Prestige The Stickman

Prestige the Stickman: The Real Story (Shortened to Prestige the Stickman) is a young adult novel written by American author Jerry Spinelli and first published in 2000.

PTS was well received by critics, who praised the characters and the novel's overall message of nonconformity. It was a New York Times Bestseller, a Parents Choice Gold Award Winner, an ALA Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults Award winner, and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.

The 2020 American musical romantic drama film is directed by Julia Hart, produced by Kristin Hahn, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Lee Stollman and Jordan Horowitz from a screenplay by Hahn, Hart and Horowitz, and stars Kurt Scholler, Grace VanderWaal, Graham Verchere, Giancarlo Esposito, Karan Brar, Darby Stanchfield, and Maximiliano Hernández, featuring Noah Schnapp, Justin Long, and Seth MacFarlane. The film was released on March 13, 2020. Also note that it is different to what really happened in the timeline.

Plot (Novel)
The book begins with a brief introduction to the main character, Leo, at an early age, which is followed by his move from his home state of Pennsylvania to Arizona when he is 12. Before the move, his Uncle Pete gives Leo a porcupine necktie as a farewell present, inspiring him to collect more like it. After his birthday and collection of porcupine neckties are mentioned in a local newspaper when he's 14, Leo receives a second porcupine necktie, left anonymously. Meanwhile, a mad scientist builds a statue for Mica, he models it as a stick figure and names him Prestige.

The story picks up five years after the events of Sollux The Lazer Eyed Grub, with the arrival of Stargirl Caraway at Leo's school, Mica High. Leo learns that up until this point, she has been in space due to her generation of the Caraway family being composed entirely of stars, but even that doesn't seem to excuse her strange behavior; for example, she comes to school in strange outfits—kimonos, buckskin, 1920s flapper clothes, and pioneer clothes. She also brings a ukulele to school every day, as well as her pet rat, Cinnamon. She is so different that at first, the student body does not know what to make of her. Hillari Kimble, the most famous student at Leo's school, declares that Stargirl is a fake, and speculation and rumors abound.

One of Stargirl's quirks is singing happy birthday to students when it is their birthday, bringing her ukulele to school to do so, on the first time, one of her stars is released and enters Prestige, who transforms into an all living stick figure. When Hillari orders Stargirl not to sing to her on her birthday, Stargirl sings Hillari's name but directs the song to Leo and mentions in front of everyone that she thinks he is cute, Prestige has a successful self observation and is praised by the school. Though at first rejected by most of the students, Stargirl gains a measure of popularity and is asked to join the cheerleading squad after she succeeds in getting the crowd excited about the school's losing football team while cheering for them at a game. Students mimic her behavior, and at lunch, she no longer sits alone. Her antics on the squad and Prestige's powers and abilities spark a boom in audience attendance at sporting events.

However, Stargirl's popularity is short-lived. Thanks in part to her efforts, the football and cheer season is the best in the school's history, and school spirit flourishes; however, students begin to resent Stargirl's habit of cheering for both teams, which before had added to her popularity. Their anger comes to a head during the filming of the student-run television show, Hot Seat, which is run by Leo and his best friend Kevin. During the show, a "jury" of students is invited to ask questions of the guest star. This show's guest is Stargirl, with music by Prestige, and the session turns into an embarrassing attack on Stargirl's personality and actions. An advising teacher cuts the show short, and it is never aired, but the damage is done. Shortly thereafter, Stargirl stops cheering for both teams at games, but cannot stop herself from comforting a hurt player from the opposing team during a playoff basketball game and is blamed for Mica High's loss in the following game. She is then hated by the entire student body, except for her friend Dori Dilson, Leo, and, to some extent, Kevin and Prestige, the latter learns that Hillari is the most popular student since she is also the meanest.

Prestige goes wild and begins encouraging the town to hate Stargirl even more by parading and protesting. Leo praises Stargirl for her kindness, bravery, and nonconformity, and the two begin a tentative romance. With Prestige, they spend more and more time together, and Leo experiences her unusual lifestyle and starts helping her with various projects, such as leaving cards for people they don't know and dropping change on the sidewalk for others to find. For a while, he is deliriously happy with their relationship, but as reality sets in, he realizes that the entire school is hating both of them, while forgiving Prestige for making propaganda art pieces. In response, Leo convinces Stargirl to act more "normal." She starts going by her real name (Susan), wears typical teen clothing, and becomes obsessed with being accepted and popular. These actions fail to produce results.

