Star – Climax

By: Gladys Luna

Episode nine opens with Maurice (Lance Gross) at a hospital and talking to Doctor Taylor (Ethan McDowell) about some blood test results. Then, it is shown that the person whose results belong to is Carlotta (Queen Latifah) who is in the company of Detective Walter Batista (Phillip DeVona). He has been questioning her about who might be behind what happened to her (which is still not quite clear). He asks her to walk him through her last few days as she requests for him to tell her everything she needs to know in return. Before the credits roll, we see Star (Jude Demorest) pointing a gun to someone and in the background Ayanna’s (Michael Michele) voice can be heard saying: “do it!” and a shot is fired. Next, we hear Noah (Luke James) saying “That was crazy, right?” and then, Alex (Ryan Destiny) slaps someone in the face. Then, Angel’s (Evan Ross) voice is heard as he says, “Unc, can you see me?” and an image of Jahil lying on the floor is presented.

48 hours earlier

Star is in her bathroom doing her hair while Facetiming with Simone (Brittany O’Grady). They talk about the showcase and how Star plans to win so the other girl can return with them. She also tells her younger sister about how she is ready to take it all, her music and her man (referring to Noah).  Star goes downstairs and meets Alex, Bruce (Miss Lawrence), Cotton (Amiyah Scott) and Carlotta who is trying to figure out what wig to wear to the showcase. Simone has asked to her sister not to tell them she is on the phone, but the blonde doesn’t mind and instead asks her sister to help Carlotta to choose a wig and the girl hangs up immediately since she is still mad at Carlotta. Bruce gives her a wig that´s made out of real hair and when Carlotta questions her about where she got it from, she tells her not to worry about it so the other girls start to make fun of who´s hair that belongs to. Alex asks Cotton to drive her to her rehearsal with Noah and makes sure to explain to Star that she will be on time for their group rehearsal.

When Cotton and Alex leave, Carlotta tells Star to turn the volume of the music up and everyone at the salon begins to dance until they are abruptly interrupted by two police officers from the Georgia State Health Department announcing that they are aware that her salon has been administering illegal cosmetic surgeries so they are closing it until an investigation is conducted. Carlotta is surprised at the accusation and when the clients and the officers are gone, she finds herself alone with Star and Bruce where Bruce confesses that she had been administering illegal butt injections in order to help her with the bills. Carlotta is still sad and disappointed at her actions so she decides to fire her.

Jahil (Benjamin Bratt) shows up at Midtown Sound and sees that Angel and Andy (Elijah Kelley) are trying some outfits and he is surprised to find out that nobody told him about the rehearsal they were supposed to have later that day. That is when Andy and Angel decide to confess that he is out of the game. Jahil gets mad at them and reminds them the money he invested on them, but Angel tells him that he´s been playing him all along.

Simone meets with Karen (Imani Lewis) at a record studio where she has been hiding her. Simone tells her that as soon as they win the contest, her life will change and when they release their album and go on tour she will take her with her because as long as she has her, she doesn’t have to be homeless again. Then, they kiss.

Cotton walks inside Elliott’s trailer apologizing for what she did with Omari (Justin Marcel McManus) and she is surprised when she finds him lying on the floor all covered in blood so she calls 911 immediately. Charles (Richard Roundtree) is telling Ayanna that they have some buyers interested in the company, but the woman tells him that she believes in her artists and the success the label showcase will be so they make and agreement, if Midtown Sound show case doesn’t turn out how they expect it to be, then Charles will sell it. Their conversation is interrupted by and angry Jahil that walks in there demanding some answers about what happened with Andy and Angel and the reason why they left him out, but Charles speaks for his daughter and asks him to go away.

Noah is at the record studio trying to fix some notes on his song, but doesn’t seem to get it right. Star walks in and helps him. He expresses how glad he is that they can still be friends after what they have been through. When Star is about to tell him the reason why she went to see him, Alex walks in the room and Star decides to leave so they can rehearse their song. Before she walks out the door, she stops herself and sees the dynamic going on between the two of them.

Carlotta receives a call from Cotton saying what happened to Elliott. She goes straight to the hospital and comforts Cotton while Omari watches them from the other end of the aisle where he has been hiding.

