1whatidk

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 14: Lars and the Cool Kids

Up to this point, Lars has only been a background character. And, in contrast to Sadie, he's often mean to Steven. The show opens on him making fun of Steven, and this is how Lars behaves every time we see him, even in this episode, beginning with him being worried Steven will embarrass him.

However, despite this, we get to witness a different side of Lars that matches his characterization from now on. Before, Lars was just a mean teenager; now, he's an insecure teenager struggling to fit in, find friends, and be comfortable with who he is. Much of his behavior is still selfish and harms others, but this episode begins to peel back at the motive behind such behavior.

Much of this is highlighted by "the cool kids," a good group of side characters who seem anything but mean. Upon Steven's blunt greeting, they gladly welcome Steven and bring him along with them; in fact, Steven's the only reason Lars gets to come along, as Lars couldn't work up the courage to talk to them.

Lars's behavior of hoping they will notice and approach him, rather than initiating the conversation himself, is something I can relate to. And when interacting with them, Lars puts on a persona, agreeing with whatever they say and lying to gain their approval, despite how laid back they are compared to your stereotypical teenager.

In trying to appease them, all he does is embarrass himself, being awkwardly caught out in this persona he puts on. However, the main threat of this episode is brought on by the moss this group trembles upon despite Steven's warnings.

I feel the show's core premise that Steven has to function as a replacement to the gem's now dead leader, Rose Quartz, hasn't fully come to ahead yet, but we are beginning to see more glimpses of it here akin to Rose's Laser Light Cannon from before. The moss being an out-of-control danger Rose used to handle is a small thing in the scheme of things, but still a showcase of the effects of Rose's absence. And it's nice that in the end, Steven is the one to fix this problem for the gems, turning the dangerous, ugly moss into the eye candy swarm of flowers.

Steven is also starting to get more enjoyable. I feel his behavior has morphed from often obnoxious to something more endearing as his consistent enthusiasm becomes more cautious, and it helps that the "cool kids" are also funny to support this.

The emotional climax here is also a decent one, with Lars' self-centeredness being put on display as he pins Rose at fault for not being able to befriend "the cool kids." Steven rightly defends his mother and calls Lars a jerk, pointing out the flaws in Lars' judgmental attitude and bringing up a key element to the show.

Steven has a complex relationship with his mother's legacy. He hardly knows anything about his mother; everything he's learned is just what other people tell him, yet he's expected to live up to her name. This all makes for a solid moment that well utilizes the characters the show is beginning to craft. I think this is another great episode. It's funny and is intriguing in its efforts to construct the show's world and characters.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Giant Woman

3. Lars and the Cool Kids

4. Tiger Millionaire

5. Laser Light Cannon

6. So Many Birthdays

7. Serious Steven

8. Cheeseburger Backpack

9. Frybo

10. Gem Glow

11. Steven's Lion

12. Arcade Mania

13. Together Breakfast

14. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 13: So Many Birthdays

Multiple of these early episodes are dedicated to introducing some concept of this fantastical world, the last one introducing fusion. As far as I’m concerned, this episode introduces nothing new; it is about shapeshifting again, and, like Cat Fingers, it shows how dangerous shapeshifting can be for Steven.

It’s also structured similarly, starting very lightheartedly until things spiral out of control and ending with Steven surrounded by loved ones in emotional turmoil as they desperately try to save him.

However, despite these similarities, I like this more than Cat Fingers. All you need to do is take Amethyst’s explanations of shapeshifting from Cat Fingers, and this could replace it outright.

But why do I prefer this? For starters, I like the process by which Steven’s shapeshifting becomes dangerous; it occurs suddenly, relies more on the gems' reactions than body horror, and Steven's transformation is based directly on his emotional state. That last part is crucial because it means the resolution is emotional rather than the creative solution of using water in Cat Fingers. This resolution is the gems recognizing that Steven’s efforts were sincere and verbalizing that recognition.

