>>92038831>>92038868>Isn't that the non-Starco route? To go the Starco route, they wouldn't be putting the confession behind them and downgrading their relationship.Marco's not going to suddenly realize new feelings for Star out of nowhere just because she confessed to him. That would be forced and shitty bad writing.
From the narrative standpoint, a new status quo needs to be established quickly after Season 2's finale shattered it.
Star and Marco need to be reunited.
Marco's relationship with Jackie could be (and was) ignored while they were on Earth, but now it's an obstacle to the status quo.
>Does Marco need to love Star to leave Jackie for her?No. Marco cares about Jackie, but his relationship with her is relatively shallow. Star is his best friend in the universe, and their relationship is a major, if not THE major, focus of the series. He's dropped everything and put his life on the line for her before, and this time won't be different.
>Is there evidence that Marco has feelings for Star beyond friendship?No. In fact, the same device that confirmed Star's feelings for Marco confirmed that Marco does not have feelings for Star. In the time since then, Marco confessed to and has started dating Jackie, while showing no sign of romantic interest in Star.
That said, he still deeply cares for Star as a friend, was probably open to the idea of dating her in the past, and Star's own feelings for Marco came from their friendship. The door is open for him to develop feelings for her in the future.
>Would Marco be ready for a new relationship right after leaving Jackie?No. Even knowing that it's the right thing for him to do, it's going to hurt Marco to give up Jackie, both for his own sake and for hers.
>Would Star try to hook up with Marco right away?No. She will feel awful for leaving him and for breaking up his relationship. When they meet up again, all she'll want is to just be happy together with him again.
They can deal with their feelings later.