WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for Season 1 of Stargirl.
As Stargirl wraps up its freshman season, it's time to look back at what the superhero series had to offer with its heroes and villains. The modern Justice Society of America went to battle with their Injustice counterpart throughout the show, delivering timely characterizations of classic DC characters. However, some were undoubtedly better executed than others.
Although the series pits the two teams against each other, we'll be grouping them together to find the best of what Season 1 had to offer.
10 HOURMAN
Rick Tyler, the son of Hourman, is one of the few JSA members directly related to one of the original heroes. Utilizing the same suit/superpowers, this legacy hero is constantly diving headfirst into battles he can't possibly win. The show tries hard to develop his motivations but one can't help pointing out how reckless he is at almost every turn.
However, despite the series portraying him as one-note, Rick has his moments, especially in the season finale where it seems he's finally moved on from his grudges.
9 SPORTSMASTER
Although Sportsmaster doesn't get any real development character-wise, he is by far one of the JSA’s most dangerous foes. With almost superhuman strength and agility, the gym rat is as sadistic as they come when it’s time to battle our favorite heroes.
He also provides the series’ best action sequences throughout the entire season, serving as the perfect physical threat to the newbie superhero team.
8 BRAINWAVE
Similar to his son, Brainwave starts out as the primary, one-dimensional antagonist for Courtney Whitmore in the first few episodes. He gets benched for most of the season, but as Henry King Jr. learns more about his father, the more the audience got to actually understand the villain's motivations as it becomes clear he wasn't always fueled by hatred.
He's too far gone by the end of the season, killing his own son in order to not lose sight of his ultimate, idealistic goal.
7 DR. MID-NITE
As the only JSA member without super abilities of any sort, Beth Chapel has to rely on her intelligence and A.I. pal Charles, the original Dr. Mid-Nite. Unlike almost every other hero, Chapel’s journey to heroism isn’t fueled by tragedy or loss.
In addition to wanting to find real friends, she is a kind-hearted soul that always wants to do what is right. She may not be a physically active part of the epic battles between the JSA and ISA, but she still proves to be a vital piece to their success.
6 SHIV
Though not an official ISA member, Shiv is no doubt one of the most despicable villains on the series. As the most hated person at the school, she serves as the foil to almost every single teenaged member of the JSA. She's arguably the one worst thing about some of these kids' lives, especially for the late Henry King Jr.
And despite that all of that, Meg DeLacy delivers a multi-layered performance playing the product of a less-than-ideal childhood and one of Dr. Ito's inhumane experiments. Her superpowers also make her an unstoppable force and we have a feeling the show's creators have lots planned for her.
5 BRAINWAVE JR
In the beginning, it seemed like Henry King Jr. was going to be the signature bully in high school. However, as the show went on, it was clear that the son of Brainwave had a conscious and a lot of guilt on his mind, in addition to his psychic powers.
Instead of following in the footsteps of his father, Henry heroically sacrifices himself in front of his newfound friends, declaring his belief in good people like them. His story is tragic yet satisfying, as we got to see a despised character grow into one of the show's most interesting heroes.
4 WILDCAT
As the first recruit to the new Justice Society of America, Yolanda Montez aka Wildcat is by far the most developed character in the team. Unlike Hourman and Dr. Mid-Nite, she got an entire episode dedicated to her backstory and journey to becoming a superhero. Since then, she's proven that she has what it takes to take over the iconic mantle and provide the squad the edge they need against the Injustice Society.
Her costume can seem like a Black Panther rip-off, but Stargirl consistently puts her super abilities and fighting skills to the test in the show's fantastic action sequences.
3 ICICLE
This ice-cold villain serves as not only one of the evilest members of the Injustice Society but perhaps the most sympathetic of them all. Jordan Mahkent is driven by the loss of his wife, which was a direct result of exposure to a deadly toxin that was released by shady corporations.
He confidently believes that the cure to this disease infecting all of America is to brainwash everyone, which is a step too far let's be honest, but one can't help but understand and relate to his motivations. Add the fact he's a very powerful metahuman, Icicle is a force to be reckoned with on and off the field.
2 PAT AKA S.T.R.I.P.E.
As Courtney Whitmore’s stepfather and a former sidekick to Starman, Pat Dugan has all the right makings of a great superhero. What he lacks in physicality he makes up for in quick wit, wisdom, and a 20-plus foot robot suit, obviously.
Although he was never a direct member of the JSA, he now mentors the younger group of heroes using all of that knowledge that he's gained all those years as a sidekick. Luke Wilson's performance cements these statements furthermore, proving there's no one better for this unique position.
1 STARGIRL
To no one's surprise, the titular character comes out on top of this particular list. Played by Brec Bassigner, Courtney Whitmore is the wholesome, imperfect protagonist that inspires hope in others and sees the best in those who are struggling. Sure, she can come off as naive sometimes, yet one can't help but fall for the star-spangled superhero.
Action-wise, Stargirl has no doubt the most special sequences and meaningful choreography alongside her trusty staff. Inspired by Geoff John's late sister, it's no surprise that a lot of care was put into making her exactly what he had originally envisioned when he first introduced her to DC Comics lore years ago.