| This article is about the Season 1 episode. You may be looking for the superhero of the same name, Justin/Shining Knight. |
| “ | Aye. Our Queen has risen. | ” |
— Justin
| ||
"Shining Knight"[2] is the eleventh episode of the first season of Stargirl. It aired on July 27, 2020 on DC Universe and one day after on July 28, 2020 on The CW.
Synopsis[]
"A BLAST FROM THE PAST — Courtney’s life gets turned upside down when someone from her past arrives in Blue Valley. Meanwhile, Pat uncovers new information about the ISA’s plan and Jordan makes a surprising discovery at work."
Summary[]
Out in the countryside, Janitor Justin asks a man for a "gallant white stead with fire in its eyes and victory in its heart" as he's lost his, but the farmer venomously tells him to get away from his horses. Justin pleads once more, but the farmer loses his patience and threatens to call the cops. Justin mutters that wound sin battle bestow honor and sadly walks away, but an old windmill and a flag send him a fractured surge of memories. He angrily utters he can't remember, but sees a vision of Stripesy greeting him, and thinks he can help him. An incoming bus honks at him, and inside the said bus a man strokes a locket in his hands. In the town center, he gets off in front of the The American Dream. With a swagger, he heads for the Dugan-Whitemore's.
Barbara cries about how Brainwave killed his own son last night, and demands to call the police. Pat is against it, as they could own the police and any wrong movies can get another killed or lead the ISA straight here. She's asks what to do - Courtney comments that Henry said his dad lost his memories so she doesn't know. Pat urges her to leave with Courtney, but Barbara refuses knowing the town is in danger and won't leave without Pat or Mike. Pat suggests they act about like nothing happened, or else they'll be in more danger. The doorbell rings, and Mike comes downstairs saying a man is looking for Courtney. Upstairs, the aforementioned man looks around and is greeted by Pat and Barbara, responding that he got her email. He reveals he's Sam Kurtis, Courtney's father. She appears then, and he revels on how grown she is. Courtney retorts he isn't her father. Sam says he knows he's been a while and apologies for coming out of the blue, but he never received a reply to the email and was worried. He explains that Barbara once told him she couldn't wait to leave Blue Valley, and now that she returned he thinks it's serious now. Courtney whispers to her mother that it isn't her father. Barbara apologies for the worst timing ever but he is. Sam shows her his identical locket - she demands to know where he got that. He replies he used to have two but he gave her the other one. Courtney refuses to listen and wants to talk to Pat. Upstairs, Courtney repeats that he can't be her father - the Staff should work for her because she's Starman's daughter. She begins to questions everything she's done, and concludes she got Henry and Joey killed. Mike comes in, demanding answers but Pat yells at him with finality. He solemnly asks what he did wrong, and with a sigh he reassures his son everything will be fine. Mike, dubious, leaves.
Downstairs, Barbara confronts him about his disappearance ten years ago and how much she looked for him for Courtney's sake, until she gave up. She questions him on why he's here, and he confesses he's been thinking of reaching out to her months ago - he wants to get to know his daughter before it's too late. Courtney appears, saying she wants to talk to him. Barbara orders her to go to school but Courtney's insistent. Sam says it'll be a short walk.
At school, Janitor Justin mutters to himself, stumbling into his closet and howls in pain. as the ringing in his ears intensifies. He jumps back when he looks at his reflection - a hooded figure before him. Blinking, he sees himself once mope, vowing to find his mind and his steed, and sees a poster of Pat's garage. Declaring he will help him, he whips out a sword from a mop rack and heads off.
In town, Sam comments how different Blue Valley is from L.A. but Courtney wants answers. Sam says he doesn't have a good excuse of where he's been, but says there wasn't a day where he didn't look at her picture in the locket. He says it was his mother's lockets before he gave one to her, back when she was four. He reminisces on how they sang Christmas songs and built a snowman, something she remembers to her shock. Sam tearfully says he knows he has no right to intrude into her life, or say sorry for the things he's done and hasn't done, and wishes if he could go back in time he'd do stuff differently. Unimpressed, she begins to walk away but Sam insists on buying her a quick breakfast and then they could go home.
Elsewhere, Pat arrives at his garage and finds Rick and Beth, but asks for Yolanda's whereabouts. Beth replies that she went to church - to pray for Henry. Rick says he's getting close to cracking the code, and Beth asks where Courtney is. Pat answers she's with her father - not Starman, her actual father. Just then, Janitor Justin comes behind and them, sword in hand. Justin addresses him as Stripesy and asks for his help, until he hallucinates him as Dragon king with his minions. Fired up, he prepares to strike, but Pat is able to bring him back to sanity. He breaks down again, pleading for help and cries out that they destroyed everything he was. Beth asks who he is, and Pat answers back that Justin's the strongest, bravest men he's ever known. He whispers that they'll take care of him.
