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This is a timeline of the events that took place in Star vs. the Forces of Evil mixed in with a bit of commentary and some theories.  My hope is that this’ll be a useful resource for those of us who still like talking about the show.  Feel free to post feedback in the comments.

Now let’s get down to business.  To start, here are the sources I used when trying to figure out dates in addition to the actual show:

• The California school calendar
• Star vs. the Forces of Evil: The Magic Book of Spells, I’ll just be referring to this as the Book of Spells
• Star and Marco's Guide to Mastering Every Dimension
• Mariposa’s development milestones
• My best guess

I did not include Star vs. the Forces of Evil: Deep Trouble or any of the video games because I don’t know them well enough.

As for events, I’m going to stick to those that took place between December of 2014 to August 2016.  “Hey Olin, why didn’t you list the reign of Queen Moe?”  Nope, too much history.  For that kind of info checkout the timeline on the SVTFOE Wiki page.  

Next, I what you to keep this in mind as you read:

• I’ve tried to call out timeline and continuity problems.  At the same time I’ve provided workarounds.  Am I right about any of these?  Your guess is as good as mine.  
• I listed full dates in European format.  That just makes scenes to me.
• Except where noted, we’re assuming that all episodes happened in order.
• This document is FULL of spoilers.  You are NOT allowed to read this unless you’ve watched all four seasons or risk the wrath of the Great Stump!
• This first chapter is going to focus on recurring events and S1.  My plan is to write a chapter for each season.

Birthdays, Holidays, and Anniversaries

Everyone loves birthdays, until you get old.  I’ll be updating this list as I review other seasons.

January

February

• Angie and Raphael’s wedding anniversary - Assumed to take place in February. 
• Pony Head’s Birthday - "St. Olga's Reform School for Wayward Princesses”.
• Rafael’s Birthday - Between 2/19 and 3/19, Book of Spells.

March

• Brittany’s Birthday - Assumed to be in March.
• Mewnipendance Day - 37th of Gravnogk, aka March 12th, “Mewnipendance Day”

April

May

• Mariposa’s Birthday - Assumed to be in May.

June

July

• Silver Bell Ball - Assumed to be in July.

August

• Pony Head’s Birthday - 2001/08/04, "Bam Ui Pati!".  Yes, she has two birthdays! This comes from Pony's ID. I'm assuming that this date is based on the an Earth calendar because it includes the year 2001.

September

• Angie’s Birthday - Between 9/24 and 10/22, Book of Spells.

October

November

• Soul Rise & Marco’s Birthday - Has to be 2000/11/28.  We know it’s between 11/23 and 12/20 based on the Book of Spells.  We’re going with the 28th because of where “Lava Lake Beach” falls in the timeline and because it’s also Adam McArthur’s birthday.

December

• Stump Day & Star’s Birthday - I’m going with 2000/12/26.  This is based on the Book of Spells saying it is between 12/22 and 1/20, “Stump Day” being considered a holiday episode, and the fact that Eden Sher’s birthday is on 12/26.

Season 1

This is the main event folks, buckle up!

2014 December

S1.01a "Star Comes to Earth", Opening Monologue

• TIMELINE - Star says she received the wand on her birthday which we later learn is Stump Day, 2014/12/26.  It sure doesn’t look like Stump Day when Star rides into the throne room but we’re going to assume that they started celebrating the Great Stump right after.

S4.15a "Doop-Doop", Mentioned

• TIMELINE - For Star’s first spell she enchants a broom.  I don’t have the exact date but being her first I would guess that this happened no later than 2014/12/27 and it also had to be before the first Tomstar breakup. 

S1.01a "Star Comes to Earth", Opening Monologue & Book of Spells, Star the Underestimated, Sad

• SHIP SIGHTING! - In the Book of Spells Star states that she accidentally set fire to a village right after breaking up with Tom.  This event matches up perfectly with the burning village scene from “Star Comes to Earth''.  We never find out the details but it sounds like Star and Tom were together for a few months based on what we can guess from the Book of Spells.
• TIMELINE - These events could have taken place in January of 2015, but I assume this all happened before 2014/12/31.  The reaction of her parents when they say ‘She can’t handle it.’ leads me to believe that she hasn’t had the wand long enough to show that with time, she will be able to handle it.  I’ll talk about Star being underestimated more when we get to “The Banagic Incident”. 

