DC’s newest superhero show Stargirl, based on the comic Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E., chronicles Courtney Whitmore’s overnight transformation from ordinary high school student to teen superhero after she discovers she can harness the power of the Cosmic Staff. Believing Starman (the Staff’s former owner) was her father, Courtney assumes the identity Stargirl and reforms the Justice Society of America (JSA) in his honour.
Alongside her stepdad, Pat Dugan/S.T.R.I.P.E., Stargirl and a new generation of superheroes make it their mission to stop the evil Injustice Society of America (ISA).
Season Finale Recap
In true superhero fashion, Stargirl and the JSA thwarted the ISA’s murderous brainwashing plan during the two-part Season Finale, however, viewers were hit with some big twists along the way – three deaths, two new villains and a resurrection to be precise.
During the epic final battle, Dragon King was murdered by his daughter Cindy – he locked her up, so we did kind of see that one coming. Then, in a surprise twist, Yolanda killed Brainwave and Mike ran over Icicle, while Rick got justice for his parents’ murder by deciding not to kill Grundy.
A six-week time jump then showed a happy Christmas for the Whitmore-Dugan’s with an especially sweet moment between Courtney and Pat as she gave him her ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ mug.
Elsewhere, Cindy unearthed the diamond that entrapped Eclipso, the formed ISA member The Shade mysteriously teased his return and (shock!) Sylvester Pemberton aka. Starman has seemingly returned from the dead. This means there’s plenty to look forward to in Season 2 and we’re excited to see how the new generation of superheroes take on what lies ahead.
Stargirl Season 2 Release Date
Credit: The CW
Read more: The CW’s Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover Will Have One Episode
Stargirl will move to The CW from DC’s streaming platform, though the show’s creator Geoff Johns has said nothing will change and that the cast and crew want to build on the show’s early success to make Season 2 “even better”. That means fans can expect an official trailer early in 2021 with the second season airing in summer/autumn and appearing shortly after on Amazon Prime for UK viewers.
Season 2 Is “Different”
While Season 2 is going to be just as good as the first it is going to be “different”. According to Johns, this means different storylines, themes and character arcs, so there’s lots to be excited about.
The show will also continue to explore storylines from the first season in more detail. Viewers can expect Beth Chapel to get more screen time as we see her grow into a hero. The second season provides an exciting opportunity for Beth who will find her inner superhero and become Dr. Mid-Nite without relying on Chuck and the googles – Johns has also teased that the original Dr Mid-Nite’s owl Hootie will make another appearance.
Fans will also see a darker storyline for Yolanda who is struggling to come to terms with the fact she killed Brainwave. She wasn’t emotionally ready to do it and thinks murder is inherently wrong so viewers can expect to see this inner turmoil play a big part in her character arc in Season 2.
Casting Changes
The main cast includes:
- Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl
- Luke Wilson at Pat Dugan/S.T.R.I.P.E.
- Yvette Monreal as Yolanda Montez/Wildcat II
- Anjelika Washington as Beth Chapel/Dr.Mid-Nite II
- Cameron Gellman as Rick Tyler/Hourman II
- Trae Romano as Mike Dugan
- Amy Smart as Barbara Whitmore
- Meg DeLacy as Cindy Burman/Shiv
- Hunter Sansone as Cameron Mahkent
No drastic changes have been made to the show’s main cast, however, Jake Austin Walker and Christopher James Baker won’t be return as their characters Henry King Jr. and Brainwave, as their deaths have been confirmed.
Icicle’s death also seemed final but it’s hard to know if characters are ever really dead without the confirmation, so we might see him on our screens again.
Viewers can expect guest appearances from Mark Ashworth as Justin/Shining Knight, Joel McHale as Sylvester Pemberton/Starman and Henry Thomas as Charles McNider/Dr. Mid-Nite I. Johns has also confirmed that viewers haven’t seen the last of Grundy in Blue Valley.
The fates of Sportsmaster and Tigress are still unknown, and while The Gambler seemed to get away, it’s possible these remaining ISA members will return to finish what they started in Season 1.
New Villains
Credit: The CW
Read more: Tiger King Has Over 34 Million Viewers In 10 Days On Netflix
If the ISA does return, they won’t be the only threat the JSA has to face as new villains Eclipso and Shade are set to reign down terror in Blue Valley in Season 2.
