Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 20) – Pizza Party / The Tavern at the End of the Multiverse
As we move into the final episodes of Star vs the Forces of Evil’s fourth (and final) season, it looks like Mina Loveberry is not going to make things easy.
With a massive army of Solarian warriors and major threats to the monsters of the kingdom, things may be taking a turn for the worse in this latest episode.
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– Pizza Party –
In a shocking revelation, Moon reveals that Mina is actually working for her, but promises she can quell Mina’s bloodlust, if Eclipsa surrenders the crown to her, and leaves Mewni, along with Globgor and Meteora.
This story is one where there’s quite a number of revelations and head-butting to be had. It could have easily spiraled out-of-control between several of our characters, and ended up becoming a major shouting match, but I was surprised at how the story managed to weave everything together in a satisfying way. There’s plenty of things going on in this segment, that kept me eager to see what would happen next.
Earlier in the season, I was wondering about Moon’s feelings towards Eclipsa after events in season 3. I had a feeling she might harbor some ill feelings towards Eclipsa, but I definitely didn’t think she was capable of doing what she did. We also see that the Magic High Commission may have also wished Mina to return things to “normalcy,” but it looks like it is more for their benefit, and not that of the kingdom. In a pop-culture sense, it feels like Moon and the Commission, acted like the Mob in The Dark Knight, hiring an unstable individual to take care of their problem…but not realizing just what they were getting themselves into!
One other major surprise is in the opening, where we get a little backstory into who Mina was, before she was drafted into Queen Solaria’s Solarian Warrior program a long time ago. We also get our first animated viewing of Solaria in the flashback as well.
Best line from segment (said by Eclipsa): “Oh to be perfectly honest, at this point I-I’ll skip the speech and be on my way!”
Final Grade: B
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– The Tavern at the End of the Multiverse –
Before Mina can attack them, Star, Marco, Moon, and Eclipsa are magicked away by Hekapoo, to the Tavern at the End of the Multiverse. The tavern functions as a neutral zone, and Hekapoo feels she’s saved the group from certain death. However, Eclipsa, Moon, and Star do not want to just sit around doing nothing, while Mewni is in peril.
While Moon and Eclipsa have a heart-to-heart over a game of pool, Star is surprised to find Glossaryck at the tavern, and forces him to have a discussion with her.
We also get some “ticking-clock” imagery from Mewni, regarding the fate of the monsters there, as well as what being attacked by a Solarian warrior’s sword can do to a monster (which is so shocking, it even freaks Janna out!).
This segment continues the trend of shocking revelations that we’ve seen over the last few segments. We get some regarding Moon, and a few regarding Star. Star’s revelations though, might be the most emotionally-charged of this entire segment. We get a return to The Grandma Room as glimpsed all the way back in season 2, to discuss something we saw there…and what it may mean for the future of Mewni.
It is very nice to see the writers didn’t waste their final 11-minute segment for the series. The talking that goes on here is quite revelatory, and it never feels like any of the time is being wasted.
Best line from segment (said by Eclipsa): “My whole, entire life has been ‘a time like this,’ Moon. You learn to enjoy these moments.”
Final Grade: B+
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Eclipsa, in The Tavern at the End of the Multiverse): “That’s it! That’s it! You’re done-you’re all done! Game over!”
And then…there was one. One episode to go, and Star vs the Forces of Evil, comes to an end.
Join me soon, as I review the final episode: Cleaved. At the end of the first season, Glossaryck of Terms mentioned that something can be cleaved in two ways. It can be cleaved apart…or cleaved together.
Just what could this final title possibly mean?
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 19) – The Right Way / Here to Help
On the last episode of Star vs the Forces of Evil, our teenage gang returned to Mewni, and Mina Loveberry threw down the gauntlet, trying to take control of Mewni back from Queen Eclipsa.
It looks like a new Battle for Mewni…has begun.
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– The Right Way –
Things look bleak for Eclipsa and the monsters in her palace, until Star, several of her friends, and a number of Mewni warriors come to her aid.
If last episode’s segment was the wind-up, this one is the pitch, as we see Star and her cohorts attempt to do battle with Mina. Sadly, most just end up as little more than cannon-fodder when going up against her. However, there are a few surprises to be had. There also is a moment which might be Ponyhead’s most sincere declaration ever…but then again, she might just be playing it up big for her Ponyhead Show audience that’s watching the battle.
Star is the stand-out here, utilizing her magic in a way we haven’t seen before. Out of all these characters she is definitely the most powerful, and we see her wage a major fight that gets quite intense at times.