But there's another big reason I like this episode: it’s funnier. It's a fun series of gags, with Amethyst hitting a piñata into the ocean, Pearl being disturbed by Steven dressing up as a clown, and some other gags when he ages, such as getting the “real job” of being a beach hunk, and the miscommunication as an old man asking for help getting into his birthday suit.

All that is to say, this is funny. I love all the exaggerated expressions; I prefer how it presents shapeshifting as dangerous for Steven compared to Cat Fingers. I would rather watch this over Cat Fingers.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Giant Woman

3. Tiger Millionaire

4. Laser Light Cannon

5. So Many Birthdays

6. Serious Steven

7. Cheeseburger Backpack

8. Frybo

9. Gem Glow

10. Steven's Lion

11. Arcade Mania

12. Together Breakfast

13. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 12: Giant Woman

From what I know, fusion is an idea likely adopted from Dragon Ball; two characters do a fusion dance and turn into a powerful combination of themselves. On the surface, fusion’s not too interesting of an idea- it is simply a reward for two characters who decide to work together and a fun element for fight scenes, with each character’s powers allowing for entertaining combinations. Amethyst’s whip and Pearl’s spear create a bow in this episode.

However, memorable fight scenes and fun combos aren't why it is one of the show's best concepts; it's how it's implemented. But I want to quickly mention a talking point that fusion is a sexual/romantic gesture. I believe it's often an interpretation made in bad faith, likely sourced from the dances being more fluid/suggestive than the static dances in Dragon Ball. I think the interpretation quickly falls apart when you consider all the contexts it's used in: familial, platonic, and romantic relationships, and it's usually used with a specific goal in mind. This episode is an example, with Pearl and Amethyst only working together to save Steven, and Pearl framing it as a tool used only in dire situations. This restrictive framing becomes less accurate as the show continues, but in most situations, it is platonic, used for a power-up, and sometimes even used between enemies with different goals in the fusion.

I won't get too deep yet into why I love the show's uses for fusion, but it's best used with Ruby and Sapphire. Where it's used to represent their codependent relationship, and I feel presents a lot of queer themes. I find that their fusion being forbidden and consistently looked down upon for not serving an explicit purpose mirrors real world efforts to devalue queer relationships with arguments such as many lacking the ability to produce offspring, and I love how confident Garnet is in response to it.

Also, we consistently see through them that fusion can sometimes be done without dancing as long as the characters are in sync; I don't believe we ever see Ruby and Sapphire dance.

There are some added benefits to how Fusion functions. One cool thing that Sci-fi often does is offer ways to show the audience the inner worlds of its characters beyond dialogue. The most common way to do this is by showing characters’ dreams, but Fusion does this in an interesting way: when characters are fused, they can view each other’s thoughts and feelings. I think this functionality is used in some pretty compelling ways throughout the show.

On the other hand, just because the concept ends up being interesting does not mean the episode that introduces it is. I didn’t like Cat Fingers, which introduced shapeshifting, but I like this episode because it’s fun, and I enjoy the characterization between Pearl and Amethyst.

The whole episode has a lighthearted tone and begins with some charming interactions. Pearl and Amethyst are playing checkers, and there are some solid jokes, but the critical element is Pearl being annoyed for petty reasons, with Amethyst describing fusion crudely and using incorrect grammar.

Steven is also enjoyable in this episode, with his enthusiasm for fusion bleeding into his desire for Pearl and Amethyst to get along; this leads into the show’s third song, and it's a lot of fun. I'm happy to get a comedic and catchy song. But most of the episode is a dungeon crawl, moving across a series of floating islands till they have to fight a giant bird, leading Pearl and Amethyst to finally fuse after their childish bickering, and their fusion gets the cinematic introduction that I bet Steven was hoping for.