At the American Dream, Dr. King greets Jordan in his office, and the latter expresses his condolences. Henry asks for what - he remembers his memories and tells him Stargirl's identity as Courtney Whitmore, and her stepfather Pat Dugan's as Starman's old sidekick. Jordan's surprised, and Henry announces he's going to go kill them. Jordan however, declares he won't. Henry asks why not, and reads his mind, outraged he's hesitating because of her mother. Furious, he demands Henry to get out of his head, and admits her daughter's death will devastate her. Henry incredulously admits he killed his own wife and son for Project: New America, and he's thinking about a woman who works for him. He proposes he could erase her memory, but Jordan tells him no one is the same afterwards. Henry says when he killed his son, he felt his powers grow as if he absorbed his son's abilities into him - Project: America will be even bigger than imagined, as he has the power to reprogram half the country now. It is everything Jordan wanted, everything his wife ever wanted, and demands he make up his mind soon or he will.
In the diner, Sam tells Courtney he spent the last years chasing business opportunities but they never worked out, and though he knows he's a stranger to her, invites her to stay in California with him. He finishes with it's all that he wants. Courtney, lost for words, just says yeah. Sam's confident they can figure it out, and a waitress comes to ask for their order, which they do.
Rick looks at on old picture of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, dubious their leader, the Shining Knight, is huddling in front of him. Pat hands him the picture, urging him to remember who he is. Rick reminds him he tried to attack them with a sword, to which Justin angrily names it "Excaliber". Pat wants him to retell the story on how he got the sword. Honored, Justin recounts his past a "lowly but loyal" stableboy who was bestowed King Arthur's baldy on his deathbed, being told "heroes can come form anywhere". Beth asks is he's from the past, to which Justin replies he was from the time of dragons and knights. Pat tells him he's the best storyteller he's known and asks how he got to Blue Valley. Justin says he was following the dragon, alone, as the dragon needed to be slayed. He was captured, and they stole his identity from him. In a fit, he announces they'll steal it form them all. Suffering another relapse, he asks where he is, but Pat tells him he's safe. Justin, noticing S.T.R.I.P.E., declares that while his glory days might be behind him, Pat built himself a fine suit of armor.
Back home, Barbara asks where Courtney is, and Pat says he got a text from her that she's say, with Barbara noting she texted pat but not her. Looking at Justin sleeping on the couch, she notes he's been brainwashed. Pat agrees, and fear he knows what the ISA is planning - a mass brainwashing of some kind. Barbara says she'll prepare the guest room for Justin and heads upstairs, as Pat notices Courtney and Sam approaching. Outside, they sit, and Sam notes her grandmother had the lockets made by some fancy designer, and they're worth quite something. He explains if he gets the second locket, he can make a deposit to get a better place for him and her when she comes to visit. As he makes his offer of promises she becomes crestfallen, and in a defeatist move she hands him the locket. Gleeful, she tells him goodbye in his given name, and he replies he'll see her later. She heads inside, and as Pat tells her he will do anything for her she hugs him and breaks down. Walking down the street, Sam is confronted by Pat, who states he loves Courtney and reminds him how much she loved that locket. He says he doesn't want to see him around here. Sam retorts he wasn't going to, and as Pat walks away Sam snidely tells him to tell Barbara goodbye, and remarks she still looks as good as when he had her. Enraged, Pat punches in the face, and walks away.
Downstairs, Courtney opens the Staff's crate, looking longingly at it as Barbara apologizes to her for reaching out to him, knowing how he is. Courtney understands, revealing she needed to see it for herself. She wallows in how she put all of them in danger, because she believed a fairy tale. Barbara says all she wants to do is take Courtney and run, but there are families in Blue Valley who need protecting. Yet, if she let her stay and fight, she might die. Courtney stares at her, before reaching down and grabbing the Staff. However, it doesn't light upon, much to her devastation. She glumly tells her mother it doesn't matter, and it's not meant for her anymore. Courtney says she's going to school, and she's ready to leave when she is.
In his office, Jordan makes a call to unlock Barbara's computer. Noting her history's been deleted, he asks for it to be restored, and sighs heavily when he sees a headline of Starman having been murdered by Icicle. He turns off the lamp with a tone of finality.
