Star takes a trip... And Marco runs into someone at Britta's Tacos! | Wraith's Journal #58 part 1 [S4E15 - Doop-Doop & Britta's Tacos]
It's time to relax and enjoy some time off. Star gets ready for her trip but can't figure out where to go. Marco tries to eat 50 tacos to earn a prize! It's finally Beach Day?! And Meteora and Marco's sister get lost in the Neverzone! Crazy. Let's jump in!
~
Star is looking through Alphonse's Atlas of the Multiverse to find places to go to on her and Tom's trip, although she's kind of disappointed that she's already been to a lot of places ('cause I been through outer space...).
Marco is packing to move back to Earth. Star opens a portal for Marco with his scissors, and Janna follows with goods she smuggled from her time here (where was this girl staying again?).
Star and Tom are ready, and Tom has a Demon minion (imp?), Petey, carrying their bags. Star is ready for her new life:
Oh, I am so ready for some time away! I'm done being a princess. I can finally do.. whatever I want! [laughs] Okay, I just need to say a few goodbyes, then we are out of here!
~Star's had quite the journey. She enjoyed the princess life at first because she could do magic, but she shunned the idea of actually becoming Queen. Then she realized she needed to step up and fix her world - which she apparently has by setting it in the right direction with Eclipsa and Globgor. Now she's ready to move on. She's accomplished her goal, she's righted the wrong of the bloodline being illegitimate, she can do what she's always wanted: just be a normal teenage girl who goes on adventures and has fun with her friends.
Star and Tom go to the throne room to say goodbye to Eclipsa and Globgor. Many Mewmans and Monsters are here, Glossaryck too! Meteora gifts them a drawing, and Globgor presents a vegan (corn-)cake shaped like a Mewman. Tom casually drops an "I love you so much" as Star devours the cake. Eclipsa lets them go with an urge to write the "next chapter" in their story, although neither she nor Globgor are sure where they're going.
\"Write the rest of your marvelous story!\"
Star says goodbye to Pony (who is still working on the Ponyhead Show with Seahorse); Katrina, Buff Frog and his kids; and her mom. Moon, in particular, notes how she's adjusting:
I would never have imagined that I would be comfortable living in a house made of sticks and leaves, but there's a beautiful simplicity to life in a yurt. And, of course, your father has his hunting class to keep him busy.
~The bit about 'next chapter' is interesting. Everyone is moving on now that things have finally settled down. It was a rough transition from Moon to Star to Eclipsa and Globgor, but most people are making the most of things. Have we finally achieved peace on Mewni?
~Also, Moon's village might still be growing? And Moon is really enjoying herself. Moon talked about being a 'happy-go-lucky girl' once upon a time. Perhaps she, like Star, just wants to be normal?
Star then leads Tom into the woods to say goodbye to her first spell, Doop-Doop. He's an enchanted broom that Star just.. left in a shack in the middle of the forest?
~Some fans have looked down on Star for this. He's just alone here in a shack, baking in the sun. I'm more just confused by it. Why leave him here and not at least, like, leave him in her secrets closet? Or why doesn't he live in the Wand like the other spells?
Tom realizes Star is stalling after she says she needs to say goodbye to.. Apple Jeff (who?):
Tom: Okay, okay, all right, all right. Petey, let me see that atlas.
Tom looks through the Atlas's pages
Tom: Ugh! You didn't circle anything! Is there anywhere in here that looks cool?
Star: Well.. Tom, it's just...
Tom gives a reassuring smile
Star: ...I don't know where to go!
Tom: Um, oh! Yeah, okay. Well, that's fine! We can pick a place together!
Star: No, I really don't know where to go, or.. what to do.
Tom: Star, you're.. you're acting like you don't want to go. You do want to go, don't you?
Star: I think... I'm really excited to not be a princess. And now that Mewni doesn't need me, now that I'm.. free... I think.. I need time to figure things out.
~We're finally talking! Now?! After everything?! They couldn't talk about the photo booth kiss, they brushed off the Blood Moon... but they're talking now?! I mean, at least they didn't get halfway across the multiverse before Star said something. What changed?
~Did Star associate 'be the best princess/fix Mewni' with 'date Tom'? I can't believe Star was ever 100% over Marco. There just wasn't enough time between Star's confession (given how much her heart kept yearning for him) and how long they were temporarily separated. Then there's the analysis that Star may have subconsciously leaned into the photo booth kiss, and Star's uncertainty at breaking the Blood Moon - both inside their memory and out. What did she really see in Tom? A "friend" (Club Snubbed)? A companion? Tom Lucitor? ...Marco? Did she think the Butterfly princess and the Prince of the Underworld dating would have helped bring Mewni together?
~You have to follow your heart. But man, I just wish, for everyone involved, that Star (or Tom) realized this sooner. Indeed...
Tom: But I.. [groans] Ohhh, OH I wish you would've told me this sooner!
Star: Oh, Tom, please.. don't be upset.
Tom: Nope! Not upset! I.. don't want to pressure you or anything!
Star: Oh, you are upset. I can tell!
