Hey, everyone, and Merry Christmas! I know that I said I’d be on break until after Christmas, but I had some free time, so I thought I’d go back and look over old posts. See if I could spice them up. Then I remembered the review that I did for this Star vs. Fanfic in July 2019, Light of the Sun and Stars. In hindsight, I could’ve done better with it. So, as a Christmas gift to ThDorkMagnet, I’m going back and doing the review over. Now more in-depth, with better clarity! 

Light of the Sun and Stars

Written by: ThDorkMagnet

First Published: July 13, 2017

Type of Fan Work: AU

Status: Ongoing

Synopsis-

Since he was born, Marco Diaz has never seen another Mewman like him. He’s never gone far outside his home, never had any friends, or enjoyed all life has to offer. All he’s known are the Monsters who raised him. And while he loves his adopted family, he can’t help but long to see the world. Yet the Monsters cold leader, Toffee, refuses to let him leave. But when an innocent walk in the woods leads to a terrifying punishment from the lizard man, Marco’s father, Buffrog, realizes he’s no longer safe with them, and, in the dead of night, sends him away, telling him to go and never look back.

Now all alone, Marco doesn’t know where to go, or what to do. Until, by chance or by fate, he’s found by a certain blonde, magic-wielding princess. Before he even knows what’s happening, this girl, Star Butterfly, brings him to her home, showing him a universe full of wonders that he never knew existed. Yet for all the joy they both bring, neither Star nor Marco can escape the secrets of their pasts. Together, though, they may change not just each other’s lives, but their entire world, forever.

Mewni Reimagined

Unlike the show, where the primary setting was Earth before switching to Mewni, Light of the Sun and Stars focuses almost exclusively on Mewni. However, ThDorkMagnet must have taken notes on compelling world-building as they rebuild Mewni from the ground up.

One big change to note is Mewni’s relationship with Earth. Whereas in the show, Earth was more or less isolated from everyone, here they’ve been an established part of the Universe for decades. Mewni tried to conquer them once, but when that failed, thanks to humanity’s scientific know-how, they gave up. Now the two are firm allies, with humans traveling to and from Earth at their leisure. 

Another big change is that here, cheekmarks are a universal trait for Mewmans, with each one giving a Mewman an innate talent or trait. DorkMagnet says they got it from RWBY, but it reminds me more of cutie marks from My Little Pony. 

The last thing to know that this fanfic puts a lot more focus on the Monsters and their lives. They’ve got their own society away from the Mewmans, but like in the show, they don’t have it as nice as them. 

Now, for the characters themselves.

The Main Characters

ThDorkMagnet manages to stay more or less faithful to the character’s portrayals in the show. Whatever they have to change, they do a great job of justifying it in the writing context.

Marco Diaz

Unlike in the show, here Marco’s reimagined as a Mewman. Well, half-Mewman. His father was from Earth, and his mother was Mewni. His parents were the only people to try and help the Monsters, making them beloved by them. Thus, they took him in as a baby when his parents died. And while he may have been one of their hated Mewman enemies, the Monsters grew to love him, anyway. Except for Toffee.

Initially, Marco doesn’t seem to have much in common with his canon counterpart. He doesn’t know how to fight, he’s not as streetsmart, and his lack of self-confidence and insecurities are initially more prevalent than in the show. However, these are less of actual personality traits and more the result of his isolated upbringing. Once he gets out to see the larger world, his true personality starts to shine through. 

At his core, this version of Marco’s comparable to Steven Universe. He’s got a childlike curiosity about the world and is eager to learn as much as he can about it. Many find his enthusiasm, compassion, and genuine desire to be nice to everyone to be very charming, helping him make friends fairly quickly. More importantly, like Steven, Marco seems to bring out the best in others, often without meaning to. 

Marco’s not without his problems, though. Besides the insecurities mentioned above, he’s got a deep-rooted fear of Toffee that seems to haunt him for a very long time.

Star Butterfly

When we’re first introduced to her as she’s practicing spells in the woods, this version of Star looks like the same happy and upbeat girl fans of the show know and love. And for the most part, she is: she’s kind, friendly, helpful, and draws people to her like a magnet. Being the first person he ever meets from the outside world, Marco’s instantly drawn to her. He thinks she’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. 

I did say for the most part, though. It’s established early on that this version of Star has more in common with her counterpart in the latter half of the show. In other words, she’s more responsible and level-headed than she was in the pilot, trying to do her best to help the Kingdom of Mewni. She’s already trying to use her magic to help other people and, most notably, opened her family’s castle to those orphaned by war. It’s this very nature that leads her to take Marco in with few questions asked.

However, these actions aren’t entirely by choice. Different circumstances forced her to mature far earlier in life than she does in the show. While avoiding spoiler territory, let’s say that she went through a very traumatic experience that left her emotionally broken when she was younger. While she seemed to recover from it, those closest know that it’s partially an act to keep people from worrying about her. On top of this, her parents are away on business when the story starts, leaving Star to run the Kingdom on her own. In other words, she’s got a lot of issues to work through, but no one knows how to help her. That is until Marco comes into her life.

