Into The Arrowverse: DC’s Legends of Tomorrow goes meta, Stargirl suits up
By Ariba Bhuvad
DC’s Stargirl–Pictured (L-R): Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore and Luke Wilson as Pat Dungan — Photo: Steve Dietl/The CW
Stargirl Episode 102: “S.T.R.I.P.E”
This episode wastes no time picking up where things left off last week, with Stargirl barely escaping Brainwave’s clutches and bumping right into Pat, or rather a massive robot he’s controlling from the inside. It gives you an Iron Giant vibe, and I was so here for it.
While Stargirl makes a narrow escape, Brainwave is left behind with her school ID; it’s not in the best shape, but he can still get info from it.
As Courtney (Stargirl) explains who she was running away from, Pat is quick to realize they’re dealing with Brainwave. She (along with us) isn’t amused that the villains are part of something called the Injustice Society. It’s not exactly original, is it?
Ever since learning about Starman, Courtney is convinced that he was her father, although Pat refuses to believe it. Who’s in denial: him or her? I hope we find out before the season ends because I’d like to see Joel McHale pop up again in a flashback that reveals Starman is actually Courtney’s dad. I mean, it makes sense!
The mystery at hand here is how both Brainwave and Pat are in Blue Valley. Is it a coincidence? Was it an intentional plan diabolically devised by the Injustice Society?
Whatever the situation, one thing is for sure: Brainwave is concerned about the cosmic staff making a return alongside its master. He rushes to the home of Blue Valley councilman William Zarick to reveal his findings. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Zarick is as shady as the rest of them. Why are all these shady folk living in Blue Valley?
Brainwave has also informed someone named Jordan about what’s going on. Are we talking about Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern? I’m not sure how it is in the comics, but is Hal Jordan ever on the side of the bad guys? Someone please break this down for me.
While these guys are talking, we also learn of something called “Project New America.” We don’t know what it is, but apparently Blue Valley is the best place for it. Stay tuned, folks.
Elsewhere, Courtney gets a history lesson about the JSA and how the only remaining member, Hourman, pursued the ISA long after that horrible night. But when Hourman moved to Blue Valley with his wife, he died in a tragic accident. As a result, Pat has no idea where the ISA ended up and assumed they either moved to a different place in the country or went to a different country altogether. Had he known Blue Valley was their chosen destination, Pat would not have moved their family there.
Pat is more than concerned for Courtney’s safety, especially with Brainwave on her trail. It won’t end well if he connects Stargirl to Courtney, so there’s really only one thing that can be done under these circumstances: SUIT UP!
I love that Courtney takes Starman’s outfit and makes it her own. It’s a genius way to pay homage to him while bringing her own personality to it. And the fact that it will help protect her identity is just a huge bonus!
Brainwave gets dangerously close to singling out Courtney later that night at the high school’s Open House event. He figures out that she is a girl by reading his son’s mind, so all he has to do is scan the minds of everyone at the event to see if anyone is worried about him.
It doesn’t take him long to figure out it’s Courtney, and is amused to learn that she believes herself to be Starman’s daughter. But now that he has target in sight, he wants to take full advantage. He demands that she bring the staff to him, otherwise her mother will suffer the consequences.
Why is it that villains always give an ultimatum like this? Have they found no other way to be intimidating? Don’t they realize there are a million different ways to find a loophole with a demand like that?
Despite Pat’s orders to stay away from the Brainwave meet-up, Courtney suits up as Stargirl to confront her foe. I didn’t expect things to go in the direction they did, but following a short altercation between Stargirl and Brainwave, she actually ends up killing him.
I didn’t think we’d see her go that dark so quickly. Did you?
Pat isn’t too eager to team up with his stepdaughter to help deal with the ISA, but after the Brainwave incident, Stargirl isn’t planning on walking away. Bring on the next villain, she says!
Cue Icicle.
Well, that was a chilling reveal if there ever was one.