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Since its premiere in 2020, DC's Stargirl has built quite an audience for themselves. The classic story of a superhero maintaining a secret identity while carrying on the legacy of vigilante heroes struck a chord with audiences worldwide. The show is based on the DC comics that follow Courtney Whitmore, a high school student who discovers her powers and goes on to inspire a whole generation.
The first season was followed by the second, titled Summer School in 2021, and the third season titled Frenemies, is up for release on August 31, 2022. The show was well-received by critics and was appreciated. While similar TV shows such as WandaVision and Loki tend to take a much darker tone, DC's Stargirl sticks to a lighter approach. American actress Brec Bassinger plays Courtney in all three seasons.
Things you probably didn't know about Stargirl
1) Her father was a criminal
Although the first bit of the story suggests that Sam Kurtis is Starman, keeping his identity a secret to protect his family. Events later in the story reveal that this isn't true. Sam is an absent father, and even though Courtney tries to justify it by assuming he is the Starman, the show holds him accountable by revealing the truth.
On the contrary, Sam is a criminal who spent considerable time in jail. He also briefly joins the Royal Flush Gang before returning to jail. For some time, Courtney does not even believe that Sam is her biological father. However, the character eventually comes to terms that Sam Kurtis, a criminal, is indeed her father, and her identity as Stargirl isn't owed to her paternal lineage.
2) She was in Smallville
Contrary to what most people think, DC's Stargirl isn't the first television show Courtney was featured in. Smallville was an American superhero TV show that was extremely popular and ran over ten whole seasons from 2001 to 2011. It featured many characters, including multiple superheroes. Stargirl, played by Brit Irvin, was one of the main characters, although her character was interpreted differently than in the newer show.
DC's Stargirl, while claiming to be a direct adaptation of the comic books, has apparently gathered some inspiration from Smallville. The concept of the Cosmic Staff, as portrayed in DC's Stargirl, resembles the portrayal in Smallville rather than the comics.
3) She was the Star-Spangled Kid
Sylvester Pemberton was the first Star-Spangled Kid who fought against injustice during the Second World War along with Stripesy, aka Pat Dugan, his sidekick. Pemberton later changes his superhero name to Skyman.
Courtney Whitmore is Pat Dugan's stepdaughter. Although she initially takes up his name to express her resentment towards him, she eventually finds her calling and joins the Justice Society of America. When presented with the cosmic rod, she eventually changes her name to Stargirl.
4) First woman to take the Starman legacy forward
Courtney Whitmore famously takes on the legacy of Ted Knight, the original Starman. However, several heroes came before her in a bid to carry forward the Starman legacy. Interacting with the Cosmic Staff and inheriting the legacy is part of each of their stories. However, Courtney is the first female to take on the responsibility.
While the story leads viewers to believe in biological inheritance, it is later proved that Courtney's father was never the Starman and is a criminal who was sent back to jail by Courtney herself. The inheritance logic is yet to be explored and has many theories around it.
5) She was the face of the Justice Society of America
An organization created to fight crime, the Justice Society of America consists of several superheroes led by Courtney. Pat Dugan, the original Stripesy, guides Courtney through her journey as he was part of the system during the Golden Age. Courtney makes some brilliant decisions in terms of recruiting heroes, making the organization an efficient one.
Upon being identified by the Cosmic Staff, she initially believes that her father was Starman and goes seeking vengeance. However, she soon finds her place in the organization and strives to create a crime-free world. She also becomes close friends with Yolanda, her first recruit.
The third season of DC's Stargirl, Stargirl: Frenemies, will premiere on August 31, 2022, and air until November 23, 2022, with one episode releasing each week on The CW.
