Stargirl is back with “Summer School: Chapter One.” While this episode may have started slow, it has set up a wild ride for the second season of Stargirl. The new Justice Society of America are all dealing with the aftermath of defeating the Injustice Society. Meanwhile, an old nemesis makes an appearance as well as a handful of new faces.
The Justice Society is out on patrol in Blue Valley, Nebraska, but there are no threats around. Courtney Whitmore is the only one who thinks that they need to constantly be on the lookout for danger. She has been neglecting other areas of her life for Stargirl, even after defeating the ISA. Courtney promised her parents that she would be able to get her schoolwork done, but it turns out that she couldn’t handle both lives. Courtney now has to go to summer school if she wants to continue onto her junior year of high school. This means that the family trip that Pat and her mom planned has to be cancelled. Pat tries to remind Courtney that the JSA isn’t her only team. She let down her family because she didn’t consider her life as Courtney Whitmore as well as Stargirl.
Yolanda may still be suiting up as Wildcat, but she is having trouble with her part in Brainwave’s death. She’s having some post traumatic stress from their final battle with the ISA. Yolanda turns to a church confessional but isn’t sure what to say. Even Courtney can’t give her the answers that she seeks. Yolanda worries that she’s no longer worthy of the Wildcat suit.
Beth has been a bit lost and lonely without Chuck in her goggles. She has been working to reboot Doctor Mid-Nite, so she can have her friend back. Unfortunately, her home life has become a bit cold. Beth finds out that her parents are filing for divorce. She even goes as far as to make them a romantic dinner to keep them together, but they don’t even come home for it. Thankfully, Beth figures out how to get Chuck back in the goggles, but he doesn’t remember who Beth is and shuts down the goggles. Once again, Beth is alone.
Rick Harris doesn’t have much use for Hourman after getting his version of justice for his parents’ death at the hands of Solomon Grundy. With the ISA gone, even Rick isn’t interested in patrolling around Blue Valley for no reason. But, Rick has a secret of his own. He notices that there was a theft of a bunch of food, presumably bears, but is there more to this story? Rick takes three buckets of fried chicken into the woods to leave for this supposed “bear.” Is this Solomon Grundy? If it is, why is Rick being nice to him? And if it isn’t Grundy, what is in the woods?
The episode started with a scene from decades ago about a girl named Rebecca McNider, presumably related to the original Doctor Mid-Nite. Rebecca was upset that her mother wouldn’t let her get a doll, so when a boy, Bruce, shows up at her house with a tempting offer, she can’t resist. He encourages her to steal a present from the neighbor’s birthday party. He even wonders if a doll is inside. The doll is very creepy and looks dead, and when Rebecca looks back to Bruce, he has changed into something sinister. It isn’t until the end of the episode that we see the crystal that Bruce was holding (the black diamond of Eclipso), resurfaced in the hands ofCindy Burman.
Cindy has come back to Blue Valley and is looking to reignite an evil team, this time as Injustice Unlimited. She’s looking to recruit the descendants of the Injustice Society as well as Mike Dugan. What could she want with Mike? In any case, I guess Courtney did have something to worry about because these quiet Nebraska nights are about to disappear.
There’s so much in store for this season of Stargirl. I didn’t even mention that Green Lantern’s daughter shows up at the Whitmore home to reclaim the lantern. Oh and Starman is alive and well and is searching for his old buddy, Pat Dugan. What will happen if he wants the Cosmic Staff back? I’m not entirely sure what Pat was thinking by leaving the garage in someone else’s hands. Sure enough, Zeek finds the robot and wants to help, and he isn’t exactly taking no for an answer. One episode in, and I’m already ready for more. What do you want to see out of season two for Stargirl?
