Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Gem Harvest (Steven Universe Season 4 Episode 8) - 'Toon Reviews 29

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Gem Harvest


It’s strange that a simple story is the subject of a half-hour special at first.  Then you consider the importance of relationships in this show, and it becomes more interesting.  Steven’s gotten a lot of Gems on his side, and they all seem to work together as a family.  Right now though, three Gems and his Dad live close to him while two Gems, Lapis Lazuli and Peridot, live at the barn.  Getting them together for an event is a great way to strengthen their bond and it’s done nicely here. 
It starts off innocent with Steven visiting Peridot and Lapis who continue to explore Earth’s customs.  They even connect to Peridot’s old job for Homeword as they make life from matter out of the ground by planting vegetables they hope will come to life.  Of course, their farming practices don’t grant those results, but Steven’s powers on a pumpkin seed bring to life a pumpkin-dog like creature called Pumpkin.  The value of this new family member is meaningful since she stays with them for the rest of the series. 
Then the special gets a genuine conflict when a man named Andy comes and is alarmed at what’s been done to his family’s barn.  When he notices Peridot and Lapis, he gives a conservative rant over “hippies” breaking into his property.  That’s certainly not an accepting mindset coming with racist undertones that are sure to bring discomfort, but it’s made up for later on.  As for Andy himself, he’s Greg’s cousin and, unbeknownst to Steven, they shared a completely different last name from Universe.  They’re from the DeMayo family who got up and went their separate ways including Greg. 
With all these difficulties and surprise reveals, both sides of Steven’s family come together to convince Andy to let Lapis and Peridot keep the barn.  They decide to put together a feast to show off their family values.  Out of this is a lot of wholesome bonding as they prepare the food with both basic human techniques and Gem powers to gather the vegetables.  There’s even humor from the Gems’ still developing understanding of Earth.  They include nonchalantly dismantling Andy’s plane to make an oven and adding in random celebrations to the feast like weddings, birthdays, and funerals. 

The actual dinner is also a joy to watch.  All the humans and Gems of Steven’s family are together and they nicely apply their major experiences on Earth to this simple gathering.  Talks about the cooking process bring fresh perspectives to many big events. They include the main Crystal Gems’ rebellion, Peridot experiencing Earth, and even Lapis being trapped in a mirror.  In the end, they all show genuine love and gratitude for their efforts, cementing their family values that wouldn’t feel out of place at a real-life Thanksgiving dinner. 
The love they share is so great, Andy just offers them the barn and leaves, believing he doesn’t belong with them.  Then through an exciting chase after him in the air, Steven lets Andy know that for all his ties with the Gems, human stuff like what he learned from him has value to him too.  So even if what he’s seen from the Gems goes against what he’s used to, Andy becomes accepting of the customs and agrees to be part of this family.  The longer length, the charming family values from the dinner, and the climactic chase do their part to add weight to Andy’s change in heart.  It would be more meaningful if he showed up more apart from one small role in an upcoming major story arc, but there’s still value for this special by itself.  It’s a great thing to watch if you’re in the mood for a strong family offering.
A

Season 4 Ranking

1.      Mindful Education

2.      Last One Out of Beach City

3.      Gem Harvest

4.      Buddy’s Book

5.      Know Your Fusion

6.      Kindergarten Kid

7.      Future Boy Zoltron

8.      Onion Gang
The next Steven Universe review turns to the season of winter as Greg and the Crystal Gems look back on how they first dealt with the loss of Rose and birth of Steven at that time of year.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is "Net Gains" and "Pipe Dreams" 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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