Beware of spoilers for the episode in the article. Please do not continue reading if you haven’t watched the episode yet and you are not okay with being spoiled.
This episode was a setup episode for a variety of storylines for the rest of the season going forward.
Cameron and Courtney :
Their love story finally begins after almost three seasons. Courtney and Cameron finally have their first kiss and it feels like it's going to end terribly for both of them. I initially thought that Cameron was aware of Courtney being Stargirl when the episode began or that he at least thought she was involved in his father’s death. But it turns out Cameron is completely clueless about what happened to his father beyond his father being “murdered”. He also thinks Icicle was a hero which is far from the truth, Icicle was a person whose good intentions pushed him towards evil.
Their love story is going to go south when Cameron discovers that Mike actually dealt the killing blow (accidentally) to Cameron's father ,when Cameron finds out what happened it's going to be very bad for the JSA. Cameron can barely control his powers and he is a ticking time bomb. Courtney deciding to keep her secret away from Cameron will probably come back to bite her because Cameron will think she was trying to manipulate him. It’s very likely Cameron's grandparents are going to vilify her in the end.
Yolanda :
Yolanda's parents continue to be the absolute worst, her Mum has been the only one we’ve seen for a while but every time she appears she tends to seem like she is campaigning for worst mother of the year. Finding out that Yolanda a teen , is actually the breadwinner for the family but she’s still being treated like crap makes it worse. Yolanda’s mother saying she can keep the tips for college was nice but her single nice gesture doesn't counter her constant awful treatment of her daughter.
Beth :
I liked that Beth actually got to use her goggles usefully quite a bit this episode and she discovered something important, the mysterious DNA that was left in the Gambler’s trailer. The JSA believes that the DNA could belong to the killer but we know it doesn't belong to the killer. Beth’s mother realizing just how dangerous being a hero actually is for Beth was an important moment. Beth is basically a sitting duck (physically) during battles and if Sylvester almost got killed after bodying Crusher and Tigress earlier in episode 3 someone like Beth would most likely not survive such a brutal attack.
The hospital scene ended on a less serious note with Courtney referencing her fight with Cindy and how the excuse on paper was that she ran into a tree when Courtney , Pat and Beth’s mum were discussing how she covered up Sylvester’s attack. This scene was also important because we now know why there aren’t cops investigating the Gambler’s murder they think he was killed by a tornado and Sylvester was attacked by a drunk driver , which like Pat said means the police are now looking for a drunk driver. I’m glad the show's writers seem to be aware of major plot holes and also addressing them.
Sylvester :
After getting attacked last episode Sylvester discovers at the hospital with some assistance from Doctor Mid-Nite Charles McNider that his biology has changed and his body is now healing extremely fast because of his connection to the cosmic staff and Sylvester is basically now a meta-human. This also explains how he was brought back to life after his death since the power of the cosmic staff kept him in stasis while he healed until he eventually woke up. So it seems the mystery of how Sylvester was resurrected has been solved unless it's a red herring on the show's part. Whatever effect the cosmic energy had on Pemberton was major ; the man went from looking extremely beaten up to completely fine over the course of a day.
Sylvester has a dilemma about him not giving up the staff and letting Courtney be Cosmo’s sole bearer. Simply giving up the staff is more difficult for Sylvester to do because it's essentially been his whole life. Charles in comparison is a doctor, he has a wife and son (a family) so it's easier for him to just simply let go of being Doctor Mid-Nite. Courtney telling Sylvester that it's okay if he uses the staff sometimes when he needs it if she isn't around should be a good idea but it might not end well since Sylvester is so angry all the time and a trouble magnet.
Pat giving Sylvester the new suit he made for him was a sweet moment between the two old friends. Pat suggesting a third option for Sylvester , to become a mentor for the new JSA instead of retiring, was a good suggestion if Sylvester isn’t ready to give up being a hero. Pat is a great friend. My worry for this however is that it might not be a great idea because Sylvester’s anger makes him unpredictable. Sylvester isn’t ready to be a mentor yet, maybe if he gets himself into a more healthier place mentally I think it would actually be a great idea for him to be a mentor for the new JSA sometime down the line.
Cindy :
The Dragon Princess finding out that she's literally turning into her father is the stuff of nightmares. The Dragon King abused her and didn't love her at all and those scars run deep and they won't just go away. Cindy has always dealt with things alone so it's difficult for her to ask for help. Courtney empathizes with Cindy because she has seen Cindy's childhood first hand for herself so she completely understands that Cindy would never willingly go back to her father especially after escaping from his grasp. I hope Cindy is able to get some help for her condition.
Additional notes :
1. We didn’t get a solo story for Rick in this episode, I hope we get something more substantial for him storyline wise soon.
2. The boys haven't learned , the scene with Mike and Jakeem wishing for Stripes key and literally getting caught up in a flood of keys was funny.
3. The VFX for Cameron's ice powers and the Cosmic staff are so good.
4. Paula's gift for Barbara gave us a sweet and funny scene , Paula is really trying to be better.
5. We finally got confirmation Sylvester got the staff from Ted , possibly Ted Knight which comes with its own questions. Is Ted alive?
6. Sylvester not treating Crusher badly this episode was a step in the right direction, I truly hope that everyone can move on from the past and become friends in the end.
Conclusion :
An engaging episode meant to drive the story forward. I hope we get more of the junior JSA members who have been a bit underutilized this season as the show progresses.
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