Maximum
Capacity
Sometimes in life, the simplest things you do can lead to
some heavy stuff, and that idea is what this cartoon is built around. The simple thing in question is that Steven
and Greg set out to clean Greg’s cluttered storage unit of a garage as New
Years draws near while getting help from Amethyst. It feels like the cartoon will keep all its
focus on the clean-up with a few antics for good measure, but then the
direction is really changed when Amethyst finds a box full of tapes of an old
sitcom called Lil’ Butler. Apparently, both she and Greg used to watch
this show all the time back in the day which gives some detail of their
relationship before Steven came around. It’s
also easy to get a feel of what their past relationship was like when Greg
becomes enticed to watch the show with Amethyst for old time’s sake and it
takes up so much time that he’d rather watch the show than clean the storage
unit. That still may not sound heavy,
but it’s shown to have harsh effects on others.
Above other things, it distracts him from being there for his son,
someone he clearly loves, up to the point of missing out on joining him for the
annual New Years fireworks. Not to
mention what he’s sucked into doing is something Steven is prohibited from doing, making his separation from him all the more concerning. Anyway, the heaviest part involves Amethyst
and how she uses the show to force Greg into hanging with her. Every time Greg gets the idea that he needs to
do something productive, Amethyst just manipulates him with another
episode. However, once Greg realizes
he’s missing the fireworks and needs to be there for Steven, Amethyst makes the
ultimate move to hold onto this past friendship by shapeshifting into Rose
while also alluding to how hurt she is that Greg chose to be with Rose instead of
her, making Greg uncomfortable. This
scene brings out another strong layer to this friendship of how what happened
with Greg ruined everything for Amethyst.
It’s no wonder she’s willing to do anything to maintain the past. However, what resolves the tensions is a
strong thing in the form of Steven, a vital part of both their current lives,
claiming that while it’s hard to let go of the past, it must be done to make
room for the present while referring to the full storage unit. It’s this moment that gets Amethyst to
realize how blinded by resentment she’s been, and perform a noble deed of
clearing out the entire garage, taking all the useless junk and allowing Greg
to keep his favorite picture of him and Rose.
This simple gesture means a lot for showing how she’s put the past
behind her and accept the present.
That’s the whole appeal of this cartoon.
It’s full of simple moments that turn out to have a lot of
character-building depth. For that, this
is another masterful entry for the season. 10/10
The Ranking
- Ocean Gem
- Lion 3: Straight to Video
- Alone Together
- Coach Steven
- On the Run
- Maximum Capacity
- Mirror Gem
- An Indirect Kiss
- Space Race
- So Many Birthdays
- Steven the Sword Fighter
- Lion 2: The Movie
- Bubble Buddies
- Monster Buddies
- Laser Light Cannon
- Winter Forecast
- Giant Woman
- Lars and the Cool Kids
- The Test
- Steven’s Lion
- Horror Club
- Watermelon Steven
- Gem Glow
- Steven and the Stevens
- Warp Tour
- Island Adventure
- Rose’s Room
- Cheeseburger Backpack
- Future Vision
- Secret Team
- House Guest
- Serious Steven
- Joking Victim
- Beach Party
- Cat Fingers
- Tiger Millionaire
- Together Breakfast
- Fusion Cuisine
- Frybo
- Onion Trade
- Arcade Mania
- Garnet’s Universe
- Keep Beach City Weird
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Steven and the Crystal Gems follow the funky flow to their first interaction with Peridot in "Marble Madness."
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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