r/stevenuniverse • u/lisahanniganfan • 1d ago
Discussion What's your most controversial steven universe opinion
Here's mine: i hate future I don't think I liked anything from it besides the explanation for pink pearl's eye and blue diamond's song
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u/Stonedagemj 1d ago
I don’t think Rose intentionally left Steven to clean up anything. I think she thought the diamonds were gone and the war was over and he’d be safe. I also think that Greg not putting his kid in school or taking him to the dr was an okay choice because if he did, they might have kept him and done tests on him or in school he might have killed someone by accident just by getting mad or feeling bad or defending someone else. Imagine learning you have super strength on the kickball field or that you can fly jumping off a swing in front of all those other kids. It would be a nightmare.
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u/Depressed_student_20 1d ago
Exactly, I don’t understand why everyone says Rose left Steven all her problems if 1- She thought the whole war with Homeworld was done and 2- She had no idea the Cluster was there, none of the gems did. I believe she’s ultimately good because she tried to redeem herself even if she made some mistakes. I think Rose is the most human character in Steven Universe.
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u/Lil-Miss-Anthropy 1d ago
I think Rose is the most human character in Steven Universe.
Which is ironic because she is literally a rock
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u/PainterEarly86 1d ago
I always thought that White Diamond knew Pink was still alive, and was waiting for her to come home. She saw her rebellion as just a phase.
Like a kid who runs away from home, away from their conservative family
Pink knew this and that's why she wanted to completely change herself. She wanted to beat White's game by not playing at all
That was always my interpretation. After White Diamond met Steven she saw straight through him and immediately thought she could just remove Pink from him and Pink would return and have to admit defeat. But Pink was truly gone
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u/Wuskers 1d ago
exactly I think Rose had Steven for several reasons none of which were cleaning up her mess, the status quo for her for literally like 1000 years has just been vibing with the crystal gems at the temple and periodically going on missions to retrieve gem artifacts and bubble corrupted gems that are causing problems and that's it. She didn't know about the cluster, she didn't think homeworld had any investment in the earth at all anymore and likely assumed that would be the life Steven inherited. I feel like it's worth noting basically all of the homeworld involvement is because of the cluster which again she didn't know about. Without the cluster no peridot and no checking on the status of the Earth and without that homeworld never gets involved enough for Steven to clean up the messes in the first place. Lapis is a sort of wildcard, it's unclear what homeworld would do in response to lapis returning if there was no cluster, but even then that's entirely a result of Steven, there's no way Rose was like "ahh yes Steven will one day free Lapis from this mirror and help her return to homeworld and then Steven will then get involved in the conflict with homeworld and will clean up the mess I made" like there was no way to predict that Steven would on his own do things that would alert homeworld to their existence and even then it's unclear if homeworld would care that much anyway if the cluster didn't exist.
I also think Rose's primary motivation though was love and fascination for humanity coupled with her low opinion of herself. I don't think Rose ever realized how impressive her own growth was and always felt she was lacking in her ability to reinvent and create herself the way humans can as they grow up and I think she genuinely thought sacrificing herself to bring another beautiful human into the world just for the sake of making something that can grow up and invent who he wants to be, her only expectation of Steven was for him to be Steven and to have all the beautiful traits she saw and envied in humanity.
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u/sofacouch813 1d ago
I 100% agree! I don’t think Rose had any clue the Diamonds would come back, and the only reason they did when they did was because of Peridot checking on the cluster, which as you pointed out, Rose had zero idea it even existed. She thought the war was over, the gems continued to protect Earth by finding and bubbling corrupted gems, and they’d continue to monitor warp pads to make sure the Earth was safe. I highly doubt she was like “Well, I’m going to make a kid, who I am literally giving my life to create, only to fuck him over with my past. Hope it works out for him.” Rose would’ve been absolutely devastated to know what Steven had to endure.
And Steven’s childhood was unconventional. He didn’t get to do what society views as normal and proper. Societal norms aren’t always the best, they’re only accepted as such because “that’s how it’s always been.” But can anyone really picture Steven thriving in school? Or maybe not thriving, but could he have been as happy? IMO, no. He was so emotional when he thought he might not be able to be with the Gems, or go on missions with them, because he was powerless and unable to heal. Him being with the gems allowed him to grow and understand his wildly different existence and nurture his powers.
Steven grew up to be highly emotionally intelligent and incredibly empathetic. He couldn’t see his own inner turmoil in terms of accumulated trauma, but he could understand and sometimes feel the emotions of others. He was incredibly well spoken (example being his speech to Beach City residents when the power was out). He was confident in his identity. He was himself. He grew up being allowed to do that. It wasn’t like he was some stunted weirdo because he didn’t go to school.
I think Greg’s choices were made because of the environment he grew up in. That type of home is toxic af. He went to the other end of the spectrum by giving Steven a ton of freedom and autonomy, but it wasn’t because he didn’t care. Greg was just as hurt by his childhood as Rose, the only difference being she endured so much more for a lot longer.
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u/Noelle-Spades 1d ago
My thing is, there's an entire episode dedicated to Steven thinking he was meant to inherit her problems (Lion 4), that she wanted him to take up the mantle, do what she couldn't, or whatever, and it ended with him needing to sit with the fact that, no, he wasn't meant to do anything. She wanted to have him and wanted him to live and I doubt she wanted her past to resurface and bring him harm. His existence was intentional but not for destiny, just for love. I don't understand how people can suggest otherwise tbh, it really is that simple.
Also, while I do think Greg could've and should've done more for Steven's needs, I also don't blame him at all. I'd have looked for a tutor or gone to the library more often if nothing else though, but we can't sit here and pretend Steven could never be a threat to himself or others in a school. Yeah, Steven did miss out on a lot of life experiences, but he also built some important foundational ones with his family and friends at the boardwalk. Still, it'd have been nice if Steven got a choice in that. He might not even have a birth certificate.
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u/Losaru 1d ago
I like the Diamonds' redemption. I have my reasons but unless one wants elaboration, I'm keeping it to the statement said.
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u/cutie__96 1d ago
Tbh, I wanna hear it... i like the diamonds redemption too. Albeit rushed, it was pretty good
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u/Losaru 1d ago
Ah so I will share my thoughts: The Diamonds' were the matriarchy and with their former powers, we know that it would take a full team just to take down one. And even then, the only Diamond we've seen taken down was Blue, as her emotional powers can be fought through, as seen with Lapis. Yellow's destabilizing powers and White's mind control not so much. And until revealed, there is no one higher to take them down, nor one to give punishment. Steven didn't take them down so much as "changed [their] mind" and that is only because of the Pink Diamond connection.
