Does Falling Star target after it's played, and when is a spell considered 'played' - when put on the stack or when resolving?

Ruling: Falling Star itself does not target. When it resolves, it creates two reflexive triggers that do target. A spell is considered "played" (for trigger purposes) when it finishes resolving, not when it's put on the chain.

Sequence:

• You play Falling Star by putting it on the chain pending
• You finalize it to the chain by making choices and paying costs
• Falling Star resolves
• Two reflexive triggers are created that target
• Those reflexive triggers go on the chain (if legal targets exist)
• When abilities care about cards being "played", they trigger after the card finishes resolving

Nuances:

• Falling Star can be played on an empty board because it doesn't target. If there are no legal targets when it resolves, the reflexive triggers never go on the chain.
• Hextech Ray cannot be played without a legal target because it needs a target to be finalized to the chain.
• Not So Fast can counter one of Falling Star's two reflexive triggers (not Falling Star itself), which is why it only "counters half".
• The word "play" has two meanings in Riftbound: (1) putting a card on the chain and finalizing it, and (2) when triggers care about something being "played", which means when it resolves.