the Regional Talent Competition. At her locker, she's met with Joey and two make introductions. He asks her to pick a card and she does, as he explains the talent show and how Cindy Burman always wins before going back to the deck and pulling up the wrong card. Courtney, noting the small crowd around them, exclaims it is to a wave of applause for Joey. She catches Cameron Mahkent staring at her but leaves, finding Yolanda Montez tracing the word "SLUT" painted on her locker. She approaches her and tells her they can remove it but Yolanda tearfully runs off.

Pat's at the hospital and finds a comatose Henry King Sr., only to be found by Dr. Bridget Chapel. He awkwardly introduces himself as an old friend and is saddened to hear what's happened. Dr. Chapel agrees with the shame of his state. She's thrown off by Pat's odd question of what he had on when they found him and answers his lab coat. She's called away, and Pat finally concludes that he wasn't alone.

William returns home and finds Jordan waiting for him with the news that Brainwave is in a coma. William tells him that Brainwave's son was attacked by someone using Starman's staff and that he called him. Jordan asks him why he didn't call him, and tells him to sit down. He reluctantly does and confesses that it was a girl and Henry'd take care of it. Jordan reiterates that he was supposed to take care of things in his absence, but Brainwave was insistent, unlike William who was hesitant. William dies back that he was the one who cleaned everything up, who found Brainwave and came up with the story. Jordan disapprovingly reflects on William's story, how he killed his master before his lessons were completed, and never thinks big, continuing to perform the small show. As a politician, he makes promises he can't keep, just as he did with Jordan. Jordan lectures that power doesn't come from one's perception of you but from within, saying how he hunted everyone responsible for his wife's toxic exposure and subsequent death. He did it to fulfill Christine's dying wish to combat injustice. William agrees, and Jordan stands, ensuing a pregnant moment of silence before praising him. Project New America is Jordan's destiny, and he wants it for William's too, but he's in charge now and will take care of Stargirl.

Pat's fixing up S.T.R.I.P.E. in his garage and gets a phone call from Mike's school. At home, Mike complains about what he's going to do without his games, and is lectured by Pat that back in his day he played in the arcade and his personal favorite game was *Paperboy*. He tells his son that his own father told him to stop feeding quarters into the machine and start earning his own money. Thus, he made Pat into a paperboy, which Pat will make Mike as well.

At The American Dream, Jordan introduces himself as the new boss and restates his promise to a past loved one about making America a safer place for their children. A child of immigrants, he's traveled across the country and seen people in need in forgotten communities. He's met with applause, and Steve Sharpe adds on that they'll continue the revitalization of downtown. As he points out addresses, Barbara makes a noise that catches Jordan's attention. He spurs her to speak, and Barbara, stepping forward, tells him it used to be a community theater where residents would put on plays and such. Steven Sharpe informs her it's been operating at a loss for years. Dejected, she turns away but Jordan tells her it's a good idea. Steven protests but Jordan tells him he can make it happen. He asks her for her name, and Barbara responds, smiling.

At school, Courtney finds Cindy teasing Yolanda about the newly-painted flowers on her locker. She says she shouldn't have dated Henry when Cindy realized she liked him and asks her to say what she is. Courtney attacks Cindy for the slut-shaming but is retorted that no one cares for her opinion. Cindy leaves and Courtney's prepared to go after her but Yolanda stops her, saying it'll make it worse for both of them. In math class, Courtney notices Cameron doodling flowers in his notebooks and deduces that he was the one that painted Yolanda's locker. They introduce themselves, Courtney having known his name as it started with the same letter. They're scolded by the teacher that its math class, not the dating game.

At work, Barbara is rearranging her family's photos when Jordan unexpectedly walks in, causing many items to fall to the ground. They both get to the ground to pick up the pieces, and he notices the photos. He tells her she has a lovely family, and wanted to say something. Barbara interrupts, saying she understands if he changed his mind about the theater. However, he states he's assembled a task group solely for the new community theater project, much to her surprise. Their new meeting is at 6:30 and he wondered if she'll join them, but Barbara can't as she has family dinner. She says she can go to the next one and apologies once more but Jordan understands, telling her to call him by his first name.