And I’m glad about how early the show is willing to show this fallible side of both Pearl and Amethyst, given how childish their arguments are here, with them not able to look past the incompatibilities of their differing personalities. Giant Woman is a great, fun episode. It introduces fusion and characterizes Pearl and Amethyst well, showing how potent they can be when not at each other’s throats. I love episodes like this.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Giant Woman

3. Tiger Millionaire

4. Laser Light Cannon

5. Serious Steven

6. Cheeseburger Backpack

7. Frybo

8. Gem Glow

9. Steven's Lion

10. Arcade Mania

11. Together Breakfast

12. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 11: Arcade Mania

Arcade Mania doesn't accomplish too much with a one-off threat we will never see again (outside of a brief mention), and there's nothing inherently wrong with that.

The episode notably spotlights Garnet, with Steven specifically impressed by her powers when taking on one of the gem monsters. We also see how disorganized Pearl and Amethyst can be without Garnet's involvement. However, the most noteworthy element is what puts Garnet out of commission.

Steven brings the gems to an arcade, and it's funny to see the gems misunderstand the machines. But Garnet, in particular, gets hooked on a rhythm game. This action can be seen as a foreshadowing of her future vision powers, with her middle eye focused on the game and Garnet's zombie-like state. But I find it improbable to notice this foreshadowing on the first viewing, so it's just a neat detail to notice on rewatch. What I enjoy most about this episode is its humorous bits, like Pearl not understanding a game where you're supposed to crash a car, but they are a bit sparse.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Tiger Millionaire

3. Laser Light Cannon

4. Serious Steven

5. Cheeseburger Backpack

6. Frybo

7. Gem Glow

8. Steven's Lion

9. Arcade Mania

10. Together Breakfast

11. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 10: Steven's Lion

In my experience, giving your protagonist an animal sidekick is nothing new in adventure fantasy stories like this, and that’s likely why I found this one a bit bland. I enjoy several things, such as how Steven's first meeting with Lion plays out; his behaviors towards Lion are endearing as Steven goes from cautious to nonchalant. And the gems’ reasonably panicked reaction upon discovering Steven with Lion is funny in contrast to his relaxed behavior. Later, with Lion following Steven home, I find it funny how Steven tries to play with Lion to little avail.

But overall, there's not much going on in this episode beyond the humorous interactions. I don't find Lion an interesting character to introduce, and he doesn’t change throughout the show. Lion’s primary function going forward is as a vessel to unveil information to Steven about the people around him, and here, the only thing intriguing about Lion is his magical powers, which, intrigue-wise, can only go so far.

I really like the final sequence's visuals and music; otherwise, it's a bit boring. Quite a bit of the episode is Steven trying to befriend a Lion and show it off to a few townspeople, and this part drags. Also, all this episode changes is just that Steven now has a lion. For what it is, it’s fine, but I believe the show would be more of a slog if episodes like these were commonplace, and every Lion episode after this is notably better.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Tiger Millionaire

3. Laser Light Cannon

4. Serious Steven

5. Cheeseburger Backpack

6. Frybo

7. Gem Glow

8. Steven's Lion

9. Together Breakfast

10. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 9: Tiger Millionaire

Another episode in line with Bubble Buddies is a welcome sight, another nice balance of humor and heart. I have never taken an interest in anything like WWE, but I've often found satire of it funny. This is a good example of that. There are many fun elements here, from the various groups of weird wrestlers to Mr. Smiley's eccentric casting to Lars and Steven's comically melodramatic reactions. With Steven feeling bad after playing a mean caricature, and Lars switching between hating and adoring the character Steven plays. This is also the first time we see Lars and Sadie spending time together outside The Big Donut.

But beyond this fun, the episode offers some good characterization for Amethyst. It begins with Pearl reprimanding Amethyst, and Garnet backs Pearl up. This leads Steven to learn of Amethyst's secret wrestling getaway, allowing her a far less strict environment. When this environment is threatened by the other gems uncovering this secret, we get the surprisingly strong reaction of Amethyst fighting them.

This fight is quelled by Steven's words, outlining how Amethyst struggles to fit in amongst the gems, which will be explored later. This marks one of many instances where a conflict is resolved through emotional understanding rather than tactics or brute strength, ending with Amethyst and Garnet apologizing to each other.

