Can't have Blackfire without the warrior princess herself, right?
Porcelain-Requiem gets a shout out for the uniform update idea she inspired me to do.
(Before I get into this, I will have some grievances. I apologize if fans of the classic show might not like hearing this. The 2003 cartoon earned its merits but its FAR from being perfect. Seeing it as an adult...yeah I have criticisms.)
Okay, I have a lot to say about my favorite Teen Titan. First, I was introduced to her through the cartoon. I thought she was cool and her abilities had me impressed. Although her character did have me scratching my head at times.
Once I looked into her original counterpart and her current (At the time) variation of her. Yeah I had a lot of questions and issues about her portrayal.
Starfire in the comics is meant to be one of the most dangerous Titans on the team. She and Raven most of all in my opinion. Virtually a force of nature from outer space. Yes she had problems, but there was growth as the comics went on.
Star in the cartoon was nerfed, understandably so but I feel that it went further. Being regulated as a damsel in distress in the show (Looking at it as an adult) when she's a beast in the comics bothered me a lot. Being rescued by Robin almost all the time? C'mon man, the others could easily get her out or she could save herself.
She had her conflicted moments but with all the outrageous crap she experienced, I assumed she would have matured a lot. Her character wasn't expanded much, even though the TTGO comics did their own thing, there wasn't much to fill in with her until late in its run. At that time, DC was trying to finish the series and I wasn't a fan of how it was done.
This is going to get me some flack, but the fact that (At the time) she was all about Robin. Yes this happened in the comics but look at the history, those two were on and off. Look, I know about character growth and all that, but the writers didn't do a good job. Starfire didn't get a lot of it, and at times was seen as childish. While understandable to an extent, it's only so much.
Personally...the romance between them should have had some repercussions, Robin did grow but he was still his own worst enemy at times. The comic version proved that and the show was a reminder. Star in comics had been in relationships other people, so it wasn't about Dick Grayson all the time.
Cartoon Star just wasn't that good at times and she wasn't handled well. Seasons 1 and 2 I can understand. Season 3 and so on, I feel she should have lost some of that innocent demeanor and be more independent like her comic version. I don't mean go off the rails...just be a bit more mature, grown up. If I saw that, then I'd be more forgiving.
I understand that not everyone would agree, but not everyone is right, even myself so that's my own opinion.
Call it a product of its time. Put simply, the show did things I wasn't a fan of. I am a supporter of Robin and Star in the comics and the awesome DCAMU flicks, just not the 2003 show.
OKAY...now that I got that out of my system. This else-world is a combination of the show, and the comics line
Else-world: Starfire is pretty much the same, but my version of her had to toughen up sooner than she was ready to. Enduring her home planet being invaded would have had lasting trauma that she would have to process. (Her TTGO origin and original comics go hand in hand for that inspiration)
Kori to me isn't just a Princess, she's a veteran of war. Literally the only Titan that has experience of that horrible life. Since it happened when she was 10 years old (In human years of the TTGO comics), Star wouldn't have had enough time to learn proper combat, which is why she didn't know anything about alien martial arts, while Blackfire was already training to fight back.
She's not completely defenseless, Queen Luand'r, her mother would take note and try to steer Starfire towards a more defensive style of combat; The Royal Protector. One where she doesn't have to relegate to murder. Sadly she doesn't master this form until later down the series timeline.
Also, Starfire would be knowledgeable in Tamaranian Medicine and healing. It's a callback to the show which I feel she would excel in. She would learn this from healers of her home world and would help trying to save the lives of wounded warriors. It wouldn't be till season 3 where she could start to employ this tactic, she would need the plants and components from Tamaran. After Bethrothed, she would have a greenhouse established at the tower and would start using her methods to help the Titans.
Much of the same things would play out, but rather than be a damsel in distress, she tries to fight back but is reckless and hot headed. At times she would appreciate Robin saving her, but would become annoyed when it happens too often.
The one part that is a big change, her close friendship with Erick Rovias. Star would find him in-between seasons 1 and 2. Their dynamic is that of her wanting to be a mentor but she too is struggling. She knows he is half alien and believes that she's the best one to help him. This happens after the Titans encounter him trying to help the team, he panics and flees. Star could tell that he was afraid but also has power she heard of.
They would meet (While she is in disguise) and overtime befriend him over one summer. It was about the mission, but being herself she would gain the trust of the boy and she would be instrumental in learning about being half-human, half-auranian. Aura (What he goes by from now on.) would be prominent in Starfire's growth as a person outside of heroics. Like in the show, Star loves being a hero, but it's not something she wants all the time. The kid pretty much shows her what life is like outside of heroics, both the good and the bad.
Starfire is still infatuated with Robin, but overtime develops feelings for Aura. She's conflicted and despite getting together with Robin, Star can't fully shake off the unrequited feelings for him. Both Aura and her would come close a few times but fate seems to intervene. She believes that meeting Robin was a destined thing for her but not knowing that feelings could change would clash with her emotions. The idea of falling for someone else was something no one told her.
Her time with Robin wouldn't last, but the split wouldn't be damning. Robin would let her go but not push her out of his life. It would be bittersweet but seeing that she'd fallen for someone else, he would want to respect her feelings. (Rather than shoehorn my character. I still wanted to acknowledge that the show and movie events still happened but with some tweaks during and post events.)
Much like in the modern comics, Starfire would leave the team for a while. Traveling with Esper (Another character I created) and eventually she would return a more refined and confident Titan. Both she and Aura would reunite after one full year from his adventures and they would finally admit their feelings. This time without unwanted interruptions...
Traits: Starfire in this universe is both a child of war but also someone who's trying to find her place in the world. Saving people and heroics stems from the fact that people died on Tamaran and she witnessed it. She's still naive but her intelligence and perception is more displayed.
As a trained Healer, Star could use both her Tamaranian acupressure and manipulation. Her strongest trait would be using medicinal herbs and mixtures to aid in healing and recovery. Proving that she's bad at cooking but excellent with medicine.
Her relationships with her friends are more fleshed out. Robin would always be her first love but its not meant to be, he's one of her best friends in the end.
The main three boys play a bigger role in her development as a Titan, she would improve combative and strategy wise thanks to them. Even finishing in mastering her mother's combat form.
Raven would show Starfire that meditation doesn't just help with her powers. It would also help temper Starfire's heated emotions and not fly off the handle so much.
Aura would teach Starfire how to wield a sword. She inherits her mother's Royal Claymore after she died and the Blue Titan instructs her how to wield the weapon properly. In short, both Starfire and Aura Blaze mentor one another. Even after getting together, their training sessions as warriors don't lose their intensity.
Through Esper, the Princess would receive a new uniform that was crafted in Avalon. The Assassin would borrow one of Star's uniforms and ask's her blacksmith brother: Albus, if he could create something better. A hybrid combination of Alien and Avalonian style. (Based on the drawing above)
She doesn't use the Royal Claymore unless things are absolutely dire. The weapon can be empowered with Starbolt energy and its a callback to the sword she used in TTGo cartoon. Very Powerful but also dangerous is handled wrong.
Yeah this was a long post, but no complaints on the work behind it.