Steven Universe's Frustrating Search for Finality

let me tell you all the ways you can get hit by a car Steven universe is not the show that it used to be after figuring things out and setting things up the world opened up in the second half of season 1 and season 2 there was always a new mystery new gem backstory and new threats to push the show for it the next two seasons had some great story arcs here and there but everything in between felt like a step down after neutralizing a planet-sized threat like the cluster I expect the scope to only get bigger but instead new crystal gems are sidelined and isolated there's less and less gem monster hunting which makes action a smaller focus the psyche a starts getting more attention than some of the main characters and there isn't a consistent villain or threat to keep up the momentum I started a question why certain events had to occur at this point in the show and think about how some seasons could have been streamlined if a few episodes were taken out but that all changed I'll be it at a very slow rate when Steven universe began to wrap up its story and began its final season with the numerous plot threads and character arcs still on the table how would all be brought to a close in season 5 the answer is by not actually making it the final season we begin where the events of I and my mom left off with Steven turning himself in to topaz and aquamarine and being taken to homeworld where he's put on trial for his mother's crimes in front of glue and yellow diamond despite how much this setting and these antagonists have been built up the focus here is on redeeming the stowaway - Steven sacrifice Lars he used to be a jerk whose character hid the same peaks and valleys but in the aftermath of the good Lars it's made clear that his attitude has been masking his cowardice after this is set up through a touching conversation and stuck together Lars sacrifices himself to defend the off colors a small group of gems hiding from home world's tyranny that have been deemed defective their characterization relies heavily on OneNote gags but that's okay because they don't have too much dedicated screen time and act as a good reminder of the people Steven is continuing to fight for Oh Laura's actions and their impact here had me shocked at first but it's framed as him acting upon impulse which is very in character and it instantly signifies a change in his motivation shown through his new form having Lars die be brought back to life as a pink Sambi and Steve and find out that he can use a pocket dimension on Lars his head to return home is a lot to take in so it's good that there's a whole episode solidifying these ideas it's a little odd to return to Earth so soon after a monumental event but the impact of the abduction that kicked off the season is felt throughout all its first haft from the sounds of it this could be a central conflict that unites all the distinct groups of gem and human characters that can culminate in the big season finale a set of pages from the upcoming end of an era art book were released that outlined the plan for the first half and while it shows that everything was planned out the issue here is that there's only two episodes running these plot lines intersect this means that important stories continue to be ignored and it doesn't help that the pearl plot which has the closest connection to what the season is building to is ultimately shafted in favor of exploring the side characters to be fair I actually like the subplot with lapis leaving earth and a huff and Sadie channeling her frustrations with her job into a horror themed rock band they aren't especially exciting or emotionally deep but they allow peridot and Greg to step into the spotlight and I'm happy to see them take on new experiences that being said the execution of Connie's arc is downright aggravating she's disappointed in Steven for not trusting her and for giving up at the end of I am my mom and that's a valid argument we've seen how hard Connie is trained to become a better fighter and a trusted ally of Steven so it's great to recontextualize Steven's heroic moment as a betrayal was trust of Connie I believed in us we could have done it together she leaves before the two can reach an understanding and for four of the next six episodes Steven is dead set on reconnecting with Connie after she won't return his calls as much as I know audiences were clamoring for stories of Steven being left on red bars is still in space doing who-knows-what and pearl is clearly keeping something from Steven so this shouldn't be the main priority especially because the arc is built on a wacky miscommunication and doesn't evolve Steven confronting Connie until the arc has to be over the show really doesn't want Stephen to take his own advice why don't you talk about what happened I think this concept is good and in the end it doesn't make either character unlikable but I would have had to carry out like the sardonyx arc where each side of the argument is clearly presented and the stories in between mostly served to compliment the problem at hand you know at this point I really don't see why Rebecca sugar claimed that season five would be a murder mystery surrounding pink diamond when the only mystery is how they murdered such a great idea and oh I get what she meant now so you might not have heard but rose quartz was actually pink diamond all along in its