- Tensions rise among the JSA members after Courtney suggests who she wants to recruit next to the team. Meanwhile, Barbara invites Jordan and his family over for dinner, and Henry Jr. makes a surprising discovery about his father.
- Courtney considers adding a new member to her JSA, but two of the existing members strongly object. The Mahkents and Dugans have a family dinner, Beth learns more about Blue Valley's origins, and Henry learns more about his father's origins as Brainwave.—Gislef
- Decades Ago
Henry Sr. staggers out of his lab, fumbling at a bottle of pills, and a mugger approaches him with an aimed gun and demands his car keys. The older man fumbles them out and Henry Sr. hears the mugger's thoughts, and begs him not to kill him. The gun telekinetically flies out of the mugger's hand, and when the mugger lunges at Henry Sr. he's frozen in place. The mugger clutches at his head and goes into convulsions, and Henry Sr. realizes that he's responsible.
Later in his lab, Henry Sr. makes a video diary saying that he thinks he killed a man earlier.
Now
Henry goes to his father's hidden room and looks at a photo on the wall of his mother. He plays one of his father's video diary tapes marked "Day 1", and on the tape Henry Sr. says that he thinks he killed a man earlier. The paramedics called to the scene think it was a seizure, but Henry Sr. figures he was responsible. His superiors denied funding for his experiments on cerebral expansion, saying they were too extreme. Henry Sr. continues his experiments in secret and performed a trial test on himself. Since then, his headaches have increased and he started telepathically hearing voices.
Henry Sr. says that he read the mugger's thoughts, and the mugger was going to end his life. Realizing he was in danger, Henry Sr. figures that he subconsciously gave the mugger a seizure. He felt relief when he silences the mugger's thoughts, ending his migraine. Henry Sr. declares the trial test a success. Henry starts playing the other video diaries.
In the Dugan basement, Courtney tells Pat that she could hear Henry's thoughts in her head but he didn't know what was going on. She felt everything that Henry felt, and he was lonely and confused. Courtney admits that she wasn't expecting that, and tells Pat that Henry isn't like Cindy or Henry Sr. She says that she wants to ask Henry to help them, figuring he can use his telepathy to tell them who else is in the ISA.
Pat points out that they thought the ISA came to Blue Valley to hide. He figures they're planning something if they're working with Ito. Pat wonders if Ito can be killed, since he experimented genetically on himself to sustain his life. The information about Ito isn't in the JSA databank Chuck access, because Pat and Sylvester fought Ito as part of a previous team, the Seven Soldiers of Victory. Ito built a living weapon and the Soldiers destroyed it, but they never got credit for that or their other victories. Now Pat doesn't know where they are since he lost contact with the group. Courtney figures they need as many allies as possible... including Henry.
At the high school, Justin is mopping the hallway floors. He holds up his mop and it becomes the Staff, and Justin drops it to the floor. Justin rubs at his head and discovers that the mop is a mop again, and goes back to mopping.
Beth scans the Burman house with the goggles and confirms that it's empty. She wonders where Cindy went, and Chuck reports that according to the school records, Cindy has withdrawn from Blue Valley High to study overseas with her mother. Beth doesn't believe it and rides off on her bicycle... over the manhole where the drones took Cindy. Cindy is in a cell in the tunnels, yelling at someone to release her. Her father ignores her, and Cindy says that she would have killed Stargirl but Henry intervened. Dragon King ignores her, and Cindy says that she'll kill him like she killed her mother if he doesn't release her. Walking over, Dragon King closes the door window and tells his drones to turn on the knockout gas in the cell. As Cindy passes out, Dragon King figures that he can use Henry to power his machine.
Henry watches the video diaries of Henry Sr. describing the new power that that he'd discovered. The teenager tests his own powers the same way, telekinetically levitating tapes and other objects around the room. He finally drives a letter opener into a bookshelf.
At the school, Courtney suggests to Rick, Beth, and Yolanda that they make Henry a member of their JSA. Yolanda refuses after what he did to her, and Rick tells Courtney that people don't change. Beth doesn't agree with him, pointing out that they've all changed. Yolanda insists that Henry is his father's son, and Rick suggests that Henry saved Stargirl as a set-up. Despite Courtney saying they need everyone they can get on their side, Yolanda refuses and leaves and Rick goes with her.
Henry watches a diary of his father talking about how his father held him by the ankles over a well as "punishment". It made Henry Sr. feel powerless, and he felt that way ever since... until he gained his mental powers. On the next tape, Henry Sr. talks about rendering a man blind when Henry Sr. read his thoughts about a woman he was looking at. Henry Sr. subsequently shoved the man in front of an oncoming train when blinding him didn't make Henry Sr.'s headache go away. No matter whose mind he read, Henry Sr. saw vile thoughts and realizes that people are monsters and he hates them.
The maid comes in and Henry pulls the letter opener to his hand so she doesn't see it. He picks up her thoughts about her worrying about him, and Henry tells her that he's fine. The maid, Mercedes, says that a lawyer called and wants to talk to Henry about his father. Mercedes thinks that they might be better off if Henry Sr. died, and Henry tells her to shut up. He has a migraine like Henry Sr. had, and hears his father's voice in his head, calling his name. Henry storms out past Mercedes and leaves.
The ISA meets in their headquarters, and Dragon King comes in and joins them. Once he sits, Dragon King assures the ISA members that he's their ally. He says that they don't need to wait for Brainwave to wake up, because his son Henry has the same power. Dragon King assures them that the amplifier will be ready in a week, and they can take control of every mind across six states and carve out a new America.
