Louise Love

**Louise Love** is a recurring character in the The CW series, *Stargirl*.

She is the head nurse of The Helix Institute For Youth Rehabilitation who works closely with Mister Bones.

## Biography

Louise Love was once a math teacher in the 1980s in Omaha, Nebraska. Among her students was Pat Dugan.

Love learned of the experimentation being done on Mister Bones's mother and saved him from the people who gave him a cyanide touch and translucent skin. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done to help him. They worked together to create The Helix Institute For Youth Rehabilitation, which focuses on troubled yet special youth. They located a boy with unspeakable power, Todd Rice. They arranged for him to be brought to the institute and began six-months worth of "treatments" for his uncontrollable powers.

## Series

### Season 2

Pat and Courtney drive to the Helix Institute for Youth Rehabilitation looking for Jennie-Lynn Hayden. They enter the institute and speak to Nurse Love, who is working as the receptionist. They want to speak to Todd but Love asks if they're friends or family. Pat points out that Jennie's name is on the sign-in list, and the receptionist says that Todd isn't there, but his Jennie is. She takes them back to his room, revealing that he left the institute a few weeks ago. Jennie, Pat, and Courtney leave the institute and Love watches from the window. She then calls Mr. Bones and tells him that Todd has a sister, pressing that she told the newcomers Todd isn't there.

Nurse Louise Love stands in The Helix Institute as she reveals to a mysterious patron that Green Lantern's daughter, Jennie is looking for her brother in Milwaukee. Love reveals that Jennie has friends like her in Blue Valley, Nebraska. The town somehow has a collection of heroes and villains that co-exist. The man, who bears translucent skin and steampunk clothing, admits the town sounds intriguing. He thinks it's time to visit Blue Valley for himself.

### Season 3

Six months ago, two officers bring Todd Rice to The Helix Institute For Youth Rehabilitation. Nurse Love greets them from the walkway underneath an umbrella. She promises that the gentlemen's payment will be forthcoming. She turns her attention to the nervous boy, remarking that it is such a pleasure to meet Todd. She introduces herself as Nurse Love, and rest assured, he's safe. She tells him to come and they enter the halls of the institute. If he's hungry they can have the kitchen whip him up something. She wishes him a happy birthday, by the way, as he's eighteen today. It's a real milestone. He asks how she knows him and who those cops were. She explains they were friends of theirs, of Helix. Helix is a place for youth such as himself -- troubled youth, special youth. His father was a man named Alan Scott, and she wonders what else he knows about him. Todd snaps that he knows that he's dead. Nurse Love nods of course, but when he lived, he was the wielder of great power. His father was the Green Lantern. Todd asks what all this is, and from around a corner, Mister Bones emerges to say it's hope. He understands what it's like to be different, but different can be good. Todd looks at the man's skelton appearance in horror.

In the present day, Todd is strapped to a metal table as a bright light shines down on him. He screams in agony, writhing on the table as his body contorts. Nurse Love watches from the other side of the glass. A few minutes later, Mister Bones joins her. He points out that it's been six months and he's only gotten worse. She needs to be more aggressive with the treatment before they lose control. Love reaches out to the dial, hesitating for a second before turning it up more. The light buzzes louder as it pulses deeper, causing Todd to grunt and shake as he screams.

Courtney, Jennie, Shade, and Pat break into Helix to save Todd. They interrupt Todd's procedure which triggers Todd to lose control over his powers. He sends Pat and Shade into The Shadowlands while causing a blackout in Helix.

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.

Courtney convinces Mister Bones to let Jennie and Todd be together, as she believes Jennie is the light he needs, not the lamps. As the connection between The Shadowlands and the real world thins, 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 envelops everyone, making Love and Courtney shield their eyes. 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. She stops Pat as she trusts they'll all keep each other's secrets. He shifts his footing, wondering if she happened to teach fifth-grade math back in the early 1980s in Omaha, Nebraska. She doesn't much care for Mr. Dugan's attitude, making him smirk - he knew that was her. She watches him leave the institute.

Mister Bones watches his visitors leave from his window, leaning against it while deep in thought. Love emerges and he muses that Courtney Whitmore might have been right. Isolation might not be the answer these kids need. He wonders if maybe Helix should form a team of their own.

## Comic Comparisons

* While "Nurse Louise Love" doesn't exist in the DC comics, a Dr. Love does. He is an OBGYN responsible for the experimentation of six expecting mothers that led them to have genetically modified metahuman children with differing abilities. He stole the newborns and raised them himself. When left to their own devices, the children formed a group called Helix and frequently fought the heroes of Infinity, Inc.

## References

1. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Ten*"
2. ↑ "*Summer School: Chapter Thirteen*"
3. ↑ "*Chapter Seven: Infinity Inc. Part One*"
4. ↑ "*Chapter Eight: Infinity Inc. Part Two*"