Yolanda is a straight-A student at Blue Valley High who never did anything wrong until she was put in a situation in which she had no control. Her popularity quickly vanished and she became an outcast due to a scandal.
Yolanda Montez was born and raised in Blue Valley, Nebraska, to a Catholic family. She was raised by her mother Maria and father Juan. She also lives with her cousin Alex and her grandmother. She attended Blue Valley schools and frequently went to church with her family, was outgoing, and had a strong social life.
Yolanda attended Blue Valley High School, where she was popular and attentive with big dreams. She attended church with her family and was voted most outgoing at BVHS alongside her football-playing boyfriend, Henry King Jr.. In 2020, at the start of her Sophomore year, Yolanda ran for class president and was supported by her doting parents, grandmother, and younger cousin. She spoke in the student body assembly and about subjects she was passionate about, both for the school and for the world. It earned her a standing ovation from both students and faculty.
Yolanda had been in a relationship with Henry King Jr. for quite some time and they were serious. They were voted the Most Outgoing couple in the yearbook. Her classmate and presidential rival Cindy Burman, was jealous of Yolanda's relationship with Henry.
One night, Henry asked Yolanda to send him revealing photos of herself. She was hesitant at first but eventually did send him a topless photo. The next day, Henry showed off the images to his friends while Yolanda discussed things with Principal Bowin. Cindy grabbed Henry's phone long enough to see the messages, though he quickly grabbed it back. At the school assembly, Cindy sent the pictures of Yolanda to the entire student body and faculty. Yolanda was humiliated and disgraced by her family. Her relationship with Henry fell apart and she faced serious consequences by her religious parents. She was grounded until they said otherwise and her phone privileges taken away. They stopped bringing her to church and made it known how Yolanda had disgraced the Montez name. At school, she was dubbed the school slut; an outcast and pariah.[2]
In the crowded cafeteria at her usual table, Yolanda is silently eating her salad, paying no attention to fellow students and table companions, Rick Tyler and Beth Chapel. They are suddenly joined by new-girl Courtney Whitmore. Courtney introduces herself and Beth warmly responds while Yolanda continues to ignore Courtney's presence. When Courtney tries to converse with the group Yolanda stays silent along with everyone else. Beth informs Courtney that the people at the table aren't friends and are losers. Yolanda merely looks up at Beth and barely reacts when Rick sulks out of the cafeteria. The trio is soon joined by Henry King Jr. and two of his football friends. Two boys lean on the table to Yolanda's left, while Henry leans close to Yolanda's right. She leans away from Henry, visibly uncomfortable. Henry tauntingly asks her if she has any new pictures of herself that she would like to share with them. Courtney tells him to leave Yolanda alone, much to Yolanda's surprise. Yolanda incredulously witnesses a struggle between Courtney and Henry that results in Courtney going to detention with the principal.[3]
The next day at lunch, Yolanda is eating a salad at her usual table. She is ignoring Beth Chapel's conference call with her parents but occasionally glances up or rolls her eyes. Courtney joins the table and after the video chat, Yolanda notices Courtney looking at her but doesn't say anything at first. After a few moments, she angrily snaps at Courtney to stop staring at her and abruptly leaves the table.[4]
The days that followed were still unkind to Yolanda, as she dealt with taunts from Cindy Burman. Yolanda comes to school to find that someone wrote "SLUT" on her locker in white paint. She traces the words rubbing at them, but they don't budge. Courtney approaches Yolanda and tells her that if they have nail polish remove they can get the words off, but Yolanda tearfully closes her locker and walks away.
That afternoon, Yolanda is taking books out of her locker, which now has a beautiful floral mural painted over the heinous word. Cindy teases Yolanda about the flowers and taunts her. Cindy reminds Yolanda that she never should have dated Henry when Cindy realized she liked him. Yolanda stays silent during the onslaught and Cindy asks Yolanda to say what she is - a slut. Courtney confronts Cindy for the slut-shaming but is retorted that no one cares about her opinion. Cindy leaves and Courtney's prepared to go after her but Yolanda stops her, saying it'll make it worse for both of them.[5]
Three months ago, Yolanda Montez awakens from her alarm and sits up grinning happily. She gets dressed and hurries downstairs where she is affectionately greeted by her mother and Grandmother, who are all wearing some kind of "Vote for Yolanda" merch. Her cousin jumps out and opens his shirt revealing a "Vote for Yolanda" t-shirt. She smiles at him and leaves for school, where she hangs a "Vote for Yolanda" poster. She then greets her boyfriend, Henry King Jr., and enthusiastically puts a voting pin in his shirt. They walk down the hallway together smiling happily, his arm casually draped over her shoulders. Cindy Burman walks past them and Henry barely glances at her, paying the most attention to Yolanda. They continue down the hallway despite Cindy's glares.
That night, Yolanda is doing homework when she receives a text message from Henry. He eagerly texts Yolanda asking her to send him a picture of herself - something sexy. She is apprehensive, calling him bad but he pleads with her. He assures her it will just be for him and claims to love her, then sends "please" with an emoji. She hesitates but stands up standing in front of the mirror. She looks at the picture of her and Henry on her nightstands and then does send him a topless picture. The next day at school, Henry is gathered with his friends by the lockers. He is showing them something on his phone, which can only be assumed to be the photos Yolanda sent him. Yolanda walks past with Principal Bowin smiling happily. He lowers his phone as his gaze follows Yolanda as she passes and he continues to smile. Before he knows it, Cindy snatches the phone from his hand. She sees the images of Yolanda on his phone though he quickly grabs it away, scolding her.
At the assembly for student government elections, Yolanda's entire family gathered in support for her, even wearing "vote for Yolanda" merch. Henry is also in the audience. Yolanda is on stage giving her speech when a text message is sent to every student and faculty member in the auditorium. Yolanda looks down at her phone in confusion and is stunned to see the photos of herself that she sent to Henry. She tearfully looks up at the crowd. The students cheer and clap until she runs off stage, humiliated by the betrayal.
In the present day, Henry runs into Yolanda in the hallway, earning an "ow" from her. He places his hands on her shoulders and apologizes for knocking her off-balance. He awkwardly continues, while she readjusts her backpack looking at him as he leaves. Henry is pulled aside by his girlfriend, Cindy Burman, who interrogates him about what Yolanda said to him. He tells her it was nothing but she pushes him on. He blows her off and walks away, ignoring her yelling his name after him. Cindy takes it upon herself to confront Yolanda.
Yolanda is trying to get her books out of her locker when she is confronted by Cindy, who is accompanied by Jenny. Cindy taunts Yolanda, telling her that she knows Yolanda said something dirty to Henry. She presses that he's seen enough of her - everyone has. Courtney quickly defends Yolanda who sneaks away as a tense standoff between the girls commences. Cindy warns Courtney that she has no idea who she's dealing with, but Courtney returns the sentiment, much to Yolanda's surprise. Cindy stands close to Courtney warning her that she'll never see her coming before angrily walking off with Jenny. Yolanda walks off but Courtney follows her and they converse in another hallway. Courtney tries to explain she's trying to help but Yolanda insists that she doesn't want Courtney or anyone else's help and wants to be left alone by the whole school.
Courtney finds Yolanda in the school gym angrily punching a punching bag. Yolanda once more asks Courtney to stop following her. Courtney says she can't and begins to say that something is happening, to which Yolanda counters that she's right - because she has a freak following her around. Courtney ignores the comment and clarifies that it's something in Blue Valley and she needs Yolanda's help to fight it. Yolanda says she wants nothing to do with her or anyone in this school, but Courtney begs for the chance to be heard and invites her to dinner. She asks for her phone number but Yolanda snaps back that her mom took her phone. Insistent, Courtney writes down her address, but Yolanda doesn't promise anything.
Arriving home, Yolanda quietly greets her cousin, grandmother, and mother. Mrs. Montez curtly tells her daughter to go upstairs and that she'll call her for dinner. Yolanda hesitates then tells her that she got invited to a friend's house for dinner and asks if she can go. Mrs. Montez refuses, saying she's grounded. Yolanda protests for how much longer, but her mother sharply responds that she's grounded until she says so. This hurts Yolanda but she doesn't say anything and obliges her mother's wishes. Meanwhile, Courtney looks at an old BVHS yearbook where she finds a photo of Yolanda and Henry together, having been voted most outgoing. Courtney suddenly realizes the perfect way to approach Yolanda.
The next school day, Yolanda finds Courtney waiting for her at the gym. Yolanda angrily tells her to get a hint. Courtney, having discovered her and Henry's past relationship, reveals that she was the one who blew up Henry's car. Yolanda is dubious, but Courtney reveals that she knows what he did to her. Yolanda remarks that everyone does, and sits down as Courtney praises her bravery for coming to school day after day. Yolanda tears up, confessing that she knew he could be a jerk sometimes but he was so nice to her. After a few months, she thought it was getting serious, now thinks that Henry didn't see her as anything other than just another girl. Her parents were devastated and embarrassed by the scandal. They couldn't bear to be around her, don't take her to church, or talk to her. She admits that she doesn't want to hate anybody but she does hate Henry. Courtney asks if she wants to see how she blew up Henry's car, to which Yolanda admits that she does.
Courtney takes Yolanda to her basement and proudly shows her the Cosmic Staff, whose brightness is blinding Yolanda. She sets it down, and an unimpressed but curious Yolanda asks about it. Courtney proudly says that it belonged to her father, Starman. Yolanda doesn't know who Starman is, clearly confused. In simple terms, Courtney says her father was a superhero and now she's one too - she even has a costume. Yolanda is skeptical, clearly thinking Courtney must by crazy. Courtney eagerly tells her that she has a costume for her too. Yolanda follows Courtney out of the basement, awkwardly avoiding the cosmic staff that is resting on a post.
Once upstairs, Courtney, dressed as Stargirl, eagerly asks Yolanda to come out of the closet and show her to the costume. Yolanda doesn't due to the ill-fit of the suit as it looks bad on her. Courtney retorts that there isn't a mirror in there so she can't possibly know that, then reminds her that it's just them and no one else is home. Reluctantly, Yolanda emerges and glumly compares her suit to Courtney's, with hers being baggy and lame while Courtney's is cool and functional. Courtney begs her to put on the Wildcat headset, and Yolanda compares the smell to gym class, or the very outfit she is now garbed in itself. With insistence, a hesitant Yolanda puts it on and the suit suddenly molds to her body on a sweeping blue nanotechnical wave, perfectly fitting her physique. The girls are wowed, and Yolanda looks in wonderment at her now multi-texture clad arms and admires herself in the mirror than asks her blonde friend what Wildcat could do.
They check Wikipedia, peering speculatively at the screen on Courtney's phone and finding that the original Wildcat had claws that could cut metal. She whips out her long claws to their amazement, and head downstairs to test her ability on the toaster. The girls are thrilled when it works, squealing in excitement at the sight of the claw marks on the side of the toaster let by the new Wildcat's fingertip-mounted blades. They go outside to assess Yolanda's physicality. The suit enables her to jump onto a picket fence with a catlike agility and walk on top of it by sending blue pulses through her. She's even able to land on her feet perfectly. Flying to The American Dream clock tower, they see if she can jump off the building. Yolanda's nervous as there's a big difference between murdering a toaster and jumping off a building. Courtney backtracks and says she doesn't have to do it. However, Yolanda says this is the first time in months she listened to herself and prepares to jump but stops mostly due to Courtney's protest, thinking that now is not yet the time. Courtney reassures her that it's okay and they can take the stairs.
Once downstairs, she fills Yolanda in about the ISA and their history. Henry Jr. drives by so the staff knocks Yolanda to her knees, drawing a mild complaint from the latter. Courtney mentions that Henry's father is another supervillain, Brainwave. Yolanda takes a moment then mentions that his being a villain makes sense. She guesses that the other villains in Blue Valley must also want to visit him in the hospital; though probably not in their supervillain alter-egos but rather as their assumed civilian identities to avoid suspicion. Courtney's excitingly agrees with Yolanda noting that she's a natural.
They head for the hospital, where Stargirl presents the plan - she'll create a distraction while Yolanda, as Wildcat, steals the visitor's log in Brainwave's room. Brainwave's room is on the seventh floor. Wildcat is confused as to how she'll get up there, to which Stargirl responds that she'll climb, gesturing to the brick wall. Wildcat is again hesitant but Stargirl remarks that she'll help her through the radio communication in their masks. She encourages her and hears Wildcat praying before finally building up the nerve to whip out her claws and jump. She manages to get a grip on the side of the building and begins to claw up, but mid-way, some bricks give way and she loses her grip. Wildcat falls and desperately rakes her claws against the building as she finally stops. Loose bricks shatter on the ground. Below, a medical orderly look at the bricks on the ground, but a conversation with Beth Chapel prevents him from looking up. Wildcat climbs back up again, acclimating more and more as she rises higher, and through the open window. She finds herself in a stranger's room and has to hide behind the door as a nurse comes to check in on her patient. Luckily, the nurse doesn't notice Wildcat. Through their intercoms, Stargirl says she's going to turn off the electricity but the Staff prevents her from getting close. Wildcat urges her not to do so as some people are on life support, including the guy laying in front of her. Stargirl embarrassingly smiles at the Staff, and Wildcat confronts her on how long has she been a superhero, to which Courtney awkwardly confesses that it has not been for longer than a week. Wildcat then inquires as to how long Stargirl trained under her father’s tutelage, with a guiltier Stargirl again confessing that no such training ever happened — much to Wildcat's chagrin. Yolanda remarks that she shouldn't be listening to Courtney if that's true.
Stargirl is eventually able to create a non-lethal diversion, and the nurse hears the commotion and leaves her post. This allows Wildcat access to the receptionist area and finds the visitors log. The nurse comes back and blames the janitor, as Wildcat can sneak away. She slips into a random room but is surprised when she turns and sees Henry with his comatose father. In a fit of rage, she whips out her claws and raises her hand, ready to strike but is stopped when Junior tearfully tells his father he misses him. No longer feeling angry, she backs away but bumps into a table. Henry hears the noise and looks behind him but finds no one. Wildcat is clinging to the ceiling to avoid being seen.
Once he leaves, she drops to the floor and calls out to Stargirl, whose mid-air on the Staff. They hear someone else coming in and hide, as Principal Anaya Bowin briskly comes in with a suitcase. She opens it and holds up a violin, proceeding to play a dramatic tune. Yolanda watches in complete shock, mouthing words to Stargirl who is also shocked. Henry Sr.'s heartbeat monitor increases, but nothing changes physically. Anaya packs up and leaves, much to the shock of the girls, who wonder if she's also a villain. Stargirl calls out Yolanda's name as she leaves out the window, and the two are overheard and watched, by Beth Chapel.
At Courtney's home, the girls are disheartened to see only Henry Jr.'s name on the visitor log but remark that Principal Bowin didn't sign hers. Courtney doesn't take this as a loss, thinking out loud about how they can track the villains. Yolanda sadly confesses to Courtney she's isn't her Wildcat - she needs to retrieve her old life first before she can put on a costume. She hands Courtney the suit and leaves to go home. Courtney understands but is extremely saddened by Yolanda's choice.
Yolanda arrives home and parents are angry to see her come in from the outside, as she should have been upstairs. Before she goes upstairs she states that she needs to make an announcement. She emotionally admits that she made a mistake by trusting someone she shouldn't have. She knows she brought shame to the family and asks for their forgiveness. She wants them to help her get back to the girl she was all those months ago. They stay silent until Yolanda's mom tells her she'll never be the girl from before as she disgraced her family and herself. Her father tells her to go to her room. Yolanda tearfully cries on her bed but notices the open window behind her. She finds the Wildcat suit and a note from Courtney says she can't do it alone. Resolved in finding a new way to move forward, she suits up as Wildcat and heads to Courtney's whose delighted to see her.[2]
In the days that follow, Yolanda helps Courtney in trying to find new JSA members. She is annoyed that Courtney brings the bag of JSA artifacts to school, as they struggle to fit the bag into Courtney's locker. Courtney explains that she didn't have a choice but to bring it to school as her mom was going through her closet this morning. The girls are unaware that Beth Chapel is following them and eavesdropping on their conversation. Courtney tells Yolanda they need new members, and Yolanda points out Artemis Crock, saying she's the best athlete in the school. Courtney says she thought about her but she's too competitive. As if on cue, Artemis tackles a jock to the floor, much to Yolanda's cringe. Courtney explains that they need someone with heroic traits too, as they can't have anyone less than deserving to carry on the Justice Society's legacy. Yolanda asks if they can think of anyone outside of Blue Valley High School, but Courtney claims that adults can't be trusted. After all, anyone could be an ISA member.