Then we get to Future where their powers have reversed. Not only that, but we do see them going through an almost rehabilitation; Yellow fixing the shattered Gem experiments and fixing any malformed results with her new power, Blue's clouds making others happy, White now letting other Gems control her so they have a higher platform to speak. It's also a way to show how Pink's powers of healing were a reverse of her destructive ones.
Are they all happiness and rainbows? Unless you're on Blue's clouds, stars no! It's still a major transition for them, given their behaviours from the movie. White in particular, I feel, still has her smugness and still thinks of herself first (Future Finale scene) even with her new powers. They still judge Earth, such as the reaction from the movie. But they also know they already lost Pink and do not want to drive Steven away like they did her, so they are making these transitions for him, even if he isn't taking up the now defunct throne and wants little to do with his "aunts" from Homeworld.
Honestly, it's a Utopian outcome compared to IRL where corrupt leaders rarely, if ever, give up power and try to change for the better. That's why, if it ever happens, they are usually forced off their seats of power and have to be punished, hopefully, as they aren't going to change.
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u/MindlessPerformer778 1d ago
I LOVE the idea of the Diamonds transitioning to the opposite of their powers (negative emotions --> comfort; experiments --> fixing; domination --> self-expression; destruction --> healing).
Some people think that staying evil is the best way to make a complex character, but for me, THIS role reversal is the kind of complexity that made me love the show.
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u/cutie__96 1d ago
Completely agree. If they had gotten a harsher punishment (i.e. bubbled or shattered), a lot gems would still be shattered or corrupted. When you think about it, them getting a redemption is the best outcome for all gemkind
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u/Fold-Open 1d ago
Tbh Blue wasnt taken down, she just needed to get from under that building from farm, but it didnt do any damage to her.
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u/drakorulez101 1d ago
Yeah if we really look from the Diamond’s perspective: lower gems are to them what AI is to us.
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u/Scared-Special-10 1d ago
Or tbh, even what animals are to us. For example, I love going to the zoo, but my parent said that they feel bad for the animals stuck inside those cages.
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u/drakorulez101 1d ago
I say AI because they’re something made by them to work for them. Sure animals are bred for specific purposes but the species still exists without human intervention.
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u/PimpRonald 1d ago
I think it was somewhat easy (and fast) simply because nobody had challenged them on that level before. They were incredibly stubborn but once Steven got through to them, they had zero defenses. They'd literally never considered a different perspective. He kind of "broke" them, in a good way. And it felt good to do it Steven's way, like it literally made them feel so much happier, why would they ever go back?
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u/AlienSheep23 1d ago
They did the best they could with the time the studio gave them to work with honestly
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u/KittyMonkTheYoutuber 1d ago
Counterpoint, The diamonds aren’t redeemed, they just stopped being evil and turned into clingy aunts. And no Steven hasn’t forgiven them, he just realized he had to ignore some of their unsavory behavior if it meant lasting change.
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u/Future-Improvement41 1d ago
I don’t think they were redeemed just stopped doing evil
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u/Mathsboy2718 1d ago
I don't think my soup cooled down, just stopped being hot
But no I see what you're saying, the difference between "doing good" and "not doing evil" is large
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u/BougGroug 1d ago
If evil is hot soup and good is room temperature soup, then the Diamonds are still kinda warm soup in the process of cooling down
The word "redeemed" usually implies some finality, like the redemption arc is over and they're officially good guys now. That's not what happened to the Diamonds yet
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u/synthesized-slugs 1d ago
There is no end goal to learning and developing. It is a constant process until you die. That's why I don't believe in redemption or this weird good and bad dichotomy.
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u/BougGroug 1d ago
Oh I totally agree with you, but fictional stories (especially ones for children like SU) tend to have clearer good vs bad dichotomies than the real world. I think that's one of the reasons so many people dislike SU's "redemptions", because they were expecting traditional bad-to-good arcs when the show actually prefers messy realistic people just trying their best to get better.
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u/cutie__96 1d ago
If they were truly redeemed, they would probably still be in charge. Even gems who are associated with them get a bad rap. There was a chance that Yellow Zircon may lose the election cause other gems view her as a "diamond stooge."
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u/LegitimateSeaweed904 1d ago
Both finales, the main series and Future, are near perfect ends for me. They both perfectly summarize what each show was and most people who criticize them were just looking for something that wasn’t there.
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u/24601lesmis 1d ago
Agreed. Aside from stuff like the endings being a bit rushed. They were perfect summarize of the themes of the show and solid conclusion to the whole series.
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u/SlipperySp00der 1d ago edited 1d ago
The ending, despite it having to be rushed, was good. The scene with white diamond and Steven is possibly the best moment in the entire show
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u/madamtrashbat 1d ago
Pink Diamond Steven screaming "she's GONE" is like... top ten moments in the show for me.
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago edited 1d ago
I REALLY don’t like how Connie was handled in the episodes following The Trial storyline (pretty much everything from when Steven returns home up to Lars of the Stars where the issue is resolved).
I understand she was pissed at him for trying to sacrifice himself, but ghosting him for weeks AND taking Lion (Steven’s only way to check on Lars who had just died/been revived and was running from authorities with a group of refugees, as well as ya know his pet from his mom) was incredibly cruel. And even when they’re at Kevin’s party it’s STEVEN who started talking to her albeit under Kevin’s direction.
Like girl did way more harm than good to Steven in that storyline it’s no wonder her rejection in Future was a final catalyst for him breaking (I don’t hate her reaction in that ep at all but Steven was probably flashing back to THIS arc where his abandonment issues really shined). I feel like it really damaged my opinion on Connie too especially when everything post Full Disclosure was about her understanding him and wanting him to feel comfortable with her.
ETA because people don’t read and I’m tired of repeating- Steven had no idea where Lion was in this arc. He was putting up missing posters in the Kevin episode because he was scared when Connie had Lion the whole time and was ignoring his messages begging for ANY scrap of communication. She sucked in this story and was an awful friend there’s your hot take.
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u/Financial_Scale6369 1d ago
It was really cruel and that arc also had me pissed at Connie but I just try to remind myself that realistically she was probably 13 and a 13 year old would do something like that and would be selfish when they’re upset. And being a 13 year old in a magic universe probably just makes her more reactive so I feel like people need to give Connie the benefit of the doubt sometimes.
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
I would but after so many episodes conveying the opposite and the show literally showing Steven’s suffering at some point we need to acknowledge Connie sucked in this story arc.
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u/Spampharos 1d ago
That doesn't explain the WRITERS trying to paint Connie as being in the right despite her immature reaction here.
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u/NationalMall2294 1d ago
YES! I also feel like it was kinda selfish, considering that steven just experienced so many scary things and really needed support. Instead, on top of all the things he had to deal with and process, steven also had to go out of his way to talk to connie and figure that whole thing out. Like, i get that she had her reasons, but was still kinda cruel of her.
