Catching up on Steven Universe!
Jul. 20th, 2018 12:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
conulyAlso, lemme tell you, it was quite a hassle finding a video with decent sound quality that didn't have all its images reversed. The ones I was stuck with are all subtitled in Portuguese.
1. Yes, all that pink is rather obvious in retrospect. I guess. (If Rose actually invented cotton candy, I'm giving up.)
2. An overly emotional Sapphire is a scary, scary thing to behold.
3. I kinda feel like we're supposed to pick up on Pink Diamond, even as Rose Quartz, being able to basically compel people to do what she wants (even without really trying to do that), but this is not going to be adequately spelled out in this Stevenbomb.
4. However, we are going to sort of go back and forth on this, so I'll say it now: Steven is 14. He shouldn't have the job of handling Sapphire's emotions for her... and boy, is it ever clear that the Crystal Gems are yet another fictional faction that could really, really use some competent therapy. They must be able to scare up some professional.
5. Get all your Frozen jokes out of the way now. Sapphire is making it snow.
6. Um, I don't think that war was all that "little".
7. Poor lonely Pink.
8. I wonder why Yellow and Blue don't seem to be steeped in loneliness. Maybe because they have each other to pal around with?
9. This whole war ultimately is Pearl's fault for dreaming up that disguise. Nice job!
10. You can see why she decided to keep Rose Quartz as her all-time alias. Her first view of Quartzes is them all grouped up in a big family. (And she's not wrong. Remember when our Amethyst met the rest of them from her kindergarten? She fit right in!)
11. 8XM who hasn't emerged is, of course, our Amethyst. I'm going to believe that Rose checked in on her periodically until she emerged, moved by a sense of kinship with this poor lonely (and ultimately runty) Amethyst without her unit.
12. Seriously, what is the point of Gem culture? Is making more gems literally all they ever do? Can't they come onto a new planet, take over a small portion of it to reproduce themselves, and then leave the rest?
13. I have no idea how you've never heard of multi-gem fusion either, Rose. But then, I also have no idea how it can be that Peridot didn't know about her metal moving ability either, or how our Sapphire didn't understand how her foresight really works until after she fused. The ignorance of gems around their own abilities baffles me.
14. Wow Pearl is strong.
15. Poor Pearl stammering out her confession. And okay, it (mostly) worked out, but I feel like I should mention that there is absolutely no way that their relationship wasn't even a little bit coercive. Our Ruby and Sapphire get to rethink their relationship, but Pearl never really could, not while Rose was around.
16. It's really a bit of emotional progress that Pearl can admit that Rose was just a bit selfish. Not that Rose could quite help it, I don't think - but still.
17. Ruby's note is adorable.
18. (DIFFERENT EP!)
19. Of course Amethyst has no idea. And she's quite right - Ruby is a fully-grown gem. She doesn't need a minder. She certainly knows where the temple is if she wants to return.
20. She's so wonderful, so spontaneous - honestly, it's a good thing gems can fuse, because unfused Ruby and Sapphire are sickeningly cute.
21. Why would she be a cowboy?
22. Gonna point out again that Amethyst is right. Sapphire and Pearl sobbing over Ruby being gone helps absolutely nobody, and there is no reason Ruby couldn't come home on her own.
23. The shot of them walking into the ocean is both super predictable and super satisfying.
24. You know, Eva is really good at predicting the end of stories. It was right when Amethyst shrank down to nothing but a gem with limbs that she said "Oh, she's trying to cheer him up, right?"
25. I love a good montage.
26. THANK YOU, Amethyst! What about Steven indeed? He's had quite a shocking revelation, and instead of supporting him the most responsible adults in his life are busy sobbing into each other's arms or sulking somewhere.
27. "What really matters is how hard Garnet took it." No wonder Amethyst gets frustrated. It's like talking to a wall!
28. This is the funniest scene ever. "We're crashing!" "But how does that make you feel?"
29. Seriously, though, they could all use professional help, from somebody not intimately involved in the situation.
30. LOL! Yes, Amethyst, that's what this is. You're the mature one now.
31. NEW EPISODE AGAIN
32. Greg has a great attitude - and, unlike some people I could name, he's not dumping all his messy feelings on his kid.
