STARGIRL 2.3

 

RECAP - STARGIRL  2.3:  "Summer School - Chapter Three"  

The Shade has arrived in Blue Valley, and it spells bad news for the new Justice Society of America.  He's after something in the William Zarek collection, and whatever The Wizard had, it was important enough to bring him to town.  This has now caught the attention of the team, and they will do whatever they can to stop them.  Meanwhile, the team also has to deal with its own issues.  Jenny Lynn Hayden has taken off, now imbued with the power of the Green Lantern, she's on a quest to find her brother, Todd.  So, with no idea when SHE will return. Plus...there's the threat of Cindy Burman out there looking for new members for her re-incarnated ISA into Injustice, Unlimited.  But this week, we see just what it is the Shade is looking forward to, and what will the team do when they confront him? 

This week, we saw what happened 11 years ago, when Pat and Johnny Thunder were hanging out at JSA Headquarters, not involved in the final battle between the JSA and ISA.  Johnny laments to Pat about the fact that the Thunderbolt, which was his entry into the JSA, is more powerful than Green Lantern and The Flash combined....but the fact is, he's riding the bench along with Pat.  Pat tries to make the best of it, and they promised to have some egg nog in order to take their mind off the fact they're not involved in the battle.  It's Christmastime, so Johnny agrees until Wildcat shows up, says they have Grundy, and need Johnny's help.  Johnny says they'll have that drink when he gets back----but we know he never does. 

This episode focused a lot on Mike Dugan...who spent the episode getting pushed around by bullies who make waves throughout the neighborhood.  He's also bummed because he feels left out of JSA business, because he wants to be a part of the team and be a superhero badly.  So, when Pat and Courtney are discussing the issue with The Shade being back in town.  Barbara thinks that Pat should take S.T.R.I.P.E. with them, but Courtney says that they need stealth in this manner.  Mike wants to get involved, but Pat and Court tell him that it's official JSA business, and not to get involved.  Mike's dejected, and gets a call from his boss about another route, finding the pen that the Thunderbolt was in, and wrote down the information.  As he is on his route, he ends up wrecking on his bike.  As he tries to collect the papers, they all say "so cool" on the front page, and he speaks it, and thus Thunderbolt appears to Mike.  He says that Mike is his new master.  He explains that his last master was Johnny Thunder of the JSA.  He tells Mike that he can make any wish he wants---but he HAS to be specific.

The team congregates at the shop, and they discuss ways to stop The Shade.  Pat says that he can make shadows, and disappear...very dangerous powers.  Pat says that he parted ways with the ISA after the JSA battle, and was responsible for killing Dr. Mid-Nite.  Beth says they must avenge Chuck's death.  They also think that perhaps the Cosmic Staff might be able to stop him.  While they're discussing plans against The Shade, Barbara is at the warehouse, going through the Zarek inventory when Swift suddenly appears.  He wants to help Barb go through the belongings of Zarek, but she isn't sure about it.  He says he'd know what he's looking for when he sees it.  But she feels he needs to leave, he's trespassing.  Swift says he had HOPED they'd do this the easy way, but then blacks out the room, leaving Barb startled.  Shade grabs the box, and makes off with it.  Barb then discovers that her phone is dead. 

Yolanda and Court are in class, and Yolanda is still suffering headaches, and going through the PTSD, and Courtney wants to make sure she's okay.  Yolanda is worried about doing again what she did to Brainwave in their last big battle.  Courtney assures her that they'll capture Shade, and not do anything more than that.  Meanwhile, Isaac Bown is eavesdropping on their entire conversation.

Mike is testing out Thunderbolt's abilities by having him go after the bullies who picked on him, and are now trying to extort money and steal Girl Scout cookies from a Girl Scout.  Thunderbolt then uses stop signs to try and stop the kids, because Mike wished for them to stop.  Courtney and Yolanda bump into Mike and find out that he's got the Thunderbolt.  Pat gets wind of this, and isn't happy about it.  He warns Mike how dangerous the Thunderbolt is, and how unpredictable it is.  Pat wants the pen, but it won't leave Mike, because it chose Mike, and Mike wants to be in the JSA.  Pat talks to the Thunderbolt, and the mystical being tells Pat that Johnny's last wish was to find a new friend like him....alone.  As it turns out, the team thinks that Thunderbolt MAY be the key to defeating The Shade.  Courtney comes out to talk to Mike, and he wants to be a part of the team, and hates being left out.  Courtney says that she's not sure they should disobey Pat.  However, the rest of the team vote him in.  Pat reluctantly agrees, and they then go over a very detailed plan on how to defeat The Shade.  Pat is still ensuring that Mike rides the bench for his own safety, and not to use The Thunderbolt unless necessary.  He then informs Barb of what they plan to do to handle Shade, and the team meets at the old Zarek House.  Stargirl assures Wildcat that there will be no killing involved.  They enter the home, and they find the Shade there, who wants them to sit and have tea.  They're reluctant, and they want to fight, but Pat keeps the kids in check.  They want to know why he's there, and he says it's better if they don't know, and that he has little to no interest in ruling the world, much like the members of the ISA.  He would also rather not fight with them, either.  However, Mike had burst into the house, and gave out detailed directions for Thunderbolt, and it attacks...only to be subdued by the Shade, and then the battle is on.  However, he easily defeats them, and warns them to stay out of his way.  He then takes off, nowhere to be found.