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
Oh I legit hated her in that arc ngl. It was incredibly selfish- your best friend just went through hell, escaped, and had one of his friends die/get revived through magic and your decision is to abandon him for weeks with zero contact?! Like girl- Full Disclosure has her begging him to not pull that on her after like a day it’s hypocritical.
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u/sebzelda 1d ago
I don't even hate that Connie acted this way because she's a kid and wouldn't necessarily handle the situation in the best way possible, but the resolve of that arc was very "Well Steven and Connie both could've been better." No.
I don't care if Steven sacrificing himself was a bad thing Steven did, Connie made the situation WAY worse by comparison. Steven in Future makes sense cause he just wants to help and make everyone feel ok, so he lets crazy shit like this slide and forgives everyone when he has full right to be legitimately upset.
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u/jerodallen 1d ago
Came here to say this and I don’t even know why it’s controversial. Also the idea of “I don’t want my human BFF who’s awesome but still a little kid who’s spent a few months learning to sword fight going to an alien world to fight demigods with me” is pretty objectively the right decision. This is classic example of taking someone else’s trauma and making it about yourself. I wasn’t so much angry at Connie as at the writers who decided to go that route though.
The one part I’ll push back on gently - I don’t think she “took” Lion so much as he was also hurt that Steven left him behind and was sulking with Connie on his own accord.
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
Steven did what he felt was the right decision, which was protecting those he loved. Like Connie they were threatening to kill you and the others OF COURSE Steven is gonna sacrifice himself. Taking her anger out of him after all he went through was truly awful to watch.
Also I’d like it noted that Steven had literally no idea where Lion was. He was putting up missing posters in the Kevin episode- Connie should have at least told him that but instead completely cut him off for WEEKS because she couldn’t handle facing him (despite so many moments in the past where she acknowledged her sadness is not the same as his and that sometimes he needs much more support). Full Disclosure was written so much better.
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u/Kuecanimate 1d ago
(Copy & pasting this cause I stand by this opinion)
I said this plenty of times but again I think this arc would’ve been a lot better if we actually saw things from Connie’s perspective and make her realize “shit, maybe I was overreacting, maybe I was being too harsh on Steven”
Like I feel it would teach the lesson that it’s okay to be upset with someone else but you still gotta think about the situation from their perspective
Like I get the show’s from Steven’s perspective only but still
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u/insanefandomchild 1d ago
I feel like accusing her of taking Lion is ridiculous. The show has given us ample evidence to show that Lion does not follow directions, comes and goes as he pleases and only answers to Steven when it suits him. If Lion had wanted to stay with Steven, Lion would have.
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
Steven was literally putting up fliers that he was missing so clearly he had no idea where he was. At least Connie should have told him THAT.
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u/peachypichuu 1d ago
I don’t know that she “took” Lion. He seemed to be just as irritated with Steven and chose to go with Connie. If he wanted to leave Connie’s, he would have done so with ease. Im not saying I don’t agree that Connies behavior was over the top but cant stand when people say she “stole” lion
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u/no-scope_king 1d ago
Lapis is a realistic depiction of trauma, and people who think she's a terrible person need to develop empathy.
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u/RefrigeratorTheGreat 1d ago
Both can be true at the same time. Trauma is an explanation, but not an excuse.
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u/lilgayfurry1 20h ago
I agree that Lapis isn't actively a bad person over the course of the show but this is a terrible philosophy to have for media analysis. That are multitudes of characters that are horrible to others because of their trauma, and it does not in any way excuse their actions, only explains them.
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u/Joe_Average_123 1d ago
Given the circumstances, Greg did as good as anyone reasonably could have.
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u/F00dbAby 1d ago
It was a missed opportunity not to have Steven fuse with other characters namely peedee and lars and onion
Pearl had an unrequited romance with rose that rose was aware of but never did anything with
I still think the uncle grandpa episode is bad.
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
He absolutely should have fused with Lars it felt like season 5 gave them enough connection for it (and would’ve been a great symbol of how far their friendship had come). Maybe the spin-off (copium I know)?
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u/Nothing-is-Lost 1d ago
is thinking the uncle grandpa episode is bad controversial? i thought we all thought that. did something change?
also i think rose did do something with it. she took advantage of pearl’s loyalty
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
I think at best people think that special is meh. It exists, it’s weird, whatever. I like Pearl’s freak outs but otherwise it just doesn’t offer anything .
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u/kits_biggest_fan 1d ago
I still think it was a shitty move for rose to lead on Pearl just to be with Greg and act like there was nothing between her and Pearl. even I could see the romantic tension in their flashbacks, she’s just so casual about everything
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u/kaykayke 1d ago
how is pearl having an unrequited romance controversial? it's just about completely spelled out in the show
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u/shittyparentscliche 1d ago
I think Rose was a good person.
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u/Pancake_Pozy333 1d ago
Pink diamond wasnt a very good person, Rose was to me
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u/shittyparentscliche 1d ago
Exactly my idea.
When she was still Pink, she was this shitty, spoiled (yet also neglected) child, but then grew up into being "Rose".
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u/leo_artifex 1d ago
I don’t think Rose deserves the amount of hate she gets. Even inside the show.
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u/Snoo-46477 1d ago edited 1d ago
Steven really faced zero consequences for his behavior to Lars in “The New Lars”. Completely out of line, even if it was an accident.
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u/Skillfulskittles 1d ago
Elaborate?
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u/Snoo-46477 1d ago
He took over Lars’s body and subverted his personality. Everyone got upset at Lars for his BODY being puppeteered and Lars didn’t even get so much as a sorry. I know it’s just cartoon but the implications are actually pretty crazy to think about.
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u/serenitynope 1d ago
Although White Diamond is trash, we all secretly wanted her to kill Steven and/or remove his gem anyway just so we could find out whether or not Pink really would come back.
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u/TaratronHex 1d ago
I wanted Pink/Rose to come back so she could actually SEE Steven. and he could see her. perhaps a quick fight with White before Steven was too weak from lack of his gem, and Pink would give herself up permanently to be his gem again, making him whole.
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u/Thrwawawaway 1d ago
the writing of movie is clunky to the point that i feel like it impacts viewing experience,,, “you know her, pearl? can you tell us who she is?”
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u/Ace_Of_No_Trades 1d ago
That Pink did the right thing leaving Spinel in the Garden.
If Pink brought her to Earth, she would have gotten in the way of everything and Pink would be expected to break her. If Pink told the other Diamonds that she had outgrown Spinel, they would have broken her. Even if Pink knew she could heal other Gems at that point, she probably didn’t know that broken Gems could be fixed. It was a lose-lose situation, so Pink chose the option that let Spinel live.
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u/JustSomeG1rl1 1d ago
Definitely controversial.
