Saturday, January 5, 2019

Crack the Whip (Steven Universe Season 3 Episode 18) - 'Toon Reviews 23


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Crack the Whip
 
One thing I admire this show for is how many of its stories bring a wide range of emotions so seamlessly. You never feel just one emotion while watching which feels well-rounded and relatable to reality.  This cartoon is one of the strongest examples on this.
Amethyst’s worldview drives everything when Steven and Connie, all prepared for training, find they have the whole day to themselves when Pearl and Garnet look for Jasper.  This is especially a sting for Connie who’s still disappointed in her performance in her first Gem mission.  This is where Amethyst lightens the mood when the kids use all their time to practice bringing the best fighting they can.  She says it’s not necessary to try too hard to make the right move since in the heat of battle, what they know to do won’t always be the right thing.  Not only does this advice feel fitting to Amethyst’s go-with-the-flow attitude, but through analyzing her advice, it’s very accurate since life is so full of surprises and all. 
It’s this piece of advice that brings about much high-spirited fun as Steven, Amethyst, and Connie spend the day going to various spots in Beach City having as much fun as possible.  The positive vibes from their fun are especially strong through mostly no dialog and just a chipper music piece in every activity.  It’s an atmospheric move to show and not tell how much featured characters are enjoying themselves. 
Then comes one of the show’s smoothest transitions from light-hearted enjoyment to heavy action.  While playing at the beach, one of the corrupted Gems from the Great North arrives, and Amethyst takes it out easily with all the fighting skills she knows coming naturally in the heat.  It would appear that going with the flow is the best battle strategy, but the intensity builds when Jasper shows up with the other corrupted Gem intending to fight Steven. 

When Amethyst fights her, everything she knows isn’t strong enough.  If that’s not enough, Jasper admonishes Amethyst for not being built the way Quartz soldiers are supposed to be which stings even more since we now know that this is accurate.  If you think the intensity cools down after this, you’re dead wrong as Jasper poofs Amethyst after saying Rose Quartz's claims that Amethyst was perfect as she was had low standards .  Not only is this some of the show’s most brutal fighting, but adding on these harsh insults that have a trace of validity really puts the already high intensity over the top. 
The fight itself comes to a great end when Amethyst’s advice works for Steven and Connie.  When they rush to fight Jasper, everything they know clicks as they fuse into Stevonnie, charge towards Jasper on Lion, and poof her other corrupted Gem minion.  These moments are great and interesting ones to add to the exciting action, but the heavy sympathy is very much intact.  Amethyst reforms with a design clearly hastily put together just as Steven and Connie win. She’s proud for them, but the last shot is of her feeling disappointed that her advice didn’t work for herself, making her feel useless. 
It’s ultimately a bittersweet ending where you’re satisfied by the great action and sympathetic that for all her good, Amethyst couldn’t put up a good performance.  However, that plays to this cartoon’s strength of playing with your emotions effectively allowing you to take in the fun and excitement and harshness and sorrow all at once.
A+

The Ranking
  1. Mr. Greg
  2. Monster Reunion
  3. Crack the Whip
  4. Gem Hunt
  5. Greg the Babysitter
  6. Alone at Sea
  7. Gem Drill
  8. Super Watermelon Island
  9. Too Short to Ride
  10. Beach City Drift
  11. Barn Mates
  12. Hit the Diamond
  13. Same Old World
  14. Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service
  15. Steven Floats
  16. Restaurant Wars
  17. The New Lars
  18. Drop Beat Dad

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Steven and Amethyst realize they have more in common than they realize.
If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

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