That night, Yolanda meets with Courtney to help her find Rick Tyler, a new recruit. She admits that when Courtney told her that she found a new recruit for Captain Mid-Nite, she wasn't expecting Beth Chapel. Courtney corrects her that the alias is Dr. Mid-Nite, but clarifies that she didn't exactly find her - Beth just found the goggles and activated them. She makes an off-hand comment about Beth having not stopped talking since then. Yolanda notes that everyone knows that talking is Beth Chapel's superpower. Beth, having overheard the entire conversation, remarks that it's true much to Yolanda's surprise. Now outside the Burman household, Yolanda refuses to go inside, having seen Henry King Jr. through the window. Courtney assures her that it's okay and they'll call her when they find Rick. A few minutes later, Henry leaves the party and, from across the street, Yolanda thinks jerk at him and Henry hears her. He stops and looks around confused. He notices Yolanda and asks what she said, but she claims not to have heard anything so he walks off.
Yolanda joins Courtney and Beth by the pool, as Courtney managed to find Rick. He goes through each girl noting their superhero aliases - Stargirl and Wildcat. He gets to Beth but she is interrupted by Yolanda who clarifies that Beth is just borrowing the goggles for the night. Yolanda stays quiet as Rick activates the hourglass but seems unnerved when he is able to crush a keg with ease. Rick rejects joining the JSA saying he's doing his own thing. Courtney protests that he can't take the hourglass, but Rick reminds her it was his father and now it's his. He sharply tells her later before leaving. Yolanda sarcastically congratulates Courtney for making the biggest delinquent in school an unstoppable beast, but Courtney's determined to get through to him. Yolanda doesn't think he'll listen, but Courtney tells her he won't when they're dressed like this. The girls leave to confront Rick.
As the night dwindles to an end, Rick returns to the sight of his parent's death - the tree. Stargirl and Wildcat, in full costume, appear. Stargirl states that they just want to talk. Rick exclaims that he isn't playing games with them. He doesn't understand how his parents dying in a tragic accident could be God's plan, but Yolanda tells him sadly that it wasn't God's plan. It was just an accident. This angers him as he needs someone to blame. Stargirl says she understands but Rick yells that she doesn't. She doesn't know what it's like to be filled with such anger that he feels poisoned. He thinks about hitting something all the time, and asks her if she thinks he likes that. Yolanda listens to Stargirl's attempt to reason with him. He repeats that it's his choice and a moment passes. Enraged, he punches the tree, causing it to split where his fist connects with it. He says he never had the choice and approaches the pair. Stargirl points the Staff at him, telling him she can't let him keep the hourglass when he's in this state. Wildcat assumes a fighting stance, her claws ready as Rick dares them to try and take it from him. She then witnesses Beth use the goggles project what really happened that night: that Rick's parents were actually murdered.[6]
Courtney faces the unhappy wrath of Pat Dugan and fills him in on the new JSA team she has built that includes Yolanda Montez as Wildcat. Pat tells her to get all of the JSA objects back from the team as they aren't ready. Courtney obliges and arrives at Blue Valley High School where she meets Yolanda in the gym. They are watching a fight between Ted Grant and another boxer. She explains that despite false accusations against him about fixing fights, he bounced back in his career. Resilience is what being Wildcat means. If he can do it, so can she. Yolanda thanks Courtney for choosing her to be Wildcat.
That afternoon, Yolanda and Beth sit together at lunch when Courtney approaches them. They are excited at the idea of having their first mission, with Beth admitting that she is nervous but excited. Yolanda remarks that she's ready. Courtney admits that she needs the JSA stuff back as Pat found out and wants them back. Yolanda instantly gets defensive over her Wildcat suit, saying that being Wildcat gives her a purpose. She's not going to give it up. She angrily stands up and walks away from the table.
Beth and Yolanda leave school and are chased down by Courtney, who offers to talk to Pat with them. Rick arrives behind her explaining that he was just with Pat and calls the man useless. He then asks Courtney what she would do if Pat asks for her staff back, causing Yolanda to look expectedly at Courtney who can't meet their eyes. Rick hands his father's journal to Beth, explaining that it belonged to his father and he wants to know if the goggles can recognize the coding inside. Beth agrees to try and puts her goggles on. Chuck is unable to identify the formula, and Beth sadly states that Chuck doesn't know and returns the book. She suddenly gasps and the goggles begin to show her that The Gambler, an ISA member, is active once again. He's hacking into Empire Enterprises. Yolanda prompts Beth and asks her what's going on, so Beth fills them in on everything. The team wants to head out and agree to go with or without Courtney, who is more hesitant to go. She eventually concedes, however, they need to conceal their identities.
The newly costumed Justice Society of America stands outside the Empire Enterprises building ready for their mission. When prompted by Stargirl, Wildcat nods that she is ready for the fight. She watches Beth enter the code for the door and enters.
The team navigates the halls with Wildcat following the lead of Stargirl. They approach a desk where they discover a man who was shot in the head and they are shocked at the sight. Yolanda has a horrified look on her face and slowly lowers her hand from her gaping mouth. They are interrupted by voices that Chuck quickly identifies as Tigress and Sportsmaster, Icicle's attack dogs. He apologizes for the mix-up and Dr. Mid-Nite relays their names to the rest of the team. Stargirl has a plan to stick together which Dr. Mid-Nite is all for, but Hourman has other plans and attacks Sportsmaster. The villains split in different directions, with Wildcat proclaiming that she's got Tiger lady covered. Dr. Mid-Nite stands in the hallway nervously trying to figure out who to follow. She then decides to run after Wildcat.
Wildcat searches the building for Tigress. She lifts a metal door in an attempt to see if her foe is in the other room. Tigress sneaks up behind her and punches her in the back, sending Wildcat tumbling off the ledge. She manages to use the railing to hang from but Tigress flips over the railing and grabs Wildcat by the back of her suit, throwing her to the ground. Wildcat is on her feet rather quickly and engages in intense hand-to-hand combat. Tigress flips over Wildcat and gets her in a headlock choke, snarling as she does so. Now bent backward, Wildcat manages to free herself from the headlock only to be kicked across the face by her foe. Wildcat angrily rises to her feet and lets out a shout as she flings her hands downward, her claws appearing from her gloves.
They exchange slashes and blows with Wildcat holding her own against the seasoned villain. He does a backflip over one of Tigress's attacks. When she lands, she scales the lockers using the technology within her suit to then balance on a railing. Tigress achieves the upper-hand here and throws Wildcat against the lockers on the opposite end of the room. Wildcat is pinned against the wall when Tigress produces a crossbow and shoots an arrow at her, remarking that she can't end things too quickly. When Wildcat doges the arrow Tigress decides that they have to end things now. She shoots another arrow that Wildcat catches and throws to the ground. She jumps on the wall, using her claws to scale the concrete. Tigress grabs Wildcat's legs and throws her off the wall placing her foot against Wildcat's neck. Before Tigress can shoot a fatal arrow, Dr. Mid-Nite uses a fire extinguisher to distract Tigress so they JSA women can escape. They burst out of the door and see Hourman laying on the pavement, badly injured and rush to his side.
A few moments pass before Wildcat appears to Stargirl's left, the rest of the JSA falling into formation around their leader. They assume a fighting position just a giant robotic armor lands behind the group, much to everyone's amazement. Wildcat takes a moment to appreciate S.T.R.I.P.E., before turning back to shell-shocked Tigress and Sportsmaster. The newly assembled JSA assumes fighting positions and she watches as a badminton shuttlecock flies at them then explodes, causing a smokescreen that allows the villains to escape.
Beth and the rest of the JSA return to The Pit Stop. Rick, Beth, and Yolanda are still dressed in the superhero attire as they admire S.T.R.I.P.E., while Courtney sits above with Pat. Rick admires the way Pat managed to build the suit out of cars, initially in disbelief about the feat. Yolanda, who has her Wildcat cowl tucked under an arm, remarks that it looks like Pat built it out of a hundred cars. Rick then smiles lightly as he admits that Court was right and there's more to Pat then they thought. A few moments later, Courtney and Pat watch Rick, Yolanda, and Beth admiring S.T.R.I.P.E.[7]
Yolanda settles into her role as the new Wildcat and follows her daily routine of working out at the BVHS gymnasium. She boxes with the gym bag before turning to her bag where she pulls out the Wildcat cowl. She holds it up and squeals as she jumps around in circles, clutching it to her chest out of sheer delight. Later that morning she walks the halls of BVHS, she joins Courtney and Rick who are walking together down the hall. Rick gives a crooked smile to each of his new teammates while Yolanda looks confidently ahead. Their moment is interrupted when Cindy Burman shoves into them knocking them apart. She calls them losers before walking off. Courtney asks why Cindy is so mean, to which Beth explains that Cindy lost her mother in third grade. Yolanda remains quiet on the subject but seems to be more on Rick's side about her meanness not being excused because of her mother's death. She and Rick leave the group to go to class.
After school, Yolanda joins the rest of the JSA at The Pit Stop where they meet Pat. Pat expresses that he's been working on something really special all day for their training against the ISA. Yolanda doesn't seem impressed when Pat states that they have to start with two things: what they can do and what the bad guys can do. As they walk through the Pit Stop, Rick remarks that they already know what they can do. He can punch things really hard, Yolanda can climb walls and murder toasters, and Beth can talk about anything. He then comments that Courtney has a glowstick that blows things up. Yolanda remains quiet during the bantering between Pat and Rick. Pat asks the group to be patient and shows them his makeshift ISA group that will serve as their practice dummies. Yolanda is underwhelmed but willing to give it a shot as she walks in.
Once inside, Yolanda doubtfully looks at the lo-fi training course, with mop buckets and the like representing members of the ISA. She listens as Pat gives them information on the ISA. However, impatient for some actual training, Court and the Cosmic Staff make quick work of the mop bucket enemies, wrecking the course before any of her frustrated teammates get a crack at it. Yolanda remarks that she could have at least saved her one - she needs the practice too. She collects her things and leaves now that the training is over. Pat promises that Rick, Yolanda, and Beth will get to try the course tomorrow. Yolanda glares at Courtney as she leaves.[8]
Yolanda and Beth watch as Rick angrily swipes objects off a table in The Pit Stop as he learns that Courtney's in the emergency room. He wants to act instead of just standing around. Yolanda wants to know his plan so he bluntly states his plan to break down Cindy's door and "take the bitch out". Beth refuses the idea by saying that Cindy has powers, but Rick gestures to himself and Yolanda saying that they have powers too. Yolanda is confident and stands behind Rick, siding with him in the choice. She watches as Beth and Rick banter with Beth wanting to wait and form an actual plan before bursting in. He takes a moment before turning and slamming his fist on the table as he sets the hourglass back down. Beth reiterates that they need to be smarter about their next move, to which Yolanda agrees with her over Rick this time. A moment passes before Rick steps forward and asks Beth what she wants to do, at which point, she holds up her goggles saying she has a good plan.
Rick and Yolanda hide behind the bushes at Cindy Burman's house, anxiously waiting to see if Beth can pull off her plan. Yolanda asks if he thinks the plan will work, to which Rick retorts that it better. A man asks will what work, causing Rick and Yolanda to whirl around, startled. Pat stands behind them and questions what they're doing, to which Yolanda claims they are keeping an eye on Cindy but she's not home right now. Rick fumbles saying that while they were standing there they came up with a plan. Pat notices Beth is missing and inquires about her, to which Rick guiltily points to the front door of the Burman residence. As Pat scampers off, Rick and Yolanda resume their positions behind the bushes. They watch Pat and Beth enter the home and exchange nervous glances.
After some time, Beth puts on her goggles and begins to have a look around. Rick speaks to her through the JSA comms, asking if she found anything yet. Beth responds that she hasn't yet, seeing as how even Chuck can't identify Cindy's mom. Rick asks about her dad, but Beth doesn't think he's home yet. As Beth travels to the underground tunnels she begins to lose connection with Rick and Yolanda, their voices coming through jumbled and robotic. Yolanda looks to Rick telling him worriedly that she lost Beth.
As the duo waits for Beth, Yolanda relays a text message from Courtney saying that Cindy knows Courtney is Stargirl. They watch as Cindy pulls up in a black car, and Yolanda warns Beth that Cindy is home and knows Courtney is Stargirl. Rick gives her a worried and disgruntled look. As Beth continues on in the house, Rick decides to take matters into his own hands. He takes off his backpack and Yolanda asks what they should do. They exchange a look and instantly know what the other is thinking. Yolanda unzips her bag and takes out her Wildcat cowl, looking at it intensely.
Beth finds herself trapped in Cindy's room with no escape, and frantically looks around for a place to hide. It is then that Wildcat taps on the glass, coaxing her outside. Yolanda wants her to jump but Beth isn't good with heights - or falling. Impatient, Wildcat grabs Beth by the collar and throws her out of the window. Beth screams on her way down but is caught without trouble by Rick, who is under the effects of the hourglass. The pair is long gone by the time Cindy looks out her window, having heard them running off. She fails to look up at the roof where Wildcat is clinging to the tile silently. The still-costumed Yolanda is present when Beth gives Pat the photograph of Dr. Ito and runs off when Pat tells them they have to get out of there before anyone sees Wildcat, causing Yolanda to look down on herself and realize that Pat was right. She tries to cover up herself with her gloved right hand as Pat ushers them to take their leave with him.[9]
At the gym in Blue Valley High, Yolanda is incredulous that Courtney wants to recruit Henry Jr. to their team after what he did to her. Rick steps forward, saying that people only change on the surface but never deep down. Beth argues that isn't true or fair since each of them has changed since joining the JSA, especially Rick. Yolanda claims that Henry is his father's son, and won't think twice about hurting any of them. Rick agrees with Yolanda, but Courtney wants them to take a leap of faith. Rick quips back that he can take a leap of faith - right before he lands on his face. Courtney retorts by saying she took a leap of faith with them, and she's still on her feet, claiming that they need every advantage they can get. Annoyed, Yolanda takes her things, telling Courtney that she's not on any team with Henry on it, and leaves the gym. Rick leaves moments later, remarking that he agrees with Yolanda and Courtney should let it go.
That night, Henry is getting water at Blue Valley Medical Center when he is yanked into a room and thrown against a wall by a mysterious figure. He is terrified until he looks up and reads the mind of his assailant, recognizing her as Yolanda - dressed as Wildcat. She warns him to stay away from Courtney to which he quips that Courtney needs to stay away from him. She knows Courtney thinks his soul is worth saving but Yolanda knows that it isn't. She tells him to read her mind, thinking the most horrendous thoughts about him and the ways she wants to kill him. He is overwhelmed at first but digs deeper into her mind and she admits that her actions come from a sense of betrayal. She trusted him and he betrayed her. She loved him, even. As soon as she thinks about loving him she stiffens and averts her eyes. She then reiterates that he needs to stay away before jumping out of the window and disappearing into the night.[10]
The next school day, Courtney brings Henry to the group where she tells them that Henry knows about them being the JSA. Rick sarcastically congratulates Courtney for giving away their identities to the enemy, but Courtney says that he's not the enemy. Yolanda protests against Henry's presence, and Henry says that if it helps, Courtney didn't tell him anything; he read her mind, to which Courtney hastily adds that he's not going to do that anymore. Beth says that's only polite, earning a glare from Yolanda. Courtney explains that her mom wants them to leave town today, forever, and Beth says she can't leave with Yolanda not wanting that either. Courtney thinks that if they can get the staff and defeat the ISA, they can save the town, along with Pat and Barbara. Rick adds that they'll also be saving Henry's dad, reminding Courtney that if Brainwave gets his memories back, he'll kill her first, then all of them. He worries that Henry will them up first, and Henry insists that he won't tell anyone anything. The boys begin to argue and Rick wants to fight right now but Henry rejects the idea, but loses control and telekinetically throws Rick, who instigated the fight, across the cafeteria. Yolanda reminds Henry that she told him to stay away from her friends and that he knows what she'll do to him. She threatens him by holding her hands like claws but Courtney intervenes telling her to save it for the bad guys. Yolanda angrily retorts that Henry is the bad guy. Rick says there's no way he's working with Henry, and Beth asks what Pat thinks about it. Courtney explains that he's with her mom, and Beth tells everyone that they have to do it for Courtney. Yolanda takes a moment before telling Courtney that she's only going along with it because she knows Court will do it anyway, and she wants to be there to watch her back. She glares at Henry as she claims someone has to watch Courtney's back. She then glares at Courtney, crossing her arms over her chest, saying that Courtney since chose Henry over her after all he did, they aren't friends anymore.