Eclipsa does come into play at one point, as well as one of her spells that was hinted at a few episodes ago. I had a feeling we’d see this used before the end of the season, though what the writers and artists conjure up for the damage the spell can do, definitely makes it quite shocking when we see it in action.
While the battle scenes definitely got my blood pumping, and Eclipsa’s use of a major spell was quite shocking, the up-and-down feeling of emotional momentum in this story kept me from really enjoying it like I was hoping to.
Best line from segment (said by Star Butterfly): “RAINBOW KAIJU BATTLE-ARMOR!!!”
Final Grade: B-
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– Here to Help –
It turns out that the giant Solarian warrior that was thought to be Mina…wasn’t. Soon, Mina does show up at Monster Castle, leading a massive army of Solarian-warriors, and giving Eclipsa a time-frame to surrender…or be destroyed.
Things look bleak, until Moon Butterfly, and River Johansen arrive at Eclipsa’s palace, willing to help.
This segment seems to be rife with little ‘group-meetings.’ From Eclipsa and Moon, to Star and Marco, it seems to be a story rife with discussions. There’s even a little bit of discussion between River and Globgor. It’s not much, but it’s rather nice to see that River is still staying the course on giving respect and help to the new King of Mewni.
The writers also choose this segment, to mention some revelations between Star and Marco, from last episode’s Mama Star segment. It may seem a little out-of-place to thrown in such talk with a major battle about to take place, but it feels like this may be the last chance to have a conversation like this one (I won’t lie: my jaw dropped a few times during their conversation).
There also is another major revelation to be had, but like most stories we’ve seen in the series, this happens mere seconds before the story ends, leaving us on a cliffhanger ending.
Best line from segment (said by Star Butterfly): “Okay, can we kiss?”
Final Grade: B
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Star Butterfly, in The Right Way): “Mewni has changed. And it’s NOT! CHANGING!! BACK!!!”
Well, it looks like the battle has begun. Next episode, some of the revelations we’ve seen here will be opened up a bit more, and we’ll see just where Mina is going to go with her threats to wipe out the monster population for good.
See you for my next review, on the second-to-last-episode for Star vs the Forces of Evil’s fourth season.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 14) – Coronation
When it comes to 22-minute episodes of Star vs the Forces of Evil, the showrunners usually reserve these rarities for something big.
And with a title like Coronation, it looks like this could definitely fit the bill.
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– Coronation –
Star has helped Eclipsa to put on an official, royal coronation. All seems to be going well…until it’s revealed that someone has unfrozen Globgor from his crystal imprisonment!
When it comes to her relationship with Eclipsa, Star has often seemed a bit more open-minded than most in the kingdom (including her Mom). While she has strived to help Eclipsa, there have been a few times this season where she has found herself questioning the former Queen’s motives. While this is Eclipsa’s coronation episode, Star does most of the “heavy-lifting” story-wise.
It is a little surprising that we are shown Globgor so soon after the last storyline. I had expected that maybe we’d get a little time to catch our breath, but here he is! There are also some embellishments made to his monster powers that we saw in The Monster and the Queen segment, and we get to see a number of persons freaked out by Globgor’s imposing form. However, if you saw his previous, un-crystallized appearance, you’ll see plenty of familiar touches to his character here.
What is notable about parts of this story, is how there are several threads from episodes we’ve already seen, that actually get tied into this one. That has been a saving grace for a number of stories this season, given how it seemed fairly common in previous seasons to be shown stuff that would never be resolved, or simply go nowhere.
We also get a small sub-plot in regards to Moon Butterfly, as well as the small mewman colony she and her husband River oversee. While Moon strives to just provide a safe-haven for displaced mewmans, the centuries-old thought that “monsters are evil” still has not totally washed away with Eclipsa’s taking back the throne (let alone the thought that she’s favoring monsters over them). This is something one rarely sees in an animated cartoon series, and the show has decided to not just wave a magic wand and make everyone see logic or reason, but prove that this is something that may take awhile to be resolved in this world.
There is also a rather mild sub-story, wherein during the emergency crisis, Marco, Tom, and a few others from the castle attempt to distract the coronation crowd with a talent show. I will admit it’s okay for a few laughs, including one scene that just feels like something that teenagers would totally do when performing.
By the time the episode ended, I was surprised to realize how satisfying I found the entire thing! There was not only drama, but emotion, action, fun, and a number of callbacks to various characters and plot-threads we’ve seen over the last few seasons. While I felt there were a few story hiccups here-and-there, the overall story was strong enough, that I found myself giving it one of the highest grades so far for season 4 episodes yet.