Later that day, Midtown Sound showcase has finally arrived. Star and Simone are getting ready for the night and when Star is telling Simone about Noah and why she didn’t tell him how she feels about him. Alex enters the room and asks them to rehearse their song. Carlotta arrives there as well and gives them some suggestions on the way they should sing then asks Simone to let go everything that has happened between them just for the night. She reminds them how far they have come and how they should embrace the second chance they have been given so the three girls smile at that.

A while later, Derek (Quincy Brown) shows up to wish Alex good luck before her performance and she promises that after tonight everything about Noah will be gone and they will start all over. Gigi (Keke Palmer) walks on them and Alex introduces them to each other. Gigi tells Alex that she is about to be up so they leave.

Simone takes a pill before their performance. Take Three is announced and the girls hit the stage. As their performance goes on, Simone doesn’t seem to be so well and Carlotta, Derek and Maurice are in the audience and seem to notice. When their song ends, Star questions Simone about her current state but the girl only says that she needs some air and walks away. Star and Alex find the pills she´s been taking with the name of Ayanna on the label. Carlotta enters the room and Star confesses what they found and goes after her sister. Once she is outside with her, Star tries to convince her that Ayanna is doing any good to her, but Simone believes she is the only one who cares for her. Star throws Simone’s pills away and after a heated discussion the younger girl leaves.

Jahil is at Carlotta’s house trying to light his cigarette, but he can’t find any matches. So, he starts looking for one and then he finds the evidence that Bruce gave Carlotta about Ayanna so he takes some pictures and calls Charles.

At the hospital, Elliott’s death is announced and Cotton walks in the room and cries over his chest.

Noah and Alex are called onto the stage and while they are singing Derek realizes that he can move his left foot. When the song ends, Noah kisses Alex and she kisses him back. Once they go into the dressing room, he is speaking about how amazing their performance went, but Alex slaps him on the face and blames him for kissing her. He tells her that he is not the only one that is feeling things and then the girl jumps on him and they start making out. In the meantime, Ayanna announces that the showcase winner is Noah, but the man is nowhere to be found. When Ayanna goes back stage and tries to talk to her father, his bodyguards stop her while he looks at her with disappointment.

Derek enters the dressing room where he sees Alex and Noah still making out. Then, the girl stops him and that is when she sees Derek who is now aware of everything. He asks her to find some place to stay for the night and leave.

Ayanna follows her father and he tells her that he knows she sold him out – that she slept with his enemy and took his label, his artists, his partner and investors away from him. She tries to excuse herself, but he won’t listen so he says that from now on she doesn’t have a label anymore and he doesn’t have a daughter. Cotton is on her way out of the hospital when she is taken inside of a room by Omari. She accuses him of having killed Elliott and he said that he did it because she promised him a life out of jail with him and Elliott happened to be on his way and he’ll keep killing everyone until she gives him what he wants. He also tells her that she is not living without him, but Cotton replies that she doesn’t have anything else left for her so he can’t do whatever he wants.

Angel visits Jahil and when the man won’t open his door, Angel enters the place and sees him on the floor. He calls for him but doesn’t have any response from his uncle.

Star pays a visit to Ayana who has been drinking and also has a gun lying on her desk. The blonde walks in and Ayana takes the gun, but when she recognizes the girl she drops it. Star tells her to take the gun and kill herself since that would be good PR for the label and if she doesn’t want to do it then Star should do it for her, but Ayanna challenges her saying that she doesn’t have the guts.

The girl takes the gun and points at her and then Carlotta walks in and convinces her not to do it since it will take everything she’s worked for down. And, besides, Simone needs her, making the girl to change her mind and drop the gun. Carlotta takes Star with her and leaves Ayanna behind.

Cotton is taking a bath when Ontari walks in and drowns her on the bath tub saying that he told her that she won’t be living without him. Simone is walking to Carlotta’s house when she realizes the salon is on fire. There´s some crowd gathered around so she runs through them and towards the place and tries to enter, but an officer stops her. Star and Carlotta arrive and when Star sees Simone she tries to calm her down, but her sister tells her that Karen is in there so she runs inside to find her.

Back to the present day

Agent Batista tells Carlotta that the fire had been ruled an arson and they are trying to find out who is responsible for it. Then, Maurice confesses that the salon wasn’t empty when the fire started so, somebody might be dead.

What a way to lead a mid-season finale. So many questions left unanswered and way more drama. As we wait for the show return, let´s catch up with Starry Magazine recaps. ¡Hasta la próxima!