Jordan and the Ultra-Humanite enact the final phase of their plan.
Tropes:
- Abusive Parents: Jordan begs Cameron not to "force" him to do to him what Brainwave did to his own son. As Courtney points out, the fact that Jordan even contemplated it cements him as this.
- Ambiguous Situation:
- Based on some comments, it's not clear how long the Mahkent grandparents have been aware Jordan was still alive.
- Given that Jordan and Ultra-Humanite Starman's plan hinged on uniting with the JSA against Gorilla Dragon King, it's unclear if they were going to actually destroy and betray him or had some escape for him in mind.
- And I Must Scream:
- Since the Thunderbolt can't kill, we can imagine that anyone he's turned into an inanimate object, like Dragon King into a stuffed gorilla toy (or Eclipso into a slice of toast last season), is still conscious. And therefore Dr. Ito is aware of the abuse Cindy is subjecting him to as a chew toy for Buddy the dog.
- As a Brain in a Jar, Sylvester has been stuck in a loop constantly reliving his last thought before the brain extraction (desperately asking about Pat's safety) for the whole nine months since the procedure. Fortunately, the Distant Finale reveals that the JSA eventually rescued him.
- And the Adventure Continues: An apparently resurrected Jay Garrick shows up in the future to tell the Shade that he needs the JSA's help once more, and that Courtney told him that includes Shade now. Richard wearily asks if their adventures will ever be over. The series ends with a title card saying "Never The End".
- And This Is for...: When Artemis finally gives Jordan a permanent death via ignited petroleum jelly from one of her father's weapons, she tells him, "This is for my parents."
- Back for the Finale: Solomon Grundy finally revives near the end of the episode, although only a day or several days after the final battle with Icicle is over.
- Bait-and-Switch: Jordan is about to kill Courtney when a crossbow bolt is shot into his shoulder. The team had earlier suggested that Artemis tends to swoop in at just the right moment, but this is actually Barbara.
- Benevolent Genie: Jakeem's wish is incredibly vague, as Mike lampshades, but because he is completely confident in his intent, Thunderbolt grants his wish to the best of his ability.
- Big Damn Heroes:
- On their way to the junkyard, Beth and Yolanda discuss how Artemis has had a record of swooping in to save them at just the right moment in past episodes and wonder how she does that. While Artemis doesn't ultimately make an appearance in the battle, Barbara (who had been looking for Artemis) shows up to save Courtney from Icicle in the nick of time using Paula's crossbow.
- Just as the JSA look to be on the bad end of a confrontation with the Mahkents and Starman, Pat arrives in S.T.R.I.P.E. to reveal the Ultra-Humanite's duplicity, drawing Starman away and evening the odds long enough for Barbara to show up and convince Courtney to retake the Cosmic Staff.
- Book Ends: Courtney started out only believing she was worthy of the Staff because she was (supposedly) Starman's daughter. Now, she tells the Ultra-Humanite (in Sylvester's body) that "You're not worthy. I am."
- The Cameo: John Wesley Shipp appears in the final scene as a seemingly resurrected Jay Garrick.
- Continuity Nod:
- In the previous episode, Ultra-Humanite Sylvester mentioned that the Atom had a son. One of the future JSA members mentioned by the Shade in the Distant Finale is "Damage", the codename of the original Atom Al Pratt's son Grant Emerson in the comics.
- Shade mentions the JSA rescuing the Seven Soldiers of Victory in the future. Their former member Shining Knight was last seen at the end of Season 1 going to look for the others.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: Icicle's death is quite horrifying, being covered in petroleum fuel and burned alive. Not that he didn't deserve it.
- De-power: Ultra-Humanite loses the ability to use the Cosmic Staff when Courtney simply declares that the Staff doesn't work in his hands, since it had only functioned for him before because she subconsciously thought it should.
