So that Summer of Steven

[Scarim Coral]

Ok technically I was going to make this post right after it ended but then I read they still showing new episode but not everyday so I postpone it until now.

Anyway, to those who had watched Steven Universe lately, what you thought on the 20 episodes they had aired this summer?

First thing first, I was glad that they did that as oppose to the 1 episode per week like they're on now or bring on hiatus. It has been one heck of a ride!!

I don't know where to begin. I suppose I start with how I liked they had abit of an overall plot with Jasper return and aswell the inbetween comedy episodes they did like Resturant Wars. I think the best part was the dedicated episodes to the other gems like Peridot and Lapis (my new favourite couple!) Seriously, you would never think Peridot would had become that laid back compared to her first on screen apperance back in season 1 (or was it 2?).

The Jasper plot was great that we got some development from Amethyst and lead to new fusion Smoky Quatz who was brilliant. Another great development is Steven due to the new ability he had gain and develop althought half of it was that dream related power which came in handy for some of the characters.

Oh as for the 100th episode Bismuth, I loved it! Bismuth was such an excellent character (loved her personality) and while I loved how she seen to adapt to Steven human culture but I knew there was something fishy about her. Her gem being stuck in Lion mare and I just didn't see her being added to the crystal gem or hang out with Peridor and Lapis at the barn for long. Shame that Pearl and Garnet didn't kept their upgrade from her.

As for the favourite episodes, I liked Alone At Sea since it was dedicated to my favourite Gem Lapis and it was an excellent metaphor on getting out of an abusement relationship. Seriously kudo for Rebecca for doing that in a kid cartoon show! I don't recall any kids cartoon doing that.

Once Jasper plot was over, those Rubies came back and it provided an excellent lore on the Diamond when Jasper mention Pink Diamond and the revelation that Rose shatter her. That conclude the Summer of Steven when they added a full song of the ending song which I also loved aswell.

Lastly, I loved the anime reference they had used in these episodes (Beach City Drift was basically Initial D and that End of Evagelion reference in Kiki Pizza Delivery which is a similar title to Studio Ghibli Kiki Special Delivery) and proven once again, the cartoon we watched influence us in our work.

 

[RaikuFA]

Haven't watched the show since the whole fan art debacle. Mainly cause I stopped watching tv. I would try to get back into it but I'm still a bit soured.

 

[Erttheking]

I'm still calling it the Atomic Steven Bomb and I thought it was pretty good. A dud here and there (Stop trying to make us like Lars, he's an asshole) but a lot of good ones. Pearl and Greg, Centipeedle, Lapis and Jasper, revelations, Bismuth, it was just a really good showing.

 

[Saetha]

I'm still calling it the Atomic Steven Bomb and I thought it was pretty good. A dud here and there (Stop trying to make us like Lars, he's an asshole) but a lot of good ones. Pearl and Greg, Centipeedle, Lapis and Jasper, revelations, Bismuth, it was just a really good showing.

Isn't the point to Lars is that he is an asshole? Wasn't that the point of that entire episode? "Lars is an asshole and no one likes him but Sadie."

Anyway, I didn't get to catch last week of the marathon, but I liked it. That episode where Greg and Steven and Pearl go to Not New York was the best if only because of Pearl's great song in it, but I still don't think anything in the series has quite measured up to the Season One finale. I got to admit I've been just a bit disappointed by that, but maybe this whole thing with Rose will pan out into something awesome like that.

I wasn't that fond of the Lapis episode if only because it made the subtext of an abusive relationship and pretty much made it just plain text. I dunno, it felt ham-handed to me. Jasper really felt like she was reading from a script, especially with that "You've changed me!" line.

 

[Erttheking]

Snip

Yeah, but it still kind of feels like the show is trying to depict him as a Jerkass Woobie, or trying to get him to change. Either way it's not winning me over.

Also not!New York? I think you mean Not!NewYorkOrLasVegas

 

[DudeistBelieve]

the best thing was Jasper calling Rose out on her shit at the end. That she's just as bad because she breaks people down till their nothing, strips away their identity but then gives them a new one.

