Courtney gets the shock of her life and the Bad Guys just keep getting worse, on “Stargirl.”
Warning! Mild spoilers follow!
He’s just a simple high school janitor with an easy request for a Blue Valley rancher:
“Excuse me, good sir, I’m looking for a gallant white steed, with fire in its eyes and victory in its heart.”
And so opens “Shining Knight,” written by “Stargirl” co-creator Geoff Johns and directed by Jennifer Phang.
As a viewer, I need to confess: I’ve had moments in “Stargirl” that gave me goosebumps. There have been moments that made me scared. There have been scenes that broke my heart.
But not all in the same episode.
Until now.
The Dugans have an early morning visitor: Sam Kurtis (Geoff Stults, “7th Heaven”), Courtney’s biological dad.
Courtney (Brec Bassinger) is thrown.
If Starman isn’t her biological father, then what has she been doing putting on a costume, risking her life and endangering others?
“I put all of us in so much danger because I believed in some fairy tale.”
Two of her classmates are now dead, and Courtney feels that loss acutely.
Her father? He’s back after a decade, and he just wants her to make a small sacrifice.
I’ve noted Pat’s heroism before, and this installment proves he’s the GOAT when it comes to family.
Barbara (Amy Smart) also shows she’s no slouch. If you can see the courage and compassion in Courtney, you know where she gets it from.
Sir Justin (Mark Ashworth) faces off against the Dragon King and his minions.
It’s not what you think. It’s not even what he thinks.
The young JSA attends possibly the worst high school assembly in history.

Jordan (Neil Jackson) digs into Barbara’s browsing history on her desk computer.
People, people, how many times do you have to be reminded to do all your personal searches at home? Jordan is so not happy with what he discovers.
Perhaps more than any episode to date, this hour drives home a theme in Geoff Johns’ writings, that superhero legacies are not determined by biology but owe everything to character.
With her parents – her real parents – by her side, Courtney sets out to reclaim what’s hers.
Just in time: Very Bad Things are about to go down in the two-part season finale.
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