If you like this review and want to stay updated for what else I have in store, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter. Now on with today's review:
I Am My Mom
As a follow-up to the already strong start to the Season 4
finale, this is quite exceptional. The
big factor working in its favor is how it features some of the heaviest and
most emotionally gripping decisions of this underlying story.
The stakes are already risen a lot with a
good number of Steven’s friends taken by invading Homeworld Gems, Aquamarine and
Topaz. A lot is riding on their safety
as Steven and the Crystal Gems have to work fast to save them from being taken
away. Especially concerning is that they now don't have a spaceship to save them if they do leave Earth. There’s also big concern for their
possible fates given that Sapphire gave Yellow and Blue Diamond an idea to get
more humans for the human zoo not long ago.
Once they uncover the captured humans, we get quite an encounter with
Homeworld Gems unlike any other. One of
the standout elements is Aquamarine herself.
She has the body and voice of a sweet little girl, but that’s a huge
metaphor that just because someone looks innocent, they can still be quite
dangerous. That’s very apparent through
her disdain for her mission, how she gleefully beats about her enemies with her
headpiece of a magic want, and how she’s willing to kill her captors.
There’s also an interesting reason for why
she and Topaz are capturing these particular humans. It makes great use of an offhand remark from the
Season 1 cartoon “Marble Madness” where Steven naively gave Peridot a list of
random humans he knows. This explains
why Aquamarine was specifically after “my dad,” believing it’s the human’s name. She never really had a dad at all. All the while, Steven realizing how his past
goofing around led to this big life-threatening situation makes him incredibly
guilty. That’s huge considering how he
feels like he’s inherited the mistakes of his mother that made the Diamonds
more bent on destroying Earth than ever.
He does put in good efforts to make up for everything by claiming to be
“my dad” himself so to get capture and use his bubble to break Topaz apart and
free everyone. It’s not until they’re on
Aquamarine’s ship when he’s able to do it though. This in turn brings even more
desperation as the humans make a scramble for it while Aquamarine orders Topaz
to get things under control.
Highlighting moments include Connie ready to face the invading Gems with
Steven in too much turmoil to concentrate, even on his best friend. There’s also major drama from Lars who’s
visibly too terrified to do anything. The big kicker comes when Sadie’s grabbed
by Topaz, Lars is all set to save her, but then just runs away like a coward. It’s an interesting way of showing the
problems with this pairing without Lars being an edgy jerk. Ultimately, these efforts become futile when
Aquamarine still gets a hold on everyone before they can even escape.
It’s here when the cartoon is at its heaviest
when Steven gets the impression that there’s only one way to set things
right. He admits that he’s actually the
sworn enemy of Homeworld, Rose Quartz, allowing himself to be taken away for
punishment. The emotional undertones are
at their highest as the swelling music, Steven’s loved ones begging him not to
go, and Steven still heading towards his fate bring much power. It becomes remarkable that he’d be pushed to
such martyrdom and perfectly showcases how much the series has matured despite
everything. One thing’s for sure, it’s a
great lead-in to the many game-changers the following season will offer.
Bringing it to life is this amazing
cartoon built on impactful characterizations, genuine emotions, and
unforgettable tough choices showcasing the growth of this great animated series.
A++
Season 4 Ranking
- I Am My Mom
- Storm in the Room
- Mindful Education
- That Will Be All
- Steven’s Dream
- Last One Out of Beach City
- Are You My Dad?
- The Zoo
- The Good Lars
- Gem Heist
- Gem Harvest
- Three Gems and a Baby
- Adventures in Light Distortion
- Buddy’s Book
- Know Your Fusion
- The New Crystal Gems
- Lion 4: Alternate Ending
- Doug Out
- Kindergarten Kid
- Room for Ruby
- Future Boy Zoltron
- Tiger Philanthropist
- Rocknaldo
- Onion Gang
We certainly ended Season 4 with a majorly heavy
experience and powerful ending. The best
part is, you won’t have to wait long for me to discuss what happens next. See you Wednesday for the start of Season 5 reviews for Steven Universe.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is something much lighter from The Loud House "Everybody Loves Leni" and "Middle Men."
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