The Most Interesting Scene In Steven Universe
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 พ.ค. 2024
- How does Steven Universe trick you into thinking everything you thought you knew was a lie? By playing the long game...
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0:00 Intro
5:33 Part 1 - Doubt
7:55 Part 1 - Doubt (Rose Quartz)
11:49 Part 1 - Doubt (Diamond Dreams)
14:55 Part 1 - Doubt (Objectification)
17:39 Part 1 - Doubt (The Princess Gauntlet)
20:02 Part 1 - Doubt (Steven's Gemstone)
23:06 Part 2 - White Diamond & Identity
28:53 Part 3 - Perfect Steven
34:02 Outro
34:54 Credits
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its.. been a year bro
@@james1311na so?
@@james1311na that’s the point
It's 1 year 11 months now, 2 years *very* close.
Well i think I could argue there is atleast one filler episode season 2 episode 1 which had uncle grandpa.
I'd like to point out that Steven line "I am a child what's your excuse" is really similar to a line he had in the pilot which is "I can't help it what's your excuse"
I always found the line really confusing as from a world building point of view they made it really clear gems don’t really have a concept of “child”.
@@emmahenderson2737 yeah you're right. Never thought about it lol
@@emmahenderson2737 well, White Diamond certainly seems to know what a human is, right? And she's concurred a lot of worlds, probably countless of them being organic, she might know more about organic life forms than Yellow and Blue. That's what I assumed anyways when I watched it
@@emmahenderson2737 To me it seems that most gems don’t have a concept of “child” because White sees them ALL as her “children”, so it would not be meaningful for the average gem to understand a parent/child relationship. Most gems do not directly interact with White, so none of them need to even understand themselves as her “children”. White, on the other hand, has a narcissistic view of the “parent”/“child” relationship. The ideas of “child”, “object”, and “self” are all closely related for her, as they are all imperfect subjects to be acted upon, judged, and suppressed. “Acting like a child” means the same thing as “being flawed” to her. From her perspective, she is the only possible “parent” in the universe. When Steven points out that SHE is “acting like a child”, it breaks her worldview precisely because “child” is the one thing she is never supposed to be - so she blushes pink, the color of the most “childish” and imperfect of the Diamonds.
As an add-on, it is notable that the only other gems to have an awareness of this “parent”/“child” relationship are the other Diamonds - the only gems to ever interact directly with White while not controlled by her power. (There may be a case that Pearl understands this as well, since it is implied she may have been White’s Pearl at one point - this makes the fact that she often acted most “motherly” of the Crystal Gems toward Steven very interesting, and implies the flaws in her “parenting” style may be based on White’s example.)
I was 99% sure Rose was gone and they wouldn't bring her back because that would go against all the themes built up. But this scene did put JUST enough doubt in me that the moment White took his gem I was nervous, captivated, and had no idea what would happen.
Could you imagine tho? If Rose did come back? How mortified shed be? She’s back, and Steven’s gone. Possibly forever. Just thinking of the power of the drama in such an idea, if acted well and heartbreakingly enough what it would do story telling wise and how fans would react.
Me too, in fact I thought that Steven's gem could never be removed because Pearl had already tried it but as we all know she failed. That's why I was too shocked when I saw that scene.
@@RocketMiner777 well White is probably insanely strong so it makes sense that of all gems she’d be able to.
@@RocketMiner777 It's not that she failed, she gave up because she knew that if rose came back, she would came back as pink and would reveal the secret
@@revedraws4186 that’s what they meant when they said “failed”
Something I absolutely love is that Rose never came back in any form. That video tape was the last thing we heard from her. Steven never found a letter from her or anything. Nothing. Rose’s thoughts, ideas and motivations are all gone along with her. She cannot apologize or explain anything because she is gone. Just like when someone dies in real life, you can’t get any answers anymore. She never gets to explain why she did anything that she did. And that’s …. Beautiful. I’m so glad Pearl or Greg didn’t know more of her motivations to become Steven or why she chose to live on earth. I’m glad there wasn’t another video tape with all the answers. She’s gone. They’ll never know why she did what she did. It’s absolutely amazing. And so rare, in tv shows overall, that neither the audience nor the characters get any sort of explanation or closure.
Pink pearl
Ikr? Idk why so many shows like to fixate on having closure. Not having closure is really good angst
I think there's one caveat to that that makes it even more poignant and incredible. It's that we DO learn about Rose, about Pink, and about her feelings. But it's not through her presence enduring in her actions and WHAT she left behind (as you said, the only thing she did was that video)
But rather we get pieces of who she was and what she believe from WHO she left behind. If the only perspective we ever had of Rose was from Garnet we would remember her as a capable leader being the beacon of hope for what kinds of relationships we can have with others. But we wouldn't know why
If from Amethyst's perspective, we would see her as a a nurturing guide of self love and self acceptance in the face of society telling us we're not good enough. But we wouldn't know why
If from Pearl's, we'd see her as a lover who taught others that their worth isn't determined by their station. And a rose colored (hehe) view of her as a flawless leader as well as flawless person.
If from Bismuth's perspective we'd see her as a failed leader and a coward who would rather take out her own friends than do what's needed to end a war.
If from Greg we would see her as this amazing alien creature who had so much love to give but a lack of perspective that she gradually filled with experiences on earth that made her more human.
Thing is she was all of these, and they are all interconnected in painting a full picture. She was many different things to many different people, and even though she passed away her memory survives in what she was to everyone she knew, and in connecting with each other they all get a bigger picture of EVERYTHING she was. And as you said there is still so much they never knew. We are all so much bigger than we know, and once we're gone all that is left is the memories we shared with others. But those memories carry on to shape the lives of everyone we shared them with as they grow and change and makes memories with others.
I think that is amazing
+
I will just say... "DOG-COPTER IN TO THE DREAM BEFORE THE LION IS FUR"
years later and "not all pearls know each other, steven" still gets me
It's extra funny when you find out that yes, they DID know each other LOL
@@LunatheMoonDragon I like to think she was probably remembering some meeting where Yellow Pearl said something extremely annoying and really wanted to forget about everything surrounding her. Like Yellow Pearl was that coworker she hated with all her heart.
yeah i think its an inconsistency/error, pearl is suppose to be bad at lying and from that line delivery, it looked like she was telling the truth
Fr lol
@@ItzJackFrost14 Well, she wasn't lying, she deflected the question
I would like to make a little point about Rose's flaws being shown throughout the show. It's done in reverse chronological order. At first Rose is shown as a noble leader but by the time we get to Pink Diamond she's a bratty little kid. Rose's character arc was being shown in reverse, she really was a good leader but because of the way it was presented it cracks our perception of her.
this!!! I constantly see people saying she was just a bad person but that's not the case the was a flawed person who learned
Ppl also say she used steven as a scapegoat but if you think about it like royalty she cemented earths history forever with home world and created the first human gem hybrid meaning white diamond eventually HAD to look at the situation differently / here is this tie between the two that cannot be broken
When rose said that she will love being Steven she meant it and any piece of her in the gem probably was rooting for him the whole time
Giving him specific memories bc ! My baby is in danger he needs to know this piece of information!
Even if it was some of her awful actions
He needed to know and was going to find out one way or another
Not to mention, I feel like she kind of stumbled into being a leader anyway. She never boasts about herself, she never claims to be an all-powerful perfect leader. _Everyone else_ does, and then _they_ get mad when they realize she didn’t live up to their impossible standards.
She literally started the rebellion with just her and Pearl. She met Garnet and had her join them because she found her fascinating, not because she wanted another soldier.
What happens was all the gems went from putting the diamonds on a pedestal to putting Rose on a pedestal.
eh. duality, ambivalence.
@@sploompdoomperthe end of your comment about rose giving Steven her memories in dangerous situations is such an interesting idea!
@@natalie7662 Thanks! I think even the viewers don’t realize what I said. I feel bad for Rose. Even out of universe people hate her for not living up to everyone else’s expectations. Imagine starting a rebellion against 3 warlords by yourself and your servant (not even meant to fight) and people get mad at you for not doing it perfectly! As I constantly say, she didn’t have any blueprints. It’s easy to pick apart her past in hindsight, but in the moment she did the best she could with what she had and what she knew.
This scene holds so much power. Steven Just LET White take his Gem out. He didn't even try to stop her. He was starting to doubt himself, and believe that Pink was still alive.
YelloWoof.
i mean, he was trapped in a 60 foot tall lady's hand. there wasnt much he could do
Well hello YelloWool 👀
Yeah, when I realized that he wasn't doing anything I wondered if some part of him didn't just want to see if he could meet his mom afterall...
