In the eleventh episode of the second season of Steven Universe, EVERYTHING HURTS. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steven Universe.
I think there’s a power in showing that sometimes, things don’t end well.
At first, I thought that “Cry for Help” would be about Peridot. In a way, it is; she’s the impetus for the massively uncomfortable conflict that unfolds here. The story shifts, however. We got from the Crystal Gems destroying that old radio tower to GIANT WOMAN! We get our first introduction to the showy fusion that is Sardonyx, Garnet and Pearl. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL SPECTACLE.
And yet, that’s not really the point of this episode. I am continually impressed with the emotional depth in these stories, especially if they help younger folks deal with the kind of problems we’re seeing displayed in this show. Let’s start with Amethyst, for example. Up until the final couple scenes, this is her episode. Sure, Sardonyx is an incredible reveal, but it comes at an expense to her. Since Sugilite went berserk the last time Garnet and Amethyst fused, Garnet thinks Sugilite should stay benched. Understandably, that hurts Amethyst! It sucks to see your friends having fun when you just have to stay on the sidelines.
But it’s so much more than that. Now that I know that Garnet is a fusion, I understand why both Pearl and Amethyst get a high of sorts when fusing with Garnet. She’s the strongest gem out of the three of them, and there’s a rush that comes from a fusion with her. As Amethyst later describes in the episode, it’s a chance for them to feel strong, to have access to a strength they don’t normally have themselves. That is especially meaningful to someone like Amethyst, who struggles with her sense of self-worth. These glimpses of power are glimpses of possibility for her, no? They are chances for her to feel good about herself!
So when she and Steven discover the truth about Pearl and Sardonyx, I was blown away by Amethyst, for her first reaction was sympathy. There’s a neat parallel here because Steven watches Amethyst sing about feeling left out, and then he does what he can to make Amethyst feel better, to impress Garnet. When Amethyst realizes what Pearl’s done, she tries to defend her to Garnet, and I found it just as touching. Sympathy can go a long way, y’all.
BUT OH MY GOD PEARL. This is yet another instance where Pearl’s need for validation and affection has gotten her in trouble. I couldn’t help but see in her interactions with Garnet the same sort of obsessive desire that we saw from her towards Rose. Obviously, it’s not identical or at the same level. But Pearl is willing to do things to gain the attention of others that are harmful or foolish. And re-activating that radio tower has to be the most foolish thing she’s done, y’all. Every second that it was live meant that there was another chance for that message to reach the Homeworld. That is VERY MUCH Not A Good Thing.
In the end, there’s little solace provided to the viewer. Crying Breakfast Friends suddenly loses some of the humor it had in the episode because everything got way too real. But that’s the point I saw in “Cry for Help.” Sometimes, we mess up. Badly. And things don’t immediately feel great, even if we’ve apologized, even if both parties understood why things happened the way they did. I would rather kids know that there are times when things just feel awful for awhile. And that’s okay, too.
The video for “Cry for Help” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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