Battle of Blue Valley

The Battle of Blue Valley refers to the pivotal fight between the Justice Society of America against Jordan Mahkent, the Ultra-Humanite, and the Mahkent family at Zeek's Junkyard. Simultaneously, the Young All-Stars fought Dragon King in the lot of Blue Valley Tires.

Background[]

One year earlier,^[1] the Justice Society of America fought the Injustice Society of America to stop the ISA's Project New America. The fight ended with Mike Dugan colliding a car into Icicle's body, shattering his ice form into several pieces. The JSA believed they had won, since Tigress and Sportsmaster were arrested, The Gambler in the wind, Brainwave dead, and Dragon King impaled by Shiv.^[2] However, as the days passed and Icicle's pieces melted, he reformed aquatically and sought refuge in the underground tunnels. When his sentiance returned three months later,^[3] Icicle sought an alliance with the Ultra-Humanite and Dragon King, the latter of whom survived being stabbed through the heart. Icicle and Dragon King still wanted to change America, and believed they could use Sylvester Pemberton/Starman to accomplish their goals. They conspired to place Ultra-Humanite's brain in Sylvester's body, and Dragon King's brain into Ultra-Humanite's now vacant gorilla form. Dragon King believed this to be the final stage of his evolution into something greater.^[4] With the image of Starman on his side, Icicle believed he could influence Americans minds and even elect Ultra-Humanite into the oval office as "President Pemberton". The Ultra-Humanite, who only wanted to recapture the accolades that came with his former identity of actress Dolores Winters, assumed Sylvester's identity and traveled around the world to gain information on Sylvester, Pat Dugan, and the Golden Age JSA.^[5]

Ultra-Humanite visited Pat's old landlord in Van Nuys^[2] and his ex-wife Maggie Shaw at a diner.^[6] Once he gained enough insight to fool Pat, Ultra-Humanite visited Blue Valley where he interrupted the JSA's Battle Against Eclipso. Using the true Sylvester's biological connection to the Cosmic Staff, Ultra-Humanite helped Stargirl break through Eclipso's hold on her mind, and ultimately, defeat the demon.^[7] He gained the Whitmore-Dugan's trust and moved into their home, where he continued to enact his plan to gain everyone's trust, separate the JSA, weaken them, and then steal the staff from Courtney.^[8] In the meantime, Icicle healed from his wounds using a special suit, and became a Voyeur through hidden cameras he installed all over Blue Valley.^[9] Unfortunately for Ultra-Humanite, Icicle, and Dragon King, Steve Sharpe/The Gambler returned to Blue Valley looking to make amends with his former enemies. He discovered the surveillance feeds Icicle planted around town, including one outside Steve's trailer. To keep the man quiet, Dragon King murdered him, which triggered the JSA's investigation into everyone.^[8]

JSA vs Mahkents and Ultra-Humanite[]

The JSA walks the grounds of Zeek's Junkyard. Dr. Mid-Nite hopes Barbara can find Artemis. Hourman knows she'll be here, as Icicle made her an orphan. Wildcat thinks she'll show up just when they need her. She wonders how Artemis always does that. They stop walking when they see Icicle, "Starman" who wields the staff, and Sofus, Lily, and Cameron waiting for them. The team is surprised to see the Mahkents there including Cameron, as Cameron told them only Starman would be there. Icicle greets Courtney. Courtney looks at Cameron with a look of shock and disappointment, as she knows Cameron set them up, though Cameron barely meets her gaze. Icicle stands alongside his family and "Starman" tonight, here on neutral ground, with only good intentions. Stargirl asks where Pat is. "Starman" is sorry, but she's gone. Pat came to see him after Jordan and "Starman" settled things. He apologized and tried to convince Pat to join forces with both of them, but he refused. He went into the woods alone, looking for the Ultra-Humanite, who killed him. This lands hard with Courtney. As she processes, Icicle tells her that if they're going to get any justice for Pat, they need to team up. She doesn't believe anything he says. "Starman" knows he was harsh earlier, but Stargirl cuts him off. They're both lying, and Sylvester has been lying since he came to Blue Valley. Cameron chimes in for the first time, as he wouldn't lie to her. He's sorry about Pat, he's so sorry, but the only thing they can do now is work together and stop that monster before it hurts anyone else. Stargirl struggles for a moment until a whooshing sound gets everyone's attention. From the sky, S.T.R.I.P.E. appears, landing behind the JSA as his boosters burn into the ground. The motor revs and Stargirl questions if it's Pat. It is him, but that's not Sylvester, it's the Ultra-Humanite. The team turns back to their enemies. Ultra-Humanite rhetorically shouts out if Pat's kidding him, and angrily questions why Stripesy won't die. He shoves past Icicle and blasts S.T.R.I.P.E. with the staff, sending the robot tumbling away. He takes to the air after S.T.R.I.P.E. Lily steps forward as now, the wicked children will freeze. She summons ice to her palms and the JSA assumes their fighting positions.