Coronation is definitely one of those “turning-point” episodes, and one can only wonder how the actions of what takes place within it, will shape the last seven episodes of Star vs the Forces of Evil.
Best line from episode (said by Janna): “Nice job, Eclipsa. I get it now.”
Final Grade: A-
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by random coronation attendee): “I don’t know how to respond to this shift in the paradigm!”
I wasn’t sure just what to expect with this episode. To me, it could have ended up as another Bon Bon the Birthday Clown, but instead, came out on top with a revelatory tone and feel, that made me as emotionally-involved as I was with last season’s episode, titled Toffee.
The next episode sees a return to the two-segment episode format. First up is Doop-Doop, where Star and Tom decide to take a little trip. Then, in Britta’s Tacos, Star goes back to Earth, and attempts to help Marco with a little quest of his own there. See you soon!
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 9) – Princess Quasar Caterpillar and the Magic Bell / Ghost of Butterfly Castle
After a 22-minute storyline messing with it’s incessant fan-shippers, Star vs the Forces of Evil returns to it’s regular two-segment format.
What is most notable about this episode, is that it’s segments push Star and her friends to the side, and focus on a few characters we haven’t seen in awhile.
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– Princess Quasar Caterpillar and the Magic Bell –
After failing to claim another magical artifact, Ludo doesn’t know what to do with himself. However, his younger brother Dennis attempts to help him…by dredging up things from Ludo’s sordid past.
The title for the episode is a little misleading, as it starts out with a very interesting alternate-dimension version of the Bon-Bon the Birthday Clown episode…for a few minutes, anyway (there’s even a tiny reference to the segment Ludo in the Wild).
The main focus of the segment is Dennis trying to break his brother out of his funk…though I do question Dennis’ methods in dragging Ludo back into his ‘old ways’ as a source of helping him move on. This doesn’t feel so much like Dennis trying to help Ludo, as it is “enabling” him. We even get to see the return of some of Ludo’s monster henchmen (some of whom I thought had been destroyed in the Season 1 finale!).
Where the story did get surprising, is when something happens that really shows just how much Ludo cares for Dennis. We haven’t really seen anything this strong from Ludo before regarding his family, and it ends up being the saving grace that lifted up the story in my eyes.
Best line from segment (said by Ludo): “This feels better than I’d like it to.”
Final Grade: B-
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– Ghost of Butterfly Castle –
Moon Butterfly and her husband River have welcomed a number of the mewman population to live near their new home, but Moon grows annoyed when they can’t seem to agree on basic things.
Going back to the ruins of Butterfly Castle to find something that might help, she comes across some unexpected surprises.
This is Moon’s story, and we actually get some wonderful mood-filled moments, as she explores the castle. It’s like she is combing through the ruins of her previous life, and trying to figure out what she should do next. It’s a subtle “crossroads” segment, but what she decides to do going forward, will make one wonder if she will stick to her convictions.
Much like Moon’s previous appearance, the writers attempt to mine comedy out of the helplessness of the population, but it still doesn’t feel humorous to me.
An unexpected appearance is also made by Mina Loveberry. Mina’s appearances in the past felt as irritating as most of Ponyhead’s, but this may be one of the few times where a segment actually has her stop being over-the-top long enough be intriguing…and make us realize that she may now be one of the most dangerous beings on Mewni. This was most interesting in how we saw a revelation tying into a segment a few episodes ago.
There are areas of the segment that also tie into some Star-related books from Disney Press, and I could just imagine the surprise on some of the fan’s faces, as they hear some of Mewni’s history being discussed in this story.
Best line from segment (said by Day-Planner Thief): “That’s anarchy for you!”
Final Grade: B-
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Ludo, in Princess Quasar Caterpillar and the Magic Bell): “Let’s say his heart is in a better place now.”
This episode seems to show that Ludo can’t quite escape his past, while Moon attempts to move on from hers. Both stories also make us wonder if this is the last we’ve seen of the two (most notably Ludo).
In the next episode, we get to see some of the popular Mewnian sport Cornball in the episode of the same name. Glossaryck also attempts to teach Meteora a thing-or-two, in Meteora’s Lesson. See you back here soon for the next review.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 5) – Yada Yada Berries / Down By The River
After a more “intimate” episode, the fifth episode of Star vs the Forces of Evil’s fourth season, attempts to show us more of what is happening to the world of mewmans and monsters.
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– Yada Yada Berries –
During a breakfast get-together for local monsters, Eclipsa is almost turned to stone when yada yada berries are found in her oatmeal! Incensed by this attempt on the Queen’s life, Star and Marco set out to find the culprit.