33. I'm glad Ruby is getting her own emotional growth. Taking some time to consider who she is, without being part of a unit, is probably a good thing.
34. ...did Steven just say he likes eating flour?
35. This is why Ruby would be a cowboy. (Because Steven talked her out of life as a dolphin.)
36. That was a great transformation sequence, Amethyst.
37. Sapphire could've predicted a ravine.
38. Hey it's another montage! I LOVE MONTAGES.
39. I had forgotten that this was Steven's sleeping bag.
40. Awwww.
41. That's a good choice, Ruby. You definitely want this to be your choice, untainted by these revelations about Rose.
42. That is the best proposal.
43. NEW EPISODE AGAIN
44. Made of Honor. I don't usually call out great puns, but I like this one.
45. Dolphins and flames. Meh. It's Beach City. Nobody expects classy invitations.
46. And he already has it on page 135.
47. Question of the day: Since when is Steven authorized to perform weddings?
48. "There's a third option now...." Seriously, Steven needs to speak to somebody.
49. This scene is pretty much what you'd expect Bismuth to do on half the information.
50. Glad we were able to just elide the part where Steven told her the whole story.
51. Bismuth is taking this really well.
52. Pearl freaking out at the collapsed chairs is hilarious.
53. Elite beat home edition? YES.
54. It really beats me how somebody as emotionally attuned as Steven can miss the obvious "NO NO NO" signals that Bismuth is giving off there.
55. Peridot raising her glass by levitating it is also hilarious.
56. I sort of feel like this entire conversation is a step back for Steven. Amethyst just got him to admit that his feelings are important and that it was a mistake to put Rose on a pedestal like that and that he shouldn't have to shoulder responsibility for the whole freaking world - and now Bismuth is going on and on about how he's the real leader of the Crystal Gems. And he might deny it, but he didn't deny it much.
57. GREAT GIFT.
58. NEW EPISODE.
59. I've already seen it, so let me sum up: The wedding was great. The fight scene was a string of characters popping by to give one liners.
60. Steven's voice is deeper when singing, isn't it?
61. This wedding is kinda a rush job. Where did they get the cake toppers?
62. Ruby and Sapphire mutually covering their eyes is adorable. (No future vision either!) However, I stand by my statement that too much of this is absolutely nauseating.
63. Peridot is also adorable in her nice dress. All flowers have been deployed!
64. So how much do most of these people understand about the wedding they're attending?
65. Their vows are awesome.
66. Seriously, why is Steven apparently legally allowed to officiate weddings? He is 14.
67. Jamie and the Mayor dancing is great, but slightly less great than the shot of Ronaldo in armor chatting with Bismuth, also in armor.
68. Dramatic tears. Get ready for the (frankly a bit tedious) fight scene.
69. Connie gets very few lines this episode. Sorry. She's right, though - sleeping and talking to the cluster doesn't work, but thankfully the cluster is in enough control over itself to form coherently and fight the Diamonds, so that's all right. Cluster vs. Yellow armwrestling is great.
70. Peedee tackling his brother so Ronaldo doesn't charge the cluster is cute, but unnecessary. And it's only the first of several unnecessary shots in a very crowded fight.
71. Eurgh, I could detail everything, but I won't. Blue's emotional effects don't affect humans like gems. Lapis declaring she's felt worse is appropriately badass. Steven running through people's heads giving them three second pep talks is interesting, but ultimately takes too long. The diamonds finally listening is terrific, and let me just say, they are two more people who could really stand to invest in grief counseling. You're not supposed to cry for the dead for 5,000 years. It keeps them from resting.
72. Cartoon Network, as always, went ahead and spoiled the next episode. Here's what we can glean from the promo: The diamonds are willing to listen and talk. They evidently did not intend to corrupt all these gems, just to destroy them. They may be interested in helping remedy the situation. You know what this all means? It means Jasper may finally get her redemption arc! It's gonna be an uphill battle for her, but I don't like that dangling thread of unfinished business either. Also, this all feels like we're heading for the endgame, or else in it already. Also also, they'll presumably unbubble all those other Rose Quartzes now. They deserve it more than Jasper does. (On the whole, I mean. Possibly a few of them are terrible people too.)