simplest form this twist is basically ripping the rubber mask off of a scooby-doo villain but this was not only foreshadowed masterfully it also contained ramifications that reinvigorated a lot of my interest in the character drama rose quartz is now completely confirmed to be a terrible person and they don't backpedal from that idea however including the tidbit that pearl and garnet had a massive influence on her rebellion shows that they were just pawns in her convoluted scheme in spite of some random character turns the following episode cement the idea that the crystal gems are going to learn from their past and define themselves beyond Rose's influence it's not a complete rejection of Rose's philosophy like some might have wanted but I think it works in moving the characters forward without dragging the plot down after a set of introspective escapades we got a move move move because we're going to homeworld I wouldn't call legs from here to homeworld rushed it's just got a lot of ground to cover and I wouldn't want to sacrifice the site of an action note simply known as bum shine we meet white diamond who spends her days locked in her room refusing to talk to her relatives living a lifestyle most Americans can relate to Steven decides to use diplomacy to reach out to her then Connie reintroduces radical ideas into a closed-minded hierarchy and come on Connie this really isn't the right time after that contrived but understandable plot point and skipping a recap of escapism because it's dumb we arrive at change your mind the Steven universe series finale I think its biggest rank lies in its imagery and emotional payoffs I constantly go back to moments like Steven grinding on a shield to rescue the gems white diamonds creepy possessions against the backdrop of a grainy texture dot PNG and Steven finally accepting himself the latter of which is beautifully to life with animation by legendary Disney animator James Baxter best known today for drawing the horse balancing on a beach ball there's a whole lot of payoffs here just a few too many for all of them to be given proper treatment within the 44 minute run time I'm glad we got to see all the fusions that we did before but cramming in so many takes away the spectacle that these reveals used to have that's two steps plus having the speed the way the gems are revived is a little lazy since there was never any indication that Steven could do this before I'm still not sure how I feel about these new designs lots of little details and color scheme changes bug me for being unnecessary and I just feel like someone went way too far with the eighties slash wrestler influence but they're not too distracting just very different despite the Returns being hyped up within the show a few episodes back lapis and bismuth barely do anything besides getting knocked around the shockingly empty homeworld city in change your mind I was disappointed that we didn't get a chance to explore a location that's also been very hyped up at anything beyond a macro level finally let's tackle half the reason why I waited until now to cover these episodes the other half being sheer laziness on my part the diamond redemption I think that Steven winning over blue and yellow diamond almost works because of what was set up and familiar where Steven realizes that he has a familiar relationship to them and can use his earth experiences to make peace white diamond prides herself on her perfection so Steven showing her that she still has more to learn is a good first step to reaching out to her the problem is that we really don't get to see the following steps these characters take within a single montage dictator's known for destroying planets and gems across the universe becomes Stevens allies I thought you said she was just trying to kill you Wow having most of this change take place off screen doesn't give it the same impact that lapis and paradox changes of heart had with that said skipping ahead to their later appearances shine some light upon this plot point steven is visibly uncomfortable whenever he has to interact with the other diamonds and based on his subconscious attempt to shatter white it's safe to say that he hasn't completely forgiven them just by the way they talked to Steven it's clear that they haven't changed their ways out of the goodness of their heart but rather out of necessity to help their empire feel complete because judging anything based on appearance is wrong yeah I don't know about this it's confirmed that any physical damage that the diamonds had on any gem can be reversed so that should be a closed and shut case their development did not rid them of their motives and personality and they made up for most of the terrible things they did admittedly this is a complicated situation because on one hand it feels like a product of time restraints but on the other hand the movie was greenlit while season 5 was conceived so having the story be incomplete is fitting when considering the content that comes after but before we get to that here's my top 5 worst episodes of season 5 number 5 maid of honor I'm glad to see bismuth again but the last time she was bubbled it was because she justified the shattering of gems for the sake of winning a war for peace why was that topic glossed over and why weren't the other crystal gems involved in a conversation they certainly could have added something to number 4 your mother and mine it's a