King River interrupts Star's eager investigation into Eclipsa's past and demands her help on a dangerous hunt.
Tropes:
- Ash Face: Star ends up badly singed after agitating a nest of baby bog dragons while trying to make camouflage.
- Braids of Barbarism: Part of the ritual for preparing for a Bog Beast hunt is braiding your hunting partner's hair. Star's attempt at it is somewhere between this trope and Girlish Pigtails.
- Cassandra Truth: Moon doesn't believe Star's claims that Heinous is Eclipsa's daughter. Star being well, Star, doesn't really do a lot to make her case convincing. But of course, we do find out she will look into it.
- Gorgeous Garment Generation: Perhaps not gorgeous, but Star does magic herself up a stylish "barbarian huntress" outfit and turn her wand into an Energy Bow for her mad chase after the Bogbeast.
- Insistent Terminology: River has Star and himself decorate their bodies with ancient markings, which he reminds Star are not the same thing as tattoos.
- Jerkass Has a Point: River was quite insensitive to Star's problems here, but he wanted Star to just calm down, and that was the whole point of the hunt. After all, she did need to approach her problem with a clearer state of mind.
- Noodle Incident: One of River's relatives, Eddy Johansen, apparently wound up the "Bogbeast" twice. His only word on the subject is to cheerfully admit "I never learn!"
- Overly Long Gag: There's a slightly-too-long shot of Star and River sitting in a sweat lodge, not really doing anything but trying to "cleanse their minds of fear".
- Real Men Wear Pink: During the braiding portion of the ritual, River gives Star an elaborate braided hairstyle complete with flowers. He himself was eager to have his beard braided and adorned with flower decorations.River: "MAKE ME PRETTY!"
- Running Gag: River keeps comparing Star's antics to what he did with his father, "and his father before him, and his father before him..."
- Secret Test of Character: The whole "Bogbeast" hunt turns out to be a Snipe Hunt; River was trying to teach Star a lesson in how her impatience and impulsiveness can be a drawback. Every ritual involved in the "hunt" is based around patience: sitting in a sauna waiting to sweat, meticulously camouflaging yourself with leaves, and braiding hair.
- Serious Business: River takes his bog hunt rituals very seriously.