Walking home from school, Courtney encounters Rick Tyler standing against a wall and day-drinking. They lock eyes, and he picks his book bag up and leaves, sipping another drink as Courtney walks the other direction. At the park, Courtney begins to walk on ice-covered grass and huddles herself against snowy air. Walking slowly, she realizes the iced grass is in the shape of a star and runs back to her house. Alerting Pat of her discovery, she suspects Icicle sent a message. She wants to go and find him, but Pat says she how no idea how dangerous he is. He's only ever been hurt by the Staff, to Courtney's glee. They're interrupted by Mike going to grab a snack. He asks if he interrupted something, but Pat lies and gives him money to go to the store. He tells Courtney they can't go after Icicle - if it is him, he wants to be found and it's a trip. Courtney insists as the Staff appears behind him. She says it wants justice too, and they're going with or without him.

S.T.R.I.P.E. and Stargirl fly to the field, which by then the ice has melted. Feeling a cold wind, she jumps off the robot as two ice daggers hit S.T.R.I.P.E., freezing the robot's controls and locking Pat in. Looking around for Icicle, she runs to the woods against Pat's wishes.

Back at home, Barbara arrives for dinner but finds no one but Mike. She asks him where everyone's at, but Mike doesn't know. She asks him if they ate dinner already, and he holds up a bag of chips. She asks if they fed the dog, and he holds up a bag of chips.

In the woods, Stargirl looks around her surroundings with caution as the Staff warbles in her hands. As she nears the lakefront, the Staff emits a higher warble and takes the punch of an incoming ice dagger. She loses her balances and falls to the floor as Icicle approaches. He says hello as she points the ice-covered Staff at him, which seems incapacitated at the moment. He says goodbye to her as he raises his hand, but turns to see S.T.R.I.P.E.'s rocket fist before it hits him. Icicle hangs on to the fist until he is deposited across the lake into a bridge as it flies back. On a Blue Valley bus on that same bridge, Joey tells Beth he's fine with third place and tells her he thinks his magic is getting stronger. On land, Stargirl frantically tells S.T.R.I.P.E. he's on the bridge as Pat tries to defrost. Looking to see the bus, Icicle touches his hand on the ground and freezes the road. The bus driver notices and begins to swerve, turning the bus at a right degree towards the side of the bridge until it's tipping off the bridge at its halfway mark, sending the panicked students into a screaming frenzy. Stargirl looks at the scene with fright, but Pat manages to free himself and flies to grab the bus before it falls to the water. Inside, Joey falls to the back of the bus, where he stares S.T.R.I.P.E. in the face. He informs Stargirl via his communicator, who brights the Staff up to blind the students. The robot safely puts the bus back on the bridge and flies away. Inside, the students begin to file out. A traumatized Joey slumps on the side of the bridge, beginning to collect his cards. Icicle, back on land, blows a powerful swoosh of breath and reaches far enough to impact Joey and his cards, flying them into the air. Joey begins to collect them back, not seeing a red car approaching. Stargirl screams his name, but it's too late.

At the Zarick residence, Denise is finishing a call and sees her husband, who's gotten the news. Seeing his devastated face, the two break down in a heartwrenching hug until William pushes her away, racing upstairs and ignoring his wife's grieving protests. He opens the secret safe behind the portrait and grabs his wand, and rushes out the door.

At Pat's garage, Courtney grieves over Joey's death and says he was the first kid who was nice to her. She says they're going to find Icicle but fails to finish her sentence. Pat says he wants to show her something, and they fly into the skies. He brings her to the headquarters of the Justice Society of America and turns on the lights. She looks at the JSA member's banners and points at one. Pat says it was Wildcat, real name Ted Grant who was a heavyweight champion. He calls off all the JSA members and says they were all his friends - no, his family. She sees an owl and asks if it's real, which is as it moves. Pat says it was Dr. Mid-Nite's, which would land on his arm as he came in. None of them are coming back. He tells her Icicle and the ISA killed them all and the two of them don't stand a chance as she tearfully looks up at Starman's banner. Courtney asks what if they had help - if she's the new Starman, what if there was a new Hourman or Dr. Mid-Nite. Pat says no one can replace them as they were the best in the world, but Courtney says they didn't start off like that. Pat tells Her that they had years of experience but they still couldn't defeat the ISA but Courtney says the stuff in the room shouldn't lay in disuse as she's about to touch a pink pen. He yells that it's the Thunderbolt and that everything here is dangerous as this life is. Courtney is undeterred, defiantly stating it is their destiny. Pat says that was Starman's last words and adds that they're leaving, and, until he says so, there will be no more Stargirl and S.T.R.I.P.E.