2015 January

Book of Spells, Star the Underestimated

• FRIENDSHIP - Based on a photo in the Book of Spells, a going away party takes place for Star on Mewni.  Of all the kids shown, only Tom and Pony are upset that Star is leaving.  My headcanon: Star didn't have many friends her age back on Mewni.  To me this helps explain some of her immediate attachment to Marco.

S1.01a "Star Comes to Earth", Post-monologue

• MAGIC! - Star has had the wand for maybe two weeks by this point.  Sadly for Marco, she only has limited control of her magic.  I’ll be calling out magical abilities as they’re revealed.  
• SHIP SIGHTING! - This is just my theory, but In S4 when Marco says that he’s loved Star since the beginning, he is probably talking about that first fight with Ludo.  Star gave him the opportunity to finally become the ‘misunderstood bad boy’ he always dreamed of being, and he loved that.  That feeling would eventually grow into loving her. 

Star and Marco's Guide to Mastering Every Dimension, Echo Creek Academy

• TIMELINE - It’s likely that class pictures were taken around now since Star is included in the 2014-2015 freshman class photos. 

S1.01b "Party with a Pony” 

• FRIENDSHIP - The episode makes it clear how awesome a friend Star can be.  I love how she pulls Marco into her fun but still makes sure that he is safe.  
• MAGIC! - Pony shows off some seriously destructive magical powers that we rarely see after this.
• CUTE DETAILS - The way the animators had Star jumping through portals in this episode is amazing.  I wished they had kept doing that throughout the series.

Book of Spells, Star the Underestimated, Thoughts on Marco

• TIMELINE
  • Star could have made this diary entry anytime between now and "Sleep Spells" but I would guess that it’s within a few weeks of coming to Earth.
  • When Star mentions the first day of school we have to assume that she means her first day and not the start of the school year.
• FRIENDSHIP - Looks like Star has figured out right away that her relationship with Marco is special.
• CUTE DETAILS - Star basically admits to playing dumb in front of people because it makes her life easier.
• HEAD/HEART STATUS - Star’s writing is in no way an admission of love but it does make me think that the potential for more is there.  We’ll dive deeper into ‘Thought on Marco’ when we get to “My New Wand!”.  

S1.02a "Matchmaker” 

• SHIP SIGHTING! - This episode plants the seeds for both Tomstar and Jarco.  Seems the episode name was appropriate. 
• BAD IDEA TRACKER - Star gets a point for casting a spell on her teacher when she’s not even close to mastering magic yet.
• TIMELINE - We see Tom getting angry in this episode.  Later, in “Blood Moon Ball”, he claims to be 53 days anger free  This makes me think that he hired his life coach around this time but likely still gets angry a few more times between now and the dance.
• OTHER STUFF - It’s worth mentioning that the pilot, which was never aired but you can find on YouTube, is an alternate version of this episode.  In it Star and Marco aren’t best friends yet.

S1.02b "School Spirit" 

• MAGIC! - Based on all of the different small animals Star has turned into monsters, she has mastered some transformation magic.  Basically she can turn anything into a monster.  Go Star!
• TIMELINE ERROR - This episode involves a football game but the last high school football games are generally played in early December.  Either this episode takes place in an AU with a different timeline or this is some sort of January exhibition game.
• BAD IDEA TRACKER - Both Star and Marco get a bad idea point for this episode.
• OTHER STUFF - Already Marco is better at fighting then the average high school football player.  Go Marco!

S2.01b "Ludo in the Wild", Day 1

• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Nope, not crazy.  I’ll give a full explanation in S2 but here is the short version, if Ludo was in the wild for 90 days he would have had to have jumped back in time in order to be back on Earth for “Wand to Wand”.  Just trust me on this one.
• ADULT THEMES - At one point on day 1 we see Ludo wearing a diaper, not that I'm judging.  There are also a few kills at the start of this episode but such is the circle of life.

S1.03a "Monster Arm" 

• MAGIC! - Star has mastered ‘Pig Tails, Pony Tail’ and we get to see the Book of Spells for the first time.  We also learn that if Star casts the same spell a bunch of times in a row, like the one that fixes Marco’s arm, she doesn’t need to speak the incantations when recasting it.
• CUTE DETAILS - This is the first episode where we see their shared bathroom. Star’s side is already a mess.  Another cool detail, Star has a paper with an F- on it, but not the one from “Matchmaker”, hanging on the wall of her room.  Attached to it is a note saying ‘fantastic’.    
• BAD IDEA TRACKER - Marco for letting Star fix his broken bone when she clearly states that the spell is outside her comfort zone.  He saw what happened to Skulzy!
• TIMELINE ERROR - In the cafeteria we see another kid in a football uniform.  Maybe they were putting on a football themed winter play.
• TIMELINE - There must be a time skip between this and the next episode while Marco’s arm heals.  I have no idea what happened during this time hop but I’m going to assume that his arm only had a partial break.  That would mean that he was only out of commission for 2-3 weeks.  More than this would mess up the timeline. 
• ADULT THEMES - This is our first time visiting Marco in the shower.  Also the female interest in Marco’s monster arm at school makes me think that it has some sort of magical charismatic aura.