- Distant Finale: The series ends ten years in the future, with the Shade giving a group of civilians a tour of the JSA headquarters, which is now a museum. He namedrops all the now-adult heroes who are part of the JSA: Starwoman (Courtney), Wildcat (Yolanda), S.T.R.I.P.E. 2.0 (Mike), Artemis (Artemis), Icicle (Cameron), Jade (Jennie), Obsidian (Todd), Dragon Queen (Cindy), Jakeem Thunder, Hourman (Rick), Doctor Mid-Nite (Beth), Sand (Sandy Hawkins), Damage (presumably Grant Emerson), and Solomon Grundy. He mentions the adventures we've seen them have so far, adding that they rescued the real Starman and saved the Seven Soldiers of Victory from a cosmic deity named Nebula Man. Then the original Flash appears through a portal and tells Shade to gather everyone, because there's another crisis on the horizon that requires the Justice Society of America.
- Domestic Abuse: Not only is Lily verbally abusive towards Sofus by calling him an "old fool" and a "useless idiot", she threatens to kill him herself if he won't kill Beth.
- Empty Shell: Thanks to Pat bashing him with a heavy rock, the Ultra-Humanite's brain is irrevocably damaged by internal bleeding, leaving Sylvester's body brain-dead but still alive, allowing the JSA to eventually transplant his real brain back into it.
- Forced Transformation: Like Eclipso before him, Dragon King is turned into a stuffed toy when Jakeem wishes for him to never bother Cindy again.
- Gambit Roulette: After Courtney took the staff back from the Ultra-Humanite (effectively bringing him down to normal) she and her friends once again had no choice but to have Pat face him alone — as they were too pre-occupied dealing with the Mahkents — despite there being no guarantee that Pat would come out on top. Fortunately, Pat does win by smashing a rock against the Ultra-Humanite's head, but it's just as likely the situation could have been reversed.
- Good Is Not Soft: Rick acknowledges that Cameron is being manipulated and lied to by his father, but also states he's willing to kick Cameron's ass, anyway, if he has to.
- Grand Finale: The sixth Arrowverse series to end, Stargirl wraps with three seasons and 39 episodes. This is also the first series not set on "Earth-Prime" to conclude.
- I Am a Monster: After he "kills" Jordan, Cameron tells Courtney to back away from him, that after betraying both her and his father he basically considers himself this, and that once he's taken his grandfather to the hospital he's going to leave town. Courtney tries to tell him she can help with what he's going through, but he creates a cloud of ice particles to keep her and the rest of the JSA from following. Fortunately, he changes his mind by the end of the episode and reunites with Courtney at his house.
- Internal Reveal: Pat tells Courtney and her teammates that the Ultra-Humanite took Sylvester's body.
- Just Between You and Me: Dragon King, Jordan, and the Ultra-Humanite dig up Sylvester, strap him to an operating table, revive him, and tell him about their body-switching plan before taking his brain out.
- Kill It with Fire: Artemis uses several flammable substances to finish off Jordan.
- Laser-Guided Karma:
- Immediately after Lily Mahkent prepares to kill her own husband, she's rushed by Wildcat and her attempt to blast Yolanda causes a car to fall on top of her and crush her to death like the house on top of the Wicked Witch of the East.
- After treating his daughter as a possession all her life, Dragon King is given a Forced Transformation by Jakeem and the Thunderbolt into a toy gorilla for her to play with.
- Pat survives after being buried alive at the hands of the Ultra-Humanite, who usurped Sylvester Pemberton's body, because of a skill the real Sylvester taught him, leading to said villain's downfall. And after the battle, the brain-swapping, body-stealing Ultra-Humanite ironically ends up brain dead.
- The petroleum jelly Artemis kills Jordan with is based on the formula her father Sportsmaster used for his explosive hockey pucks, a bit of symbolic revenge from beyond the grave on Artemis's part.
- Last Episode, New Character: The Gambler's daughter Becky, who was seen in photos as a toddler, makes her only appearance in this episode.
- Legacy Character: Besides all the obvious examples, after Beth's parents get permission to be her new sidekicks, Dr. Chapel decides to use the codename "Hooty" for herself, after Dr. McNider's wise owl.
- Mama Bear: Barbara shoots Jordan with a crossbow when he threatens Courtney.Barbara: Stay away from my daughter.
