Stargirl Producer Says “Icicle” Was the Darkest Episode of the Season

On DC’s Stargirl, newly-minted hero Courtney Whitmore has her work cut out for her with the Injustice Society, but even villain teams have leaders and in this week’s episode of the DC Universe/The CW series, viewers were introduced to the ISA’s big bad Icicle in a truly chilling way. The villain, played by Neil Jackson, ended up killing not only fellow villain William Zarick/The Wizard, but he took out Zarick’s son Joey, too. It was a shocking and grim development for the frequently light and bright series and according to producer Geoff Johns, it may be the darkest episode of season.

Speaking with TVLine, Johns said that while there are more emotionally heavy episodes in the first season, this week’s “Icicle” is quite dark, but that darkness has an important purpose for the freshman series.

“I think that’s close to the darkest,” Johns said. “I mean, other episodes deal with more emotional things, and there are a couple twists and turns coming up, but that episode is pretty dark. And that’s by design, too. Cor Courtney — and for everyone — it’s a reminder that this is not a Saturday morning cartoon.”

In the episode, Jordan Mahkent/Icicle faces off with Stargirl, but things don’t quite go to the villain’s plans. He ends up being sent flying onto a bridge where a school bus packed with Blue Valley High School students is heading back into town. He tries to send the bus off the bridge with his ice powers, but that fails. Still, the villain sees an opportunity to get the upper hand with Stargirl anyway and ensures that classmate Joey Zarick is struck and killed by an out of control truck. Later, when Joey’s devastated father confronts Icicle about it, the villain fatally freezes him as well.

Witnessing her classmate’s horrible death is a turning point for Courtney, something that series star Brec Bassinger recently said made her realize that “no one is safe in the show,” but for Jackson, while Icicle’s actions are grim and horrifying, they’re simply part of the path he’s chosen — though he takes no joy in his murderous acts.

“So, there’s a deep amount of sadness and pain in that scene. And one of the… There’s no joy,” Jackson told ComicBook.com. “He takes no joy in killing him, which can seem cold, no pun intended, but there’s no joy in it. It’s just, it’s a sad, and unfortunate, necessary evil, that’s happened. And the fact that he walks away, and the parents are like, “Don’t worry, son, we’ll take care of this.” There’s something very heartbreaking about it, that he’s forced into this situation, because of the path he’s chosen, but he takes no joy in it.”

Stargirl airs Tuesdays at 8/7 on The CW. New episodes debut Mondays on DC Universe.

What did you think about Icicle’s shocking actions this week? Let us know in the comments below.