Tom: Okay, okay, I'm upset! But I'm allowed to be! Just like how you're allowed to be, ugh, you know, I... [groans, sighs] Look. You should take your time. If you want to. If you need to. [starts walking away]
Star: You don't have to go..
Tom: Oh, I'm gonna go! I don't know where, but you know what? It's gonna be great!
Tom summons a fire column, including a carriage...
Tom: I'll leave my phone on. Let me know when you've figured it out, okay?
Star: (weakly) ...Okay...
Tom leaves in his carriage, alone. It descends into the ground, and the hole closes, leaving a smoldering gap in the ground.
Star: ...Oh, Tom...
~I kind of feel bad for Tom. He brought the carriage back for Star, thinking they were finally going to move on and just be a normal couple. Even though he's a much better person now (especially given how he kept himself calm here, and left Star to "figure things out"), you can't force someone to love you. Their relationship has been on the ropes for a while, but now it's gone up in smoke. Maybe it's for the best.
Star knocks on the door of the Diaz house.
Star looks sad, but smiles when the door is opened.
Rafael: Star! Star Butterfly! [pulls Star into the house and hugs her] Look who came to visit!
Marco: Star? You're here?! You're here!
Star: Uh-huh! [tries to hug Marco, but he moves away to get something]
Marco: Awesome! Hey, close your eyes for a second!
Rafael: [covers Star's eyes] Got 'em!
Star: Okay. What's going on?
Marco brings his mom over to Star. Angie is holding a baby. Rafael uncovers Star's eyes.
Marco: Star, meet Mariposa, my new baby sister!
Star: [gasps] Sister?! I thought you were getting a brother!
Rafael: For how much money these doctors charge, you'd think they would be much better at their jobs.
Angie gives Mariposa to Star, who cradles Mariposa in her arms. Mariposa looks at Star, and falls asleep in her arms. Star smiles widely.
Marco: [smiles at Star warmly] It's so good to see you.
Star: Yeah. It's.. it's good to be back!
~Of all the places in the multiverse, Star went home, to Earth. She fixed Mewni, but Earth is the place where she's had the best adventures, with the family who adopted her like a daughter. Of course she still loves her mom and dad, and Mewni, but Earth is the place she wanted to be all along.
~And... AWWWWWWW! Mariposa meeting Star is the cutest moment in the entire show. I swear she was looking at Star like "big sister?". Like I said, Star is very much a part of the Diaz family. She's more than just an exchange student, or even just Marco's best friend.. awkward teenage feelings aside. It's home. For all the goodbyes Star said today, this is the one greeting that matters.
~
Star, Marco and Mariposa are at Britta's Tacos and Marco is determined to eat 50 tacos to finish his punch card and earn a prize. Marco tells Star about Earth summers:
Marco: Summers are all about relaxin' and doing nothin'.
Star: Ohhh, okay. [slumps onto table] After the year I've had, nothin' is all I wanna do.
~This indirectly confirms that it's been a year since Star left Earth. Starcrushed was the end-of-school-year party, so this must be roughly in June. More importantly, Star finally gets to have her Earth summer that Marco told her about a year ago. She's earned it after everything she's been through and done to fix Mewni.
Everyone Star and Marco knew from Echo Creek start showing up throughout the day: Sensei and Oskar are now working at Britta's Tacos; the adults from school chide Marco for losing out on his education (though Marco has a high school equivalency certificate); even Starfan13 shows up! Also, everyone thinks Star and Marco ran off to have a baby together since Marco is carrying Mariposa.
~Oh boy, the teen pregnancy jokes are ruthless this episode.
Marco realizes he can't possibly eat 50 tacos by himself, so Star reminds him that he just needs the punches. Marco extracts punches from those passing through.
Starfan is worried that Jackie might come by and have "drama" with Marco given everything that's happened. Marco insists things are fine, and excuses himself to the bathroom:
Marco: (to himself in a mirror) What does StarFan know? It's not gonna be weird to see Jackie. We're friends.
Man (in a stall, who looks suspiciously like Marco, just older): I thought me and my ex were cool. But last year, I ran into her at this very taco stand. It was terrifying! And she threatened to squeeze hot sauce into my eye! And I've been hiding out in this here stall ever since.
Marco: Well, that's you, man. Jackie and I – we had a healthy relationship.
Man: Yeah? Well, why'd you break up then?
Marco: Oh. Well, you know, 'cause she thought I was in love with... my best.. friend.
~First of all, I think Marco calling Jackie a 'friend' here is a bit much because they literally haven't talked in almost a year. Even then, their relationship wasn't really friends since they eventually got together, had a fling, and then broke up.
~More importantly: 'Love'; 'best friend' i.e. Star?! It's actually a very important moment because this is the first time for Star or Marco that they associate the word 'love' with the other. Let's think about this.
