Can Cameron and Sylvester turn over a new leaf? “Frenemies – Chapter Four: The Evidence” tackled the inner struggles of these two DC’s Stargirl characters. For the last few episodes, Sylvester has dealt with holding onto the title of Starman when his successor was all but settled, while Cameron balanced the pain of his new ice powers with the grief over his father’s death. It’s been a long journey for both characters, but they handled the stress in two completely different ways: (1) Sylvester had his ego and rage lash out at everyone, and (2) Cameron’s sadness caused him to withdraw and lash out at everyone. “Frenemies – Chapter Four: The Evidence” gave us good but subtle development as these characters opened up about their struggles and discuss new beginnings.
In Sylvester’s case, surviving the attack at The Gambler’s trailer was the last straw he needed to tip him to the other side. We had only seen the conflicted and ego-driven Sylvester up until now; someone who wasn’t ready to give up the Starman title. But now he seemed sullener and forgiving about past actions. Even though he nearly died, it’s great to have Sylvester process and experience growth in his character development. As a person, he needed to change because everyone around him had already grown and wanted to be better people; he couldn’t keep living in the past. It wouldn’t be healthy for his story nor for the story of Stargirl.
Having the original Doctor Mid-Nite appear in the chapter to counsel him and give advice summed up the scene perfectly. No one could sink the advice into his head unless it came from someone he saw as his equal. Pat was his former sidekick and everyone else remaining in the Justice Society of America were either teens, allies, or reformed villains; Doctor Mid-Nite was a friend and fellow hero who went through the same baggage. I liked how he compared his superhero title transition to Beth because it was sound reasoning built on real-life facts and he framed it for the good of everyone (as well as his own happiness). Sylvester can debate a lot, but he can’t argue against doing what’s right for the honor of the title.
Will he completely give up the role of Starman? That outcome remains to be seen. The new costume from Pat, as well as his powerful connection to the Cosmic Staff, will continue to pull him back into the fight; it’s not easy for him to give up the role. Still, his starting to look at retirement could be the first real step in passing over the title to Courtney completely. However, I have a nagging feeling that Stargirl is setting us up for an emotional twist where Sylvester is killed in combat again. His inner conflict has dragged on for four chapters now, and if the connection to the staff is severed, that could potentially end his connection/purpose completely.
Yolanda’s future is up in the air too. With her parents selling their house, could this mean she’ll have to move out of Blue Valley? That would be a terrible goodbye. We just got Yolanda back after her ongoing struggles over killing Brainwave, and she finally conquered the grief brought on by Eclipso. Yolanda has suffered enough—let her have some happiness and continue to be a superhero with her friends.
When it comes to Cameron, was anyone else excited that he finally told Courtney the truth? Hiding from the world and quitting art would’ve just pulled him down deeper into the dark hole he kept himself in. And his grandparents’ influence was only manipulating him further into becoming a supervillain. His snowy reaction in the art class was a clear sign that he was on the edge before breaking. If Courtney hadn’t stepped in, we could’ve potentially had the second version of Icicle burst onto the scene sooner than later.
At least Courtney’s light (and love) can steer him back into being an ally and love interest. Their walks through the park and school were so adorable, but it was their kiss at the gazebo that brought on peak couple vibes. Their kiss was long overdue! Courtney and Cameron have chemistry, and the explosion of snow beautifully complemented the opening scene of the chapter when Cameron froze the snow globes. Cameron created his own globe and happiness with Courtney. However, if his grandparents ever reveal that the JSA killed his dad and that Courtney knew about it, he could lash out in a wave of untold fury—any small revelation could make him snap.
Cindy’s situation has become much more complex with each new piece of evidence. So, her arm is turning into a scaly dragon and her eyes sometimes have a lizard quality to them. Is she transforming into a dragon like her father? Has the Dragon King’s former experimentation gone awry? We theorized that she needed something from The Gambler’s laptop—it could potentially be the cure for whatever is happening to her. Cindy needs to tell Courtney and the JSA what is going on before the damage is done and she transforms permanently. If she’s the monster attacking people, the group can help save her.
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“Frenemies – Chapter Four: The Evidence” was a slow-burn chapter that focused more on the growth of its characters. Sylvester and Cameron got the majority of focus while the remaining characters were stuck in minor or subtle hijinks, like Jakeem and Mike making a wish for a key or Barbara’s career at City Hall. The big draw is in the long-awaited moments for long-time Stargirl fans.
DC’s Stargirl airs new episodes Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW and streams Thursdays on cwtv.com.
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