'Toon Reviews 23: Steven Universe Season 3 Episode 2: Gem Drill

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Gem Drill

We took a detour from stopping the Cluster in the previous cartoon, exciting as it was, but now the narrative focuses on that resolution. Stopping it happens quickly, but the adventure still leaves a huge impact. 

The adventure is instantly intense with the earthquakes from the Cluster’s emerging getting worse. Only Steven and Peridot are around to operate the drill to go down to the Earth’s core to stop it.  The mission’s magnitude persists considering everything that was said about the Cluster throughout the course of many cartoons.  A reminder of how the Cluster is a colossal Gem mutant that destroys planets starting with Earth is even given here, so you know what’s at stake. 

While they’re drilling to their target however, there’s room for calm chemistry between Steven and Peridot.  It includes a heartfelt moment when Peridot says that while she was made on Homeworld, she doesn’t have any real memories of serving that planet.  That said, she gets by knowing that she’s grown attached to Earth from bonding with Steven and the others.  The fact that she’s now trying to save it is meaningful her change in views. 

The calm moment is then broken by intensity with Gem mutant attacks on the drill.  The fact that they’re appearing in the Earth’s core where the Cluster’s incubating indicates that the main target is near.  Through it all, Steven feels uneasy about just destroying Gem mutants since it’s made of broken Gems hopelessly looking for their missing pieces that will just become monsters later.  It's appropriate that he brings this up considering what he ends up doing with the Cluster, not to mention this ties into his growing empathy and understanding of how Gems work. 

The actual confrontation with the Cluster is the apex of the intensity.  It starts with an establishing shot of the Cluster as a big ball of shards sprouting hands. Then there’s a frantic pace of Steven and Peridot trying to break its outer shell, which only breaks the drill.  If that’s not enough, Steven feels great pain as the drilling progresses, and Peridot’s worries for his well-being even if she has to weaken the drill.  It’s hard to comprehend what’s going on with Steven as he keeps seeing ghostly faces and ends up in a barren glowing area away from Peridot. 

It turns out his earlier empathy got him inside the Cluster’s mind. There he listens to its shards’ thoughts who just want to be whole.  Gem shards have been said to lose their sense of self, but this look inside their minds show that who they were still persists.  The presentation of the moment is also worth a mention.  The inside of the Cluster is a huge empty space going from light to dark with very little movement.  The music portrays the entire geo-weapon as huge and threatening when it’s about to form, but also small, intimate, and calm when it explains that it just wants to be whole.  It’s emotional all throughout, and it’s thrilling to see Steven stick through the whole moment no matter what.  In the end, he helps the Cluster decide to bubble themselves so they can find their shards and be whole without forming, right when it’s on the verge of that.  The final part of the scene brings beauty out of intensity when the Cluster’s shards bubble themselves, making it one of Steven’s biggest moments of empathy. 

While the Cluster being bubbled is a fitting end to this arc given what we’ve learned throughout the show, this conclusion would've benefited from being reached with more than one cartoon.  It makes what we see fall short of what several cartoons built the Cluster up and feels like a standard monster fight.  Still I can’t fault the staging and emotional aspect of what’s done with the Cluster. It may seem like a problem that the bubbled Cluster is left alone for more than two seasons at first.  However, what's done with it is not only beneficial to its bubbled state, but makes it being left alone for all that time work.  It's going to take some time before we look into that though. 

For now, bubbling the Cluster is a solid concluding point that leads to a greater good down the line.  It all unfolds in an intense and beautifully staged conclusion to one of the show’s biggest arcs.

A

The Ranking

1. Gem Drill
2. Super Watermelon Island

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Lapis Lazuli finally returns and Steven tries to convince her to make Earth her new home.

If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

'Toon Reviews 15: Steven Universe Season 2 Episode 25: Message Received

Message Received

At this point, Peridot’s loyalties are a complete mystery, and after the events of the last cartoon, others are questioning her trust.  She seems to have warmed up to the protagonists, but her mad admiration for the Diamonds is not a welcome sign. 

This ignites betrayal in Steven, who typically believes in the good in others, and he demands to know Peridot’s connection to the Diamonds.  She’s believes they’re perfect and  admits that most of her loyalties are for them.  Given the Diamonds’ attempts to destroy Earth, her statement’s truth begs many questions.  This and Steven’s feelings are first to put Peridot’s moral compass to the test when he takes what she brought back from the moon base, which is a communicator to contact the Diamonds. 

Like the last cartoon, Peridot’s actions and behavior can go either way.  When she’s distressed about being locked away after her and Steven seemingly becoming friends, she could be lying, but her emotions sound genuine.  However, she still makes herself look bad when she breaks free with the robot she built to snatch the communicator, making for a fast-paced scramble for the Crystal Gems to stop her from using it all built on the rage from what looks like her betrayal.  In fact, this moment alone shows that you do NOT want to betray Steven Universe’s trust.  Their attempts fail, but lead to a lot of world-building in the form of the first official look at the Diamonds not counting stylized flashbacks, specifically, Yellow Diamond.