2015 February

It’s a busy month once we get past episode 1.03b.

S1.03b "The Other Exchange Student"

• TIMELINE - This episode starts with Star’s ‘47th day’ on Earth party and ends with her ‘51st’ day on Earth party.  This means the episode must take place late-February, after Marco’s arm has healed.  
• CUTE DETAILS - Based on the pictures on the wall Star is their 17th exchange student, I didn’t count the robot or lama.  This is also the first episode where Star summons Spider with a Top Hat.

S1 & S2 Ending Sequence

• TIMELINE - This seems like a good spot to place the ending sequence for seasons 1 & 2.  We saw Spider with a Top Hat in the previous episode and Star’s mood at this point seems to fit with her current feelings about Earth.  That said, it could have happened anytime between "The Other Exchange Student" and "Storm the Castle".  The big question, when did she go to outerspace?  

S1.04a "Cheer Up, Star" 

• CUTE DETAILS - The F- from “Matchmaker” is on Star’s desk in this episode.  
• BAD IDEA TRACKER - Marco for luring the monsters to attack, bad idea.  
• HEART/HEAD STATUS - This is the first episode where Star and Marco have a cute exchange that one could take as them liking each other.  My take, Star really is the coolest girl Marco knows and she liked that compliment.  At this point in the show Star’s head & heart point toward Oscar (or maybe Tom as we’ll talk about in “Blood Moon Ball”) other than maybe the 2% that thinks Marco is cute. On the other side Marco’s head & 98% of his heart point toward Jackie.  I would say that Star owns the other 2%.  Sorry fellow Starco fans.  All that said, I believe that the seeds for Starco have been planted.
• OTHER STUFF - Marco’s breaking of Jackie’s skateboard/heart could just be a cute detail.  Or maybe it’s foreshadowing of what’s to come.

S1.04b "Quest Buy" 

• MAGIC! - We get to see a milhorse for the first time and learn about the wand charger.  Milhorses are here to stay but we never hear about chargers after this.  Could it be that each type of charger has a matching unique wand?  Could it be that each previous version of Star’s wand used a different style charger?  Did Quest Buy make all these chargers appear because Star and Marco thought they would be there (see “Out of Business'')?  Could it be that River’s magical staff is powered by a wand charger even though it isn’t a full wand?  Could it be that you can plug a magical charger into anything and it’ll become magical (see Marco’s Dustbuster)?  What happened to all these chargers after Toffee and then the queens destroyed magic?  So many questions! 
• CUTE DETAILS - There is a book about Mewberty on the bathroom floor right before the credits. 
• FRIENDSHIP - At this point Star and Marco are finally comfortable enough where they can be casually rude and sarcastic with each other.  This is an important friendship milestone!  I heard that in one of Daron’s pitches Star and Marco aren’t immediate friends.  I assume that in this episode Star and Marco’s friendship is close to where Daron wanted their relationship at this point.
• OTHER STUFF - Here we learn that Star knows all about the internet.  Go Star! 

S1.05a "Diaz Family Vacation"

• TIMELINE - It’s Angie and Raphael’s wedding anniversary.
• _____ IS AN AWFUL QUEEN - One obvious issue that we see in this episode, the Butterfly Kingdom’s huge wealth gap.  I don’t fully blame this on Moon but at no point in the series does a queen do anything to improve this.  Also notice, there are no signs of monsters around Butterfly castle other than goblin heads and giant toes.  Not cool.
• CUTE DETAILS - Marco is really cute when he talks about how great it is to go to the bathroom in the woods.
• ADULT THEMES - Yeah, the Diaz’s.  Also, this is the first episode with a confirmed kill.  I thought about doing a body count in this timeline but I’ll leave that to other fans.

S2.01b "Ludo in the Wild", Day 37

• TIMELINE - Somehow Ludo levels up and gains his first animal companion.  It’s also winter in the mountains of Mewni but there was no snow in the Forest of Certain Death during "Diaz Family Vacation".  I’m assuming that there are crazy weather patterns on Mewni.  This is later confirmed in “Game of Flags” where a single mountain is shown to have three different weather systems.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Again, I’ll explain why this is here when we get to day 90.