Tiger Millionaire is one of the show's better starting episodes. It's funny and heartfelt, but similar to many of these initial episodes, I believe the show improves on what it's starting to build here with Amethyst.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Tiger Millionaire

3. Laser Light Cannon

4. Serious Steven

5. Cheeseburger Backpack

6. Frybo

7. Gem Glow

8. Together Breakfast

9. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 8: Serious Steven

There are some bits worth appreciating here, such as Pearl expressing her appreciation for Earth’s capability for life despite being previously wasted by battle.  This battlefield is also our first bit of knowledge into the prevalent Gem War. Otherwise, like CheeseBurger Backpack, this is a dungeon episode, except in this instance, rather than various trials towards a final goal, it’s a puzzle, and the multiple trials are a misdirection.

This dungeon's structure allows Steven to interact with it in a particular manner; Steven is still immature and, throughout the episode, cannot contribute to completing the trials, consistently requiring Garnet's help, and Pearl expresses doubts about Steven even being there.

There is also a comical recurring instance mentioned where Steven gets dizzy on a ride and accidentally destroys it, a mundane struggle in comparison that he fails to tackle.

However, despite Steven’s childish behaviors, he shows problem-solving capabilities (which become more relevant as the show continues), relaying their present dilemma with the experience on the teacup ride to solve the puzzle. Steven seems to have a long way to go to prove himself, but he’s making progress, and this is a funny episode.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Laser Light Cannon

3. Serious Steven

4. Cheeseburger Backpack

5. Frybo

6. Gem Glow

7. Together Breakfast

8. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 7: Bubble Buddies

My favorite episode thus far, and it is the episode that garnered the most interest for me to stay with the show, a compelling and charming introduction of a new character. Until now, Steven has lacked a true peer; sure, Peedee is a similar age, but there's an apparent emotional dichotomy between the two, and they aren't close friends or anything later in the series. Connie quickly becomes Steven's closest friend and vice versa, and I love how she’s introduced.

I love the awkward interactions between the two: Steven trying to get Connie's attention with his "impressive" bike, then running away melodramatically crying once he falls onto it, and both differing efforts to get Onion to break the bubble with a harpoon.

They have a fun dynamic where both struggle socially, but there's still the contrast of Steven being carefree and Connie being overly safe. Steven consistently tries to downplay the danger of a situation where getting his powers to work is imperative. Yet, Steven quickly accepts that he cannot control them. It's through this downplay that the episode's more dramatic side takes its turn.

This leads to the show's first instance, and the only instance for a while, where Steven quells another character's emotional turmoil. In this instance, it is Connie's fear and the additives to it. Stuck at the bottom of the ocean, the gravity of the situation fully dawns on Connie, and she begins to cry. The show has been a lighthearted adventure fantasy show up to this point; this emotional bit caught me off guard, especially with the comedic tone the episode has up until this point.

Anyway, to discuss Connie's emotions here, a character feeling hopeless due to being trapped in some dire fantastical situation isn't treading any new ground, but it works well enough, and the critical element of Connie's dialogue here sets up her character going forward. After outlining the severity of this dire situation, all Connie has to add is how she has never made a friend. In response, Steven offers a token of friendship, which indirectly quells the situation with the bubble popping.

It's fair to criticize this moment for being a bit saccharine, but I really like it. With how careless Steven can sometimes be in these early episodes, it's nice to see this more sensitive side, and I'm happy this aspect of his character only becomes more prominent as the show continues. Furthermore, it's a strong introduction for Connie. As little presence as Connie may have in these early episodes, her not appearing again for ten episodes, the episodes she is in are consistently good amongst a sometimes uneven beginning, and on first viewing, I found her an intriguing character in how she could be used in contrast to Steven.

Also, this episode is gorgeous, especially the undersea backgrounds.

Rankings

1. Bubble Buddies

2. Laser Light Cannon

3. Cheeseburger Backpack

4. Frybo

5. Gem Glow

6. Together Breakfast

7. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 6: Cat Fingers

This is the show's first (and one of few) episode that I don’t particularly care for. On the positive side, shapeshifting's introduction is delivered humorously by Amethyst and is naturally brought about by Steven’s understandable enthusiasm to learn about it and potentially do it himself.

