Although the show’s explicit narrative is fun, witty, and engaging, Steven Universe provides a masterful example of a series with a unique, rich subtext. The show follows a young Steven (Zach Callison) raised by three magical alien warriors - the Crystal Gems - sworn to protect the universe. Steven Universe is one of the most progressive kids cartoons ever created. Don’t forget to ❤ this article and follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Thanks for reading The Dot and Line, where we talk about animation of all kinds. “Ugh, this is so dumb,” Amethyst says, but she smiles and sighs contentedly all the same. “Knock it off!” she protests, just as Garnet joins in on the love fest. At the end of “Reformed,” Steven, Garnet, and Pearl all wrap the Amethyst’s newest physical manifestation in a giant hug. And it models a combination of working with loved ones and working with oneself as a path out of self-loathing. It presents emotional insecurity as a complex struggle, not an intrinsic failing. That’s the difference between Steven Universe and other shows: it demonstrates self-worth as a process, not a moral. “On the Run” and “Reformed” are not the last episodes that explore Amethyst’s view of herself. It’s just what feels right,” Amethyst responds.Īs Garnet points out, “just what feels right” is perfect. Garnet does affirm her final reformation, the one that took uncomfortable self-reflection to unironically express her identity. Pearl does listen to Amethyst, and lets her know that she’s valued. Unsurprisingly, love and support are key notes in the series’ refrain. By taking the shape of her teammate, she’s both airing and literally disguising her desire for affirmation. Her reformed body is a semi-permanent projection of her gem and who she is - a neutral state. This is not a temporary shape-shift, like Amethyst’s pro-wrestling alter-ego, Purple Puma. Amethyst reforms as a caricature of Pearl. The most striking example is in “Reformed,” when she “poofs” - her physical Gem form gets destroyed - and she intentionally reforms as a caricature of Pearl while on a mission with Steven and Garnet. Over the course of the show, Amethyst holds herself in comparison to her fellow Gems. I never asked to be made.” For Amethyst, her entire being is under attack. As she emotionally tells Pearl in a heated moment that derails into a brief fight: “I’m not going to let you stand there and remind me of everything I hate about myself. The episode “On the Run” reveals much of her backstory. When her teammates say, “A very long time ago, Gems tried to do something very bad,” what she hears is, “You shouldn’t exist.” When the series begins, Amethyst opposes the Homeworld Gems and fights with the remaining Crystal Gems to protect the planet Earth. Amethyst’s place in the conflict is admittedly awkward: her creation was harmful and 100-percent not her own choice, and she’s also the runt of her litter. The process sapped the Earth’s resources, and was the catalyst for an all-out Gem war between Homeworld and a group of rebellious Crystal Gems led by Rose Quartz. She wasn’t born, but made - a product of a massive invasion of Earth, during which the imperial alien Gems of Homeworld used perverse measures that sucked nutrients out of the soil to create more of their kind as warriors. But self-acceptance takes so much longer than 11 minutes, and no show has ever portrayed the struggle as accurately as Steven Universe does through its character Amethyst.Īmethyst has it tough. In cartoons especially, it serves as a one-and-done lesson, at which point the show can move on to other stock morals. It’s a phrase we hear a lot on TV, and it makes me squirm.
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