@@juicywhore yeah, but he didn't even move, i was thinking it was just for the animetion to be easier, but now it makes a lot of sense
the internet literally gaslighting me to make me believe that i actually hated the show that got me through highschool and then this video happens.
thanks dude.
(i acknowledge the criticisms about this show such as filler, inconsistencies, and pacing but to me, the characters / music / dialogue and other things were good enough that it didnt really matter to me in the end)
Completely agree, I'm in the same situation as you. I liked the show, even for all its mistakes.
Me too!
For me it’s the opposite problem. I know I like the show, But the internet is telling me I’m sub-human for liking it.
tbh I'm convinced the biggest of the shows flaws are from the cut. let me compare it to adventure time as really they're two sides of the same coin;one show got cut before it properly ended and one was dragged out to the length it needed. adventure time has MANY fillers (like su) but they all let us build connections good or bad to characters (like su) but unlike su it never got cut and instead got to run perfectly which is why the ending was satisfactory to most. yet steven universe was cut 2 seasons prior to its planned ending and near the end of a season which hindered its growth which is why many say the ending is rushed and that it's bad.
(also side note people think the diamonds were redeemed apparently??? idk where they got that idea but just wanted to add that)
@@toffee_todd Honestly purposeful filler is a great way of calming down the tension and focusing on other parts of the story. I don't get why it's intrinsically tied with being 'bad writing' when it's literally important from a storytelling perspective. I'm a strong believer in Chekhov's Gun especially when it comes to having a budget and time constraints, but filler can also have that same purpose embedded into it too. And it's frustrating that people categorize episodes as "filler" or "plot" episodes, sometimes solely based on the idea of who's the main character. Side characters are important too, they need fleshing out whether they're in every episode or not. Now, there's also a difference between purposeful filler and purposeless filler like MOTW content. That kind of filler can be fun in a show that is just that without narrative structuring, but for a story it's really not something that should be included. Personally, I dislike purposeless filler because it tends to detract from the plot lines we're following through said piece of media. But I know some people enjoy that content which is also okay too.
" the show has always been confident in its own identity, thats what makes it a real gem" I AM NEVER GOING TO RECOVER FROM THIS ENDING WTF SO GOOD 😭
yesss normally puns are just cheesy but this one's good, it took me out 😭✋
FR
Peridot: “Yes, I am . . . A Gem.”
I love that they got James Baxter to animate that scene. His animations are absolutely freaking beautiful and it makes that scene so much better. Perfect paper animation for Perfect Steven. I don’t think normal animation would take away from it but that fact that animation is so beautifully smooth and perfect adds to the “imperfection” White Diamond sees here.
this whole time I thought James Baxter was a horse from AT
@@hplus1 He animates the horse, so it's named after him!
**cough cough**
Jahahamas Baxter!
Same! His animation for this specific scene set it apart from the whole series the same way White saw pink Steven sticking out like a sore thumb
James actually owed Rebecca a favor and this was what she called it in for, honestly the best favor ever
The "She's gone" scene hit exactly where it meant to, and it has stuck with me since it aired.
Same here! That scream. I still think about it sometimes and I shiver.
Zach really put his whole zachussy in that line
@@calebshmanderson STOP I was emotional reading all the theories and stuff and this just made me laugh so hard for no reason 😭😭💀
@@calebshmanderson STOP 😂😭
@@calebshmanderson his wot?
This was great. People are quick to say that Steven Universe has too much unnecessary filler, but I always thought that was the wrong way to look at it because it provided world building but never realized how deep it truly went. This video perfectly shows that, without those episodes with subtle or not so subtle hints, there would be no pay off
When people refer to filler they usually talk about the townie episodes, which provide little to no worldbuilding for homeworld. It’s true that these episodes often help advance internal struggles of Steven or the other characters, but after the excitement of gem-related fights I can totally see why it might frustrate a lot of viewers. It was a bold creative choice but personally I think they missed the mark on what their audience wanted to watch for these few episodes.
@@ashastra123 Totally agree! They should've traced a general map on where they wanted to ho first and then establish the episodes, on a natural line without avoiding talking about important gem stuff just because connie is mad or townie shananigans
@@ashastra123 "worldbuilding for homeworld" is code for 'I want more space fights'
If people don't get the point of the townie episodes then they don't understand what the struggle against the diamonds is entirely about.
@@nathanlevesque7812 "worldbuilding for Homeworld" means they want to know more about to society, how it works and why it works like that. Meanwhile ppl might want to see more space fights, those same people might want to know more about Diamonds or any kind of gem origins, without the veil of religious talk. Tell us what, who and why. They never told if White's monologue of everyone being a part of her is true or not, because we don't get to know if she's involved in gem creation in general.
"Worldbuilding for Homeworld" isn't a code for "I want space fights"
@@dumbledoratheexplorer1252 You can think that, but the example of White's monologue could not be more ingrained in the emotional and interpersonal elements explored in townie episodes. Ppl are just in denial so they convince themselves they aren't asking about space fights, as exemplified by the fact that the only reason that monologue is a question to you is because of how White attacks other gems.
as a kid who grew up with steven universe- hiatuses, steven bombs, and all, this opened my eyes to things i never considered in theories across the internet
i wanna remake my old gemsona now
Same! Internet almost convinced me that Steven Universe was an awful show, with an awful fanbase that wasn't worth revisiting, But I'm glad I found this. I want to see all the seasons now and remake my gemsona too, maybe even join a roleplay and start being active in the fandom
I remember seeing all those mob haters on the internet but I think the biggest thing that helped me from being convinced was ignoring that like 3 hour video talking about why Steven Universe is bad. (I'm still getting reccommendations to it today) I don't really care if people dislike the show because x,y and z. It was my childhood and reminds me of all the good times I had with my sister
@@_qwerty_3545 as someone who watched that video and usually has it on in the background for noise, lily orchard has some. choice words in the “SU’s garbage video.” she has some intense takes and vaguetweeting in her “writing tips” thread on twitter (along with she-ra and TLoK)
she was probably the most well-known ones of the “trash SU” train. i can see where a lot of the criticisms for her show come from, and a lot are well-founded, but some come off as “this is gross and i dont like it” like lmao
Im lazy to say what this show was for me especially my childhood watching it, but I'll just say...ITS A GEM
@@_qwerty_3545 I know this comment is old, but I never watched that video either. I both like Steven Universe and The Legend of Korra, so when she released those videos it made being in those fandoms HELL 😭
I think an interesting thing I see no one talking about is Amethyst. The show constantly reminds us that gems can't age or develop, but we see Amethyst do it.
She's out of the kindergarden a blank slate, mimicking those around her (much like a baby would), and has limited speech. She develops interests and a personality overtime, grows out long hair after seeing Greg's long hair, and her physical form (and the other gems) grow presumably after Rose's death. I'm kinda sad the show didn't go more into detail with this. Under certain conditions, gems *do* grow and change. Not at a human's rate, but they do.
Yh she was prob the most developed gem in the show or at least one of them
Amethyst really is one of the best gems. It's her, Peridot and Steven for my top 3.
Amethyst is also an Earth-borne Gem who came out of the ground well after Homeworld had abandoned the planet.
I interpret it as the show’s way of showing a gem’s potential to grow and develop in the absense of Homeworld’s oppressive caste system. The idea that gems can’t grow is ultimately an artificial one, albeit one so pervasive that each character struggles with it throughout the series.
@@HellfireComms gentle reminder that she literally traumatised greg and steven, and made up for it by CLEANING THE GARAGE-
sorry just a lil peeve of mine
@@bulbouspiranha758 I do it with princess bubblegum all the time, we gotta let this go...
I love that even in the most seemingly inconsequential filler episode; Say Uncle, there's an ever-so subtle hint as to Steven's true nature. When Steven first meets Uncle Grandpa and tells him about his shield problem, Uncle Granpda says "You should make sure you get this thing polished at least twice a year".
It's a reasonable and unassuming comment to make, but here's the interesting part; most professionals recommend that you polish a diamond *at least twice a year* to keep it perfect and pristine. It's such a minor detail that most people wouldn't even bat an eye when it's mentioned, it's perfect.
Mind = blown.
... Dang this makes Uncle Grandpa come off knowing more then he seems. Makes sense honestly.
Nah that's a reach
@@HBDiniz10 Reaching towards incredible data indeed.
@@HBDiniz10 i disagree
I mean, the story was already planned from that episode
Loved this video. Thank you.
