Written by Ashli Trageser (Features Writer)
“Star vs. the Forces of Evil” may sound like the name of a wholesome cartoon primarily for kids, (which it is, for the most part) but it also touches on themes of racism and bigotry, along with the premature stress of a teenager inheriting an entire kingdom. The show stars a 15-year-old girl named Star Butterfly and her best friend, Marco Diaz. Star is the princess of a kingdom in an alternate dimension called “Mewni,” where she is set to inherit her parent’s throne one day. Before she becomes queen, though, she is given a magic wand on her fourteenth birthday, passed down from Butterfly princesses for generations. However, she is shown to be reckless with the wand, causing her parents to send her away for “additional training” on another planet in a new dimension; Earth. This is where she meets the fellow protagonist and her new best friend, Marco Diaz. He is introduced along with many other supporting characters–Jackie, Janna, Alfonzo, Ferguson, Brantley, etc–who inevitably become forgotten as the show slowly shifts back to Mewni in season three.
While the first two seasons are filled with wacky hijinks on Earth, featuring a harmless villain named Ludo whose sole purpose is really comedic relief, the show then shifts to the life of Mewni, bringing more serious themes with it; Star’s mom disappearing, racism between Mewmans and Monsters festering, Marco being trapped in an alternate dimension, an old queen coming back to regain her rightful place on the throne and destroying anything in her path, and even Star coming to realize she’s not a real princess by blood. Follow Star, Marco, and the new supporting cast from Mewni–Tom, Kelly, Ponyhead, Moon, River, Eclipsa, Hekapoo, Globgor, Meteora, etc–as she comes to terms with her family history. While doing so, she also works to mend the unjust rift between Mewmans and Monsters that the kingdom was founded on. While the later seasons do shift to more serious themes, however, “Star vs. the Forces of Evil” still has its fair share of antics – love triangles, parties, and plenty more things to keep the ‘slice of life’ audience entertained.
“I really like the series, even though it’s made for little kids it’s still really entertaining. I really like the whimsical vibe and the twists and turns throughout the story. I do think it was annoying how you had to watch all the episodes to understand what was going on, though.” Stated Monica Mulry. I do have to agree on this one, though, while the show has an unusual way of spinning the “magical princess” trope, it’s annoying how you can’t just start watching anywhere in the show. However, for people that just watch it for the plot, that’s probably a very enjoyable aspect. While the show may have ended in 2019, its creative cast of characters and magical aspects will continue to be cherished by the fandom.
The Claw 