diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx
index 7eadaf49..7024b9ef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/OnboardingV3Root.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { useClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/ThemeContext';
 import type { ClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/claudeTokens';
 import { useOnboardingV3Pipeline } from './useOnboardingV3Pipeline';
 import { GRAIN_URL } from './beats/BeatShell';
+import Starburst from './Starburst';
 import BeatConnect from './beats/BeatConnect';
 import BeatApps from './beats/BeatApps';
 import BeatTheme from './beats/BeatTheme';
@@ -63,11 +64,19 @@ const IntroBeat: React.FC<{ c: ClaudeTokens; line: string; sub?: string; onNext:
       }}
     />
     <div style={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, backgroundImage: GRAIN_URL, opacity: 0.14, pointerEvents: 'none', mixBlendMode: 'overlay' }} />
+    <motion.div
+      initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.4, rotate: -80 }}
+      animate={{ opacity: 1, scale: 1, rotate: 0 }}
+      transition={{ type: 'spring', stiffness: 160, damping: 18, delay: 0.2 }}
+      style={{ position: 'relative', marginBottom: 22 }}
+    >
+      <Starburst size={44} from={c.accent.hover} to={c.accent.primary} />
+    </motion.div>
     <motion.h1
       initial={{ opacity: 0, y: 16, filter: 'blur(8px)' }}
       animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0, filter: 'blur(0px)' }}
-      transition={{ duration: 0.7, delay: 0.35, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
-      style={{ position: 'relative', margin: 0, fontSize: 'clamp(2.4rem, 5vw, 3.8rem)', fontWeight: 700, color: c.text.inverse, letterSpacing: '-0.02em', textAlign: 'center', padding: '0 24px' }}
+      transition={{ duration: 0.7, delay: 0.45, ease: [0.22, 1, 0.36, 1] }}
+      style={{ position: 'relative', margin: 0, fontSize: 'clamp(2.4rem, 5vw, 3.8rem)', fontWeight: 600, color: c.text.inverse, letterSpacing: '-0.01em', textAlign: 'center', padding: '0 24px' }}
     >
       {line}
     </motion.h1>
@@ -202,8 +211,15 @@ const OnboardingV3Root: React.FC = () => {
             ))}
           </motion.div>
           {finishing && (
-            <div style={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, display: 'flex', alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center', background: c.bg.page }}>
-              <motion.div initial={{ opacity: 0 }} animate={{ opacity: 1 }} style={{ fontSize: '1.05rem', color: c.text.tertiary }}>
+            <div style={{ position: 'absolute', inset: 0, display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', gap: 18, alignItems: 'center', justifyContent: 'center', background: c.bg.page }}>
+              <motion.div
+                initial={{ opacity: 0, scale: 0.7 }}
+                animate={{ opacity: [0, 1, 0.55, 1], scale: [0.7, 1, 0.92, 1], rotate: [0, 0, 22, 45] }}
+                transition={{ duration: 4.5, times: [0, 0.2, 0.6, 1], repeat: 3 }}
+              >
+                <Starburst size={40} from={c.accent.hover} to={c.accent.pressed} />
+              </motion.div>
+              <motion.div initial={{ opacity: 0 }} animate={{ opacity: 1 }} style={{ fontSize: '1.02rem', color: c.text.tertiary }}>
                 Setting up your canvas...
               </motion.div>
             </div>
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/Starburst.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/Starburst.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9acd5187
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/Starburst.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+// Claude's signature asterisk mark, drawn as 8 rounded rays around a hollow center; gradient runs hover->pressed so it wears whatever accent the user picked.
+const Starburst: React.FC<{ size: number; from: string; to: string }> = ({ size, from, to }) => {
+  const id = React.useId();
+  return (
+    <svg width={size} height={size} viewBox="-50 -50 100 100" style={{ display: 'block' }}>
+      <defs>
+        <linearGradient id={id} x1="0%" y1="0%" x2="100%" y2="100%">
+          <stop offset="0%" stopColor={from} />
+          <stop offset="100%" stopColor={to} />
+        </linearGradient>
+      </defs>
+      {Array.from({ length: 8 }, (unused, i) => (
+        <rect key={i} x={-7} y={-46} width={14} height={34} rx={7} fill={`url(#${id})`} transform={`rotate(${i * 45})`} />
+      ))}
+    </svg>
+  );
+};
+
+export default Starburst;
diff --git a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatCard.tsx b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatCard.tsx
index c8b039b9..b3653cef 100644
--- a/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/app/components/OnboardingV3/beats/BeatCard.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { motion } from 'framer-motion';
 import { Dices } from 'lucide-react';
 import type { ClaudeTokens } from '@/shared/styles/claudeTokens';
 import type { ProviderIdentity } from '../onboardingV3Api';
+import Starburst from '../Starburst';
 import BeatShell from './BeatShell';
 
 const EPITHETS = [
@@ -52,11 +53,9 @@ const BeatCard: React.FC<{
             display: 'flex', flexDirection: 'column', position: 'relative',
           }}
         >
-          <div style={{
-            width: 168, height: 158, alignSelf: 'flex-start',
-            borderRadius: '6% 64% 6% 64%',
-            background: `linear-gradient(135deg, ${c.accent.hover}, ${c.accent.primary} 70%, ${c.accent.pressed})`,
-          }} />
+          <div style={{ alignSelf: 'flex-start', marginLeft: -8, marginTop: -4 }}>
+            <Starburst size={158} from={c.accent.hover} to={c.accent.pressed} />
+          </div>
           <input
             value={name}
             onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value.slice(0, 18))}