Having said that, the reason why Rose says "my pearl" is because saying "my diamond" is a sign of respect and distinction. So Rose is actually elevating Pearl.
Eh... you could go that way. But the show is very blatant about Pearls being treated as objects as well, literally they are owned as accessories and servants. I think it's more like how you'd look at your bed after a long day of work- "Ahh, it's my bed!"
@@LunatheMoonDragon'my' in Gem culture shows respect towards whoever the subject is. I can’t remember an example of that wording that contradicts this, beyond MAYBE Peridot stating that Pearl can be her pearl, but even then that usage is more showing possession than anything
@@LunatheMoonDragon that's in OUR culture, not on GEM culture.
@LunatheMoonDragon this isn't even a theory, it's factual lore of the series confirmed by the creators
@@LunatheMoonDragona year later, “My” is elevation. “A” is an object. “Oh this is my pearl” means the same thing as “a pearl” but to say “Oh this is My Pearl” means to elevate. You bow to them.
I have no freaking idea how I missed the absolutely obvious setup of Pink = Id, Yellow/Blue = Ego, White = Super Ego. It really reinforces the idea of how at-odds Pink and White were, while Blue and Yellow were desperately trying to keep it all together and move forward, respectively.
Ngl, as a psychology nerd I love this
Whats ID? Is it identity?
id suggest looking up how frued divided the mind into id, ego and superego
@@MeLMeLMox
Definitions from Oxford Languages
id
/id/
noun PSYCHOANALYSIS
noun: id; plural noun: ids
the part of the mind in which innate instinctive impulses and primary processes are manifest.
"the conflict between the drives of the id and the demands of the cultural superego"
Origin
1920s: from Latin, literally ‘that’, translating German es . The term was first used in this sense by Freud, following use in a similar sense by his contemporary, Georg Groddeck.
The Suoerego is ones conscience, responsible for our personal emotions, and for reining in our actions in regards to what would be socially acceptable or good for other people. It is responsible for making us feel ambition and goals, but also punishes 'bad' behaviour by using guilt and regret. White has no immediate remorse, certainly not because she feels she is responsible (not until SUF), so here it would make more sense to categorise them differently.
Id: pink absolutely, she does what she wants because she wants to, but also White. She doesn't care for what others want or need, she only cares for what she wants and has no time for anyone else.
Blue: she absolutely fits the role of superego, doing what she does because of her strong emotions and desires to see what is right for those she loves
Ego: yellow fits here as she has the responsibility of taking whites orders (id) and realising them in the actual physical world through the conquering and destruction of planets. However, the Ego also listens to the Superego, so shouldn't her actions be a balance of the two? Well, the Ego actually prioritises the Id over the Ego. This is actually why White fits so nicely into the Id category: she is FAR more powerful, overpowering the Superego, and its not until Blue finds her strength too that yellow makes the choice to stand up to White.
It can be confusing, but Ego and Superego have nothing to do with being greedy or egotistical. One is about translating wants into actions, with no regards to personal consequence, and the Superego is about regulating actions through emotions and feelings of obligations. Here is an example:
A person (let's call him J) is at a store and sees a hat he likes, but he doesn't have the money for it.
The Id: I want that hat! I want to take that hat! I want to steal it!
The Ego: yes, we can steal this hat, but we could get caught. I will think of a way to steal this without drawing attention, because this consequence will negatively affect us, and if I can't I will leave it alone.
The Superego: No! It is wrong to steal! Imagine the horror for our parents if they see that we've been stolen, or the negative impact on the employee who could be penalised because of us! We should not steal!
I hope this helps :)
It's so rare to find a well thought out and delivered video essay on Steven Universe these days that's actually positive (let alone constructive to boot). From one SU loving brit to another, thank you for a great look at one of the best scenes in the show!
The show genuinely has so much to think about and analyze and I’m upset that pretty much every video about it nowadays boils down to “rock show bad.” It’s flawed, yes, but there’s also a ton to look at thematically and this video is really a breath of fresh air considering all that.
I agree, its so disappointing to me how just because the show got so much positive attention when it was running people feel the need to focus on the negatives in some sort of weird balancing act. That and negativity just tends to get lots of attention. There are many shows I've seen since SU finished that are better, yes, but that doesn't mean nothing in SU was good!
im not even a SU fan but even IM confused on why their fandom its so negative
I love Steven universe, it was my childhood and a really positive influence on my mental health. It really breaks my heart so many people are hating on it for seemingly no reason
just cause it has good moments doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plenty of bad ones. Lapis never really healing from what happened to her? These genocidal warlords just getting a pass at the end? People aren’t being negative for no reason.
after future you just realise that the whole show isn't a kid becoming a hero, it's a kid slowly losing his sanity
He lost both his Sanity and identity by indirectly becoming what everyone wanted him and needed him to be
I enjoy Future specifically because it proves he wasn’t really meant to be a hero. Generally, a hero would enjoy the world they created or if nothing else only hate the consequences of that big action: the journey was fine for him.
With Steven, he does not fit nicely. He had to beg to join the adventure, and the gems had to lie to ease him in. He initially only had a shield and a kind attitude. He does grow to defend himself, but his kindness proves a liability after Season 2. It also did not solve all problems like Garnet’s first split. He then feels like he needs to save everyone because that is his schtick but he is unsure of himself because Bismuth, the five Rubies, and Jasper didn’t want to change and not follow the Gems’ ways even after he got to understand them. He failed to float in Here Comes a Thought because of this, and his responsibilities never get any easier. He loses his friends because he made a risky choice to give himself up to the Diamonds, and only got it back because of a party. And then, his background is a lie. He is half-Diamond. And his mother set every problem he has to solve, so his struggles are less of a quest and more clean-up. And his would-be sisters and would-be mother are obsessed with him when he was Pink Diamond so they don’t acknowledge him as Steven, meaning that this really wasn’t an action “supposed to happen”.
And then after the end of the Diamonds, relics pop up like Spinel (and within Future, Navel Ruby and Aquamarine, and more of the antiquated machinery.)
Given the deconstruction of Steven’s life until he is able to assert himself and his unique talents, and that “he suddenly falls apart in Future”, it was clear the escalating conflict are why he kept himself sane. He really did grow to become “the ever-compassionate Steven Universe”, but it was all he became until the last episode of Future. He had to be perfect. He had to be the saint. But he was never meant to be that, and was not even going to become suited for that. He doubted himself reasonably. He was sometimes pushy. His ideals proved useless and he overcorrected by tougher compassion. He was sometimes condescending and nosy, especially to Lars. His own mother said he was not meant to be like Pink Diamond and therefore not meant for conquest or stopping conquest. He was always ill-fitted so he would not come out unscathed.
@@paperbagboi3185 "I will fight to be everything that everybody wants me to be when I'm grown!" - Steven from the extended intro
Aka one of the biggest backing parts of his character that makes it so so painful :(
This video is a love letter to all the steven universe fans who have to witness all the hate the show gets. Don't get me wrong, I think the show messed up sometimes, but I did like the show overall and this video pointed out things that I didn't notice.
Well, if every pork chop was perfect…
@@animeotaku307 We Wouldn't Have Hot Dogs.
I don't hate Steven Universe. I hate Steven Universe Future.
@@rockstarbonett886 well, if im not wrong, Rebecca Sugar admited (maybe in twitter or in an interview) that steven universe was going to end just at the end of the original show. Then cartoon network push things and pressure the team behind of steven universe to make another season. Soo, that why Future feels a little incomplete, because it wasn't planned.
@@bluealtas9976 what happened was the show was going to end at change your mind, but rebecca sugar pushed hard for a movie. the network finally agreed to a movie but said there was no point in a movie if there was no more new episodes to promote, so they gave them another season as well. you're right in that they hadn't planned on an extra season, but they gladly took it on since it was an even better offer than what they were asking for. by the time that deal went through, change your mind was finishing up production. they mention in a bunch of interviews that at the last minute they changed a bunch of corrupted gem designs in the bubble bath scene to be consistent with the movie, but there were a few that couldn't be changed in time.
in a perfect world, the show never would've been canned, and the movie and final season would be part of the main show, but because of the way things worked out, they had to adapt to it
I really like how you delve into Rebecca’s mindspace when she was making the finale. It makes her really interesting, and I hate how there’s a certain group of people that decry Rebecca as a bad person that should seldom be making cartoons. Because 1, she has showed in the past, and is showing now that she has sheer talent, and 2, Steven Universe is the very first show she created, so people should cut her some slack.
