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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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