Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Out of Business / Kelly's World (Star vs the Forces of Evil Season 4 Episode 7) - 'Toon Reviews 38

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Out of Business



Since this is the last season, it makes sense for certain principal elements of the series to go out with dignity.  It’s hard to believe that one such element is an interdimensional shopping center called Quest Buy.  It’s been the backdrop of at least one episode every season, and each time has consisted of one big adventure.  Now as the end is near for this show, it’s reported to be going out of business.  The adventure from this news is a pretty good sendoff for the place, but it’s also disjointed from anything major which is a problem when a show has a huge underlying story. 
Quest Buy closing goes both ways when it comes to how certain characters react to it, both of which are understandable.  Marco is relieved that the store is closing considering that all the times he’s been there have been near disasters.  Star, however, is saddened about this given how all the times at the store have brought her and Marco closer as friends.  Ultimately, they decide to go to the out of business sale, which is beneficial for Marco who’s under the impression that he needs a lot more high-security wallets.  Also of major note is how Janna suddenly shows up on Mewni to join them, and considering that she’s one of the more enjoyable Echo Creek characters, this is pleasing.  Even more pleasing is that later on, we get a creative reason for how she suddenly shows up here. 
For now, this episode merely becomes a lot of antics that stem from Quest Buy’s out of business sale.  Putting Janna’s unpredictable and sometimes strange nature to good use, she manages to successfully pose as one of Quest Buy’s employees.  For that, she leads Star and Marco to the storage room where the antics do at least get creative.  All the shelves appear to be empty, but all everyone has to do is think of what they want, and the shelves magically fill up just like that.  Marco gets his wallets, but that’s not all.  Star’s desired items consist of sweet innocent things like unicorn cake, a singing toy of an Alvin and the Chipmunks knockoff, and lots of new hair styles.  Janna’s desires are far more out there, consisting of monsters, shrunken heads, and most interesting and cute of all, a baby Marco with wheels for hands. 
It’s all great fun to see, but the episode mostly amounts to just the three of these characters goofing around.  Even the warning sign of a catch to all this is ineffective.  Because the worker who spots them is a sloth, his warning that Star, Marco, and Janna’s brains will turn to goo because of their imagining feels very drawn out.  The story tries to give his warning legitimacy with cages of people who actually have gone crazy with desires, but it ultimately doesn’t matter.  These guys really are strong enough to not give into their desires and simply leave making the warning meaningless.  I suppose it does allow for a change in heart for Marco.  Since some of the desires are sentient life, he can’t bear to leave them behind.  In fact, just as he purchases the wallets he came for, it’s kind of sad when they, along with all of Quest Buy, disappear into thin air shortly afterwards. 
Despite that, you’re still left questioning what just happened when the episode is over.  It was just about a going out of business sale, Star, Marco, and Janna mess around, and get what they want and leave.  It’s nothing more than a simple fun escapade that comes and goes without anything significant happening.  At least the likable and strong characterizations make the episode enjoyable if you just want something fun to watch.

B

Kelly’s World


While I didn’t find Marco and Kelly bonding interesting or substantial when it first became a thing, Season 4 does give them a few moments together that start convincing me otherwise.  Not only that, this episode also stands out for getting creative on where Kelly comes from in a dimension that’s completely dominated by wool or long hair. 
Marco shows up to her place honoring a promise to show her how to make tortas which he didn’t get to make as part of The Ponyhead Show.  Just as something’s about to come of that though, Kelly reveals to him that she’s still being annoyed by her ex-boyfriend Tad.  This is just as frustrating to the audience as it is to her.  Tad now seems like his attachment to Kelly is the only thing that defines who he is.  Those are really not the makings of a likable character.  He just seems pathetic and hypocritical where every time it seems like he’s doing the right thing and moving on, he just goes back to his unhealthy obsession. 
Thankfully for Kelly, she soon gets another matter to think about regarding something out of her love life.  She has to return a library book to avoid paying a huge fine.  Now, this doesn’t seem too pressing, but when relationship building is factored in, even the simplest of matters become quite pleasing.  Marco comes along with Kelly which makes for a lot of that as well as more creative world building to Kelly’s home.  She happens to have a big wig of hair for Marco to use so he can fit in with the rest of the dimension.  Heck, some creatures’ hair is so long, they make up entire homes.  The mannerisms are of special note too and attribute to Kelly’s knowledge of swordsmanship.  People have to punch and fight each other as forms of payment, showing little to no need for actual money around here. 
These are all inventive ways to stand out from the norm, but of course the best parts of the experience are what Marco and Kelly get up to.  They have wholesome conversations with plenty of support for emotional problems, express how much they enjoy just being together, and bond over the contents of Kelly’s book.  It’s nice moments like this that leave a lot of potential for them as a couple.  In fact, they bond so much, they’re almost late to the library.  However, it doesn’t matter because the book was a whole day late anyway.  The fine is especially big for Kelly who has to cut her hair as a result.  The only way out of this is a battle with the librarian.  Selling Kelly and Marco’s power as a couple is that they successfully pull off a fight move that requires both players to be in complete sync, securing victory and saving Kelly’s hair.  Finally, they have another thing to bond over as Kelly reveals that for how frustrating Tad is, she can’t fully let him go, and Marco says he’s the same way with Star.  Subsequent blushes and hand holds that end the episode show a lot of promise for them together. 
While Marco and Kelly do work well as a couple based on this episode, it makes what becomes of them later all the more unfortunate and this entire concept pointless.  The factor will be discussed in depth at a later time, but knowing its existence makes all the good coming from this episode’s moments a sorry sight.  At least it’s one of the show’s most charming if you take it out of context.
B+

The Ranking

1.      Escape from the Pie Folk

2.      Swim Suit

3.      Yadda Yadda Berries

4.      Moon Remembers

5.      Ransomgram

6.      Butterfly Follies

7.      Kelly’s World

8.      Surviving the Spiderbites

9.      Down By the River

10.  Out of Business

11.  Lake House Fever

12.  The Ponyhead Show


 
 
 
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Star and Marco learn the truth behind their dance at the Blood Moon Ball, or do they?
 
If you would like to check out other Star vs the Forces of Evil reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

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