The style of this episode is one of those “whodunit” affairs, with Star and Marco following leads, interrogating suspects, and looking for clues. While there is a little humor mined from Star being overly-dramatic at times looking for the culprit, the whole affair feels a little, ‘meh.’
It is during the end of the episode, that we get into some more storytelling regarding how the mewman population heavily distrusts Eclipsa and the changes she has been making. I wish there could have been a bit more focus on this part of the storyline. Most of the mewman population we see are in general “angry mob” mode like we’ve seen on The Simpsons. We do see Eclipsa making an effort to get to know the local monster population by having breakfast with them, yet one would hope she would attempt some sort of event to try and resolve the issues that the mewmans may have with her, on a more personal level.
An okay story at best, but one where it felt like there could have been a much stronger story to be told instead of the whodunit mystery angle.
Best line from segment (said by Star Butterfly): “Lookin’ for some answers…and ah’m gunna get em!”
Final Grade: C+
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– Down By The River –
When a mewman family known as the Maizley’s find their house repossessed by it’s original monster-owner (thanks to a new decree by Queen Eclipsa), they set out to find a new home. Their journey leads them into the nearby forest, where they encounter (former Queen) Moon Butterfly, and (former King) River Johansen.
The episode wastes little time in turning this into an “annoying neighbors” storyline, as everything the Maizley’s attempt to do, soon begins to grate on Moon’s nerves. This is definitely a new side of Moon we haven’t seen before, but I would have preferred if the story didn’t get so heavy-handed with the “annoying family” gags.
The most notable bit of going overboard, is with the naivete of the Maizley family. They are totally oblivious to the fact that their former gigantic house was once owned by monsters, and the humor of them being unknowingly annoying at times, wore on me as deeply as it did on Moon herself. It was established early in the series that Mewni was not exactly a paradise for the non-royals, but this episode makes it seem like Moon Butterfly’s rule provided for the people, more than we could ever have imagined beyond the early depictions of the kingdom.
What did end up saving the episode for me, was getting to see Moon and River playing off each other. It is rare to see Moon lose her temper (or mind), and we also get to see some nice scenes of her and River cooperating, when the irritation of the Maizley’s brings them closer together.
It was also fun to see a monster from last season reappear as the house’s new owner. Plus, he’s another example of the monsters not showing any sort of malice towards mewmans (even going so far as to pack up the Maizley’s belongings before sending them on their way).
Best line from segment (said by River Johansen): “You don’t suppose The Hookman got them, do you?”
Final Grade: B-
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Star Butterfly, in Yada Yada Berries): “B-b-b-but I wanted to crack the case!”
This episode seemed to show us how things are changing for a number of denizens within the kingdom, though sometime not for the best.
In the next episode, we get the return of Flying Princess Ponyhead in The Ponyhead Show, and the return of another of Mewni’s royal families, in Surviving the Spider-Bites. See you soon for the next Star vs the Forces of Evil review.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 3) – Moon Remembers / Swim Suit
After the first two episodes of Season 4 of Star vs the Forces of Evil, the series has now returned to it’s regular two-story-per-episode structure. The questing storyline is now over, and it looks like it’s time for the show to settle down, and see what the New Monster Order over Mewni has in store for Star Butterfly, and the rest of the kingdom.
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– Moon Remembers –
After being rescued from the Pie Folk, Moon Butterfly’s memory is still in the process of coming back to her
Star and Marco take both her Mom and (reluctant) Father to meet with Eclipsa, though Star is fearful of how her mother will react to the decisions she’s made in her absence (such as giving the royal wand to Eclipsa, and putting monsters in power).
Star and Marco take more of a back-seat to this episode, as does Star’s father, River (who once again is saddled with being “the comic relief”).
The highlight is seeing Moon and Eclipsa interacting again. It was Eclipsa who was largely responsible for Moon’s absence at the end of Season 3, and it was nice to see her try to make amends for what happened, even if Moon doesn’t know the full set of circumstances.
I welcome storylines that manage to slow down and show us character growth, and seeing Moon and Eclipsa together again, reminded me of some of my favorite moments from Season 3. I do also like that the storyline ends on a questionable note, as if not everything can be tied up nice-and-neat when it comes to some circumstances.
Best line from segment (said by Marco Diaz): “What, I can’t say Globgor now? Glossaryck said nothing but the word Globgor for, like the last year!”