The group travels to the underground tunnels through the Burman residence, which is empty now that Cindy has "transferred schools". The group stands at the steps with Courtney informing them that Pat isn't answering so it's on them to retrieve the staff and Brainwave. She leads the group through the tunnels with Yolanda staying close to Courtney. She is later annoyed by the fact they don't have any assistance from Chuck as Dr. Mid-Nite's goggles failed to work, no Cosmic Staff, and has to work with Henry.
The tunnel splits into two parts, but Wildcat is hesitant, proclaiming that Courtney always says to stick together. Courtney notes that they don't exactly have a choice. She and Henry should go one way while Beth, Yolanda, and Rick going the other way. Yolanda quickly states there's no way she's leaving her alone with Henry, and that she's going with her. She also moves to stand next to Courtney as she says this, standing between Henry and Courtney. Courtney agrees as they don't have time to argue. Beth and Rick go left while the other three go right, and decide to meet back at the split in fifteen minutes.
As the trio walks through the tunnels, Henry and Yolanda lag behind before he asks her to stop. She is annoyed by him and he remarks that he wishes she could read his mind, with her angrily retorting that she would never want to be inside his head. He explains that he wishes she could know how sorry he is for what he did and how he would do anything to take it back. She is surprised by his honesty and how much he understands and regrets what he did. She is quiet for a moment before angrily snapping that he can't take it back before stalking off after Courtney.
Courtney, Yolanda, and Henry arrive in Dragon King's lair, where they see Brainwave in his suit, hooked up to different wires. They spot the Cosmic Staff which is in a golden cage hanging from the ceiling. They walk past Cindy, who is still imprisoned by her father. Upon seeing them, Cindy yells for her father and tells him that the bitch is here and begging him to let Cindy kill her. Dragon King looks at them, and signals for his henchmen to kill them. Courtney grabs a spear from the wall, while Wildcat unsheathes her claws standing in a battle stance as they prepare for a battle against the army of henchman. Wildcat begins slashing the henchmen with her claws and combatant skills before she spots Stargirl being overwhelmed by the henchmen. She hurries over by doing flips and acrobatic skills, helping Stargirl fight off the henchmen by clawing them.
The team is separated once more until Wildcat notices that Stargirl is fighting Dragon King, who is heavily armed and skilled. She looks for the staff which is still caged at the ceiling. She nonchalantly slashes a minion before running and leaping into the air, using the podiums to propel herself into the air soar through the air. She grabs the cage, cuts the metal with her claws, and lands promptly on her feet. She tears the cage open and grabs the staff, angrily shaking it in the hopes it will work. She notices Stargirl is about to be stabbed by Dragon King and runs toward her. She slides across the floor, barely handing the staff off in time for Stargirl to protect herself. The women stand side-by-side ready to face Dragon King, who whirls around - his hood gone and his reptilian face revealed. Wildcat and Stargirl scream before the latter blasts him with the staff. They are joined by Henry moments later, who tells them they are too late and Brainwave is back to his normal self so they have to leave. The trio runs through the tunnels with minions and Brainwave on their heels. They meet with Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite who also have minions on their trail and they retreat together.
They reach a tunnel that is gated off by metal bars that stops them from progressing. Hourman bends the bars creating a space large enough for them to move through. He motions for the girls to go through first, with Wildcat following Dr. Mid-Nite through the gap. Seconds later, the metal bars snap shut cutting the team off from each other. Wildcat stiffens when she sees Brainwave and then hears his ferocious voice telling them to calm down. Stargirl doesn't hesitate and attacks with her staff. Unable to help her teammates, Wildcat stands back and watches Henry assist Hourman in pulling the bars apart, now that Brainwave is controlling the bars. Henry snaps at Hourman to move it through the bars. Stargirl refuses to go through before Henry, who can't leave her behind despite Wildcat calling for Stargirl to come. He uses telekinesis to move her through the opening bars which snaps shut seconds later.
Father and son face off in the tunnels, with Brainwave sending a telekinetic attack toward Henry that cripples him to the ground. Wildcat doesn't hesitate to motions for Stargirl to move out of her way as she slashes at the bars with her claws. A few slashes in a telekinetic force field covers the bars, making it impenetrable. Henry attacks back at his father with a blast of his own, while Wildcat and the rest of the JSA attack the force field with everything they have. The team realizes that their efforts are futile and stop long enough to hear Brainwave admit to murdering his wife. Henry is angered by his father's attempts to get him to join the ISA and throws debris at his father, much to Wildcat's awe.
Brainwave throws Henry into the bars causing Wildcat to scream Henry's name in fear. Wildcat and the team once again attack the force field with slashes, punches, and blasts, but their efforts are still futile. Henry looks over and up at Yolanda, Brainwave seconds away from collapsing the ceiling on him. He assures her that he really is sorry and she nods, tears falling even through her cowl. He tells Courtney that she's right and people are good - don't let this change her mind. Brainwave collapses the ceiling on Henry and disappears. Wildcat shields her face from the falling debris before looking back at the area where Henry used to be. She breaks down in tears and turns to Hourman, setting her face on his chest as she sobs. He places his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her through her crippling grief. After a few seconds, she tears away from Rick and looks at the rubble, her knees buckling under her as she struggles to stay upright in her grief.[11]
Over the next few days, Yolanda struggles to cope with Henry's death. She doesn't go with Beth and Rick to the Pit Stop before school as she usually does, and instead, goes to church to pray for Henry. At lunch that day, she is quiet but still listens as Courtney explains that she's giving up on being Stargirl because she doesn't deserve the mantle now that she isn't Starman's daughter. Yolanda tries to reason that Ted Grant wasn't her father either, but she's still the new Wildcat. Courtney won't hear it and cries as she explains the staff doesn't want her anymore. The group falls quiet as they eat the rest of their lunch in silence. Yolanda attends the memorial service for Henry at Blue Valley High School and is shocked when Henry Sr. gives a speech on the loss of his son.[12]
Following the memorial, the ISA quickly began their attack on Blue Valley. After Courtney was home invaded, they all met at a safehouse in order to plan their next move. Yolanda ran to hug Courtney in comfort, they both turned around to see Justin arrive with a large amount of food followed by S.T.R.I.P.E. arriving via Pat's automations, then finally going inside the safehouse to plan their next move. Beth asked Yolanda if she's thinking about Henry, and she responded no. Beth's goggles recognized that as false. Rick having figured out his dad's code, Yolanda & the others watched as Beth's goggles projected a holographic map of Blue Valley and its secret ISA tunnels. As they figured out it's designed to amplify Brainwave's telepathic reach, Yolanda was mortified realizing he'll be reaching someone else's mind.
Beth added it's millions of people that can be reached with this machine. Having split up to enter the tunnels from different directions, Yolanda's group was consisting of herself, Rick, and Justin. Over comms, Beth attempted to figure out what the agenda of the Injustice Society was. They stood in confusion as the agenda came off as resonable; combatting global warming, eliminating different forms of discrimination, and creating universal healtchare. When Beth stated it only affects fully developped minds, Yolanda was confused; asking what that entails. Barbara responded it refers to adults, and Beth's goggles helped her realize that some minds will fight this programming and die. When Yolanda asked how many, the response was that twenty five percent of those affected will die. [13]
Shortly after their realization of the ISA's goals, all adults were frozen as they underwent the brainwashing process. Being phsyically close to Justin, Yolanda attempted to break him out of the programming by misinterpreting his name to be "Silent Night" rather than Shining Knight. She was quickly corrected by Rick, to which she responded she doesn't know. With the JSA, she listened to Beth on comms trying to figure out what to do. She smiled and looked at Rick, upon hearing Beth talk about volunteering for the American Red Cross. Once Beth & Chuck's hacking attempt to free Justin & Pat from the programming was successful, Yolanda checked on Justin; asking if he's back to normal. Rick responded that it's his normal.
She & Rick proceeded to follow Justin through the tunnels, and asked Rick if his rage towards Grundy and wanting to kill him would help. Yolanda told him killing is wrong, to which Rick asked if God is the one who says so. Yolanda noddingly responded yes. Rick told her to not try and stop her, before they both then caught up to Justin. They also found Courtney & Pat entering the room from the door across them. They attempted to find where the machine is, before being interrupted by the ISA walking into the room ready to fight. As they all ran togehter towards the ISA, Yolanda jumped high colliding with Tigress who she then fought & defeated. Afterwards, she punched Icicle a few times before Courtney shoved him with the cosmic staff. Yolanda stood alongside Courtney, Rick, and Pat, as they looked at an exhausted Jordan Mahkent. Before Pat could punch him, he was ambushed by Solomon Grundy who Rick proceeded to run towards. Entrusting Courtney, Yolanda proceeded to go with her to the door. She sucessfully bust it open, then Courtney was seperated from her thanks to being ambushed by Cindy. She instructed her to go anyways. Walking through, Yolanda was quickly face to face with a large amount of the Dragon King's goons. After fighting them off, she saw one unmask himself claiming to be Henry. He tried warning her away from his dad, and she believed it until he asked where her friends are, to which she realized that isn't Henry. For the real Henry, viewed them as his friends too by the end. She quickly used her claws, to scratch & kill the person who was pretending to be Henry and proceeded to state that "they were Henry's friends too."
The person looking like Henry then proceeded to change back into his original form and fall. It was in fact, Brainwave himself trying to direct her away. Watching him die, Yolanda stated "I watched Henry die. Now I'm going to watch you die." Yolanda looked over Brainwave's dead body as Courtney caught up to her, realizing what she did. Together, they then ran to the machine in order to attempt a shutdown. After reaching the machine, Yolanda watched as Courtney blew the machine up using the staff and went down to her. With a satelite dish falling towards them breaking the bridge they're on, they ran off together and arrived at the town hall to meet Beth crying over her shattered goggles. After Courtney asked Beth where her mom is, she and Yolanda proceeded to go save her. In the fight, Icicle & Stargirl clashed which caused Barbara & Courtney to fall; Pat managed to save Barbara with his arms before she could be fall far, and Yolanda jumped off the rooftop headfirst in order to save Courtney. Pulling her closely, Yolanda managed to scuessfully save Courtney before landing onto the ground. Relieved, Courtney showed appreciation to which Yolanda responded "just returning the favor," in appreication to her friend saving her life countless times. They proceeded to hug, before watching Icicle get up from the ground having fallen too. Before either side can do anything, he was smashed to pieces by Mike, leaving them stunned. Yolanda, Courtney, Beth, and Rick formed a group hug afterwards in celebration of their full takedown of the ISA. Later that day, they were hanging out by the school bleachers. Yolanda was looking out in the distance, contemplating the events of the fight. She was asked if she'll help Beth fix the goggles along with Rick & Courtney, she responded "yeah, sure." She then walked with them to Barbara, Mike, and Pat saying goodbye to Justin. As he went off, she looked out in the distance before then talking to Rick.
A few months later, Yolanda joined the team at Courtney's house for the holiday season. They took a photo together to commemerate this occasion, fully completing the arc of becoming a chosen family which would go on for the next two seasons as well.
In the months since the defeat of the Injustice Society of America, Yolanda continues as a member of the JSA despite Blue Valley being a quiet town once again. While on nighttime patrol, she suggests to an overeager Stargirl that they should cut back on patrols as they're protecting a town that doesn't need protection; the ISA is inactive as its are either members dead, incarcerated, or at large. The rest of the team agrees, though Wildcat assures Stargirl that the team will suit up again if they're needed. She, Hourman, and Dr. Mid-Nite leave Stargirl to go back home.
In her personal life, Yolanda is haunted by the death of Brainwave and the part she played in murdering him. She seeks solace in her religion, frequenting a church confessional even though she doesn't speak during her sessions. She merely sits in silence and cries before leaving the confessional. As she leaves, a pain strikes her head as she is flooded with the memories of Brainwave's death; her claws, her face as he died, and his dying face. She begins to panic as she slowly turns around expecting something to come out of the confessional. She cries as she waits but is relieved when it's just the priest.
Yolanda meets with Courtney as they walk to BVHS together for final days as sophomores. Courtney complains to Yolanda about the two-week trip Pat is forcing her to take without the Cosmic Staff, though Yolanda thinks it could be good to get away. Courtney notices that something is wrong with her friend and asks about it. Yolanda admits that she's still upset over Brainwave's death, asking Courtney if she thinks just because it was self-defense that it was right. Courtney can't answer because she wasn't there, so she didn't know what else could have been done. They notice Cameron Mahkent across the street, and Courtney wants to see how he's doing after his father's death. Yolanda reminds Courtney that she can't without drawing suspicion or admitting what really happened to Jordan. She advises Courtney to stay away from him.
At lunch, Courtney runs through a list of possible scenarios for how she could stay in contact with the JSA if anything happened. She offers Yolanda a key to her house, just in case she needs to send her the Cosmic Staff, but Yolanda thinks Courtney should try to relax. Courtney bumps into Isaac Bowin and apologizes, though the boy stalks off without a word. The girls sit with a visibly distant Beth, who blames her attitude on the sadness of school being over. The group notices Artemis Crock and her teammates coming toward them, with Artemis clutching a hockey stick. Courtney grabs the stick and flips Artemis over, misunderstanding her passing the stick to someone as a threat. Yolanda is shocked as she watches the event unfold.[15]
The next day, Yolanda attends Summer school at the insistence of her mother. She sits next to Courtney who is both surprised and excited to share the experience with her straight-A friend. Yolanda scoffs that her mom has her in the classes so she won't get into trouble. They talk about the newly arrive JSA legacy, though Courtney still doesn't trust the girl. They watch as Isaac Bowin snaps at the teacher and are surprised to hear Rick's name called, despite him not being there. At lunch, Courtney vents to Yolanda about her displeasure over the arrival of Jennie and her annoyance over Jennie making pancakes. Yolanda tries a bit of a pancake and admits that it's really good. Courtney bites it and is disappointed that they are really good.
After school, Courtney and Yolanda make their way to The Pit Stop where they see Jennie using the Green Lantern's ring to create a toy car in mid-air. Beth, Rick, and Pat are enthralled by the girls powers while Yolanda and Courtney are skeptical. Jennie makes the car disappear when she sees the girls enter. She happily realizes that Yolanda is the new Wildcat, praising the girl for having a fighters spirit. She press that Ted Grant would have been proud to know his mantle was in such good hands. She extends her hand for a handshake, and after a few seconds, Yolanda concedes to shake her hand. When Courtney and Jennie argue, Jennie runs out and is followed by Beth, Yolanda, and Rick. The trio convinces Jennie to come back inside, where they talk by S.T.R.I.P.E. before Courtney descends from the balcony to apologize for her attitude. She explains why she was jealous and saw that Jennie was perfect had everything she didn't - a superhero ancestry. Jennie, overcome with emotion, angrily tells Courtney to stop saying that and flings the Green Lantern off the table. Yolanda pulls Beth backward as they stare in shock at the out of control artifact.
The JSA grabs the lantern and takes off to the park, where they will be away from people. Pat follows them and tells Jennie to control her emotions as it affects her power and the lantern. Courtney realizes that Jennie is the lantern. Jennie is charging the ring which is why it worked for her before she found the lantern. Courtney believes Jennie can absorb the energy before it explodes. Jennie picks it up and tells the JSA to leave in case it doesn’t work. Courtney won’t leave and tells her she can do this while Yolanda nods in agreement. The absorption works for a moment before the power explodes across the town, blasting the JSA backward and leaving a giant crater in the ground. Believing they've lost Jennie to the crater, the JSA is left stunned. But floating above the crater, surrounded by green energy and smiling, is Jennie. She happily notes that she can fly now.[16]
Yolanda and the JSA meet at The Pit Stop to discuss the return of a former ISA villain, Richard Swift/The Shade. Rick arrives late and lies that he was "feeding his dog". Yolanda questions when he got a dog but Rick doesn't answer, instead asking about the meeting. Pat explains The Shade's past and that Shade was responsible for the death of the original Dr. Mid-Nite, and Beth concludes that Chuck is the only person they haven't gotten justice for yet. Rick assures her they'll get The Shade, but Yolanda wonders how they can beat a shadow. Courtney turns to Pat for the answer, but he doesn't have the answer to that yet.
