Friday, August 9, 2019

What's Your Problem? (Steven Universe Season 5 Episode 20) - 'Toon Reviews 29

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What’s Your Problem?


While it’s always great when the show reveals huge information about its background, what really makes the reveals impactful is focusing on their emotional after effects.  So far, the biggest one has been Garnet falling apart out of betrayal. 
It’s only after being convinced that Pink really wasn’t like the other Diamonds when Sapphire realizes how hard she was on Ruby and wants to make amends.  However, Ruby left a note and ran away.  Steven takes it upon himself to go look for her.  It’s here where Amethyst shows her interesting way of dealing with the group dynamic based on a lie. 
For much of the series, she’s had a lot of development, usually from learning to be proud of who she is, and this cartoon finds a way of adding more.  At first, it seems like she simply doesn’t care about the situation, especially while Pearl and Sapphire are crying like crazy.  Once she goes after Steven who begins his search, her approach to what’s been going on slowly become clear.  Steven is fixated on tracking down Ruby while Amethyst is constantly humoring him with visual gags and fun activities.  It’s a total clash of mindsets that keep their dynamic interesting.  At the same time, you can’t help but question if it’s really ok for Amethyst to be acting like this. 

Then at some point, she starts getting explicit with what she’s trying to do.  She mentions Pink Diamond and how Rose Quartz was really her.  Things get deeper as she brings up how Steven actually has Pink’s Gem that Rose was said to have shattered and that maybe all his pressure to be like his mom doesn’t matter now.  When asked how all of this makes him feel, Steven’s answer is very blunt and doesn’t get too emotional.  He sees the benefits of his mom’s choice but knows it doesn’t excuse her lies and destruction to the innocent.  Even so, he’s far more concerned about how Garnet took it, which Amethyst has a problem with since he doesn’t properly deal with the emotional effects on him.  In the process, she drops hints for her feelings on the issue relating to how none of the Crystal Gems should be responsible for what Pink did. 
This really becomes an issue for Steven to invest in when they later get a break in the case as to where Ruby might be.  Amethyst takes off insisting on finding Ruby herself, while Steven chases after her so she can explain her problem.  Adding in excitement from a chase after Amethyst shapeshifts into a helicopter is a nice touch by the way.  Once she is stopped, Amethyst gives a passionate speech explaining all her actions.  She firmly believes that no Crystal Gem should be concerning themselves with the actions of their leader, especially after she knows she was concealing her identity.  Her behavior and actions were her way of staying out of their conflict and being her own Gem as well as preventing herself from breaking down in front of other people like Garnet did.  This was especially for Steven since he’s constantly pushed himself to solve other people’s problems and not his own throughout the series.  She may not have flat out said her issues prior to this, but living her life and not concerning herself with the actions of others is honestly a healthy approach.  It’s fitting that Steven sees the benefits of this and considers Amethyst the most mature Crystal Gem as a result.  When he declares he feels good because of Amethyst, he’s officially ready to look for Ruby some more, and that’s what they do by the cartoon’s end, leading into the next one. 
On the surface this cartoon may seem like light-hearted fluff, but it turns out to be full of character and interesting benefits for one’s life.  At times, it can be easy to take things the wrong way, but the intentions make themselves known nicely when all is said and done.  You kind of can’t call it anything but the “ding dong sunshine future; your friend forever.”

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.      A Single Pale Rose

2.      The Trial

3.      Jungle Moon

4.      Off Colors

5.      Stuck Together

6.      Pool Hopping

7.      Can’t Go Back

8.      Now We’re Only Falling Apart

9.      Lars’ Head

10.  What’s Your Problem?

11.  Letters to Lars

12.  Lars of the Stars

13.  Your Mother and Mine

14.  Raising the Barn

15.  Sadie Killer

16.  Back to the Kindergarten

17.  The Big Show

18.  Gemcation

19.  Kevin Party

20.  Dewey Wins

The next Steven Universe review shows how Ruby actually benefits from being apart from Sapphire, but then leads to a big event for animated family shows.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is Episode 67 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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