S1.05b "Brittney's Party"

• TIMELINE - Yup, Brittney’s birthday.
• LIES! - Star totally lied to Marco about being invited to the party.
• CUTE DETAILS - Evidently monsters have a smell.  Also, Marco says that Star should be a party planner, which she then becomes in seasons 3 & 4.
• ADULT THEMES - Jackie congratulates Marco as he is puking.  She seems to think that he is a ‘hard partier’.  Is Jackie cheering him on because she thinks binge drinking is cool?  Hmm.

2015 March 

Super busy month.  They have an adventure almost every day.  

S1.06a "Mewberty"

• TIMELINE - We see the swim team in this episode and with February being high school swim season this perfectly fits the timeline.
• MAGIC! - From this point on, maybe even before this, Star is no longer making mistakes with her magic until Toffee starts mucking around in S2.  So basically it took Star about three months to master spell casting.  Go Star!
• CUTE DETAILS - That locker Star hides in, it has a F- paper in it.  I’m sensing a theme.

• _____ IS AN AWFUL QUEEN - I assume Moon didn’t know Mewberty would happen like this.  If she did know and just let it happen without warning the Diaz’s or the school, wow!
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - This is a weird episode.  Great visuals, love the animation, and this one makes for some lovely fanart & fanfiction.  However, other than introducing the G-man and his ability to know the future, this episode doesn’t really impact the overall story arc.  If it wasn’t so good visually I’d almost call it a filler episode.
• ADULT THEMES - We have a few here. 
  • First Star lost her spellbook in a bet.  Does Star have a gambling problem?  
  • Janna totally puts her hand under Marco’s hoodie when she talks about them ‘making magic’ together.  
  • I know that Star is not herself, but forcefully building her own boy collection seems morally questionable even for a Disney animated series.  I’m sure with a little therapy all those kids will be fine.
• OTHER STUFF - This episode confirms what Marco says in S4 during “Kelly’s World”, he really doesn’t know Spanish as well as he should.

Book of Spells, Star the Underestimated

• TIMELINE - Star writes a diary entry about her mewberty wings.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Star credits Marco for preventing her from destroying the school.  Maybe trying to stop Star was the right thing to do even if it was only because she later appreciated the effort.

S1.06b "Pixtopia"

• MAGIC! - We’re told that the mine blocks magic.  We’ve seen Butterfly, Pony Head, and Pixie magic so far and Demon magic is coming.  I wonder if it blocks all of them.
• CUTE DETAILS - There is a Santa picture on the wall when Marco tries to pay the mirror bill.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - I know Ferg and Alfanzo were forced onto the show by Disney execs, but this still makes for a fine silly episode.
• ADULT THEMES - We got naked Fergason and what is likely a huge age difference in any ship involving Sugar Wings.  

S1.07a "Lobster Claws"

• TIMELINE - We’re going to assume that any damage to the school that took place in “Mewberty” has been repaired by this point.
• MAGIC! - At 2:30 we get to see a portal with the traveler’s inside of it.  Looks like you have to be fully in a portal before you can exit the other side even if it seems to work differently in “Running with Scissors”.
• CUTE DETAILS - Lobster Claws good and bad magic wand designs are both the bomb!
• OTHER STUFF - We all know this but it’s worth repeating, this is an important episode because Star learns that maybe not all monsters are evil.  At the same time, Lobster Claws has a difficult time NOT being evil.  Seems both sides have bought into the stereotype.

S1.07b "Sleep Spells"

• MAGIC!
• The wild jungle in the Diaz house is another example of magic being able to make just about anything exist.
• Princess Smooshy can shoot a laser from her finger that she says can be used to swap faces.  I’d count that as another princess with magic.
• FRIENDSHIP - The whole scene at the end about having each other’s back, that best sums up the foundation of their relationship.  Their dedication to having each other is what makes their friendship so special.

