Steven Universe

[Dirty n Evil]

WARNING!

Incoming Stevenbomb starting this Monday on Cartoon Network. Episode titles to include 'Cry For Help', 'Keystone Motel', 'Onion Friend', 'Historical Friction', & 'Friend Ship'. Set to appear is a new gem, Sardonyx! (Because of who I follow on Tumblr, I've already seen the first few seconds of their appearance.) This has been an alert of the Steven Universe broadcast system.

[Artemisia]

Too late, DnE...I've already seen that too And a lot of other stuff from SDCC!

I'm so excited!

[Dirty n Evil]

In today's "Stevenbomb" episode 'Cry For Help', we saw the context of Sardonyx's appearance... but further commentary behind the spoiler for people who haven't seen the show yet.

Oh, Pearl. I think of all the Crystal Gems, she's the loneliest. Garnet has herself, Amethyst and Steven bond well in their playful manner, but Pearl... she clearly embraces her role as the main maternal boundary keeper for Steven, but she doesn't really have a peer to connect with. Quite a good amount of characterization with Amethyst, once again showing that she's a much deeper individual than simply the team goofball. And I think Garnet's reaction of betrayal at Pearl's false pretense is influenced by the events in 'Keeping It Together'. At least, that's how it seemed to me.

[Artemisia]

I finally got to see it and honestly- Pearl shows clear signs of ASD and PTSD.

[Radbaron]

Nicely done on the follow-up episode today. Can't wait for tomorrow!

[Dirty n Evil]

I find it interesting that you see that, Artemisia... because I see a lot of myself in Pearl. Good and bad.

And since it's 'Stevenbomb' week again, that means there was another new episode - this time, 'Keystone Motel'.

Considering that Rebecca Sugar was inspired for the setting of the show from times of her family having lived at beach locations including Delaware, I liked the nod to Pennsylvania just being called "the state of Keystone". (I'll admit, the Pennsylvania motto of "The Keystone State" always seemed strange to me, too. And I'm from there.) We got to see immediate story continuity from one episode to another with Garnet still being upset at Pearl, sufficient enough to have Garnet split over the matter between Ruby and Sapphire.

I'm wondering if I'm not the only one who caught Greg Universe's reaction to seeing Sapphire being that he knew it had to have been something big to split Garnet apart - which means that this has happened before when Rose Quartz was still alive. An interesting insight into the drastically different elements that make up Garnet, which makes one wonder how those two ended up a couple. However, at the end the two of them making up was sweet. Ruby calling Sapphire her "Laughy Sapphy", and nuzzling kisses enough to make Steven be considerate enough to avert his eyes.

And we do like our Sicilian style "square pizza" in Pennsylvania, too.

EDIT: Whoops, got ninja'd by Radbaron.

[Artemisia]

It's something I've had a lot of time to discuss with other fans. Pearl is so much stronger than she thinks she is, but she also can be overly protective, terrified of outsiders (Her reaction to Peridot about not being able to handle going through fighting off other Gems again being an example), her need to feel safe and happy (fusion with Garnet) and so many other examples.

I loved the episode because it is nice to see couples fighting in a cartoon

[Dirty n Evil]

Showing a rough patch in a relationship without the couple breaking up is something that Steven Universe has done well. In 'We Need To Talk', they did a good example when they showed Rose Quartz and Greg Universe struggling over the differences between them... confused when the motivations between their reactions and feelings weren't clear. However, they did manage to talk and share why they were behaving the way they did, and help stay together. It's a good overall message - when you're just thinking of yourself, things go awry. Ruby just wanted to focus on her feelings of resentment, Sapphire felt it was important to move past the event, and neither of them seeing from the other's point of view.

[Tenjen]

a conflict between the team crossing over several episodes? It was a pretty sucky thing to do and it was because of her internal flaws and fears making pearl seek out a way to escape those weaknesses and thereby hurt a very close friend who you rely on for that strength without having actually meant to.

I like this scenario a lot and its very rarely conveyed in any media today, atleast within the context it has been in Steven U.

Steven and Lion Fusion from steven universe!

[Artemisia]

What I liked was that they worked it out, for the most part.

[Tenjen]

the range of peridots abilities and facial expressions are astounding and hilarious.

also btw. next season teaser video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1w18Kkg16c

[Dirty n Evil]

I had seen that clip of the extended intro song online as well, Tenjen - I was thinking they were going to fit it into the Stevenbomb, and was surprised when it never showed up. And I'm not even seeking out spoilers, they just roll across my Tumblr! Yeah, the cross-episode tension is a rarity in most cartoons, much less one that easily still suits viewers of a very young age. And I suspect that there will be lingering tension all the way through to the next several episodes, too.

I was really intrigued by Pearl's comment in 'Friend Ship' of "I'm just a Pearl!", especially coupled with Jasper's comment in 'The Return' calling her a "lost, defective Pearl". How Pearl comments to Connie in 'Sworn to the Sword' that Rose Quartz made her feel like she was everything. It makes me think within Gem Controlled Space that in their society a Pearl must have a rather low position. If Pearl is so anxious to be perfect and correct, yet she see's actually quite insecure (and prone to make mistakes to cover for her insecurities)... yeah, she's a deep character.

I do hope in the next release of episodes we get to see some Lars and Sadie. As far as side characters go, I find them rather interesting. Even though I think Lars is an idiot punk and Sadie deserves to find a nice person who recognizes how great she is, I still like stories that include the both of them.

[Artemisia]

It occurs to me that...

Pearls and Amber are the only two largely organic gemstones out there. It makes sense that Pearl would have a lot of insecurities because she is not like a ruby, sapphire, amethyst, or any other gem out there. She's actually closer to Steven than the rest of them.

[Tenjen]

i wonder if

"pearls" are production model gems meant for space travel piloting and the like. Pearl has technical know-how, space piloting experience, ability to interface with tech, her hologram ability from her gem does not seem to be shared by the others too and theres something she said during connie's training. It keeps coming and going but it reaches out to, "you know you werent made to fight but...", which indicates Pearl and those like her were made for a particular "function".

it might be why she's attached to Rose, Rose may have shown her that she can be more than she was ever intended to be. (my fan-canon tells me that maybe that hologram pearl is closer to what actual "Pearl" model gems are like). Which is why she's refered to as defective. she's operating outside the regular perimeters

[Tenjen]