Stargirl is adding some big new villains for its official move to The CW in 2021, but now the superhero series has added a character who could be a major ally to Courtney and Co. in their next battle for justice. The newcomer will be played by none other than Jim Gaffigan, and his arrival will answer at least one major question left over from Season 1: what's up with that pink pen?
DC Comics fans likely knew that the pink pen probably contained the character known as Thunderbolt, and EW reports that he will be unleashed in Season 2 to be played by Jim Gaffigan. That said, viewers shouldn't expect to see him in live-action to play Thunderbolt. The character will be brought to life via CGI, and Gaffigan will provide the voice.
In case you're not a DC Comics expert and want to know exactly what Stargirl has planned for him, Thunderbolt is a wish-granting pink imp who hails from the land of Bahdnesia. Fun-loving and electrical, Thunderbolt uses his magic to great effect and is extremely powerful. On Stargirl, the wishes he grants may backfire and cause trouble rather than provide what the wisher really wants.
Fortunately, the fact that the pink pen containing Thunderbolt was among the JSA items that Courtney stole means that Thunderbolt isn't a bad guy who tries to wreak havoc. His heart is constantly in the right place, which should soften the blows of the supernatural messes he makes. Like Pat, he'll also be dealing with the pain of losing friends over the years. Unlike Pat, his existence has been long, and his losses have likely been great over many years.
A big question now is what will bring Thunderbolt into the mix. The pink pen is currently in Courtney's possession after she raided the old JSA stash, although Pat warned her that it's extremely dangerous. Was he on the receiving end of a wish gone wrong back in the day? The pen hasn't done anything dangerous since Courtney has had it, or even anything exciting. Courtney didn't seem to spend much time thinking about it.
At this point, I'm guessing Thunderbolt escapes the pen by some kind of accident. Whether that's because Courtney fiddles with it and something finally happens or somebody else stumbles across it and frees Thunderbolt remains to be seen, assuming it is an accident. Barbara or Mike would make sense if they wandered into Courtney's room and started snooping, but I think Beth would be especially likely to make a big wish that could go very wrong after what happened to Chuck at the end of Season 1.
See what happens with Jim Gaffigan as Thunderbolt when Stargirl returns for Season 2 in 2021. Unlike the majority of The CW's superhero series, Stargirl isn't slated to premiere its next season in the early midseason lineup, which does make sense. At least for now, Stargirl isn't part of the Arrow-verse, and in fact may very well have a living Green Arrow who is definitely not played by Stephen Amell. Season 2 will be Stargirl's first as an exclusively CW show.
For some viewing options during the wait for Courtney and Co. to return on Stargirl, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule.
