LogFAQs > #966527226

During this time of facing mortality AND hope, Starsa made some of her biggest strides. She began to explore creativity, writing a song for Nikhto. She explored concepts of friendship further, and determined she was not capable of having a deep connection to someone where she would date them, and said that her and Nikhto were just friends. She explored her own concepts of fear - fear of the yellow, anxiety, hope... emotions that the Guardians and Zamaraneans would not have. Bloodfruit (Johnbobb's character who is a fairy) suggested to Starsa that she could be a Star Sapphire herself, and wield another ring, and Starsa very strongly said she didn't want to. An actual desire of the ring herself. There was also Helen Jordan, niece of Hal, who got shot during the attack on Kobra, and Starsa was able to connect with her easily, as a stand-in for Carol of years past.

She had gone through so much, developing into this cheerful personality that wanted to help her friends as much as find a new host. And so it was week 70 when we got to space, and week 72 when we got to Oa. It was this past session, week 78, when we finally got to Zamaron. And we finally got her a new battery.

Now, all the love that was given to Starsa before I started doing my write-ups for this ranking, I could have provided it all. She earned her placement here. But since starting this list, we went to Zamaron and boy howdy. We all knew Star Sapphires had problems. They are culty. They fed a warlord to a giant pink beast which drained all of his emotions and left him a golem of love only. Which, you know, seems like maybe he wasn't a good match then. And of course, Starsa loves the Corps unconditionally. Starsa is so happy to have gotten her new battery. She loves Queen Aga'po, and Carol Ferris whom we found there, her old partner. She believes in the Corps whole-heartedly. Why shouldn't she? Love conquers all. And the Star Sapphires are supposed to combinate with the Green and help bring peace and love to the galaxy at large.

We have misgivings about the Star Sapphire Corps.

This has done us a disservice in terms of taking one of our besties, who was being taught to be her own person, and linking her with a problematic ideology that she had been separated from previously. Additionally, being reconnected with the Corps, she now can connect to them at any time, and anything she experiences or hears can be directly shared with them all. It's unnerving.

Starsa's development has been a fantastic slow ride. It's crazy to listen back to the first session with her and realize that she has come so far. She's not just an accessory with a limited intelligence - she's her own self now. And somehow, saving her life was made to be Pyrrhic and I've still not come to terms with it (just like Trish in campaign 1...). I love the little ring, but now we've got a whole new set of problems. At least she's never boring.

There's also a mostly unspoken truth awaiting the end of this - what happens when we do decide on her new host? She has matches so far with a dead Sue Dibny, a blind Madame Xanadu, and an Equated Wonder Woman.
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/1/9/1/AAOJ0pAADcgX.png
But we could end up passing her on to a new host, and perhaps that host might not give Starsa the room to speak. She certainly won't be able to take bubble baths with Saoirse anymore (well probably). What happens when this beloved friend accepts her role as accessory? There's a lot of apprehension to be had for this inevitable conclusion, to the point where part of me wants to put it off as long as possible. But we need a Star Sapphire to help us beat Darkseid. And if we could unEquate Wonder Woman at the same time... it's hard to say no to.

All of this is to say it is absolutely amazing how many feelings can be stirred for such an iconic DC character - Star Sapphire Ring. To me, characters like this are the pinnacle of the tabletop roleplaying game experience. Nothing but a ring, finding friendship and a sense of self through interactions over the years, facing mortality and finding new life, only to be destined to be a ring in the end.

But for now, she's a bestie, and she's going to get all the bubble baths and songs with Nikhto that she wants.

Hint for 1: And then there was 13.