Jasper is metal as fuck.

 

[Saelune]

I liked that Garnet and Pearl basically had the same reaction my brother and I did to Smokey Quarts. When we realized they were probably gonna fuse in the previous episode we just looked at eachother, shaking violently and going EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ;;O U O;;

Anyways, the episode about Peridot and Lapis is hands down the funniest and probably my favorite episode. We died at "meep morp". But I wish they would just add them to the core group. Seriously, add them to the intro, make it about all of them. Peridot and Lapis are always guaranteed gold.

I hope we find out what happened to the Rubies...I feel bad if they are doomed to just float through space for eternity...

the best thing was Jasper calling Rose out on her shit at the end. That she's just as bad because she breaks people down till their nothing, strips away their identity but then gives them a new one.

Jasper is metal as fuck.

The idea is that Rose forgives. She hates the Diamonds, not the gems of Homeworld. The capacity for forgiveness and healing isn't a bad thing, and kind of a major point of the show. She defends herself and those she cares about, and those treated poorly by Homeworld (mainly Earth, but all gems too due to the racist hierarchy they follow). I don't think standing up to a bully makes you as bad as one.

 

[WindKnight]

The idea is that Rose forgives. She hates the Diamonds, not the gems of Homeworld. The capacity for forgiveness and healing isn't a bad thing, and kind of a major point of the show. She defends herself and those she cares about, and those treated poorly by Homeworld (mainly Earth, but all gems too due to the racist hierarchy they follow). I don't think standing up to a bully makes you as bad as one.

I think though, in part, rose didn't trust/and or think about others feelings as much as she should have. She hid what happened with bismuth from the others, even long after you can argue she had to worry about keeping morale up.

And she either did not consider, or fully understand, Pearls feelings for her when she got feelings for Greg. A lot of emotional pain and rough situations could have been avoided if she'd at least engaged with Pearl about how their relationship would be changing.

 

[Dizchu]

I like how morally ambiguous it became, it's something quite unexpected for a children's cartoon. Rose's ethics are being brought into question after she was revered as a saviour-like entity by everyone up until now and Steven's probably experiencing some really difficult moral dilemmas.

The Lars and Ricardo episodes can fook rate awf for all I care though, never liked those characters and never will. Also the Bismuth two-parter has made me realise that this show needs a half-hour format. It started off like Codename: Kids Next Door and now it's Samurai Jack. 11 minute episodes just limit the show too much.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I liked that Garnet and Pearl basically had the same reaction my brother and I did to Smokey Quarts. When we realized they were probably gonna fuse in the previous episode we just looked at eachother, shaking violently and going EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE ;;O U O;;

Anyways, the episode about Peridot and Lapis is hands down the funniest and probably my favorite episode. We died at "meep morp". But I wish they would just add them to the core group. Seriously, add them to the intro, make it about all of them. Peridot and Lapis are always guaranteed gold.

I hope we find out what happened to the Rubies...I feel bad if they are doomed to just float through space for eternity...

the best thing was Jasper calling Rose out on her shit at the end. That she's just as bad because she breaks people down till their nothing, strips away their identity but then gives them a new one.

Jasper is metal as fuck.

The idea is that Rose forgives. She hates the Diamonds, not the gems of Homeworld. The capacity for forgiveness and healing isn't a bad thing, and kind of a major point of the show. She defends herself and those she cares about, and those treated poorly by Homeworld (mainly Earth, but all gems too due to the racist hierarchy they follow). I don't think standing up to a bully makes you as bad as one.

I like the idea that it's actual war, that no side gets to come out of it looking like the hero.

I like Steven's idealism getting smack down a peg to reality that he can't save everyone and at some point he's going to have to make hard decisions that have no happy outcome.

 

[Saelune]

I think though, in part, rose didn't trust/and or think about others feelings as much as she should have. She hid what happened with bismuth from the others, even long after you can argue she had to worry about keeping morale up.

And she either did not consider, or fully understand, Pearls feelings for her when she got feelings for Greg. A lot of emotional pain and rough situations could have been avoided if she'd at least engaged with Pearl about how their relationship would be changing.