Back at home, Mike apologizes for screwing up the mission...he just wanted to belong.  But he also knows he's irresponsible with the power.  Yolanda said that when he nailed the Icicle, did he feel bad.  Mike said he did at first, but then realized it was just an accident.  He says though that he wishes the pen be in better hands, and the pen disappears.  We then see it appear on a desk of a nerdy kid playing videogames....he's shocked when he sees it.  Barb and Pat talk, and they both realize they've neglected them.  Barb says that both she AND Mike are a part of the team...thought they don't have powers, costumes, or code names.  They both know they need to do a better job with the kids.  She also says that she went through the inventory, and says that Shade took a black box, and there was a diamond in it.  Pat tells her that it's EXTREMELY bad news about the black box. 

Beth and Rick talk about Shade, and she still feels down because of what's going on in her life, and Rick goads he to tell him what's going on.  She talks about her parents' impending divorce, and he says she's got to start opening up to them.  Chuck spurts to life, and gives them a warning that they're in danger, and manages to get out "Eclipso" before he sputters out again.  One top of one of the tallest buildings in town, Shade opens the black box, and finds out that the black diamond of Eclipso is missing....and now he knows that the kids are in deep danger, and they're going to be killed.  

This, once again, was another solid show, as we finally see the Shade make his move, and find out just what it was he was looking for:  Eclipso.  But now that it is in the hands of Cindy Burman, he's going to have to work on finding Cindy AND the diamond before she lets it get out of her control.  I can honestly tell you that Eclipso has his OWN plans, and Cindy is only a pawn in his game.  So, while she's trying to recruit her new team of villains to battle the JSA, the Shade is out for Eclipso---but for what reason?  We still don't know what the Shade has plans for in regards to it, we just know he was looking for the diamond.  But he DOES know that with Eclipso out there in someone's hands---the JSA is in deep trouble.  

As for the JSA itself...it looks as if they were outmatched once again by a more powerful being.  Pat is doing what he can to guide these kids, but Courtney is still a little too gung ho in wanting to just smash the bad guys.  These ARE kids, and they're still impatient, and have much to learn, but they will---sadly, it's going to be the hard way, because they will continue to stumble and fall until they finally get it right.  But they are spirited and good, and now they understand the threat at had with The Shade.  Of course, things will only get worse when they have to face the challenge of Eclipso.  

Outside of the actual threats that are present and ones that are coming, we've also got Mike trying to do what he can to fit in, and not feel like the outcast of the team.  Barbara has also been in that boat.  But Mike, so desperate to fit in, finds a kindred soul in the mystical Thunderbolt.  Johnny Thunder was something of a misfit himself as the more nerdy member of the JSA...only used when absolutely needed, but pretty much  a bench warmer for the most part.  And while this makes Mike feel included, he finds out the hard way in wanting to help the team that even the best intentions don't work out well.  When he had the Thunderbolt attack The Shade, he didn't listen to Pat, and it cost the team.  Mike, however, showed great maturity, and made the decision to give up the Thunderbolt...but in doing so, ended up wishing it to another lonely, outcast kid.  I think we'll end up knowing THAT young man a little more down the road.  Yolanda is still suffering PTSD from the whole Brainwave issue, and if she doesn't manage to work through this issue, she's going to be VERY ineffective as a superhero, and a liability to the team.  And we got to hear from Chuck again, and he was online just long enough to warn Beth and Rick about Eclipso.  There's another thing---Rick is reaching out to Beth to get her to open up about her personal issues, and trying to get her to finally speak up to her parents.  Maybe this will get Beth to come out of that shell of hers, and finally confront her parents about their apparent negligence in regards to her....and be honest about their own relationship with each other.

What did YOU guys like or dislike about this week's installment?  Subscribe and comment your thoughts/opinions/theories below.

Until next time...keep your eyes on the stars!