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.

The rising action of the story is the series of plot events that lead to the climax. In Stargirl, the rising action is Stargirl’s unusual first impression at school, her sudden rise to popularity, Hillari’s hatred, her cheering for the opposing teams, and the basketball team’s loss.

Lesson Summary There are three major conflicts in Stargirl. The first is Stargirl’s struggle to either fit in or to be herself; the second is Leo’s choice to be with Stargirl or to have everyone else like him; and the third is Hillari constantly opposing Stargirl.

The Mood in Stargirl The mood at the beginning of the novel is upbeat and happy, as the narrator describes the first time he saw Stargirl. The mood remains upbeat as Stargirl’s popularity grows.

Lesson Summary Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli reflects the themes of conformity, individuality and kindness, especially in how the title character relates to other people in her school and town.

The setting of Stargirl is a small Arizona town. The action takes place at Mica Area High School, where the changing atmosphere of the school reflects the students’ struggle with the ideas of conformity and individuality, two themes of Stargirl.

Disney’s comedy drama Stargirl takes place in the fictional town of Mica, Arizona, which was filmed in a few locations in Albuquerque and New Mexico. The movie is based on the popular best selling book of the same name, first published in 2000 by Jerry Spinelli.

Author Jerry Spinelli chose the Southwest desert region as the setting for Stargirl because the dry emptiness of the desert mirrors many elements of the book – the kids at Mica High School, Stargirl’s loneliness, and Leo’s isolation.

Douglas County High School

Stargirl, however, soon disappears in the crowd. It’s the last time Leo, or anyone at Mica, ever sees her. After Stargirl leaves town, Leo discovers Stargirl’s “office,” in his neighbor Archie’s (Giancarlo Esposito) house. At the end of the film, Leo explains that Stargirl had a strong influence on Mica after she left.

Archie also assures Leo that Stargirl really liked him. After all, she did give up her identity for a while to please him. Then, right before Leo leaves for college, Archie shows Leo Stargirl’s office. It turns out that it was in a toolshed at his house.

In Stargirl, Eclipso is kept in a crystal, known in the comics as the “Heart of Darkness.” Anyone who touches the Heart of Darkness can succumb to Eclipso’s control, which is why it’s dangerous that Shiv purposefully sought the Heart of Darkness and ended the episode gazing directly into it.

The final episode of Stargirl Season 1 ended with a stunning surprise, as it was revealed that Sylvester Pemberton, aka Starman, was apparently alive and well.