Final Grade: B
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– Swim Suit –
Now that they’ve found her mother, Star wants to spend a day at the beach with Marco, and Tom. However, things get put on hold when Eclipsa’s request to have Rhombulus free her crystal-encased husband Globgor, leads to the two getting into a heated battle in the castle.
The theme of this story seems to carry over a little from the last one, given that there is an expected maturity and decorum one hopes for in regards to Eclipsa being the new Queen…but Rhombulus is his usual stand-offish self, and dead-set against accepting the New Monster Order.
Marco and Tom are along for the ride, though mainly for minor comic relief. There are a number of gags involving Marco trying to find a pair of swim trunks, but this only gave me a few chuckles.
This story shows Star struggling to do something she wants to do, but finding herself trying to be the mature one in the situation between Rhombulus and Eclipsa. I found this to be one of the highlights of the story, and serves as a reminder that adults can sometimes be as immature as children (and young people can sometimes be the more mature ones in some cases).
We also see an interesting dynamic of Eclipsa trying to be reasonable, but also letting her emotions almost get the better of her. Plus, there’s plenty of new magic we get to see her unleash with her wand/umbrella.
Rhombulus is his typical bombastic self, though I was surprised to see the writers give him a few funny moments. There also is a tie-in mention to a Season 2 reveal, but along with most references on this show, I’m not expecting it to be anything more than just a little aside that will get lost in the season’s storytelling.
Best line from segment (said by Rhombulus in Eclipsa’s body): “Why does my face have so many holes in it!?”
Final Grade: B-
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Eclipsa, in Moon Remembers): “Oh I’m sorry. I just got lost in a solo.”
Compared to the previous episodes, episode three makes me eager to see what the storytelling will be regarding the changes that will be coming to Mewni…and if Eclipsa really can be trusted.
In the next episode, Star has to help Marco deal with a Ransomgram from another dimension, and also spends a day with Tom and his family, in Lake House Fever. See you soon for the next episode review.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 4, Episode 2) – Escape from the Pie Folk
The opening to Star vs the Forces of Evil’s fourth season, plunged us head-first into the search for Star’s mother (Moon Butterfly), while also showing what has been happening around Mewni since the revelations at the end of the last season. We were also introduced to a new group of Mewmans, known as “the Pie Folk.”
In Escape from the Pie Folk, Star Butterfly, Marco Diaz, and (former) King River now find themselves on Pie Island. As they continue their search for Moon Butterfly, they must keep their wits about them in regards to the duplicitous Pie Folk, and their ruler, the Pie King.
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After the more ‘manic’ storytelling of the previous episode, this one feels a bit more comfortable in how it is able to slow down a bit. It helps that most of the previous season’s recapping was already done in Butterfly Follies.
It doesn’t take long for Star and her cohorts to find trouble. King River seemed to hold some very strong prejudices against the Pie Folk in the last episode, and it seems in this one, he may not be overreacting.
Like several of the folk encountered at the Pie Carnival, there are those that seem interested in either making pies, or squeezing every last cent out of unsuspecting visitors to the island. Plus, given the theme of pies, Star’s new outfit, and even the appearance of the pie king, I can’t help but wonder if some of the visuals were meant as an aside to the old 1980’s cartoon series, Strawberry Shortcake (the pie king looks a bit like the Peculiar Purple-Pie Man from that series).
While the search for Moon Butterfly is the main priority, there are some small subplots that keep rearing their heads.
At one point, Marco ends up obtaining a monkey to assist them, but it is anything but helpful. Unlike some of the recurring jokes in the last episode, Marco’s subplot with the monkey ends up being quite entertaining as the story goes on. Plus, the monkey ends up tying into a previous season 3 appearance that I had almost forgotten about.
Speaking of previous connections, there’s several elements of the pie-folk and their lineage, that is actually covered in the Magic Book of Spells publication that came out last fall. Based on Star’s Magic Instruction Book, the publication chronicled the various Queens of Mewni, and certain revelations tie into what we find out here. I’m sure for those who have read up on their Mewnian history, there will be some excitement seeing how more of the show’s history comes to light within the animated series.
It is during the final third of the episode, that things get a little more emotional than I expected. Star not only ends up singing a catchy little song, but learns something about her past that was very much unexpected.
Best line from episode (said by Marco Diaz): “Our spirits are bonded!”
Final Grade: B
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Star Butterfly): “Don’t worry, you have a purpose on this mission Daddy, just not right now!”
Escape from the Pie Folk ended up being a much more satisfying episode than I expected, mainly due to it focusing on a central storyline.
The duplicitous pie-folk are good for a few chuckles, though it is the emotional elements that are enfolded into this story, that helps elevate it above Butterfly Follies. This is another episode where I wish that energy could have been more evenly-distributed throughout the episode, to make it more enjoyable.
