Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Know Your Fusion (Steven Universe Season 4 Episode 2) - 'Toon Reviews 29

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Know Your Fusion


Another big thing brought up near the end of the previous season was the introduction of a brand new fusion.  Not just that, but it was also Steven’s very first fusion with a Gem.  Combining their imperfections and friendly relationships, he and Amethyst got together to form Smoky Quartz, and light-hearted smart-talking fusion with a giant yo-yo as a weapon.  Fusion is a huge part of the Crystal Gems’ lifestyle and a major cause for making a stand against Homeworld who’s far too unaccepting of the practice.  Naturally, there would be a cause for Steven and Amethyst to let it be known that there’s a new option for a fusion now. 
Their plan is to fuse into Smoky Quartz to let Garnet and Pearl know what they’re capable of and what they’re like.  The moment they fuse, Smoky Quartz immediately shows her moves with her yo-yo making for high-energy hijinks Garnet and Pearl try to get a grasp on.  They eventually do so by fusing into the ever showy and energetic Sardonyx, and from there the cartoon gets an interesting tone shift.  While turning the situation into a lavish production is the norm for this fusion, this trait of Sardonyx is used for its full potential as the cartoon’s driving force. 
In another interesting bit of lore, Sardonyx creates her own room in the Crystal Gem temple, existing as long as she exists.  There, she goes into full-on talk show host mode as she looks into what Smoky Quartz has to offer as a fusion.  All throughout, the tone of a talk show is fully realized.  Sardonyx’s energy and eccentric persona is on full display as is to be expected from the host, but it doesn’t stop there.  There are lots of lights, mentions of commercials, talking to agents about paying other fusions for merely mentioning them and even more.  As far as light-hearted cartoons go, this already has a lot to make it stand out. 
Then you have the actual talk show the cartoon centers on.  As Sardonyx tries to get Smoky Quartz to explain her strengths, Smoky only mentions her yo-yo and the tricks she can do with it.  However, Sardonyx is not too impressed by this, and it’s a little easy to see why considering the havoc Smoky Quartz caused earlier.  The yo-yo can easily be written off as a simple toy instead of a useful weapon we know it can be based on that battle with Jasper. 
Sardonyx then completely takes over by devoting the talk show to physical challenges to test what she feels should count as Smoky Quartz’s true capabilities.  The fact of the matter is that Smoky Quartz just doesn’t have the same capabilities as other fusions.  She lacks the muscular power of Sugilite, the archery skills of Opal, and the fire breath of Alexandrite.  These scenes highlight the downsides of Sardonyx as a character.  While some can understandably be overwhelmed by her eccentric ways, I personally find myself turned off by how pushy she is.  She’s setting up challenges that Smoky Quartz is incapable of and shows little to no sympathy.  It’s not exactly the most likable thing to see from an enjoyable character like her. 
Thankfully, the sting isn’t too huge since Smoky Quartz herself isn’t effected.  In fact, when she talks about how weak and useless she is, she’s not too upset at all, and Sardonyx is the one to feel bad that she got in the way of what Smoky wanted to show.  She feels so bad that she unfuses into Garnet and Pearl, and her room starts crumbling because their fusion isn’t around.  Smoky Quartz then shows her yo-yo’s true capabilities by saving them, and the ending becomes strong as Garnet and Pearl are impressed and accepting of this skill. 
As a result, the cartoon stands as one of the show’s liveliest in how it shows that each fusion no matter how strong or eccentric has its benefits. 
A

Season 4 Ranking

1.      Know Your Fusion

2.      Kindergarten Kid
 
The next Steven Universe review presents an interesting human perspective on the Gems' influence on the world Steven and Connie uncover in an ancient journal.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is "White Hare" and "Insta-Gran" from The Loud House.
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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