Ultra-Humanite sends blasts of cosmic energy towards S.T.R.I.P.E., causing a car to explode. He lands four blasts on the robot and then pauses for a moment to muse that Pat has a lot of heart. He doesn't know how Pat dug himself out of that grave, but he's going to wish he hadn't. Pat flicks switches and knobs from inside the pilot's chair. He doesn't like looking at Ultra-Humanite and seeing his best friend's face. So he's going to knock it off. He extends his fist and shoots it at Ultra-Humanite, who twirls the staff into a shield that ricochets the punch. He takes into the air and attacks S.T.R.I.P.E. from above, shooting beams of energy as he lands atop a car. S.T.R.I.P.E. picks up a car and throws it at Ultra-Humanite, who spins the staff again, this time throwing it. The staff slices the car into two pieces that fall on either side of its handler. It hits S.T.R.I.P.E. in the chest and then boomerangs back to Ultra-Humanite's waiting hands. He grips either side of the horizontal staff and flies forward, pushing the robot into a car, and triggering an explosion.

Stargirl dodges ice blasts, landing on the roof of a car, just as the explosion from S.T.R.I.P.E. appears behind her. She stands and looks at Cameron, saying that Jordan lied to him. Jordan cuts her off telling her not to say another word. He holds out his hand and she gasps for air as her breath turns to ice. She clutches her throat and falls off the car, rolling onto the ground. Cameron shouts out for Courtney, rushing to her aide. Hourman charges forward and punches Icicle into a car. Courtney gasps for air as Icicle's hold on her fades. Hourman turns to Cameron, telling him not to be a tool. He's being played by his own dad, but he's still going to kick his ass. Cameron gets up and Hourman starts to advance when he suffers a disorientation spell from the hourglass. He tries to throw a punch anyway but misses. Cameron blasts him backward, with Icicle adding a secondary blast that propels him even further away.

Wildcat shouts for Hourman as she sees him fall. However, she can't stop to help him recover, as Lily continues her onslaught of attacks. Wildcat jumps across the tops of the cars, her suit absorbing her impact. She lands through a windshield as more attacks fly her way.

Dr. Mid-Nite staggers away from the site, only to encounter Sofus behind her. Her AI senses an imminent threat and activates combat mode. She assumes a fighting stance as her goggles turn red. He summons ice to his hands.

Ultra-Humanite tells Pat that none of this had to happen. This all could have been so easy. Pat tries to recover as he flicks switches inside S.T.R.I.P.E. Humanite continues to monologue his original plan of Courtney giving up the staff, her friends following him, and them changing the world with Icicle for the better. For Pat's family, too. This could have been perfect for everyone. But Pat couldn't just stay in his lane and just stay dead. He had to fight back. So now, all of them are going to die. Because he will not stop being Starman - ever. He slices through S.T.R.I.P.E.'s chest plate, sending sparks everywhere.

