Stargirl Review: Brainwave Jr. (Season 1 Episode 10)

Stargirl Season 1 Episode 10, “Brainwave Jr.” gives us an emotional thrill ride while also showing viewers the destructive power of secrets. Facing the truth sets many characters free, but there is much damage left behind.

Since day one, Pat and Courtney have been hiding the truth from Barbara. A majority of the lies told are rather small and seem like a mere distortion of the truth — that is if you don’t count the supposed car accident. 

Courtney convinces Pat that this is all for Barbara’s good. I can’t say that I haven’t done the same thing.

When there is truth to be told, we weigh it heavily in our minds. Before coming out with the hard facts, we run every scenario through in a fictional conversation between us and the other involved party.

During this time, we pretend that we are looking out for the other person’s best interest, while we are only looking out for our own.

Ten episodes in and Barbara has the whole truth handed to her. Sadly, it isn’t because of Courtney or Pat deciding they have had enough with the deception. Instead, Barbara walks straight into it and demands answers.

I’m quite surprised this happens so early on. Many shows over the years have played around with this sort of situation without resolving it until seasons later — if at all. 

I enjoy that this happens quite organically. Barbara is simply walking around her house and stumbles upon Courtney, Pat, and the cosmic staff. 

This is similar to how things go down in real life. We let someone borrow our phone for a few minutes, and they accidentally discover a hidden text message revolving around them. No major or tragic drama unfolding, just a simple gesture without a lot of thought put into it.

If you don’t see this as a warning — you should.

The truth is often exposed when it is least expected. Everything is going great, you are at the peak of your relationship status, and then it is as if a sniper shot you in the back. Even worse, it is with your own gun.

As blood comes pouring out of the wound, you do everything you can to cover it up. Your friend sees it festering and can’t take their eyes off of it. The truth is right there, but still, you try to cover it up.

Pat and Courtney talk over each other trying to persuade Barabara of their intentions. They both go at it from different angles hoping they can skew the truth towards their favor. 

Piecing together everything they hand her, Barbara is outraged. Who can blame her? Secrets have become Pat’s mistress.

The two people Barbara love the most have been hiding major parts of their lives from her. Even worse in Barbara’s eyes, Pat has been endangering the life of her child. 

Things quickly reach a boiling point causing Barb to ask Pat to leave. Surprisingly, she keeps her temper for the most part. If I was in her shoes, I can’t say I would have handled it so gracefully. 

Secrets can destroy any relationship from the inside out. No matter how deep the feelings are rooted, deception digs deeper. One can’t help but wonder if they are hiding one thing, what else is lying just under the surface.

Of course, Courtney is devastated by the fact that she may have had a hand in the divide of Pat and Barb’s relationship. After all, Pat never wanted Courtney to be a superhero, let alone hide the fact from her mother.

Unfortunately, the fallout from our lies and secrets is wide-spreading. It creates turmoil in the relationship hemisphere, even punishing people that are removed by six degrees.

Courtney doesn’t realize this until her stepbrother, Mike, points it out.

Mike: Brothers and sisters trust each other. They tell each other everything.

He wants the truth that everyone else in the family already knows. He feels it is his right to know the depth of what is affecting his life so dramatically. Mike isn’t wrong.

He lashes out in anger as he is forced to pick sides. Without the ability to know everything, Mike chooses his father, the man that has always been by his side.

With Courtney’s life reeling from everything going on, she hasn’t taken a moment to ponder the JSA’s role in the whole scenario. That quickly changes when Henry telepathically calls out to her.

Henry is also in a world of hurt. His newly-found powers have revealed to him many of his father’s deep dark secrets, and it has sent him into a tailspin. 

I love when the writers can send a villain down a similar path as the hero, marrying the concept together from different angles, and further proving their point. It shows quality craftsmanship.

By including Henry in a similar situation, it gives an ulterior perspective helping us to feel empathy for everyone affected. Just focusing on Courtney may have gotten the point across, but adding in Henry cements the ideas being portrayed.

With the quick decision to help Henry, Courtney then realizes they are going to need all the back up they can get. She excitedly gives her friends the rundown — just to be shut down.

Stirred to violence by the truth revealed to them, Yolanda and Rick have similar reactions to Mike. They feel a sense of betrayal much like many other people would.

Secrets and lies create a feeling of the unknown. As humans, we often fear the unknown. Fear causes a fight or flight reaction, and Hourman chooses his fists.

Hopefully, you have a “Beth” in your group of friends who can bring a bit of levelheadedness to the game. Her words don’t necessarily heal, but they make a lot of sense. Someone slightly removed from the ongoing action can bring some perspective to an argument — don’t be afraid to utilize outside sources.

The team begrudgingly agrees to work together for the greater good. Their history together has earned at least that much. 

All these truths out in the open have hurt a lot of people. Tempers are high but at the same time, there seems to be a sense of relief. 

If the truth never comes out, there will never be any healing. 

On their rescue mission, the JSA storm the ISA headquarters. They know they are putting themselves in harm’s way, jeopardizing everything they have done so far this season.

Between verbal squabbles, the team splits up to cover more ground. 

This gives Henry a chance to give his truth to Yolanda.

Through his telepathy, Henry knows the turmoil he has created for her. He is truly sorry and makes his heart known to her. Yolanda isn’t ready to hear this, so she shuts him out. 

Even when we want to come clean, some people don’t want to hear it. Pain can cause people to hide their true selves as a form of protection. Living in a protective bubble sometimes seems like the best option. 

As the mission begins to fall apart, the team tries to hold its own against the onslaught of villains. Henry proves himself to be a valiant hero in the face of his adversaries. 

The sad truth that Henry’s father isn’t the good man that his son hopes him to be becomes glaringly clear.

In the final moments of the episode, Henry pays the ultimate price at the hands of the truth. He hears from his father’s mouth, word for word, the darkest of confessions and it destroys him. 

Henry simply cannot live with the truth. 

While I haven’t grown extremely close to the character, I can’t help but shed a tear. This ever so tragic ending should be a wake-up call not only to the team but to us as well.

The longer secrets and lies go on, the more damaging the truth becomes. 

Many lives are metaphorically and literally destroyed by what are thought to be helpful secrets and lies. The truth is secrets and lies never help anybody in the long run. This well-written episode is proof of that. 

What did you think of this episode of Stargirl? How will the team move on from this? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Stargirl airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW.

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