Later in his office, Jordan is looking at photos of several men. He quickly puts the photos away when Barbara comes in. She apologizes for leaving Jordan in Oakville, and assures him that Courtney is better. Jordan says that he just finished a project he's been working on, and it took a lot of time away from his son Cameron. He talks about how his wife Christine would make dinner after Jordan took a trip, and Barbara invites Jordan and his family to have dinner with her.
Henry goes to his father's room, hearing the thoughts of everyone around him. He tells his father that he heard him and asks if he inherited his powers, and wonders if Henry Sr. needs his help. A nurse comes in and Henry hears the nurse's thoughts, saying that he never liked Henry Sr. and they should terminate his life support. Once the nurse leaves, Henry tells Henry Sr. that he was right and people are monsters.
At the garage, Beth and Rick arrive in response to Pat's summons. They ask him why Pat even let Courtney talk to Henry, and Pat says that Courtney always believed in Rick. Rick says that he never sent nudes of a girl around, and Pat says that based on what Courtney said, he wants to learn if the tunnels beneath the high school are connected to Cindy's house. He's going through some old books and hopes that the goggles can piece it all together. Beth is willing to try, but Rick is angry that Pat just brought them there to look through old books. Pat tells them that sometimes being a superhero takes planning and study, then says he has family business and leaves. Rick tells Beth to go over the books while he cracks the codes in his father's journal.
Courtney comes into the hospital room and she "thinks" that she doesn't want to hurt Henry like she hurt Henry Sr. Henry realizes that his father didn't merely have a seizure and telepathically attacks her for a moment. Courtney insists that Henry Sr. was going to kill her and she didn't hurt him on purpose, and confirms that Henry knows his father was a member of the ISA.
Henry reads Courtney's mind to know what she knows, and Courtney asks him to help her find out who is a member. Courtney points out that the ISA killed people like Joey and her father, and Henry says that maybe they all deserved it. She asks if Joey deserved it, and Henry admits that Joey was a nice kid. Henry says that it's hell to hear everyone's thoughts, and says that everyone else worse than he is. His father had a reason to hate people, and deep down people are all monsters. Courtney says that people can be bad and good, and suggests that he look deeper and find something better. Henry doesn't believe it, and Courtney suggests that Henry wants to be loved. She points out that Henry is at his father's side despite how Henry Sr. treated him.
Henry's telepathy kicks in, and he angrily tells Courtney to get out. Objects in the room telekinetically shakes, and Courtney leaves. Before she goes, Courtney tells Henry that she knows deep down that he wants to do the right thing, and invites him to come talk to her when he's ready.
Pat come home to find Barbara preparing family dinner. He wants to talk to her, and Courtney comes in and agrees with her stepfather. Courtney changes the topic to her history test, and the doorbell rings. Barbara leaves, and Courtney tells Pat not to tell Barbara anything. Courtney then answers the door and finds the Mahkents there. Jordan introduces himself and his parents Sofus and Lily greet Courtney as well.
At the hospital, Henry goes to get water to take his pills. Wildcat grabs him and yanks him into a nearby room. Henry telepathically identifies Yolanda, and Wildcat tells him to stay away from Courtney and her family. Wildcat says that Courtney thinks Henry's soul is worth saving, but she knows it isn't. She says that she should kill him, and invites him to read her thoughts. Henry does so, and when he learns that she's thinking of killing him, Wildcat says that she'll kill him if he comes near her or her friends. She thinks that Henry betrayed her and she loved him, and leaves via the window.
Everyone sits down for dinner, and Jordan and his family give a Norwegian grace.
Beth finds something in the history books, and tells Rick that Blue Valley was settled in 1875 by a group of Freemasons calling themselves "The Other Founding Fathers". They came there to build a community free of outside interference, and Beth figures they built the tunnels the ISA is using.
The Dugans and Mahkents have dinner, and they talk about their various backgrounds. Jordan asks Pat why he moved to Blue Valley, and Pat talks about the pace and Barbara grew up there. Barbara and Jordan talk about Blue Valley will eventually represent the American Dream, built on families. Jordan and Barbara share a toast, while Lily tells her husband in Norwegian that Courtney bothers her. Mike takes the last dumpling and Courtney goes to the kitchen to get some more.
When Courtney comes back, Buddy comes up to the table and a distracted Jordan picks up a hot plate with his bare hands. Courtney notices and asks Pat to help her with something in the kitchen. He goes out with her, and she tells Pat that she thinks Jordan is Icicle. When Courtney explains why, Pat isn't convinced and Courtney wonders if Cameron has superpowers as well.
As the Mahkents leave, Cameron asks Courtney if something is wrong. She dismisses it as nothing, and he suggests that they do something soon. Cameron hugs her before going, and Jordan tells Courtney that he was really there because he had to meet the girl his son has been talking about much. Jordan says that he approves and leaves, and Courtney goes down to the basement and gets the Staff. Pat follows her and asks what she thinks she's doing, and Courtney suggests they use the Staff to prove Jordan is Icicle. Pat insists that first they tell Barbara everything, and Barbara comes down, sees the Staff, and asks what it is. It dims itself and drops to the floor, and Barbara screams in shock as Pat tries to explain.
Henry sits at his father's bedside, and the lawyer Mr. Green comes in. Green explains that Henry Sr. left instructions that his life support would only continue on for a limited time if he was ever comatose. Henry reads Green's mind and "hears" him thinking about how he needs the money and Henry's signature on the paper. Henry tells Green that he's lying and faked the papers to take Henry Sr.'s money, and gives Green a fatal seizure. Henry Sr. wakes up and sees what his son has done, and asks what's going on.
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