All the big life lessons I learned from ‘Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer’

Today is a very important day for kids of the 80s — specifically the kids who truly believed they were best friends with one colorful little girl named Rainbow Brite. Specifically, me. Today is the 30th anniversary of Rainbow Brite and Star Stealer, which means it’s basically a national holiday. It also means we’re old, you guys.

There are so many reasons to love Rainbow and her squad of furry and not furry friends. And since today is such a momentous occasion, there’s no better time than now to reminisce about all the reasons Rainbow Brite was the best cartoon role model a child could have.

It’s totally possible to save the planet by bringing joy to the world

Rainbow Brite saved an entire planet by being awesome and kind. AN ENTIRE PLANET. That’s basically the greatest lesson a child could ever learn. Kindness goes a long way, even when you’re only 6-years-old, and saving all the lives on planet Spectra is completely in your hands.

Feminism means supporting other women, and that saves lives

Rainbow Brite naturally supported everyone — including other girls. There was no competition, only love and support. She was constantly riding in on her white horse to save the boys — and that was exactly the opposite of how most cartoons of the 80s went down. She taught us that girls didn’t have to be saved — we could save ourselves. And having that understanding as a kid was priceless.

All lives matter

All living things need a helping hand, including insects and evil villains. Empathy goes a long way, and we’re all important contributing members of society.

Proof:

You can be a badass ladyboss and still be super nice and likable 

Rainbow was the leader of a group of kids. Everyone looked up to her because she was a heroine and got things done, and she was never rude or cruel about anything ever. She wasn’t bossy, she was simply the boss.

Belts can be magic if you believe hard enough

Technically, I’m still waiting for my belts to turn into magic like Rainbow’s magical rainbow belt, but I’m confident it’ll happen. As a kid, I knew that if I believed I could do something, I could do it. Maybe not teach a horse how to fly, but Rainbow helped me see that the opportunities to be awesome were endless.

Positive thinking can change the world

Rainbow was all about bringing color and joy to the world. She was positive and not afraid to show it — and people responded to that. As a kid, knowing that was power.

Horse friends get sh*t done

Sure, Starlite, Rainbow’s talking horse friend was a bit narcissistic —if you consider referring to oneself as “the most magnificent horse in the universe” and “the glory of the galaxy” to be narcissistic, which, you know, we do. But when you surround yourself with other likeminded warriors like Starlite, anything is possible. Even saving the world from selfish, evil princesses.

You’re a stronger person when you’ve got your friends by your side

Good friends can make everything better. It took the combined magical powers of Rainbow and her friends to destroy the evil princess who was dead set on creating darkness throughout planet Spectra forever. A little help from friends goes a long way.

We have to dig deep and find our courage

Did I mention how Rainbow saved a planet from complete and utter destruction? It wasn’t easy. She had to fight for it. She was courageous and resilient, and that was so, so important to witness as a kid.

So now that we’re feeling all nostalgic, happy 30th birthday to Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer. The lessons are just as important today as they were 30 years ago. And my friendship with Rainbow is just as strong.

And for all nostalgic purposes, you can watch the movie in its entirety here.

Related reading:

Cartoon characters who brought out our inner feminists

(Featured image via YouTube)