Wait, it was her first? For a first it's pretty good imo
@@dumbledoratheexplorer1252 Yeeeup! And Rebecca’s planning to do more shows too. She says that she still wants to do kid cartoons, but I really want to see how she’ll fare in adult animation.
@@mackielunkey2205 YAAAAAAASSSSSSS, I got into SU like a month ago, so I'm really happy to know about a next movie. I don't know if Rebecca will have more success in different shows, but I'm curiouss
Honestly, even despite her innate lack of experience, Rebecca found an incredible way to showcase troubles that youths these days face, and props to the video creator, they did a wonderful job really delving into the mindset of Rebecca and what the finale of the show truly meant, in terms of both the show and the war between Steven's heart, mind, and environment. It's not that she shouldn't be making cartoons, because she really should, it's that the people giving such judgment at her are incapable of interpreting what Rebecca wanted to be taken away from a show that has grown so much since the pilot, and they are unable to change their minds in order to accept that and to accept that hard topics may come up in shows aimed at kids. Rebecca really did do a wonderful job with Steven Universe and Mr. Woodall did a remarkable job with this video. (Sorry for such a long paragraph)
@@kyoyaootori4605 Exactly! I'm just referring to a certain video creator that called her a piece of shit. Regardless of whether or not some of those criticisms are valid, calling writers pieces of shit purely because you didn't like elements in a tv show makes you a dick.
I loved the finale of Steven Universe, and I was so confused as to why. Everything about it was lambasted as a rushed mess, and I couldn't find the words to refute that. Thank you for putting into words just how amazing this finale was.
oh absolutely, i always thought it was an incredible finale, especially from obsidian-steven’s fusion with himself - i can see why people think it’s rushed though but after hearing what happened behind the scenes i think i can live with that :D
Same. I never got why people hated the finale since I got the message from the get go. I did feel like it was rushed but that wasnt the fault of the writers but the network.
Future left me with a bad taste i think it should of ended after the finale
@@ryanramirez6314 future was fine
It was indeed rushed, not out of intentional creative choice but out of crunch and out of necessity. There was so much laid out for this show and it ended prematurely, I don't really hold anything against the writers for something mainly OUT of their control. Regardless, very nice finale.
One good piece of unmentioned evidence that White Diamond has a weird relationship with her own identity: her first dialogue. Emphasis is mine:
"Hello, starlight, YOU certainly gave EVERYONE a scare. THEY'RE all just thrilled to see YOU safe and sound. [...] As for this latest little game of YOURS, thank the stars it's over. Did YOU have fun? Did YOU get everything out of YOUR system? [...] Good, good… EVERYONE is so relieved. Welcome home, Pink."
No ME, I, or even WE or US! It's downright freaky! Later in the show she does use first person pronouns, but the tone is set here. There is only EVERYONE and THEY. She sees herself as simultaneously separated and identical to *every* gem.
I noticed that as well, I really wanted there to be some reveal of all the gems being the same entity, some gigantic gem god that white used to act as the mind of which is why she still sees all gems as herself but they don't see themselves as her.
@@masync183 I think they may have made the finale the way all gems form a gigantic forced fusion with White's will dominate everyone else and Steven's human consciousness have to defeat her in there.
I’m pretty sure she just meant the gems that Pink presides over, not herself
@@DeathnoteBB That's how I read it too, but in any interpretation it's bizarre that she only used second- and third-person pronouns, never first.
It’s almost as if she is a spectator, who knew Pink’s secret from the very beginning.
As an extra note: The lyrics to the song for "Change Your Mind" are so simple but so powerful. "I don't need you to love me, I love me"... The whole concept of refusing to be defined by someone else's image of what you're "supposed to be" is the show's message of self-love and self-acceptance in its purest form.
I always found it interesting that White was the only one to differentiate and acknowledge possessive pronouns. Every other gem thought “My Dad” was a name, but she’s aware enough to know that Steven is referring to himself as half human and referring to Rose as his mother, which she immediately questions with a level of understanding that we hadn’t seen from gems before. And that was terrifying.
The other thing I will say is that White’s whole argument and personality is smothered like sautéed onions in parental trauma. She gaslights Steven, is hypocritical, and uses unfair emotion and power dynamics. Sometimes, I wish they had given Steven the vocabulary to recognize and fight these behaviors because so often abusive parents get away with it for free, especially when they are the parents of trans children, which is what Change Your Mind is an allegory for.
this is very powerful
Yea I caught that same possessive noun thing watching this essay. How curious that White would know what Steven meant with the phrase "my mom" when Aquamarine didn't know what "my dad". That cackle she lets out seemed to imply *so much* about White's origin.
Oh yeah, man. When I watched Change Your Mind for the first time and White not only said “YOUR mom?” Implying she knew the possessive language, but she also seemed to understand somewhat what a mother is, and that was horrifying.
And I am so glad someone caught onto White’s gaslighting! It also makes that scene and all the building up to it so much more impactful. Because, not only does the entire show plot little scenarios that make us subconsciously question things, but White’s dialogue and tone is quintessential gaslighting, convincing others to doubt everything they were so sure about.
@@areyoucereals sorry this is late, but wanted to add to the discussion. Would it be plausible that White diamond knew what a mom is from peering into Steven’s mind (when dreaming and making him believe he’s Pink) like she does with other gems when mind controlling them (knowing the crystal gems flaws), or is it because it’s more potentially linked to White’s origins?
Steven didn't react that way because he's not trans?
29:27 I nearly had a heart attack when that cut to commercial happened. It was probably the most excited and distressed I've ever felt in my life. Certainly the most distressed I had ever felt by a show. It was utterly insane.
What a great video, laying out in a bit over half an hour what went on in my head throughout that episode and in the seconds and minutes after that encounter in particular. An excellent essay, thank you!
i watched it on a livestream and the entire chat had a heart attack
I completely forgot that they had a commercial break right there and then & that moment in the video reminded me. I remember freaking the hell out and just getting so mad cause you go from “oh my god did the protagonist just die/did his mom/not his mom come back?” right to “TRY NEW KELLOGG’S KRAVE CEREAL, EAT IT, EAT THAT GODDAMN CEREAL”
@@Medusa- tbh? I *needed* that break. I was about to burst.
That said, the freaking Tony Tiger ad was just *absurd*
- although wasn't that an issue more so with SU:F's Everything Is Fine?
@@Kram1032 the most infuriating moment for me was the second-to-last episode in future. The stream I was watching visually froze right as Steven is on the ground saying he’s a monster, but the audio kept going. All I heard was a weird noise before it ended and I just KNEW something happened- yet had no idea what until after I had seen the finale.
@@Medusa- HAHAHAHAHA sorry to hear that but that's kinda hilarious
I love that they made the wedding one of the key, "you can't skip it" points of the show. It's important for a number of reasons, including LGBTQ+ representation (which included specifically *Ruby* being in the dress, because she was made a boy in the Russian dub), the fact that Garnet is Garnet once again, *and* the Diamonds' arrival on earth, to advance the main story.
Also in a map of the world in the show, Russia is missing, and it makes sense both as a "you censor our representation, we'll censor you" joke, but also as a representation of what the Diamonds have done to earth already, because they've clearly depleted Russia for its resources, probably with one of the kindergartens.
A very well thought out show.
Also I think it's confirmed that when Steven dies, Pink Steven will just wander around looking for his other half, so that's fun-
30:00 That scream was done so freaking well! Just having that literally destructive scream, that feels agonized at the fact she *is* gone, annoyed at White Diamonds' question, and apathetic stating the facts, all at the same time, all coming from a face that shows no emotion, whatsoever.
Just- 🤌
So cool! One of my favorite moments, alongside:
"You're- You're acting like a *child!"*
"I *am* a child. What's *your* excuse?"
ha, i remember how when i was a kid, i argued with some boy that ruby is a girl too (i live in russia, but then i could watch su with subtitles). and he was like "no you don't understand ruby is called "he" and have pants it's a boy it's cannot be a girl!!!". after that episode always wondered what his face was when he watched wedding.
@@no_time_to_die-tl7oh I don’t blame bro, I live in America and even I thought she was a boy until my friend pointed out that they reproduce asexually and physically couldn’t have sexes, therefore they were all presented as girls.
Wasn't Russia missing from the map from the very start though? Seems like a planning phase thing, so I doubt that was specifically related to the censoring.
One great thing about the "I am a child. What's your excuse?" line is that it even makes for a callback to the pilot
how do people still think this show isn’t as good as the other legendary CN shows from this era
Their arguments boil down to "muh tumblerino bad", basically.
