Little Graduation
Some people say that works in the past series about the human residents of Beach City contribute nothing of substance. Although following projects like the movie and this epilogue series seem to prove this point, this particular cartoon puts the Beach City residents in a broader context.
The argument can still be made that the Beach City residents don’t add much to the story or scope, but they are important for Steven as a character. This cartoon is about him putting together a graduation for the semester at Little Homeschool. However, just as the current class of uncorrupted Gems move on, Steven slowly realizes this is also true for his human friends. Much of the focus is on arguably the most important Beach City residents in the cast, Lars and Sadie. Lars especially astounds when looking back on his role in the previous series. Starting out as just an edgy teen, he grew into a more confident and caring figure being roped into a space adventure and coming back as a pink space captain with his own Gem crew. By the way, it’s kind of a missed opportunity to not give his crew, the Off Colors, more focus. I mean, they were never seen at Little Homeschool before, and they don’t even get any lines at the graduation.
As for Lars, just as he’s now returned to Beach City, he’s also reconnected with his passion for baking. Then Steven learns that he’s going back into space with the Off Colors real soon. At the same time, Steven also learns that Sadie has found a new partner, a figure for non-binaries named Shep. Although he does everything he can to be cool about it like he should, Steven is visibly shaken by his friends’ sudden changes in life. This feeling lasts throughout the graduation ceremony where he learns that even the Cool Kids, Lars’ former desired group and Sadie’s former band, are also moving on. He even starts lamenting that he’s got nothing to do with himself other than staying in Beach City and continuing to run the school.
The final straw is when Lars starts leaving during Sadie and Shep’s performance, and through another instance of his pink glow powers, Steven inadvertently creates a dome. It traps the entire graduation party, and Steven deduces that all this is because someone is bottling up emotions and has to come clean for the dome to go away. While this is accurate, it’s kind of boneheaded for Steven to say Lars is the culprit for not being open about his feelings towards Sadie.
Out of this, Steven learns the whole truth about everything. Lars and Sadie did try to reconnect ever since he returned from space, but they agreed that Shep is better for her. As for Lars leaving for space, it’s not because of heartbreak, but because he enjoys exploring space and wants to do more of it. This is huge because it shows that life goes on without Steven around, which is hard to believe with the series seemingly locked in his perspective. All the same, the dome closing in on everyone is a clear representation of how Steven longs for his friends around to help, and discover his purpose. Settling things are the words of Shep, so to let the non-binary character stand out more, allowing Steven to come to peace with things for the moment.
As Sadie and Shep’s new song about moving
forward plays in the background, we end with Steven quitting Little Homeschool,
unable to move forward himself. This
makes this cartoon bittersweet where a couple Beach City residents get good
closure as well as more appreciation, while an emotional layer is added to
Steven’s conflict.
A
The Ranking
1. Volleyball
2. Little Graduation
3. Little Homeschool
4. Bluebird
5. Why So Blue?
6. Snow Day
7. Rose Buds
8. Guidance
9. A Very Special Episode
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