S1.08a "Blood Moon Ball" 

• TIMELINE - Tom has been anger free for 53 days.  The last time we saw Tom angry was in “Matchmaker” so this episode is more than 53 days after “Matchmaker”.  That fits our timeline.
• MAGIC! - Tom clearly has magic but it’s completely different from Butterfly magic.  We got flaming portals, a hand connected to his body by souls, telekinesis, and all sorts of flames.  We’ll list new demon powers as we go.
• FRIENDSHIP - This is the first episode where Marco is jealous of Star doing something without him.  This is also the first episode where Star shows her annoyance with Marco.  That whole exchange at the end where Star talks about needing a real friend and Marco acknowledging that, super powerful.
• HEART/HEAD STATUS - There is a lot to unpack in the romance department:
  • Tom - Obviously he’s all in on Star.  However, he is actively trying to get her soul-bound without consent.  Not cool Tom.  Even worse, supposedly it’s a curse and he doesn’t tell Star and Marco until S4.  I know he has a redemption arc but this is SO not cool.
  • Star - Until her demon ex-boyfriend blows up at the end I believe that Star’s heart is still drawn to Tom.  I’m saying this because of how fondly Star talks about them dating in the Book of Spell and how easily he gets past Star’s saying ‘NO’ at the beginning of the episode.  This makes me think that she really cared about him before their first breakup and maybe Star would have taken Tom back in this episode if the demon had played his cards right.  Another important point from Star and Marco's Guide to Mastering Every Dimension, Star acknowledges that because they are royalty there is pressure for her and Tom to eventually be together.  To extrapolate on that, she likely thinks that one day she'll have to marry Tom whether she wants to or not.
  • Marco - His head is still fully in the Jackie camp and that conversation with Star at the end of the episode about ‘needing a friend’ likely reinforced this.  That said, his heart is confused.  This is not “Lava Lake Beach'' but it’s clear that he values Star as more than just a friend.  I’d put his heart at 90% Jackie and 10% Star.
  • Oscar - I’m thinking that he was on his car during that whole parking lot exchange between Tom, Star, and Marco.  Shouldn’t he have at least asked if everything was okay?  What does Star see in this guy!    
  • Blood Moon - We can spot the Blood Moon throughout this episode.  Is the moon trans-dimensional?  Did the Blood Moon pick Star and Marco from the very beginning?  Did the Blood Moon draw both Star and Marco to the ball?  Is the bond really a curse?  The biggest question, what is it even doing bonding the souls of two fourteen-year-olds together!?  Weirdo!  Let the kids be kids!
• CUTE DETAILS
  • Oscar’s car has a wheel lock on it.  
  • One of the cheerleaders calls Tom hot.  
  • We see Janna and Jackie on a skateboard together.
• ADULT THEMES - Pony Head is a unicorn according to Star and the Underworld has enough extra unicorn blood where they can just dump it on people’s heads.  I wonder how they collect that.
• OTHER STUFF - There are some who profess the theory that the Star and Marco’s feeling for eachother from this point until “Curse of the Blood Moon” in S4 should be ignored because the Blood Moon forced them to like each other.  I officially call bullshit on that theory.  I’ll address this more when we get to “Curse of the Blood Moon” but for now I’ll make two points:
• There is plenty of evidence that the seeds for Starco were already planted before this episode and those feelings continued to flourish after the curse was broken.
• There is a lot that doesn’t add up about this ‘curse’.  For now I’ll just say that Tom is the only one who says that the curse controlled Star and Marco’s feelings, Relicor only says that Star and Marco are doomed, and there were a LOT of people spinning around the dance floor in this episode hoping to get chosen.  Even if Tom’s doubios information is right, this being a curse just doesn’t add up.

Book of Spells, Star the Underestimated

• TIMELINE - Star writes a diary entry about the Blood Moon Ball focusing on how Marco crashed her date with Tom.

S2.13b "Naysaya"

• TIMELINE - Sometime between now and “Mr. Candle Cares” Tom curses Marco with the Naysayer.  

Star and Marco's Guide to Mastering Every Dimension

• TIMELINE - Sometime between now and “Mr. Candle Cares” Tom curses Marco so that he knows whenever Marco mentions Star.  

S1.08b "Fortune Cookies"

• PLOT - Toffee!  I see this as the first major plot episode.  What makes it scary, everything seems to go as Toffee planned.
• CUTE DETAILS - Two-Headed Monster talks about wanting a hug since middle school.  This makes me think that Mewni or at least the monster kingdoms have some sort of school system.  Also, to quote both Star and Marco at the end, ‘Love is never the answer!’
• OTHER STUFF - This is the first episode that shows Mewni as having vending machines.  Are these electrically or magically powered?