Yolanda attends Summer school but is still crippled by waves of headaches. She clutches her head painfully and Courtney asks if she's okay, to which Yolanda admits that she can't do what she did with Brainwave again. She won't ever do it again. Courtney tries to assure her to won't come to that this time, though Mr. Deisinger calls on them just then. He asks them to answer his questions regarding history, and Yolanda struggles to search for the answer. Courtney gives the correct answer which impresses Yolanda, who asks how Courtney knows all of that. Courtney explains that history is easy when you read the book. After school, they walk together when they see a cluster of stop signs falling from the sky. They run over to see Mike Dugan holding Thunderbolt's pen, proclaiming that he's the new member of the JSA.
The JSA and Mike regroup at The Pit Stop where Mike tries to prove himself worthy to Pat. Yolanda doesn't have much to add, and is mainly observing the situation that unfolds. She does, however, stand with Courtney and the others when it comes time to vote Mike into the team. Pat is against it at first but the team presses that Thunderbolt could help them find The Shade since they haven't had much luck yet. Pat agrees but it has to be the perfect wish, so they take turns writing and re-writing the wish on the whiteboard until they reach the perfect outcome. Mike makes a wish and Thunderbolt burns a hole in the map where The Shade is hiding.
The JSA, minus a benched Mike, are cleared by Barbara Whitmore before they head to William Zarick's old house in search of The Shade. The team bursts in with Wildcat unsheathing her claws. The Shade merely invites them to sit for tea. Pat coolly dismisses his proposal as they want to know what he's doing in Blue Valley. Shade places Pat's name as the superhero sidekick of Stripesy, and learns that the new hero is Stargirl. He invites them to sit down again as they could do it they other way but he wants the more genteel approach. Dr. Mid-Nite lashes out at him as Shade murdered the Golden Age Dr. Mid-Nite so she doesn't deserve the genteel approach. Hourman pulls her back to stop her from attacking Shade. He calmly responds that she doesn't know what she's talking about.
The team has a reluctant seat at the table but continue to question Shade's motives for being in Blue Valley. He wonders why he would hurt the town, but Wildcat answers that he's a member of the Injustice Society. Shade assures them he did not agree with Jordan Mahkent's plans. He assures them he has no dark design for Blue Valley, and if they stay out of his way, he'll be gone before they know it. As things begin to calm down in the room, Mike Dugan bursts in and makes a wish for Thunderbolt to zap The Shade. Thunderbolt attacks but Shade easily renders the being useless. The rest of the JSA react to attack Shade, but he incapacitates them. He slams Wildcat into her chair once again, ultimately knocking it over. He then straightens it up but keeps her restrained in his shadows. With the team unable to move, Shade tries to take the Cosmic Staff from Stargirl but fails. He then warns them to stay out of his way before he disappears into the shadows.
As the rest of the JSA search for The Shade, Wildcat stands by the balcony with Mike. She asks about him killing Icicle, and he admits that it was an accident as he didn't mean to kill Icicle. He was driving to get to the fight and wasn't looking at the road until it was too late. He knew it was an accident even if he didn't mean to do it. They are interrupted by Stargirl, who informs them that they couldn't track The Shade any further.[17] The next morning, Courtney and Yolanda meet for breakfast at Blue Valley High School, where they overhear Artemis Crock complaining to the lunch lady about the lack of healthy options available. Courtney offers Artemis her apple, much to the girls surprise, though Courtney passes it off as being a peace offering after the incident with the hockey stick. Artemis glares at Yolanda and snaps at her for staring, reminding her that it wasn't long ago that Yolanda was the outcast. Yolanda brushes her staring off as also being surprised at the lack of healthy food. Courtney sympathetically brings up Artemis's parents being incarcerated, but Artemis becomes angry as she believes her parents are innocent. Unfortunately, she heard Yolanda scoff under her breath behind Courtney leading to Artemis intensely proclaiming that her family have indeed fell far down from the public's good graces in light of her parents' imprisonment; but the Crocks do not let slights like that go unreturned. She then crushes the apple in front of Courtney and storms out of the cafeteria, leaving Courtney and Yolanda unnerved.
After school, the JSA meet at Richie's Diner where Yolanda is beginning her first shift as a waitress. Yolanda brings Beth and Rick the wrong order which upsets her. Courtney gives Rick a look that makes him admit that chocolate is fine, while Beth adds that Rick can have her whipped cream. Courtney quickly changes the subject to their research, as she's learned a lot about Eclipso, the black diamond, and where it all came from. She and Beth explain through maps and books that the diamond itself is from Diablo Island, a now-forgotten island in the Pacific Ocean, that was removed from maps by 1832, as those who visited never returned. According to legend, there were two warring tribes living on either side of the island.
One tribe summoned an evil entity of vengeance trapping it inside the black diamond, which Courtney believes is also Eclipso. Rick wonders how the diamond came to Blue Valley, with Courtney stating that an explorer named Bruce Gordon rediscovered Diablo Island, but when he arrived everyone had been dead for decades. He wrote many books about the island and was the only person who ever returned. She hopes to find books written by him in the used bookstore. They make a plan to meet up later, with Courtney leaving. Rick then states he has to feed his dog and orders a dozen burgers and a fries from Yolanda. She chuckles asking if he's serious then realizes he is. She writes down on her paper and then leaves to place the order.[18]
The following day, Courtney and Yolanda head to class together. They find Paul Deisinger speaking with Cameron Mahkent outside the class. Courtney happily greets Cameron while Yolanda just stares at him. An awkward silence falls before Yolanda tells Courtney they have important things to discuss like the weather. Courtney agrees and says goodbye to Cameron, heading into the class. The girls are in class as they listen to Mr. Deisinger's lectures. He begins to cough and act strangely, ultimately ending class early, something that Yolanda doesn't pay attention too. They walk home to together as Courtney asks Yolanda how her headaches have been. They've been better now that she has something to take her mind off things. Courtney sees Cameron across the street working on his mural. She reminds Yolanda that they can't let the rest of their lives fall apart, no matter what they're focusing on. She tells Yolanda to text her if anything big happens, and the two go their separate ways. Sure enough, Yolanda finds something regarding Eclipso and bombards Courtney with text messages for her to meet the team.
At nightfall, Wildcat and the rest of the JSA gather outside of Blue Valley High School, where the goggles are indicating an electrical disturbance and odd weather pattern above the school. As the group waits for S.T.R.I.P.E., Stargirl sees Paul Deisinger's car still in the lot. She knows he could be in danger and leads the team inside to search for him. They cautiously enter the art room where they find paint splattered across the walls and floors, and frantic nonsensical drawings covering every canvas and blank space of wall. Mixed in with the nonsensical paintings are sketches of the black diamond. The team begins to look through the canvases just as Wildcat begins to experience another headache, though this one leaves her in agonizing pain. Stargirl calls out for Wildcat who is balanced in Dr. Mid-Nite's grasp, until a splash of paint covers her goggles. The door to the art room slams shut as Stargirl looks at a drawing of the black diamond on the wall. It morphs into a face that pushes through the wall. It then spirals upward in a giant black blob of paint. Stargirl realizes it's Eclipso and tells her team to run.
Hourman breaks down the door as they spill into the hallway, however, the team is soon ambushed with paintings of their darkest fears. Wildcat's eyes glaze over in paint. She sees paintings of Brainwave with is throat slashed and begins to attack the paintings with her claws. She also sees Henry in the form of a painting and is taunted over his death being her fault. She goes into a frenzy of attacking the paintings, unaware that Stargirl not only wasn't affected, but had left to save Paul Deisinger. Wildcat and the team are released from their trances and she quickly realizes Stargirl isn't there. They run to Stargirl who is crouching over a barely conscious Deisinger. They retreat to The Pit Stop where Pat tells them Paul is under psychiatric evaluation. Their cover story is that Courtney forgot something at school when she found him. Yolanda remarks that Eclipso made her see things, with Rick adding that it was things that weren't really there. Beth chimes in that Eclipso was working through Mr. Deisinger and it was scary. Pat asks if Deisinger had the black black diamond on him, but he didn't, which means Eclipso's powers are getting stronger as they are spreading beyond the containment of the black diamond.[19]
In the days that follow, Yolanda is working at Richie's Diner when she is harassed by a customer name Grumpy Joe. She feels depleted over getting his order wrong, but Maria assures Yolanda that she will get the hang of it. She offers to take Joe while Yolanda serves the young teen who's sitting her section. Yolanda thanks her and finds that the boy in her section is Isaac Bowin. She tries to treat him like any other customer, but he creepily states that he saw the pictures she took of herself. In fact, everyone had. She crosses her arms over her chest and asks if he plans to order something or not. He snaps that he knows what she and her friends did to his parents, but she genuinely doesn't what he means. He doesn't believe her and angrily states that she'll pay for it before leaving the diner angrily. That day, Pat is attacked by Artemis Crock and Isaac Bowin, while Mike is kidnapped by Cindy Burman and held hostage as leverage for the JSA to fight the Injustice Unlimited. The JSA head to BVHS and arrive to a tense showdown against Isaac Bowin, Artemis Crock, and Shiv - the newly formed Injustice Unlimited. Stargirl demands to know where her brother is, but Shiv taunts her first, leading to the first blows being delivered.
Wildcat pairs off with Isaac, using her agility to skillfully avoid his sonic blasts generated by his violin. However, he uses the instrument to induce pain that cripples her. She manages to kick him hard enough for him to retreat, but takes off after the villain who's now on the run. They continue this method of cat-and-mouse as he uses the violin as a weapon while she tries to get close enough to deliver blows. She is overwhelmed and nearly defeated by the music, and Stargirl intervenes with her staff to give all her teammates a fighting chance against their respective foes. Wildcat hides behind a wall as she waits him out. Isaac adjusts the mechanisms on his violin and Wildcat uses this time to attack. She charges after him, her suit absorbing the impact of her run. She sprints to him and soars over the blasts he sends her way. She evades them expertly before grabbing the violin, slashing the strings, and throwing it aside. She and Isaac's hand-to-hand fight is very short-lived as Wildcat takes the upper-hand, throwing him to the ground. She warns him to stay down as she doesn't want to hurt him. The JSA gains the upper-hand with Artemis pinned to a wall by Hourman, Isaac rendered useless without his violin, and Shiv on the ground. Shiv jumps up and heads to attack a vulnerable Mike. Wildcat spots this, as does Hourman, and they meet in the center. She lunges and Hourman launches her across the room so she can kick Shiv in the chest, before landing behind Stargirl. The JSA assumes their positions as they face a depleted Injustice Unlimited.
Shiv demands they continue fighting, but the team is depleted. Shiv decides to do this herself and removes The Black Diamond, holding it up menacingly. Just then, The Shade arrives in a wall of shadows that surrounds the JSA. He warns Cindy that she has no idea of the power inside the diamond. She knows what she's doing but he scoffs that if she knew what it truly was she wouldn't be using it in a petty teenage rivalry. He instructs her to give him the diamond, triggering Eclipso to take control of Cindy's body. As Shade battles with Eclipso, Stargirl takes charge and attacks using the Cosmic Staff, against Shade's warnings. When the staff touches the diamond, it causes the diamond to shatter and Eclipso is set free. The blast causes everyone to fall to the ground, and Wildcat watches in horror as Eclipso rises in his true form. Shade holds his arm out to keep Wildcat from attacking, silently telling the team to stand down.
They watch as Eclipso betrays Cindy by having a shard of the black diamond absorb her, stab Isaac in the stomach with Cindy's shiv, feed on his soul, and then face off with Shade. Eclipso easily overpowers Shade and throws him aside, prompting Stargirl to attack him with the Cosmic Staff. Eclipso grabs the staff and drains it's energy, forcing the staff dark. He then flees while Stargirl chases after him, despite Wildcat shouting for her to stop. By the time Stargirl is outside, Eclipso is long gone. Yolanda, Rick, and Beth, meet at The Pit Stop where they talk about Isaac's death. Yolanda thinks Isaac was troubled but not evil, though Eclipso is evil. She coldly states that while Isaac didn't deserve to die, Eclipso does.[20]
On July 3rd, Yolanda continues to wrestle with the realization that Eclipso must die, and her crushing guilt over Brainwave's death. She returns to church and sits with the priest again. She's ready to talk this time and begins to ask about the devil, evil, and if it's okay to kill if one is killing evil. The priest doesn't understand so she admits she killed someone and that the devil is all around them. He agrees that sin is everywhere, but she corrects that the devil is in Blue Valley. As he tries to soothe her nerves, she abruptly leaves the church after getting another vision of killing Eclipso.
Yolanda goes to work at Richie Rock's Diner but is visibly distracted and upset by a harassing customer. Maria offers to take him for her. When Yolanda isn't looking, Eclipso infects Maria with his darkness and compels her to pour scalding hot coffee on the man's shoulder. Yolanda watches as the man screams in pain while Maria flusters as she doesn't know why she just did that. Maria is sent home for the day despite needing the income to care for her ill mother. Yolanda turns to see a ten-year-old boy. She bends over to say that was pretty scary. The boy merely nods and Yolanda gets a lollipop him, with the boy accepting the gesture with a smile. Yolanda looks away for a moment to watch Maria leave, and by the time she looks back, the boy is gone.
She leaves the diner after her shift is over but has another episode. She goes to text Courtney, when she sees her across the street with Cameron Mahkent laughing and having a pleasant time. She instead goes the church where she finds the priest talking with Mrs. Montez. The priest begins to explain when Mrs. Montez lashes out at Yolanda for bothering the priest with her little issues. The priest stops her as there has been enough judgement. He explains to Yolanda that he only told her mother of his concern and nothing else. Before they can continue, Yolanda sees Brainwave leaving the church and runs after him despite the shouts from her mother to stop. When she bursts out of the church Brainwave is no where to be seen.
Yolanda goes to summer school where she watches Courtney text with Cameron before Yolanda falls asleep in class. She wakes up to a text message from Henry that is identical to the one in which he solicited topless photos from her. He sends her a photo of herself at that moment in class, and she looks up to see him walking past the window. She abruptly leaves the classroom and follows him through the halls. She pushes through intense mental pain as she follows a blood trail to the cafeteria. They lead to the school cafeteria where Henry stands, his throat slit from her claws. He says she never forgave him and now he's in a bad place, burning, because of her. She shakes her tears away as she approaches, assuring him that she does forgive him. However, his father will never forgive her. She screams as pain rushes in her head, the lights in the cafeteria going out. Brainwave appears and approaches her despite her screams for him to stay away. He eerily says that he's with her forever.
Courtney touches Yolanda's shoulder and suddenly, she wakes up back in the classroom as if she never left. Yolanda runs out and sits in the hall with Courtney, who struggles to console her friend. Yolanda is overcome with grief and guilt over Brainwave's death. She feels haunted by him and explains the visions she's been having. Courtney worries it could be Eclipso, but Yolanda believes it's Brainwave haunting her for her sins - warning her that she'll burn with him in hell. Courtney convinces Yolanda to tell the others what happened so they can deal with it as a team, assuring her that they will understand.
The team is called to the Whitmore-Dugan House, where Yolanda and Courtney reveal the truth regarding Brainwave's death and the part Yolanda played. Rick understands as he would have killed Brainwave too, but she brings up him sparing Grundy's life. He claims his hour was up but she asks if he only spared Grundy because he couldn't do it - because he's a better person than her. He knows she had to do it for the team. He looks to Beth for backup, but Beth isn't sure she can understand or rationalize the murder. This triggers Yolanda to stand as she emotionally unloads. She knows they aren't capable of doing what she did. She also knows that when they find Eclipso they'll have to kill him, and that burden will land on her because she's the JSA member who kills. She doesn't want them to live with that guilt or know they're a killer in god's eye. She grabs her backpack and leaves despite Courtney's pleas for her to wait.