The next episode of Star returns to having two segments. See you soon when we review Moon Remembers, and Swim Suit.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 3, Episode 21) – Conquer
If one looks at the Kingdom of Mewni over the course of Star vs the Forces of Evil’s third season, it really feels like it’s non-maagical inhabitants have dealt with quite a lot.
Earlier this season, we watched as the kingdom was taken over by Ludo (under the mind-control of Toffee), with many of the inhabitants forced to accept his rule, or be levitated into the sky.
And now, just as some sense of normalcy might have been coming back to the kingdom, Eclipsa’s daughter Meteora has appeared. Destroying villages and draining mewmans and other creatures of their life essence, could this be the calm before a bigger storm rears it’s head?
Tied into the previous episode titled Divide, we now get it’s follow-up, and the final episode of the season: Conquer.
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– Conquer –
From the start of the episode, it feels like the first half of Conquer, is repeating several things that we saw during the last half of the previous episode. We have Star off in the Realm of Magic, trying to bring her mother home. Meanwhile, Marco, Tom, and several of their friends, are still attempting to slow down Meteora.
One surprise to me during the scenes with Marco and the others, was in regards to Tom trying to re-energize their group after the events at the end of the last episode. For much of this season, when it’s comes to charging into battle or standing up for the rights of monsters, Tom has been mostly silent…except on a few, special occasions.
Several episodes ago, there was an altercation between Marco and Tom (when Tom forgot Star’s birthday), and I almost expected a major fight to break out between the two of them before the end of the season. However, this episode makes it seem like Tom has been working on getting over his inner, emotional turmoil. He also surprisingly, comes front-and-center for a bit of this episode, making me wish that the writers could have given him a bit more to do overall regarding these last two episodes.
At the beginning of the previous episode, there was a hint that Star is almost in the same position as her mother was, in the earlier Season 3 story, Moon the Undaunted.
Just like that story, Star is looking for answers on how to deal with a dire situation. Her mother was a very powerful and wise figure…and now, it seems that Star is on her own, having to make some very grown-up decisions. What has been most notable about the episodes Divide and Conquer, is that Star is unwilling to repeat the mistakes of the past (unlike her mother, she is not willing to utilize Eclipsa’s magic to try and stop Meteora).
What is also notable, is a subtle bit of character-growth that almost whizzes under the eye of the average viewer, when Star attempts to repeat something we saw her mother do earlier in the season. Unlike Moon however, Star lacks the proper knowledge to do what she did, and has to make a major decision…on her own.
That seems to ultimately be the takeaway from this storyline, that this is another turning point in Star Butterfly’s growth as a character, on her way to one day becoming Mewni’s next queen.
Sadly, while I did enjoy the little moments of character growth with Star and Tom, they were used rather sparingly, in a story that seemed to meander quite a bit.
I often look forward to these 22-minute episodes, as they have the chance to tell a much more interesting story. The tone of these last few episodes however, has reminded me of the pacing of the episode Monster Bash. That story revealed some intriguing revelations about Meteora’s past, but wasted a large chunk of it’s time fighting Mina Loveberry, rather than focusing on the theme of ‘monsters’ that was part of that episode.
Speaking of monsters, this season looked like it was going to do some intriguing things with this sub-culture of Mewni, as Star attempted to try and bring more attention to them. I would have gladly welcomed a scene at the end, where Star’s faith in the goodness of monsters paid off. I kept waiting for Buff Frog and a number of ‘good monsters’ to suddenly appear near the end, and join in on the battle to stop Meteora…but that moment never came.
In terms of Eclipsa, she ends up having one of the more dramatic bits in the episode, and it almost saved the story. Sadly, her time here is fleeting, and what her actions in the last few minutes, keeps us on our toes as to what she may have in store for the next season, as the credits roll.
Overall, much of the episode’s layout and structure, just feels ‘okay.’ This is far from the emotional rollercoaster that the earlier season three episode Toffee was (and personally, Toffee is still one of the more solid episodes the series has given us!). There is definitely emotion to be had here, but the episode feels like it’s moving so fast through the more interesting stuff, that we don’t really get the chance to feel like it ‘impacts’ us in a proper way.
The episode also has a habit of showing us stuff that may or may not tie into things later on down the line. This is somewhat frustrating, because it just feels like more stuff we have to juggle in the air and ask ourselves: “did this-or-that mean anything in the grand scheme of this series, or is it just going to be something the writers will never address again?”