Janna Ordonia

The show’s resident troublemaker, here Janna’s reimagined as one of Star’s closest friends. Star first met her trapped in an abandoned village when they were kids. While Janna was initially hostile to Star, the latter’s willingness to help her won the former over. From then on, Janna’s lived in Butterfly Castle with Star, spending her time researching the weird and getting into trouble. Oh, and her Mewman Trait lets her turn into a bat. Fitting.

On the surface, Janna seems to be the same weird girl from the show that loves to mess with others (much to Marco’s dismay). However, DorkMagnet gives her a lot more emotional depth as time goes on. And it takes a character I already liked and makes her a thousand times better! Without going into spoiler territory, we learn that part of her tough act is a front to keep her from getting close to others. This came about because someone very close to her that she thought she could trust abandoned her when she needed them the most. Yet, she can’t help but open up to Marco when he wants to help her. 

Oh, and for JanTom shippers out there, rejoice.

Jackie Lynn Thomas

Like in the show, Jackie was born on Earth to human parents, who she got her love for sports from. And while it has yet to be revealed, I think DorkMagnet implied that she lost her parents to a freak sporting accident on Mewni. However, Star was there to give her a hand and take her in. Now, she’s living in Butterfly Castle as Janna’s roommate and the voice of reason.

The big difference between this Jackie and the one in the show is that she’s not meant to be a love interest for Marco. At all. Instead, she’s more like a big sister to Marco, always there to help explain things he doesn’t understand or help him with something. And DorkMagnet manages to make it work very well here! In the show, Jackie could be very nurturing and encouraging to others, so it fits with her personality. 

Buffrog

Of the many Monster characters in the show, Buffrog had to be my favorite. After Ludo threw him out, we saw how kind-hearted and fatherly he was, becoming one of Star and Marco’s closest friends and allies. In Light of the Sun and Stars, that paternal nature’s on full display when it comes to Marco.

For context, Buffrog was a close friend of Marco’s parents before they died. He vowed to keep their son safe in honor of their memory, but due to Toffee, he couldn’t bring him to other Mewmans and had to raise him under the lizard’s eyes. When it became clear Toffee would never let Marco be free, Buffrog felt he had no choice but to send his adoptive son away, kickstarting the story.

At his core, Buffrog is a good person who’s forced to do bad things. Things that he’s deeply ashamed of and desperate to atone for, especially when it comes to Marco. While this makes a very good father for Marco, it can also lead him to do very dangerous things in the process. Part of his ongoing arc is to come to terms with his past and to learn to forgive himself for his failures.  

There are plenty of other characters in the show that appear in this story, by the way. Some in ways that you may not expect!

The Villains are Scarier

Star vs. the Forces of Evil never lacked for any colorful villains throughout it’s run. Some were better than others, admittedly. In Light of the Sun and Stars, though, the big villains managed to get an overhaul that makes them even more menacing.

I owe it to the fact that the restraints of Disney don’t confine fanfics. Case in point, we have Toffee.

Toffee

By far the best villain on the show, ThDorkMagnet takes him and cranks the evil factor up to 11. As a result, we get a Toffee that’s not restrained by the standards of children’s cartoons that the show had to follow. And the result’s downright terrifying. 

Retaining the hatred of Mewmans that his counterpart has, Toffee rose to become leader of the Monsters many years ago. By the start of the story, he’s led them in a brutal war to reclaim Mewni from the Mewmans for years. And he’s winning! He’s razed hundreds of villages and slaughtered countless Mewmans to the point that no Mewman has seen him and lived. He’s less of a person and more of a boogeyman to Mewni.

While already a formidable warrior, Toffee’s greatest strength lies in his ability to manipulate others to do what he wants. In Light of the Sun and Stars, through a mixture of fear and charisma, he forces the Monsters under him to obey his commands even when they know its wrong. Perhaps more chillingly, though, is how he’s able to emotionally manipulate Marco for years, making him feel guilty for wanting to leave. It’s the epitome of a toxic relationship.

I compare this version of Toffee with Claude Frollo from Disney’s version of Hunchback of Notre Dame. Both are psychopaths with an unwanted ward that they keep imprisoned through emotional abuse. The big difference is that, unlike Frollo, Toffee’s willing to resort to physically beating Marco to force him into line.

All told, this is one of the most effective uses of Toffee that I’ve seen. 

If you want to learn what happens to Toffee, and what the show’s other big villains are like, then I urge you to read the story. 

A Meaningful Title

One of the more abstract things I love about this story is the title. There’s a good reason why the story’s called “Light of the Sun and Stars.” It’s referring to the relationship that Star and Marco develop and how much they mean to each other.

Star becomes this shining star that draws Marco in, lighting up his world and showing him things he never thought were possible. Conversely, Marco’s warmth and kindness help Star begin to recover from her past trauma, something that everyone around her notices. Marco becomes her sun, radiating warmth and making her happier than she’s been in a long time.

The way Star and Marco’s relationship develops may seem cliche to some, but I love it. The way they quickly become friends and the most important people in each other’s lives is delightful. I couldn’t help but feel it tugging at my heartstrings a bit. Everyone needs at least one friendship like the one Star and Marco have.

Yes, they do fall for each other. The cute thing about it, though, is that Marco doesn’t even realize its love. All he knows that being around Star makes him happier than he’s ever been. It makes you want to go, “aww.”

