Tuesday, September 19, 2017

'Toon Reviews 6: Steven Universe Season 1 Episode 8

Serious Steven









It’s no secret that at this point in the show, Steven is a total goof even when going on important Gem missions.  It does make sense for him to be this way now, especially since he goes through major character growth as the show goes on, but it can get frustrating to see him constantly not pay attention, make boneheaded decisions and plans destined to fail, and just not be totally with all the Gems when they do their thing.  These concerns are still apparent here in which the Crystal Gems bring Steven along on a mission where they must retrieve a Gem from a Pyramid Temple in the middle of a Gem Battlefield covered in large swords and overgrown with strawberries.  He freaks out over little things like butterflies in his eyes, can’t keep himself from touching unusual stuff, and mostly looking tough and serious without actually being those things.  His intentions are easy to see and him being upbeat in this situation is kind of cute, but at the same time, Steven being way too easy-going doesn’t really work.  Still, it’s nice that out of all the Crystal Gems, Garnet believes that Steven can provide good use for the team as proven when she openly chooses to have him come with her when the group splits up.  Even then, Steven still doesn’t prove very useful on the mission with Garnet doing all the work and Steven mostly needing her to carry him.  Thankfully, in his own way, Steven ultimately rises as the big hero of the mission.  He keeps feeling dizzy as he travels through the temple which makes him think back to when he caused the destruction of the teacup ride at the amusement park, Funland, which is shown to us in a pretty funny scene.  This comes in to play when the Crystal Gems wonder how they keep ending up back to where they started no matter where they go in the temple.  With his dizziness in mind, Steven figures that the reason they all end up back where they started is because the temple keeps spinning around, just like the teacup ride.  His theory proves correct, and that helps the group to solve the mystery of the temple and retrieve its Gem.  So, while Steven’s goofball ways aren’t really welcome in a serious mission setting and can get old quick, the fact that he saves the day in the end is a shining moment for him, and gives this cartoon some value. 8/10
The Ranking
  1. Bubble Buddies
  2. Laser Light Cannon
  3. Gem Glow
  4. Cheeseburger Backpack
  5. Serious Steven
  6. Cat Fingers
  7. Together Breakfast
  8. Frybo
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Amethyst gets some starring time when she and Steven break from the other rule-bearing Gems, and enter the wrestling ring as Purple Puma and "Tiger Millionaire."
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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