In the end, Conquer reminded me of a lot of stories I’ve seen so far this season: the kind of stories that tend to have a good idea and could definitely go deeper with the material, but feel like they just meander for 3/4 of their running time, before a lot of stuff happens in the last 4 minutes. At that point, the episode goes: “Whew…what’s gonna happen next, kiddies? Are you on pins and needles?”
Best line from episode (sung by Star Butterfly): “Where’d the hair-y la-dy go? I-don’t-know, I-don’t know.”
Final Grade: B
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Meteora): “You’re a smart girl, figure it out.”
For the end of Season 3 of Star vs the Forces of Evil, both Divide and Conquer felt like a storyline that was stretched a little too thin over 2 episodes. It was like they meandered on a very long second act, while jettisoning some nice balance and time for the first and third acts.
The opening of Divide where we see Star dealing with being the kingdom’s ‘acting queen,’ let alone the end in Conquer where things could have gotten more dark and intense, just didn’t hold enough to make me as excited, or eager to write about these episodes as I had hoped.
At this point, I will surely delve into Season 4 when the time comes, but I am a little less intrigued by where it all may go (plus, while the show is confirmed for a fourth season, there’s been no word on a fifth).
So far this season, we’ve seen Star show a progressive mindset in trying to change her kingdom’s culture. The season had a number of great opportunities to really make some deep, meaningful episodes about monster/mewman connections, but often squandered them on cheap laughs. For a season that started out strong with it’s Battle for Mewni storyline, I was definitely let down a little in the storytelling department here.
There’s definitely more I want to say after seeing where three seasons has brought us, but I think that’s best suited for a separate Animated Dissection post. For now, I bid you adieu.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 3, Episode 20) – Divide
With 19 episodes under season 3’s belt, here we are, at the second-to-last episode, and the first of a two-part story, that seeks to make this season go out with a bang.
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– Divide –
At the end of the last episode, Queen Moon was severely injured, and disappeared through a multi-colored portal. With Moon gone, Star has now been made the ‘acting queen’ of Mewni, but finds it frustrating how everyone is looking to her for decisions.
With Meteora still advancing on the kingdom, Marco and Star’s friends try to slow her down, while Star attempts to try and find out what happened to her mom.
At the beginning of the episode, the writers try to balance drama and humor, as Star finds out that much of the Kingdom’s decision-making, was done by her mother…and without Queen Moon, most people are unable to think for themselves (making me wonder what happened with previous ruling parties).
While the stupidity of several of the royal personnel is a bit eye-rolling, it was intriguing to see Star reacting almost identically to her Mom in the earlier Season 3 story, Moon the Undaunted. Just like young Moon, Star is thrust into an awkward position of power, one that she finds herself struggling to work through.
It is also notable how Star is unwilling to take the advice of Eclipsa (who is partially to blame for Moon’s disappearance), or the Magic High Commission (who were found guilty of tampering with Mewni’s past history texts some time ago!). This signals a move that some would probably see as being foolhardy, but it seems that Star doesn’t feel like she can trust ‘the old ways’ of doing things. Much of this season has shown her trying to make changes to a broken ruling system, and this feels like another small step forward.
Most of Star’s time in this episode, is spent outside of the castle in the unnamed, paradise-like place she entered into in the earlier story, called Deep Dive. There is still the danger that Star could be sidetracked in her quest to find her mom, and the writers come up with a neat idea, on trying to keep her mind on her plan.
On the other end of the ‘divide,’ we have Marco staying behind on Mewni, trying to work on slowing down Meteora. This leads to the grouping of a number of characters we’ve seen him interact with over the season, as he attempts to put several plans into action.
While there is plenty that is good about the episode, Divide feels like it focuses a bit too much on gags in some areas, almost like in splitting the final story for the season in two, the writers had to ‘pad it out’ in a number of places.
One highlight is when we see Star and Marco talking over things before everyone splits off into their separate quests. Plus, we get to see how their fighting skills have improved over the last season. It’s probably one of the most productive conversations Star has in the episode.
Best line from episode (said by Marco Diaz): “No Star, my abs are not back.”
Final Grade: B
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Tom Lucitor): “Oh, well I’ll just take the bait here. Where did you get that sword, Marco?”
When watching Divide, I couldn’t help but feel that many of it’s events, were largely just to set-up the events of the next episode. However, it does have some memorable moments.
Much like seeing Moon Butterfly in her younger days, we get to see Star trying to deal with being thrust into the spotlight as an ‘active queen.’ Her working through a number of emotions, helped make this story pretty enjoyable, though I was hoping for a little more drama during the second part of the episode for her.