A Fan Fiction On Par With the Show

Light of the Sun and Stars is one of the best fanfictions that I have ever read, hitting all the right notes. It keeps the show’s mythology intact and remains faithful to its source material. At the same time, it’s not afraid to come up with new and original stories, each of which ends up being very entertaining. ThDorkMagnet updates every two-three weeks, and she says that she plans on continuing it even though the show’s over. That shows that she’s committed to seeing this story through to the end.

As far as I’m concerned, ThDorkMagnet’s a true fan of Star vs., and it shows in the care and attention to detail She puts into her writing. If you haven’t read Light of the Sun and Stars yet, then I urge you to do so. Its one fan work that you won’t be able to stop once you start.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! And Click Here to See DorkMagnet’s Christmas One-Shot

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

I’ve spent the last week going over some of the best fan works for Star vs. The Forces of Evil. More so I wanted to do this for my enjoyment. I’ve saved the best for last, though. This AU’s good enough to be it’s own show, hitting all the right notes to tell an original story that retains all the hallmarks of Star. This is the story of a boy who was raised by monsters, Light of the Sun and Stars.

Light of the Sun and Stars

Written by: ThDorkMagnet

First Published: July 13, 2017

Type of Fan Work: AU

Status: Ongoing

Synopsis:

All his life, Marco Diaz has only ever known the monsters who raised him. Despite being one of the their hated Mewman enemies, the monsters consider the boy one of their own, save for their leader, Toffee. Then one day, Marco’s longing to see the outside world leads him to escape the cruel lizard and set out on his own into Mewni where he meets a certain blonde princess. This young girl takes it upon herself to be Marco’s guide to a world that’s filled with wonders he never knew existed. Together, the two become the closest of friends as they change each other’s lives, and their world, forever.

Review

I’m going to come out and say it: I absolutely love this fan fic! It’s incredibly well-written, the characters are faithful to their show counterparts, and the premise is so much fun. I couldn’t stop reading it until I got to the latest chapter.

First, let me give you an overview of how Star and Marco are portrayed in this story. I know it contradicts what I said about them being faithful to the show, but their core personalities remain the same.

Marco Diaz

Instead of being a human, here Marco’s a human-mewman hybrid. His parents died when he was a baby, so Buff Frog raised him as part of Toffee’s army. While he considers the monsters his family and loves them very much, his true desire is to one day go out and see everything the world has to offer. When the story begins, events force him to leave behind the only home he’s ever known and enter a world he knows nothing about.

This version of Marco has a childlike curiosity about the world, being constantly left in awe at all the new and amazing sights he sees. At the same time, he’s very shy and a little insecure. This is more due to having never another Mewman, though, rather than an inherent personality trait. Once he gets past that, though, he has no trouble making friends, winning people over with his kind-hearted nature and infectious, childlike enthusiasm.

He does share plenty of canon Marco’s traits. He’s kind and friendly to everyone he meets, he still likes red hoodies, and shares his counterparts talent for cooking and dancing. Yet he still carries the scars of his past, and sooner or later, he will have to confront them.

Star Butterfly

When we first meet her in the story, Star’s closer to the way she was in the second half of Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Events in her life, though, have forced her to mature faster than she did in the show. With her parents away on business, she’s left to run Mewni on her own on top of mastering her wand. That’s a lot of pressure!

Despite all this, Star remains the same kind-hearted and outgoing girl fans know and love. She doesn’t hesitate to help others, even taking dozens of orphans into her home when they nowhere else to go. Unlike in the latter half of the show, here most of Mewni loves Star and sees her as a guiding light in dark times.

While she appears happy and upbeat on the surface, she’s gone through some traumatic events of her own in the past. These events not only led her to almost abandon the happy-go-lucky demeanor she once had, but even feel ashamed of it at times. Her loved ones notice the problems she’s dealing with, but don’t know how to help her. That is, until Marco comes into her life.

A Meaningful Title

One of the more abstract things I love about this story is the title. There’s a good reason why the story’s called “Light of the Sun and Stars.” It’s referring to the relationship that Star and Marco develop and how much they come to mean to each other.

Having never seen another mewman before, much less magic, Marco’s completely captivated when he first meets Star practicing her spells. He thinks she’s the most amazing, beautiful person he’s ever seen and can’t help wanting to be around her. He just lights up whenever he sees her. She becomes the guiding star in his life, showing him all the amazing things the universe has to offer.

Conversely, Star finds herself drawn to Marco, as her initial curiousity and compassion compel her to take him in. She takes a vested interest in his well-being, and without realizing it, grows to deeply care about him. Little by little, Marco’s warmth and kindness help to heal from her past trauma. Everyone, literally everyone, notices that how being around him makes her happy, happier than she’s been in a long time. Marco becomes her sun, radiating warmth and happiness on her.

As an aside, the “sun” aspect refers to Marco’s cheekmarks, which are suns in this story.

The way Star and Marco’s relationship develops may seem cliche to some, but I love it. The way they quickly become friends and the most important people in each other’s lives is really sweet. I couldn’t help but feel it tugging at my heartstrings a bit. Everyone needs at least one friendship like the one Star and Marco have.

Yes, they do fall for each other. The cute thing about it, though, is that Marco doesn’t even realize its love. All he knows that being around Star makes him happier than he’s ever been. It makes you want to go “aww.”

