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Doop-Doop
The best word to describe this episode is mixed. Its premise involves dragging certain plot points out longer than necessary which stalls everything and tends to get repetitive. However, there’s also something endearing about the context of what exactly is being dragged out.
You see, at one point in the previous episode, Tom invited Star to go on a trip throughout dimensions as a way of celebrating not needing to be part of royalty anymore. For Star, this is exciting because it’s been well-established that she’d rather be an adventurous teen than princess or future queen. The catch is that rather than getting on with the trip right away, Star has so many people she has to say good-bye to before setting off.
Of course, saying good-bye to Marco is a given, especially as he’s on his way back to Earth with Janna, but it doesn’t stop there. Many good-byes take Star and Tom to various characters, all with their own ways of sending them off. Eclipsa and Globgor send them off with honor, and a vegan Mewman cake, for all they've done to help them rule and reunite their family. Pony Head actually has a civil, if overblown, farewell despite being reminded that she still has her mess of a TV show. Buff Frog and his children invite Star for a nice game of Cornball and wish her and Tom luck on their trip. There’s also time taken to see Star’s parents at the new Mewni settlement where Star has possibly the nicest moment with her mother to date. Moon even believes that an interdimensional trip is just what Star needs to find herself. This along with her supporting Star by showing up at the coronation in the last episode is very demonstrative of how understanding and supportive Moon has become of her daughter. It’s nice stuff like this that makes me very downhearted over what becomes of her character later. Anyway, all these good-byes show how many people Star has impacted throughout the series, although only in other dimensions. It’s a solid reflection of growth that’s welcome for the main protagonist of any series, especially one that comes to its last season.
Even with the heart of these farewells, Star soon puts all their merit to waste when she claims there are even more people she has to say good-bye to. One of them is right in the title when she and Tom stop at a random shed so Star can say good-bye to what’s apparently her very first spell, a talking broom named Doop-Doop. The thing is, nothing has been known about Doop-Doop any other time prior, so it’s impossible to really get any sort of emotional investment from this. That’s not mentioning that Star has clearly left him to rot in the sun as he looks like he’s decaying. How can this be seen as genuine?
Then when Star points out other random people never heard before, Tom, who’s just wanted to get going on the trip, calls Star out for stalling. The truth is Star doesn’t really know where she wants to go, not just on the trip, but what to do with herself now that she’s not a princess anymore. This is understandable, but it’s still very flawed that she had to bring on this really dragged out sequence just to come to this conclusion. The only credit to give is to Tom who’s rightfully upset by this, but holds himself back to not make a scene. He then respects Star’s wishes to find herself by leaving for the underworld alone, making for a deconstruction of this couple. As for Star, she ultimately decides to go back to Earth to be with Marco, giving the episode an adorable end as she meets his new baby sister, Mariposa.
As you can tell, this episode is held back by long sequences that needlessly stall the point, but still has heart in areas that can’t be ignored. It’s flawed and very nice all at once.
C+
Britta’s Tacos
Now that Star’s decided to return to Earth, Echo Creek returns to being the main hub of the series, for a time anyway. For the longest time, I’ve felt that the characters of this town were mostly uninteresting and unproductive, and most of what Star got up to here were pointless time-wasters. While that may have been true in older seasons, it’s not really worth admonishing this part of the show when the lore aspect has noticeable flaws too. I stand by adventures there being very mixed in quality, but this episode is definitely one of the better Echo Creek episodes.
After such a long time of big magic and royalty business on Mewni, a simpler story at Marco’s hometown in Earth is actually kind of welcome. The motives of him and Star are also appropriately simple. Marco just wants to get enough punches on a card for a prize from taco place, Britta’s Tacos, while Star literally just slouches around to relax as it’s summer. This is a reminder of how funny literal-minded Star can be about Earth customs can be, especially since it hasn’t been seen in ages. Plus, it’s nice to see her relax not just after all that she’s been through, but because she was called to Mewni while being denied a chance at summer back in Season 2. Making this return to older formulas stand out is the inclusion of Mariposa, Marco’s new baby sister. Just her being there is enough to add an extra layer of cuteness to what’s going on, though the running joke of her being a child to him and Star does kind of get old fast.
Even so, the reappearances of many old Earth characters help highlight the experience. Marco’s Sensei and Star’s first love interest, Oskar Greason, are seen working at Britta’s Tacos, bringing new direction to their lives. Obsessive fangirl known as StarFan13 shows just as much affection to Star as she did in the older episodes to hilarious effect. Ms. Skullnick and Principal Skinner show up making decent humor as Star hides from them since she missed a year of school, and Marco telling them he tested out after missing school too. That’s a clever way of showing how much time has past since both of them were on Mewni. On a less interesting note, Marco also has a decent reunion with his old friends Alfonzo and Ferguson who help him get a lot of his punches. Still, nothing much stands out about these characters compared to others. Also, Marco is constantly reminded of his ex-girlfriend, Jackie Lynn Thomas, and at times in the episode worries about what she’ll think of him considering his complicated love life.
The episode pretty much saves the best reunion for last as Jackie shows up with a girl she met in France named Chloe, and from their interactions, you can tell they’re something more. They share a nice moment where a conclusion is reached that Marco may have been a poor boyfriend, but they can still be friends. After all, they’re both in a good place with the people they’ve met, with Jackie convincing Marco to not ruin things with a nice girl like Star. In the end, Marco might not get his prize, but it’s meaningful that he and Star consider the real prize seeing their friends again.
Not only are the Echo Creek characters at their most charming here, but they’re pleasing and fitting to see with all the drama settled…for now.
A
The Ranking
1. Cornonation
2. The Monster and the Queen
3. Escape from the Pie Folk
4. Meteora’s Lesson
5. Swim Suit
6. Cornball!
7. Yada Yada Berries
8. Moon Remembers
9. Britta’s Tacos
10. Junkin’ Janna
11. Queen-Napped
12. Ghost of Butterfly Castle
13. The Knight Shift
14. Ransomgram
15. Butterfly Follies
16. Kelly’s World
17. A Boy and His DC-700XE
18. Surviving the Spiderbites
19. A Spell With No Name
20. Princess Quasar Caterpillar and the Magic Bell
21. Down By the River
22. Out of Business
23. Lake House Fever
24. Doop-Doop
25. The Ponyhead Show
26. The Curse of the Blood Moon
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Star is determined to make today her and Marco's beach day, and babies Mariposa and Meteora quickly lead extraordinary lives.
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.
I did not expect a running gag involving teenage pregnancy, what with everyone thinking that Mariposa is Marco and Star's daughter.
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