S1.09a "Freeze Day"

• MAGIC! - To be clear, Star in no way meant to stop time.  Also interesting, Father Time states that anything is possible.  ANYTHING!  Remember that all you people who think magic will return someday.  
• HEAD/HEART STATUS - When Star changes her horns to cacti and gives Marco a smile, before he knocks her over, that might be the first sign that she might be thinking a little differently about her bestie.  I’d put her heart at 50% Oscar, 10% Marco, 1% Tom, and the rest goes to whatever cute boy she last walked past.  Of course right after he starts talking about Jackie and love.  Way to read the room Marco.  
• CUTE DETAILS - Star has a skull in her medicine cabinet and checkout the mess on her side of the bathroom!  
• TIMELINE ERROR - More football players.  Maybe Echo Creek has a year long football clinic.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - This is a great story and includes one of the best lessons of the series.  Sure Marco learns a lot in other episodes but the realization that nothing is going to happen unless you try to make it happen might be the most powerful of all.   
• BONUS - Here is some Starco fanfiction that takes place right at the end there.  I hope you like it. 
  
  https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13796785/18/Starco-vs-Parenthood

S2.22 "Starcrushed", Beach Day Photo

• TIMELINE - Either during “Freeze Day” or sometime between now and "Face the Music" Star gets the photo from Father Time.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - My headcanon is that in S2 Star needed a Jarco break so she goes to visit Father Time.  During that visit he gives her the photo to cheer her up.  That said, it’s more likely that he gives it to her during the "Freeze Day” episode.

S1.09b "Royal Pain"

• MAGIC! - You can’t tell from the outside of the house but after seeing the inside I’m pretty sure Star connected the lost world of Atlantis to the Diaz living room.  And later there are maybe a dozen magical creatures reenacting fight club in her room.  I think it’s safe to say, Star has mastered wand magic.
• HEAD/HEART STATUS - An overtired Star just called Marco ‘Oscar’.  I’m not sure what this means but it must mean something.
• CUTE DETAIL - Evidently there are tiny elves who gave Moon the googly eye.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Not my favorite.  This episode has a lot of potential but Helios just shows up and ruins it.  That said, it’s not the worst.
• OTHER STUFF - Raphael sure is hairy.

S1.10  "St. Olga's Reform School for Wayward Princesses'' 

• TIMELINE ERROR.  The episode starts with Star making cupcakes for Pony Head’s birthday, but according to "Bam Ui Pati!" Pony’s birthday is on 8/4.  There are three ways we can fix this.  Either Pony lied to Star about her birthday (not likely), Pony’s ID from S3 is fake (more likely), or Pony is so awesome that she gets two birthdays (most likely). 
• MAGIC! - This is the first appearance of those weird Star legs that thrash around her room.  Also, the ad for St. O’s talks about there being no magic in the school but both Star and the pixie princess use magic in this episode. 
• CUTE DETAILS - In Star’s room there are a bunch of outfits that sadly, we never see her wear.  Also, Star pulls a tissue out of the wand when she is sad, so cute.
• PLOT - We all know what happens with Ms. Heinous.  But also there is a ton of weird sun, moon, and monster iconography in St. O’s that must be tied to some huge plot ideas that were never developed.  I wonder what the writers had planned.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Notice what happens when Star is in a dangerous situation and gets separated from Marco, she has a complete breakdown.  We’re going to talk about this.  It’s my belief that needing someone who ‘has her back’ is a core part of Star Butterfly’s personality.  She might charge ahead all the time but she doesn’t feel comfortable without a friend she can count on.  Before Marco she had Tom and she’s always had Pony.  Further evidence, if you look back at Star’s memories from “Freeze Day” in all the scenes where she is having an adventure, she always has someone with her.  This is going to be important later for explaining Tomstar part two, why she makes Marco her squire, and why she gets upset in “Knight Life”.
• OTHER STUFF - The number of monster princesses makes me think that there are lots of different kingdoms in other parts of Mewni or in other dimensions.  Also notice that they ALL have dimensional scissors.  Seems strange that H-poo would make scissors for all these kingdoms.  If the Butterfly kingdom traded them to monsters this would make me think that there are better relations with the different kingdoms than I would expect.  We’ll talk about other kingdoms more when we get to the “Silver Bell Ball”.