A Re-Imagined Mewni and Cast

ThDorkMagnet changes up Mewni and the cast as well, with Earth taking a backseat. Unlike in the show, Earth and Mewni already have an established relationship. While they were once rivals due to Mewni trying to invade Earth, the two dimensions are now close allies. People travel regularly between the two dimensions, and some humans even emigrate to Mewni.

With the focus on Mewni, the castmembers from Earth are re-imagined as living on Mewni, such as Jackie and Janna. Jackie’s human, but has lived on Mewni most of her life, while Janna’s a monster-mewman hybrid. The two are Star’s oldest friends and live with her in the castle, and are among the first to recognize how much Marco means to her.

I won’t spoil anything else, but plenty of the other characters from the show make appearances, so you have that to forward to.

Better Monsters

Of course, it wouldn’t be Star vs. without the monsters. Sadly, from season two onwards, the show only focused on a handful of monsters as main characters. Buff Frog makes an appearance as an important secondary character, and his paternal side’s on full display with his relationship with Marco. As Marco’s adopted dad, Buff Frog gets the most importance out of the monsters in Toffee’s army.

Fortunately, the story also makes efforts to make the other monsters more than simple mooks. They have more three-dimensional personalities and motivations. Case in point, despite being a mewman, they genuinely care about Marco and his well-being. In turn, Marco knows that they’re not the heartless enemies mewmans think they are. Except for Toffee.

Using Toffee Right

Which brings me to the last thing that I love about this story. Unlike in the show, Light of the Sun and Stars uses Toffee to the fullest extent of his evil nature. While a scary enemy in the show, here he’s downright terrifying. He’s led the monsters on a brutal guerilla war against Mewni for years, slaughtering villages and killing thousands of people. He’s pretty much the boogeyman of Mewni.

Already a deadly warrior and strategist, Toffee’s also a master manipulator that I compare to Disney’s version of Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Both are psychopathic villains forced to take in an unwanted ward. Both try to keep them prisoner by emotionally manipulating them into feeling guilty for wanting to leave. The big difference is that, unlike Frollo, Toffee’s willing to resort to physically beating Marco to force him into line.

This is how you use a villain like Toffee. He’s ruthless, terrifying, and one of the deadliest beings in Mewni. The only reason he even lets Marco live is because of how fond the monsters are of him. So when he escapes, Toffee will stop at nothing to get him back. What happens next, I urge you to read for yourself.

A Fan Fiction On Par With the Show

Light of the Sun and Stars is one of the best fan fictions that I have ever read, hitting all the right notes. It keeps the show’s mythology intact and remains faithful to its source material. At the same time, it’s not afraid to come up with new and original stories, each of which ends up being very entertaining. ThDorkMagnet updates every two-three weeks, and she says that she plans on continuing it even though the show’s over. That shows that she’s committed to seeing this story through to the end.

As far as I’m concerned, ThDorkMagnet’s a true fan of Star vs., and it shows in the care and attention to detail She puts into her writing. If you haven’t read Light of the Sun and Stars yet, then I urge you to do so. Its one fan work that you won’t be able to stop once you start.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star vs. Fan Week, Day 3

In the Season Two episode of Star vs., “Running With Scissors“, we saw Marco spend sixteen years in another dimension hunting down Hekapoo, the forger of dimensional scissors, all to prove himself worthy of his scissors. He got them in the end, but after learning from Star that he had only been gone from Earth for eight minutes, he returned home, and the show went back to its status quo. Today’s fanwork, Like Father, Like Daughter, asks two things: what if the status quo didn’t go back to normal, and what if Star came a few seconds later? That’s how we get Seraph.

Like Father, Like Daughter

First Released: Feb 17, 2017

Author: ADdude

Type of Fanwork: AU

Status: Ongoing

In this story, rather than quickly readjusting to life on Earth, Marco has a harder time doing so something everyone notices. Just when everyone tries to get Marco to open up to them, Hekapoo shows up with a teenage girl in tow. She then drops a massive bombshell on everyone:

Marco, this is my daughter. Our daughter.

Star took longer getting to Marco, and the flirting seen between him and Hekapoo became more than flirting. A few days after he left, she gave birth to their daughter, Seraph Diaz. Due to time moving faster in Hekapoo’s dimension, little Seraph aged into a teenager very quickly. So Hekapoo brought her to live with Marco and his parents. The series follows Marco and the cast as they help Seraph adjust to life on Earth and help Marco learn how to be a parent. All this on top of the adventures he has with Star, too; things get weirder than normal.

Review

When I first heard about this story, I didn’t think I’d like it that much. I like Hekapoo and the dynamic she had with Marco in the show, but I never saw them as an item. That, and I always liked Star and Marco as a couple more.

Once I got into reading it, though, I was hooked on it. I’ve always thought that Marco’s Neverzone adventures were a missed opportunity for the show. The fact that he so easily readjusted to life on Earth was necessary for the show, but in real life, that doesn’t happen. So, Like Father, Like Daughter puts him in a situation where he can’t go back to the way he was before his scissors quest. Thankfully, having Seraph in his life turns out to be the best thing this version of Marco could need.

