Friday, July 12, 2019

Back to the Kindergarten (Steven Universe Season 5 Episode 8) - 'Toon Reviews 29

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Back to the Kindergarten


In addition to a lot of big lore-themed events, this show also shows the weight of them with cartoons of the emotional after effects.  It’s a great way to get invested in how big recent moments really were and feel for the characters.  Even subplots that feel small by comparison are shown to be quite engaging through highlighting the toll they leave on others. 
This cartoon is about the emotional effects of one of those smaller subplots as Peridot deals with losing everything of her new Earth life.  I do mean everything in a literal sense since Lapis Lazuli and the entire barn were part of it for a vast majority of the series. 
Like the very end of the previous cartoon, her emptiness is very apparent. In fact, you can see it even more through the details of her sad expression and lying about the bathroom where her connection to the Crystal Gems really began.  This gives a reason for the Shorty Squad, the group name for her and other short Crystal Gems, Steven and Amethyst, to get together and help her move on. 
The best way Steven and Amethyst can think of to cheer Peridot up is to play to her egotistical traits which are a major drive for her happiness.  They do so by taking her to the Prime Kindergarten where Amethyst was made, so Peridot can feel smart and superior by observing the Gem exit holes.  At the same time, it’s very intriguing to see Amethyst feel good about visiting her home when you look back on its first appearance.  Back then, Amethyst dreaded being made there considering how damaging to the Earth she ended up being as well as staying in there too long and coming out short.  This cartoon is a great way to see the positive effects of being accepted by a whole group of Amethysts serving Homeworld and appreciating where she came from. 
As for Peridot, she’s in no mood for reveling in the place she usually feels right at home in.  She brings up the harsh truth that whatever’s made in a Kindergarten destroys life.  However, a suggestion is dropped that maybe the Kindergarten can regain life after all at the sight of a flower growing in the dead surface.  It’s actually kind of a great and hopeful outcome that the Kindergarten can regain its life, and it’s wholesome to watch the three short Gems spend time planting sunflowers. 
Eventually, even Peridot herself becomes an active player as she pushes the whole group to get going and plant even more flowers. 
You can imagine how devastating it is when just when Peridot becomes this active, the hope of life coming back to the Kindergarten is instantly shattered.  The sight of withered away sunflowers is enough to remind Peridot of the pain of losing everything.  Her angry outburst is perhaps the best way to express her disappointment in being right about never being able to get back what’s gone.  If that’s not enough, that one flower turns out to be a corrupted Gem which has to be taken out by Smoky Quartz…for a few seconds. 
In the end, Peridot admits she knew deep down the garden wouldn’t work and was just going along with it to take her mind off of losing the barn and Lapis.  Still, hope does persist when she’s reminded that there are other places to express her emotional outlet by gardening even if the Kindergarten isn’t one of them.  Her small embrace of Steven and Amethyst when deciding this confirms her willingness to go along with the plan.  It’s an endearing way of healing the effects of a big loss with the prospect of hope, as well as showcasing how lucky Peridot really is to be a Crystal Gem.
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.      The Trial

2.      Off Colors

3.      Stuck Together

4.      Lars’ Head

5.      Raising the Barn

6.      Back to the Kindergarten

7.      Gemcation

8.      Dewey Wins

 
The next Steven Universe review shows how Sadie's life changes for the better out of all the big Gem events that have happened, playing to her love of singing and monster films.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is Episode 59 of Animaniacs.
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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