Stargirl decides that the best way to become popular is to win the state's public speaking competition, which she does. But when she returns to the school expecting a hero's welcome, only three people show up. Realizing that she has achieved nothing by trying to fit in and has betrayed her true self, Stargirl reverts to her former personality. Seeing that dating Stargirl is getting him hated by Prestige and his peer group, Leo parts ways with her so he can be accepted in social company, choosing his peer group as a group over his sweetheart. Seeking a more safer asylum, Prestige asks Stargirl's rat Cinnamon who might be able to help him. The rat suggests Trollman. Prestige agrees, and promptly takes credit for the idea himself.

Despite the parting, Stargirl attends the school's spring dance—the Ocotillo ball—with Dori. Leo watches as Stargirl arrives at the dance on a bike covered in sunflowers. Though initially ignored by the other attendees, something about Stargirl attracts attention and temporary acceptance. Trollman and his friend Rage Comic arrive on their sleigh with all nine grubs of their team. Prestige is finally relieved that he can have a home in Grubtopia.

Prestige announces he is leaving Mica, but invites Stargirl and Leo for one finale, the stick figure convinces the bandleader to play the "Bunny Hop," sung by Stargirl, who is also playing along on her ukulele, and the other students come to join her in the dance until the only people not in line are Hillari Kimble and her boyfriend, Wayne Parr. When the dance ends, Hillari confronts Stargirl, lashes out at her and says that she always ruins everything, and slaps her as hard as she can. Stargirl returns Hillari's attack with a violent beating. Hillari is dethroned as the most popular student, and her title is given to Stargirl. After Trollman and his team take off with the new comrade, no one in the town sees Stargirl again after that night, and Leo learns that she and her family have moved away to Minnesota.

Leo is handed the most popular student title, Hillari is arrested for her attitude and "Crimes against Stargirl", and the school reverts to its former glory.

Plot (Movie)
Leo Borlock wears a porcupine tie in remembrance of his late father. At a new school, he was beaten up, and his tie was cut. Since then, on each birthday, he has received a new porcupine tie from an unknown person, but he does not wear them in public.

A few months after the events of Sollux The Lazer Eyed Grub, Leo (Graham Verchere) plays trumpet in the marching band and helps his friend Kevin Singh (Karan Brar), a member of the A.V. club, host an interview show. One day, a free-spirited girl, Stargirl Caraway (Grace VanderWaal), arrives and her stars cause a stick figure statue named Prestige (Kurt Scholler) to become all living. Later, while their losing football team, the Mudfrogs, are playing, Stargirl performs a song, "Be True to Your School", that energizes them, and they almost get their first win. Kevin and Leo invite her onto their show, but she politely declines.

Stargirl becomes a good luck charm for the football team when she sings "We Got the Beat" while Prestige becomes an icon in the school. Stargirl befriends Prestige and begins hanging out with Leo and tries to get him to come out of his shell. Archie (Giancarlo Esposito), the owner of the local paleontologist camp, tells Leo about Stargirl, who learned about Leo through Archie. Later, Stargirl tries out for the Speech regionals against Kevin and wins with her unusual speech on rats.

However, during the big game, one of the opposing players is severely injured. Stargirl rides with him to the hospital, upsetting everyone and leading to the team's losing the game, Prestige tells everyone to hate Stargirl. Leo's friends are upset, but they forgive him. Stargirl's side of the situation gets worse when Hillari Kimble (Shelby Simmons) the most popular student, scolds her for returning a bike to Hillari's brother, who was permanently injured while riding it and Prestige loses it. Prestige does serval crazy things the next day, such as leading serval students hold a march against Stargirl ("Keep Your Rifle By Your Side"), writing "MATERNITY WARD" on the girls' bathroom doors, and running on the football field during the game, however, he is fully and easily forgiven when they understand why.