Because regular show good Steven bad am i right?
It is because the show has tons of flaws that hold it back.
@@JLacay And other cartoons don't?
@@thenurseinblack1810 Cartoons will always have flaws, but the good outways the bad. However, Steven Universe is the complete opposite. Steven Universe has tons of inconsistent writing, major characters do a lot in the show, especially Lapis, Bismuth, and Peridot, villains either get poorly redeemed or never be seen again, plot pacing issues, the steven-only-perspective and focuses too much on Beach City than Gem Home World. You can like the show all you want, but the major problems can't be dismissed. Steven Universe is a disappointingly average show.
I'd like to mention one thing - Rose was not empathetic. Steven did not inherit his empathy from Rose, he inherited from Greg. Rose was a lot of things. She was not empathetic.
Yup, I'm pretty sure the creators have even stated this.
Wym? She understands that she’s taking life from someone else and she understands how the gems are hurting others
@@haaendaaz3619
It's not that she lacks empathy, she cares about all living things, but she still lacks the sort of emotional, human empathy Steven and Greg has.
If you saw the episode where Greg tries desperately to fuse with her and pours his heart out to her, she laughs at him for trying. He asks if she can speak to him like a person, but she replies she's not a real person. She didn't mean to hurt him, but she lacks empathy in that regard.
Hope that makes sense, sorry if I'm shit at explaining
@@haaendaaz3619 It's a classic case of Sympathy vs Empathy I think, she had sympathy for other life and understood those things to be bad, but I don't think she fully grasped why and couldn't emotionally connect or understand their pain. She knows it all on paper, but not in practice.
@@haaendaaz3619 she understands sympathy, feeling bad for others, but she doesn’t have empathy. She wanted Greg to be safe to feel loved, that’s why she acted a certain way around him, but she didn’t have any empathy, so she didn’t know she was actually mistreating Greg and not actually caring about him.. if that makes sense, which is the whole point of the episode where Greg tries to fuse with Rose.
"Ultimately, her identity is so fragile, and she's so poorly differentiated, that Steven is able to defeat her by just existing"
If you look at it from an LGBT+ perspective, then this statement seems to describe the general mindset that anti-LGBT+ people have when it comes to these matters. For some reason, LGBT+ people merely *existing* is enough to pose a threat.
For an extreme minority, I guess
@@Lazypackmule Perhaps
They want to be themselves? *The audacity.*
wtf
@@Lazypackmule they’re is definitely lots of people out there who hate the lgbt community to this day definitely not a minority
I remember crying when Steven said it was him, it had always been him, there was no need to doubt anymore, and it was so beautiful and powerful, to know he was his own person, it helped me to start the path to improve my self-esteem and learn to love myself. knowing that being myself was more than enough, Steven universe changed my life.
I remember being on that “hate steven universe” bandwagon and after years of SU being over, ive realized that it’s just a bunch of adults wanting me to not enjoy for what it is anymore. I remember Rose’s video giving me so much comfort when I was little. My home life was more than depressing and my mom wasn’t being the warm and bright person that I needed at the time, and so I looked to rose for the longest time, even if in the future she turned out to be kinda bad.
This video put everything into place the message I was forgetting: self acceptance, and I wish I knew that when I was hating on Steven Universe. I wish I didn’t agree with those loud and confident points, I wish I just left all that unnecessary rage and enjoyed what I wanted to enjoy to without judgement. That show is my childhood, and I can’t believe that 3 1hour long negative essays ruined that, even if it taught me how to love and accept myself, even if it taught me to love who ever I wanted, even if it taught me how to love and accept others, I can’t believe a few people saying “the animation is bad” or “they shouldn’t be forgiven they are space Na*is!!” or any other over the wall crap, made me dislike the show.
Like dude- I listened to “here comes a thought” while crying in bed, DO NOT TELL ME I *actually* hated the show
I totally relate to this since when Steven universe first started airing I would be so excited to see the new episodes and would always watch them when I got back from school then I would go on to watch reactions and theories about Steven universe. Somehow people just decided to hate on it and I blindly believed them a little despite knowing how much I loved this show…the excuses people made to just hate on a kids show that’s just trying to put out messages on self acceptance and a lot of other issues kids struggle with especially lgbtq+ kids. I totally understand how easily our young minds can be completely re wired into hating something when we know how much we actually enjoyed it and liked it..I es young and naive but I know better now and Steven universe will forever be a show I truly appreciate and will always remember ❤️
I agree so much! I had a phase where the show's weak points led me to give up on it but now Ive accepted that all the amazing things about the show greatly outweigh some weak writing & time constraints
to make you feel better, Rose wasnt bad, PD was
the entire series shows that everyone is flawed, but even the worst can grow and become better versions of themselves
Rose was a caring mother, partner and friend, we just saw her character development backwards
I'm happy for you. Glad you came around. :]
I dislike alot about the show, there are good parts but over all I thought it wasn't very good. However, just because I am not a fan doesn't mean I am going to hate on others for enjoying it. Good for you for being able to find enjoyment out of something that I couldn't. I have a lot of criticism but don't let that stop you from enjoying something, if any thing see if you can use criticism to make something even better don't just dismiss criticism instead use it to your advantage. Anyways good luck to you friend.
Steven yelling “she’s gone” gives me chills every time
Flawless analysis. I've always said, people frustrated or angry with SU's ending or SU future are just confused because it's such a different show and they can't recognize properly what they are seeing and compare it to the wrong things. Steven is so unique, I can kinda understand why people struggle, but that's mostly it: lacking of comprehension. Those themes and feelings are usually explored only in very down to earth, slice of live, drama, adult media, if they get touched on by fantasy is always the more serious saga type of fantasy and a subplot, not the whimsical colorful childish type, especially not as the center theme. Over the top type of fantasies don't meddle with these type of narratives at all. So when a whimsical, over the top fantasy approaches sensible and rare ideias like that, people try to compare it with either other whimsical stuff, which never tell these types of stories and therefore feels off like it shouldn't be there, or to other media approaches to the same topics, which don't match the tone and feel of this type of cartoon, which will make SU stand out as unrealistic. And people get upset and complain how flawed it was, but it's silly to hold up SU to these standards and complain that it was not perfect when in reality there was no standard for something unprecedented, it was SETTING the standard to be topped, it should be seen as an example and for it's achievements first and foremost. There's no such thing as a flawless show, but there is such thing as a show brave enough to break a barrier and make history, that's how Steven Universe should be seen and celebrated.
And that's how comparison kills creativity!
My frustrations are limited, but have ALWAYS been because the diamond's arcs and defeat were ridiculously rushed. I think you have the reasoning for not liking the finale backwards. For me it stems from love of the show.
Steven Universe up to this point was a masterpiece: the calm, realistic pace of the show--the slow, long arc before steven understands what the gems and magic are, the breaking ceiling between him and the greater world when Jasper invades, the beautiful transformation Peridot goes through, Lapis's whole beautiful story and trauma, how she leaves at the end of Season 1 and comes back far later. The slow build, the characterization and world-building in town until the next threat hit--the cluster! The Rubies! The human zoo! The kidnapping! Each adventure came at the proper time in the story, built on the world and hit new heights, over and over again. Rebecca Sugar knew how to tell a story like this, and it was so well orchestrated. And in Season 5 we hit homeworld, and the tensions were rising like never before for this huge shift.
That slow, careful, realistic story was why the show was masterful to me. Change Your Mind was frustrating because I'm unable to turn away from how much potential was lost.
Lars's ship of misfits...Blue's slowly revealing their heart, and the viewers beginning to think she could turn to Steven's side...there was even this building threat in the background that the diamonds might show up and there might be a new gem war, and what a great and interesting chapter that would be now that Steven's pacifistic nature was clearly established. Or that we might spend a whole season stuck in and exploring Gem Homeworld, down the line--maybe even finding out that all the gems had hidden personalities, however they were culturally forced to conform.
And then, nothing. All the slow burn realistic story-telling comes crashing down in an instant and we get a nice smiling idealistic bow on the end--the opposite of what made the series great. I'm not mad at the writers, I'm mad at what treasure was lost. I'm mad because it could easily have become my favorite show of all time if it had lived longer and been able to fully explore and express itself. If Blue and Yellow are on a full-scale invasion to find Pink or destroy earth, why are they alone? Where are their gem armies, or at least the entourages of gems that you see with them in almost all the set-up? The busy feel of Peridot's first call with Yellow, the sense you get that she is one of thousands in Yellow's employ...the personnel looking after the human zoo, which is just Blue looking after Pink's pet project; much less important than invasion...the devastating flashbacks to the full war between Rose Quartz and the Diamonds...it all points to more.