Marco’s attempts to stop Meteora, helped give the episode some action, and prove just how ruthless Eclipsa’s daughter is (using magic-draining powers that may remind some of what Toffee was capable of in season 2).
Overall, if the episode had felt a little more ‘complete,’ I probably would have given it a higher rating. Still, it did prove to be entertaining.
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And then…there was one left.
Come back soon, when I review the final episode of Star vs the Forces of Evil’s third season: Conquer.
Episode Review: Star vs the Forces of Evil (Season 3, Episode 19) – Bam Ui Pati! / Tough Love
The last episode of Star vs the Forces of Evil gave us some rather startling revelations, making it one of the most enjoyable episodes this season.
Episode 19 of the third season, manages to tie into that episode, in several ways.
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– Bam Ui Pati! –
By now, most of the series’ fans are probably used to things going a little weird at times. In this case, Ponyhead’s story is tied into her watching the Korean soap opera, Bam Ui Pati (aka Party of the Night), in which a famous singer is stricken with a horrible illness, that may affect her life…forever.
I could almost see this story as being the yang to the ying that was the earlier Season 3 story, Scent of a Hoodie. While Ponyhead worked to try and bring Star out of her crazed lethargy there, Star almost seems to be returning the favor here. However, that storyline was a bit more entertaining in it’s main character going through some crazy stuff.
For this story, the writers try to use the soap opera to mirror Ponyhead’s ‘journey,’ as she tries to come to grips with what happened to her, and move on. It sounds like a good concept, but the execution of it feels disjointed, as the story tried to throw all sorts of obstacles in the way of Ponyhead trying to watch her show.
It was a little surprising to see several of Ponyhead’s sisters again, though it didn’t feel like they added very much to the story. Personally, I was more enamored with the return of Ponyhead’s ex-boyfriend (last seen in the Demoncism episode), whose salesperson persona, provided some much-needed comic relief at times.
Overall, this felt like ‘filler.’ It ties into events from a previous story, and tries to push us forward…but it’s attempts to be a little kooky with how it does that, just didn’t do it for me.
Best line from episode (said by Star Butterfly): “Oh, sorry, Cloudy was a lot further down than I thought he was.”
Final Grade: C+
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– Tough Love –
Seeing Moon and Eclipsa play off each other over season 3, has led to some very entertaining moments for me. It feels like as time has gone on, Moon’s stance on the former queen of Mewni has softened a bit, though Eclipsa still tries to assert herself in some situations, irking the current queen.
Much of the story is based around the two women trying to track down Meteora, while also encountering the angered denizens of Rich Pigeon’s kingdom, and an angry mob of villagers. The encounters are good for quick bits of comedy, but it definitely feels like the writers missed the opportunity to make this a stronger, more emotional storyline, by shortening these scenes a bit more.
The meeting between Meteora and her mother sadly, is something I felt would be a bit stronger. It does have it’s moments, though it does seem that Meteora may also have become mentally unstable from years of repressing herself at St Olga’s. It’s also notable that Meteora uses green ‘dark magic,’ which we haven’t seen used since Toffee had overtaken Ludo at the end of last season.
It is in the last few minutes, that the story gets really eye-opening. However, some shocking events happen so quickly, that by the time the credits roll, your brain is still trying to process what you just saw.
A good episode for sure, but one that I definitely feel, could have been great if it focused more on the dramatic tension at the end.
Best line from episode (said by Eclipsa): “Well, some terrible, terrible people, locked me up in a dingy old crystal, deep down in a dark dungeon. They were a rather backwards, maladjusted people, especially that old queen.”
Final Grade: B–
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Best honorable mention line from episode (said by Happy Villager, in Tough Love): “She gave me this neat hat…I like it.”)
Bam Ui Pati‘s storyline could have held up a bit stronger in it’s storyline of Ponyhead coping with a crisis, but it’s attempts to parallel the soap opera she was watching, felt like a fun concept that just didn’t work for me.
Tough Love brings us the encounter we’ve been waiting for, between Meteora, her mother, and Queen Moon. The opening comedy beats of the story somewhat take away from the more interesting and serious bits, and while the story does have some serious moments, it feels like a much stronger story could have surfaced here.
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And thus, the last 2-story episode of season 3 is over.
The final two episodes of this season, will be full 22-minute stories, with some rather ominous titles. The next episode is titled Divide, and the final season’s episode…will be titled, Conquer.
I’ll be reviewing each of the episodes separately, so see you back here soon, when we take a look at episode 21: Divide.
The Entertainment Nut 