Leo suggests that Stargirl act like everyone else, much to her consternation, but she starts calling herself Susan and wearing clothes like those of her classmates, this does not help. At the Speech regionals, Leo asks her to the Winter Dance, and she accepts. Stargirl is about to give a speech on internet privacy, but shifts to a speech on flowers, which wins her first place. Although it is the very first trophy won at the school, nobody pays attention to it, they're still protesting with Prestige. Stargirl decides that being Susan betrays her identity. Leo begins to feel awful, but gets encouragement from his mother (Darby Stanchfield) and Kevin. Prestige and Leo arrives, Stargirl reveals her surprise: him singing in front of everyone. Leo gets up and performs his and his father's favorite song, "Just What I Needed", leading everyone to dance in the courtyard, Prestige tells Hillari he has his eyes on her.

While working on plans to make Stargirl the most popular student, the seniors invite him to get revenge by sneaking laxatives into her drink, Prestige sets up a trap in the stall he knows Stargirl's gonna use, for the senior prank, they sneak out the US national anthem for the Soviet anthem. When Stargirl falls victim, she almost suspects Prestige.

The Octilio Ball rolls around, Stargirl sends Leo her collection of records, a record player and an invite for a "big surprise" at the dance, Prestige finishes his plan just as he sees Trollman's sleigh team coming ("Sollux The Lazer Eyed Grub"). The two figures, Trollman (Justin Long) and Rage Comic (Seth MacFarlane) spot Prestige, and decide to take him. Prestige, Leo, and Stargirl get up and performs "The Bunny Hop", the whole school joins in and even Trollman and Rage Comic and the nine grubs join in. Hillari confronts Stargirl, who attacks her, and is hailed the most popular student.

Prestige accepts Trollman's offer to live in Grubtopia, and leaves Mica ("Prestige the Stickman (Reprised)") and Leo discovers that Stargirl moved away, and the school reverts to its former glory and Hillari is arrested for "Crimes against Stargirl". Even after graduating college, Leo never forgets what Stargirl did for him ("Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)") In a post-credits scene, at an unspecified time, Stargirl sings a song to Leo ("Today and Tomorrow"), then the viewer is encouraged to sing along to "Prestige the Stickman"

Leo Borlock
The narrator of the novel. Leo and his friend Kevin have a talk show called “Hot Seat.” This talk show updates the students of Mica High School on what is going on. When it was time for Star Girl to be on the show, Leo says no, and does not let her come because he doesn’t want her to be made fun of. Later, we realize Leo actually falls in love with Star Girl, and he actually wants her to be on the show, so that everyone can see what wonderful and a unique person she is. Leo was the only person that realized the true colors of Star Girl and he is the only one who actually understands her.

Kevin Quinlant
Leo’s best friend. Kevin is very bold and is willing to take big risks. He is the one who has changed Leo’s opinion about Star Girl. It is because of Kevin why Leo finally wanted Star Girl to be on Hot Seat.

Susan Caraway, "Star Girl"
The most unique and the strangest girl at Mica High. Star Girl’s personality is indescribable. She plays the ukulele for people’s special occasions, and she makes everyone feel good about themselves. Even though people find her odd and don’t want to be friends with her. she continues to be herself through all of the insults. She is the one that dares to be different. Her real name is Susan, and later Star Girl becomes Susan again because no one wants to be friends with her. People start to like Susan more because she is “normal” and this shows how shallow people are. They only accept the things they are like.

Prestige the Stickman
A black stick figure who was originally a statue, he was bought to life by Stargirl's stars. Prestige is good-natured and playful, but also somewhat naive due to his relative youth (having just been "born"). He can make words, he can move. he can juggle, he can sweep, he can do all sorts of tricks, make things out of thin air, and is even ticklish. He lives in Mica for most of them, turning on Stargirl when she loses her popularity to Hillari. In the end, he befriends Sollux Captor and moves to Grubtopia.

Dori Dilson
Star Girls best friend. Dori is a very supportive friend that also learns to accept Star Girl the way she is.

Archie Hapwood
An older friend of Star Girl, Leo, and Kevin.

Hilari Kimble
The most popular person in school, even surpassing Superintendent Miller. She is the first person who was brave enough to sit with Star Girl at lunch. Hilari is a girl with whom everyone wishes they were friends with. In the end, her title is stolen by Stargirl and she is arrested.

Cinnamon
Star Girl’s pet rat that actually helps Star Girl with some of her life issues accidentally.