recap of an intentionally incorrect interpretation it serves a narrative purpose well enough but the ending keys is an interesting story with the off colors that never goes anywhere and that's just unnecessarily frustrating you can also substitute larsa the stars into this slot having larsa's character beat briefly reset to show how much he's grown is a little lame but the starfox game play footage sprinkled into the ending is neat number 3 gem keishon this is one of the many episodes in seasons 4 and 5 that incessantly teased the pink diamond twist and giving so much attention to stephen's clothes might have focused on Connie that ultimately goes nowhere doesn't satisfy any of the looming story threads number 2 escapism the songs good but you can skip this one like I am now since I already talked about it number one Dewey wins I don't care about how mayor Dewey pulling out of his reelection mirrors Connie's beef with Steven he isn't like them enough to carry an episode that should not be about him but enough brooding and moaning time for my top five best episodes number five jungle moon what's your problem and legs from here to homeworld both came close to taking this spot but the atmosphere and setting of this one is too unique to ignore I almost wish they played the concept of a stevonnie jungle adventure completely straight and didn't throw in a moment of exposition but I'll give them credit because even that was presented in a visually creative way number four the trial this episode is just tall woman yelling it's even in a room without any backgrounds yet the top-notch lighting and staging makes the most out of an intriguing turn of events where even the characters are sick of nothing happening in the story and start making up their own theories to cope number three can't go back the song that distant shores what makes this a thrilling watch it's a compelling summation of lavishes emotional state wit between her want for peace and certainty and her fear of the unknown even if she was right about the Diamonds coming back she didn't let her anxiety defeat her lapis allowed yellow diamond to defeat her instead number two a single pale rose pearl having an emotional breakdown has once again led the show to true greatness right down memory lane and straight to the big twist which truly packs a punch it's one of the episodes that has benefited the most from Miri watching the series top to bottom but it helps that a single pale rose is one of the most well rounded between its comedy and drama number one reunited of course an episode where so many things happen would be my favorite from a season like this complain about the pacing and a few spots all you want from a charming gay wedding to a climactic faceoff there is never a dull moment I feel like this is the best showcase for everything the original Steven universe had to offer and even though it might not be my favorite I think I can say the same for season five there's some of the best action and character drama here and due to how the season was set up around a big event that affected all sides of the world it had mostly good pacing since I was invested in what even the OneNote side characters were up to with a little reorganizing to build some more coherency between the two halves of the season and maybe cutting or shifting the focus of a few episodes its strengths could have been a little more consistent overall it's got some high highs and some middle and lows and is very in line with how Pearl once described Steven sweet and considerate and only occasionally obnoxious I have always been a sucker for big TV movies made almost exclusively for fans of their respective series and after pretending like it's newcomer friendly for 10 minutes Steven universe the movie is a tribute to the great characters it's built up over 160 episodes which it promptly destroys to kick things off thing is clearly wrong it may be an intentional retread for the crystal gems but the journey to restore their personalities brings the franchise to new heights in terms of visual and musical presentation the songs are built to contain exposition and aren't as a listenable as those from the series proper but I find myself constantly we're playing tracks like other friends true kind of love and change I can't believe that these were all written in a matter of weeks next time you watch this flick try to imagine Rebecca sugar sitting in a trailer on a California beach for hours trying to write lyrics that would be sung by a problematic looking fusion between a father and his son you could think about that or just sit back and admire how everything looks consistent and shaded or those gorgeous transformation and action sequences see this series can look great even though it's still restricted by a lack of layout artists and animation studio inconsistencies I'd be remiss to not mention the crowning achievement of the film's Finnell the side characters may have gotten the shaft once again but she's such a well-crafted element of the story everything from her voice performance to her sound design evokes rubber-hose era animation and unpredictable style forgotten by the sands of time just like spinel herself it is fascinating to see how a character this wacky faces an issue as serious as abandonment especially with how so many of her sillier scenes walk the line between being annoying to the characters but not to the audience towards the end of the