Speaking of Seraph, let’s talk about her and how she ends up changing everyone’s lives.

Seraph Diaz

Half-human, half-magical being, this little spitfire’s Seraph Celiosa Diaz. Despite being the same age as Marco and Star, she’s only a month old when the Story first starts. The reason behind her accelerated age is confusing, but here’s the bottom line. One day in the Neverzone ages her 6 months, meaning she would die within a year. So Seraph was sent to Earth for her own safety.

Appearance-wise, people have noted how she looks like a cross between Hekapoo and her grandmother, Angie Diaz. The coolest thing, though, is she inherited Hekapoo’s superhuman strength and ability to wield fire.

Seraph and the Cast

Seraph reminds me a lot of Star when she first came to Earth. She’s extremely friendly and tries making friends with everyone she meets. Each of the show’s cast warms up to her, albeit some sooner than others. There are three characters in particular, though, whose reactions to Seraph I found most interesting: Star, Jackie, and Hekapoo herself.

This fan fix starts at crucial moments in Star and Jackie’s lives. Star was starting to realize she had feelings for Marco, and Jackie was already dating him. Needless to say, the revelation that Marco has a daughter makes things awkward. Star’s initial reaction was really bad:

Star’s usual heart marks on her cheeks had changed into two spinning rainbow balls, and Star herself just remained motionless, only staring off into the space before her with what appeared to be a death grip on her wand. Her right eye appeared to be twitching, a contrast to the rest of the blank expression on her face.

Like Father, Like Daughter Chapter 2

It’s even harder for Jackie, considering how Marco cheated on her, and the two break up, though agree to remain friends. Despite befriending Seraph, later chapters reveal that, deep down, they still feel a bit resentful and jealous of how she symbolizes Marco’s relationship with Hekapoo.

As for Hekapoo, having a daughter serves as a catalyst for the magical entity to mature significantly and become a lot more responsible. She’s still mischievous and likes teasing others, but having Seraph changes her for the better. I also like the fact that some of the more recent chapters have Hekapoo coming to terms with the consequences of her actions. I.E., not telling Marco of the time difference in the Neverzone and then sleeping with him when he has a girlfriend is a bit of a dick move.

Good Story Structure

One of the best parts of this fic is how ADdude structures the story. It has arcs that can span across several chapters, like a n actual show, or a Light Novel series. The writing’s top notch, engaging, and captures the show’s cast very well. One of the first arcs is a tournament arc, and if you know what to look for, you’ll see plenty of cameos and shout outs to great fighters in pop culture. The whole story’s a blast, and I love it

Read This Story.

ADdude took a potentially obscure pairing and made into a compelling story that has a sizable fan base. I’m not a Markapoo supporter, but this story does a good job of showing what could happen. The best part is that ADdude shows no signs of stopping the story, either. From what I can guess, it comes out every month, so it comes at a decent pace. If you like Star vs., then this would be a fun story for you to read.

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

5 Cartoons That Encourage LGBT Pride

I’ve wanted to do something to celebrate Pride Month all of June, but I couldn’t find the time, let alone what to do. Then a realization hit me: I have seen a notable increase in depictions of LGBT+individuals in animation in recent years. Adult cartoons have done it for a while, but recent years have seen kids cartoons show LGBT+ people openly or talk about related issues.

The cartoons we watch as kids not only make us laugh but teach us how to view the world. So, showing positive depictions of the LGBT+ community is going to teach kids that these things are acceptable and normal, which is good. Thus to celebrate the end of Pride Month, I’m giving you my top 5 picks of cartoons with positive LGBT+ depictions.

#5-The Legend of Korra

In 2012, Nickelodeon released a sequel to the hit show Avatar: the Last Airbender, Avatar: The Legend of Korra. While every bit as breathtaking and action-packed as its predecessor, A: TLoK ended up cementing its place in animation history for its portrayal of LGBT characters.

At the start of the show, the titular Korra developed a mutual crush on her friend, Mako, which led to the two becoming a couple. After realizing their relationship wasn’t going to work out, they decided to end it and stay good friends. Afterward, Korra started getting close to her friend Asami, a bond that strengthened as the series neared its end. When the series finale arrived, the show chose to end its run with Korra and Asami setting off on vacation together. The final shot of the series had them silently stare lovingly into each other’s eyes before the credits rolled. If there’s any doubt, though, the show’s creators confirmed in blog posts that the two were in a romantic relationship.s

This moment was a ground-breaker for western children’s animation; and considering that A:TLA and A:TLoK were already groundbreaking, that’s saying something. The confirmation of Korrasami was the first time a western kid’s cartoon had LGBT leads or an LGBT main character. When I saw the hints that the show had dropped, I was in disbelief, and admittedly, a little weirded out. I remember thinking, “are they doing this? Are we ready for this in a kid’s show?” Then I came to a realization: if it made Korra happy, then I was okay with it. Who am I to deny love?

#4- Star vs. The Forces of Evil

At one time, it would have seemed crazy for a company like Disney to show same-sex couples on their shows. The last few years, though, have seen them do just that. While Gravity Falls does have a gay couple in its cast, I chose Star vs. The Forces of Evil for this list because of its portrayal of LGBT relationships and challenging gender roles.