And then the Diamond's character arcs are very rushed, and it is *because* the show is thematically masterful that it sticks out like a sore thumb. Blue could have been ready to turn to Steven's side, but Yellow was nowhere close; she was setting up to have a Diamond-sized conflict against Blue. And White...White feels so wrong. Her tantrum is so small, she accepts it so immediately...you can feel the emptiness where the groundwork and build-up deserved to be.
Millenia of stuck up certainty and oppressive "perfection" could have come crashing down by Steven's existence--it's just played here in fast forward. Her reaction and the shattering of her personality would, in Steven Universe's high standard of story telling, likely play out over at least half a season; a violent erosion like Azula's in Avatar with the potential to be even better. She would use her puppeteering to soothe and reassure herself, and you'd see more and more gems' personalities vanish, or you'd see her lash out and send the full forces of Homeworld towards Earth, or...some reaction like that. Steven's genius for almost the show's whole run was believable, patient character development like no other cartoon ever managed.
To be dismissed as not liking it because I'm "confused" or "just don't understand what I'm seeing" is rude when my qualms are exactly the opposite. I hope you had the patience to read it, and I hope it paints the other view as reasonable, and sane. To be honest, I'm glad a lot of people like it. The show as a whole deserves so much love, but I couldn't get behind the finale. The movie and Future felt good, but like I had missed a huge, important part of the story that should have been there--like I was watching Season 9 or 10...but I digress.
Merry Christmas if you're reading this near when I posted it, and if you're still here.
@@peterpeladon I understand what you mean. I actually agree a lot that the ending of SU itself was very rushed. I believe it was cut short by the network because of the garnet marriage, which is such a bummer, so I tend to give it a huge pass because of it. My comment was more so because of SU Future, I thought it was so brilliant and masterful and I was reading a lot of criticism about it that felt completely out of place, which made me feel like people were trying to hold SU to the wrong standards.
But in both SU and Future, I had a problem with a lot of the criticism people were putting out about the how and why things happened because, like I said, it either feels like they didn't want the themes to be there at all, or that they wanted the themes to be handled in a very heavy, graphic way. Feeling it was rushed is completely justified, it clearly was, but I also think they did the very best they could with the time they had, the episodes are beautiful and the finale itself got me bawling my eyes out plenty of times.
No show has ever hit me emotionally the way this show did. The delicate character development and plotting and lore and reveals and twists. Its one of the things i just cant listen to criticism of because i simply dont care if it wasnt perfect for them, it was for me. This show got me through so so much. It gave me exactly the story i needed exactly the moment i needed it. Thank you for this essay, i loved it
I'd say the ending is pretty good considering they had to wrap up the whole series within a limited number of episodes. I mean they rushed through Steven fusing with the rest of the gems within a few minutes then went straight to the mega fusion obsidian. Things like that would have been explored more slowly if fate had allowed the story to be told to it's fullest but instead we get to see rainbow and sunstone in future Playing with onion and giving safety lectures.
I'm pretty sure White Diamond was able to see and watch Pink/Rose/Steven the whole time. That's how she knows everything, and it's why she can say something like 'you're acting like a child' so thoughtlessly - no other gem would do that besides Garnet, Pearl and Amethyst, the ones who've lived on earth and personally interacted with humans long enough to internalize that language.
That or she picked that up another way, but that's getting into more outrageous theories about how she was made and who by and things like that.
I'm so glad there's a video that not only takes apart the intentions and themes of the end game of the series, but explicitly describes the ways in which it is set up. I find the arguments against the finale often say it was either "not thought through" or "not built up to" which I believe this video refutes in a very strong argument. I love the series and I truly think it has some of the most interesting writing out there - thank you for this great essay!
yes
I still feel there were better ways of communicating these ideas, but this video and Sugar's quotes made me understand and appreciate White a lot more.
It was certainly thought through, but the things that make it feel not properly built up to are largely a matter of the Crystal Gems' relationships with Steven - none of them got to have their final breakthrough moment with Steven the way Amethyst did, so slapping in their Fusions at the end right before introducing Obsidian makes Obsidian herself feel sort of unearned.
As someone who actually likes Change Your Mind, it’s refreshing to see someone talk about it in a positive light for once
I gave SU a chance in 2015 and ended up getting super into it all throughout my final years of college. My enthusiasm had been waning ever since Future ended, though, and the smug video essayist types who spend three hours trying to convince people they hate something didn't help. Thank you for reminding me of why I loved this world so much and pointing things out I hadn't even considered. Next summer I think a rewatch is in order ☺️
I think one thing that is criminally underrated is how well this whole buildup and uncertainty describes gender dysphoria. The idea of an irresistible, natural truth, that you're just making a fantasy world for yourself and running away from reality, and the way this idea lurks in the background with no more compelling argument against it other than the rather facile "but that's not who I am". I think Change Your Mind is incredible, and genuinely never fails to bring me to tears, because it vividly shows this uncertainty against the counterposition of white which underpins this doubt- essentialist, controlling, unwelcoming of difference. That certainty is ultimately destroyed by the simple fact that Steven exists! I love the way this video brings back the moral of Three Gems and a Baby, because I think this is really the message of the show: if we care about Steven, it's better to live in uncertainty than to put his life in jeopardy so that he can be controlled by our calm understanding.
I think there's a lot more going on in SU, but for me, this is the most powerful meaning that comes out of this show. It's really something special.
What
Very well put. For these reasons, it's an extra-powerful episode of a powerful show
When i started watching SU, i didn't pick up on those ideas of gender dysphoria. However, now as a happy trans man, im honestly shocked to see how much the antagonist's denial of steven's identity mirrors the same transphobic rhetoric of people i've met when i first came out (parents especially) As i grow older i find myself loving SU more and more :}
Yess! especially with the diamonds it reads so strongly of a trans narrative, its amazing
@@anotheryoutubeaccount5259in layman's terms this commentor is saying: "I relate to this episode as a trans person, my identity is Steven yet everyone calls me rose and I have no argument back other than "that's not who I am" and their doubts can make me self doubt even tho I know who I am, I'm simply steven(trans)"
This was Disgustingly well written. A strong hook, an intriguing question. The lines that bring it back to the beginning. The final scentance where I can Hear the saccharine smile in your voice.
Good points With evidence. Cuz when you're talking about intention, no one knows it better than the shows creators. A good flow. A constant focus on the question without side tracking.
Everything for a purpose.
It was enlightening, a Delight to watch, and just super well done
I remember how I accidentally predicted him to be a diamond cause I was thinking one day "what if Stevens gem was sorta impairing him , like there's just a cone under neath the surface" and few years later It turned out to be true lol
Steven: Exists
White Diamond: SCREAMS IN CONFUSION AND TERROR
White Diamond reading the name of the show she's in
I can't help but imagine the Soyjack pointing meme with White and Spinel screaming
I hate people who say the "i am a child, what's your excuse?" Line Is stupid or random or whatever. Like dude you're completely missing the point. White diamond is "flawless". When she tells Steven he's being a child, he owns up to it. Accepts it the way he always has.
Steven tells her "well I AM a child, I am flawed. But you're flawed too, aren't you?"
And she realises she's called out a flaw in herself! A flaw Steven is okay with, but one she can't accept in her self! She has been proven wrong by her own words, her own actions, for the first time her whole life.
Her embarrassment, going pink, it's perfect! She's "off color", she's wrong. She's WEARING STEVEN'S COLOR
Great video for one of my favorite endings of all time 🥺🥺 I'll be rewatching it to death
It's also a nice payoff from the pilot episode
I’ll be honest, it’s a low tier insult against what’s suggested to be a fairly god tier villain. Just feels a bit childish when we spent five seasons watching Steven grow up.
@@bgf3640 i love how her ego instantly deflates the moment he says that. As if a petty little come back is enough to bring her down. Shes a tyrannical dictator she shouldn't be phazed by a 14 year old childs words.
@@coffintears5821 I think it's the fact that she IS acting like a child and throwing a tantrum, and Steven saying that forced her to realize how she was acting. It's less about it being a petty comeback and more about her realizing that she's "just as bad" as a child.
Yeah, and how White Diamond is flawed is that she always believes Pink is alive when she’s not. Which breaks her.
The finale feels like a masive trans allegory to me.
Steven having to prove himself in front of his parental figure that he is himself and not the person he used to be strkes like something that a lot of trans people have to go through.
as a trans guy i saw it that way as well. i think its also because it shows that he never was rose to begin with, that he was always himself.
