Leo’s second theory is that Stargirl became popular because everyone wanted to oppose, or go against, Hillari for being exceptionally mean to Stargirl. One day, a crowd had gathered in the stairway to see Hillari dangling Cinnamon, Stargirl’s pet rat, by his tail over the edge of the stairwell.

After 15 years of home schooling, Stargirl bursts into tenth grade in an explosion of color and a clatter of ukulele music, enchanting the Mica student body. But the delicate scales of popularity suddenly shift, and Stargirl is shunned for everything that makes her different.

By the book’s end, Stargirl has been ostracized, temporarily accepted back into the fold, and cast out yet again. And then, something even more horrifying happens: she gets slapped by an angry classmate in front of the entire student body at an especially fraught school dance.

Your question asks whether Stargirl “ever want[ed] to be popular,” and I would have to say the answer is no. She did want to make Leo happy so she tried to fit in, be “normal,” and conform to what others wanted, but her goal never seemed to be popularity.

How does Stargirl continue to be unique even while being a cheerleader? She doesn’t wear the uniform. She cheers for both teams. She sings during the cheers.

uncle Pete

In the beginning, Leo receives an anonymous gift of a porcupine necktie (something he collects). He later discovers it came from Stargirl. She knew about him and his hobbies before he ever met her. Following the final chapter fifteen years later, Leo receives another anonymous porcupine necktie.

Before Leo left for college that fall, Archie invited him over again to show Leo Stargirl’s office, which was in the shed in Archie’s backyard. In a filing cabinet, she had files on everyone, including Leo, which contained newspaper articles and other interesting information.