Yolanda runs back to the church where she sits in the confessional again. The priest turns into Brainwave who taunts her for his death and the death of Henry. She exist the confessional but he appears behind her and throws her backward. He admits he underestimated her but she also underestimated him. She tries to run away but he slams the church doors shut. He warns that she can never escape. He causes her body to tense as he levitates her and pulls her towards him slowly. While his body lay dying and she gloated, he sent his mind into hers and is part of her now. He knows how much she hates herself and has been drowning in her self-loathing for months. She's weak because of it which is why she'll be in-control now. Her body will be his to use and Brainwave will live again through her. He sends telepathic pulses at her that cause her to scream. He taunts her over her bad choices as they made taking control of her mind easy.
She hears Courtney's voice and suddenly, Stargirl is there with the staff. Brainwave drops Yolanda and attacks Stargirl mentally as he forces her to the ground. Yolanda watches in horror before she suddenly is wearing her Wildcat costume. She wastes no time flinging herself across the church to slash Brainwave's throat again. The man staggers backwards and transforms into Henry before falling to the ground, clutching his throat. She instantly regrets her choice and falls to her knees as she apologizes. Henry coldly says she'll burn with him. Seconds later, his body erupts in flames. Courtney's voice calls to Yolanda as the Cosmic Staff pulls her out of another Eclipso-induced nightmare.
Courtney tells her it will be okay but Yolanda knows it won't be. She didn't want anything but to be left alone but Courtney couldn't do that. She asks why Courtney chose her to be Wildcat because she wasn't supposed to be Wildcat or hurt anyone. Yolanda sobs into her hand as Courtney struggles to console her friend through her own tears. Yolanda emotionally says she's never going to put on the costume again and quits the JSA. She runs out of the church, leaving Courtney alone and in tears. That night, Courtney tries to call Yolanda multiple times but never gets an answer. Mrs. Montez answers the final call to ask Courtney to stop calling. She knows her daughter is off-track because of Courtney and tells her to stay away.[21]
On July 4th, Courtney answers her front door to find a duffel bag on the porch. Inside is the Wildcat suit, undoubtedly from Yolanda as a sign of her really leaving the JSA.[22] Eclipso uses Yolanda's absence to create an illusion for Courtney while she's trapped in The Shadowlands. He shows her Yolanda sitting on her bed, crying. He tries to blame the situation on Courtney, but she knows that it isn't her fault.[23]
Over two-weeks pass without a word from Yolanda, forcing Courtney and Beth to act alone in their hunt for Eclipso. With the battle only hours away, they need all the help they can muster. Courtney waits outside the Blue Valley church for Yolanda, who isn't happy to see her former friend. She tries to ignore her but Courtney blurts out that she isn't the only JSA member to take a life. Yolanda turns around walks back to Courtney, asking what she's talking about. Courtney reveals that the Golden Age JSA killed Bruce Gordon to stop Eclipso, including Ted Grant. Yolanda wonders why she's telling her this. Courtney admits that she hopes it will bring her some comfort to know she isn't the first Wildcat to kill, and that it will help her return to the JSA as things haven't been the same without her. She then admits that she hasn't been the same without Yolanda. However, Yolanda bitterly states that it just makes things worse to know Ted Grant was a killer. That she wore the costume of a killer. She angrily states that she will never put that costume on again and stalks off. Courtney is left emotional as she watches her friend leave. Unbeknownst to Courtney, Cindy watches the event from behind a tree line.
As Yolanda sits in her room, she is suddenly joined by Cindy Burman.[24]
Yolanda leaves church and happily says goodbye to the others. She returns a text from Courtney, sending a cat and heart emoji. Her happiness is short-lived when she sees Cindy Burman crossing the street. The following day, Yolanda returns to Blue Valley High School to start her first day as a junior. She and Courtney carry their lunches to their usual table as they discuss the villains in the town who are getting second chances. Courtney doesn't think The Gambler is up to something bad, with Yolanda pressing that he wouldn't tell them if he was. None of them are good, especially Cindy. She stabbed Yolanda in the back and will do it to Courtney the first chance she gets. Yolanda has enough problems with her parents, who will ship her off to boarding school if they catch her sneaking out one more time.
They sit at the table as Beth hangs up with her overeager parents. Courtney eagerly asks what she's eating, with Beth telling her the rundown, which sounds less appealing to Courtney. Beth admits her parents made it; breakfast too. Rick joins them looking tired. He's had no luck with Grundy yet. He's buried him everywhere The Shade's told him to. In a clear field under a full moon, between two oak trees, but nothing ever happens. Yolanda instantly thinks The Shade is lying, that Grundy is never coming back. She shoots Courtney a pointed look, earning an exasperated one in return.
Cindy interrupts the meeting as she pulls a chair up, welcoming them back to school. She quips that they can't call it the "losers table" anymore if she's there, with Rick retorting that it never was the losers table. Courtney tries to start their meeting by discussing teamwork, wanting to wipe the slate clean. If she can look beyond her past with Cindy, the rest of the JSA can, too. Yolanda isn't so eager to forgive and forget, with Cindy snapping that she should get over her trauma already. Yolanda makes it clear they don't want her here. Courtney argues that they agreed on this, but Rick corrects since she and Beth agreed, while he and Yolanda didn't. They skip ahead to Starman being back, with the JSA anxiously wondering what's happening to the staff. Sylvester plans to teach Courtney how to use it since it has a few more tricks up its proverbial sleeve. An eager Artemis slams her fists on the table as she proclaims a "go, team!" on her way past them. This action confuses the JSA. Yolanda snaps at Courtney that it seems anyone can join the JSA now, storming off as Cindy promises to see her later, calling her a teammate.
That night, the JSA suits up for the truck robbery outside a warehouse. It's their first mission since Shiv's membership. Shiv's presence annoys Wildcat and they begin to bicker. Stargirl cuts it off as they don't have time for squabble. She runs towards the gang until Artemis leaps over a wall, donning a super suit. She takes out the gang alone as Shiv smiles proudly from the sidelines. An astonished Stargirl looks at her team.
They return to The Pit Stop to debrief. Cindy is incredulous over them hanging out at a greasy garage, even if it's the only place big enough to keep S.T.R.I.P.E.. She remarks that it smells like a gas station bathroom. Rick asks if she's going to complain about everything. She offers her house as an alternate meeting place, as she has comfortable chairs and wine. Rick presses that they don't drink on the job, with Beth adding they aren't 21 and don't drink at all. Cindy calls the situation lame. Beth gets a hit on the gang, who are the No Limit Gang that used to work for The Gambler. Yolanda and Rick don't think that's a coincidence, as Gambler is back in town. Bad guys like him don't change. Cindy proclaims that it's boring and to call her when something exciting happens. Courtney's attempts to stop her are useless.
She turns back to her team. Yolanda makes her annoyance clear, as the JSA isn't gonna work if she lets people like Cindy Burman join the team. Rick says to screw Cindy Burman and go after The Gambler, as he's guilty and they all know it. He's sorry for Court, but her little experiment where they hang out with supervillains, is over. Rick declares they're going to the trailer park to confront The Gambler. Once arriving at Cornhusker Estate Trailer Park, Dr. Mid-Nite continues to search for connections between The Gambler and his old gang, but hasn't found anything. She doubts they're working for him now. Hourman is ready to wreck him, but Courtney wants to give him a chance to explain, that's it. Wildcat asks why she's giving someone like The Gambler a chance. Stargirl takes a breath as she faces her team, admitting that he's trying to be better for his daughter. The Gambler, of all people, is a better dad than hers ever was. Wildcat and Hourman avert their eyes at the revelation. A gunshot startles the team. They race to the source - The Gambler's trailer. They find the trailer destroyed, Gambler on the ground dead, and Shiv crouching by his body. She stands, his pistol smoking in her hand. She looks to Stargirl, insisting that she didn't do it.[25]
Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, Rick, Pat, and Sylvester meet at The Pit Stop. Courtney tells him that someone murdered The Gambler. Pat asks who would have the motive to do that. Sylvester glibly says it could be anyone who ever met him, which is exactly why Rick doesn't care. Courtney reminds him that a man is dead, and there's a killer out there. Rick and Yolanda still think Cindy Burman did it, as she was standing over his body. She was, but Cindy told them she didn't do it. In a flashback to finding Cindy, Shiv professes her innocence. She came there to see if The Gambler had any connection to the lame robbery earlier. Yolanda exclaims that the case is closed then, a sentiment Courtney ignores. Cindy went to investigate when she learned The Gambler's old gang was back together. When she showed up, she found the trailer destroyed and The Gambler dead. Sylvester reminds Courtney that she was holding a gun, but Cindy said she saw the gun, picked it up, and it accidentally went off. In a flashback, Shiv drops the gun, so the JSA slowly walks closer to the body. Stargirl kneels beside him and finds the letter addressed to Becky. She holds it close to herself.
Now, Beth tells everyone that the goggles couldn't find a bullet hole anywhere. Rick tells her that doesn't mean Cindy didn't kill him, and they exchange looks. Sylvester surmises that whoever twisted that trailer into a pretzel had to be as strong as Solomon Grundy. Rick is sure Grundy's dead, while Yolanda repeats that Cindy is strong. She's a walking science experiment, who knows what else she's done to change herself. Courtney argues that she isn't that strong, and that Dragon King changed her, and he's dead. Rick adds that it's only because Cindy killed him. He adds that if Courtney thought she was innocent she would be at this meeting. Courtney quickly tells Pat about the missing laptop, which still hasn't come back online yet, and that Cindy didn't have it. If they find the laptop they can find the killer. Sylvester is guessing it was one of The Gambler's former colleagues from the Injustice Society that they're hoping to reform. The fact is, it wasn't until The Gambler came back to Blue Valley that he was murdered, making the former villains all suspects, including Cindy Burman.
The next afternoon, Beth, Rick, Yolanda, and Courtney sit at their usual lunch table. Beth accesses the coroner's report, which lists the official cause of death as blunt force trauma from the tornado. Rick assures them that Grundy did not kill The Gambler, earning dubious looks from Yolanda. He checked the grave site and he's still buried. Beth believes him and refocuses on the autopsy report. Aside from the broken bones and bruisers, The Gambler also had a stab wound right to the heart. The coroner theorized it was debris thrown by a tornado. Yolanda is certain it wasn't a tornado, just as Cindy slams her bag on the table. She's upset they held a meeting last night without her, realizing they're having another one now. Yolanda sneers that The Gambler died from a stab wound, like a shiv. Courtney adds it could have been a knife or an arrow. She apologizes to Cindy about the meeting, with Yolanda cutting her off as the circumstances were she was standing over a dead body. Those circumstances were completely circumstantial, according to Cindy. Courtney reminds everyone that The Gambler's laptop is missing, and whoever has it, is who killed him. The sooner they find the laptop and catch the killer together, the sooner they can all move on. She eyes Cindy, telling her non-verbally to sit, and the girl does.[26]
With life evening out, Yolanda works another morning shift Richie Rock's Diner. She notices Sylvester Pemberton eating his breakfast at the counter, approaching him to ask how it is. He chipperly responds that the eggs are overdone, the toast is burnt, and who needs crispy hash browns when soggy is the way to go. He reads her name tag, Yolanda, and she adds her surname. He recognizes the name as belonging to Wildcat. She knows she's no Ted Grant. Sylvester chuckles that he was a real piece of work, but they were friends. She wonders what Ted would have thought of her. Ted would have thought she was a badass, which makes Yolanda grin. Ted was tough on everyone and so is Yolanda, which is good. He saw people for who they were and didn't let them slide just because it was the polite thing to do. The way she won't let Dragon King's kid off the hook, is very Ted, and good judgment. She thanks him as she stands a bit straighter. He asks what she actually does around Blue Valley when she's not going after the ISA or fighting Eclipso. For her, there's school, church, and work. He's way past school, church was never his thing, but work is an idea. Yolanda smirks, realizing Courtney's been telling him to find balance. He knows Courtney's right as he can't be Starman 24-7 anymore, especially in this town. It's not like there's danger around every corner. Yolanda gets called away to a customer, so Sylvester returns to his dissatisfying breakfast.
That afternoon at school, Courtney, Yolanda, Beth, Rick, and Cindy sit at the JSA table to discuss what Beth found out about the documents. The deposits made to The Gambler came via wire transfer from an Irwin Hasen, which is an alias for Lawrence Crock. She concludes The Gambler had been blackmailing the Crocks before his death. Courtney instructs them not to tell Sylvester, as he'll want to rush right in. Beth cheerfully points out he's like Courtney, who darts her eyes at her friend. She meant that he'll rush in like he did with The Shade. Rick thinks they should all rush in if they're guilty. Courtney laments they have to wait. Cindy asks what they're waiting for - Beth has solid evidence for murder. Courtney tells the team that just because The Gambler was blackmailing the Crocks doesn't mean they killed him. She looks over to Artemis who is sitting on a cafeteria table laughing with her friends. If they're going to take Artemis' parents away from her again, they have to be sure. The team is quiet as they agree to regroup with Pat and come up with a plan. Until then, they don't say a word to Sylvester.
That night, Rick arrives late to the Pit Stop, something Pat points out. He apologizes as he had a flat. He looks up at Courtney who stands on the balcony with Yolanda and Beth. He asks if they're going after the Crocks. Courtney and Pat are going to talk to them, give them a chance to explain. They're just waiting for Cindy. Her phone rings with a call from Mike that shocks her. He tells her that Sylvester went after the Crocks alone. The team sends S.T.R.I.P.E., who interrupts the intense battle that spills into the parking lot of Bell's Market. He tells Sylvester the fight is over.
The next day at BVHS, Courtney tells her team the Crocks didn't kill The Gambler. They seemed pretty sincere, and the way the trailer was ripped apart isn't really their style. The can now rule out the Crocks, Grundy, and Shade. Yolanda asks about Cindy, since she did exactly what Courtney told her not to do by going straight to Sylvester. Cindy arrives just in time to hear Yolanda's remark. She didn't want to just sit around and do nothing. The Crocks looked guilty, so she wanted to take them down, and prove herself. She thought if the great Sylvester Pemberton gave her the seal of approval, they would too. Turns out, he's kind of an ass. Courtney stands up so she's at level with Cindy. If she does anything like that again, she's off the team. Cindy nods as she's got it. They all sit down together.[27]
In the aftermath of Sylvester's brutal attack at Cornhusker Estate Trailer Park, Yolanda talks on her cell to Rick about Sylvester's attack, theorizing if the attacker is going to target the rest of the JSA. She wonders if it's an old JSA enemy like Eclipso. Yolanda's mother calls out, so Yolanda tells Rick she has to go. Mrs. Montez proceeds to ask who she could be talking to late at night. Yolanda then lies to her mother saying that it was Maria asking if she could take a shift at the diner for the night. Mrs. Montez reminds her it's a school night, but Yolanda presses that it's only for a few hours. Mrs. Montez never would have allowed Yolanda to get her job back if it wasn't for her dad losing his. She accuses her in Spanish of telling everyone that her father lost his job. Yolanda remarks in Spanish that it's nobody's business. Mrs. Montez then tells Yolanda that the tips go to her college fund, which she knows. She tells her to keep her room clean since the realtor will be coming tomorrow. Once her mom is gone, Yolanda shuts her door and takes a duffle bag out from her bed. She removes her gym clothes and then the Wildcat cowl.
The JSA suits up to investigate the crime scene. Dr. Mid-Nite uses her goggles to look for clues around the destroyed trailer. Stargirl asks her if she's found anything, but there was no evidence - no strands, no drop of blood, as if someone wiped it clean since Sylvester was here. Shiv thinks someone probably did, as whoever attacked Sylvester wasn't stupid. Wildcat accuses her of doing it. Shiv assures her that she would've made sure Sylvester was dead, much to the discomfort of the whole group. She shifts as she's just being honest. Dr. Mid-Nite thinks they've hit a dead-end, so the team prepares to leave. Suddenly, Dr. Mid-Nite's goggles find a single skin cell, though it's unidentifiable. Since it doesn't belong to Starman, the team determines it belongs to the person who attacked him.
A new day begins at Blue Valley High School. Rick, Beth, Yolanda, and Courtney walk the halls as they discuss Dragon King being the prime suspect now. He thought Cindy killed him, but Courtney admits that Pat said Dr. Ito experimented so much on himself, that he might be unkillable. Yolanda's skeptical, but Beth confirms as Dr. McNider said the same thing. Courtney wants to warn Cindy that her dad might be back, though Yolanda worries he's working with him. Courtney knows she'd never do that, but Rick points out that she literally just did, last year. The group stops as Courtney admits she didn't tell them everything that happened in The Shadowlands. She saw glimpses of Cindy's childhood, as if she were living it too. Her dad treated her like a lab rate and not a daughter. It was a lifetime full of abuse. Now she's finally free, and would never work with him again. Beth wonders if Dragon King came back to Blue Valley for Cindy. Courtney asks if anyone's seen her today, but no one has.
