Jordan Mahkent/Icicle is the Big Bad of Geoff Johns’ new Stargirl series on DC Universe. However, the character’s history dates back much further. Read to learn new information about Icicle, as well as how Jackson’s portrayal differs from the comic book story.
Jordan Mahkent is the main antagonist of DC Universe’s Stargirl, a new series created by Geoff Johns. He is a wealthy businessman living in small town Blue Valley, NE. However, Mahkent has a dark secret – a double life as the villainous Icicle, leader of the Injustice Society of America (ISA).
Although Jordan Mahkent is All-American, the character is portrayed in Stargirl by Neil Jackson, who hails from Luton, England. Some of Jackson’s previous credits include Westworld and Make It Or Break It.
It should be said that Jackson’s interpretation of Icicle is far from the first. In fact, the character’s debut in DC Comics dates back to 1947, as Joar Mahkent. He was renamed Jordan for the new Stargirl series.
In Stargirl, Jordan Mahkent/Icicle has a son named Cameron, played by Hunter Sansone. In DC Comics, Cameron follows in his father’s footsteps by becoming the second Icicle or Icicle Jr. However, he has only thus far been seen as a high school classmate of Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger), who is the titular heroine, Stargirl.
The Stargirl series has also given a tragic backstory to Jordan – losing his wife to illness when their son was a young child. From then on, fulfilling his wife’s final wish on her deathbed – to do whatever it took to complete his mission and kill those who get in the way.
Prior to Jackson, other actors have played Icicle in live-action projects. In 2018, during the fifth season of The Flash, Thomas Snow (Kyle Secor), father of main character Caitlin, is introduced as an iteration of Icicle. In 2010, actors Rick Dietrich and Wesley MacInnes portrayed Joar and Cameron respectively in Smallville.
Additionally, James Remar (Dexter) and Yuri Lowenthal (Ben 10) voiced the duo in the animated series Young Justice.
Even in Stargirl‘s short-lived existence, Jordan Mahkent was at the centre of arguably the show’s darkest moment that took place in episode three, Icicle. The villain manipulated Joey Zarick (Wil Deusner) into the path of a moving pick up truck. The high school student and wannabe magician later died of his injuries, an incident that was witnessed by Stargirl and her sidekick/stepfather STRIPE (Luke Wilson).
Joey’s father, Blue Valley Councilman William Zarick (Joe Knezevich) was secretly Wizard, one of Icicle’s cronies in the ISA. When confronting Mahkent about his son’s fate, Zarick Sr. was frozen to death and the cause of his demise was covered up as a heart attack. At the very end of the episode, it was revealed that Cameron Mahkent knew Joey from around school and attended his memorial.
With such a chilling villain for Stargirl to face, the show will surely have an exciting first season.
Stargirl airs Mondays on DC Universe. The series features an ensemble cast, including Brec Bassinger, Luke Wilson, Amy Smart and Neil Jackson.
Follow writer Conor O’Brien on Twitter – @CourageousConor