Marco Diaz, Boy Princess

Fans of the show know Marco Diaz as the hoodie-wearing, karate-loving best friend/boyfriend of Star Butterfly. While Marco’s more than proven himself capable of being very masculine (look at the abs), he’s also a boy in whose very much in touch with his feminine side. He enjoys cooking, and is good at it; wears ballet shoes at home because they’re comfortable, and is okay with dressing like a princess.

Marco’s alter-ego as Princess Turdina is famous in the show for being a source of inspiration for free-thinking princesses everywhere. Even when he eventually comes clean and admits he’s a boy, Marco’s fans decide they don’t care about his gender, because what he taught them about being themselves wasn’t wrong.

“He can be a princess if he wants to!” “Turdina is a state of mind!”

Same-Sex Couples

SvTFOE was very open about same-sex couples during its run on TV, with several couples shown on screen. In the season episode “Just Friends” Star, Marco, and Jackie are a concert for their favorite band, Love Sentence when all the couples start making out. Among them, you’ll find a male couple kissing, marking the first time Disney’s ever shown it on TV.

Another notable instance appears near the end of the show’s run when Jackie returns to Echo Creek after traveling abroad in France. While there, she met a girl named Chloe, and the show heavily implies the two are a couple. One of the show’s storyboard artists later confirmed that the two are dating.

#3- Adventure Time

I was there to see the first episode of Adventure Time, and I was lucky enough to be there for the series finale. By far one of the most famous cartoons of the decade, Adventure Time made Cartoon Network what it is today. It also had a surprise LGBT couple in the form of Princess Bubblegum and Marceline.

The show gradually reveals that the two were once in a romantic relationship and were close friends. Sadly, PB’s focus on protecting the Candy Kingdom led to them ending it on bad terms. Various events in the show’s run help patch things up between them, though. By the time the series finale comes around, the two have become an item once more.

While I never paid much attention to their relationship, I won’t deny that PB and Marcy make a good couple. Plus the progression of their relationship helps show off character development in both characters. Maybe PB more than Marceline, though.

#2-One Piece

You guys know by now that I’m a big fan of One Piece, given my review/recap series for the manga. Of the thousands of fantastic characters that we’ve had in the manga and anime, some of my favorites have been Okamas. A Japanese slang term for gay men, in the world of One Piece, Okama refers to transgender men.

The Okama’s in One Piece are among the most selfless and friendly people I’ve ever seen in a work of fiction. Despite their appearance creeping some people out, they are very friendly to people. The cool part is that their leader, Emporio Ivankov, has a Devil-Fruit power that lets him alter a person’s body at will, even changing their biological gender. That brings gender-fluid to a new level.

My favorite Okama, though, has to be the one we call Bon Clay. Despite starting as an enemy, this lovable character ended up becoming close friends with Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. Their friendship was so strong that Bon Clay sacrificed himself so Luffy and his friends could escape capture. On two separate occasions, no less. I wish we all had a friend like Bon Clay.

#1- Steven Universe

There’s not enough time in the day to discuss how much of an impact this show has had. Even so, it wouldn’t be pride month if I didn’t include this. This is the cartoon that has made teaching others universal themes of love and acceptance its goal, Steven Universe.

Rebecca Sugar’s groundbreaking creation has had the concepts of love and relationships at its core since the very beginning. At their heart, the Crystal Gems are the outcasts of their society, a conflict that many LGBT people have faced. It’s left them with a lot of emotional issues when the show starts, but they overcome them through the love they have for each other.

Love is the core of Steven Universe’s story, and the show teaches kids that love is not black and white. It’s a whole rainbow of colors and relationships, and like the gem fusions, it can take more than one form. There’s the love between romantic partners, between one’s family, love for friends, and above all, learning to love yourself no matter what the world may say.

Conclusion.

I could ramble on, but I think you get the point, and others can phrase more eloquently than I can. As a person who supports free will and love in all forms, I encourage cartoons to keep re-defining gender identity and love as we head into the future. Heaven knows that we need to build bridges rather than burn them in this world.

By the way, I thought Ruby and Sapphire’s wedding was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen in a cartoon. They’re one of my favorite couples in fiction!

Click here to see my other animation stuff.

Star vs. The Forces of Evil, “Cleaved” Series Finale Review

After four years of fun and weirdness, it’s over. Star vs. The Forces of Evil, one of the best cartoons of the decade, has ended its run on TV. Unless Daron Nefcy decides to make a movie, but more on that later.

I mentioned this in my review of the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones that I was now looking forward to the finale to Star more than Game of Thrones. After watching the finale on DisneyNow an hour before it ever came on TV, I think I was right to do so. I cannot remember the last time the finale to a cartoon has made me cry so much!

A Fateful Decision

After being backed into a corner by Mina’s army of Solarian warriors, Star realizes that there’s only one choice she can make to save Mewni from being destroyed: she has to destroy magic itself.

While I fear that her decision could have far-reaching consequences, it shows how much she’s grown. Whereas the hyperactive cuckoolander we first met would have balked at this plan, Star’s grown wise enough to realize that the level of power magic gives is too dangerous. Even Hekapoo supports her decision, even knowing that she, Glossaryck and the rest of the Commission will die.

And she won’t do it alone. Marco joins her for the most important mission of their lives as they head towards their destiny.

