Stargirl Review Season 1, Episode 3: Icicle
WARNING, spoilers ahead (yes, this is that kind of review).
Episode 3 starts us off with some background story on the Jordan Mahkent (AKA the Icicle) and his family’s recent past, hinting at the driving force behind the villain, mainly the death of his wife. We then move into current day where the ongoing relationship between Pat and Courtney continues to develop, with Pat trying to dissuade Courtney from becoming a hero and putting herself in danger. Courtney, however, is starting to find herself under the mask. We also have a touching moment with Councilman Zarick (AKA the Wizard) and his family, showing that he is content leaving his former life of crime behind. At school, Courtney is befriended by Joey, the son of Wizard, and keeps running into Yolanda, who keeps getting picked on by the school mean girls. Icicle and the Wizard have a heart to heart chat with the Icicle exerting his dominance over the Wizard at his failure to kill the new Starman, this is in contrast to the meeting he has at American Dream headquarters with Barbara during a staff meeting. On her way home from school, Courtney walks through a frozen field in the shape of the star, Icicle’s way of issuing a challenge to Stargirl. This moves into the darkest part of the episode.
Pat and Courtney set off to find Icicle, who freezes S.T.R.I.P.E. and does battle with Stargirl. The battle is short as Icicle is knocked back onto a nearby bridge and then ices it over causing an approaching school bus to crash and nearly fall into the water below. Luckily, Pat saves the bus and the high school children. But, in the chaos the Wizard’s son, Joey, is killed in an accident caused by Icicle. This is his revenge on the Wizard for not killing Stargirl earlier. Courtney is devastated by the death of Joey, as is the Wizard who goes off to confront the Icicle. In order to help process the loss, Pat takes Courtney to JSA HQ back in Los Angeles, explaining to her who the Justice Society was, and why they meant so much to him. Back in Blue Valley, the Wizard confronts Jordan, who kills the Wizard and then covers it up. This episode ends with Courtney returning to JSA HQ and gathering the artifacts of the deceased JSA members in order to recruit a new team.
This episode really does a lot of relationship building and goes back into the motivations of the characters, especially the villains. Jordan Mahkent, the Icicle, is fanatically driven by his plan, Project: New America, and will see it through no matter the cost. He will not hesitate to kill anyone who stands in his way, or who fails to fanatically follow its implementation as he shows by killing Joey and his old partner. I wonder if this is setting up two camps in the ISA, one who follows Icicle without question or remorse, and the other who sees a chance at leaving behind their old life and setting up a new one. Whatever the case might be, Icicle sends a clear message about dissention in the ranks. On the other side, as much as Pat tries to show Courtney the dangers of the superhero game, and that one cannot enter into that life lightly, Courtney counters that argument by stating that there is a need for someone to take on the mantle and legacy of Justice. Joey’s death and the JSA’s legacy help cement her decision to create a new JSA team to stop the ISA. While Pat can only see the death and devastation that the hero life has left in his past, Courtney looks brightly to a new future where the heroes of her world might rise again. A sort of destiny coming to fruition, but maybe one that she fully understands, or knows what a dangerous path she is walking. Come back tomorrow for my Episode 4 review.
I give Episode 3 a B+
The Experience Is Everything!
Alex