In the sixth episode of the fifth season of Steven Universe, Steven’s family tries their best to help Steven. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steven Universe.
Trigger Warning: For talk of anxiety.
It’s still impressive to me that so much of this show deals with emotional fallout. More so than most shows I watch, Steven Universe devotes entire arcs to the aftermath, to ramifications, to the complicated emotional shit that can take over our lives. Because I don’t know about y’all, but wow, does this episode EVER deal with the obsessive behaviors around anxiety. Oh my god, it’s like “Gemcation†is a horrible biopic of my early 20s, before I got help with my anxiety??? IT’S TOO REAL.
At the same time, this episode push the story into a direction that could have sent a harmful message. Look, it’s hard watching Steven obsess over the texts he sent to Connie, and it’s even harder to watch him unable to enjoy the vacation Greg organized for him. AND I AM SO FULL OF EMOTIONS FOR GREG. He tries so hard! He recognizes that Steven just went on a journey, and he guesses that the stress of his time in space has made his son gloomy. It’s not a bad hypothesis, and setting up the gemcation was a fantastic way to give Steven a break from the world.
Yet “Gemcation†never really gets into the vacation itself. We barely see inside the cabin that Greg rented, and the only real activity that anyone participates in is the hot tub. Even then, Steven is constantly distant. He holds his phone in his hand, and he stares at it, desperate for Connie to just say anything to him. No one can grab Steven’s attention for more than a moment or two, and OH MY GOD, I DEEPLY RELATED TO THIS. I have a concentration problem when I get anxiety, and you know what my brain loves doing when I’m anxious? Obsessing over the same thing again and again and again until my body literally hurts from the constant worry. Escaping these cycles has always been challenging for me, though I’ve gotten better at it lately, but still. STILL. It wasn’t hard for me to recognize myself in the behavior that Steven exhibited as he obsessed over Connie and how she felt for him.
But as badly as Steven wants to hear from his friend, to apologize to her, to move on from this endless circle of obsession and worry, it’s Connie’s choice whether or not she speaks to Steven. When Greg decided to drive Steven to a spot with cell phone service, I was a little worried about the direction this story was headed. Thankfully, no one blames Connie for not texting Steven back. Yes, Steven is said, and there is nothing wrong with comforting him. I’m glad that his family was there for him to just let him feel sad. That’s important! At the end of the day, though, Connie gets to decide when she is ready to talk to Steven. She is not obligated to talk to him! And I’m glad that the show provided Steven with an outlet and a chance to feel comforted by the people who love him without blaming Connie for that.
The video for “Gemcation†can be downloaded here for $0.99.
Mark Links Stuff
– My YA contemporary debut, ANGER IS A GIFT, is now available for pre-order! If you’d like to stay up-to-date on all announcements regarding my books, sign up for my newsletter! DO IT.
