SPOILER ALERT: There is a SPOILER from the latest episode of ‘Stargirl’, “Brainwave” below, so if you are not caught up, proceed with caution or turn back now.
‘Stargirl’ was created to be exclusive to DC Universe. There was even a tease at the end of The CW’s “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover which seemed to establish that this show, along with other DCU offerings ‘Titans’, ‘Doom Patrol’, and ‘Swamp Thing’ were parallel universes that the heroes of The CW would never encounter, because they were no longer able to detect the existence of any parallel realities.
But a funny thing happened after that. The decision was made that ‘Stargirl’ would be shared between DCU and The CW. Episodes debut on DCU on Mondays, and then air on The CW the next day. It is also offered to stream for free on The CW app and CWTV.com, meaning that fans don’t have to subscribe to DCU to access this series.
Though what’s going on with DCU is pure speculation at this point, it was announced that, beginning with Season 2, ‘Stargirl’ will ONLY be available on The CW and its related online platforms. It won’t be on DCU at all!
So now that this is happening, what does it mean for ‘Stargirl’s continuity? Will this series wind up being integrated into The CW’s Arrowverse after all?
Neil Jackson, who portrays ‘Stargirl’s primary villain, Jordan Mahkent/Icicle, offered his thoughts on the matter. In an interview with Collider, Jackson stated:
The CW/DC Universe
“First of all, it’s really exciting. We didn’t know, while we were shooting, that any of that was going to happen. That was an announcement that happened afterwards. Obviously, it’s a broader reach, so more eyeballs will get to see it and more people will get to appreciate the work that’s been done, that Geoff [Johns] and everybody else have put in. And then, the template is already in place. With the Arrow-verse being there and being so successful, with all of the spin-offs and other shows, that’s wildly exciting. But my caveat on that is, I think Stargirl exists within its own entity, tonally, stylistically, and also budget-wise. We’re a different show, entirely, to the other stuff that has existed in the Arrow-verse. I’m very excited to be a part of the Arrow-verse and link in and out, as need be, and greater brains than mine will figure out how to do that.”
Another factor that may prevent ‘Stargirl’ from being integrated into the Arrowverse may be the character of Green Arrow. When ‘Arrow’ began, it treated the idea of costumed vigilantes as a new concept, although it was later revealed that the Justice Society of America actually had existed in this reality.
But in the latest episode of ‘Stargirl’, “Brainwave,” it was revealed that this world had its own versions of Green Arrow and Speedy.
The CW/DC Universe
They were members of the Seven Soldiers of Victory, along with Pat (Luke Wilson) and the future Starman, plus The Crimson Avenger, The Shining Knight, and Vigilante. Crouching on the far left is Wing, The Crimson Avenger’s sidekick who wasn’t considered a full-fledged member.
The fact that ‘Stargirl’ has its own versions of the Justice Society, Green Arrow, and Speedy, would seem to indicate that it really has to be kept separate from the Arrowverse. And personally speaking, I think the Arrowverse needs a long break from the whole parallel universe/timeline thing, if not a permanent ban on the idea.
What do you think? Should ‘Stargirl’ be thrown into the Arrowverse mix? Or should it just be kept separate?
Jax's earliest memory is of watching 'Batman,' followed shortly by a memory of playing Batman & Robin with a friend, which entailed running outside in just their underwear and towels as capes. When adults told them they couldn't run around outside in their underwear, both boys promptly whipped theirs off and ran around in just capes.