~I don't believe Marco truly understood what he was feeling for Star back in Season 1 and 2. Remember, he didn't realize he had a crush on her until he saw her and Tom kissing in Lava Lake Beach. Certainly, he might have seen Star as 'special' given how close they were as best friends, but his main focus was on Jackie up until he heard Star's song, "Star Butterfly is in love with ... Marco". Whatever happened made things "weird" since Marco was feeling something strange in his "guts" after that. Star and Marco's feelings for each other have lingered in strange ways. Also keep in mind that the Blood Moon is broken, so whatever they're feeling is definitely their own, even if it wasn't before. Point is: Marco and Star have had a long, complicated journey together. Marco is just now considering not just that he may be in love with Star now, but that he could have been in love with Star for many months, he just didn't realize it. Your move, Star.
Marco realizes he was a "terrible boyfriend" to Jackie.
Starfan knocks on the door and tells Marco he has a "visitor". Marco fears it's Jackie, but it just turns out to be Alfonzo and Ferguson! They made some new friends and play D&D together - they look really cool. They catch up briefly and Marco gets their punches.
It's evening now. Marco has eaten some more but still needs 2 punches. No one else has come by so Marco resigns to doing it himself.
Britta's Tacos is out of ingredients except 'pain peppers'. Marco is defeated:
Marco: Nah, man. I'm done. My quest for the mystery prize is a bust! Two punches! I just needed two--
Someone lightly punches Marco's arm twice
Marco: --Ow! Huh?
Jackie: You want chips on the side?
Marco: Jackie?! I thought you were...! Hi!
Jackie: (addressing Mariposa) Aww, who's this little lady? (addressing Marco) Looks like you've been busy!
Marco: She's not mine! I mean.. she's.. she's mine. Just not mine-mine. She's.. my sister.
Jackie: [chuckles] Classic Diaz! Oh, hey, I've got somebody I'd like you to meet.
A girl appears next to Jackie
Girl: Bonjour!
Jackie: Chloe, meet Marco.
Marco: Oh, hi! How do you guys know each other?
Chloe: We met in France.
Jackie: She taught me all about the beauty of French architecture and how to do sweet parkour off it.
Jackie has Chloe demonstrate parkour
Star: She's so cool...
Marco then offers to buy them the last 2 (pain-pepper) tacos. Jackie and Chloe enjoy them despite the spiciness, and Marco smiles.
Jackie: Well, Marco, thanks for the tacos! It's really nice to see you.
Marco: Really? 'Cause I wasn't sure if things were cool between us.
Jackie: Of course things are cool, bro; you just bought us tacos!
Marco: I don't know. I was in the bathroom thinking about life, and it dawned on me: Marco, you were a terrible boyfriend to Jackie...
Jackie looks around awkwardly
Marco: ...And you're Jackie.
Jackie breaks out laughing
Marco: What?
Jackie: Nothing. You're just the best. Look, as boyfriends go, you were pretty standard. But you always knew how to make me laugh!
Marco: Standard? You're not just saying that?
Jackie: Look, I learned a lot about myself in France, and.. we just weren't the best match. And that's okay. It doesn't mean we can't be friends!
Marco: Yeah. That's what I was hoping!
Jackie: Okay, Marco. Well, we better get going. (calls out to Star, who has been sat at the table this whole time) Bye, Star!
Star: Bye, Jackie!
Jackie: Now, she's a special girl, Marco. [ruffles Marco's hair] Make sure you don't mess that one up. Stay amazing!
Chloe: Au revoir!
Jackie and Chloe ride away on skateboards holding hands.
Marco: Bye!
~Best, most wholesome reunion; and longest dialogue sequence that I remember goes to... But yeah, I love this moment. 'Stay amazing' doesn't have that bitter taste anymore (unless you strongly shipped Jackie and Marco...).
~Friends. It's a big theme in the final arc of the show. Friendship is the foundation of every good relationship in this show. People who fit together well and make each other laugh. Marco and Jackie never really had that. Just awkward nods at each other, then Marco's confession and Marco asking her out finally... but they never had that foundation of friendship. Whatever happens, I think they're better for it.
~Also, I don't think Marco was ever a bad boyfriend. Maybe he could have called more when he was staying in Mewni over last summer. Teenage relationships are just awkward in general. And 'not the best match'... I mean, Jackie and Chloe are totally dating, even if Disney wouldn't allow that to be explicit. I'm glad she found someone who makes her happy.
~And of course Jackie realizes Star is special. Not just for herself, but for Marco, too. That's what I mean: Star and Marco's connection is something else. Teen pregnancy jokes aside, they're just meant to be together and everyone can see it.
Marco got the last 2 punches from Jackie and Chloe, so Star takes Marco's (our) punch card and demands the prize. Sensei says it was stolen, but it was a t-shirt that said 'Britta's Tacos'. Marco with the parting words of wisdom:
You know, the real prize was getting to see all our friends.
~Indeed, I'm glad everyone is friends here. Time, space and drama couldn't break that bond.
~It's a fun episode. Fans missed the interactions on Earth and it all got packed in nicely, I think. Good to reconnect with everyone!
~
I'm gonna break this in half here, since this is very long and I want to do all the episodes justice. Part 2 will be posted tomorrow!
Posted Nov 20, 2025, 8:45 PM UTC