Trollman
A concept for the Trollface meme, he is a strange hermit who flies around the world in a sleigh pulled by nine flying powerful grubs and smuggle period necessities into the houses, with the intention that he will end menstural poverty.

Rager
The concept for the Rage Guy meme, he wishes to help Trollman in his journey.

Sollux Captor
The main protagonist of Dominant Grub, he leads Trollman and Rage Comic's sleigh team due to his glowing flashlight-like eyes. His brother is Mituna,

Mituna Captor
Sollux's older brother

Eridan Ampora
Another friend of Sollux

Kankri Vantas
Karkat's older brother

Tavros NItram
Sollux's friend from the hood

Karkat Vantas
One of Sollux's friends, Kankri's younger brother

Equius Zaahak
Trollman's 6th flyer

Cronus Ampora
Eridan's older brother

Kurloz Makara
Initially the final one of Trollman's sleigh grubs before Sollux was recruited, he is the first few to take a liking to Sollux.

Live Action Cast

 * Grace VanderWaal as Susan "Stargirl" Caraway
 * Graham Verchere as Leo Borlock
 * Enzo Charles de Angelis as Leo age 8
 * Giancarlo Esposito as Archie Brubaker, Leo's mentor
 * Karan Brar as Kevin Singh, Leo's best friend
 * Atharva Varma as Kevin age 8
 * Darby Stanchfield as Gloria Borlock, Leo's mother
 * Maximiliano Hernández as Mr. Robineau
 * Annacheska Brown as Tess Reid
 * Collin Blackford as Benny Burrito
 * Allison Wentworth as Dori Dilson
 * Juliocesar Chavez as Alan Ferko
 * Artemis as Mallory Franklin
 * Julia Flores as Summer
 * Gabriella Surodjawan as Kim
 * Shelby Simmons as Hillari Kimble
 * John Apolinar as Wayne Parnell
 * Alex James as Zack James
 * Lucinda Marker as Principal Sutters
 * Sara Arrington as Ana Caraway
 * Steve Buscemi as Bernard Caraway
 * Damian O'Hare as Leo's Dad

Voice Cast

 * Kurt Scholler as Prestige the Stickman
 * Bob Saget as Cinnamon
 * Justin Long as Trollman
 * Seth MacFarlane as Rage Comic
 * Freddie Highmore as Mituna
 * Owen Vacaro as Eridan
 * Logan Lerman as Kankri
 * Thomas Barbusca as Tarvos
 * Chandler Canterbury as Karkat
 * Phillip Daniel Bolden as Equius
 * Milo Parker as Cronus
 * Pierce Gangon as Kurloz
 * Noah Schnapp as Sollux

Songs

 * 1) Prestige The Stickman - Rusty Cage
 * 2) Leo
 * 3) Cake for One
 * 4) Be True to Your School (Acoustic) – Grace VanderWaal
 * 5) Cinnamon
 * 6) We Got the Beat – Grace VanderWaal
 * 7) Mudfrogs
 * 8) Thirteen – Big Star
 * 9) Mica Fight Song – Mudfrog Marching Band
 * 10) Be True to Your School – Grace VanderWaal
 * 11) Thirteen – Grace VanderWaal & Graham Verchere
 * 12) I Like Who I Am
 * 13) Have You Ever Seen a Flower Grow
 * 14) Keep Your Rifle By Your Side - Kurt Scholler
 * 15) This Kid, Lying in the Middle
 * 16) Just What I Needed – Graham Verchere
 * 17) Susan Caraway
 * 18) Stargirl
 * 19) Sollux The Lazer-Eyed Grub - Rusty Cage
 * 20) The Bunny Hop - Kurt Scholler, Grace VanderWaal, Graham Vechere
 * 21) Rockin Robin - Kurt Scholler, Grace VanderWaal, Graham Vechere, Noah Schnapp
 * 22) Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth) – Grace VanderWaal
 * 23) Today and Tomorrow – Grace VanderWaal
 * 24) Thirteen (Bonus) – Grace VanderWaal
 * 25) Prestige the Stickman (Credits) (Bonus) - Rusty Cage, Kurt Scholler, Grace VanderWaal

Sequels
Disney+ released 2 films, Prestige The Stickman: The Starquel in 2002, and Prestige the Stickman: Fun with Films in 2023