There was a lot of trans allegory in the show in general.
there's a book that tells the story of the final episode (Change your mind) and if i remember correctly it was dedicated to trans kids, so i think the trans parallels were done on purpose
it can be interpreted as a trans allegory and it was most likely done on purpose. However, it wasn't ONLY a trans allegory, the finale deals with a lot of different things
Thought the same thing. Even since before Change Your Mind it felt like a trans allegory when Steven had to correct gems on his name and identity. But yeah, the finale really just makes the allegory more apparent.
This show was so rewarding. I remember how upset everyone was when Rose was revealed to be Pink Diamond but it was always there. One of my own predictions for the show kind of paid off in this ending. Based on the narrative and the repeated question of “what is Steven” I thought the climax would involve steven’s gem being removed. However, I thought Steven and Rose would reunite, with Steven retaining only his humanity and Rose taking back her physical form. In this way I thought it would complete steven’s identity arc while also reuniting him with the mother he never knew, though in retrospect I think this plot would have undone a lot of character development all around. Seeing Steven love himself and have this distant moment with Rose “every minute you love yourself that’s me loving you and loving being you” as he embraces his gem half is so incredible. It’s like validation for everything he ever doubted in himself.
Yeah, I mean, if Rose had ended up being a regular average gem, fans would have been upset about that, too. I mean, it seems like every regular gem has one, maybe a couple powers, despite being alive for over 10,000 years in some cases. Yet Steven, who is only HALF gem, and only been alive for a few years somehow has a million, way OP powers and discovers new ones every other day? It really only makes sense if he's a diamond.
i love the different interpretations people have for this episode, some interpreting it as a trans allegory and some comparing it to leaving/resisting a religion just to name a few. it really shows how the series is able to allow people to connect to the themes, as these interpretations are most likely based on personal experiences. and how effective its storytelling is that people relate to it on an emotional level
it’s genius writing and i have seen very few shows able to do that. it’s part of what makes steven universe (in my opinion) of the best shows in recent times
Yeah most people are incredibly stupid and dull. Their ideas awful and perpetuate nothingness rather than a comprehension of what is in front of them. People are awful.
You missed out on one of the other things that makes this scene so special; part of it is animated by James Baxter. That's why the re-combination scene is so smooth and wonderfully animated. What a legend.
The development of the plot and the storytelling here is just phenomenal. I have yet to find a children's show of this caliber ever again. One thing I think just puts it over the top is the worldbuilding. I'd never even imagined any of these concepts like the gems, or fusion before this show and I just love how unique some of the ideas are here.
The way steven's baby clothes is unbuttoned to show a diamond really is something
White Diamond the ultimate gaslighter, the CEO of gaslighting
Another thing i wish to note, they never named Homeworld anything other than Homeworld. In fiction and fantasy you often name things, not necessarily based on _what_ it is. The realm of Mordor most likely isn't named based solely on the fact that "Mordor" means Murder in old English, Isengard means iron fence, but it isn't an _actual_ fence.
Homeworld is simply that, Homeworld, it's where gems originally came from (presumably), and where the Diamond Authority reside when they're not out conquering more planets. It's a bland name, it's a *perfect* name, because it accurately describes what it is, its a world, that is home. Its very much clearcut, its simple, its easily understandable, and most of all, *It is white.*
It also helps to add a sort of fear of it before we see it because ‘homeworld’ is such an alien name
This is the first I've seen of someone examining the finale without complaining about it.
My friends and I were watching the finale in the cafeteria during lunch. When WD took his gem, we all gasped and exclaimed so loud everyone looked at us, concerned lmao. We must've looked like idiots but that scene was just soo good we didnt even care
It's so refreshing to see a take like this, that is wholely positive. I hadn't noticed the really quite obvious Id/Ego/Superego roles that the Diamonds play, and how that plays into the conflict and resolution of the whole story!
This is like THE video I would point anyone confused about the ending because its all so clear and kinda gives this moment a more satisfactory feeling
Absolutely phenomenal. So glad to see such a positive essay on this show as it really deserves the love and attention you showed it x
*[That scene was so creepy holy stars]*
white diamond really is the gaslight gatekeep girlboss. also, this analysis is 👌😤
Soooo… basically, Garnet was right about Steven being a fusion… She’s always right.☺️
A fusion between steven and steven lol. StevIN and stevOUT
I'm not even half way through the video, but can I just say, IM SO THANKFUL FOR IT. I've been a huge fan of Steven Universe since 2017, to the point the show itself had a deep impact on my tastes and even beliefs to this day. And it always bugged me since its conclusion that everyone over focused on the negatives when, in my opinion, the absolute HIGHS out way it's lows. The final dance between the two Stevens is the greatest act of self love and acceptance after his journey of uncertainty he may be his own Mom, rather than his own set of experiences. He learns to belive in himself cause he truly knows now he was guiding himself the whole time, and proved pretty much every gem wrong. It creates more interesting conflict for the movie and future too since now it's a part of growing up that you HAVE to trust yourself in order to live. It really is one of the best scenes in all of Western animation, to the point I'm getting goosebumps as I'm writing it, nearly 3 years later.
I just finally finished s5 and got a TON of context i had been missing due to CN's terrible air schedule and you nailed it about white diamond. It was nice to get the context and realize that the space Nazis comparison just want the actual point, the diamonds are an abusive household. They are overbearing and controlling parents and the government concept is the metaphor. Getting all that context made the way the show ended perfect imo, and honestly i don't think it feels rushed. I think the weight of it is perfect. And it's only made better by SU Future going to Greg's childhood home and revealing he was so overly permissive because his parents were just as domineering and controlling as the diamonds. It was a wonderful parallel.
“Ultimately, her identity is so fragile, and so poorly differentiated, that Steven is able to defeat her by just existing.” THIS is what it feels like to be trans. I have legitimately never heard the political identity of transness broken down in a better way.
Also because the concept of children knowing who they are is so utterly disruptive to so many peoples opinions on kids that the minute they express the autonomy and personal insight to have an identity adults don’t know how to comprehend it
I can't believe I never connected the themes of fearing your sense of self is wrong or having doubts about who you are to transness until this video! Like.. duh! I always viewed only how it related to me personally, not wanting to end up like my abusive parents and having many traits like them, trying to figure out whether I'm a good person or not.
And the writers probably took that angle for a reason, genders a huge thing in the show. The gems are all some form of nonbinary/agender and stevonmie is cannon intersex
Yeah this show, especially Change your Mind, really hits different now that im trans!
what does it mean
This was an INSANELY well-written and produced essay. You killed it, and used so much proof from the show, books and podcast.
"We know Gems can't die"
Gems CAN die. They're ageless, but they're not immortal. Pearl says so herself:
Steven: Does that mean you'll live forever?
Pearl: Oh no, no! We don't age but we can still get hurt and die.
It's very, very hard to actually kill a gem. Shattering them just splits their consciousness which was basically death when the Diamonds held all the restorative tools, but remember Together Breakfast? That was a gem that was ground down into PASTE and it still was sentient. Gems are scary lol
But not from food poisoning
With the diamond's powers taken into consideration, gems really are immortal.
Future and the regular finale kinda completely broke this. Shattering and corruption have zero stakes anymore, which is pretty ridiculous honestly. Both can be easily reversed now.
@@dx.feelgood5825 I think the gems shattered in the war are gone forever though. But yeah, it’s ridiculous how death essentially has no meaning anymore in Steven Universe.
I loved watching Steven Universe, and this essay just reinforces that I should watch it again! Thank you for a delightful 36 minutes!
When White Diamond started going on about how Steven "isn't like this", that he "doesn't look like this", that he "doesn't sound like this" and that he isn't who he says he is (or who he actually is) AND that he's just acting like a child,,, that hit me right at the heart. As a trans guy, I've had people tell me this. That I'm not like this, that I'm playing pretend and all that good stuff.
It can have multiple interpretations, of course, but it absolutely works as a trans allegory (or, in this case, some people's response to trans people existing). Funny to see some people get so worked up at the slightest possibility of something being interpreted as anything regarding the LGBT+, huh 🤪.
❤
No, its just weird that trans folks try to see every identity story as an allegory for their experience
@@lefterismagkoutas4430I’m not trans, and this absolutely works as a trans allegory. I’d bet good money it was intended as well.
@@Juliana-du3kk It was! Rebecca said that it was supposed to be a message to GNC kids and young queers who are in doubt of their gender identity
THANK YOU! Fucking Thank You! It annoying me when people say "White Diamond was defeated by funny silly joke" like bro, her entire world view has been shattered right before her very eyes, throwing everything she's ever known into question!