That night, Sylvester stares at the Starman suit that lays on his bed in the basement of the Whitmore-Dugan house. Yolanda and Rick head into the basement, looking for Courtney. They've been trying to find her as Beth and Dr. McNider found evidence that Dragon King is the one who attacked him. They think he's back and in the tunnels under Blue Valley. They were going to check. Sylvester looks at his costume and agrees to come, making the duo smile. He tells them to let him suit up.[28]
They head to the tunnels, entering the ISA's headquarters. Wildcat remarks she's never been down here before. Sylvester questions what it is, before realizing it's the ISA meeting room. They see the lab equipment and determine someone's been working there, though they aren't sure what all the stuff is for. Rick thinks it has to be Dragon King's. The younger team members turn to Sylvester, asking his opinion. He thought The Shade went after the Gambler out of pettiness and the Crocks because of blackmail. But someone's made an awful lot of effort to cover their tracks and almost killed him for getting on them. This thread they're pulling, he thinks it's going to lead them somewhere big and he doesn't like it. He looks at the ISA portrait, growing angrier by the second. He sneers to look at them, the ISA mocking him even when dead. He shakes with rage and the staff glows brighter. Sylvester screams out of pure rage and blasts the portrait, burning a searing tear across the portrait. He turns to Hourman and Wildcat, who are in stunned silence. He screams that however did this, however attacked him, Dragon King or not, they're going to find them and make them pay.
The next day the JSA, with the exception of Cindy, sit at lunch as they discuss Sylvester not finding Dragon King at the other lab. Beth wants to bring her up to speed on everything since she's part of the team, and could probably help. Yolanda still doesn't trust her, but is open to it if that's what Courtney wants. They look at their leader expectantly, but she's lost in her phone, looking at a place called the Ice Inn. Beth calls to her to no avail, so Yolanda calls Earth to Courtney Whitmore, snapping her back. She insists she's listening and agrees to loop Sylvester in. Rick shakes his head as that's not what they were talking about.
Cameron walks up behind Courtney and stops next to her. He greets with a hi and a smile. She returns the hi back at him, smiling sheepishly. He looks at the table and asks how it's going, trying to be friendly. Rick scoffs as they're in the middle of a conversation. He tells Cameron to get lost. The boy's kind demeanor falters as he asks what exactly Rick's problem is. Rick retorts that he's staring right at him. Courtney snaps at Rick to knock it off. She apologizes to Cameron and claims they're in the middle of a project. Beth chimes in that it's for the Science Fair. He didn't mean to interrupt and apologizes to Courtney, who tells him it's okay. He'll see her later and walks off.
With him gone, Courtney throws her arms in the air in exasperation as she looks at Rick. He hopes she's not hanging out with that creep, earning a cold look. She firmly says he's not a creep and not to say that. Beth intervenes as it's kind of bad timing as they're trying to find a killer and need her. Yolanda agrees, as Sylvester's great, but Rick adds he has a temper. Courtney snaps back, asking if Rick doesn't. He looks to the ceiling in annoyance. She insists she's focused on the case, but she's helping Cameron too. They're the JSA they're supposed to help people. Beth asks what Cameron Mahkent needs help with, but Courtney doesn't answer. She's finally found someone she likes, questioning why they can't just be happy for her. Truthfully, Yolanda can't, not when it's him. She's sorry but starts to talk about his dad. Courtney snaps back that Cameron isn't anymore his father then she is hers. That's not fair to him or to her. She stands and grabs her bag, tearfully storming away from the table. Beth, Yolanda, and Rick exchange looks.
They head to The Pit Stop after school, filling in Sylvester on what happened during lunch. They've never seen Courtney like that before. Sylvester thinks it does sound like they went after her a little bit. Yolanda questions if he's on her side. There are no side and she shouldn't ever think that way. They know the story by now. The JSA got into a fight about what happened with Bruce Gordon, they never fully reconciled, then his choice about Bruce made everyone pick sides, which eventually destroyed them. He should have listened to Pat. He should have done whatever he had to bring the team back together. He asks them to please learn from his mistakes. So if Courtney wants to hang out with Cameron Mahkent, let her. Beth adds they still have a murder to solve. Yolanda still thinks Cindy's not telling them something, maybe about her dad. Sylvester tells her follow her gut, while Rick still has to fix the hourglass. Beth's goggles ring so she puts them on, answering a call from her parents. Bridget and James grin on the other end, asking how her math test went. It was horrible because she cheated, but can't talk right now as she's in the middle of a JSA meeting. She promises they'll talk later tonight and hangs up. She explains they want her to give them a mission. Sylvester knows it's hard when the family finds out and gets involved. His sister Merry did, who Yolanda recognizes as being Henry's mom, Merry Pemberton. Sylvester adds that Brainwave killed her. Beth asks what she should do. His first rule is to protect the family.
Deciding to follow her gut, Wildcat breaks into Cindy's room through the window, making sure the girl is gone. She rifles through drawers then presses her hands on the desk. She closes Cindy's closet doors then spots something under the bed. She takes out Gambler's laptop and remarks that she knew it. She's going to kick her ass.[29]
In the morning, church bells ring as Yolanda sits in a confessional, asking the priest to bless her for she has sinned. She broke into someone's house last night and stole something. The priest questions her stealing, though it was for a good reason. He reminds her there's no good reason for breaking God's commandments or the law. She had to expose a liar who was manipulating her best friend. She has proof of it all, running her finger along the purple laptop. Father Thomas shakes his head, as the ends don't justify the means. Someday, when it's safe, she'll tell him everything about Blue Valley. But for now, he should know there are people in this town who have secrets, terrible secrets, who have done terrible things. She begins to say especially Cindy, but stops to cover the name as "sinners", lamenting they're all sinners. He reminds her to be careful of who she judges. He doesn't want her to learn the wrong lessons about judgment from her own family. She doesn't want to talk about them, so he doesn't push. She will be forgiven for what she's done. She doesn't think he understands. She's not asking for forgiveness for what she's done, she's asking forgiveness for what she's about to do.
At The Pit Stop, Yolanda tells Sylvester, Rick, and Beth that she found The Gambler's laptop hidden in Cindy's room. Sylvester surmises she did it, but asks why. He needs to know what's on this laptop right now, telling Beth to do it. She's hesitant as there are probably the usual encryptions and firewalls, but she should be able to get through them with an assist from the goggles. He instructs her to download everything, and then Yolanda will put the laptop back where she found it. This confuses Yolanda, so Sylvester explains that if Cindy knows the laptop is gone, she'll know she's busted and might run. There's still a chance Dragon King's a part of this, or maybe someone else.
Once night falls, Yolanda plans to return the laptop, appearing through Beth's window as Wildcat. She overhears Beth asking her parents to not be involved in her life as Dr. Mid-Nite. With her parents gone, Wildcat asks if Beth is okay. Beth says she is and hands back the laptop. Everything's downloaded but it's going to take a while for her to decrypt it. Wildcat puts it in her bag and plans to get it back to Cindy before she realizes it's gone. She smiles, praising Beth for doing a great job. She asks if Beth is sure she's okay. Beth thinks she better get the laptop back. Wildcat starts to leave again until Beth stops her, asking if she's screwing this up with her parents. She asks if Yolanda would let her parents in on this side of her life. Yolanda scoffs a hell now, ready to go. She hesitates to look back at Beth, adding that her parents suck. She jumps out the window and disappears.
Wildcat sneaks into Cindy's room to return the laptop. Beth continues working on the decryption when her computer picks up on an unidentifiable feed. She is caught by Cindy, who greets her as Kitty Cat and walks over to her. She knew it was her as she scratched the window coming in the first time. Defiant, Wildcat then sneers that she'll do more than that right now and sank into a fighting stance with her gloved hands closed into fists. Cindy defensively tries to stop her to explain, as she did not kill The Gambler. Wildcat doesn't care, as she had The Gambler's laptop and didn't tell them. Cindy had her reasons and would have explained. She still can, but Wildcat unsheaths her claws - it's too late.
Wildcat swings at her, slashing the bedpost in half as Cindy dodges onslaughts of attacks. Wildcat kicks her backwards into the window. Cindy does a flip and kicks Wildcat into the wall, commencing a brutal fight. She dodges another attack and Wildcat pins herself on the wall as Cindy grabs the bedpost as a weapon. Wildcat throws herself off the wall and, using the force held in her suit to scale forward from the horizontal ceiling, land on the floor, and reprise her razor-clawed assault. She lands a scratch on Cindy, who holds her face until it heals shut. She drops a lock of white hair and Wildcat beams. Cindy shakes her head "no", for Wildcat just did a very foul move. They continue to fight until Wildcat throws her out of a window, jumping out behind her. Her suit absorbs the impact as Cindy struggles to get up.
Wildcat and Cindy continue their fight, with the heroine managing to grab and restrain the latter from behind, snarling that she's always been a bitch. Cindy returns the sentiment and kicks her aside. A metallic creaking catches her attention, and she sees a car flying towards her. Cindy jumps out of the way just as Hourman leaps into the fight, surpassing the house in his grand leap. He lands on the bus as he knew she wasn't good. The trio begins to fight and Wildcat restrains her long enough for Hourman to kick her away. Cindy stands back up, preparing to fight more, though her sleeve rips to show the green scales emerging. Rick asks what the hell that is, so Cindy quickly covers it up. Wildcat snears that Cindy's just like her dad. Cindy unsheaths her shiv for the first time. Wildcat and Hourman gang up on Cindy, slamming her into the ground. From above, a bright light emerges as Stargirl performs the shooting star into the center of the fight, blasting everyone away from each other. She looks up, her eyes glowing brightly from the power of the staff.
Wildcat and Hourman run behind Stargirl, ready to continue the fight. She turns to Cindy, asking what she's doing, though Cindy points out Yolanda started this. Wildcat reveals Cindy stole The Gambler's laptop, but Cindy swears she didn't kill him. Wildcat thinks she's just like her father, telling Courtney to just look at her scales. Stargirl realizes the DNA at the crime scene wasn't Dragon King's DNA, but Cindy's. She asks what's happening to her. Cindy wants her to stop acting like she cares. Stargirl does care, asking her to please talk to them. Fighting back emotions, Cindy explains she started changing when they got back from The Shadowlands. She doesn't know if it triggered this or if it was always going to happen. She doesn't know what her dad did to her. She was just trying to figure it out. She stole The Gambler's laptop so she could go through his files, locate labs, find a cure, but she didn't kill anyone. The JSA stares at her and Cindy emotionally exclaims for them to stop looking at her like she's a monster. Her eyes flash reptilian and she covers them up, squelching and groaning. Stargirl wants to help her, though Cindy only throws the offer back at her. She's so tired of all of this. Stargirl defends that if she was just honest with them in the first place like they asked her to be, but Cindy cuts her off. She asks if she should be honest like her. She urges Stargirl to tell the JSA about her little secret she's been keeping about Cameron. Wildcat already knows that she is dating Cameron. Cindy shakes her head at the definition, taunting a "like father, like son". Courtney's teaching that little psycho how to conjure up icicles, just like daddy. This news shocks Hourman and Wildcat. Cindy presses that Cameron has powers like the rest of his family, turning to Courtney. When Cameron finds out what she did to his dad, which he will, he'll come for her. She hopes that he wins. Cindy storms off, leaving Hourman and Wildcat to glare at their leader with disdain.
The team retreats to The Pit Stop, where Courtney nervously paces, rubbing her hand. She chastises them for not having a plan. Rick snaps that they did have a plan, she just wasn't involved. Yolanda adds it's because because she hasn't been around. She's been too busy training the new Icicle. Courtney's not training anyone, she is just trying to help him, just like they should be trying to help Cindy. Yolanda snaps that this isn't about Cindy anymore - it's about her lying to them. Courtney didn't mean to. Yolanda thinks that after everything that happened with Pat and her mom that she would realize how damaging this is to them. Courtney insists it was Cameron's secret and wasn't hers to tell. Rick asks if Cameron mattered more than them, which isn't true. She promised not to tell anyone. Rick angrily shouts that he's a threat. Courtney snaps back that he's not. Rick thinks he is, but she made that decision by herself when all of them who are a team are at risk. Yolanda calmly adds she turned her back on them for him. Courtney, emotional, looks at Beth who shakes her head. She's been on her side this whole time, trusting everyone because she thinks they should. But Rick and Yolanda are right, she should have told them. Courtney nods, crying, as Yolanda talks Courtney wanting them to trust each other. Turns out, the person she's closest to is the one that can't be trusted. Courtney apologizes again, she's really sorry. She looks away taking a shaky breath. She thinks until they get this sorted out, that Sylvester should lead the JSA. Yolanda glares that he already has been. Courtney nods, her face scrunching in pain as she cries.[30]
Beth discovers that an unknown person has been spying on them using hidden cameras. The JSA makes a plan to locate and remove the several cameras, as identified in the feeds Beth discovered. As they attempt to act normal for their voyeur, Yolanda works at Richie Rock's Diner. Sylvester praises her for taking home the Oscar for Best Performance of Playing It Cool. Maria tells Yolanda there'a a phone call from her mother, which sounds urgent. Sylvester wishes her good luck, but has to check in with Beth and get an ETA. Yolanda takes the phone and greets her mom, who scoffs that at least she's actually working this time. She called to tell Maria not to schedule her for so many late shifts, only for Maria to tell her this is the first late shift Yolanda's done all month. She demands to know what Yolanda's been doing at night, and who she's been with.
Mrs. Montez tells her to go straight to Father Thomas tomorrow, as she's tired of her lies and deceit. Yolanda looks at a text from Beth, who gives the group chat a five minute heads-up. Maria demands to know what Yolanda's been doing, wanting the truth right now. Yolanda promises it's a misunderstanding and she'll explain everything as soon as she gets home.
Yolanda is in her house when Sylvester asks for an update. She removed the camera in her kitchen and even though Beth said there weren't any in her bedroom, she's checking just in case. He affirms The American Dream is clear, and he's hitting the rest of Main Street now. She asks him to check the church too, specifically the confessional. He's got it and reminds her to stay strong. He knows there's a lot going on with her and Courtney, but she shouldn't let it take her off her game. It'll work out, the pair just has to talk. She thanks him just as her mom rounds the corner to Yolanda's bedroom.
Maria scolds her for sneaking in like she's been sneaking out. She begins to warn Yolanda on what would happen if her father catches her, but Yolanda interrupts that she wasn't sneaking in. Maria asks what it is keeping her distracted - boys, drugs, or something worse. She demands Yolanda's phone, but the teen refuses as she's done nothing wrong. She promises, but that's all she'll say. She's old enough to live her own life, and if Maria loves her, she'll trust her. Maria questions the statement, finding it hard to trust her after everything she's done. She tells Yolanda to give her the phone right this minute or get out of this house. Yolanda looks at her mom with a serious expression.
She chooses to leave her home and knocks on the front door of the Whitmore-Dugan House. Barbara and Mike answer and find her holding a duffle bag. She knows she and Courtney aren't really speaking, but she had nowhere else to go. She breaks down in tears and Barbara embraces her with a hug.[31]
Courtney returns to Blue Valley from an overnight trip to Civic City. She reunites with her mom and asks where Yolanda is. Barbara explains that she's in Courtney's room. The teen heads up the stairs and walks into her room, finding Yolanda sitting at the window seat. She stands and they stare at one another for a moment, before crossing the room and hugging tightly. Courtney begins to cry and they both apologize.
They sit on the bed to talk about Yolanda's parents. Courtney knew they were hard on her but never thought they'd kick her out. Yolanda isn't surprised as they assumed the worst and she couldn't defend herself. She can't tell them what she's actually out doing every night. They wouldn't understand any of what they do. Courtney tries to argue that she doesn't know that, but Yolanda knows she can't trust them. They'd tell people about everything just to try and control her life like they always do. She adds this isn't just about her secret, it's about Courtney's, Beth's, and Rick's. Courtney understands then changes the subjects - she needs to apologize to Rick and Beth too. But there's something else she wants to ask them. Before she does, she needs Yolanda's support, which confuses her. She asks what Courtney's talking about.