1. Yes, all that pink is rather obvious in retrospect. I guess. (If Rose actually invented cotton candy, I'm giving up.)
2. An overly emotional Sapphire is a scary, scary thing to behold.
3. I kinda feel like we're supposed to pick up on Pink Diamond, even as Rose Quartz, being able to basically compel people to do what she wants (even without really trying to do that), but this is not going to be adequately spelled out in this Stevenbomb.
4. However, we are going to sort of go back and forth on this, so I'll say it now: Steven is 14. He shouldn't have the job of handling Sapphire's emotions for her... and boy, is it ever clear that the Crystal Gems are yet another fictional faction that could really, really use some competent therapy. They must be able to scare up some professional.
5. Get all your Frozen jokes out of the way now. Sapphire is making it snow.
6. Um, I don't think that war was all that "little".
7. Poor lonely Pink.
8. I wonder why Yellow and Blue don't seem to be steeped in loneliness. Maybe because they have each other to pal around with?
9. This whole war ultimately is Pearl's fault for dreaming up that disguise. Nice job!
10. You can see why she decided to keep Rose Quartz as her all-time alias. Her first view of Quartzes is them all grouped up in a big family. (And she's not wrong. Remember when our Amethyst met the rest of them from her kindergarten? She fit right in!)
11. 8XM who hasn't emerged is, of course, our Amethyst. I'm going to believe that Rose checked in on her periodically until she emerged, moved by a sense of kinship with this poor lonely (and ultimately runty) Amethyst without her unit.
12. Seriously, what is the point of Gem culture? Is making more gems literally all they ever do? Can't they come onto a new planet, take over a small portion of it to reproduce themselves, and then leave the rest?
13. I have no idea how you've never heard of multi-gem fusion either, Rose. But then, I also have no idea how it can be that Peridot didn't know about her metal moving ability either, or how our Sapphire didn't understand how her foresight really works until after she fused. The ignorance of gems around their own abilities baffles me.
14. Wow Pearl is strong.
15. Poor Pearl stammering out her confession. And okay, it (mostly) worked out, but I feel like I should mention that there is absolutely no way that their relationship wasn't even a little bit coercive. Our Ruby and Sapphire get to rethink their relationship, but Pearl never really could, not while Rose was around.
16. It's really a bit of emotional progress that Pearl can admit that Rose was just a bit selfish. Not that Rose could quite help it, I don't think - but still.
17. Ruby's note is adorable.
18. (DIFFERENT EP!)
19. Of course Amethyst has no idea. And she's quite right - Ruby is a fully-grown gem. She doesn't need a minder. She certainly knows where the temple is if she wants to return.
20. She's so wonderful, so spontaneous - honestly, it's a good thing gems can fuse, because unfused Ruby and Sapphire are sickeningly cute.
21. Why would she be a cowboy?
22. Gonna point out again that Amethyst is right. Sapphire and Pearl sobbing over Ruby being gone helps absolutely nobody, and there is no reason Ruby couldn't come home on her own.
23. The shot of them walking into the ocean is both super predictable and super satisfying.
24. You know, Eva is really good at predicting the end of stories. It was right when Amethyst shrank down to nothing but a gem with limbs that she said "Oh, she's trying to cheer him up, right?"
25. I love a good montage.
26. THANK YOU, Amethyst! What about Steven indeed? He's had quite a shocking revelation, and instead of supporting him the most responsible adults in his life are busy sobbing into each other's arms or sulking somewhere.
27. "What really matters is how hard Garnet took it." No wonder Amethyst gets frustrated. It's like talking to a wall!
28. This is the funniest scene ever. "We're crashing!" "But how does that make you feel?"
29. Seriously, though, they could all use professional help, from somebody not intimately involved in the situation.
30. LOL! Yes, Amethyst, that's what this is. You're the mature one now.
31. NEW EPISODE AGAIN
32. Greg has a great attitude - and, unlike some people I could name, he's not dumping all his messy feelings on his kid.
