Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched Stargirl's latest episode.
With "Shiv Part Two," Stargirl followed up on the burgeoning origin story of Cindy Burman's titular villainess, whose comic book origins were indeed created by showrunner and comic icon Geoff Johns. Like most episodes across the DC Universe (and CW) drama's first season, this installment featured lots of action, comedy and more than a few mysterious moments that had me wishing I had my own pair of A.I. goggles to help figure out what was happening.
With six episodes left to go in Season 1 – and a full second season already having gotten ordered – Stargirl has once again left us with a variety of questions about what will happen next with Courtney and the rest of the show's large ensemble of heroes and villains. So without further ado(ctor Mid-Nite), here are the questions I'm still asking after watching Episode 8.
What's Up With Dragon King?
For one, "Shiv Part Two" dropped in a detailed origin story for Dragon King, whose alter ego Dr. Shiro Ito was a scientist and Japanese WWII criminal known for controversial experiments and creating weapons. (He was even given credit for the plague-spreading "bacilli bombs" of the 1930s.) Ito was supposedly executed in 1947, but it's very clear that he created something that kept him not only alive all this time, but also capable of conceiving a child. But what is he currently working on?
Considering he's already in possession of William Zarick's body, and also considering the current existence of one Solomon Grundy, is Dragon King working on some kind of resurrection machine? Or is he finding ways to use corpses to extend his own life? Also, why is it a threat for him to remove his mask? Is it because he's extremely hideous and unnatural at this point, or does his true visage have some kind of power over those that see it in full? We probably need bigger answers sooner than later, now that the villain has become a larger part of the show.
Is Bobbie Burman A Horny Android Or Something?
The Burman household is obviously the biggest mystery junction on Stargirl right now. It's known that Cindy did something awful that caused her own mom's death, and while we're still curious about that, I'm just as intrigued by whatever's happening with her current stepmom iteration of Bobbie Burman (as played by Lesa Wilson). Bobbie initially came across as a Stepford Wife, and Dragon King's comment about "making another one" had me thinking she was some kind of a clone or an android or some other kind of mindless cipher. But Bobbie took things up (or down) a notch by trying to get sexual with Pat, which then made me think she might have previously been a normal woman who was brainwashed. What's her actual story, though?
How Will Henry Deal With His New Powers?
As the son of the villain Brainwave, Henry was already set to make a big choice when it came to embracing or decrying his own legacy, and that was before he painfully realized that he now shares in his Henry King Sr.'s psionic abilities. As seen when he broke up Shiv and Stargirl's fight (which made Courtney's identity no longer a secret for him), Henry is conflicted by just about everything. But will he come to use his powers to help out Courtney in taking out Dragon King and Icicle, or will Brainwave's medical condition influence Henry to follow closely in his father's deadly footsteps?
Are Icicle's Environmental Efforts Actually Just Fueled By Revenge?
For as horrible a murderer as Jordan Mahkent can be as Icicle, he's also shown to have some virtuous motivations, such as his American Dream organization. That mission has, at least before Episode 8, appeared to be an above-the-board push to keep Blue Valley and other places beautiful and natural. However, this episode put viewers in the front seat for Icicle vengefully killing a chemical plant exec that Icicle blamed for staying silent despite knowing about poisoned water supplies that led to deaths. In particular, the death of Icicle's wife and Cameron's mother. So does Icicle actually want to improve the planet, or is this all just a way to attack those he deems responsible for killing his wife?
Is Barbara Going To Be Put In Danger Soon?
Realistically, Barbara probably wouldn't be the one person on the American Dream team that Jordan would choose to take with him on business trips, but for the sake of this show, it works. In any case, Barbara is in an interesting crossroads situation where she's still completely unaware of anything that's happening around her, but is very close to discovering that her daughter is a superhero. But Icicle will likely also learn that news soon, and if he then realizes that Barbara is Stargirl's mother, then he could very well use her as a chess piece in his deadly revenge plan. Perhaps the bigger question is "Who's going to whip Icicle's ass the hardest: Courtney or Pat?"
Why Wasn't Courtney More Injured After Her Second Fight With Shiv?
This is perhaps more of a logical issue than something involving the narrative specifically, but wasn't it weird to everyone that the battle in "Shiv Part One" sent Courtney to the hospital, but she was able to (while still injured) have another hardcore fight with Cindy without the need for any further medical help? Beyond the physical pain, she also got blasted through the air by Henry's Brainwave-esque powers, which should have had its own negative effect on her well-being. Yet she was seemingly much better off by the end of Episode 8 than she was at the beginning.
Will Rick Tyler's Hourman II Stay Part Of The JSA?
I can't be alone in thinking that Hourman's power should be that he becomes completely understanding and open to suggestions for an hour each day, since Cameron Gellman's Rick Tyler has been known more for brooding than heroics during his early days as a JSA hero. Will he eventually come around to relying more on strategic planning and team conversations over hyper-reacting violently to anything he's not happy with? If he can't keep his anger in check, I can't help but feel like he might become the first JSA member to defect to the villainous side, regardless of who's responsible for his parents' deaths.
Stargirl airs weekly on DC Universe on Mondays at 9:00 a.m. ET, and on The CW on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. To see what other super-shows and beyond are on their way to viewers soon, head to our Summer 2020 TV premiere schedule and our Fall 2020 TV rundown.