film spinel arc gets a little predictable including a wacky misunderstanding with Steven and a quick resolution with the time ins but her unstable and clingy personality shines through these familiar plot beats while a part of me yearns for this to have gone all out with the musical aspects Steven universe the movie is still as good as Steven universe has always been things wrap up with Steven admitting that has worked with fixing the gem Empire will never be over and he proclaims that he can make a change in his lifestyle I'll always have more work to do then Steven universe future happens and all that is forgotten about shows three weeks since the movie leaves things partially open-ended we got a 20 episode miniseries to focus on the impact of its Shonen anime plot row what you're seeing before you is a rite of passage for all great heroes Steven universe future begins by jumping from character to character and seeing what's changed in two years and however much time it's taken for Steven to get a new shirt twice as he confronts the unfortunate new realities his actions have created Steven starts to tap into his diamond side and develops new powers that give him a pink hue his failure to control them met with his recent completion of a school for gems on earth lead Steven to ponder what his current purpose in the universe is bouncing from a lie to a lie but only spiraling deeper into depression better get used to it because there's no going back after a time school to make a long story short that's sunny and cheerful new intro was a tad misleading I get the sense that future didn't have as much involvement from the writing team behind the original series at first the comedy is less relaxed and is willing through more interactions but as the issues that Steven faces become rooted in human emotion rather than the fantastical the focus moves to symptoms and effects of depression like childhood trauma and imposter syndrome little bit of setting this might seem like a step too far when it's a few episodes removed from a fourth wall breaking safety PSA but once again it's achieved by recontextualizing imagery and events from the past seasons to me it's a little strange how some elements are acting as a reaction to the original series even going so far as to write a plot point that specifically calls out the Stephen only perspective that's led to a lot of the issues I mentioned earlier in this video but when did this happen I didn't see any of this that's because it was private like it or not depression has always been a part of what the show is now it's just more prominent than ever I respect that it could be a turn-off for those who just want an escape from reality or those who expected more of the same but that's just not what future wants to be honestly I embrace how different this season is because in general things feel more focused it tells one underlying story about Stephen and not everything around him and each episode has its own distinct set piece or emotional beat this does mean that the send-offs four side characters are mostly not about them but since most of their arcs have wrapped up I can live with that because it makes the season better I guess I could have used some more heavy heading sauce as few really stuck out to me outside of the credits theme and the one they license but I guess now there's no point in trying to top the movie soundtrack there's a very different and more personal energy on display that I find a lot to relate to I didn't want this dance at a roller rink to end I visited houses that are similar to the one Greg grew up in and I thought about the big question Stephan faces almost as much as he has I've always found little aspects of Steven universe very relatable some of its themes were and are incredibly relevant to me this obviously creates bias with how I view it but even though it was definitely a little darker and a little different I never once thought that this was straying away from what Steven universe is but you know what they say about the things you love you have to complain about them for your opinion to seem fair so before I talk about my top five best episodes here's my top 5 worst number 5 Bluebird this is a retread of room for Ruby we're even the characters know the twist that's coming up but it addresses a vow of concern with the premise of little home school the place not the episode and it might just be the funniest episode of the season convenient that bluebirds showed up here at my house Steven you've literally invited all problematic gems from across the universe to come here and learn a better way of living number four why so blue I like seeing lapis have experiences reaching out to rogue gems that were similar to Steven's that being said it's not really Steven story he's kind of an on character so it feels out of place in future number three a very special episode the funniest part of this one is despite having a cliche double-booking plot on purpose it still ties into the seasons emotional arc too bad I didn't find many of its other jokes to be as funny number two guidance the most interesting developments here were the ones that were only loosely tied to the actual plot of this episode where it feels like Steven intruding on amethyst work and creating change for the sake of change only happens to kick off a mostly simple story that I've seen before number one I am my monster this is the climax to future