So, let's talk about the moment that basically set the entire Star vs. the Forces of Evil fandom on fire. If you were anywhere near the internet in March 2018, you probably remember the absolute chaos. We’re talking about the Marco and Star kiss. It wasn't just a simple "will-they-won't-they" resolution. It was messy. It was controversial. Honestly, it was kind of a disaster for the characters' personal lives, even if the "Starco" shippers were screaming at their screens.
Most shows give you this grand, sweeping musical number for a first kiss. Not this one. Instead, we got two teenagers trapped in a magical, sentient photo booth with a goblin who refused to let them out until they stopped lying to themselves.
The Booth Buddies Incident
The episode "Booth Buddies" is where the Marco and Star kiss finally became canon. But if you look at the context, it’s far from a fairy tale. At this point in Season 3, Star is actually dating Tom Lucitor. Marco is her royal squire. The tension between them had been building like a literal pressure cooker for months.
They’re at a wedding—Ruberiot and Foolduke’s, to be specific—and Star notices the photos they're taking look "off." They look like stiff, awkward strangers. To fix it, she spends a small fortune (Marco’s $650, which he worked hard for!) to keep the booth running. Then, the booth locks them in. Ben Fotino, the booth’s operator, basically tells them the magic won't release the door until they take a "genuine" photo.
Why it wasn't just a "fan service" moment
A lot of people think the writers just threw this in to appease the shippers. If you watch closely, it’s actually the opposite. It’s a moment of peak emotional vulnerability that they both tried to avoid. Marco finally admits that he didn't just come back to Mewni to be a squire. He came back because of the confession Star made at the end of Season 2. He’s been carrying around this massive weight of unrequited feelings, and he finally breaks.
The kiss itself is reciprocal. It’s not just Marco leaning in; Star moves her hands up his arms. They both wanted it. And that’s exactly why it was so problematic.
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The "Cheating" Controversy
We have to address the elephant in the room. Star was with Tom.
When that photo strip printed out with the Marco and Star kiss captured for eternity, the immediate reaction from a huge chunk of the audience was: "Wait, did she just cheat?" Honestly, yeah. Technically, she did. This created a massive rift in the community. You had one side thrilled that Starco was finally happening, and another side feeling terrible for Tom, who had been working incredibly hard on his anger issues and being a better boyfriend.
It was a bold move for a Disney show. Usually, these things are sanitized. Here, the writers leaned into the fact that teenagers are messy. They make mistakes. They get confused. Star didn't plan to hurt Tom, but her feelings for Marco were an actual force of nature that she couldn't suppress anymore.
The fallout you might have forgotten
- The Blood Moon: During the kiss, the Blood Moon—which supposedly bonds souls for eternity—appears in the background. It was a literal cosmic "I told you so."
- The Photo: Star keeps the photo. She hides it. That tells you everything you need to know about her headspace. She wasn't ready to deal with the consequences, but she couldn't let the moment go.
- Kelly's Involvement: Right after the booth incident, Marco is clearly reeling. He ends up spending time with Kelly, leading to the whole "breakup buddies" subplot that just added more layers of complication.
When it became "Official"
If the booth kiss was the "accidental" first step, Season 4’s "Here to Help" was the intentional one. This is the Marco and Star kiss that actually mattered for their relationship status.
They’re in a pig-goat barn (classic Star Butterfly aesthetic). There’s a literal war brewing outside. It’s the end of the world, basically. Marco confesses again, but this time it’s not forced by a magical booth. He explains that he’s loved her since the beginning. Star reciprocates, and they kiss—this time as two people who are actually choosing to be together, not just reacting to a high-pressure situation.
What most people get wrong about Starco
There’s this idea that their relationship "ruined" the show or took up too much space. But if you rewatch the early seasons, the Marco and Star kiss was always the endgame. The show was never just about fighting monsters; it was about two kids from different worlds (literally) finding a middle ground.
Their romance wasn't just about "cuteness." It was a catalyst for Star’s growth. She went from a reckless princess who used magic as a toy to someone willing to destroy magic entirely to stay with the person she loved.
Actionable insights for fans and writers
If you're looking back at this arc or writing your own character dynamics, there are a few things to take away from how SVTFOE handled this:
- Tension needs a release valve. You can’t build tension for three seasons and then have it happen off-screen. The booth was a clever, if cruel, way to force the issue.
- Flaws make it real. The fact that the kiss happened while Star was with Tom makes it more "human" than a perfect, sterile romance.
- Consequences matter. The kiss didn't fix everything. It actually made the next ten episodes significantly more awkward and difficult for everyone involved.
If you want to relive the moment, go back to Season 3, Episode 38. Just be prepared for the cringe-inducing honesty that leads up to it. It’s not a comfortable watch, but it’s definitely one of the most important moments in modern animation history.
To really understand the weight of that photo booth scene, you should rewatch "Starcrushed" immediately followed by "Booth Buddies." Seeing Star’s confession and then Marco’s confession back-to-back puts the entire timeline into perspective. You'll see exactly where the shift happened and why that kiss was inevitable from the second Marco stepped onto Mewni as a squire.