I'm not saying Rose herself is perfect, but to think she is some devious user of others I don't think fits.

I like the idea that it's actual war, that no side gets to come out of it looking like the hero.

I like Steven's idealism getting smack down a peg to reality that he can't save everyone and at some point he's going to have to make hard decisions that have no happy outcome.

Meh, still completely on Rose's side. The Diamonds want to just blow up what they cant use and gut what they can. Its pretty clear the villain.

Though I do want Steven to be slightly more realistic. Pink Diamond getting destroyed by Rose is a good thing. If you can save everyone, kudos, but if its the Diamonds or all of Earth, let the Diamonds lose out.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I think though, in part, rose didn't trust/and or think about others feelings as much as she should have. She hid what happened with bismuth from the others, even long after you can argue she had to worry about keeping morale up.

And she either did not consider, or fully understand, Pearls feelings for her when she got feelings for Greg. A lot of emotional pain and rough situations could have been avoided if she'd at least engaged with Pearl about how their relationship would be changing.

I'm not saying Rose herself is perfect, but to think she is some devious user of others I don't think fits.

I like the idea that it's actual war, that no side gets to come out of it looking like the hero.

I like Steven's idealism getting smack down a peg to reality that he can't save everyone and at some point he's going to have to make hard decisions that have no happy outcome.

Meh, still completely on Rose's side. The Diamonds want to just blow up what they cant use and gut what they can. Its pretty clear the villain.

Though I do want Steven to be slightly more realistic. Pink Diamond getting destroyed by Rose is a good thing. If you can save everyone, kudos, but if its the Diamonds or all of Earth, let the Diamonds lose out.

I really hope that's not the case cause that would be lame if it's so black and white.

They kinda touch upon things not being so great on homeworld, an apparent lack of resources.

 

[balladbird]

Pretty solid set of episodes, I found. a few duds, but with 20 eps released that was inevitable. Hoping season four has a flashback so we can see the context of the Pink Diamond thing, but even if they don't I suppose it'll all be good.

Biggest surprise of the set was that Steven's first fusion was with amethyst, for me. dunno, seemed like pearl was a shoe-in for that. XD

 

[Angelblaze]

Haven't watched the show since the whole fan art debacle. Mainly cause I stopped watching tv. I would try to get back into it but I'm still a bit soured.

Let me help you out there: That outrage wasn't actually because of the fanart. People who didn't actually know what they were talking about/wanted to spin it and make tumblr look bad to appease people who hate the site were the main ones telling the story and interjecting bullshit into it. (DailyDot and, by extension, AlphaOmegaSin are now bullshit in my eyes as a result).

Quick Run down: The artist said Transwomen weren't 'real' women (then proceeded to try and sell Genderbend fanart, which pissed tons of people off) and wore yellowface. She wasn't 'suddenly hated for thin fanart', she was considered a piece of ignorant trash for a while before then. The thin fanart, at best, was the ignition for the flame. She stock piled the fuel for quite some time.

Note: I'm not saying that what occurred was fair, legal or okay, I'm just saying its reductive of the actual issues that occurred, turning 'Tumblr getting mad about actual display of believed racism and openly spoken transphobia' to 'Lol tumblrinas gettin mad bout artz.'

 

[RaikuFA]

wore yellowface.

Didn't she costly as a Japanese character? That's considered racist now? If she had fake buck teeth and going "HERRO, ME RIKEY RIKEY" then yeah I'd say it's racist. But I've seen many non Asians putting on sailor uniforms and ship and they didn't get shot for it.

Also I remember they also tried to get the people working on the show fired for calling them out on their behavior saying the show is "theirs" now.

 

[Angelblaze]

wore yellowface./quote]

Didn't she costly as a Japanese character? That's considered racist now? If she had fake buck teeth and going "HERRO, ME RIKEY RIKEY" then yeah I'd say it's racist. But I've seen many non Asians putting on sailor uniforms and ship and they didn't get shot for it.