At school, Courtney sits down and announces she's not Stargirl. Beth says she is, but Courtney sorts she isn't, as she isn't Starman's daughter, Yolanda says she isn't Wildcat's, yet she's the new heroine. The blonde says it's different but Beth adds she never knew Dr. Mid-Nite but she's the new one. Courtney confesses the Staff doesn't work for her anymore. Rick says the Staff's ebbing stupid, but Courtney says she used it when she wasn't meant to. It's her fault Henry and Joey got killed, and tearfully says she can't have anyone else get hurt because she wanted to be someone she wasn't.
The school has an assembly commemorating Henry King Junior's death, and the speaker introduces Henry's father. Dr. King thanks everyone for coming, assures him Henry Jr. loved them all. As a doctor, he's seen tragedy, and sometimes thieving happens that isn't there fault. He singles out Courtney, mentally saying except her, and dares her to come after them. He resumes his speaking, recommending the crowd to move forward and live better lives.
Having rushed home, Courtney rushes to the Staff, begging it to light up. Pat asks her to calm down, but in a panic she tells him Brainwave remembers who she is. Pat mutters they need to get out of here, and Courtney gives up on the Staff, concluding it doesn't want her anymore. Pat says it isn't true, but she's insistent it believed she was someone she wasn't. Pat says the Staff chose her not because who her father was. Pat convinces her it chose her because it believed in her, and she needs to start believing in herself. He reiterates Justin's quotes on how heroes come from anywhere. Heading upstairs, Pat meets up with Barbara, and Courtney soon after. She says she needs them both, together. At her sides, Courtney, taking a deep breath, touches the Staff slowly, and after a suspenseful moment, the Staff lights up, fully lit up and so bright it messes with the lightbulbs. Janitor Justin has come downstairs, declaring the queen has risen.
At the ISA headquarters, Jordan meets with Brainwave. Reading his mind, Henry congratulates his friend on making the right decision. He says he's taking care of Stargirl, the sidekick, and her mother. Before he leaves, Jordan says the son as well, Mike, noting they can't leave a legacy behind. As Brainwave walks upstairs, Jordan stares at a timer on the screen, revealing a countdown of T-12 hours.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore
- Yvette Monreal as Yolanda Montez
- Anjelika Washington as Beth Chapel
- Cameron Gellman as Rick Tyler
- Trae Romano as Mike Dugan
- Jake Austin Walker as Henry King Jr. (credit only)
- Hunter Sansone as Cameron Mahkent (credit only)
- Meg DeLacy as Cindy Burman (credit only)
- Neil Jackson as Jordan Mahkent
- Christopher James Baker as Dr. Henry King Sr./Brainwave
- Amy Smart as Barbara Whitmore
- Luke Wilson as Pat Dugan/Stripesy
Guest Starring[]
- Geoff Stults as Sam Kurtis
- Mark Ashworth as Justin
- Nelson Lee as Dr. Shiro Ito/Dragon King (hallucination)
- Hina Khan as Principal Anaya Bowin
Co-Starring[]
- Ashley Winfrey as Jenny Williams
- Jasun Jabbar as Brian Tanner Balloid
- Bill Southworth as Farmer Frank
- Maria Sager as Maria
- Suehyla El-Attar as Mrs. Patterson
- Brandon Reece as Pedestrian #1
Notes and Trivia[]
- Sam Kurtis makes his official appearance in this episode. Prior to this he was mentioned and seen in a photo.
- The image used in Courtney's locket is a photoshopped image of Joel McHale (Sylvester Pemberton). Geoff's casting took place after the locket image was created and production rolled with the image being a bad one of Geoff since the photoshopped image of Joel resembled Geoff enough.
- While not credited, Eric Goins (Steve Sharpe)'s voice is heard when Jordan calls Steve to unlock Barbara's computer and restore her browser history.
For an exclusive interview with Mark Ashworth and a breakdown of the episode, along with some incredible Easter eggs and behind the scenes information, click here.
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Screenshots[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Soundtrack[]
| Title | Artist | Scene Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pretty Vegas | INXS | Sam Kurtis arrives in Blue Valley and stands in front of the Whitmore-Dugan house. |
References[]
[]
| Season 1 Episodes |
|---|
| "Stargirl" • "S.T.R.I.P.E." • "Icicle" • "Wildcat" • "Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite" • "The Justice Society" • "Shiv Part One" • "Shiv Part Two" • "Brainwave" • "Brainwave Jr." • "Shining Knight" • "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part One" • "Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. Part Two" |