Dr. Mid-Nite squares off with Sofus, though her goggles detect hesitation from him. She tells Mr. Mahkent that she doesn't want to fight him again. He lowers his hands in relief, as neither does he. She tells him they have to stop everyone. Lily barks out for Sofus, appearing from around a corner. She demands that he kill Dr. Mid-Nite, but the man refuses, not wanting any more of this. She warns him in Norwegian to do it or she'll kill him, calling him a useless idiot. He takes a step away from her as she raises her hand, ice appearing. Wildcat lets out a scream as she jumps over Lily, narrowly avoiding a blast. The ice hits a scaffold, breaking one of the metal bars. Wildcat lands between Sofus and Dr. Mid-Nite, who all watch in horror as a car falls from the top of the scaffold toward Lily. She tries to block it with a shield, but the car is too heavy and lands on top of her. They gasp in shock. Wildcat looks to Dr. Mid-Nite - she didn't do it.

Ultra-Humanite yanks Pat out of the robot, throwing him into a car. He laughs maniacally that there's no more robot.

Stargirl hurries to Hourman's side, checking on him. Icicle gives Courtney one last chance to pledge her loyalty right now. He holds out his hand, ice appearing. He's suddenly shot in the shoulder with an arrow. Everyone looks in shock to see Barbara a few feet away, lowering Paula's crossbow. She warns him to stay away from her daughter. Courtney questions her mom and Icicle pulls the arrow out. Barbara and Stargirl help Hourman to his feet, taking him away. Icicle calls it such a shame. She was going to be so perfect for all of them. Courtney and Cameron would have been together. He knows that he and Barbara could have reignited what they had. Cameron's face falls from behind his father, growing darker. Barbara, dumbfounded, shouts they never had anything. He tells her goodbye and summons ice, ready to shoot it at the trio. Cameron shouts out a no as he tackles his father, sending a blast of ice across the lot.

Ultra-Humanite laughs as he shoots energy near Pat, who seeks shelter behind a car.

The JSA retreats while Stargirl and Barbara help Hourman to cover. Icicle tells Cameron not to do this, sending bursts of ice at his son, who dodges them with parkour while returning his own ice blasts at his father. The Whitmores sit behind a car, where they see Ultra-Humanite shoot another ray at Pat.

Ultra-Humanite laughs as Pat narrowly avoids the attack, calling him a slippery little devil.

Barbara tells Courtney the staff belongs to her. The teen desperately asks why it works for him, then. It's because Courtney thought it should. It's why "Sylvester" couldn't just take the staff. He had to make her believe it worked for him. Another explosion makes Courtney look over to the adjoining lot.

Pat tries to crawl away from the Ultra-Humanite, who twirls the staff happily. He points it at Pat, ready to end this for real this time. He tells Pat goodbye and the staff shifts color to orange, glowing brighter. Stargirl runs in shouting to distract Humanite. She firms says the staff doesn't work for him. Cosmo sputters then shuts down, going dormant in Ultra-Humanite's hands. She readies herself as they rush toward one another. She flips out of the way of his attack and lands, grabbing the staff. It lights up in her grasp and then goes dormant for a moment. She uses it to sweep "Starman" off his feet, though the man recovers with a flip. She swings at him but he grabs the staff, locking onto it with one hand. With his other hand, he tries to take the staff from her by sheer will. The staff jerks and the two warring handlers lock into place with the staff, pushing against one another as they try to pull the staff to their side. A battle of will commences as she tells Ultra-Humanite that he is not worthy. They groan as they push onto the staff. It sends out a blast of energy that sends them flying away from each other. Cosmo stays between them.

Stargirl flips through the air and lands on her feet in a crouch, while Ultra-Humanite slides across the ground. She looks up and triumphantly says, "but I am". She holds out her hand and Cosmo rushes to her grasp, reuniting with its true handler. The pair rise up from the ground slowly, sparks flying from the exploded car. She gives a confident smirk and raises the staff to her side. Pat stands up in pain as he looks at her. Ultra-Humanite watches in anger. Stargirl stands and looks at Cosmo, who warbles. She remarks that she missed it too. Her smile falls as she looks to her enemy, readying herself for a fight. Pat stands in front of Stargirl as Ultra-Humanite stands. Pat looks to Stargirl and nods. The girl runs off and Pat glares at Ultra-Humanite, taunting him as he doesn't have the staff anymore. The men barrel toward one another and fight hand-to-hand, exchanging heavy-hitting blows.