The JSA convenes at their usual lunch table, where Courtney once again apologizes for not telling them about Cameron, as it was never her intention to put him before them. Beth thanks her for the apology and accepts it, eyeing Rick when he's silent. The boy briskly nods they're good. Yolanda urges her to tell them the rest, making Rick shift in his seat. Courtney admits that she wants to tell Cameron everything, and Rick questions why she would want to do that. She can't be with him if she can't be honest with him about the JSA, about his father, or about her being Stargirl. She's asking for their support, but Rick quickly says no. She can't keep doing this to them. Every time she shares their secrets, it makes all of them less safe. Especially for that kid, all because Courtney likes him. He notices Courtney looking at Yolanda for support, and questions if she knew about this. She did, and he scoffs that she's gotta be kidding. Yolanda admits she was wrong about Cindy - not completely wrong, just a little wrong. Courtney wants to tell Cameron about who his dad really was and why they had to stop him. He can't spend the rest of his life never knowing anything. Courtney looks to her team, as she knows it's going to be hard, and she knows there's real risk here, but once they get through it, she has faith they will all heal. She needs to tell him the truth. Beth looks around the table and asks if they should vote. Rick tells her not to bother, leaning back in his chair. Courtney looks at him, hurt, but he averts his eyes emotionally. He tells her to do what she wants to do - he's got her back. He's got everyone's back here, no matter what. They all should know, because they're his family. Nothing will ever change that, but don't say he didn't warn her. He runs his finger along the hourglass as he quiets down.
Yolanda, Beth, and Rick walk down Main Street. Yolanda muses that when this all started, she thought this would be easy, knowing the good guys from the bad. But she isn't sure anymore. Beth reminds her of what Courtney says about there being good and bad in everyone. Rick scoffs that some have more bad than others, though. He winces in pain, stopping on the sidewalk. Yolanda asks if he's okay, while Beth questions if it's the hourglass. He's fine, insisting it's just a headache, though Beth isn't so sure. The goggles continue to ring so she puts them on. He asks what's going on. She's been trying to lock into the signal from the camera, but it's been bouncing all around the country, sending Sylvester everywhere. The goggles show her information as she talks. This could just be another false lead, making her look around nervously. He asks where the signal is coming from, stating her name twice. The goggles pick up on his rising agitation levels. She nervously admits it's coming from inside the Mahkent house. Rick looks to Yolanda as she shakes her head.
The trio suits up and heads to the Mahkent's. Hourman charges forward without them and bursts into the house, striking up a brutal fight. Wildcat and Dr. Mid-Nite walk the perimeter of the Mahkent house. Wildcat wonders why Rick didn't wait for them, but Dr. Mid-Nite knows it's because he's not thinking straight. She starts to tell her about the hourglass, but Wildcat cuts her off, telling her to explain later. She scales the side of the house, telling a stunned Dr. Mid-Nite to just wait here, ignoring her protests. Wildcat knows that fighting's not her thing and disappears into the house.
Sofus pulls Lily away from Hourman and Cameron as the sounds of fighting remain. Wildcat slides into the hallway and Lily jerks away from her husband, saying that's enough. Wildcat slowly stalks forward and Lily shoots an ice blast that Wildcat barely dodges. A second blast quickly follows, which Wildcat flips over, bracing herself on the wall afterwards. The opposing wall crumbles from the impact of the ice.
Wildcat fights against Lily, dodging her onslaught of ice blasts and matching her in close combat. She eventually flips the woman over her shoulder and kicks her down the hallway. She assumes a fighting stance, unsheathes her claws, then charges at Lily. The woman blasts herself upwards and freezes the hall, making Wildcat slide across it. Lily lands and blasts Wildcat, who charges at her again, with a blast of ice that sends her tumbling into the opposing wall. Wildcat flips back to her feet and charges again.Lily and Wildcat continue their battle in the hallway, the force of which is enough to knock several books off the shelf in the study, unknowingly hitting Courtney in the head with them.
Wildcat looks up at Lily who sends an ice shard her way. They continue to fight hand-to-hand, though Lily's usage of her powers makes it a difficult fight. She trips Wildcat then blasts her against a doorway, giving a steady stream of ice that covers Wildcat's torso. She screams in pain as the ice covers her body and arms. Lily sends a final blast that knocks both Wildcat and the door down. By the time Wildcat comes to, the fight is over, with Sofus on the ground. Artemis, Dr. Mid-Nite, and Wildcat enter the room. Cameron walks up to his grandma, sitting next to her. Courtney crawls over to the steps, managing to sit next to Rick.
Dr. Mid-Nite reads that Sofus is having a heart attack. She decides to call her mom, who tells her that Sofus's heart has stopped. James reminds her about the gloves, which double as defibrillators because of their power. The suit will insulate her, she just has to get everyone clear. She sends a shock through Sofus then another, successfully reviving him. The man groans as Lily holds his head, relieved that he's alive. Wildcat and Artemis share a look. Cameron holds Lily's shoulder as they look down at Sofus. He looks over at Courtney, who is crying. She looks away as Hourman croaks out that he's sorry. When the carnage rests, Beth calls 911.[32]
In the morning, at the Whitmore-Dugan House, Pat tries calling Mike's cellphone, though he doesn't pick up. He tells the family that he still isn't answering his phone. Courtney puts her phone away, since Jakeem isn't answering either. Yolanda asks where they could possibly be. Pat sighs that Mike told him he was going to spend the night at Jakeem's and that Jakeem told his mom that he was spending the night here. Yolanda wonders if they think the Mahkents did something to them. Pat, begins to worry if they found out that Mike killed Jordan, but Sylvester then cuts him off. Mike and Jakeem lied about where they were before everything with those Norwegian frosted freaks went down. So they boy were already off doing whatever they set out to do. Pat still has to be sure that the Mahkents are not involved and Barbara agrees. Courtney nervously says that Beth tracked the receiving signal from the spy cameras to the Mahkent house. They're the ones who've been watching them, so they have to be involved. Sylvester isn't convinced, as they've been set up before. She looks at him curiously. He tells her to think about it -- at the exact moment she and Cameron were trying to bury past demons, Beth suddenly cracks into info that points the rest of the team at the Mahkent house like a gun, making everything go boom. He's betting one of his red boots and one of Pat's puffer vests that the signal Beth found was a fabrication. Someone is trying to distract them. Yolanda questions that if the Mahkents haven't been watching the ones watching them, then who's left.
Courtney returns home after her meeting with Cameron, finding that Beth, Yolanda, Mike, Jakeem, Barbara, Pat, and Sylvester are gathered. Barbara asks if she's alright, and Courtney says that she's fine. Pat asks about Rick, but Beth hasn't heard back from him yet. Pat scoffs that he needs to get his head on straight, because the man that Mike and Jakeem found, he's worst threat they can imagine. Mike reminds Pat that the creature isn't a man. Sylvester says that he used to be. When the Justice Society first formed, there was a scientist, though the didn't know his real identity. He just went by "The Ultra-Humanite", but he went by a lot of other names. When they first met, he was just another criminal until he escaped the JSA by putting his brain into the body of an actress name Dolores Winters. Pat knows it sounds like a science-fiction horror movie, but it's exactly what happened. Barbara is stunned over him putting his brain into Dolores Winters, the famous actress. Jakeem asks how could he do that, with Yolanda suggesting magic. Pat reveals it was surgery, with a little help from Dragon King. Sylvester doesn't even know if the scientist body they first met him in was his original one. Anyway, he assumed Dolores Winters' identity and fooled everyone. Pat adds that Dolores went on to win an Oscar, which Beth knows is for "Remembering to Forget", as it's one of her mom's favorites.
Sylvester reveals the Ultra-Humanite had been in Dolores' skull for over a year by then. Jakeem realizes that he won the award, with Pat confirming. Sylvester adds that when the JSA found out the truth about Winters, the Ultra-Humanite sought out a body strong enough to destroy the JSA. So he and Dragon King stitched that mutated ape together and put his brain in it. Sylvester thinks that has to be the one who sucker-punched him back at The Gambler's trailer. that Humanite had been in Dolores's skull for a year by that time. Jakeem says then he technically won the award. Pat tells Jakeem exactly. Mike thinks that's probably who killed The Gambler, too. Sylvester confirms that would be his M.O., with Barbara wonder what he wants. Aside from revenge against the JSA, Sylvester admits it's anyone's guess.
Courtney suggests the Ultra-Humanite is the next Eclipso. Pat asks what she means by that. He's the next great evil that has to be stopped by all of them. That's what she was talking about when she said they had to come together - the Crocks, Cindy, and hesitantly, now the Mahkents. If this villain is as powerful as they say, it'll take everyone to stop him, including the Mahkents. Yolanda knows Courtney wants to help Cameron, but Courtney cuts her off. This isn't just about helping Cameron, it's about all of them. Good and bad have come together before, and they can do it again, and get another new start. Sylvester thinks she might be right. Pat insists it's gonna take each and everyone of them, though, working together. One-by-one, the teams agree on the decision - first the Young All-Stars and then the JSA.[33]
Courtney continues to lead the JSA meeting. She concludes that the Ultra-Humanite killed The Gambler, destroyed his trailer, and stabbed him in the heart with his claw. Mike didn't see any claws, so it's more like it was his teeth. Jakeem adds they were big and sharp. Courtney dismisses the teeth, as however he was killed, this is exactly why she's been asking everyone to work together. Whether someone belongs to the JSA or the ISA, their town needs them again. She knows putting the past behind them has been challenging for everyone. Sylvester cuts her off, admitting that it's especially hard for him. Pat reassures him that he's working at it, and that's what matters. Courtney agrees as they've made progress - the Crocks are with them, and she thinks they can get Cindy back on board. Yolanda questions why they're bothering with Cindy again. It's because she's already on the hunt for the Ultra-Humanite, so she might know what he's up to. Jakeem admits that Cindy seemed pretty firm on working solo. If history has taught Pat anything, it's that whatever grand plan the Ultra-Humanite might have, it'll involve hurting a lot of people, including them. This "ain't no Donkey Kong". Sylvester chimes in that if they don't stop him, it'll be game over, imitating a losing video game sound from 1981. While Mike and Jakeem laugh, the rest of the team force smiles. Pat tells Sylvestser that he doesn't have to make a joke on top of every joke he does. Sylvester smirks that it's called banter - all superheroes use it during stressful situations to defuse tension. Pat knows, but it just seems like he always has to get the last work in on him. Sylvester doesn't know what he's talking about, and Pat points out that he's doing it right there.
A silence falls over the room. Sylvester asks if this is what he wants - no banter, just an overly serious conversation that scares the hell out of everyone. Barbara tells the guys to stop, and Pat apologizes to Barb. Sylvester does the same seconds later. Courtney shakes it off as banter aside, they need the Mahkents too. They need Cameron. Mike smirks that she means that she does. She ignores his comment, insisting he's as powerful as his father was and that he could be a valuable asset to the JSA. Mike worries that if they team up and then the Mahkents, they will put him on ice when they figure out that ran their son over. Courtney assures him they won't, admitting they think she killed Jordan. Everyone questions this, but she dismisses it as not being important. She steers the conversation back to Cameron, confident that she can convince him to join the team. A pounding on the front door casts a silence over the room. Courtney starts towards the door, with Pat telling her to be careful. She opens the door and is surprised to see Artemis Crock on the other side. She asks if Courtney has seen her parents.
Beth tells the team she picked up a signal from Sportsmasters mask. It's coming from under Blue Valley, and she thinks she's found an access point with the maintenance hole cover. Artemis lowers into the tunnel, with Beth telling her to wait up. Courtney, Yolanda, and Beth joins her in the tunnel. Yolanda asks where Rick is. Beth isn't sure as he didn't return her calls. Courtney shakes her head as they can't wait for him. Beth leads the trails as she scans the hallway. Yolanda wonders if the Mahkents did anything to the Crocks or maybe that animal did. If that white ape hurt her parents, Artemis is going to skin it alive. Beth's goggles pick up the signal being stronger. They're on the right path. They follow her down the hall and to a door. Yolanda suggests suiting up, and asks Courtney where the staff is. Sylvester has it as he's trying to get on the Ultra-Humanite's trail. Artemis rushes into the room, ignoring Courtney's attempts to make her wait. She calls out to her mom and dad, rushing into the room.
The room is full of monitors. They conclude this is command central for the peeping Tom, who can't be the Ultra-Humanite as this room is too small for a giant mutant gorilla. Beth spots remains on the floor covering the Sportsmasters mask. Courtney questions what it is, crouching next to Beth, who nervously reveals its human remains. Artemis lets out a breath as she picks up her fathers mask, trying to piece it together. She starts to sob and Courtney consoles her. Yolanda looks down at the sobbing girl who tries to gain her composure. She lets out a heartbroken scream that echoes through the tunnels. She emotionally screams again.
That night, Yolanda paces in Courtney's room. She takes a deep breath and calls her mom. She sits on the bed and her mom answers. Yolanda tries to hide her tears. Maria asks, in Spanish, if Yolanda is there. The girl replies that only lied to protect her. Maria asks what she's talking about and Yolanda moves the phone so she can cry into her arm. She puts the phone back to her ear as Maria questions her daughter. Yolanda loves her Mama very much. She hangs up and puts her head in her hands, crying.[34]
The next morning at The Pit Stop, Beth ends her call to Rick and unplugs the goggles, turning to Yolanda. She still can't reach Rick, which Yolanda sarcastically calls a shocker. She asks for any update on that creature, but there isn't one yet. Sylvester walks into The Pit Stop asking for updates. Beth has been tapping into the satellite feeds to search the woods around Blue Valley for the Ultra-Humanite. But now that he's burned down the barn, she thinks he's taken shelter somewhere new. That's his bad, and he asks about Rick, who still isn't answering anyone's calls. Yolanda asks about Courtney, but he didn't tell her they were meeting because she already knows the plan. He's going to face Icicle himself. Yolanda wants to come with him but he refuses. Jordan's stronger now which means he's too dangerous. Yolanda reasons that with Cameron and his crazy grandparents, Jordan won't be alone. Sylvester knows he will, since he dropped a bug in the Mahkents' living room when he and Pat were there. Cameron and his grandparents are going to a vigil tonight for his art teacher, Mr. Deisinger. Apparently, he's been missing for days. The girls questions what happened. Sylvester is guessing it's not good, since the Mahkents and the Ultra-Humanite are running around. But this means Jordan Mahkent will be home alone tonight, until he shows up for their little chat. Yolanda asks if he's sure he doesn't want their help, and he does, actually. He walks to the S.T.R.I.P.E. armor, looking to the girls. When the JSA died, they left family members behind. Sandman has a nephew, The Atom a son, Green Lantern's kids, Jennie and her brother. But there are other JSA members whose bloodlines died that night. He turns to look up at the armor. Heroes like him who had no families to pass their legacies onto. Mr. Terrific, Dr. Fate, The Spectre, Flash, and others who shouldn't be forgotten. He looks to the girls as he's asking both of them, when this is all over, to go find someone like themselves, someone worthy of taking one of these mantles on for their own. To keep his friends' legacies alive. Beth remarks he's talking to them like they're never gonna see him again. He smiles for her not to be silly. He'll catch up with them later. He leaves the Pit Stop as the girls look after him then to one another.
By nightfall, Pat, Courtney, Barbara, Beth, and Yolanda convene at the Whitmore-Dugan House table. Barbara asks how he took the staff from her. He asked Cosmo to come to him and she couldn't do anything about it. Yolanda wonders why it didn't come back. Courtney tearfully thinks it's because she's not Starman. Pat's going to go and get S.T.R.I.P.E. to try and intercept Sylvester before he gets to Jordan's. Beth says they need Rick and he needs their. Pat tells them to go talk to him and he'll check in later. He puts a hand on Courtney's shoulder, as he's really sorry. She tells him he didn't do anything wrong, and he leaves. She puts her head in her hand. Courtney, Beth, and Yolanda prepare to leave the Whitmore-Dugan House to find Rick. Barbara asks them to call her when they do, leaving herself. Courtney opens the kitchen door to find Rick on the other side. He tearfully needs their help.