the idea behind it is fitting and it's been built up wonderfully but the execution max proper spectacle and clear emotional stakes I like the idea of Steven's emotions turning him into a monster with a giant neck even if it has nothing to do with the diamond powers he's built Stephens friends don't want to hurt him so the final battle the franchise is light on action and the tone can't decide if it wants to be silly or a serious when it has moments like this the hug is fine I just think there should have been a more definite tone paired with an extra step to bring Steven back making this a two-parter would have been a good call but I wouldn't be surprised if that was going to be the case but then the network asked them the scale of back like they did with crossover INXS this is the only episode of future that I didn't really like but it did not at all sour the entire experience for me as seen by the best number five volleyball this needed a few more watches to sink in because I first watched it and nearly 1 a.m. but it does a fine job making me care about a character who previously had a few seconds of screen time and threw in a little bit of spectacle to make for a well-rounded watch number 4 is snow day the bulk of it is very silly but the Steven tag sequence takes some cues from OK KO with the expressions introductions and action stills throughout all that it doesn't lose sight of showing how the gems perceptions of Steven haven't even when Stephen clearly has that's putting the time skip to good use number three the future I think it was a good idea to end on a slower paced episode because it gave all of the characters room to breathe in their final moments these struck a balance between being comedic and emotional whether they be natural callbacks to gem glow or displaying Stephen sick drifting skills one last time I'm glad they showed how Stephens recovery after his little breakdown is gradual and realistic by jumping ahead a few months and showing all he's done to build new routines and have a support system having Stephen Lee of beach city after successfully uniting jamming human culture bookends the story while still leaving the door open for more it kind of stings that Jasper's Ark ended abruptly but at least she took Stephens advice find something better to do with your life number two mr. universe we get some intimate backstory on Craig that puts his character into a new perspective knowing how restrictive and perhaps even abusive his parents were explains why Greg was so willing to let the crystal gems raced even if it meant that he would have more freedom in his life he's not a bad dad his values just aren't in line with what Stephen desperately needs I can't believe that all this comes from the character who debuted by trying to attack Stephen with a waffle iron number one fragments this season opener little homeschool did a good job setting the tone and focus but this episode expands upon its most tempting element Stephen training with Jasper brings out the worst in both of them but seeing them bond is amusing since it not only brings together characters with opposite ideologies but also because their training works too well on Stephen and everything about this ending did a phenomenal job shattering my expectations Steven universe isn't the same show that it used to be the status quo always shifted gradually but it became clearer when the theme of change came to the forefront in the last few pieces of content we got from this franchise I saw some criticism over Stephens character and future for being so resistant to change even though he had been accepting of it in the past well of course everyone's changing can say the same forever the thing is that's none who Stephen is anymore and neither am i I can no longer speak for some of the videos I put out years ago and I admire this series for looking back at itself in a similar fashion and eventually learning what it's really like to make a change when a lot of shows returned shortly after they're believed to be cancelled their second win pales in comparison to the original run but these semi spin-offs felt like natural continuations in some ways and innovative interpretations and others each of these conclusions served a different purpose to resolve one messy series long arc provide a reason for the series to return or act as a bittersweet end to a somber epilogue whatever finale you consider to be best my vote goes to future I think they all brought a sense of excitement back to Steven universe cementing it as a show with a few more highs than lows in my book and all it took was just a little time just a little something else instead the worst the show is the best [Music] you

Channel: NICKtendo

Views: 282,361

Keywords: Steven Universe The Movie, SU, Steven Universe, Steven Universe Future, Steven Universe Season 5, Steven Universe Ending, Steven Universe Future Ending, Steven Universe Review, Steven Universe Analysis, Steven Universe Rant, Steven Universe Future Rant, Steven Universe Future Review, Steven Universe Future Analysis, Cartoon Network Rant, Cartoon Network, Cartoon Network Review, Cartoon Review, NICKtendo, Cartoon Rant, Steven Universe The Movie Review, Cartoon Analysis

Id: JW7TdHc0jaY

Length: 23min 57sec (1437 seconds)

Published: Fri May 01 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/Bacxaber]

>"the Pink reveal was foreshadowed masterfully"

I'll take bullshit for $800.