DC’s Stargirl 3×11 Review: “Chapter Eleven: The Haunting”

Icicle returns from the dead and reunites with his family, but the JSA remains skeptical of his intentions in “Chapter Eleven: The Haunting.”

The return of Jordan (Neil Jackson), aka Icicle, is met with mixed reactions in “Chapter Eleven: The Haunting.” Though Jordan claims that he’s a changed man, his murder of the Crocks at the end of “Chapter Ten: The Killer” makes that claim hard to believe.

The episode opens with a flashback to the first season’s finale, showing how Icicle’s ice pieces melted and revived Jordan when reformed into ice. It’s fun to revisit the first season’s confrontation with Icicle, Yolanda (Yvette Monreal) saving Courtney (Brec Bassinger), and the Justice Society of America’s (JSA) group hug after Mike (Trae Romano) supposedly kills Icicle.

In the present day, the JSA, minus Rick, continues to discuss the looming threat of the Ultra-Humanite. Courtney continues to insist that heroes and villains must work together, but not everyone agrees. Pat (Luke Wilson) attempts to tell a joke to lighten the mood but gets upset with Sylvester (Joel McHale) for trying to upstage his joke. It’s already clear that Pat and Sylvester are still struggling with their dynamic, and this moment feels more awkward than adding anything new.

Artemis (Stella Smith), looking for her parents, interrupts the meeting. The group goes to search for them and heads for the underground tunnels. They find the room with all the monitors and Beth’s (Anjelika Washington) goggles identify human remains on the ground. Upon finding her father’s mask in the icy rubble, Artemis lets out an anguished scream that is the episode’s most heartbreaking moment.

Meanwhile, Jordan returns home to reunite with his parents and Cameron (Hunter Sansone). Lily (Kay Galvin) and Sofus (Jim France) are thrilled at the reunion, while Cameron is a little more wary. Cameron confronts Jordan about Courtney’s assertions of him being a villain, but Jordan insists that he has changed and wants peace.

Jordan also returns to work and Barbara (Amy Smart) is horrified to see him. Barbara confronts him, but Jordan continues to insist that he has changed and that his murder of the Crocks was self-defense. Barbara is awesome in this episode between her confrontation with Jordan and her consoling Artemis near the end of the episode. It’s great to see how much she’s embraced the JSA and its members.

After reuniting with his father, Cameron is also eager to rekindle his relationship with Courtney. Though Cameron questioned Jordan earlier, he fully believes his father’s lies and defends the “self-defense” murder of the Crocks. Courtney is disturbed by the conversation, though kisses him anyway. Cameron’s forceful demeanor during the awkward exchange is unsettling, and it’s clear that it will take more to resolve their issues.

As Jordan tries to convince Courtney that he’s changed and wants to help fight the Ultra-Humanite, Sylvester is furious at Jordan’s return. He insists on going after Icicle, but Pat tries to talk him down. Sylvester then tries to get Courtney’s approval on going after Jordan, but she is hesitant. Though Sylvester’s behavior has been erratic throughout the season, his anger here feels somewhat justified. Despite that, Sylvester’s lashing out at Pat for things out of his control is harsh.

Mike and Jakeem (Alkoya Brunson) try to wish Icicle’s powers away, but Thunderbolt (Seth Green) tells them he can’t do that because taking his powers away would kill him. Mike argues that more people will die if Icicle keeps his powers, but Thunderbolt doesn’t relent. Cindy (Meg DeLacy) finally returns and agrees to work with them. It’s a nice moment until Jakeem ruins it.

Near the end of the episode, Yolanda calls her mother and tells her that she’s lying to protect her. Though I understand that Yolanda is shaken by the Crocks’ murder and is a teenage girl who still wants her mother’s approval, the idea of them attempting to repair that relationship doesn’t sit well with me. Yolanda’s mother has been awful to her throughout the series, and there’s no way Yolanda should go back unless her mother shows true remorse for all she’s done.

Though Rick doesn’t appear in this episode, the sole mention of him remains a concerning trend. It is already disturbing how apathetic Pat and Sylvester are to Rick’s addiction issues, but this episode makes the problem worse. As they search for the Crocks, Beth comments that Rick isn’t returning her calls. Though the group has other priorities at that moment, the fact that no effort is put into looking for him, particularly with the Ultra-Humanite on the loose, is troubling.

To little surprise, the closing moments reveal that Jordan is working with the Ultra-Humanite. With two episodes to go in the series, there is not a lot of time left to prepare for the final showdown. Thankfully, the series shot two endings due to the possibility of cancellation, and hopefully, the finale episode will provide some satisfying closure for fans.

Author: Jessica Wolff

Jessica Wolff is a graduate of Drexel University with a BS in Film/Video. She has a passion for entertainment and representation in entertainment. She currently resides outside of Washington, DC.

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