Courtney Whitmore

Fictional character biography

Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore was born in Los Angeles, California to Barbara Whitmore and Samuel Kurtis. When she was five, her parents divorced, and Barbara took full custody. Ten years later, Barbara married Pat Dugan, who moved the family to Blue Valley, Nebraska, the former hometown of Kid Flash (Wally West). Courtney initially loathed Pat and wanted to see her biological father.

Her first day at Blue Valley High School went poorly when she kicked a bully in the face for defending new friend Mary Kramer. After school, she discovered the original Star-Spangled Kid's gear in Pat's belongings and donned the costume to annoy him. Pat, a skilled mechanic, built S.T.R.I.P.E., a robotic suit, to accompany and protect her. In Blue Valley, her frequent nemesis is Shiv, the young villainess cyborg daughter of Dragon King and Courtney's school rival Cindy Burman.

Courtney joined the Justice Society of America and, after receiving Starman Jack Knight's cosmic staff, changed her identity to Stargirl. She later confronted her predecessor's killer, Solomon Grundy, who attacked the JSA headquarters with the head of the Statue of Liberty. Grundy later developed an obsession with her. During the "Sins of Youth" storyline, she met Merry Pemberton, sister of the original Star-Spangled Kid, and they resolved their differences while battling Klarion the Witch Boy.

Courtney later saved Merry's life during an attack by Amazo and was magically aged to an adult by Klarion. She discovered her biological father working as a common thug for the Royal Flush Gang and confronted him during a robbery.

Supporting characters

Courtney's supporting cast includes her mother Barbara Whitmore and stepfather Pat Dugan. At Blue Valley High School, she had a brief relationship with star athlete Josh Hamman and became close friends with Mary Kramer. Her stepbrother Mike Dugan is Pat's son. Travis Thomas is the school's biggest bully who has a crush on Mary.

Enemies

Courtney Whitmore, as Stargirl, and her stepfather Pat Dugan, who operates the armored suit S.T.R.I.P.E., tangled with a strange assortment of foes. British Bat, a minor crook, once broke Starman’s leg before Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E., and the Justice Society of America took him down. The immortal war criminal Dragon King, who looks like a reptilian humanoid, commanded minions including Dr. Graft, Paintball, Skeeter, and Stunt. Icicle uses cryokinesis.

Johnny Sorrow, a silent film actor, hides his face because anyone who sees it dies. Nebula Man is a living universe. Blue Valley High’s Principal Sherman is a robot working for Dragon King. Courtney’s father, Sam Kurtis, is the Two of Clubs in the Royal Flush Gang.

Shadow Thief wears a Colavarian Infiltration Suit that lets her turn into shadow. Shiv, Dragon King’s daughter, has cybernetic upgrades and expert gymnastic skills. Solomon Grundy, a powerful zombie, became obsessed with Courtney.

In other media

Courtney Whitmore as Stargirl appears in Smallville, portrayed by Britt Irvin, as a member of the Justice Society of America mentored by Sylvester Pemberton. In Legends of Tomorrow, Sarah Grey portrays her as a 1940s JSA member who escapes to the sixth century and creates the court of Camelot under the alias Merlin. Brec Bassinger stars in a self-titled TV series as a teenager and leader of a new JSA; Maizie Smith plays her as a child. Stargirl made a cameo in the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths" via footage from the series.

She also appears in Titans. Animated appearances include Justice League Unlimited (voiced by Giselle Loren), Batman: The Brave and the Bold (Hope Levy), Robot Chicken DC Comics Special, Justice League Action (Natalie Lander), and Young Justice (Whitney Moore). She was cut from the film Black Adam. Stargirl appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure and as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (voiced by Tara Strong) and Infinite Crisis (voiced again by Natalie Lander).