Cameron fights his father and knocks him back a few paces by performing a front flip and kicking him. Jordan painfully tells Cameron not to force him to do what Brainwave did to his son. He holds out one iced hand, begging Cameron, who looks at him in surprise. Their attention is pulled to the sky where Stargirl barrels toward the ground, glowing in cosmic energy. She slams down in front of Cameron, performing the shooting star. The blast sends Jordan flying away from them. The fact that he went there says everything. She charges at him with the staff, now assisting Cameron in fighting Icicle.

Pat and Ultra-Humanite continue their fight. He shouts that Pat's supposed to be his friend, pushing him against a car. Pat snaps back that Humanite's not Sylvester and punches him to the ground.

Stargirl fights Icicle, performing flips and blocks with the staff. She swings it at him as he goes to hit her, ultimately sending a blast of cosmic energy that seers across his face, then burns into the ground. Icicle looks up with a scream as his face sizzles from the cauterized wound. This surprises Stargirl, who stands up from her fighting position. He sends ice at her, which she blocks with the staff. However, the force knocks her backward. She flips over Cameron who grabs the staff to stabilize her. With his free hand, he sends a gust of power at Icicle, striking him in the chest. Icicle recovers quickly, reasoning that he only wanted what was best for Cameron. The boy tearfully tells his father to give up, then. Icicle pulls his hands back as his power appears. He tells Cameron to do what he has to, or he will. Cameron pauses for a moment, then pulls his power forward and slams it into the ground, screaming as he sends a shockwave toward his dad. The power collides with Icicles' to form a cloud of snow, mist, hail, and ice. Icicle's face emerges from the cloud, screaming until it dissipates. Barbara, Hourman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Wildcat, and Sofus look in surprise at what Cameron just did as the mist subsides. Stargirl asks where he went.

313 SC (137) — Pat defeats Ultra-Humanite

Humanite and Pat are locked in a punching match, though Humanite gains the upper hand. He hits Pat to the ground with another punch, and he falls. He sees a rock a few inches away and grabs it. He swings the item at Humanite, striking him across the head with enough force that the rock splinters, knocking Humanite unconscious. Pat stands above the body - he's bloody, in pain, tired, yet victorious. He looks down at the body of his friend.

Cameron rushes to Sofus's side, as the man groans weakly. Stargirl walks towards Cameron, hopeful, but tells her to stay back. Her smile fades as she questions it. He's taking his grandfather to get help, and then he's leaving. Overcome with emotion, Cameron admits to betraying Courtney. He betrayed his own family. His grandmother's dead and his father, he can't bring himself to say it as he rests his hand against Sofus'. The men wince in pain together. Stargirl, sympathetic, insists she can help him through this. He meets her gaze and tearfully says goodbye, Courtney. He thrusts his hand to the ground and the Mahkents disappear in a puff of mist. Stargirl looks away as the snow drifts over her. When she looks back, they're both gone.^[5]

Young All Stars vs Dragon King[]

Over at Blue Valley Tires, Jakeem, Shiv, and Mike are hiding from Dragon King, who they now know is in Ultra-Humanite's gorilla form. The boys try to figure out where to wish themselves. They decide on The Bahamas, somewhere towards the ocean. Dragon King roars then punches the crates the trio is hiding behind. Shiv goes flying through the air as the boys take cover. Dragon King calls out to Cynthia, telling his dear daughter to come now. The boys assemble behind Shiv as Dragon King taunts her that she doesn't belong with them. She belongs with him - she belongs to him. Cindy unsheathes her shiv and asks if he wants to see what his little pet project can really do. She runs towards him and leaps into the air with a shout, just as Dragon King swings at her.