I love that you included the bit about there being no filler episodes, good worldbuilding just takes time. The Crewniverse were very good at sprinkling in bits and pieces throughout every episode that had great payoffs later on, including this amazing scene you so wonderfully analyzed.
mayor dewey, ronaldo, and onion episodes 💀
White diamonds apperance and voice still gives chills down my spine even years after her apperance.
I really like how this also explains how the writing and plotting of the show was very self-restrained. For all the important parts it seems there's no moment where the writers chose to do something just because they wanted to, they always considered how and when it would fit the best into the story. It's never put in somewhere purely as a self-indulgence.
8:13 A drawn-out evil cackle capped off by zombies saying “Your Mom” is all the scene needed to be flawless tbh
Fantastic video - as others have said, it's so refreshing to get a positive analysis of the show. It has its flaws, but its themes are so important for people of all ages, and they're explored and executed in such intuitive ways.
Excellent video. I hope more people will be willing to assess SU in a more thoughtful way like you have here now that it's been done for a while and there's been time to digest it, so to speak.
The clips from the show you chose to include reminded me how pretty looking Steven Universe was throughout its run. They made so many interesting compositional choices when they were directing it. It's weird to think that people ragged on its animation style so much a few years back.
This misdirection reminds me of how they set up the pink diamond reveal. At first it was real obvious, but the show put in twist and turns and lore just enuf to make lots of people myself included think that couldnt be the case. And it pieced together really satisfyingly.
people calling steven "she" and by a typically feminine name, calling into question the way he looks, sounds, and acts. telling him what hes supposed to be, and then the doubt that white sows in steven about his own identity.
This is a trans allegory as much as about identity and selfexpression in general. I am thoroughly convinced. and in awe about how good the execution is over such a long period of time.
People who get to know and love steven go from calling him "she" and "rose" and "pink" to just steven, the name he says he has, he didnt need to prove to them that he was himself, only with someone like white, someone who doesnt even acknowledge they could ever be wrong about who someone is.
This video was lovely by the way great job!
Thank you! I’ve been saying this for ages, but no one ever thought I was right about it! He’s always felt like the closest we have to a true trans journey without explicitly saying so for censors sake, I always loved that about him 🥰
Though of course, just like with the 'fusion is sex' thing, that falls right apart and becomes a potentially negative association once you actually get into the details
@@Lazypackmule Yes because "fusion is sex" isn't an allegory in the show whilst Steven's experience with homeworld is absolutely an allegory for self-expression and self-love, which absolutely includes the experiences of trans people. It also just so happens to feature a pronoun difference, a name difference and a strict & rigid system where it was unfathomable that one could change from what they were told they were. I'd say that holds up quite well.
@@Lazypackmule Things don't have to be a perfect 1 to 1 match to be an allegory. Yeah fusion isn't just an allegory for sex, but there is a sexual element to it in some cases. Fusion is a physical personification of relationships, and some relationships are sexual. One of the writers has even stated that Peridot not fusing is an allegorical way of her being ace/aro.
Similarly Steven isn't physically trans in a typical human way but he is someone who's biologically different from most people like him in a way that causes others to treat him like he can't be trusted to know his own identity. And the fact that people constantly misgender and deadname him is absolutely inspired by trans experiences. Just look at the line "She prefers to be called Steven." Out of context it could have been plucked straight from a conversation with a relative who doesn't understand trans people but is trying to be more accepting.
@@sumgirl720 I mean you missed the point entirely and really just ended up making my argument for me, but A for effort
Your forgetting that the temple’s gem statue looks an awful lot like a previous form of Obsidian, from when Rose was still around. This is MAYJOR Foreshadowing to “Change your Mind”
I knew they had been hinting about the true identity of Rose from the very beginning, but I had no idea how much about Steven's identity crisis they had been setting up from the get go. I really did think, for just a moment, that Pink Diamond was going to appear when his gem was removed; just like they wanted.
I know Steven universe isn't perfect, but if I ever have kids I am 100% going to have this show in my library. I might even make my boyfriend watch it to get to know me. It is that much a part of my coming of age. Looking back... and I know this sounds dramatic... I think the themes in the show that were explored may have saved my life...
I got my boyfriend into SU. We watched the whole thing in the span of a few weeks. He was positively hooked, and I loved seeing his reactions to things like Lapis Lazuli, the diamonds, the fusions, and the reveals and twists
The fact we were all gaslighted into that ending, goddamn and I loved it
This made me remember how much i love steven universe and how much good it was, thanks, also there were stuff i didnt know i knew, nice
Finally, a Steven universe essay that isn't lily orchard or a rebuttal to lily orchard
nature is healing 🥰
I forgot how creepy that scene was. Your breakdown just makes me appreciate the show more ❤️
An actual analysis of the show! Well written with examples and construction
Thanks for making this, the show has a lot of personal meaning for me so to see a video talking about what it achieved in an interesting video essay was really good to hear. Especially when you talked about how well it built up the concepts like gem in objects, their being more pearls, and the themes of self-acceptance. I was around the fandom while the show was coming out and there was alot of negativity about it at the time, so to see this felt refreshing.
Gotta give credit to white for using her nails with amazing precision
Steven universe is genuine the most interesting things I’ve ever watched in so many ways. It’s so incredible that I can’t even begin. It’s a story that could be rambled about for days on end, with characters that all are important and make sense, with a intense and beautifully weaved story.
I think what made the ending so unsatisfying to me was that White Diamond's breakdown is too... fast. You expect her to go through some stages of grief, maybe lash out, give them a decent boss fight, I dunno, _something._ but there's nothing. She just breaks down and gives up. And as viewer, that kind of makes you just sit there and be like "wait, that's it?"
Thank you for making me remember why Steven Universe is still my favorite CN show of all time. I used to think White Diamond should have stayed a villain because of the sheer amount of threat she represented, but I honestly changed my mind (pun absolutely intended) after this great analysis.
Absolutely beautiful and profound analysis and the way you documented it via this video was amazing! You did an awesome job, I'm very happy to have watched this!
I loved this. Missed out on comparing white to Ragyo Kiryuin from Kill la Kill, from which they clearly draw inspiration from, with the added reference of Volleyball’s damaged eye.
This is easily one of the best videos I've seen on the series. It's so nice to see someone discussing Steven Universe who actually does their research and thinks in-depth about the show's themes
Finally, a good take on steven universe
Finally! Someone who acknowledges the difference between a villain changing their ways and a villain redeeming themself!
whenever i see that scene where stevens gem takes his form, im always reminded to the video rose made him for when he was born. that whenever he feels happy, that is her loving him, and loving being him. I like to think that, while steven is a comepletely seperate entity to his mom, her gem still keeps those powerful residual feelings. The gem is not rose quartz, rather it is the embodiment of love that hes inherited and grown.
this video singlehandedly made me want to rewatch the entire show, and i haven't had any desire to watch steven universe at all in years. bravo!
Words can't express how much I love this video! I've seen so much negativity about the show that I almost felt like I couldn't love it for what it was, a show about self acceptance and love and identity. But you perfectly expressed that, so thank you
i’m pretty late, but until now i’ve only been fed the “this finale is terrible stop redeeming everyone” even though i felt satisfied by the ending. i appreciate this more positive take on the show :D
I think the reason the rest of the episodes after the scene works so well as well is because immediately after White Diamond notices her flaws, she has a moment where she can't believe it, she's embarrassed. As soon as she realizes however, that Steven is the one that pointed it out, she starts asking questions, which is a very important aspect of a character being reformed.
What I mean is reformed btw, not redeemed. A good example would be Discord from MLP:FiM because he starts as a villain and then is given a choice that he is made to stick to in the future and as he's in more episodes he's also learning alongside the main cast. White Diamond asking questions shows that she is open to learning, and while she still is learning as see in Steven Universe Future, she is inherently reformed not exactly redeemed of her past wrongdoings, but it does take time.
Honestly, it makes the fact that Pink Diamond/ Rose Quartz figured out something was wrong and leaving home to become something better a whole lot more impressive now that we have the rest of the diamonds to compare her to. Rose had no one to really show her what was wrong or right as she realized the way the diamonds did things was wrong, so the fact she went through trial and error and still became a good person by the time she had Steven without anyone to very clearly tell her and teach her? The fact she had to watch and learn by seeing how others did things and adapt as necessary? Honestly, one of my favorite "morally grey" characters.