In a rather clever turn of events, the finale also shows us the real reason why Glossaryck eats pudding so much: it helps people keep their minds in the Realm of Magic. That is genius! But Star’s plan isn’t as simple as she hoped. Try though she might to use the Whispering Spell to destroy the magic, there’s just too much of it.

Meanwhile, Marco tries to fight off the corrupted Unicorns and a corrupted Tom using his karate and the wand. Yes, he’s using the Royal Wand again, which is a cool concept. Sadly, it doesn’t really do anything, as Marco’s not as good at magic as Star is. Luckily, he snaps Tom back to normal despite getting hurt pretty bad.

Our Powers Combined

At that moment, Eclipsa, Moon, and Meteora all show up after deciding that Star was right. And then the past wielders of the Wand show up and help. It may be a little fanservice-y, but it was a nice touch to see the past Butterflys show their support. Even Solaria, the one who created Mina, helps her daugther, and looks at her granddaughter with pride. When Mina tries to interfere, Solaria looks at her in disgust and shame.

“With or Without Magic…We Belong Together”

Together, they manage to destroy the magic, and the realm begins to crumble. Tragically, when Marco asks how he and Star plan to see each other, he realizes that they can’t. Star tries going back to Mewni, but the idea of a life without Marco is something she can’t deal with. She chooses to leave her home behind to be with her best friend and true love.

Turns out, Marco had the same idea, and both of them remain stranded as the Realm of Magic crumbles around them. They don’t care, though. Magic may have brought them together, but with or without it, they know their place in the universe is with each other.

A World Without Magic

And in one final flash of light, it’s over. Magic is gone from the universe, with the Magic High Commission and Glossaryck along with it. Marco, Jelly, and that eagle guy are sent back to their worlds. But without magic, the Solarian warriors return to normal, and Mina’s victims will live.

Even Mina survives, and despite Moon trying one last time to help her, she refuses her help and runs into the woods. I don’t feel bad for her: even after seeing Solaria disapprove of her actions, she won’t let her racist views go.

One Last Spell

The age of magic is over, but just as it looks like Star and Marco will be separated forever, one last act of magic plays out. I don’t know if it was because the Realm of Magic was responding to their statement that, magic or no, they belong together. Or maybe it was that old trope of “magic being born from love” being in play; or both. Whatever the reason, a portal appears on Earth and Mewni, and Star and Marco rush to it as fast they can, only for it to explode.

Two Friends, One World

When the dust settles, something truly amazing has happened. The last bit of magic cleaved Earth, Mewni, and possibly every other dimension into one. Where there was once many worlds, there’s now one incredible one.

None of that matters to Star and Marco, though. The only thing that does matter is the sight of each other right in front of them. Against all odds, they found a way to always be together. The two lovers walk up to each other, too overjoyed to say more than a “hey” and “hi”.

And as the credits roll and pan out to the otherworldly sky that makes up their one world, they probably leapt in each other’s arms, laughed and cried, and then kissed like it was no tomorrow.

Can’t Stop Crying

Everytime I try and watch those last few seconds, my eyes won’t stop tearing up. It’s just so beautfiul. The incredible background, and the joyful music make me start tearing up from happiness . If you read my post on Star and Marco’s relationship, then you’ll know that I think that Star and Marco’s friendship has been a central part of it. They have one of the strongest relationships that I have seen in fiction; their love was strong enough to cleave their two world’s together into one.

When I saw that “Cleaved” was only going to be half an hour, I was worried that it would end being a rushed ending like the final season of Samurai Jack. But I was wrong. While it was the final episode, it was part of nine-episode arc that, in a way, could be considered a movie finale. Some fans consider it to be rushed, and while I wish the fight in the Realm of Magic went on longer, I disagree as a whole. “Cleaved” left me feeling emotionally satisfied with the ending, and it managed to come back to the core aspect of the show: Star and Marco.

This Isn’t the End

But for those not satisified with the finale, something tells me this isn’t the last we’ll see of Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Magic may be gone, but now Star and Marco have a whole new world to live in, and new problems to face as Earth and Mewni learn to live together. There’s plenty of potential for a sequel in the form of comics, a movie, or another TV show! Daron Nefcy has even said that she’d be happy to come back to Star and Marco in the future, so there’s still hope.

In short, I loved the finale. It managed to wrap up the final arc of the show, ensured that our heroes got their happy ending, and was open-ended enough to allow for more adventures to be told. This may be goodbye for now, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of Star and Marco.

I give “Cleaved” A 5/5. Incredible ending to one of the best cartoons of the decade.

Click here to read my review of the final episode of Game of Thrones

Why I think Starco is one of the best couples in fiction

Four years ago, Disney XD premiered a quirky new show about a magical, trouble-prone princess called Star vs. The Forces of Evil. Drawing influence from the Japanese anime series creator Daron Nefcy loved as a kid, the show was a massive hit with viewers. People had already been making fan art months before it even premiered, and it became Disney XD’s flagship show. By the second season, I was a solid fan of the show, and I consider it one of the best cartoons of the decade.

Tomorrow morning, this hit show about a magic-wielding princess will air its final episode on Disney Channel. Before that happens, I wanted to reflect on one of the show’s best aspects: the relationship between its main characters, Star and Marco, and how they went from being best friends into one of the best romantic pairings I have ever seen in fiction.