The JSA convenes in Courtney's living room. Yolanda thinks Rick should take the hourglass off. Barbara offers to help him manage the pain if it hurts. Beth thinks her mom can help. He asks about Ultra-Humanite and Jordan, as they need him powered up. Courtney assures him they just need him healthy. He shakes his head, asking where Sylvester is, as he might know what to do. He knew about the limiter. He told him how to take it off, which surprises everyone. Beth did some reading. His father went through the same thing once and the JSA helped him through it. Courtney notes that Sylvester would know the dangers of the limiter, with Beth confirming Starman was there. If he was there, he knew what it would do to Rick. They question why he would tell Rick to remove it.[35]
A storm brews over Blue Valley as the JSA convenes in the Whitmore-Dugan House. Courtney reorients everyone that "Sylvester" told Rick about the hourglass's limiter, but he didn't warn Rick what happened to his father years before. "Mr. Pemberton" also told Beth to protect herparents. Courtney realizes that he was really getting her to do was push them away. After all the help they've given Beth, she knows that was a mistake now. "Sylvester" told Yolanda not to let up Cindy, so she never gave her a chance. Barbara wonders why "Sylvester" would purposefully give them all bad advice. One by one, the JSA realizes it was to keep them distracted, to break them apart, to weaken them, and Courtney morosely adds it was to take away their confidence. He took the staff from her and said she wasn't worthy of it. Barbara knows he's dead wrong, but Courtney questions why she couldn't bring it back to her. Yolanda thinks "Sylvester" might have wanted the staff for himself this whole time. Rick doesn't understand why he wouldn't just take it from Court in the first place, why he would wait. Barbara laments that they have to find Pat.
Courtney can't reach Mike on his phone, and Barbara's only getting Pat's voicemail. Beth relays that Zeek has S.T.R.I.P.E. fixed back up, but he hasn't seen Mr. Dugan since he went to the Mahkents'. Rick is ready to start there when Courtney's phone buzzes. She answers a call from Cameron, who tells her Starman is at the junkyard. He asks if she's looking for him and she questions how he knows that. He apologizes as his family is coming so he has to go. She tells him to wait, but he hangs up.
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 when they see Icicle, "Starman" who wields the staff, and Sofus, Lily, and Cameron waiting for them. Icicle greets Courtney, though Cameron barely meets her gaze. Icicle stands alongside his family and "Starman" tonight, here on neutral round, with only good intentions. Stargirl asks where Pat is. "Starman" is sorry, but she's gone. Pat came to see him after Jordan and he 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.
The fate rages on with Hourman picking a fight with Cameron. 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 squares off with Sofus, though the 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.
With Lily dead and Cameron fighting off his father, the JSA retreats to safety. Stargirl helps Cameron and the boy makes a decision to defeat Icicle before he can do what Brainwave did. Cameron's 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.
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.
One night at the Whitmore-Dugan House, Pat and Barbara host a dinner party. Pat hands Yolanda a bowl of pasta, asking if she minds taking it. She takes it and walks over to the dinner table, where the Chapels and Rick are standing. She stops to watch the conversation longingly. Bridget greets Yolanda as she brings the bowl of pasta to the table on her way out of the room.Yolanda walks into the hall and decides to call her mother. Within seconds, Yolanda is brimming with tears. She did lie to her mom. But the truth brought her friends closer to their parents. She hopes it can do that for them, too.
Ten years from now, Richard Swift leads a group of eager patrons on a tour of a museum. He guides the ladies and gentlemen, telling them not to be shy. They arrive at the centerpiece of the entire museum. The meeting table of the Justice Society of America. He 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 whose impending nuptials are just around the corner. He proudly says they are officiated by "yours truly", smirking. With those two, come their loyal if somewhat foul-smelling and simple-minded friend, Solomon Grundy.
Banners for each member hang around them, along with exhibits dedicated to their specialties, and wings in honor of Wildcat, Dr. Mid-Nite, Jakeem Thunder, and Dragon Queen. Artifacts surround the museum, including Excalibur, Sandman's mask, a pink pen, and Shiv's scepter. Shade stops at the front of the table. United, they 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. He turns to look at the table. 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.[36]
Personality[]
“
For months I’ve been afraid... to listen to myself... to be me. I'm not gonna do it anymore.
Yolanda is a brave, kind, loyal, devoted friend, with a strong courage that fuels her life. She was once the popular, attentive class president candidate at Blue Valley high. She held herself at a higher standard than others, always striving to be the best she could be to make her family proud. She placed a lot of trust in her boyfriend, Henry, especially to keep her topless pictures safe. When he betrayed her, she was devastated and her belief in humanity and men in general was shaken. She carried the betrayal, shame, and regret with her for months. She lost everything with a simple swipe of a finger; her candidacy for class president, her relationship with Henry, the respect her family gave her, and her position as a figure in school.
Yolanda was marked an outcast by not only her peers, but her family, as well. They stopped taking her to church out of shame for her actions, never went out in public with her, and grounded her. They isolated her from the outside world by taking her phone, further ensuring that Yolanda's depressive state of isolation would continue. Yolanda became an introverted person who didn't talk to anyone. She preferred to be alone due to the incessant bullying she endured. She didn't want others to help her as she believed things would only get worse for both parties. Through her burgeoning friendship with Courtney, Yolanda displayed that a feisty and spirited side to her. She was defensive, assertive, and strong-willed in her initial stances.
After becoming Wildcat, Yolanda found amazing abilities in herself - both given by technology and her inner courage. She allowed herself to have fun for the first time in months and form a friendship with the pushy and bubbly Courtney. Yolanda gained enough confidence in herself to stand up to her family about her mistakes and had the bravery to accept the mantle of Wildcat. She was ready to begin a new chapter in her life and accept that while she couldn't be the same Yolanda Montez as before, she could be something better.
Despite Yolanda's heroic qualities, she has an inner darkness, a sense of bitterness and rage. She prepared to use her claws against Henry, likely to severely injure him as revenge for what happened in the past. It was only thanks to seeing him show his vulnerable side that she held herself back. She refused to let go of this anger, threatening Henry directly at the hospital, even stating both verbally and mentally that she would kill him without hesitation if he came near Courtney again.
But this was coupled with feelings of intense betrayal from the love that Yolanda had for Henry. She slowly began to not only forgive him, but show a protective nature towards him during his fight against Brainwave. When Henry was murdered by Brainwave, Yolanda was devastated and blamed herself. Her wrath and bloodlust was directed towards Brainwave; who she killed in self-defense during an intense stand-off.
Yolanda watched Brainwave die the same way she watched Henry die. Although she embraced her darkness in that moment, she was crippled by guilt and remorse later. She worried that she would burn in Hell for her sins, as her religious beliefs didn't leave room for error when it came to murder. Despite logically knowing that Brainwave would have murdered half the population, it didn't alleviate her guilty conscious or change her morality.
After Yolanda's mother Maria Montez catches her lying about where she has been during her alleged late night shifts, demanding to see her phone, Yolanda finally stands her ground and refuses, as she is not doing anything wrong and is old enough to live her own life. Maria gives Yolanda an ultimatum: either hand over the phone or get out of their house. She chooses the second option and moves out that night, proving that she is finally tired of being constantly abused, disrespected and mistreated by her parents, particularly by her mother, Maria.
Physical Appearance[]
Yolanda is a pretty young teenager with long black hair, an olive complexion, dark brown eyes, and a tall athletic figure. She is a boxer and well-trained athlete, a trait that seems to be hidden under her now introverted personality and the way she carries herself. She wears her hair in two french braids. She has a relaxed yet stylish sense of fashion, usually seen wearing dark-colored open front sweaters over a colorful top. She always wears sneakers or flats. Yolanda's hairstyle changes throughout the first season. During a flashback to her popular years, her hair is down in waves. When she is shunned by her peers, Yolanda wears her hair in two braids that sit in front of her shoulders.
When fighting as the heroine Wildcat, she wears her signature suit and lets her hair down in its natural waves.
Powers[]
Abilities via Wildcat Suit: While using her Wildcat suit, Yolanda has some special abilities.
Retractable Claws: Yolanda can generate claws from her fingers. She can control when they appear, and they can retract back into the suit. When out, these claws serve as lethal melee weapons at her disposal that can cut or break through almost anything, including metal and brick, as well as Isaac Bowin's violin.
Wallcrawling: She can use her claws to secure traction over solid surfaces - not just the horizontal - and, with that, scale up or down any building side such as when she scaled the hospital wall which was made of brick, able to support her own bodily weight this way.
Superhuman Agility:
Yolanda balancing on a fence
Because of the Wildcat suit's incredible technology, Yolanda has an enhanced sense of agility. And while having it donned over her person, she is able to go from one motion to another effortlessly, effectively dodge attacks and do numerous other gymnastics. The elevated degree of bodily adroitness also means that she can do incredible athletics and martial arts almost instinctively with little to no effort. This allowed her to match Tigress in combat, though the disguised Yolanda still struggled against the ISA member during their first confrontation and had to be rescued by a timely intervention from the new Dr. Mid-Nite, and she then later expertly avoided Isaac Bowin's sonic violin blasts.
Superhuman Balance: While wearing the Wildcat suit, Yolanda always lands on her feet and could maintain her physical equilibrium regardless of how seemingly precarious the position or posture she happens to be in. This was seen when she easily walked across a narrow fence and jumped off of it, or when she adhered herself to the side of a building using her claws to scale upwards, albeit visibly struggling at first.
Superhuman Reflexes: Yolanda has superhuman reaction time, as she was able to catch one of Tigress' crossbow bolts fired at her with one hand while wearing the suit.
Abilities[]
“
You've got a heart of a fighter. So inspiring. I bet Ted Grant would feel the same too.
Peak Human Condition: As a boxer and superhero, Yolanda is in top physical condition and thus capable of performing as well as maintaining strenuous activities, with the Wildcat suit serving to optimize those capability parameters when worn.
Wildcat fighting
Skilled Martial Artist: Yolanda is a proficient boxer, who regularly trains after school and has learned to incorporate her Wildcat claws into combat. However, she typically requires the Wildcat suit to be able to contend with extremely dangerous opponents like Tigress. Wildcat was fast enough to manually catch one of Tigress's arrows and evade attacks. Later, she defeated several of Dragon King's minions while fighting alongside Stargirl and Henry, long enough for Wildcat to retrieve the Cosmic Staff for her friend. Yolanda has only gotten better in her fighting over the course of her time as Wildcat, and has begun learning new kicks and takedowns, loosening her formerly "rigid" fighting. She can still be considered a "rigid" fighter due to her combatant stances and firm-footed maneuverability. She defends herself primarily using her upper body, leaving her lower body exposed and vulnerable to attack, something she's been slowly improving.
Skilled Acrobat: Though Yolanda practices boxing, she has steadily proven herself to be a very agile and a flexible combatant. Notably, she fought in Dragon King's lair and used lithe acrobatics to maneuver as well as attack so she could secure the Cosmic Staff in one dynamic move before successfully relaying it to Stargirl. She views an area as a whole and uses her claws, suit, and naturally agile body to dodge attacks, bounding off surfaces if she must. She began to incorporate more acrobatic as well as animalistic movements in her fighting during her battle against Isaac Bowin, who used sonic sound waves to attack Wildcat. She was able to dodge them using flips and other acrobatic moves, even maneuvered well by running cat-like on all fours.
Stealth/Infiltration: Fairly rooted to her humiliating high school experience that regressed her into keeping to herself, Yolanda can easily blend into her surroundings. This works to her advantage as she can approach or hide from others without being sensed, making Yolanda, and therefore Wildcat, rather stealthy when she wants to be. The fact that she could sneak up on a newly psychic Henry to actually catch him unaware would even suggest an aptitude at reining her thoughts in check.
“
Yolanda? Well, what are you doing here? I thought you got straight A's.
Intelligence: From even before being given the Wildcat mantle, Yolanda was highly intelligent; she was an honor student from three months before Courtney’s arrival in Blue Valley and though she retreated from the public eye after Cindy humiliated her, Yolanda maintained impressive academic achievements and grades such that Courtney was surprised to see the two of them attending the same summer school in the following year. And on her first night as the second and female Wildcat, Yolanda showed promising aptitude as a costumed heroine not only at invoking the suit’s capabilities but also discerning the ISA’s motives after Brainwave was hospitalized by Courtney, earning Stargirl’s praise. Most impressively, at the climax of the ISA’s implementing of Project: New America, Yolanda was able to see through Brainwave’s psychic deception that made himself appear to her as his son, Henry, leading to the latter’s demise at the former’s razor-clawed hand.
Bilingualism: Yolanda is fluent in both Spanish and English, speaking Spanish with her mother within their household.
Weaknesses[]
Anger: While Yolanda is shown to have a fair grasp on her emotions, she is shown to give into her darker emotions on occasion, especially when Henry is involved, which can cause her to make rash and even dangerous decisions.
Lack of Proper Training: While Yolanda has experience as part of her school's boxing club, she is primarily self-taught and lacks the years of dedicated training that members of both the Justice Society and Injustice Society have. As such this requires her to rely much more on her suit and even then she greatly struggles when matched against skilled opponents like Tigress and Sportsmaster.
Equipment[]
Wildcat Suit: Yolanda wears a suit as her alter-ego, The Wildcat. The suit was previously worn by Ted Grant, who died in a battle against the ISA.
Quotes[]
Courtney: I said it wrong before. It’s not you who needs my help; it’s me who needs your help.
Yolanda: I knew he could be a jerk, but he was so nice to me. After a few months, I thought it was getting serious, but I guess not for him. I don’t think he ever saw me as anything more than the next girl. My parents were destroyed. They won’t even come near the school anymore. They don’t bring me to church. My whole life has changed. They act like I don’t even exist. I don’t want to hate anyone, but I do. I hate Henry King.
Yolanda: Please, I need you to really hear me, all of you. I made a mistake. I trusted someone I shouldn’t have. I did something I shouldn’t have, and what I did brought shame to our family. I know that, and I’m sorry, but that was months ago. I feel like I’ve learned my lesson, and I’ve been punished enough. And I’m not going to apologize anymore. You’re my family. I love you all so much, so I’m asking for your forgiveness. Help me move forward with my life so I can be the Yolanda Montez I used to be.
Maria: You will never be the Yolanda Montez you used to be. You disgraced yourself. You disgraced this family. Go to your room.
Yolanda (to Courtney): If Ted Grant came back, then I have a chance too. That’s what being Wildcat really is. Thank you, Courtney. Thank you for picking me.
Relationships[]
Courtney Whitmore:Courtney and Yolanda are best friends and teammates. They first met when Courtney moved to Blue Valley, taking a serendipitous seat at the "losers table" at BVHS, meeting Yolanda, Beth Chapel, and Rick Tyler. She witnessed Henry King Jr. harassing Yolanda and intervened, helping to get rid of him even at the risk of her own well-being. She continued to stand up for Yolanda against Cindy Burman and her lackey, Jenny Williams. Yolanda resisted Courtney's attempts at friendship, though the new girl had other plans. She appealed to Yolanda's status as a social pariah instead of the outgoing straight-A student she used to be. She recruited Yolanda into the Justice Society of America, offering her the mantle of Wildcat. Though Yolanda initially turned her down, Courtney knew she couldn't do this without Yolanda, who came around to the idea. She accepted the mantle and the two remained close friends ever since. Their friendship only grew overtime. They protected one another from enemies both as JSA members and civilians. They are each other's most trusted friend and allies. Though their friendship was tested multiple times and broke apart more than once, they always manage to reconnect and be stronger than ever before.
Yolanda comes from a Catholic family and is also religious herself.
Yolanda is left-handed and is the only left-handed member of the JSA's modern age.
Furthermore, the way she holds herself and positions her lower body while assuming a boxing stance shows that she is a southpaw; a person who is left-handed but leads with their right.
Yolanda was afraid of height and jumping off buildings, something she wasn't able to do in "Wildcat". She overcame this fear in "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two" when she jumps off The American Dream building to catch Stargirl.
A running gag with Yolanda is that she incorrectly states superhero alter egos. In "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two", she calls Sir Justin the "Silent Knight"; instead of the "Shining Knight". In "Summer School: Chapter Two" she refers to Jennie as the "Green Llama"; instead of the "Green Lantern".
Yolanda is the only member of the modern day JSA to hold the Cosmic Staff, though it didn't work for her.
Comic Comparisons[]
Yolanda is inspired by the comic character of the same name, who was the goddaughter of the original Wildcat and a metahuman with enhanced agility.
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