Stargirl's new Justice League villains will have a big impact on season 2
Stargirl season one finale spoilers follow.
After battling the Injustice Society of America across 13 episodes, justice was finally served in Stargirl's season one finale, along with a whole host of surprise reveals.
Weeks after Brainwave's brain cut out and Icicle was smashed into a thousand tiny ice-cubes, Courtney celebrated with her family in a touching Christmas scene which even made star Brec Bassinger cry. But it's not all going to be freedom and apple pie for our star-spangled hero moving forward.
Solomon Grundy is still on the loose, and he's not the only potential threat Blue Valley faces either. Two new(ish) villains were mysteriously introduced in the final moments of season one, but who are they exactly and why should Stargirl be worried?
Well, Courtney is stronger than ever now that she's mastered the cosmic staff, but these villains have even given the Justice League a run for their money. So join us here at Digital Spy as we break down who these new Stargirl villains are exactly and how they'll impact season two.
Who is Eclipso?
After mean girl savant Cindy Burman killed her own father, she pops up again at the end, rummaging through old boxes. Is she looking for her Dad's will? Most likely, but while she's searching, Cindy also comes across a strange diamond which she describes with the word "Eclipso".
That might seem random to casual Stargirl viewers, but the name should be instantly familiar to diehard comic book fans. Since first appearing in 1963, Eclipso has ravaged the DC universe, clashing with all your favourite heroes over the decades.
Originally God's Spirit Of Wrath, Eclipso was too good at his job, so the powers-that-be imprisoned him in a stone called the Heart of Darkness, which is most likely what Cindy found on Stargirl.
It's rather fitting that she's the one who will claim the gem's power. After all, Eclipso feeds off hatred, possessing anyone who succumbs to the darkness within. Cindy is an ideal candidate to play host to this force, both in terms of her own darkness and also her desire to control others at school.
In the comics, Eclipso has fought the Justice League to a standstill, swatting Superman away like he's nothing. Even the Spectre has fallen to his might, so what chance does Courtney have? While it's safe to presume Stargirl will tone down Eclipso's power set somewhat, Cindy was formidable before discovering Eclipso's gem. In fact, she almost killed Courtney at one point, and now with all this extra power at her fingertips, Cindy could be nigh on unstoppable.
There might be hope still, but if so, it comes in the rather surprising form of Yolanda's younger brother. In the comics, Alex Montez sought revenge after Eclipso killed Yolanda, using powers of his own to make him pay. This personal connection may come into play on Stargirl too, although we hope it doesn't mean Wildcat has to die in a future season.
Who is The Shade?
The Shade also shares personal ties with the JSA, but his connection is directly linked to Stargirl herself.
This isn't actually the first time that the Shade has appeared on the show. Back when the ISA killed the JSA in the pilot's flashback, his shadowy hand briefly appeared, dragging Doctor Mid-Nite off to his doom.
Three episodes later, Icicle and Dragon King mentioned the Shade in conversation, revealing that he once betrayed their team. While it's unclear what happened exactly, season two will definitely explore this fraught history in more detail now that he's being set up as a key character.
But which version of the Shade will this be, exactly? Multiple people have taken that name in the comics, ever since the first Shade appeared back in 1942. Primarily a Flash villain at first, this Shade just used a magical cane to manipulate shadows. It wasn't until he returned in the 1994 Starman series that the character was given a full name along with a more fleshed out backstory.
Here, it turned out that Shade was an immortal mercenary called Richard Swift, and this version was retconned to include a super-powered connection to a realm called the Shadowlands. As time went on, the Shade turned away from villainy and eventually became a mentor to the newest version of Starman.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's on the cards for Stargirl. The Shade's reign of terror has barely begun on the show, and although he's not as strong as Eclipso in the comics, Swift is still a powerful force to be reckoned with.
Teleportation, illusion-casting, shadow constructs and the power to conjure full-blown shadow demons are just some of the skills the Shade could use against Stargirl's fledgling Justice Society. And with Eclipso looming as well, it might be time for Courtney to finally cross over with the rest of the Arrowverse and call for backup in season two.
After all, Green Arrow and Green Lantern are already waiting in the wings, ready to suit up and serve justice...
Stargirl season 1 is available to watch on DC Universe and The CW in the US. The series will premiere on Friday, August 21 on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.
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