Eclipso was first heard laughing in the Season Finale when Cindy pulled out the black gem, known as The Heart of Darkness, from one of The Wizard’s boxes. Cindy further confirmed the villain’s future appearance in the show, saying “I see you in there…Eclipso.” A deadly force of darkness, Eclipso has the power to possess anyone who holds the gem his essence is in so it’s likely we’ll see this happen to Cindy. Though she is a considerable antagonist in her own right, together Cindy and Eclipso are set to be a major threat for Stargirl and the JSA in Season 2.
Former ISA member The Shade will play also play a major role in Stargirl’s second season. Danger, mystery and magic surrounds this villain who controls shadows and has the power to turn night into day. He was first seen dragging away the original Dr. Mid-Nite in the first episode and then again in the Season Finale criticising Icicle’s “folly”.
While the Shade is undoubtedly being introduced as a villain to the show, fans can expect the unexpected from this mysterious character. He betrayed the ISA and has previously acted as an ally to Jack Knight and Starman, so this could mean he demonstrates an unusual allegiance toward Courtney. The exact details of what to expect are being kept under wraps but with so many iterations of his character in comics and on the screen, there’s plenty of complex character dynamics to explore in Stargirl.
As The Shade is an amoral and mercenary character it’s likely he’ll be setting his own agenda and leaving plenty of devastation in his wake.
Starman’s Return
Starman’s shocking return comes after fans saw Courtney renew her commitment to being Stargirl and questions are circulating about what this means for Season 2.
Courtney has found her true self as Stargirl, she feels free and brave and it’s completely hers, so it doesn’t seem likely that we’d have to see her give it up. However, Starman’s return will definitely have an impact. Hopefully, he’ll team up with the new JSA and help Courtney figure out why she can use the Cosmic Staff even though she isn’t his daughter.
New JSA Members
Whether or not Starman joins the new JSA remains to be seen, but the superhero ranks will definitely be growing in Season 2 – a good thing since there are so many villains on the horizon.
After helping to defeat the ISA in the Season Finale fans can expect Barbara and Mile to play bigger roles in the JSA going forward. We can be sure Barbara will be taking up a more involved role in Courtney’s outings as Stargirl now there are no secrets between them, while Mike will be itching to stop more villains.
Stargirl will also focus on introducing characters whose costumes we’ve already seen, like Green Lantern Johnny Thunder’s pink pen. Johns said this is going to be a big part of Season 2: “we do have so many other things to explore with these characters, and other avenues and other characters to meet and introduce”.
A Green Arrow appearance is also highly anticipated for Season 2. Stargirl takes place on Earth-2, different earth to the Arrowverse, so we could see new actors take on the characters we have become so familiar will. While it may not be the type of crossover DC fans are used to, don’t rule out seeing some familiar characters on your screen again.
Romance For Courtney
Credit: The CW
Read more: Jai Courtney Returns As Captain Boomerang In The Suicide Squad – Is This Fourth Time Lucky For
Bassinger said she would love to explore a romance storyline: “I grew up always loving the teen romance TV shows and movies, so I would love to see it. Stargirl just has so much on her plate that it’ll all be about balance, story-wise and real life-wise.”
While she didn’t let on who she wants her love interest to be, based on the sparks flying in Season 1 we’re guessing it could be Cameron, Icicle’s son. With his father now dead, Cameron could join the JSA and help them expand their ranks, although he could be set to team up with Cindy and the other ISA legacies.
Viewers may have also sensed a vibe between Courtney and Rick – Bassinger said one of her favourite scenes to film was the private moment between the two of them on the sports field. Rick has finally got justice for his parents and Bassinger says the way Courtney acknowledged it showed a sense of “solidarity between them”. She added: “Even though it was so small, on set I definitely felt it.”
Could this friendship develop in something more?
While we wait eagerly for Season 2, you can stream the first season of Stargirl on Amazon Prime now.
What do you make of this feature?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
What do you make of this story? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook or Instagram pages!
And if you enjoy listening to film podcasts, why not check out our podcasts, Small Screen Stories and Small Screen Film Club wherever you get your podcasts!
Looking forward to it.