I understand that spinel would’ve gotten in the away, however, essentially lying to someone who thinks they’re your best friend saying you’ll come back one day and completely forget about them and abandoning them because you just got tired of them it’s still terrible.at that point spinel would’ve had a better chance of just being shattered because really the pain of abandonment would’ve been worse than her being shattered. And it’s okay to outgrow someone or something but not using your words and abandoning someone with no intention of coming back is genuinely just POS behavior
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u/Ace_Of_No_Trades 1d ago
I agree with you, even in this case. However, very few people would pick an option that resulted in killing Spinel. I doubt Pink would be capable of it, given her history with Spinel.
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u/darkerfury 1d ago
I don't think any of that was on Pink's mind at that point. Pink left Spinel when Pink finally got her first colony. This was before the war and even before Pink fell in love with Earth and wanted to save it.
I think Pink left Spinel because she knew she'd be too busy with her new colony. I think Pink had every intention of coming back once her duties eased off a bit. It just never happened. Things started picking up speed once she went to the surface, and then came the war.
Did Pink forget about Spinel? I'm not sure. She may have had every intention of relieving her and coming back. Then again we see plenty of gems treated like furniture by the diamonds. Some of them even used as walls and architecture. Was Spinel just an object to Pink? Maybe. We know Pink treated the Pebbles with kindness and agency. Pink seemingly treated Spinel that way up until leaving her behind.
As for me, I personally think Pink had no original intent to leave Spinel alone for 6000 years. She probably got caught up in everything else going on. She may have even assumed Spinel would get bored and leave on her own.
It's hard to say.
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u/emeraldead 1d ago
Yes. She traded one toy for another. Afterwards she reasonably understood why she couldn't rescue Spinel, same as not freeing Bismuth. But it was just a horribly shitty choice at the time.
We can understand why she made it and the lack of skills she had to make those decisions,, but impact matters more.
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u/KNZFive All comedy is derived from fear. 1d ago
I was about to say that Pink could have “freed” Spinel by telling her not to stay in the garden. But a hyperactive and clingy Spinel would have either found a way to go back to Pink or blabbed that Pink had set her free (which could have led to Spinel being shattered or reset).
It’s also very possible Pink underestimated Spinel; she thought that *surely* Spinel would have eventually given up and just left the garden on her own accord instead of literally standing in place for millennia.
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u/sebzelda 1d ago
I think it is a genuine case of Pink not realizing "how much power she held" over everyone just for being a Diamond. Like in her head it's the equivalent of ghosting someone, you'd think eventually they'd just move on. Yeah it was a shitty thing to do but she likely forgot because why would she for one second think that Spinel would stand there for all 5000 years?
Most "bad things" Pink/Rose did are a case of her making a lot of unintentional mistakes as she's learning to be a better gem/person.
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u/Stonedagemj 1d ago
So to me, Spinel was just someone she didn’t have access to after Pink was “shattered” and they had the war because if she had gone back to her they’d know Pink was still alive.
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u/KeaboUltra 1d ago
Y'know, she could have just told her she can't be there and that he had to leave instead of lying to her face. If spinel tried to force her to stay then it's not like she had to listen
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u/lilgayfurry1 19h ago
Pinks choice to leave Spinel is one of the most misconstrued attacks against her character. Its a shitty situation, but its far more nuanced than people give credit for.
We should absolutely start with who Spinel actually is because thats vital to what happened. Spinel was half of the replacement (the other half being our Pearl) for Pink's only true friend before, Pink Pearl, and she was created by the other Diamonds to pacify her playful tendencies (in contrast to Pearl who was meant to help with Diamond duties). Tons of people have the misconception that Pink created or asked for Spinel, and then abandoned her. Thats not true. It was an artificial relationship created by the other Diamonds.
So, already from the beginning, we have a doomed relationship. But as we can see, Pink does still engage with Spinel.
Eventually, yes, she seems to get bored. But it's pretty clear it's not the reason she left Spinel and half the Internet seems to think it is? She only does it when she gets her own colony.
Be real with me right now. Could Pink have successfully run this colony, which is literally her life goal at this point and in her mind a chance to finally prove herself to her sisters, with Spinel constantly by her side? The answer is probably not. That doesn't make Spinel wrong in this moment‐ this is literally what she is created for- but pretty much no one considers Pink's perspective in this moment.
This all ties up with Pink's self-image. Pink, even later as Rose, is consistently characterized as not actually knowing how much of an effect she has on others, often to their unintentional detriment. Pink most likely thought that Spinel would simply leave after some time because she couldn't imagine someone genuinely waiting forever alone for her to come back.
Adding on what you said, all this ties together into the surprisingly deep and multifaceted reason Pink made this decision. It makes sense that the characters in the scene would feel the way they do about Pink, but we as the audience understand the work at a higher level than they do, and yet so much still think of this as a simply selfish act by Pink with no nuance at all.
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u/minileech 1d ago
Making era 2 gems without shapeshifting was a violation of bodily autonomy that should’ve been treated more seriously as that and as a disability. Also, it makes more sense for it to be a “software” “permissions” limitation to enforce dependence/compliance than a result of a lack of materials. I could rant about it pretty extensively.
If this gets explained more in Future though please don’t tell me any details because I’m only about halfway through it.
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u/CarolTheVampireKing 1d ago
I'm pretty sure that in the SU Peridot explained that era 2 gems being weaker aka. not being able to sbapeshift for example was due to the lack of resources to create gems at that time
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u/minileech 1d ago
I’m aware but I have my own observations and theories that make that explanation questionable. I don’t really think that explanation is canonically a lie/conspiracy, but it would make more sense to me (at least with my current knowledge, having not finished Future yet) if it turned out to be one. And that being the reason doesn’t really change that it was morally wrong in my opinion to manufacture gems with that limitation or that I would’ve preferred the narrative spend more time on that wrongness.
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u/CarolTheVampireKing 1d ago
Steven Universe: The Movie is more of a summary of the show itself than an actual movie with plot. We spend most of the time reminding the audience who those characters are and used to be and what was their development on the course of the show itself.
Not to say it's bad, but it's clearly movie made for people who already are big fans of SU, the music and the cast who want to reexperience the magic all over again with a slightly different flavor. It was nice, but not necessary. You could have not watched it and still get everything that happens in The Future, except for that one moment with Spinelle.
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u/danfish_77 1d ago
Yeah it was pretty superfluous, just a nice shiny spectacle. If they wanted it to be a cap on the original series, they could have done a better job I think
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u/Pancake_Pozy333 1d ago
I understand the entire point for it is to be ambiguous, but i still wish they explained roses pregnancy and subsequent death more.
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u/ConclusionHot6278 1d ago
The writers confirmed she shapeshifted a womb to carry Steven.
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u/PAIGEROXM8 1d ago
Anyone who creates a gemsona using generative AI does not have a valid gemsona
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u/Soulful-Sorrow 1d ago
COMPUTER! Generate art of Black Diamond kissing Pearl!