Their Friendship

The first episode established Star and Marco’s characters pretty well. Star’s upbeat and has a childish enthuisaism who tries (and often does) making friends with everyone. She’s also impulsive and prone to breaking things, which is why her parents send her to Earth to learn how to use her magic. In contrast, Marco’s an insecure boy who, paradoxically, wants more excitement in his life yet is too afraid to step outside his comfort zone. So when he’s given the task of being Star’s guide on Earth, he doesn’t take well to it at first.

Despite Star turning his life upside down, it doesn’t take long for Marco to become Star’s best friend. Together, they go on amazing adventures through different dimensions, battling monsters and getting in and out of trouble, and having each other’s backs no matter what.

On Star’s part, while she seems energetic and happy-go-lucky, deep down, she struggles with the pressure that comes with being a princess. It is part of the reason why she hates following the rules and acts recklessly. In Marco, she finds someone who is willing to let her be herself without any judgement. Just as important, he keeps Star grounded, and helps her learn that just because she can do something does not mean she always should.

Conversely, Star’s free-spirited and adventurous ways help Marco to do things he never would have otherwise. As the series progresses, Star’s influence sparks a noticeable boost in his confidence. On a subtler level, he also learns that sometimes following the rules in life isn’t always best, and that you need to take risks in life to be happy.

Star and Marco bring out the best possible versions of themselves, helping each other grow as people. It gets to the point where Star shows she knows Marco better than his own parents, and Marco can say the same about Star.

Just as important is the fact that when one of them gets hurt or in danger, the other will go to the ends of the universe to help them out. And unlike some other partners, Marco has the martial arts skills to back that up.

When Marco got kidnapped by monsters in the Season One finale, Star was so furious that she dropped her normal, battle-loving demeanor and went into a calm, no-nonense rage.

When everyone thought that Star was dead, Marco punched the one responsible that it left a hole the guy’s chest. He was ready to kill someone; that’s not something you do lightly!

Star and Marco’s friendship is as strong as any I’ve ever seen in fiction, and it’s half the reason why I like them as a couple.

Their Romance

Before the show even started, fans were already shipping Star and Marco as an item, and it only got stronger as the series went on. Disney and Daron even encouraged this by teasing the fans as early as the first season. They not only acknowledged the term “Starco” to describe their relationship, but even worked it into the show.

Then they put this into the teaser for Season Two, and the fans went nuts:

I’ve seen ships in fandom’s before, but Starco has stood out to me as different from most others. Most romantic pairings in fiction have two people realize their feelings, and then realize that the other person feels the same, and then they become a couple. In comparison, what makes Starco special is how realistic it portrays itself.

Starco is not as simple as “Point A to Point B”. It is complicated by many events, some of which are beyond their control. For starters, they start out the show with crushes on different people entirely. Marco had a crush on classmate and skater girl Jackie Lynn Thomas, while Star falls for this wannabe musician.

Star encourages Marco to tell Jackie how he feels, but just as they start dating, she realizes she developed a crush on Marco. She tries keeping it a secret for Marco’s sake, only for a songstrel to reveal not only in front of Marco, but all of Mewni! It was the most embarrassing moment of her entire life.

She doesn’t have time to sort it out though, as a new threat forces her to return to Mewni without Marco. They meet up again, but said threat prevents them from addressing everything before Marco returns to Earth.

Meanwhile, try as he might, Marco just can’t adjust to a normal on Earth. Realizing he liked Star (before even he did), Jackie breaks up with him, and he returns to Mewni unannounced, which leads him to realize he’s fallen for Star. By then, though, it’s too late, as she’s gotten back together with her ex-boyfriend, Tom.

Then it gets even further complicated when the two get locked in a photo booth by a goblin who forces them to kiss each other before letting them out. And since Star was still dating Tom, that led to a lot of guilt on both parts.

Point is, it wasn’t that simple and straightforward. It was like a long, twisting road that could lead to anywhere. But despite all the awkwardness, their friendship remains strong, and it becomes clear to everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, on Earth and on Mewni. Everyone on Mewni thought they were dating, despite saying otherwise. When Marco babysat his new baby sister, everyone on Earth thought she was his and Star’s kid! How they got Disney to agree to that is beyond me, but it says something about their relationship.

Future of Starco?

In the end, after many adventures, breaking with their respective other, and awkward moments, Star and Marco finally realize they love each other. Disney even released a video making a big deal of it! That can be what happens in real life: love is a complex road, but it can be worth it in the end. It’s why seeing them finally become an item is so rewarding, and why I think they’re one of the best couples I’ve ever seen in a work of fiction.

Whether they may stay a couple, though, is another thing entirely. Thanks to the actions of Star’s mom, Mewni’s on the verge of being destroyed, and the only way that Star can think of saving it is by eliminating magic from the multiverse. Doing so, though, may permanently separate her and Marco forever. Which is why fans are more worried about this than the finale for Game of Thrones.

Whatever happens, I know one thing: Starco is one of the most realistic couples that I have ever seen in fiction, and I will never forget it no matter what happens. But if they don’t end up happily ever after, I’m gonna be so mad tomorrow morning!