Royal Secrets From Royal Shame

Over the last few months, I’ve covered a lot of fan fiction revolving around Star vs. The Forces of Evil. It’s my way of dealing with the need I have for more Star vs. content because, despite enjoying the finale, I was left wanting more. Lucky for me, a lot of the fan fics I find end up being pretty good. However, I don’t think I’ve found a fan fic quite like Royal Secrets by BlackWolfWrites.

Royal Secrets

Author: BlackWolfWrites

Type of Fan Work: Alternate Re-telling

First Published: June 19th, 2019

Status: Ongoing

This fan fiction’s an alternate re-telling of Season Four of SvTFOE. Unlike in the show, following the fight against Meteora, Star and Tom did not remain a couple. Having realized that she still has feelings for Marco, the two proceed to become boyfriend and girlfriend before they go looking for her mom. However, with tension between Mewmans and Monsters at an all time high, Star and Marco have to deal with royal secrets while keeping a big one of their own…

…which I will now tell you. You saw the episode “Britta’s Tacos”? Remember the joke about how everyone thought Mariposa was Star and Marco’s kid? That’s not a joke anymore. Star and Marco gave into their feelings, “quested”, and now Star’s pregnant.

Review

Before I get into the royal secrets nonsense, I just want to say this to Blackwolfwrites. I think that they’re a very good writer, and that Royal Secrets is among the best of their fan fictions. I’ve covered some of their other works, but I think he should know that. Any critiquing me or others do for your work only comes from a place of love and we want it to be the best it can be.

Secondly, while I love the show, I think the final Season was its weakest. Season Three, while not fully cohesive at times, was the best the show had. It started off with the final battle against Toffee, then worked its way through the various plots of the season, from Star’s sleep-portaling to the final battle against Meteora. Season Four, though, lacked that cohesion beyond the vague plot of Mina. Blackwolf, though, ties their version of Season Four together with two unifying threads: Starco and the fact that Star’s with child.

A More Realistic Approach

As sweet as it was for the show to give us StarCo in the show’s 11th hour, in hindsight it would have made more sense to do it after the fight with Meteora. We saw Star and Marco both realize they still had feelings for each other in “Booth Buddies”, and that infamous kiss left them both a wreck. The proceeding disappearance of Moon and the fight against Meteora forced them to leave the feelings about what happened unresolved. Yet in the Season Four premiere, we learn that they’ve been looking for Star’s mom for months, and were within contact with Tom. How did they not bring any of this up during that time?

Blackwolf takes a bit of a realistic approach to this whole scenario. In their story, the realization that they still love each other, combined with the fact that they almost died, leads them to do what many young couples would do in those circumstances: they give into their feelings. As a result, they’re a couple when the story starts. This gives Blackwolf time to make Star and Marco’s status as romantic partners develop. The result is every bit as sweet and heartwarming as you’d expect.

Starco Child

Now, for the narwhal in the room: their unborn child. I chatted with Blackwolf, and they told me they felt worried about how fans would react to it. I can’t blame him either. Teen pregnancy can be an awkward subject for many people. The fact that the show’s writers were able to sneak in those teen parent jokes into “Britta’s Tacos” is beyond me.

That said, I honestly think they shouldn’t have worried about it as much as they did. they chose to handle the matter in a very mature and respectful fashion, not playing it for jokes or making light about it in any way. Even more impressive, they had the two lovers remain in-character as they react to the news.

On Star’s part, she freaks out at first, which is understandable considering how she’s fifteen and all she’s got in her life. Yet any fear she has gets replaced by sheer joy. She loves Marco more than anything and knows that they’re meant for each other. As terrifying as it is to become a parent at such a young age, she can’t help but feel overjoyed. As for Marco, despite knowing the odds of teen parents (and almost fainting), he refuses to run away. Both decide to stand by their decision, even if all of Mewni hates them for it. Better yet, all of their loved ones who know about it thus far have been nothing but patient and supportive of them. They’ll need that support to beat the odds.

Tom Reverts Into Total Jerk

This is the one critique I have of Royal Secrets, and that’s how he’s dealt with Tom. When we first met him back in Season One, he was a total jerk, but he eventually started to change for the better. By the end of the show, he’s calm enough to break up with Star because he knows they’re not meant to be. Here, though, it feels like Tom not only didn’t get that message, but becomes even worse than before.

Apparently, Tom didn’t actually break up with Star, and the whole thing was a big misunderstanding. Thanks to circumstances beyond their control, Star can’t tell him the truth, and then he starts getting possessive and creepy. Even after confirming what he already knew, Tom still tries to get her back, which makes it even creepier than in the show.

I get what Blackwolf’s trying to do. Not everyone can get over Tom’s 180 by the end of the show and think he got off too easily for his earlier actions. That said, it still feels a little out of left field for me. Really hope he goes into more detail about it before the story ends.

What Could Have Been

At the end of the day, though, it feels like Royal Secrets is a look at what Season Four of Star vs. The Forces of Evil could have been. It keeps most of the plot threads of the final season, but it does a better job of tying them together than the show seemed to do. Granted, I know that straight-laced Disney would never agree to the “Star’s pregnant” story since it’s a kids show. That’s not the point, though; the point is that they could have done a better job with the story, and I think Blackwolf’s doing just that. If you’re reading this, Blackwolf, don’t stop this story! I want to see how this ends and how it will affect the ending to the show!

Special thanks goes to h2so3_art, who was kind enough to do this commission for me for the fan fiction. Go check them out on Instagram when you have a free minute; they’re good!

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