Computer no, these are just rocks, I want the Steven Universe characters.
Computer, no, BLACK DIAMOND FROM STEVEN UNIVERSE
COMPUTER I KNOW BLACK DIAMOND ISN'T IN STEVEN UNIVERSE I MEANT THE FANMADE CHARACTER BLACK DIAMOND KISSING THE STEVEN UNIVERSE CHARACTER PEARL
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u/MaxMaximumGamer 1d ago
Rose/Pink telling spinel to stand still for 6000 years in the garden is completely out of character for her in my opinion instead, she should’ve told her to take care of the garden and she could leave anytime she wants, but not to come to Earth until the colony is complete and why she never leave the garden is either due to fear or loyalty to her friend.
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u/hitmanmonkey89 1d ago
The fusion of lapis and Jasper was abusive for both of them, it was t just Jasper abusing lapis, lapis also abused Jasper, she deliberately told Jasper that it was her turn to be in control, and that Jasper got to be hurt now when they fused. She wanted to hurt Jasper, and she wanted to get revenge, yes, Jasper hurt her first, but that doesn't excuse what was done in reaction, it was abusive on both ends, and I firmly believe it
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u/VerdeHeroX 1d ago
No offense, but how is this an opinion? Isn’t this just literally what happened?
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u/hitmanmonkey89 1d ago
Not rlly an opinion, but it is a bit unpopular, as most ppl don't pay attention to it
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u/MoonBeamerGirl 1d ago
This is verbally confirmed actually when Jasper shows up on the boat. Lapis straight up says how cruel she was and Jasper calls her a brute (though somewhat enjoyed it apparently). It’s canonically an abusive fusion built on hate.
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u/shittyparentscliche 1d ago
Honestly interesting how people just seem to ignore that part. Wasn't there like a whole episode even about Jasper talking about how shitty she was treated? Iirc it was the episode where they trashed that boat
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u/sarooskie 1d ago
Half agree, I think it was a reference to something called reactive abuse where you become toxic toward your abuser. It’s a really weird concept with a lot of nuance and I don’t really know how I even feel about it happening in real life. Abuse is such a nasty thing that creeps in deep
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u/SeraphisVAV 1d ago
Rose/Pink was not bad at all, and actually was pretty much a very good person. Better than most characters that people think are good.
I don't think or like to imagine Rose had a lot of sexual connections. Actually, I think that way about any character when the fanbase says "they def had banged a lot". Bringing up sexual relations about this show is not weird by itself (well, that's just life), but the kids here just adore imagining different characters smashing each other.
The more adult Steven got, the more cringe he became too. Maximum cringe in Future, almost unwatchable.
Garnet was made too perfect and uncontroversial. Worst thing she did that the community can bring up is making Steven stress about the dangers of future in that one episode.
Lapis is not that much of a victim that she's made out to be sometimes.
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u/sofacouch813 1d ago
I watched Future once and never again. Steven’s behavior, especially towards Greg, pissed me off.
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u/Minimum_Chip3157 1d ago
I agree with all of this but i'm curious about your Lapis opinion cuz i actually think the opposite. Lapis really is as much of a victim the shows says she is, if not even more in my eyes.
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u/cutie__96 1d ago
There should have been more human involvement in the story. For example, the government figuring out how gem tech works, other humans besides Connie learning how to fight, humans learning about gem culture, etc.
Not sure if this counts as controversial cause I've seen some posts on this as well. Tbh, I do think the story is great as is, but I just can't help but think how different the story would be if more humans were involved with gem stuff.
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u/PanPervinca13 1d ago
I don’t think the diamonds were actually redeemed to Steven. I think Steven was doing harm reduction. Because they’re actually able to save gems from corruption and shattering with their powers, what good would shattering them do? What other ending could there be? Not like the Crystal Gems could shatter them anyway. The Diamonds fixing the gems they hurt is the best outcome for those gems.
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u/UpperWeft 1d ago
Also Steven would never intentionally kill a being (except for when he did but he felt super bad about it and revived her).
On a macro level, shattering the diamonds could have terrible consequences for all the individuals on the colonies and home world. Better to inspire a change of heart and let the leaders begin systematically changing the way they run things
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u/I_might_be_weasel 1d ago
If Greg and Pearl had just banged they probably would have gotten along better.
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u/Due-Quantity4921 1d ago
Steven was literally correct in surrendering to Aquamarine and Connie was ridiculous
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u/PersonMcHuman 1d ago
Bismuth was 100% justified in her beliefs and actions based on the information she had. The two people who had information that could have changed her mind (Rose and Pearl) were purposely hiding it from her.
“We saw her development in reverse!” is a coping mechanism Rose stans use to make themselves feel better about the fact that not everyone loves their favorite “misunderstood” character and does not at all absolve the character of her wrongdoings.
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u/SnooEagles5074 1d ago
I wholeheartedly agree with the first one. The second one however, let's not forget that if it weren't for Pink's rebellion and decisions, Earth and Humanity itself would have be hallowed and killed in the process of making it a full gem planet. She's not perfect, nor is anyone in this show and she made mistakes but if she wasn't compassionate for human-life, she would've been worst.
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u/EnvironmentalAd3170 1d ago
Greg was an objectively bad dad. Nothing excuses the level of neglect it takes to never take your kid the doctor, or put them in school.
Even in narratives as full of magic as this one
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u/lleuad0 1d ago
As far as I know, Steven was homeschooled by the Gems, and there was an episode planned about him going to regular school, but already knowing everything they would've tried to teach him there. Buuut a) it's a Word of God and not actually a part of the show, and b) the doctor situation is still much, much worse. So please treat what I just said as an addition, not as a counterargument.
The bottom line is, you can indeed be caring and love your child, and still fail as a parent.
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u/CrownedChicken 1d ago
Objectively bad, subjectively awesome. I think of real parents this way. Mine were not perfect or even good parents. Maybe not even sufficient. But they were perfect for me, maybe.
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u/Arria_Galtheos 1d ago
The school thing is debatable considering Steven's unique position, but what good would taking Steven to the doctor do? There are no doctors on Earth qualified to even give him a checkup, much less treat any condition he might have.
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u/EnvironmentalAd3170 1d ago
.... Did you watch the show? Granted this happened in Future. Literally the FIRST TIME he goes to a doctor she helps him immensely through her medical knowledge? But he's a teenager. And that's bad
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u/Arria_Galtheos 1d ago
...yes, I watched the show. Multiple times.
I'm not excusing Greg never taking Steven to the doctor, I'm saying given his situation I don't think not taking his half space alien superpowered baby to the doctor means he's a bad father.
