In the forty-first episode of the first season of Steven Universe, Steven invites Sadie and Lars to a night of horror movies with Ronaldo. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steven Universe.Â
True story: Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. IT’S THE BEST. I’m sad I did not have the time to pull off my own horror club, as I usually use October as a chance to catch up on the horror genre. I just LOVE the feeling of being terrified… well, to an extent. I joke a lot about how if I were in any of the frightening situations I see on television or in films, I would be the first to run away and not return. SELF-PRESERVATION AS PRAXIS. But the truth is that there is something slightly addicting about the sensation. It’s why I love roller coasters and have long sought out the scariest films possible.
“Horror Club†is packed to the brim with a love for horror, and I’m very pleased with that. Sometimes, those references are more direct, from Ronaldo’s costume to the clear parallel to the Child’s Play films. There’s Ronaldo’s cabinet, too, which surprised me NOT AT ALL because of course he has a filing cabinet full of methods to dispel evil spirits and monsters. But even in the way the gem stuck in the wall of Ronaldo’s home manifests feels like little nods to specific genres. From hauntings to poltergeist activities to the totally horrifying sacrifice scene (very Cronenberg, I might add), this is genre stuff through and through.
But the point of “Horror Club†isn’t just to make these little references. We learn that long ago, Ronaldo and Lars were friends. Childhood friends! Honestly! Up to this point, I hadn’t even assumed that they had met, let alone been friends. As Steven Universe progresses, I also see it willing to criticize Lars more and more, and the show’s examination of his history with Ronaldo is a way for them to do that. Even when they were kids, Lars was obsessed with appearances. He cared so deeply about how others perceived him! Ronaldo, on the other hand, grew up prone to overexcitement and impulsive behavior, which we still see in the future.
So when the two of them clashed over an embarrassing photo of Lars, it was dirty. Ronaldo never meant to hurt Lars with the photo; he saw it as a sign of further adventures that they could have. Yet Lars, desperate to be as cool as others, threw his friend under the bus. Gods, how long had it been since they had talked? Was the “recording†we saw from the gem the last time they had a conversation??? OH GODS, PROBABLY.
I am interested to see what the show is going to do with Lars. Many other characters have had a chance to grow and change, and Lars is in dire need of reflecting on his behavior towards other people. Will this be another sign for him? Will he start listening to those around him? I don’t know. I don’t actually foresee him and Ronaldo hanging out in any substantial way from here on out, but at least now Lars knows that Ronaldo really wanted to remain friends with him.
Also: RONALDO HAD A GEM IN HIS HOUSE THE WHOLE TIME. No wonder he believes in the supernatural!!!
The video for “Horror Club†can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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