Neglected starter salvageable and safe to eat?

TL;DR - Left out my pineapple starter at room temp for three weeks, not sure if I can or if it's safe to salvage.

This is my first time ever attempting to make a sourdough starter. I used the Pineapple Juice method (using this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013152-sourdough-starter )and it worked quite well, seemed good to go for routine feeding. I began the starter a month ago, and never once refrigerated it, per the technique (note that the pineapple juice I used was a bulk can of Dole, unopened and left at the back of the pantry, sell-by is 8 months past). Long story short I tucked the starter behind some boxes on the counter and completely forgot about. I've now rediscovered said starter and feel nothing but shame for potentially massacring my boy. There's this brownish/orange liquid on top that and I don't know if it is colored by some dangerous mold or just from the pineapple juice I had used to make the starter. People have said the liquid is normal and to just stir it in, but I'm not sure I want to taint any good starter at the bottom of the container with a moldy liquid. The dough part itself doesn't appear to be moldy or anything, but I'm not sure I want to take chances after leaving it out at room temperature for three weeks. People also say that not feeding it can give it a certain smell and that it is normal, but currently, my starter smells like yogurt's estranged brother on steroids. I've heard everyone say that you can't kill a starter, but even if I could revive the starter, I'm worried it might kill me first. Rather not make a new starter all over again, so I'm hoping at least some of it is salvageable. Should I just toss it at this point?