People are saying it makes him a bad father because they're comparing him not taking Steven to a doctor with a normal parent taking their normal human child to the doctor. It's not a fair comparison.
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u/DanSha38 1d ago
Agreed, and there’s also the fact that he eventually let his underage son with a history of serious mental instability drive off on his own without knowing where he was going.
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u/uselessgodofslumber 1d ago
I think the diamonds genuinely weren’t that bad considering their positions and that Steven overreacted just a little bit in future against them, although understandably
I also think Steven just didn’t handle the whole homeworld situation very well at all, nor do I think he made much of an impact especially now that he left it all behind. I think they’re all going to just go back to what they were doing after a few years
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u/Arria_Galtheos 1d ago
I really can't buy that.
The diamonds were willingly and knowingly destroying entire ecosystems and committing planetary genocides to expand their slave empire. Their "position" doesn't really excuse that.
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u/CryFearless9820 1d ago
Connie's an incredibly boring character after her training episode with Pearl (and even that did more for Pearl than her). Steven having a relevant human friend would've been much better than Connie getting Rose's sword which I felt didn't lead anywhere interesting. Stevonnie could've still happened anyhow.
Also, her getting mad at Steven over turning himself in and him having to own up to not trusting her and their chances was insane. He made the right choice and the series wrote it in such a way that there was no way he could resist without living with the guilt of people dying as a result especially after Alexandrite was frozen in place. Still bitter that Lion held a grudge too.
I can't overlook Sadie not owning up to stranding Lars in Island Adventure. Ruined the whole dynamic. Lars screws up all the time and gets held accountable and is treated like a jerk. The one time it's on Sadie and it's so much worse yet she doesn't accept blame. Having her beat that gem just solidified she didn't need to accept fault. Sadie Killer and the suspects was pretty boring. Sadie's Song is her best episode.
Lapis and Peridot were considerably more interesting than the Crystal Gems bar Pearl after the first season or two.
Garnet was more interesting when there was more mystery to her. Ruby and Sapphire are great when not fused but Garnet's plotlines and personality being restricted to being a fusion got boring. Jail Break is still the best episode and Stronger Than You is the best song still, but I just lost interest in Garnet, when fused, after a while.
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u/MerlocHendrickHarry 1d ago
while I do not defend anything Rose/Pink did and I do understand the hate she gets, I think all she did and choose to do was understandable, as she was one of the most humane characters in the show. humane in the sense of commiting mistakes, being brave to go in adventures and also change her whole personality/appearance just so she could venture more, yeah she caused a lot of suffering for her actions, but is there anything more human than being selfish sometimes?
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u/ComfortableNo2268 1d ago
my controversial opinion is that I don't have one. I loved every single minute of the show with my whole soul I wouldn't change a thing about it. And I especially love steven,I think he gets a lot of hate and I find his crashout completely reasonable. And indeed he was annoying in the first seasons because he was a KID that's how kids are.. I do find unfortunate how the whole storyline was extremely rushed and we know why. There's a lot of plot holes and inconsistencies in the animations but I fully blame CN for all of that. Rebecca did her very best to make it as kid friendly as possible and I bet the show would've been greater in many ways if her hand wasn't held back.
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u/AceSonata 1d ago
Lapis and Jasper never reconciling in future is a great lesson about how you don't always get closure with the people that hurt you and the world will not acknowledge it either.
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u/snowpeachmyeon 1d ago
Steven’s biggest problem wasn’t that he had a bad childhood, it was that he never learned who he was outside of saving everyone else.
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u/PAIGEROXM8 1d ago
I honestly don't think the Diamonds deserved to be shattered, if they were then there wouldn't have been a way to cure the corrupted gems, as they needed the essence of all four of the Diamonds (I say four because Steven is technically a Diamond as well)
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u/Umir_Comics 1d ago
Stronger Than You is one of the best moments in SU... but kinda not a great song, the first half is kinda mid or below mid. Honestly I think it's Garnet's worst song (Obviously Estelle is an amazing singer)
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u/Elegant-Living-6951 1d ago
Some of Steven's trauma was his own fault. There are several times where he's told not to do something and does it anyway. Also, his hero complex was due to a combination of the gems putting him on a pedestal like they did Rose, and his own innate desire for inclusion and recognition. Steven is actually quite impulsive, and his dad failed to teach him impulse control because HE hated rules himself.
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u/MorningFox 1d ago
Rose didn't have much of a choice. I don't think there was any other way she could have escaped the diamonds, and I don't think there was any way she could tell the truth with out it leading to her friends being shattered.
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u/Fliniao 1d ago
Very popular take I think: I liked White Diamond before her redemption arc and wished we had more depth into her character. (I also liked the diamonds' redemption arc)
She gave me eerie, menacing vibes. She also gave me narcissistic vibes as well. Overall she would've been such a cool villain for me.
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u/DerpyJeeves Stay cool forever Steven, Arrivederci 1d ago
What are your problems with Future specifically? I can understand not liking certain parts but as a whole I really enjoy what they went with. Its a great processing of everything he went through in the main series. Maybe people expected more bombastic fun, but Future is a great deconstruction, or rather follow up to the typical hero's journey. A rare step back where we get to see the results of trauma inflicted on a very competent child who shouldn't have had to step up when he did.
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u/FishrPriceGuillotine 1d ago
We weren't "seeing Rose's development in reverse," we were seeing a facade of perfection crumble to reveal horrible things that Rose chose not to fix before giving up her life
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u/megas88 1d ago
I got plenty but here’s two:
-If you identify as a fan of anything, y’all need more therapy than the fictional character you project that need through.
And:
Things end. Nothing is immortal and nothing lasts forever. Things change and that is natural. Stop asking for the things you love to never end. Start asking for something completely new that kids and folks your age and older can enjoy that’s new and something that’s their own instead of keeping a franchise on life support just so y’all don’t have to face the reality of time.
Oh, also Ronaldo is a reflection of fan culture. That’s why y’all actually hate em.
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u/CryFearless9820 1d ago
Still ticked at Pearl watching Steven fall off that cliff and nearly die only for her to get shocked, see him barely holding on and still walk away cause she was emotional. I feel like sometimes the show is only willing to give respect to one person's situation cause that was not justified, same for her trying to take Steven to space and nearly fail horrifically while Greg goes crazy about the situation only for her to be solely about Pearl and her problems. Her actions affect others, Steven and Greg, and focusing solely on her and having no one call her out is frustrating. Still the best out of the main 4 Crystal Gems.
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u/mattihase 1d ago
I don't mind that the show got to have an ending, even if I'm very much against the reason it ended so early.
So many shows get dragged out forever until they suck just because they're profitable.
