Stargirl Season 3 Episode 12 Review: Frenemies – Chapter Twelve: The Last Will and Testament of Sylvester Pemberton
The pressure on a penultimate episode is almost as high as it is for the finale, and Stargirl Season 3 Episode 12, “Frenemies – Chapter Twelve: The Last Will and Testament of Sylvester Pemberton,” succeeds in living up to expectations. For once you’ll be glad to see Sylvester Pemberton AKA Starman take center stage and steal the spotlight.
It’s not an exaggeration to say Sylvester takes viewers on a roller coaster of emotions. His speech to the young JSA about making sure the rest of the JSA has their legacies continued is genuinely moving.
Then his outburst at Pat and Courtney, demeaning and humiliating them, enrages you.
Even Courtney’s warm speech about Pat being her hero, not Starman, barely takes the edge off of the intense exchange though it’s still tearjerking to watch. I’m always here for the Courtney-Pat bond, and Courtney saying she’s thankful Pat is her father is a nod to how far they’ve come and what a beautiful relationship they’ve built.
Realizing Sylvester only said those nasty things to stop Pat and Courtney from following him into battle brings on another set of emotions, but they’re sadly short-lived. Why? Because that was also a lie!
You’ll feel a drop in your stomach when Cindy, Mike, and Jakeem discover that the Dragon King is now in Ultra-Humanite’s body meaning that his brain must be somewhere else. That somewhere else, we learn, is in the body of Sylvester Pemberton.
The twists and turns of this episode are brilliant but also enough to make your head hurt. How is it even possible Sylvester/ Ultra-Humanite deceived them for so long?
The flashback showing Ultra-Humanite winning an acting award in the body of Delores Winters makes a whole lot more sense. In this case, it’s Joel McHale who should be getting an award nomination in real life after this episode.
All those temper flare-ups that were chalked up to Sylvester’s rage over being murdered seem even more sinister knowing that all of it was an act to make the team trust him and believe he’s Starman. Like Ultra-Humanite, McHale seems to effortlessly shift his performance vacillating so easily between sincere and menacing that you’re still uncertain about the truth.
It’s not until he confirms that Sylvester’s body was preserved but his brain was dead that you really believe this was never Sylvester. After spending almost a full season investing in this character and learning to root for him, it hurts.
This man even convinced Cosmo, a sentient powerful cosmic staff, that he was Starman! That’s how good (bad) he is!
It doesn’t hurt viewers nearly as bad as it hurts Pat though who ends up buried alive at the hands of Ultra-Humanite. He even gives a whole classic villain monologue explaining all of his evil plans, like using Yolanda to push away Cindy and sabotaging Rick, while shoveling.
As evil as the character is, it’s fun to watch McHale chew the scenery a bit.
Despite the focus being largely on Sylvester and Pat, Stargirl still manages to deliver satisfying screen time for the rest of the JSA. Importantly, Rick starts to get the help he needs. That intervention scene also ends up leading back to Sylvester’s secret when Beth reveals Sylvester would know what turning off the inhibitor would do to Rick.
The episode ends with the audience wondering if Courtney will be able to save Pat in time and how the JSA can defeat this trio of powerful enemies. It’s the perfect setup going into the big showdown.
Stargirl may trade in its usual warmth for something much more sinister this time, but it pays off big with one of the most thrilling episodes of TV to air this year. If the series finale is even half as good, fans are in for a treat.
What did you think of this episode of Stargirl? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Stargirl airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on The CW.
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Breeze Riley
Breeze Riley is a pop culture enthusiast who decided to turn her love of watching too much TV into a hobby writing about it. Although she's a convention-going sci-fi and fantasy nerd, she's just as likely to be watching an off-beat comedy or period drama. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic.
One thought on “Stargirl Season 3 Episode 12 Review: Frenemies – Chapter Twelve: The Last Will and Testament of Sylvester Pemberton”
Best episode of the season! Exciting, dramatic and with a twist no one saw coming. If the final episode is as good as this one, I’m going to miss this show so much if no other channel/streamer picks it up for a fourth season.
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