- Meatgrinder Surgery: Played for Drama. The flashback at the beginning of the episode shows that Dragon King, Icicle and Ultra-Humanite performed the brain transplant on Sylvester while he was fully awake.
- Moral Myopia: The Ultra-Humanite complains about Pat attacking him, angrily saying that he was supposed to be his best friend. After having buried him alive. Of course, it's well established at this point that Ultra-Humanite is cuckoo.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Downplayed, but Yolanda clearly regrets not giving Cindy a second chance, recognizing that she should have listened to Courtney instead of Ultra-Humanite.
- Mythology Gag:
- Beth's dad chooses the sidekick codename "Nite Lite" for himself, which was the name of a man who sometimes assisted the Charles McNider Doctor Mid-Nite in the comics.
- While in the comics she uses the name "Tigress" like her mother, Artemis's codename as a JSA member in the future is just "Artemis", like her Young Justice animated counterpart (in Season 1 of that show, at least).
- Not Named in Opening Credits: John Wesley Shipp is not named in the opening credits, keeping his appearance at the end a surprise.
- Official Couple: In the Distant Finale, the Shade mentions that he's going to officiate at Beth and Rick's wedding soon.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Artemis tracks down Jordan halfway across the world.
- Pet the Dog: Until it was ruined by Pat not being dead, Jordan's plan was for the JSA to unite with him and his family against the manufactured threat of the Ultra-Humanite, in part so that he could make Cameron happy by allowing him and Courtney to be together.
- Post-Final Boss: A rare case where Jordan is both the climax's Final Boss who has his climactic battle against Courtney and Cameron, as well as the wrap-up boss who's encountered by Artemis months later and gets killed much more quickly and easily to give closure to the entire plot and completely wrap up the Injustice Society's story.
- Pragmatic Villainy: Jordan was going to spare the JSA (other than Pat, of course) so long as they didn't learn the truth and resist him. Because it was more useful to have them believing he'd turned good and following Ultra-Humanite Starman as their new leader.
- President Evil: The flashback that begins the episode has Jordan reveal that his plan involves Ultra-Humanite not only "returning" to the public eye as Starman but also eventually running for President as his mouthpiece under Sylvester Pemberton's identity.
- Redeeming Replacement: The Distant Finale shows that as members of the JSA, Cameron and Cindy are using the codenames "Icicle" and "Dragon Queen".
- Redemption Earns Life: Sofus, already the most reasonable adult member of the Mahkent family, makes a full Heel–Face Turn by refusing to kill Beth and trying (unsuccessfully) to talk his family down. He's subsequently the only adult Mahkent to survive the series.
- Rebuilt Pedestal: Upon discovering that the man they thought was Sylvester was actually Ultra-Humanite, meaning that everything he had said and done wasn't the real Sylvester, Courtney and Pat's respect for him is restored, with them deciding to keep his body on life support until they can find his brain, which the Distant Finale says they did.
- Scars Are Forever: Icicle has his face burned by a blast from the Cosmic Staff. Three months later, there's still scarring in the area despite him completely vaporizing himself and reforming.
- Scissors Cuts Rock: Artemis explains to Jordan that the substance he's standing in burns even on water, so Jordan can't simply melt or turn gaseous to escape it.
- Self-Disposing Villain: Lily tries to hit Wildcat with an ice blast, only to miss, hit a precariously balanced car, and end up crushed when it falls on top of her.Wildcat: [to Doctor Mid-Nite] I didn't do it!
- Self-Made Orphan: Subverted. Cameron tries to destroy Jordan (leaving his grandfather Sofus as his only remaining guardian), but since the latter is now made of living ice it's another case of Never Found the Body as Jordan evaporates into the atmosphere. After a three-month time skip, we see that he reconstituted himself again and is now living in Denmark, until Artemis finishes him off using a substance that can destroy him.
- Shout-Out: The fact that Jordan is effectively a being of liquid who can re-constitute himself after a supposed death of Literally Shattered Lives only to permanently die when exposed to extreme fire brings to mind the T-1000.
