In the sixteenth episode of the third season of Steven Universe, Greg teaches Steven the value of growing up. Intrigued? Then it’s time for Mark to watch Steven Universe.Â
I grew up spending a great deal of time in the punk and hardcore scene of Southern California. One of the most pervasive things I ever heard manifested in various ways, but the message was always the same: Don’t sell out. What that actually meant, of course, varied based on who you spoke to. Much of the more radical contingent of punk believed that you should avoid major labels, product endorsements, or allying one’s self with non-progressive political movements. (Which is more in line with what I believed, for what it’s worth.) But that message, like so many in this world, got watered down or warped to fit people’s needs. Some people believed you shouldn’t do anything to make money, that all music should be free to all people, that shows should be free as well. It’s a delicate argument because… well, I am not a fan of capitalism or the free market, especially the insidious and violent ways in which it has bloomed around the world. At the same time, this argument can foster a really gross sense of fan entitlement, which postulates that since someone enjoys something, they deserve it for free, and the artist should just feel good that someone is even interested in their art.
I don’t often enjoy the message that we should just grow up and be adults because it feels so condescending. So it’s an achievement to me that “Greg the Babysitter” manages to address maturity without feeling condescending. That’s partly because, while Greg invokes “selling out” once, it’s not really the point of the story. The flashback we get here shows us the growing relationship between Greg and Rose, which is always a treat, but we’re also shown how Greg has shirked all responsibility in his life. Without a job to support himself, he’s forced to rely on others. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing in itself, but his friendship with Vidalia is tested because of it.
The problem here is that Greg doesn’t do anything to help himself. When he runs out of money for food, he goes to Vidalia’s, despite that she is raising a kid all by herself and probably doesn’t want to raise a second one right at that particular moment. Then he makes a mess on her couch, adds to the laundry she has to do… you get the idea. When I was couch-surfing regularly in high school and later in college, I made it a point to be as helpful as possible wherever I happened to be staying. I’d do the dishes without being asked, clean whenever necessary, and keep my space as organized and tidy as possible. I wanted to seem invisible, though that was also motivated by my fear that if I wasn’t, I’d be asked to move on. I was as cognizant as I could be about what it meant for me to be in someone else’s home.
It took a lot for Greg to realize that. Namely? Baby Sour Cream. Honestly, it made so much sense to me that babysitting for Vidalia is what kicked Greg in the ass. Caring for a baby is an intense level of responsibility, and it’s also through this that Greg learns why being responsible is so important. You have to pay attention more than you usually do; you can’t just assume everything will work out fine in the end. That’s more Rose’s style, which proves nearly disastrous here because she DEFINITELY does not know how to raise a human baby.
And how could she? There are no babies in the Gem Homeworld. Gems are grown, their identities are programmed into them (sort of), and their roles for life are set in stone. I absolutely adored that moment on the beach where Rose spoke fondly of the unique human capacity for growing up. Thematically, it fit the episode and Greg’s characterization, but it’s also necessary for understanding why Rose came to love Earth so much. She admires what humanity has done and their potential as well. Really, that’s what this came down to: on Earth, humans often have a limitless potential, which is so utterly different from life as a Gem.
Through the events of “Greg the Babysitter,” Greg realizes the potential that comes from growing up. It doesn’t mean giving up his music or his love for Rose. It just meant getting a job, one that could allow him to support his basic needs and, later, the needs of his son. Though I have to wonder: who owned the car wash initially? Who did Greg get the job from?
The video for “Greg the Babysitter” can be downloaded here for $0.99.
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