Box of Truth

Box of Truth
Type	Truth-telling device
First appearance
First episode	Sleepover
Latest episode	Butterfly Trap
Appearances	2

“To all who seek the path of knowledge,
listen well to this decree.
Surrender to the eye of justice.
Swear an oath of truth to me.”

―Box of Truth

The Box of Truth, also called Truth or Punishment, is a magical truth-telling device that Star Butterfly, Marco Diaz, Pony Head, Jackie Lynn Thomas, Janna Ordonia, and StarFan13 use as a party game in "Sleepover".

Appearance

The Box of Truth is a bluish-green cube with lighter blue lines covering all of its sides like a circuit board. When the box is turned on, it glows and the lines stick out slightly from the its sides. The box also has a voice and mind of its own and possesses at least some level of external awareness, since it knew that Star had baked brownies shortly before the game started.

As "Truth or Punishment" begins, each player must stick their little finger (or a body part in lieu of a finger) in the mouth of the box's demon face and swear to tell the truth. The objective of the game is for the players to truthfully answer three progressively difficult questions or face punishments that gradually increase in severity. Said punishments can include a ticklish electric shock, mutation, or even death. In addition, once the game begins, the box traps the players in a giant metal cube and refuses to let them leave until all three questions have been answered truthfully.

If the box detects that too many lies have been told, it transforms into a monstrous diamond-shaped creature with two mouths that will try to eliminate the source of the lies. However, it is possible to confuse and terminate the box's programming by presenting it with a truth/lie paradox.

In the episode "Butterfly Trap", the Box of Truth is used during the trial of Eclipsa Butterfly. Here, its appearance differs, with a single eye being present at all times. For "Trial by Box", the box serves to present case evidence and detect lies during testimonies. Unlike "Truth or Punishment", the jurors (and sometimes the defendant) are the ones who ask questions and allowed one question each.

In case of lies, similarly to "Truth or Punishment", the box traps everyone present in a giant metal cube that shrinks and threatens to crush them unless the liar tells the truth. At the end of trial, the box hands down its verdict depending on the trial's outcome.

Sightings

Season 2

• Sleepover

Season 3

• Butterfly Trap

Gallery

Trivia

• "Truth or Punishment" is similar to the classic party game "Truth or Dare" and the television game show Truth or Consequences.
• It is possible that, when the participants perform the pinky swear for the box, it somehow reads their minds, since in "Sleepover" it had asked a precise question about the brownies cooked by Star.
• The Box is voiced by Sean Schemmel, who is best known for providing the voice of adult Goku in the Funimation dub of the Dragon Ball franchise.

• In "Butterfly Trap", it is revealed that the Box of Truth actually has multiple settings, and that the one used for Truth or Punishment is the "party" setting. Other settings include "intervention", "bachelorette", and "trial".
  • According to Moon however, the box is not meant to be a game.
• When in "Punishment" mode, the Box is able to resist any and all magic, even that of the Magic High Commission.