Also I remember they also tried to get the people working on the show fired for calling them out on their behavior saying the show is "theirs" now.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/f6208c6f7466cbb81c058661e236e20a/tumblr_nszv344u471u1ykl8o1_500.png
She painted her face white and put sticks in her hair. Cosplay or not, for most people there's a line: Go ahead and cosplay Lee from Walking Dead, don't be surprised if people think its blackface when you go overboard with the shoe polish.

Plus she's believed to have sent herself fake death threats, defended a pedophile, created (non explicit) sexual fanart and other listed things -- a majority of which *GASP* disappeared during and after the debacle (around the time the death threats that were confirmed as fake started which people have noted lines up with times that people would not have been able to send her messages in the fashion in which she claims she got the said deaththreats).

The entire thing fell out of control due to a troll blog that accumulated all of the 'evidence' to play the 'kind detective card', helped stoke the fire and then shut down without another word.

Link here to the second paragraph: http://lionkin.tumblr.com/post/132367895653/zamii070receipts-archive-racismstereotyping
And link to the now closed troll account here: http://zamii070receipts.tumblr.com/

The main reason I only say the whiteface and the women aren't real women arguement is because those are the only two strong and widely agreeable sources of info left. Everything else is either deleted or forgotten because this beef is so damn old.

The second issue is people acting entitled because others didn't behave how they liked: 1. not what we were originally talking about, 2. not something I can speak about since I wasn't on 'ground level', 3. something that happens a crap ton to individual people who speak on the internet, entire shows and even to myself working in customer service.

 

[RaikuFA]

wore yellowface./quote]

Didn't she costly as a Japanese character? That's considered racist now? If she had fake buck teeth and going "HERRO, ME RIKEY RIKEY" then yeah I'd say it's racist. But I've seen many non Asians putting on sailor uniforms and ship and they didn't get shot for it.

Also I remember they also tried to get the people working on the show fired for calling them out on their behavior saying the show is "theirs" now.

http://40.media.tumblr.com/f6208c6f7466cbb81c058661e236e20a/tumblr_nszv344u471u1ykl8o1_500.png
She painted her face white and put sticks in her hair. Cosplay or not, for most people there's a line: Go ahead and cosplay Lee from Walking Dead, don't be surprised if people think its blackface when you go overboard with the shoe polish.

Plus she's believed to have sent herself fake death threats, defended a pedophile, created (non explicit) sexual fanart and other listed things -- a majority of which *GASP* disappeared during and after the debacle (around the time the death threats that were confirmed as fake started which people have noted lines up with times that people would not have been able to send her messages in the fashion in which she claims she got the said deaththreats).

The entire thing fell out of control due to a troll blog that accumulated all of the 'evidence' to play the 'kind detective card', helped stoke the fire and then shut down without another word.

Link here to the second paragraph: http://lionkin.tumblr.com/post/132367895653/zamii070receipts-archive-racismstereotyping
And link to the now closed troll account here: http://zamii070receipts.tumblr.com/

The main reason I only say the whiteface and the women aren't real women arguement is because those are the only two strong and widely agreeable sources of info left. Everything else is either deleted or forgotten because this beef is so damn old.

The second issue is people acting entitled because others didn't behave how they liked: 1. not what we were originally talking about, 2. not something I can speak about since I wasn't on 'ground level', 3. something that happens a crap ton to individual people who speak on the internet, entire shows and even to myself working in customer service.

I only saw the non makeup pics. Still, you know you're defending Tumblr, right? The site that is infamous for killing fandoms and having the worst interface I've ever seen.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

We need a Lapis and Peridot episode now. Yes please. Lapis looked so happy when she started playing the tambourine next to Peridot--something that seemed impossible back in Barn Mates. So that's the big thing that I'm waiting for now.

