DC’s Stargirl – The Justice Society

By starrymag | June 30, 2020

By: Atiya Irvin-Mitchell

 

 

There’s a football game and we learn that Artemis Crock (Stella Smith) is on the team. She gets an argument with her teammates, which ends in her punching him. Coach Hank (Jason Kirkpatrick) benches her for the scuffle, which makes her parents unhappy. So much so that her parents Larry (Neil Hopkins) and Paula (Joy Osmanski), who were watching from the stands, decide to intervene.

 

After practice they confront the coach. This starts out pretty low-key. The coach tells them that Artemis is a great player and he wants her off the bench, but he couldn’t let her get away with hitting her teammate. Larry jokes that Artemis gets her temper from her mother. The coach says he might be new in Blue Valley, but he’s seen parents like them before. He says whether Artemis plays or doesn’t it is his call and he won’t be intimated. Unfortunately, intimidation wasn’t what they had in mind. Larry says the coach is going to see how he likes being taken out of the game and hits him with a bat.

 

Elsewhere, in her Stargirl costume Courtney (Brec Bassinger) climbs into her bedroom and finds a very angry Pat (Luke Wilson) waiting up for her. Cutting to the chase he wants to know what Courtney was thinking when she stole the JSA equipment. He tells her he’s disappointed as he thought they were in this together.

 

We then learn that the Tylers kept Rick (Cameron Gellman) off the grid. Pat didn’t know about him until he put two and two together. He tells Courtney to get the gear back from her friends unless she wants them to end up like Joey. Before he leaves her room he says he knows Courtney doesn’t respect him, but he thought they were in a better place.

 

At the Mahkent house Jordan (Neil Jackson) wakes up in the middle of the night and heads out. He’s stopped by Cameron (Hunter Sansone) who wants to know if he’s okay. Jordan reassures his son that he’s fine, but Cameron points out today’s a hard day. Jordan just tells Cameron to go back to sleep.

 

Larry and Paula are bantering while burying the coach’s body and are interrupted by Jordan. He firmly suggests that they stop killing the coaches. Apparently, this guy is the third. Jordan says the ISA is tired of having to replace the coaches. Larry defends them by saying they’re just looking out for Artemis.  Jordan insists that Project New America is the best gift they could possibly give her. With that being said they’ll both be going back into action.

 

The next morning Mike (Trae Romano) is using candy to make a chocolate volcano for the science fair. Pat scolds him for waiting until the last minute, but he promises he does his best work under pressure. Barbara (Amy Smart) comes in and compliments him on his work and says she’ll try to make it. But Mike says no thanks because no one’s parents were coming.

 

Pat tracks down Rick and gets him to talk by telling him he knew his father.

 

Courtney and Yolanda (Yvette Monreal) watch a boxing match in the gym.  It’s not just any match, but one of Ted Grant’s. During the height of his career Ted Grant was accused of fixing a fight. It nearly ruined him, but he cleared his name and came back a champion. If her predecessor can do it, Yolanda reasons, maybe there’s hope for her too. She thanks Courtney for choosing her. Being Wildcat is her second chance.

 

Later Courtney finds Beth (Anjelika Washington) who is bonding with Chuck. Courtney’s trying to pluck up the courage to ask for the goggles back. But then Beth tells Courtney that Chuck’s the only one who listens to her. She thanks Courtney for choosing her. Courtney doesn’t ask for the goggles back.

 

Pat shows Rick the car and attempts to reason with him, but Rick just says his uncle is a jerk. Yet Pat says his father would never have abused the hourglass this way. That’s the whole reason he limited the super strength to an hour. Moving on, Rick demands to know why Pat hasn’t caught the Injustice League yet. Pat’s working on it. In the meantime, he gives him Rex’s journal. Maybe Rick can understand it better than he did.

 

Courtney finally decides to ask for the JSA stuff back at lunch. It doesn’t go well. Neither Beth nor Yolanda are willing to give up being Wildcat or Dr. Mid-Nite. This puts Courtney in a bit of a bind.

 

Rick pours over the journal and he’s got questions. The writing in it is inconsistent with what he knows about his parents’ life together. Maybe it’s a code? Pat says that’s a solid theory. But he wants Rick to leave the journal and the hourglass with him. He feels like Rick’s not ready, even Rex worried the hourglass’s power could be addictive. He doesn’t want Rick abusing it. Rick accuses Pat of looking at him like everyone else does, like he’s trash. And says that Pat’s had the journal for years and he hasn’t solved his parent’s murder or found the ISA. So what does he do?

 

The football team gets a new coach who has no clue what he’s getting into. Larry and Paula welcome him on board at practice. The showmanship gets interrupted by Stephen (Eric Goins). He tells Larry and Paula that they’re all set for tonight. He gives them badges to break into a lab to retrieve satellite codes. Also, Paula and Larry do not like Stephen at all. That might come up later.

 

Mike was wrong about the science fair. Everyone’s family is there except for his. It looks like he’s really regretting telling his parents to not come. Then, in the nick of time, Barbara shows up. Mike excitedly shows her his volcano and creates a mini chocolate explosion.

 

Courtney goes after Beth and Yolanda. She gets that being Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite is important to them. So, she reasons they should talk to Pat. Just then Rick shows up. It seems he doesn’t get Pat. He pointedly asks Courtney if she’d give up her staff if Pat wanted it. Her silence speaks volumes. Also, Chuck can’t figure out the equation in Rex Tyler’s journal. However, he does pick up on an alarm being tripped by his nemesis. He tells the kids about a hacker who works for the ISA named The Gambler. The kids decide to prove themselves to Pat and get some info. After all, he’s just a hacker. They’re heading to the lab tonight.

 

Larry and Paula tell Artemis that they’re going to have a date night in the city. Also, they give her a bunch of exercises she should complete before telling her that they love her. Artemis is confused about why they’re making a big deal about a night in the city, but accepts it.

 

Cameron and Jordan share a somber dinner at a diner. It’s Chrsitine Mahkent’s birthday.  A well-meaning waitress, who assumed the birthday person was either Jordan or Cameron, gives them a slice of cake with a candle lit. After some mutual sadness, Jordan tells Cameron to make a wish for his mom.

 

Barbara and Mike bond over the chocolate volcano. Pat comes home and after learning that Courtney is “out with friends” from Barbara he realizes that the kids likely aren’t bowling and rushes out.

 

The kids in question get to the lab and Courtney wants everyone to follow her lead. That’s probably not going to work out. Yolanda and Beth are calm, but Rick’s felling trigger happy. Also, they’re not facing off with a hacker like they thought. The Gambler does all the cyber crimes, but Paula and Larry are the muscle. Their code names are Sportmaster and Tigress. Courtney says they should take them on by sticking together, but Rick isn’t interested and attacks. The fight doesn’t go well for the less experienced JSA.

 

Courtney almost loses her staff when she saves Rick from a bomb from Sportsmaster. Lucky for them Pat, in the form of S.T.R.I.P.E., rescues them. The good news is that the junior JSA has newfound respect for Pat. The bad news is taking down the ISA will be harder than they thought.

 

Back in the garage Courtney and Pat have a talk. She’s frustrated and thankful. She wants what’s best for the team, but no one would follow the plan. Pat can relate. He also realizes there’s no take backs on the superhero front. So, they’re all going to train.

 

The night wasn’t a total loss Stephen tells Jordan. They got the codes and the satellite, but the only thing they’re missing is Brainwave (Jake Austin Walker). Apparently, Project New America is a no-go without him.  There’s a discussion of who the costumed teens are and Jordan says they’ll find out.