313 SC (87) — Jakeem defeats Dragon King

Shiv continues to fight her father but is losing to the oversized mutated gorilla. Mike sits and tells Jakeem to look at him now. He pulls the boy to his level, telling him again to look at him. He puts a hand on Jakeem's shoulder, telling him to do everything they say. Stop overthinking, be direct, be honest, and be specific. Jakeem stands and looks at Shiv, who is about to be torn apart by Dragon King. Her bones crack under his weight. He grumbles that it'll be over soon. Jakeem points Thunderbolt at the duo, wishing the most beautiful woman in the world will never have to be bothered by her father again. Nothing happens and Mike complains that he just said to be specific. Who's to say she's the most beautiful woman in the world? Jakeem turns back to the duo, commanding with the gumption that he does. He said it, the kid with the pen. His eyes glow pink and streaks of pink lightning emerge from his eyes. The energy ripples down his body and triggers the pen, releasing Thunderbolt. The imp cheers that his wish is granted. He launches at Dragon King and scoops him into the air. Shiv struggles to sit as silence falls over the factory. From above, a white stuffed animal gorilla falls with a whistling noise. The pink energy around it slowly fades as it lands promptly in Shiv's lap with a squeak. She picks up the toy with a mixture of surprise and disgust. Thunderbolt emerges from the side, musing that it's for her, his queen, from her not-so-secret admirer. It's Jakeem, it's from Jakeem.

Aftermath[]

Dr. Charles McNider returns to Blue Valley to run a prognosis on Ultra-Humanite's brain and Sylvester's body. He finds nothing wrong with Sylvester's body, though a brain bleed has caused irrevocable damage to Ultra-Humanite. For all intents and purposes, the man is brain dead. Pat believes that since Humanite lied about everything else, they should keep Sylvester's body on life support - just in case Sylvester's brain is out there somewhere.

Three months later in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jordan walks down the street when he hears a woman whisper his name, Icicle. She lures him into an alley where he steps on a sticky substance that adheres him to the ground. He looks up to see Artemis Crock standing above him. That goop he's standing on, that's petroleum jelly laced with rubidium, potassium, and azidoazide azide. Her dad put in his hockey pucks. It's highly flammable. It even burns on water. She lights a flare and throws it onto the substance - this is for her parents. He watches in horror as the substance erupts in flames, creeping closer. He screams as his body tries to turn into ice to survive, but the heat is too intense and consuming. His body engulfs in flames as Artemis watches, tears in her eyes. She removes her mask to watch him fall to the ground, his gloves singed. She remarks he's not coming back this time. She vanishes a few moments later, leaving Jordan's body to burn.

Ten years later, the Justice Society of America has a new legacy. Richard Swift leads a group of eager patrons on a tour of the JSA museum. Banners for each member hangs around them, along with exhibits dedicated to their specialties. Shade identifies who sits around the table, pointing at where the chairs would be. Starwoman, Wildcat, Jade and her brother Obsidian, Dragon Queen, S.T.R.I.P.E. 2.0, Jakeem Thunder, Icicle, Artemis, Sand, Damage, as well as Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite. The latter of who's impending nuptials are just around the corner, and will be officiated by Shade. With those two, come their loyal if somewhat foul-smelling and simple-minded friend, Solomon Grundy.

313 SC (239) — Stargirl's banner in the JSA museum

United, the JSA stopped the Injustice Society from brainwashing America, then prevented the demonic brute Eclipso from merging his nightmarish world with theirs. They shut down the Ultra-Humanite before he could tarnish Starman's legacy. They brought the true Sylvester Pemberton back to life. Then, they rescued the Seven Soldiers of Victory from a cosmic deity called The Nebula Man. They're the greatest heroes the world has ever seen. But they won't be the last. Because there are other legacies of heroism waiting for a new generation to find, to take on, to rise up. For as much as evil has tried to destroy the Justice Society of America, it cannot. Nothing can.^[5]