In the forty-second episode of the first season of Steven Universe, Steven is challenged by a snow day. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steven Universe.
The last time I lived where snow days were a thing, I was a kid. I don’t recall snow days in particular because we must have had very, very few of them. I remember how unfazed people were by snow in general, and I adapted to it quickly. For a handful of years of my life, I experienced a White Christmas. Sledding. Snowballs. The joys of hot chocolate and fireplaces and smothering one’s self in blankets. Of course, there were downsides to snow, like the time I got a blood blister from sledding, or the way your feet would hurt from being in boots for too long. But I loved the snow: the look of it, the crunch of it underfoot, the way it silenced the world it fell on. I’m still determined to move east at some point in the near-ish future because I want to experience a full winter season as an adult.
That probably makes some of you cringe, but I’ve been on the west coast for twenty-six years of my life. I have no routines, there is no snow fatigue within my body, and I am honestly ready for the idealized version of winter that “Winter Forecast” often dabbles in. It’s not idealized as a whole, though, because part of the conflict is based entirely on all the terrible things that can happen on a really bad snow day. There’s also a personal touch here concerning Steven’s need to accept that he’s got to be responsible sometimes, even when it means doing things that don’t make him happy.
All of this does not describe the absolutely BEWILDERING experience of “Winter Forecast.” The narrative structure of this episode is controlled chaos, a seemingly gimmick-filled type of story that eventually is revealed to be part of a lesson for Steven. Unwilling to end his day of fun with Connie so that she can get home before the blizzard strikes, Steven gets creative. They can watch a TubeTube video together! (It’s just a minute.) He can help his dad pick out a more professional outfit! (Which Steven can drag out as long as possible.) He does whatever he can to delay returning Connie to her home, and what does that get them?
NEAR DEATH. BECAUSE OH MY GOD, WHY ARE YOU WALKING HOME IN THAT BLIZZARD??? Spoiler alert: I know this from personal experience, REMEMBER THAT TIME I WALKED THE WRONG WAY IN BOSTON DURING AN ACTUAL SNOWMAGEDDON. So yeah, I deeply understood this episode, but I expected that once they all arrived at Connie’s house, this would turn into an awkward family gathering. (Seriously, I am still not a fan of the way the Maheswarans speak to Connie. Stop it.) Instead, time moves backwards. I was instantly confused, especially since Steven remembered arriving at Connie’s house. How was that possible? Was this a new power of his? Why did his dad’s jacket seem to activate it? It’s an incredible moment of shock and bewilderment, but it also a chance for Steven to correct his mistake.
WHICH LEADS TO ANOTHER DISASTER. This time, it’s a human one: Mr. Maheswaran, who is apparently the worst blizzard driver ever, which is then promptly demonstrated to us. Again, another flash. Why backwards? Why can Steven remember each jump and each timeline? IS THIS A VOYAGER EPISODE.
There’s a sweetness in this episode, though, since it’s a perfect follow-up to “Future Vision.” Garnet temporarily grants Steven the same power she has, but not to cause him anxiety or to unravel. Instead, it’s a way for him to understand choices and ramifications, and it also brings the two of them together. Even though Steven did not want to part with Connie, he had to in order to get her home safely. And in the end, it works out in his favor. Late at night, he awakes to his father snoring and gets to watch the snow fall with Connie. Maybe you don’t always get to do what you want, but sometimes, thinks work out all right.
The video for “Winter Forecast” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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