On to actual stuff. Way to make me actually feel bad for Jasper. When she came back the first time, and pleaded with Lapis...I knew this show was dark and dealt with mature themes, but holy cow. One of my friends watches the show too, and she said that episode hit a little too close to home for her. And then the look of resigned despair when the corrupted Gem ran away from her too, and she whispered, "No one I fuse with ever wants to stay with me..." That is a Gem who is broke in so many ways, but doesn't want to ask for help.
And then when Jasper breaks. This was a huge deal. She gives the whole speech about how every Gem has a purpose and a place in the order, and how any Gem that doesn't fit must be destroyed. And then we find out that HER place, her original purpose, was taken from her when Pink Diamond died. And suddenly, her entire character makes so much sense. She was an outcast, and had to fight to prove that she still had a place with the other Diamonds. She wasn't kidding when she said that she had been fighting her whole life, because she probably had to work twice as hard just to be acknowledged, let alone approved.
And then Steven, bless his heart, takes the knife and guts Jasper with it. "Yellow Diamond...?"
And the look of pure horror and despair on Jasper's face. This is something that she's probably had to deal with constantly back home--Gems not even KNOWING that there was another Diamond. We've seen that the symbol has switched from the four to just three, so we know Pink has kind of been removed from the records. And serving Pink was Jasper's whole purpose. Loosing that purpose was hard enough, but then to find out that other Gems--and her arch enemy--don't even know the Gem that gave her purpose, and thus don't even acknowledge her purpose--and by her own definition, identity and life--is the ultimate blow. That's what broke her, and I felt so bad for her. Her entire life was just brushed aside like dust right there.

On to other stuff. Didn't care for the Lars episode. Not because I don't like Lars, but because I feel that Steven crossed a serious line there. He said he was going to respect Lars' privacy, and then went around and basically tried to change his entire life. Yes, everyone liked the new Lars (save Sadie), but that was not okay. I know Steven was trying to be nice, but that episode made me very upset with him. "You're not living your life the way I want you to, so I'm going to fix it for you."

Bismith's episode was a good boost of lore and history. We knew right away that something had happened between Bismith and Rose, and I figured it out pretty much right away. Bismith was willing to cross a line that Rose was not. Rose's entire war was to protect life, and at no point did she ever want to kill the regular Gems. Odds are she probably didn't even want to kill Pink Diamond, but had no choice. Bismith though...Bismith wanted to wage a war that went against the very core of Rose's beliefs. And for Rose's army--which was probably shaky, a mix of Gems on Rose's side and more violent ones who would have followed Bismith--to find out that Rose had bubbled one of the ORIGINAL Crystal Gems, that no doubt would have caused her army to break apart, fighting each other, and then the Diamonds would crush them. As for why she didn't mention it later? I'm betting it was the guilt. The guilt of hiding the truth from Gems that trusted her completely. She betrayed that trust, and the longer she went without saying anything, the harder it got to confess.

The episode where Centipeetle was tear jerking, but I wonder about something. Does Centipeetle think Steven is on Homeworld's side? After all, Steven gave her the Homeworld salute, and she returned it. So what happens when she finds out that Steven is on the opposite side? The side that caused the whole war, and thus why Centipeetle is the way she is. Could be interesting, but I like to think that Steven has shown her that he's not an evil rebel.

Rubies. So...is that it? Are they doomed to drift forever? Or is Garnet going to use her Future Vision and go look for them? Because talk about a horrible fate. Plus, a few of them actually seemed nice.

The late night talk show with Sardonyx was comedy gold, especially that joke about Sugulite's voice actor. Amazing. And it still managed to tug at your heart strings. When you hear Smoky start tearing herself down after failing at everything, it's hard to watch, because we know how good she is, but Steven and Amethyst are both full of so much self doubt that they don't believe it.

Peridot dropped a HUGE bit of info in "Too Short to Ride" that I haven't seen maybe people talking about. Homeworld is apparently running out of resources. That's kind of bad, right? And yet, when Peridot called Yellow Diamond and tried to save Earth by saying, "There are plenty of resources here!" what did Yellow Diamond say? "I don't care about resources." Um...that's probably not the best position for a LEADER to take in regards to something that your people are low on. What would happen, I wonder, if the Gem population found out that there's another way of living, or even just saving their planet, and the Diamonds were keeping it from them? Another rebellion, perhaps?

Anyway, I'm glad we're still getting new episodes. I want to see what happens next, when a Diamond is going to show up on Earth, and when Lapis and Peridot are going to fuse. Because it's coming. It has to be coming. Please let it be coming.