In the twenty-second episode of the first season of Steven Universe, I want to form a pop punk band with Steven. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steven Universe.
Y’all, this show can creep up on you in terms of disturbing content. This episode got kinda dark towards the end, didn’t it? Granted, Steven happily announces that in song at the end of the episode when he admits that he had to watch himself die to learn an important lesson about time travel (!!!!!!!), but still. THIS WAS A LOT, BUT I AM SILL FINE WITH ALL OF IT.
Amethyst
Part of me wonders if the show will ever address the fact that she kind of screws up these missions on the regular. Like, how many times has she impulsively grabbed something or ran ahead or not used common sense and ruined everything? Well, that’s part of why she does it; she loves the chaos that comes with it. But at some point, she may actually hurt other people, right? Maybe? I don’t know, I’M JUST VOCALIZING SOMETHING I THOUGHT OF.
Steven’s Band
I haven’t had a chance to talk about this show’s use of music, and this seems like a fine place to start. It’s definitely not a musical show, but I’d also be foolish to ignore how much music plays a part in this show’s storytelling. Steven’s constantly singing; the main four characters have had numerous musical numbers; one of Steven’s most delightful annual traditions is playing with his father in Beach-a-palooza. Also, Steven can play three instruments??? I didn’t even LEARN how to play until I was seventeen, and Steven is out here with chord progressions and punk melodies at HALF THAT AGE. The moral of this story concerns time travel, but music is still a big part of it, you know? I love that everyone in his life fosters his creativity, too, especially his dad. My parents were too busy thinking everything was Satan’s repertoire instead of letting me pursue music, so bravo to the people in his life. Music can be a healing, beautiful thing.
Also, I really want to hear those pop-punk songs by Steven and the Stevens. I REALLY WANT FULL VERSIONS.
Time Travel
This episode is basically the wackiest, shortest parable about what not to do if you have the ability to travel through time. That’s why it’s sometimes a little dark. Steven’s copies of himself are hilarious (and harmonize really well!), but then they start annoying Original Steven, especially after they don’t take too well to being labeled like a pop group / boy band. There’s also a neat little message in here about how words can still hurt people, even if you mean well. Like, Steven didn’t mean to say that the other Steven’s weren’t handsome, but that’s how it came across, you know?
It figures that Amethyst was the stand-in drummer for Steven and the Stevens, though. Because oh my god, she had to have wanted to sit there and watch the chaos unfold. I was totally blown away by how far the dueling copies went through time, culminating in all of them following Original Steven to the Sea Shrine and brawling. THERE WERE SO MANY STEVENS, Y’ALL. (My favorite: the one in the back. YOU KNOW WHICH ONE.) Yeah, Steven Universe has some pretty cool themes in it, but sometimes, it’s silly fun, too. This episode is a lot of fun.
MORE MUSIC, THOUGH. I love the songs in this show!
The video for “Steven and the Stevens” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
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