#hope you guys don't mind the barrage of screenshots

[fordarkisthesuede]

Star Watch - Bon Bon the Birthday Clown

Ah finally, here we are! The episode that kicked off the mid-season hiatus and made the entire fandom cry at once. I have waited patiently. I know what lies ahead at the very end, but I don’t know the journey there. I have a feeling we’re going to have a lot of screenshots... 

Aww, Bon Bon’s design is so cute! And that’s something to be said - not every animated clown can pull off “cute”. For most people, it’s more along the lines of “terrifying” or “traumatizing” or “why did I ever watch IT oh god why”.

In the case of the SVtFoE universe, it’s “he’s a WITCH!” 

Poor Bon Bon! That’s a very disturbing way to draw someone in a cast. And why is his nose still there? Shouldn’t it be under the wrappings, too? (Is he Captain Buggy’s lost relative???)

OH GODS.

“In 100 years [he]’ll return just like [his] candles”? So, uh... He’s going to flicker in and out of existence until he explodes? Still a positive guy up until the very end...

“I just saw a HUGE rat in the air duct!”

Oh ho ho, oh Marco, you worrywart! Public schools always have some kind of vermin infestation! Rats, mice, flying cockroaches - it’s nbd! Just tell the janitor so they can lay down some traps and go on you’re merry way. I’m sure a giant rat isn’t significant in any way! *wink wink!*

Janna made a handmade cake for Bon Bon? Aww, Janna, that’s so sweet! I’m sure he’ll appreciate it when you’re little séance rises him from the grave!

In Janna’s defense, I remember the night I had a séance with my friends as a pre-teen a lot more than any school dance I ever attended. 

MARCO I’M HAPPY JACKIE ASKED YOU OUT BUT PLEASE STOP MAKING THAT UNCANNY-VALLEY SMILE

Why does no one ever knock on doors in Marco’s house?? I mean come on Janna, it’s his bathroom, wtf

aaaahhhhhhh

aaaaHHHHHHHHHH

AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH IT’S TOO PRECIOUS!!!!!

Oh hey, look! Rats are popping up again! Do you hear the plot-siren blaring, or are my headphones messed up again?

Glossaryck’s head-stone isn’t natural? I wonder why he put it there... To enhance his powers, perhaps? Or does it seal something instead...?

Even Bon Bon’s grave is cheerful and cute! This guy!

I like seeing Marco get super nervous about dating Jackie, but I’m surprised he didn’t think about the consequences of interrupting her so often. Marco, buddy, that’s not how you talk to people, let alone dates.

MARCO, MY BOY, YOU LEVELED UP SOMEHOW!!!!! WOOOT GO MARCO!

Actually, wait - WOOOT, GO JACKIE, YOU FORWARD-THINKER!!!! (Man, she’s really forgiving about all the mishaps here! Is she just super understanding, or does she like Marco that much? Hmm...)

You know, are Janna and Star trying to follow a guide for this seance, or are they just doing half-guesswork and half-researched seance rites? Because that shrine is a sweet gesture, but it doesn’t hold the symbolic meaning of the cake, and I’m pretty sure any shrine you make for calling a specific member of the dead back has to include a personal item of theirs... 

What am I saying, Bon Bon’s so upbeat I bet he’d love that shrine anyway!

GLOSSARYK DON’T JUST DESTROY RANDOM PAGES FROM THE BOOK! YOU’RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED THAT LATER!

(I wonder if it was a spell for controlling rats? My second guess is “conjuring rat minions” but I like the idea of a controlling spell instead, as it makes Star’s rash decisions more of a foil against herself.)

It’s cute that despite Marco’s awkwardness and failings at their date, both of them are still having a good time. It’s a really sweet part of this episode, regardless of whether or not you ship Jarco.

Shrine went from 0-100 real quick

Also, Star, I know you’re feeling lonely and everything, but calling someone a billion times makes you look either super creepy or like you’re in danger...

Hey, Star’s wand looks a lot like her ancestors’ wands now... You know, that’s something I wondered about - why is it a star-symbol during the resting period all the time for her, but in all the paintings we saw of Star’s ancestors, they all had eyes instead of stars? Curious...

Star’s magic is influenced by her emotions, but this time her negativity - specifically her jealousy - deliberately put Jackie and Marco in harm’s way by tampering with Jackie’s skateboard. Thankfully, she was still upset by it and was even caught off guard, not being sure it was her who did it. 

More rats! Aww, I’m going to name them all! That one’s Squeakers, that one’s Jellybean, that one’s Crow, that one’s-

No wait, something’s happening.

Could it be...?

ANOTHER GREAT VILLAIN ENTRANCE???!!! Ludo, you just went up to a 7/10 on the character list!! Congrats, little man!! I’m so proud of you! Look at you, carefully planning and plotting and pulling out the dramatics! ;w; You even pulled a “did you miss me, Princess?” line! 

But why worry about Star when there’s JARCO KISSING HAPPENING OMFG

Wow the Jarco fans have official ship art now, good for them!

But the Blood Moon(tm) isn’t happy about it. I guess it’s a Starco shipper for life after it entwined their souls for eternity. Take a chill pill, Blood Moon, people can ship whatever they want.

EVERYONE KNOWS FIGHTING MOVES AREN’T VERY EFFECTIVE TOWARDS FLYING TYPES!  I CALL HACKS!

Bon Bon!! You’re back! And still so cheerful!! :D

D: Bon Bon noooooo

Interesting that Star’s momentary distraction by Jackie and Marco caused her magic to warp the spell into reverse. Her darker emotions are really getting the better of her without the other half of the wand.

Speaking of which, the wands are like ying and yang at this point. Star can do both “good” and “evil” magic (using the terms loosely) with her current half of the wand, but all we’ve seen from Ludo’s wand is “evil” magic. Does his half of the wand have the potential for “good” magic, too?

Speaking of - dang it all, he was so good in this episode! He came after Star entirely for the book so he can further learn how to use the wand AND leave her demoralized and somewhat defenseless. He had great lines, great motives, great use of all his minions, and I swear his villain laugh was A+ this ep! Ludo, I’ve decided - you’re officially a 8/10! Congratulations!!! *throws confetti* 

Oh, speaking of ratings - this episode is a solid 10/10! I’m impressed! Excellent in terms of pacing, tone-setting, surprise twist (for those that weren’t spoiled), and character development! Since the Star Strike starts in...8 hours, it’s good to look back on where we all last left off and think eagerly about what’s to come now that Star’s lost not only the gateway to new magic, but a valuable ally and friend. I’m especially looking forward to seeing Ludo and Glossaryk interact - I’m really hoping we’ll learn more about Eclipsa and her chapter! I think it would be the one chapter in the whole book Ludo would excel at, given his emotional ties to the wand’s magic. 

And who knows, maybe Eclipsa is the one giving him whispered pointers...