Also, the episode ends again with Steven resolving an issue without the gem’s assistance; I like that Greg manages to help Steven, considering the beginning of the episode reinforces his hesitation to be involved with gem stuff.

The main element I don't like is the horror angle it takes later in the episode. I don't care for body horror in general and find the Cronenberg-esque horror of an animal taking over a man's body here kind of gross and jarring. Also, what I liked about the horror in Frybo was the comedic angle it adopted; this is far more dramatic but in a way that I just find boring. However, the main point of this episode is to introduce shapeshifting and how Steven's lack of control over his powers makes it dangerous for him. I think the episode adequately introduces these concepts, but I'm still not a fan.

Rankings

1. Laser Light Cannon

2. Cheeseburger Backpack

3. Frybo

4. Gem Glow

5. Together Breakfast

6. Cat Fingers

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 5: Frybo

Frybo is the show's first episode where the gems have minimal involvement. And while Steven has consistently helped the gems before, this is the first of a group of episodes where Steven manages to resolve the issues presented before him more or less by himself. In this case, despite ignoring Pearl, Pearl was the one who initially lost the gem shard, and when Steven fights it, she hardly contributes.

But Frybo is also a weird episode, but it's a variety of weird that I think is fun. I particularly enjoy the contrast between Steven and Peedee; both want to be involved with the work of their parental figures but aren't able to get fully involved or involved in how they wish to. However, Peedee is particularly dulled by the mundanity of his work, giving a spiel about the cyclical nature of jobs and the limited time in life that I found humorous in contrast to Steven's bubbly nature.

However, Peedee's position changes after the episode. In the following episode, we see him working the deep fryer, and as the series continues, Peedee becomes continually more independent. The method by which the conflict between Peedee and his father is resolved is the first of many in the series, being resolved through emotional honesty with Peedee's father coming to understand how Peedee truly feels about working in the fry costume.

But also, this is the first episode to take a shot at horror; introducing a mindless monster that possesses clothing and potentially misinterprets commands it refuses to go back on is a fun idea. The general angle of this horror is a comedic one, the monster being defeated in the comedic way of being attacked by a swarm of Steven's clothes.

So, I think this episode is fun; however, I also feel it's a bit inconsequential. The concept of gem shards has little relevance later in the series, and Peedee remains a side character.

Rankings

1. Laser Light Cannon

2. Cheeseburger Backpack

3. Frybo

4. Gem Glow

5. Together Breakfast

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 4: Together Breakfast

Together Breakfast is another fun episode; Steven's anticipation for the gems' company is endearing, and despite Steven's general lack of awareness of potential dangers throughout, the episode is far too upbeat and playful to be annoying. It also has a bunch of funny expressions. But I don't think there's that much interesting going on here, and we have yet to learn much about the gems.

There are tiny nuggets of information introduced, such as Garnet being more independent and handling some missions by herself and Pearl having a collection of swords we have yet to see her use. Garnet continues to be mysterious and stoic, with a mysterious object and the mysterious bubble room. Amethyst’s room matches what we’ve seen from her up to this point; it’s purposely cluttered and chaotic, and similarly, Pearl’s room is a contrast, simplistic, and tightly organized. Steven still can’t reliably access his powers but ends up being the one to defeat the monster, even if he also causes its existence.

Anyway, most of the episode is a simple adventure through the different regions of the temple seen through Steven's wide eyes, and it's fun enough. I really like the aesthetics of the temple. The waterfalls in Pearl's room, crystals and pools of Amethyst's, and the heart in the bubble room all make the temple a very distinctive locale.

