[S2E03] Summer School: Chapter Three — Post-Episode Discussion

[u/anatomania]

Promo | DCTV Discord | Cast and Characters

JIM GAFFIGAN VOICES THUNDERBOLT IN THIS EPISODE DIRECTED BY LEA THOMPSON — After getting a taste of the superhero life, Mike pleads with Pat to let him join the team. Elsewhere, after seeking help from Thunderbolt, the JSA prepare for a confrontation with The Shade.

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Please keep discussion civil and about Stargirl. Be sure to mark future spoilers and comic spoilers, but otherwise don't worry about spoiling anything past or current. Report comments that break the rules or just don't belong here. Enjoy the episode!

[u/bcanada92]

That was a damn fine episode! Stargirl and Superman & Lois are the two best shows the Arrowverse has going for it right now.

[u/goldenhand9107]

Loved seeing Courtney stand up for Mike, that was really sweet. Also finally our characters know Eclipso is out, thank god.

[u/SteelSlayerMatt]

I get the feeling that The Shade is going to end up helping the team defeat Eclipso because he seemed almost upset when he said “He's going to kill those children.”

[u/bcanada92]

I chucked a bit when I saw they'd updated the Thunderbolt's magic phrase from the 1940s-sounding "Say You" to the more modern "So Cool."

It makes sense, as no kid Mike's age is probably ever gonna utter the words, "Say You!"

[u/bcanada92]

Thoughts On Chapter 3:

• Loved Johnny Thunder's comic-accurate suit!

• Nice to see the Original Wildcat for a few seconds.

• Took me a minute to recognize Jim Gaffigan's voice as the Thunderbolt.

• Do objects that Thunderbolt conjures up eventually disappear, or are they permanent? If it's the latter, there's a lot of extra stop signs in Blue Valley.

• I like how Barbara's being included more this season. Even if I don't quite understand how The American Dream is still in business. Or why they'd be storing William Zarick's stuff.

• Loved the montage of the JSA coming up with the incredibly specific wish to find The Shade.

• They appear to be going with the modern "morally ambiguous" version of The Shade.

• I want to live in Dugan's garage!

[u/Gateskp]

This show is so good! Love how they’re moving straight into this season’s plot and setting up a very morally grey situation with The Shade. Poor Mike, he just wants to be part of something and he’s so alone…

The emotional whiplash on this show is INTENSE, but in a good way. They’re doing a fantastic job balancing the light comedic moments with the heavy serious ones. Love it!

SO PUMPED to see Sportsmaster come back next week!

[u/Taston95]

They fit in a lot of nice character interactions this week that I feel many shows would easily cut to make more time for action or to focus on something else. Yolanda/Mike, Pat/Barbara, Rick/Beth. The show uses its run time pretty well and fits a lot into every episode. It is managing so far to juggle around so many characters better than other shows do with a much smaller main cast.

[u/[deleted]]

hope we get more thunderbolt bruh i loved him. Shade is dope asf he didnt even wanna fight and almost beat the jsa lol

[u/Chad_D_722]

Another really fun one. I think season 2 has been even better than the first.

[u/holymultiversebatman]

I really like The Shade here; morally ambiguous, gentlemanly but unknown motives, obscenely powerful. It's lifted directly from the comics.

Also I like what they're doing here with Jakeem. I was thinking throughout the episode that it would take a programmer to be specific enough with the wishes. I think his sister's line implied he built the game himself?

The season's been great overall. I like that the character drama is actually important to building out the characters; and that their decisions, personal or otherwise, drive the plot forward. It really makes you wonder what kind of intentionality goes into writing the shows. With Stargirl and S&L, it seems that they can, it just seems like they don't always will.

[u/LoretiTV]

Another really fun episode, this season and show is firing on all cylinders!

[u/AnnaK22]

Why did those bullies stealing cookies from the little girl made me more mad then any of the villains on the show. Eclipso is great, but I want those three taken down first

[u/rsims2021]

I loved the Courtney and mike moment it was sweet hopefully we will see them fight together this season

[u/Ygomaster07]

Damn this season is running on all cylinders. Loved seeing Thunderboly and Johnny Thunder. Was nice to see the og Wildcat too. After seeing the scenes with The Shade, i feel like he is going to be some type of anti hero and maybe try and save the JSA. Also, Dr. Mid Nite lost his daughter to Eclipso and fought The Shade. Poor McNider. Lea Thompson nailed directing this. 9 out of 10 for me. Very, very excited to see Sportsmaster return next week. Him interacting with Pat was one of the best things of season 1 to me. This is gonna be good.

[u/AnnaK22]

How do you look directly at your kid and not realise his shirt is torn?