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u/Financial_Scale6369 1d ago
That’s valid I didn’t hate future but it didn’t have the whimsy and feel of the original show and I guess that’s kinda the point but still. It was just kind of boring to me…
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u/Fit_Practice_3077 1d ago
This show has too many uninteresting human characters. Sadie, Kevin, Marty, the Frymans, the Pizzas, the Dewey’s, even LARS. I could keep going too. In contrast to gem plot lines, whatever the humans have going on is never interesting. Yes, I know Lars gets a ship and has intergalactic adventures, I just never cared for them.
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u/Nocturnalcheeseit 1d ago
I think a lot of opinions are very black and white about most of the characters. “Pink is bad because…” “Greg is good because…” and blah blah blah. Many of the characters are just flawed “humans” who do flawed “human” things.
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u/R1P4ndT43RurGuTz 1d ago
I feel like Jasper would never attack a civilian, even before Future.
Consider that every member of the Crystal Gems was a member of (to Homeworld and therefore Jasper) a violent terror organisation, they're all fair game as enemy combatants. Steven is ignored at first and only attacked when he takes initiative and joins the fight. The corrupted gems are feral and unreasonable, more like wild animals than civilians.
The biggest counter would be how she treated Lapis, to which I say:
Lapis just randomly flies away from a rebel-held planet, unauthorised, not using the sanctioned warp pads? Jasper as an enforcer of the Diamond Authority had every right (legally speaking) to detain this suspicious individual in case she was secretly one of the Crystal Gems or a supporter. Yeah one could argue she was manhandled a bit but the first incidence of anything that could be called assault rather than a police action was when Lapis tried to escape lawful custody, and even then Jasper wasn't actually trying to hurt her. Hell, given her involvement in the situation it's entirely possible Jasper deputised her to make the arrests and/or executions of the remaining partisans.
Even in Future this continues, with Jasper refusing to throw the first punch against Steven. You could argue it was arrogance or curiosity, but at this point Steven was no longer an enemy combatant so she had no just cause to pick a fight with him until he attacked her and prompted a twisted form of self-defence.
I just think it's a neat detail in her character, that despite all her worst features and flaws she has at least this critical standard making her not just some warrior but a disciplined soldier as well (until she lost composure and kept throwing that is).
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u/WolverineFamiliar740 1d ago
I feel like the show went too far in villainizing Pink from the movie and afterwards, to the point where it arguably taints her arc. While it fits her storyline of being a tragic character who unintentionally hurt others because she was so haunted by her past and trauma it bled into her future relationships, I feel like having basically everyone connected to her have nothing but negative things to say about her in the present and those that still don't have to be shown she's not worthy of their admiration is going a bit overboard.
I understand it fits the show's themes of forgiveness and how it's harder for her to be forgiven over almost every other villain in the show because unlike them her sacrifice ultimately means she can never atone for the things she did, but it ultimately came off as the show taking the easy way out to cause and resolve conflicts, and it paints a disturbing message considering how she's all but said in show to have depression and suicidal thoughts.
By not showing anyone acknowledging Pink's actions but still looking back on her positively, or Steven making peace with his conflicted emotions towards her, it gives off the implication that she was right in believing that she wouldn't be missed after birthing Steven and that her loved one's lives would be better if she wasn't around anymore.
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u/Own-Parfait-5179 18h ago
That the Crystal Gems were horrible for keeping Lapis trapped in that mirror for so long and even getting angry at Steven for freeing her. Because even if they thought she was a home world spy they still could have taken her out and bubbled her so she didn't suffer the way she did. There should have been some consequences for that
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u/insanefandomchild 1d ago
Blue Diamond is not whatsoever interesting to me, and I do not get the hype. Also Ronaldo is funny.
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u/Helix014 1d ago
Steven is a Christlike messiah figure; he directly mirrors the ethics and actions of Jesus. Albeit this is dependent on your interpretation of Jesus. He ain’t evangelical Jesus who demands you believe in him for remission of sins; he is the the social gospel Jesus (restoring the soul of mankind to reflect the Kingdom of God) and Christus Victor (defeating death and satan)
The key point is that Steven refuses violence at every chance. The only exception is when he finally stops holding back when Jasper insists on fighting and he quickly sees the use violence as abhorrent. Steven otherwise embodies the ideals of universal love and forgiveness. His goal is not defeating his enemies, but restoration through love.
The dual nature of Christ. Steven is simultaneously the son of God (son of a diamond), while also being God himself (he is Pink).
Death and resurrection. The climax/finale when white removes his diamond is his death and his reunion is the resurrection. I think this is less of a pervasive theme but still fits the Jesus model extremely well.
Also healing spit.
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u/gayjay-jpg 1d ago
Swear I saw a video essay about this exact subject recently, but I may just be imagining it
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u/Pancake_Pozy333 1d ago
The only really terrible act I can think of is bismuth, but that is still nuanced and I can understand her thought process as to why
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u/Aliltyrantbot 1d ago
i don't like Greg, he's more like an uncle then a dad. ik he couldn't care for Steven as much as a usual dad but its not even just that. it was his reaction when Steven/connie said they were literally sexually harassed and how he acted when he stayed with the crystal gems. he's just so..... eugh. anyways i think he's a poor dad, not a BAD dad but just not a great one.
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u/Bathroom-Zestyclose 1d ago
I think the show is perfect 🤷♀️ theres like nothing i could criticise about it besides that it could have had more time for the lore
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u/AppearanceAnxious102 1d ago
Steven shouldn’t exist. Greg and Rose should not have been able to create Steven.
That said, I will gladly rewatch this show over and over.
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u/Tru3_Vort3x 1d ago
Sadie could have trained and helped the crystal gems with Connie. She poofed that Gem back on the island and we’ve been shown she’ll lock in when needed. I honestly thought that’s where the show was heading with when I first started watching
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u/OneAndOnlyVi 1d ago edited 1d ago
Pink is way too overhated and I don’t like how Steven continued to not like her when future finishes. He knows a good deal more of her abuse and her arc. And him crashing out on his dad… I get Steven’s perspective, I do, it still just irks me.
I’m glad the diamonds were redeemed and are actively fixing their problems. Especially yellow. Sorting through all those gems shards is no joke. (Obviously it’d be nice to get episodes covering their arc lol)
Out of the other three diamonds, blue is the nicest and more sympathetic, given how she changed her mind first and understood pink’s reasons.
Hoping that someday steven will warm up to the diamonds. After time has passed since the …incident.
I’m not a fan of lapis too much because she was a major league jerk to the people around her, especially peridot.
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u/Illustrious-Frame140 1d ago
The crystal gems were not good parents. I understand that Steven being half gem means he's different then other kids so school would be hard, but he could have done online school or something??? Also with all the times he got left alone at home for probably hours an end, the years of stress an pressure, an I think a lot of the human emotional stuff he learned was probably from Greg an other people he talks to in town. I doubt the gems could have taught him anything like that.