S1.11a "Mewnipendance Day" 

• TIMELINE - We know that this episode takes place on March 12th.  Star says the Mewman date at the start of the episode and using the Book of Spells we can convert it over to an Earth date.  This perfectly fits our timeline!
• PLOT - This might be the most important episode in the series from a plot perspective.  It introduces the viewers to the racism themes that will weave its way throughout the rest of the show.  In other plot news Toffee makes a comment about spying that makes me think that he’s studied the royals for decades.
• CUTE DETAILS - At the very start Buff Frog is sitting in a tree with a signed photo of Ludo next to him.  There are also some post-its notes next to it.  One says, ‘Star hates wood’.
• _____ IS AN AWFUL QUEEN - Based on what we know, everything about what the Mewmans did to the monsters ultimately is the responsibility of whoever was the queen at the time.  This is also the first episode where we see what looks like the Spell With No Name.  Star casts a flare that looks like it at the start of the reenactment.  Did some previous queen use this on the day of the Monster Massacre?  Again, awful.
• MAGIC!
• Toffee has a very magical looking portal device and it doesn’t work like a pair of dimensional scissors. Imagine if H-poo’s portal could be moved.
• Those magic looking crystals that we often see on Mewni are in the Diaz backyard.  I assume Star was just trying to make the ‘battlefield’ look authentic (she also added trees) but could there be a deeper connection to magic?  
• Back to the Spell with No Name, the fact that it is shown in this episode as a flare makes me think that the spell doesn't destroy everything forever as some have suggested.  We’ll cover this more when Eclipsa uses it in S4. 
• FRIENDSHIP - I love how Star and Marco listen to each other in this episode.
• BAD IDEA TRACKER - Star arming her friends.  I know she’s from a more dangerous world but putting Starfan in pho-Solarian armor and giving her a huge weapon was not the best choice.
• SHIP SIGHTING - Star making Marco her general, and the look on her face when she does it, I’m pretty sure that means something.

S1.11b "The Banagic Incident"

• PLOT - This is the first episode where we hear the term ‘Star the Underestimated’.  This is important to the overall plot because everyone underestimates Star at some point.  Prime example, her family underestimates her ability to control magic.  Why else would they exile her to Earth after just one mistake.  Even at the end of S4 Glossaryck admits that he underestimated her resolve to destroy magic.  We’ll talk about that more when we get to “Cleaved”.
• MAGIC! - Star has four tiny magical creatures reading the magazine with her.  She must be able to make creatures with the ability to read.
• CUTE DETAILS - Marco dude, hunger is not an emotion. 
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Not my favorite episode but still super cute.  However in the end, when Star shows her frustration with Marco without admitting it, this is brilliant!  One of my favorite moments in the series!
• OTHER STUFF - We’ve seen that Marco is very good at fighting by this point.  However, he still has a hard time catching Jeremy in the dojo.

S1.12a "Interdimensional Field Trip"

• SHIP SIGHTING!
• Marco starts making his move.  Sadly it’s with memes.  This does mean that somehow Marco got Jackie’s contact info and he does sit with her at the end.  Go Marco! 
• Janna meets her new BFF, who she later goes on a date with.  However in this same episode she is totally hitting on Marco.
• SCIENCE? - In this episode Star takes the class to a new dimension and then states that it is a planet.  It’s not proof but it could mean that some dimensions are really planets in the same dimension.
• CUTE DETAILS - Janna wants to go to the morgue.
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE - Just a cute episode and where we get to see Star’s first attempt at leading.

S2.01b "Ludo in the Wild", Day 65

• TIMELINE - Ludo gains his second animal companion.  Note that it’s still winter in the mountains of Mewni.
• ADULT THEME - I’d bet money that Ludo took out those baby eagles soon after this.

Star and Marco's Guide to Mastering Every Dimension

• SHIP SIGHTING! - Right after the field trip Janna goes on her one and only date with Bernardo.

S1.12b "Marco Grows a Beard"

• PLOT - Toffee makes his move.
• MAGIC! - Star has cast a ton of spells at this point so I’m really surprised that she messed up the beard spell.  Then again, it only started growing when Marco threatened to shave it off so maybe it was a magical defense mechanism.  Also, notice how the spells freakout in the beginning when Star dismisses them.  This is not the first hint that Star’s spells are living creatures.
• CUTE DETAILS - This time Star’s side of the sink has a fallen cupcake and a piece of pizza.  So gross.
• OTHER STUFF - In this episode we learn that monsters have birthday parties.  

