Stargirl Actress Thinks Tigress Can Be Redeemed

With her character making her return to Blue Valley in the most recent episode of Stargirl, Joy Osmanski reveals she believes Tigress has the potential to be redeemed. A fixture throughout Stargirl season 1, Osmanski plays Paula Brooks/Tigress, a gym teacher at Blue Valley High School and a member of Injustice Society of America (ISA), the sworn enemies of Brec Bassinger’s Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl and her new Justice Society of America (JSA). She is also the wife of fellow ISA member Lawrence “Crusher” Crock/Sportsmaster (Neil Hopkins) and the mother of Courtney’s classmate-slash-rival Artemis Crock (Stella Smith).

In the fourth episode of season 2, both Tigress and Sportsmaster escaped from prison — where they had been incarcerated after their defeat at the end of season 1 — in order to cheer on Artemis at her college football try-out. Forcing Courtney’s step-father Pat (Luke Wilson) to help them, the pair eventually revealed the truth about their imprisonment to Artemis and took responsibility for their actions. They also admitted that they didn’t truly fit in with the ISA, being treated simply as muscle, suggesting a significant change in character for both Paula and Crusher.

Speaking to Comicbook.com, Osmanski indicated that this could mark the start of a journey on the path to redemption for Tigress in the future. When explicitly asked if she thinks her character can be redeemed, Osmanski said: “You know, I do,” and added, “[Paula and Crusher] realize that they have to grow and change along with Artemis.” You can read Osmanski’s full statement below:

“You know, I do. I think the ideology of the ISA was so much about Icicle’s vision and Brainwave’s vision and this extreme method of getting what they wanted. It sounded good, but then you’re like, this is how you’re doing it. And I think, Paula and Crusher often felt used. They were described as the attack dogs. And that’s not a role that’s necessarily that fun to play after a while because there’s not a whole lot of autonomy. So, I feel that Paula in her future has a chance to expand her understanding of what her role is. And particularly with her daughter, if you have a kid who is a teenager and getting older and you can’t fool them as much. You know what I mean? I have a 20-year-old step-kid and I can’t do anything that will trick my kid. It’s all got to be adult from here on out. So, I think them coming clean with their daughter is a sign that they realize that they have to grow and change along with Artemis.“

It certainly seems that this is the path that Stargirl’s writers will be taking Tigress on. While Osmanski and Brooks have only been slated to appear in that one guest appearance on the current season, both actors have been upgraded to series regulars for Stargirl season 3. The news, alongside their admission to Artemis in the most recent episode, suggests that both Paula and Lawrence will be making strides towards better connecting with their daughter to improve both themselves and their relationship as a family, as Osmanski alludes to. It would certainly go a long way in adding depth to their characters rather than simply being “attack dogs” for the ISA.

Interestingly, Artemis has been teased as a potential candidate for Eclipso’s new Injustice Society (Injustice Unlimited), and with her mother’s recent confession, it’s more than possible that fans might see the character step into her mother’s shoes as Tigress later in the season, as per the comics. However, with Paula and Crusher potentially on the road to redemption come season 3, it’s entirely possible that Artemis may find herself under her mother’s tutelage and becoming an ally of Stargirl later down the line. It would certainly make sense if Tigress wants to truly atone, but finds herself unable to, due to her past with the ISA. Whether this comes to fruition remains to be seen however, and fans will just have to wait and see what’s in store of both Tigress and Artemis in Stargirl season 2 and beyond.

Source: Comicbook.com

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