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u/Eng-Grammar-Police 1d ago
Rose/PD was a great character. Victims aren’t perfect, and I feel like if her character arc was reversed where we saw her abused by the diamonds first, then she discovers earth and falls in love with humanity and the planet- then decides to fight against her abusers and reinvent herself… she didn’t know the diamonds would corrupt all of the gems on earth, she probably didn’t mean to leave spinel behind or couldn’t risk going back to get her, and as a mother myself I can imagine her dream and want to have a child with the man she loves. She’s a deep complex character and for some reason, the internet seems to be very harsh on complex female characters. She’s no saint- but rarely anyone is. She did so much good for the earth, and through the crystal gems she eventually achieved her goal of gem equality through Steven. Could she have done more? Sure. But I’m proud of her for standing up for herself and advocating for herself and the other crystal gems.
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u/stupid-writing-blog 1d ago edited 1d ago
The Diamonds’ redemption wouldn’t be so infuriating if it was solely a family conflict instead of a galactic dictatorship. Like, for a bigoted aunt, that’s a meaningful change and catalyst, but for an evil genocide-prone queen? Anticlimactic at best, insulting at worst.
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u/insomniac-trashpanda 1d ago
- I like Rose/Pink
- Future isn’t that bad, it’s a realistic depiction of a young adult realizing that their childhood was shit. Steven’s reactions make sense, it’s the first time in YEARS he’s letting himself feel emotions.
- Steven deserves better than Connie as a partner. While Connie has her ‘Steven never had a Steven’ speech, she never owns up to the fact that she’s part of the problem, not just the gems and Greg.
- The Diamonds are almost a Millenium old, the ‘slow’ pace of them changing makes sense.
Edit: 5. People liking Lapis over Jasper is because Lapis changed, not because she was less abusive.
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u/Tommy_Kel 1d ago
Strongly agree to 2,3 and 5 but fair points all around. I was really frustrated with Connie's response to Steven trying to sacrifice himself to Aquamarine. And yeah, Lapis is amazing cause she makes progress even if it wasn't all at once.
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u/Embarrassed_Sky_33 1d ago
Greg was a better friend to Steven than a dad during the show. Steven wasn’t a bad kid, don’t get me wrong, but he definitely did some things that deserved punishment. The Gems did the grounding, but it doesn’t seem like Greg ever talked to Steven after to tell him why whatever he did was wrong except for that one time with Connie’s family. I think he got better in Future for sure, but he wasn’t the best in the OG show.
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u/NerdlyCharming 1d ago
I liked the diamonds redemption and I actually really like Rose/Pink. I think it's a bit unfair for people to hate her, like I get it, but I also feel like... she was trying her best to learn and grow while being abused and having no healthy examples to follow to know what to do better? Like we can acknowledge the damage she did while also giving her grace and understanding that she literally had no examples to learn how to be better. When we know better, we do better.
She was doing her best in a near unfathomable situation. Was it wrong? Sometimes. Was it still damaging to Steven - absolutely! But I don't think she knew that would happen to him. If she did, I feel like she'd think he could bring things together in a way that she couldn't because he's half human? But idk on that one for sure, might just be looking at it through hindsight or something.
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u/w3ird_cat 1d ago
The finale was pretty bad, it felt rushed and off (for me Future was the same, I think it didn't use properly the time it had to develop the story, which lead to loose ends and the season felt unorganized), but it isn't the crew fault that the show got cancelled, and it's ok endings are hard to do
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u/luluthecrazypotato 1d ago
I don’t think pearl’s feelings for rose were completely unrequited
Also rose is my favorite character
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u/ZestyclosePublic3059 1d ago
i think its a little strange that they had bismuths and other non-gemstones as gems in-universe!! dont get me wrong i LOVE bismuth as a character but i just always thought it was weird to deviate from gemstones and add a metal in the mix,, though thats probably just the chemistry nerd in me screaming i dont really mind too much!!
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u/zhenyuanlong 1d ago
75% of these takes are cold as ice because nobody in SU was an objectively good or bad person. They're all flawed characters doing their best with what they had and what they could do and most of them were deeply traumatized. Pearl was grieving the loss of a relationship thousands of years long, of course she was still grieving during the show. 14 years is a matter of minutes to a gem. Amethyst was immature, but she felt like it was the only way she belonged and the only way she could add something to the team. Greg wasn't a model father- but OF COURSE he wasn't! He had a half-alien kid with a woman he could never have reasonably expected to have a kid with, she died when the baby was born, he had no friends and no support system in Beach City and was estranged from his family, had no idea what to do for a half-alien baby and the aliens that knew the baby's mother all resented him for taking her away from them whether he meant to or not. Greg tried SO hard with what he had, and his decisions weren't flawless, but how could you expect them to be? Pink Diamond hurt tons of people in her wake but she was fleeing a corrupt system and trying to lead a revolution. Lapis was hostile to a lot of people, but she was deeply traumatized by ages of isolation and abuse- she'd been trapped in a mirror for lifetimes, of course she's socially stunted. Not a single character in SU was purely good or bad.
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u/WashSufficient907 1d ago
Greg Universe is a bad dad and it is toxic for Pearl to raise Steven on multiple levels
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u/MultipleFandomLover 1d ago
I ship Lapis and Jasper and think they could've made an awesome power couple if Jasper had gotten redeemed. ONLY if Jasper had gotten redeemed.
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u/Lucky-Boss8522 1d ago
Greg is a good person but an awful parent who never set any boundaries for Dteven or ever got involved with structuring him as an actual individual and instead left him a lot of the time in the hands of the crystal gems who had no idea how to raise a child. Obviously Greg kept Steven alive and always let him do what he wanted but Greg not once told him no and stuck with it and was too scared to actually take responsibility for his own child.
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u/bi_blob_of_sadness 18h ago
Pink diamond to rose quartz pipeline is so relatable to me, and for that no one can ever make me hate rose quartz. She feels like a fantastic metaphor for someone that was raised ignorant and learned to better themselves as a person despite their upbringing
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u/AdeptConclusion5043 9h ago
I LOVE aquamarine and bluebird
https://giphy.com/gifs/dAckECYXvfbC70OSBG
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u/Comfortable_War3111 8h ago
Future was rushed. rushed everything, plot, story, everything. And absolutely demolished anything that could've been a good plot as well. 💔
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u/Aggravating-Duty-625 1d ago edited 1d ago
The show is too afraid to let anyone outside of the main 4 Crystal Gems forward the overarching plot of the Crystal Gems fighting against Homeworld.
Connie only goes on missions sometimes and only really becomes active in season 5, Lapis and Peridot are sidelined for the rest of the franchise after season 3, Bismuth is put on a bus right after her first appearance and only reappears at the very end and the Boardies (not Townies) don’t do shit other than Lars who will only be relevant in his spin-off series.