S1.13   "Storm the Castle"

• PLOT - This episode has been dissected a thousand times by many much smarter than I am.  Instead of repeating what has already been said I’ll focus on just a few points:
• Some foreshadowing occurs when the Echo Creek police officer talks about magic, ‘If you don’t use it wisely, you can lose everything’.  Someone should have told this to Moon.
• My take is that Toffee is putting his suit aside because he knows that he’s going into the Realm of Magic when the wand is destroyed.  He even says goodbye to all the other monsters.  The man is truly a genius.
• MAGIC! - Lots to unpack here.  
• To start when the pair are escaping the sandwich beast, Star is the last one into the portal but the first one out.  This again confirms the theory that there is an area between the entrance and exit where stuff can move around.
• The magical cell Marco is in has those magical looking crystals on the corners.  Those have to be some side effect of magic.  Confirming this, they form all around Star and Marco when the wand is being reborn and the new wand comes out of one.
• This is the first time I remember seeing Star’s cheek emblems glowing white.
• It’s weird that the new wand doesn’t change at the end when Moon holds it.
• At the end of the episode Gloyssrik does that thing where he puts his arm through the magic mirror.  Super creepy.
• FRIENDSHIP - As much as this is an important episode for the overall plot, it’s also an important episode for Star & Marco’s friendship.  Sure they fight, but Star realizes that she is wrong and I think they come out stronger in the end.  That was also the best hug of the season.  
• BAD IDEA TRACKER - Marco was right about the sandwich and right to get angry.
• _____ IS AN AWFUL QUEEN - Star doesn’t even know who Toffee is.  Why would Moon not teach the future queen basic Mewman history!
• OLIN’S HOT TAKE
• Was it really wrong for Star to kick Ludo out into the void?  He totally had it coming and really Toffee needed her too.  Otherwise Ludo might never have found the other wand. 
• Star questioning why they’re even friends after a simple disagreement is further proof that she isn’t mature enough at this point to be in a serious relationship.  I’m going to talk more about this at the end of the season.
• Could Star have used her dimensional scissors to get Marco out of that cage?
• ADULT THEMES
• At the beginning of the episode, when Star pulls out the sandwich, Marco is clearly shown looking up Star’s dress.  
• Later we get the Diaz’s looking at ‘medical illustrations’.  Likely story. 
• Ludo totally kidnapped those tadpoles.  
• Nobody wanted it, but we ended the season with naked Glossaryck.
• OTHER STUFF - When Toffee said that he is disappointed in Marco, I’m guessing he is talking about the lame punch Marco hit the magical cage with or how Marco got hurt by Toffee’s sandwich.

S2.01b "Ludo in the Wild", Day 1

• TIMELINE - Technically this episode overlaps with “Storm the Castle” so I’ve also listed day 1 here. I’ll explain the rest of my weird “Ludo in the Wild” time travel theory on day 90.
• SCIENCE?
• Seems that there is air in space and you don’t slowly freeze.  That’s weird.  Of course I’m assuming the void is the same as space.  Maybe it isn’t.
• In the void there are broken satellites, rocks, trash, and another pair of dimensional scissors.
• MAGIC! - I assume that Toffee now has partial control over the Realm of Magic.  My guess is that Toffee made that weird green portal Ludo goes through to what we later learn is Mewni.  Again everything is going as Toffee planned.  

Season 1 Summary

Oh S1, how short you are.  There are only 13 episodes, but I’d bet $650 that Star will forever treasure the memories of these.  Nothing is better than magic, adventures, and a bestie who has your back!  No threat of becoming queen yet.  No intimate knowledge of all the wrongs wrought by previous queens.  No worries about losing that bestie to his life long crush.  Simple times.

Why do I enjoy S1?  Every episode includes a healthy dose of action, cute details, and just enough humor to hold the interest of all us adults in the room.  It’s pretty perfect. 

Some takeaways:

• Star - She started as a hyperactive princess, but over time the complexity of her character has become apparent.  What really makes her shine is that when a belief is called into question, she displays capacity for critical thinking.  I also love how caring she can be.  That said, there are other sides to her, like the one that we see at the end of "The Banagic Incident", that make you wonder what exactly is going on in that Mewman head of hers.  
• Marco - He might be labeled the safe kid, but other than with Jackie, that old-self is gone by the end of the first episode.  At the same time he is full of contradictions.  He can beat up any sort of monster, but he has a hard time catching Jeremy.  He’s the smartest kid in class, but is also constantly making dumb mistakes.  He shows reverence for finely made furniture, but still pretends to be part of ‘Alpha Team One’ while sneaking down a school hallway.  All that said, he really shines when Star needs a moral compass. 
• Ships - In S1 not one of these kids belongs in a serious relationship, they still have a lot of growing up to do.  Star doesn't yet understand the full impact of her actions while Marco is dealing with way too many Jackie issues.  Starco at this point would be doomed.    I'll be covering other ships as we advance through the seasons.

Stay tuned for S2,

Olin

https://www.fanfiction.net/~olinnordenn

* This is my first time using AO3.  Hopefully I did this right!