Rankings

1. Laser Light Cannon

2. Cheeseburger Backpack

3. Gem Glow

4. Together Breakfast

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 3: Cheeseburger Backpack

Cheeseburger Backpack is a fun episode, but I preferred Laser Light Cannon. It's more or less a repeat of Gem Glow, with Steven trying to prove himself to the gems. Except in this case, he's accepted that he cannot control his powers but believes he can assist the gems through his ingenuity and tools.

The tool in question for this situation is a novelty backpack, an idea consistent with the more comedic/childish angle of these earlier episodes. What ensues is a fun dungeon-crawler episode that doesn’t offer too much of note; it provides the first instance of Pearl being overprotective of Steven and introduces the idea that there used to be more gems on Earth, even if what happened to them is still a mystery.

Regarding the mission, some of Steven's ideas succeed, and it's nice to see the gems supporting him despite their doubts. Still, in the end, Steven makes an unfortunate blunder that renders the mission pointless regardless of prior successes. Yet through those successes, Steven proves his ability to assist the gems, and as we learn later, the spire was deliberately used to test Steven. A test he passes and more consistently earns him a spot in future missions the gems go on.

Rankings

1. Laser Light Cannon

2. Cheeseburger Backpack

3. Gem Glow

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 2: Laser Light Cannon

I wonder if this could’ve made for a better opener, but part of me thinks Gem Glow’s stronger focus on Steven’s struggle to harness his powers makes for a better start. Either way, I prefer this over the first episode.

The main reason for this is its introduction of Rose, the enigmatic character who had to die for Steven to live, and the introduction of Greg, Rose’s lover, a hoarder who clearly has a genuine love for Steven and Rose. And I really enjoy the interactions between Steven and Greg; upon Steven exploring Greg’s storage unit, Greg offers some solemn reminiscing and confirms that Rose gave up her physical form for Steven—the logistics of how Steven functions as this hybrid remaining a mystery for much of the series.

For Steven, in the first episode, confronted with the gems’ doubts, he tried to prove himself to minimal success. This episode is similar, except here, Steven is excited to prove Greg’s worth to the gems who believe he doesn’t have the cannon or broke it, happily running around Greg’s storage unit hastily grabbing anything that might be the cannon. And Steven, rather than failing to activate his powers in the vital moment of peril, as in the first episode, succeeds after reciting the “If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hotdogs” affirmation—this sentiment of finding beauty in imperfection being a recurring idea throughout the show.

But the main takeaway relating to Rose I have from the episode is that, despite what the gems may think, Rose loved Greg as much as he seems to have loved her, but it highlights Rose’s imperfections. Greg was given a weapon without knowing how to work it, and the gems didn’t even know Greg had it or also how to use it. It seems clear that Rose loved them but, at the very least, left them somewhat ill-equipped.

Rankings

1. Laser Light Cannon

2. Gem Glow

[1whatidk]

Rewatching Steven Universe Episode 1: Gem Glow

Unfortunately, many people give up on Steven Universe because of its initial episodes; the general consensus seems to be that they are far worse than later parts of the show, and I'm inclined to agree.

While it's not bad, I would argue Gem Glow is a weak start that fails to capture what Steven Universe becomes. This episode adopts a very peppy, comedic tone, featuring the mundane struggle of losing one’s favorite treat and the comedic resolution of Steven sacrificing his beloved cookie cats to minimal avail. This holds little similarity to the many dramatic episodes the show will showcase later in its run.

As a first episode, it doesn’t offer many reasons to continue watching. There’s no drama introduced that I would want to see continued, and we learn nothing about the monster they fight. There's ultimately little mystery beyond how Steven's powers will develop.

Additionally, the initial characterization isn't very intriguing, with Steven’s endearing validation-seeking motivations, Amethyst’s portrayal as sloppy and chaotic, Pearl as uptight and coordinated, and Garnet as stoic. Even their efforts to assist Steven only further this simplistic characterization and seem to primarily showcase their desire to teach him.

I've seen various people who are more annoyed than I am with how Steven Universe starts. However, I still think the comedy is a bit stale, and it’s not a particularly creative opening. I can see why others stopped watching after the show's initial episodes, but I'm glad I stuck it out.