Now this cartoon is an introduction for how great this show can be by centering on the show’s most interesting elements, the creativity of Gem culture and depth of the people in Steven’s life. The Gem culture element comes into play when the Crystal Gems spot an anomaly from space called the Red Eye which threatens to destroy all of Beach City and its inhabitants. This scenario is a major example of how lost these Gems are without their leader Rose Quartz since the only thing that can possibly stop the Red Eye is Rose’s powerful laser light cannon, but no one knows where it is. Steven gets the idea that since the cannon belonged to his mom, it only makes sense that it’s with his dad, but the others don’t think that the cannon would ever be entrusted to someone like him. Regarding Steven’s dad, Greg, when you first look at him, you might think that the Gems have a right to feel that he shouldn’t be trusted with a major Gem weapon like the laser light cannon. He’s shown as a chubby, clueless beach bum who lives in a van, and is also a slob who crowds his garage with useless junk he doesn’t even need. The thing about Greg though is that unlike most TV dads who come off as clueless and incapable of being a big help, he has a lot of love and care for those in his life, especially his son, and despite the shortcomings of himself and his lifestyle, he stops at nothing to find ways to support them, and we get a good example of that here. Through creative thinking, he comes up with a way for Steven to venture into the storage unit that’s his garage to see if the cannon’s there. Plus, whenever something goes wrong, Greg has the right thing to say to assure that everything’s all right, which is his catchphrase, “If every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hotdogs.” That’s not even mentioning Greg’s significant talent for music from his revealed past as a one-man band prior to his current job of running a carwash apparent through the great and catchy song that plays as he and Steven bring the cannon to the Gems, “Let Me Drive My Van Into Your Heart,” which gives a good taste of the great songs to come in the series. All these aspects we see of Greg make the moment where everyone uses the cannon to destroy the Red Eye a memorable and impactful event. I must admit that the whole pork chop phrase igniting the cannon kind of cheapens the impact a bit and given what we later learn about Gems, it doesn’t make sense that Rose would use it as the password. Still, this cartoon is an early example of the show’s greatness for what it does for Steven as a team member, the Gem’s relationships with their old leader, and especially Greg’s status as perhaps the best dad in TV animation in his debut cartoon. 9.5/10
The Ranking
- Laser Light Cannon
- Gem Glow
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Steven sets out to prove his worth in Gem missions as he carries supplies in a "Cheeseburger Backpack."
If you would like to check out other reviews on this blog, click here for the guide to all the reviews posted so far.
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