- Spanner in the Works: The villains' plan to have the JSA believe Pat was murdered by Gorilla Dragon King is scuppered when he turns up alive and piloting S.T.R.I.P.E.. He survived because, unbeknownst to them, Sylvester taught him how to dislocate his thumbs to get out of restraints after Sylvester's very first adversary, Dr Weerd, took Pat hostage. Making the real Sylvester the spanner.
- Time Skip: Following the climax, there's a three-month time skip showing Artemis killing Jordan once and for all in Copenhagen, and then a ten-year time skip to the Shade giving a tour of the JSA museum.
- Unexplained Recovery: While the events of the previous episode seemed to imply that Dragon King survived Cindy skewering him in the season 1 finale by transferring his brain into the albino gorilla body that formerly housed the brain of the Ultra-Humanite, the episode's opening scene shows he had somehow survived the events of the finale before the brain transfer. It's likely that his experimentation on his body is what made Cindy's stabbing ultimately non-lethal and he simply faked his death.
- The Unreveal:
- Although Cindy apparently cured her condition and prevented her mutation into a lizard in the future, it's not revealed how.
- Yolanda calls her mother during the post-battle celebrations at the Whitmore-Dugan house and says she's going to tell her the truth in hopes they can reconcile, but we don't learn how that ultimately went.
- While we last see Courtney and Cameron embracing outside his house, and both of them are mentioned as members of the JSA in the Distant Finale, it's not established whether they're still together as a couple in the future, have broken up and become just friends, are planning to get married like Rick and Beth, or are even already married. Although Geoff Johns mentioned in the episode post-mortem interview that he's not a fan of romances that break up after they come together (in reference to Beth and Rick), so it's likely that Courtney and Cameron are still together. For that matter, it's also unknown if anything ever came of Jakeem's crush on Cindy once the age gap between them was less significant.
- It is also left unrevealed whether Cameron ever found out what happened to Mr. Deisinger. Near the start of the episode the Mahkents return from the vigil for him, only for Jordan to derail thoughts on the matter by claiming the Ultra-Humanite had killed Pat. (Which he did, or at least tried to, just not in his gorilla body.) It's not clear whether Sofus ever told his grandson the truth, but considering the glare he gives Lily during this scene, and that he's the only elder Mahkent left alive in Cameron's life by the end of the episode, one can hope he did. It wouldn't bring Mr. Deisinger back, but it would at least make losing his grandmother a bit easier for Cameron.
- Unseen No More: After being seen in photos and mentioned through the season, the Gambler's daughter Becky finally appears in the flesh.
- Villain Has a Point: In the previous episode, Ultra-Humanite as Sylvester told Yolanda and Beth that there were several members of the original JSA that didn't have family members or anyone else to take up their mantles and advised them to find others like themselves to carry on those legacies. While he didn't actually mean it, the Distant Finale shows that Courtney and the others took the suggestion, as the Shade mentions additional members with codenames of original members.
- Villainous Crush: Even after everything, Jordan still thinks he and Barbara could "reignite what we had". She spells it out for him that they never had anything. This also sheds light on why part of the plan involved killing Pat.
- Villains Never Lie: Discussed by Courtney and Pat, who decide to keep Sylvester's body on life support just in case the Ultra-Humanite, who had already proven himself a Consummate Liar, was fibbing about Sylvester's brain having been disposed of. Sure enough, we then see that Sylvester's Brain in a Jar is still intact in a laboratory on a mountain somewhere. Shade mentions in the Distant Finale that the JSA eventually restored him.
- Watch the Paint Job: Shade cares less about Jay Garrick appearing from a random portal than he does the fact that Jay ran right through the JSA's custom (and no doubt incredibly expensive) stone meeting table, cutting it in half.
- Wham Shot: A portal opening up in the JSA museum and emitting none other than Jay Garrick!
- Worf Had the Flu: Rick barely lost his first fight against Cameron, but fares even worse here because the side effects of his extended use of the hourglass catch up to him, causing him to collapse mid-fight.
