Stargirl : 1x11 Shining Knight review

Be warned there will be *SPOILERS* involved in this review. With that being said let's get into it. 

After the highs of last weeks episode can Stargirl keep that momentum going?? the episode begins with Justin the Janitor whom we see is still struggling with his past. He is still struggling to remember much apart from a fierce and strong hearted horse and Pat who he recalls was Starmans sidekick. Back at the school and he sees Pat on a leaflet for his pit stop garage so he pays him a visit but more on that in a bit. The real meat and potatoes of this episode so to speak is that of Courtney finally meeting her true father in Sam Curtis. He shows up announced in Blue Valley after last week Barbara had sent him an e-mail but then never replied to him. Worried by this he shows up and blows Courtney's entire life wide open. She refuses to believe that this man is her father still set on her father being Starman. After demanding that she talk to Pat Courtney soon comes around and goes out for breakfast with her father. Sam tells Courtney that if he could do it all over again he would, he talks about the last time he saw Courtney and mentions the locket that she is and always has been wearing. The two end up going for breakfast like I mentioned and it actually goes pretty well. 

The same cannot be said for Justin the Janitor who turns up at Pat's garage. Pat is there with Beth and Rick but not Yolanda who instead has gone to church to pray for Henry after his passing at the hands of his own dad in last weeks episode. Justin turns up at the garage and right away thinks Pat, Beth and Rick are Dragon King and his henchmen. Brandishing Excalibur (yes that same sword) he soon gets his wits back but says that he is entirely broken. Pat agrees to help him and he takes him to his home where he can rest up and stay in the spare room which Barbara has made up. Speaking of Barbara Brainwave out of the blue just drops Courtney's entire secret onto Jordan as the two speak. He tells him that Courtney Whitmore is Stargirl and that Pat was Starmans sidekick. Immediately Jordan changes and Brainwave uses this opportunity to get inside his mind. He can tell that Barbara means a lot more to him than he is letting on. He also mentions how he killed his own wife and son for the cause and by doing so he is not only able to achieve Jordans Project New America plan to it's full potential but even more so as by killing his son he has seemingly inherited his powers which has only boosted his capabilities. 

The episode draws to a close as Courtney and her father finish their breakfast and head back to the house. Sam asks them to stop outside on the porch and talk for a bit. Courtney agrees and what follows is heartbreaking for Court as not only does Sam take the Locket that he gave to her all those years ago just so he can sell it but he also mentions how he will soon be able to move closer to her. This of course is not true and Pat finds it out after Courtney comes into the house crying. The two embrace and Pat soon goes after Sam. Turns out he did only want the locket so he could sell it. He tells Pat to tell Barbara he said goodbye and also how she was so much better looking when she was with him. Pat uses this opportunity to punch Sam out telling him to never step foot in Blue Valley again. Speaking of Blue Valley Courtney is now more intent on leaving it more than ever as the Cosmic Staff has stopped working for her. Devastated by this Courtney tells Barbara that whenever she wants to leave that they can. Barbara is hesitant however and given that she now knows Jordans intentions in the ISA she is keen on staying and putting up a fight. Well you can't have a fight without Stargirl in this story right?? well Courtney tries the Cosmic Staff once more and this time with Barbara and Pat by her side it lights up even more so than before almost as if it's achieved full power. Justin soon makes his way down the basement steps and says that the Staff has awoken. The episode doesn't end there however oh no. It ends with Jordan and Brainwave talking once more. After going through Barbara's computer at her workplace Jordan tells Brainwave to kill the entire Whitmore family. Including Mike and Pat, after all you can't leave loose threads hanging. The episode ends with a look at the countdown to Project New America starting. Boy what an episode once again. Much like last week this was very much narrative and story focused more so than action but it really did deliver. It was funny at some points, emotional at others and Stargirl again proves that it is one of the best DC TV shows ever put to screen. 

★★★★★