At the Mahkent house, Jordan and his parents are in the living room when they hear loud banging from the front door. He goes to investigate and finds William, who angrily grabs him and demands to know if it was an accident, if he didn't mean to kill his son. He pushes him away and whips out his wand, screaming about wanting answers. Jordan puts his hands up and tells him to calm down, but touches the wand. Ice races through the wand and up William's arm. Jordan soothes his dying friend, telling him he wished he understood he was doing it for his son, and for him as William freezes to death on the floor, a corpse statue of ice. Jordan's parents come out and examine the scene. In Norwegian, he apologizes that they had to see, but his mother replies in the same tongue that they'll clean it up. His father says he has work to do.

A devastated, emotionally-shocked Denise sits on the stairs as a news voice-over reports of the private funerals of her loved ones, caused by her husband's fatal heart attack upon the news of learning of his son's fatal accident. Barbara is greeted by Jordan when she arrives at the community theater project meeting. At home, Mike asks where Barbara is but is stopped by Pat as they eat dinner. At the Mahkent's, Cameron arrives home and is scolded by Jordan for being late. He tells his father they had a memorial for Joey and says he was a good kid. They hug, and Cameron sneaks a snack before leaving. His grandmother tells Jordan it's for the best as he's building a safer place for him.

At home, Courtney holds the seven of hearts card Joey gave her and gets an idea. Going the JSA HQ, she grabs their costumes and mementos, telling the Staff she's got some recruiting to do.

## Cast

### Starring

* Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore
* Yvette Monreal as Yolanda Montez
* Anjelika Washington as Beth Chapel
* Cameron Gellman as Rick Tyler
* Trae Romano as Mike Dugan
* Jake Austin Walker as Henry King Jr.
* Hunter Sansone as Cameron Mahkent
* Meg DeLacy as Cindy Burman
* Neil Jackson as Jordan Mahkent
* Christopher James Baker as Dr. Henry King Sr.
* Amy Smart as Barbara Whitmore
* Luke Wilson as Pat Dugan

### Guest Starring

* Joe Knezevich as William Zarick
* Eric Goins as Steve Sharpe
* Mark Ashworth as Justin

### Co-Starring

* Wil Deusner as Joey Zarick
* Cynthia Evans as Denise Zarick
* Gilbert Glenn Brown as James Chapel
* Ashley Winfrey as Jenny Williams
* Kron Moore as Dr. Bridget Chapel
* Jim France as Sofus Mahkent
* Kay Galvin as Lily Mahkent
* Roger Dale Floyd as Young Cameron Mahkent
* Nick Basta as Mr. Levine
* Denise Arribas as Teacher
* Amanda Lavassani as Christine Mahkent

## Trivia

* "Icicle" delves into the backstory of Jordan Mahkent/Icicle. According to Neil Jackson, the episode would leave viewers conflicted about his character.
* The episode, "actually shows flashbacks of these past events, which makes it easier to understand why the characters are the way that they are".
* This episode introduces Hunter Sansone's character, Cameron Mahkent, for the first time this season. Though he appeared in DC Universe's cut of "*S.T.R.I.P.E.*", "*Icicle*" introduces him majorly for the first time. The majority of the main cast appeared in "*Stargirl*".
* Brec Bassinger spoke on Joey and William Zarick's deaths, saying, "no one is safe, and I think that's the first testimony to that."
* When Pat Dugan is working on the S.T.R.I.P.E. Armor, he is seen wearing protective goggles that make him look akin to Jack Knight who, in the comics, was the third member of the Knight family to bear the mantle of Starman, after his father Ted (the original Starman) and his brother, David. He was also the one to pass down the Cosmic Staff to Courtney Whitmore as his successor.
* For a deep-dive podcast with lots of behind the scenes info and easter eggs that you won’t find anywhere else, click here. And for a special podcast episode with Neil Jackson (Jordan/Icicle) click here.

## Gallery

### Videos

DC's Stargirl Season 1 Episode 3 Icicle Promo The CWDC's Stargirl 1x03 Sneak Peek Justice Society HQNeil Jackson talks about playing in Icicle in Stargirl on DC Universe
### Screenshots

Most screenshots are courtesy of Screencapped.net. For a complete image set, see their gallery.

## References

1. ↑ https://tvline.com/2020/06/03/tv-ratings-legends-of-tomorrow-season-5-finale-renewed/
2. ↑ "Stargirl - Episode 1.01 - 1.05 - Titles Revealed" - SpoilerTV
3. ↑ https://stargirl.tv/first-three-episode-synopses-revealed
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://meaww.com/stargirl-neil-jackson-villain-nature-icicle-cw-dc-upcoming-series-episode-3-backstory-jordan-makhen
5. ↑ Confirmed via press site.
6. ↑ https://www.cinemablend.com/television/2547429/why-stargirls-latest-big-death-is-so-important-according-to-brec-bassinger