Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Stuck Together (Steven Universe Season 5 Episode 1) - 'Toon Reviews 29


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Season 5
Stuck Together
For starters, the fifth season wastes no time following up on where the fourth one left off.  It also turns out to be an emotional step up from the previous season premiere. 
Considering that the show has brought genuine emotion from just two characters trapped in one space before, it’s great to see that it does it again here.  We have Steven who’s just made the major decision to let himself be taken by invading Homeworld Gems to pay the price for his mother shattering one of the Diamonds.  Along the way, he’s stuck in the dense fusion of Topaz soldiers while Aquamarine continues to delight as an adorably savage authoritarian.  There’s also good use of a small detail from the Season 4 finale in which Lars was not seen with everyone else when getting off the ship.  This plot is built around him being left behind and the only real company Steven has while stuck inside Topaz going to Homeworld.  Even if all they do is talk about the situation, it says a lot about their relationship. 
Steven and Lars are as much polar opposites as you can get with Steven being optimistic and helpful while Lars is predominantly jerky and keeps isolating himself from others.  They start out on tense terms with Lars too down on himself for getting trapped on the ship over his decisions while Steven keeps thinking about how to set him free.  After all, the whole point of turning himself in was to save everyone who was abducted, and he can’t be successful at that if Lars is still trapped.  He tries to push Lars through a plan to get a Gem Destabilizer to poof Topaz so they can get time to escape to Earth, but Lars refuses to properly comply to make the plan work. 
When Steven finally snaps at Lars for his intentional incompetence, we get the true highlight of their time stuck together.  In regard to their situation, and life in general, Lars confesses that he’s just a coward who can’t bring himself to do anything big.  The truth is, he’s actually admirable of Steven being willing enough to do anything and not be scared.  There's a believable response to the situation where Steven is actually deathly afraid of what he did, and only did it to save everyone.  It’s this openness that gets Lars to be more optimistic about the situation and start working to make a difference.  This is especially meaningful with Lars’ true development just around the corner. 
For now, his and Steven’s time together does get to Topaz. She shows emotion as well as a more feminine voice than her figure suggests over Steven and Lars bonding even in the darkest of times.  She in turn opens up over her dread over the missions Homeworld sends her on and how grateful she is to have both halves of her to support each other.  This is an interesting way of showing that even if Gems serve Homeworld that doesn’t mean they’re fine with what they’re doing.  They have to do it with their lives on the line. 
Topaz does try to help Steven and Lars, well actually Lars, get back to Earth and even threatens to revolt against Aquamarine.  However, Aquamarine further shows the power she possesses by pointing out that Topaz has no real plan afterwards and will most likely get separated and shattered as a result.  That’s enough for Topaz to go back to how she was as we end the cartoon with Steven and Lars about to endure the wrath of Homeworld with truly no going back this time. 
As a part of a show driven by emotions and endearing characters, it’s great to see both elements be central to a season premiere.  Ultimately, they make this cartoon an impactful watch from conversations in a single setting.
A+
Season 4 Ranking
  1. I Am My Mom
  2. Storm in the Room
  3. Mindful Education
  4. That Will Be All
  5. Steven’s Dream
  6. Last One Out of Beach City
  7. Are You My Dad?
  8. The Zoo
  9. The Good Lars
  10. Gem Heist
  11. Gem Harvest
  12. Three Gems and a Baby
  13. Adventures in Light Distortion
  14. Buddy’s Book
  15. Know Your Fusion
  16. The New Crystal Gems
  17. Lion 4: Alternate Ending
  18. Doug Out
  19. Kindergarten Kid
  20. Room for Ruby
  21. Future Boy Zoltron
  22. Tiger Philanthropist
  23. Rocknaldo
  24. Onion Gang

Season 5 Ranking
  1. Stuck Together
The next Steven Universe review follows up on Steven and Lars' sudden separation when Steven is put on trial.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is "Jeers for Fear" and "Tea Tale Heart" 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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