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Now
we’ve come to an interesting case when it comes to reviews. This show has a significant connection to one
of this blog’s regular series, but is also partially a separate entity. Nevertheless, as you’ll soon see, it’s a worthy
component to every great thing that the franchise it’s part of has brought to
the world.
Basic Premise
When
it comes to animation production, I often hear of how personal working on a
show or film can be for a crew. Through
working with your own endearing characters for so long, a common case is when
they’re no longer seen as just characters, but as real people with sincere
feelings. Whatever happens to them after
every major resolution becomes just as important to people making a show
as it is to people watching a show. Sure
continuations after nearly everything is resolved can be unnecessary, but with
the right passion thrown in, they can stand as worthy additions. All of this is the feel going into what’s
designed as a natural continuation to the Steven
Universe saga.
As
one of the most celebrated animated shows of the past decade, Steven Universe has accomplished a lot
in terms of its following and its world-building. Not everyone may be happy with the decisions
its made, but in my perspective, they’ve always managed to work. However, for all the overall series has
accomplished with five seasons and a movie, this follow-up season has a
promising benefit. Its nature is that
it’s only meant to last for one season, serving as an epilogue to the main
series. Such a setup allows it to explore things unable to get deeper
exploration earlier and showcasing believable endgames for everything and
everyone. The key appeal to this setup
is how it acknowledges that there have been a few unanswered questions in the
grand scheme of the series. Plus, even
if things were touched upon in the original series, they may not have gotten
the time they needed to flesh them out.
The existence of this epilogue represents the best thing that can be done
when a form of media becomes so popular that more of it just has to be
made. This in turn makes for not
unnecessary padding, but beneficial additions.
From a behind the scenes perspective, using this extra time to set
characters and concepts down new healthy paths is the
embodiment of tender loving care.
So
stay tuned as this blog covers what may be the last piece of Steven Universe in this insightful,
appealing, and sometimes personal epilogue series.
Now on with the reviews:
Little Homeschool
The
moment this cartoon begins, it’s clear that this series isn’t merely a separate
entity from the old Steven Universe series;
it’s a continuation. Regarding this
particular story, it makes for much needed expansion on what was merely touched
upon prior without getting much focus.
To elaborate, the main goal of the original series was to heal all Gems
who were corrupted and turned into monsters in the old Gem War. They were healed at the end of the original series, but we couldn’t get to know them.
Then came the movie where a town called Little Homeworld was built for
them, but not much was learned. Enter
the premiere of this epilogue series to develop these concepts as well as start
up an interesting character-driven path.
After a brief explanation of how things have changed since making peace
with the Diamonds, including where certain supporting characters have ended up, Steven’s
plan is shown. Within Little Homeworld
is a school where all uncorrupted Gems go to learn to make their own choices in
life, learn about Earth and its customs, and not be dictated. The concept sounds beneficial given how Gems
were led for thousands of years, and with the Crystal Gems guiding with their
experiences, the environment works.
However, just as beneficial is how a perfect conflict
for Steven is set up. With all the events of the
franchise in mind, all conflicts to his world were solved by him helping
others. The whole school idea gives him
a chance to help so many, as if it’s his whole purpose. This is why he becomes insistent on helping
one Gem who refuses going to the school.
From there comes more answers to certain untouched questions regarding
one of the most popular Gems in the cast, Jasper. For the longest time, she’s been a very
threatening force with an undying will to fight, and forever loyal to the
Diamonds. However, we abruptly stopped
learning about her when she was corrupted and therefore out of commission in
late Season 3 of the original series.
Now, it’s known that she still holds these unhealthy beliefs after the
changes, living in a cave and showing a disturbing disdain for Earth and its organic life. So when Steven approaches her to come to the
school, her refusal makes for tensions only she can raise which at the same
time bring out hard truths. Steven gets
more agitated the more she refuses his offers to help as she claims that all
he’s doing is manipulating other Gems to do what he wants. That’s kind of true even if the school has
good benefits for Gems.
Things then get
physical as Jasper proceeds to fight Steven, and explains how he’s really the
one who needs help, solving everything with assistance from others. That’s also true when you think of it, and
understandably makes Steven feel helpless.
Like his other powers, these feelings unleash something new within him. There's a pink glow to his body
granting him his most offensive moves when sparring with Jasper. That said, I’d also like to
believe that this is a result of his gem getting pulled out, enacting the embodiment
of his Gem half. Ultimately, Steven
doesn’t convince Jasper to come to the school, but does see how he can learn
from her. He still holds onto his
beliefs in help and pacifism, but this encounter does give ideas of what he
will be enduring in this new life.
That makes this cartoon easily overshadowed
by what’s to come, but it’s still a strong start.
A
Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Amethyst turns out to be a great help for the uncorrupted Gems while Steven starts losing his helpful touch.
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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