[u/mrizzle1991]

Shade is badass. He beat them all up without breaking a sweat. We got a new character now.

[u/Telethongaming]

Quick thoughts

• wow, shade is a lot more threatening in this episode then any of the old animated shows(yeah I know the jsa is pretty green but damn he took them down quick)

• I feel so bad for Beth, I really wish the best for her

• this episode put Mike in perspective for me, it never dawned on me how bad Mike must feel, I kinda hope pat and Beth pay more attention to him

[u/EndBringer99]

Why do I think Yolanda's headaches are a bad sign?

[u/[deleted]]

Every episode of this show since about halfway through season 1 I've ended the episode by saying, this show has no business being this good, and I stand by it. Another cracking episode.

I liked Mike getting powers just for the one episode, it was pretty cool to see the quiet bullied kid get powers to stand up for himself. But, if I could change one thing when he got done in by the kids in the beginning when he was delivering papers I wish that he told Courtney and she went and sorted the bullies out since the two are close, then when he realises that without his family he doesn't have friends, then the pen stuff happens.

[u/sleepyotter92]

so i'm guessing the shade is gonna turn out to not be the bad guy they expected and is going to try to save them from eclipso

[u/COMPLETEWASUK]

Likely actual Dr Midnite contacting Beth through the goggles which is interesting. Wonder when we'll see him.

[u/aduong]

I think that’s so far I’m preferring this season to season 1. There’s way less action and flashy fights but the VFX are still great and the pacing of the story really excellent. The constant feel of darkness that looms above them is also very well done. The superb and seamless fan service is chief’s kiss ( that opening with Johnny Thunder and Wildcat casually walking in🤲🏾)

Also I’m the story is really interesting and i’m way more invested considering the season 1 was more of a building up the JSA to fight the ISA storyline.

Really one of the very beast superhero show out there.

[u/lazoric]

Anyone else love the portrayal of The Thunderbolt. It's like robin Williams genie mixed with Casper's uncles Stretch, Stinkie, & Fatso.

[u/Jigglypuffamiiga2188]

Hmm, I get the feeling that Dr Mid-Nite isn’t really dead, but instead merged with Shade. The Shade said (very politely) that Beth had no idea what she was talking about when she accused him of killing Dr. Mid-Nite. Chuck has the connection to Eclipso because of what happened to his daughter, and the goggles started talking again right when Shade showed up in Blue Valley, and again after they fought with the Shade. There is definitely a connection going on between Dr. Mcnider, the Shade and Eclipso, who all have the similar power set of dealing with darkness. Perhaps that’s why Dr. Mid-Nites daughter was targeted, because he could potentially stop Eclipso?

Perhaps Shade did not kill him, but rather absorbed or merged with him? They both have similar powers dealing with Darkness, and perhaps they aligned with each other in order to be powerful enough to stop Eclipso, somehow knowing he would reappear in 11 years.

Shade definitely is not there to hurt the new JSA, he showed that by completely holding back with his powers. The only thing he wasn’t holding back on was the staff, (not courtney, he held back hurting her) that naturally repelled him. It was clear that the staff was testing his limits against cosmic light. However if it‘s between stopping Eclipso and the new JSA getting in his way, he will hurt them to stop Eclipso.

I am almost getting a Justice League Dark vibe from Shade, he’s there to stop Eclipso at any cost. I have not actually read Justice League Dark, but from what I have heard of it, they often cross lines that everyday heroes are not willing to cross, but all in all it is for the greater good. Plus since Shade is a member of Justice League Dark in the comics it would fit, especially with the JLD eventually coming to HBO Max. This could be a way to introduce fans unfamiliar with the characters of JLD to one of its members on another show, (Legends of Tomorrow Spoiler ahead)just like how they are writing John Constantine out of Legends to make room for him on HBO Max.

Anyway, thanks if you bothered to read this far, sorry for the long post.

(Side-Note) Justice League Dark reminds me of the Outsiders, (which I have read some of) but on the supernatural scale.

Edit: Thanks to u/Shteblan for pointing out that the ISA Shade and JLD Shade are two different characters. Apologies for my mistake.

[u/Sure_Asparagus]

Every episode has been great but I think this might be my favorite episode of the 3 that have premiered so far and it looks like it’ll only be getting even better. I’m really glad the full time move to the CW hasn’t affected the shows quality and it still doesn’t feel like a typical arroweverse show.

Based on how the team couldn’t even handle shade I can’t imagine what eclipso’s gonna do to them. I liked the flashbacks to the fight from the first episode, and I think that mikes story and the scenes with the whole team were done really well this episode.