Line #25 Recap/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilS3E17Starfari


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/starfari_poster.jpg]]
2	Star decides to find out why Mewman's hate monsters.
3	----
4	!!Tropes:
5	* AntiClimax: After dramatically building a new dam to stop the incoming GiantWallOfWateryDoom, the scene cuts to a pathetic splash over the edge as the water is stopped.
6	* ArmorPiercingQuestion: Moon's reaction to Star's questions on what the difference between the monsters and the other non-mewmans really is implies that she's never really thought about it, especially given how she deflects to Dr. Goodwell.
7	* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: Presumably because he'll be a better expert than Goodwell was, Star appoints Buff Frog to be Mewni's new Royal Monster Expert.
8	* BaitTheDog: Jelly at first seems like Star in that she is a Mewman that doesn't hate monsters. It turns out that while she may not hate them, she doesn't think of them as equals but as slightly more intelligent animals.
9	* BigDamPlot: Dr. Jelly Goodwell plans to isolate the monsters by blowing up enough of their dam to create a moat around their village, turning it into an island prison of sorts. The monsters don't really care, as the dam bursting as such is common enough that they can clean it up no problem. Things get a bit more serious when Jelly decides to shake Buff Frog's hand using the one holding the detonator, setting off a second explosion which takes out the entire dam and threatens to destroy the village.
10	* TheBusCameBack: Some of the monsters in the settlement Star and Jelly observe (and end up rescuing).
11	* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Apparently, Star's antics have become so commonplace that Moon just knows how it will go down.
12	* CallBack: Moon is apparently working on Eclipsa's trial when Star bursts in.
13	* CallingTheOldWomanOut: Star calls her mom out about how unfairly treated monsters are, as well as how unfair it is that certain creatures that would qualify as monsters are treated as better than them. The argument does not end well.
14	* CondescendingCompassion: Dr. Jelly Goodwell is one of the few Mewmans that doesn't explicitly hate monsters and wants their preservation. However, she doesn't consider them to be intelligent beings and treats them how one would treat a lab rat. Not to mention the fact that she [[BigDamPlot blows up a dam]] to try and isolate them on an island.
15	* CoverInnocentEyesAndEars: When Dr. Goodwell rips off her clothes, Star covers Buff Frog and the tadpoles' eyes.
16	* DeathGlare: Tom does this to the shopkeeper who tried to kick him out, scaring the man into submission.
17	* DoubleStandard: Star lampshades how the Mewman FantasticRacism against monsters is fairly [[NonsenseClassification arbitrary]], classifying lizardfolk as monsters when individuals like Lekmet and Rhombulus, and groups like the Pony Head, Demon, and Pigeon kingdoms are not, despite the fact that someone without foreknowledge could easily mistake them for monsters. Moon's explanation of why this is more or less boils down to "[[SlobsVersusSnobs they're rich]]", or the fact that they are respected members of the Magical High Commission.
18	* TheDreaded: The Mewmans are obviously well aware of how powerful Tom is, not to mention his HairTriggerTemper. A Mewman shopkeeper who tries to chase him away believing him to be a monster, is absolutely terrified when he realizes who it really is, and promptly gets down on his knees, begging Tom not to incinerate the shop.
19	* EverybodyKnewAlready: The monsters were all aware of Jelly Goodwell's activities and just humored her.
20	* ExpertInUnderwaterBasketWeaving: On top of a Royal Monster Expert, Castle Butterfly has a "Royal Muenster Expert" (as in the specific type of cheese).
21	* FantasticRacism: As we all know, Mewmans are racist against monsters, but there's a conundrum to it; There are ''plenty'' of inhuman creatures that don't receive such treatment, but some more than others could just as easily qualify, making it somewhat hypocritical as Star points out. Most egregious is Tom, who is subjected to anti-monster sentiment before being recognized; despite what their appearances and nature suggests, Demons appear better regarded than other "monsters" in Mewman society apparently for the sole reason that their royal family are allies of the Mewni royal family. Plus, while it is known they scare people, they don't evoke anger in people the same way monsters do. This comes up in Star's line of questioning to Moon, along with characters like Lekmet, Rhombulus, and the Pony Heads who also aren't "monsters" because of their social statuses.
22	* GoingNative: Jelly Goodwell is so impressed with the monsters' teamwork in stopping the flood she accidentally started, she decides that more Mewmans should live like the monsters... starting with herself.
23	* GoshDangItToHeck: At the height of Star's outrage at Mewmans' rather illogical racism towards monsters, she actually says "What the heck is the difference?".
24	* IgnoredEpiphany: The monsters stop the busted dam from flooding their village, which seemingly convinces Dr. Goodwell that they're intelligent people and not smarter-than-average animals. In fact, she ''still'' thinks of them as uncivilized idiots, but also that [[NobleSavage they're better off that way]], and [[GoingNative wishes to join them]].
25	* IncrediblyObviousBug: Buff Frog apparently had a tracker planted by Jelly Goodwell behind his right ear since he was a tadpole, but it's only visible in this one scene for the sake of the joke. The tracker itself is larger than his ear and is constantly beeping, but Buff Frog treats it just as a source of occasional itch.
26	* KnowNothingKnowItAll: Dr. Goodwell is considered a monster expert, but doesn't really know anything about monsters, nor does she even see them as fellow sapient beings--she literally assumes that the monster town is a bunch of "naturally occurring formations that almost look like buildings", because it's inconceivable to her that they would actually know how to build their own houses. As she's the one who decides who is a monster and who isn't, that may certainly explain why Mewmans' prejudice against monsters in the present is arbitrary.
27	* MomentKiller: Just as star decides to appoint Buff Frog as Mewni's monster expert, Buff Frog expresses he got stabbed by the pin.
28	* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Jelly Goodwell is a parody of Jane Goodall, a zoologist famous for her studies on chimpanzees in the wild.
29	* OhCrap:
30	** A racist shopkeeper nearly wets himself when he tries to kick Tom out of his shop, not knowing who it was and thinking he was just a random monster.
31	** Downplayed with Moon. She has a LittleNo as she hears the sound of running footsteps towards the door...which get kicked open by Star.
32	* PunnyName: The Royal Muenster Expert is called Brie Parmesan; both her first and second name are sorts of cheese.
33	* SlobsVersusSnobs: Though Star fails to notice, all of the monster-like allies of the Mewmans are wealthy, while the actual monsters are poor. Moon even points out that the Pigeon Kingdom are allies because they're rich, when Star brings up that their kingdom (unlike the Lucitors and Pony Heads) was only created very recently and thus "long history of being civilized" can't be the reason they're not considered monsters.
34	* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: When Jelly gives up her bias against Monsters, she decides to start by joining them. But it takes more than siding with a different race to give up one's perception of them, as demonstrated when Jelly's idea of "being a Monster" is stripping to her underwear, rolling in mud, and climbing trees.
35	* ThisIsGonnaSuck: Just as Star is running up to the room, Moon's reaction is more subdued, almost as if she's been through this with Star before.
36	* UnderestimatingBadassery: Jelly continually underestimates the intelligence of the monsters.
37	* TheWatson: Star asking about why certain creatures that look like monsters but don't get treated as such is the exact same question that the audience has wanted answered for so long.
38	* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: Star finally brings up the question that's been bugging many viewers for years: what's the difference between "monsters" and the Butterfly Kingdom's many non-Mewman allies who clearly ''look'' like monsters? Her mother's answer is less than satisfying and proves that Moon never actually gave this any thought.
39	* YouAreNumberSix: Goodwell tags monsters with numbers and only refers to them as such.

Context Recap / StarVsTheForcesOfEvilS3E17Starfari