33. I'm glad Ruby is getting her own emotional growth. Taking some time to consider who she is, without being part of a unit, is probably a good thing.
34. ...did Steven just say he likes eating flour?
35. This is why Ruby would be a cowboy. (Because Steven talked her out of life as a dolphin.)
36. That was a great transformation sequence, Amethyst.
37. Sapphire could've predicted a ravine.
38. Hey it's another montage! I LOVE MONTAGES.
39. I had forgotten that this was Steven's sleeping bag.
40. Awwww.
41. That's a good choice, Ruby. You definitely want this to be your choice, untainted by these revelations about Rose.
42. That is the best proposal.
43. NEW EPISODE AGAIN
44. Made of Honor. I don't usually call out great puns, but I like this one.
45. Dolphins and flames. Meh. It's Beach City. Nobody expects classy invitations.
46. And he already has it on page 135.
47. Question of the day: Since when is Steven authorized to perform weddings?
48. "There's a third option now...." Seriously, Steven needs to speak to somebody.
49. This scene is pretty much what you'd expect Bismuth to do on half the information.
50. Glad we were able to just elide the part where Steven told her the whole story.
51. Bismuth is taking this really well.
52. Pearl freaking out at the collapsed chairs is hilarious.
53. Elite beat home edition? YES.
54. It really beats me how somebody as emotionally attuned as Steven can miss the obvious "NO NO NO" signals that Bismuth is giving off there.
55. Peridot raising her glass by levitating it is also hilarious.
56. I sort of feel like this entire conversation is a step back for Steven. Amethyst just got him to admit that his feelings are important and that it was a mistake to put Rose on a pedestal like that and that he shouldn't have to shoulder responsibility for the whole freaking world - and now Bismuth is going on and on about how he's the real leader of the Crystal Gems. And he might deny it, but he didn't deny it much.
57. GREAT GIFT.
58. NEW EPISODE.
59. I've already seen it, so let me sum up: The wedding was great. The fight scene was a string of characters popping by to give one liners.
60. Steven's voice is deeper when singing, isn't it?
61. This wedding is kinda a rush job. Where did they get the cake toppers?
62. Ruby and Sapphire mutually covering their eyes is adorable. (No future vision either!) However, I stand by my statement that too much of this is absolutely nauseating.
63. Peridot is also adorable in her nice dress. All flowers have been deployed!
64. So how much do most of these people understand about the wedding they're attending?
65. Their vows are awesome.
66. Seriously, why is Steven apparently legally allowed to officiate weddings? He is 14.
67. Jamie and the Mayor dancing is great, but slightly less great than the shot of Ronaldo in armor chatting with Bismuth, also in armor.
68. Dramatic tears. Get ready for the (frankly a bit tedious) fight scene.
69. Connie gets very few lines this episode. Sorry. She's right, though - sleeping and talking to the cluster doesn't work, but thankfully the cluster is in enough control over itself to form coherently and fight the Diamonds, so that's all right. Cluster vs. Yellow armwrestling is great.
70. Peedee tackling his brother so Ronaldo doesn't charge the cluster is cute, but unnecessary. And it's only the first of several unnecessary shots in a very crowded fight.
71. Eurgh, I could detail everything, but I won't. Blue's emotional effects don't affect humans like gems. Lapis declaring she's felt worse is appropriately badass. Steven running through people's heads giving them three second pep talks is interesting, but ultimately takes too long. The diamonds finally listening is terrific, and let me just say, they are two more people who could really stand to invest in grief counseling. You're not supposed to cry for the dead for 5,000 years. It keeps them from resting.
72. Cartoon Network, as always, went ahead and spoiled the next episode. Here's what we can glean from the promo: The diamonds are willing to listen and talk. They evidently did not intend to corrupt all these gems, just to destroy them. They may be interested in helping remedy the situation. You know what this all means? It means Jasper may finally get her redemption arc! It's gonna be an uphill battle for her, but I don't like that dangling thread of unfinished business either. Also, this all feels like we're heading for the endgame, or else in it already. Also also, they'll presumably unbubble all those other Rose Quartzes now. They deserve it more than Jasper does. (On the whole, I mean. Possibly a few of them are terrible people too.)
