Your Mother and Mine (Steven Universe Season 5 Episode 13) - 'Toon Reviews 29

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Your Mother and Mine

This is a fascinating instance where information picked up in this cartoon isn’t exactly new, but the whole thing turns out to be pretty insightful regardless.  A lot of that has to do with the perspective of the information told and what it means to the people it’s being told to. 

It all begins after Lars and the Off Colors’ two recent accomplishments as a space crew, and Steven ready to celebrate them and the fact that they’re nearly at Earth.  The catch is that those adventures have busted important parts to the Sun Incinerator called nova thrusters.  Without them, the alleged fastest ship in the galaxy can’t travel at the necessary speed.  This is to set up a delay of a resolution to this plot point, but it hardly matters since with other things coming this season, it’s best these characters focus on their own task. 

For now, while the crew is floating through space with no way of traveling fast, Steven decides to introduce them to the leader of the Crystal Gems, Garnet.  Two things stand out from her meeting them.  For one thing, when Garnet compliments them for who they are, they feel quite uncomfortable.  The reason for the discomfort is that the Off Colors legitimately don’t know what compliments are due to being shamed for who they are for so long.  After that’s revealed comes the other standout element of Garnet meeting them.  When she mentions Rose Quartz, they all freak out with different recounts of what she was like, one of which turning out much relevant later by the way.  Realizing Homeworld has been feeding false information about her former leader, Garnet tells the Off Colors the real story of Rose. 

On the surface, this is all just a retelling of the backstory of the Gem War the show has gone over several times before.  Pink Diamond chooses Earth as her colony.  Rose sees beauty in what the planet has to offer.  Rose starts a war to rebel against the rule of the Diamonds and gets other Gems to join her in her team called the Crystal Gems.  Rose shatters Pink Diamond to settle the conflict for good, but the other Diamonds fight back by blasting the planet, turning any Gem not protected by Rose’s shield into monsters.  It’s always nice to hear the story, but being a repeat of what was mentioned in the past does kind of hold it back. 

However, being from Garnet’s perspective does give this recount a few suspicions.  Garnet claims that Rose was made on Earth like all the other Quartz soldiers, but there’s at least one past event where she considered Homeworld her home.  Also, she describes Pink as a heartless dictator who scoffs at the beauty of Earth like all of the other Diamonds.  Coming after a cartoon showing that she was a far more excitable and overemotional child, this further suggests something is not quite right.  At one point afterwards, Steven even points this out when he tells Garnet about that very dream of Pink Diamond.  It does bring up a suggestion of Pink still being out there threatening to devalue the big feeling of loss, but for the moment Garnet thinks nothing of it.  For later events though, this suggestion does have some relevance to it, but the final results are still satisfying. 

On the whole of the story, a great thing about it is how inspiring it is to the Off Colors.  While the last thing they hear is of the other Diamonds’ last attack on the planet, they also hear that the Crystal Gems are still standing regardless.  They’re inspired more than ever to continue their mission thanks to this story and it’s very moving.  If only the promise for adventure we end with is actually followed up in the next cartoon which turns out to be about a completely unrelated topic. 

This may not be the best lore-related cartoon, but its interesting perspective and inspiration just can’t be overlooked.

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.      Jungle Moon

3.      Off Colors

4.      Stuck Together

5.      Lars’ Head

6.      Lars of the Stars

7.      Your Mother and Mine

8.      Raising the Barn

9.      Sadie Killer

10.  Back to the Kindergarten

11.  Gemcation

12.  Kevin Party

13.  Dewey Wins

 

 

The next Steven Universe review is an avant-garde continuation of Sadie's life as a rock star.

Next time on MC Toon Reviews is more fun from Ed Edd n Eddy with "The Ed-Touchables" and "Nagged to Ed."

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