 

From the view of the communicator and various shots of her base on Homeworld, we see that the Diamonds are gargantuan beings that tower over every Gem we’ve seen up to this point.  From Yellow Diamond’s first moments alone, we get the impression that the Diamonds are cold and calculating with certain operations, and use their own Pearls to deal with anyone wanting an audience. 

Now, Yellow Diamond herself is very menacing as she interrogates Peridot on details of her original assignment, the scene itself becoming very intense with eerie music and Yellow Diamond’s authority clashing with Peridot’s reasoning and feeble tone.  This is also where things start working in Peridot’s favor.  When questioned about what happened to her ship, she could easily say the Crystal Gems destroyed it, but doesn’t, proving that she does have loyalty for them after all.  As for the Cluster, Peridot further shows some devotion to Earth when she tells Yellow Diamond, one of its masterminds, that it should be terminated, and Earth can be of good use to her without wiping out the  organic life. 

Then, Yellow Diamond comes off as a heartless tyrant just wanting the planet destroyed, and the more Peridot objects, the more monstrous she becomes as she demands Peridot to leave the Cluster to grow and refuses to listen to “the puny thoughts of a Peridot.”  Future seasons do show deep reasons for Yellow Diamond being bent on destroying Earth showing she’s not totally heartless, but her consistent ambition is fitting for the impression the scene here is meant to paint for her. 

Finally, after being so put down, Peridot snaps, refuses to follow the order, vouches for protection of Earth’s life, and to top it all, calls Yellow Diamond a clod.  This tense conversation makes this cartoon amazing with a small Gem talking to a big threatening Diamond with an appropriate mood all throughout, ending with the little guy coming out on top while her development comes full circle, for her actions officially make Peridot a Crystal Gem.  With all her growing appeal lately, it’s fully welcoming for Peridot to now be one of the good guys. 

Best of all, it took scenes with perfectly reasonable doubt and an awesome confrontation to bring about this change in this memorable powerful work. 10/10

The Ranking

1. The Answer
2. Sworn to the Sword
3. Message Received
4. Keystone Motel
5. When it Rains
6. Too Far
7. Friend Ship
8. Nightmare Hospital
9. Chille Tid
10. Cry for Help
11. Keeping it Together
12. Full Disclosure
13. It Could’ve Been Great
14. Catch and Release
15. Back to the Barn
16. Steven’s Birthday
17. We Need to Talk
18. Reformed
19. Historical Friction
20. Joy Ride
21. Say Uncle
22. Onion Friend
23. Rising Tides, Crashing Skies
24. Sadie’s Song
25. Love Letters

For the last review for Steven Universe Season 2, we'll explore exactly how Peridot came to care for Earth's organic life among other things as told by her tape recordings.

Next time on MC Toon Reviews from Hey Arnold, it's "Helga's Show" and "The Flood."

If you want to stay updated for more reviews, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter.

If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

'Toon Reviews 15: Steven Universe Season 2 Episode 24: It Could've Been Great

It Could’ve Been Great

We’re back focusing on the Cluster after two cartoons that deviated on unrelated, yet interesting matters.  In the process, there's development to the Crystal Gems’ relationship with Peridot.  They’ve gone from rivals to reluctant allies, but allies nonetheless.  Still, it’s not clear if Peridot is really warming up, or if she’s just putting on a façade to help herself get back to Homeworld, and the events of this cartoon address this ambiguity. 

At the start, they get along fine as they put all the fun they had previously to good use when it helps them complete building the drill. 

It’s set to a happy upbeat song Steven performs that aids in Peridot’s growing understandings towards Earth when she joins in, which is especially great since it’s already pleasing to listen to.  It feels like she is a genuine friend to the main protagonists. 

Then things get interesting when they set off to get the coordinates of the Cluster for the drill to follow from a base on the moon.  The additions of the moon base demonstrate the vastness of this world shown in little moments like Steven being the only one to bounce higher since the Gems, being alien rocks, adjust easily to the gravity, as they can with any planet.  The bigger things, are first discovered when attention is brought to murals along the moon base.  They’re of beings called the Diamonds, the most powerful of all Gems others live to serve, which we’ve already gotten a look at from the sight of the Gems following Blue Diamond back in “The Answer.”  The Diamonds’ menace is felt when Peridot starts going crazy just from murals of them, especially over one of the Diamond she serves, Yellow Diamond, who was only name dropped once before.  This implies that maybe Peridot wasn’t really opening up to the Crystal Gems after all, and her loyalties are all for Homeworld. 

The feelings grow even more after they finally access the coordinates of the Cluster from a file and send them to the drill.  In that same file are plans for Earth as a Gem colony, and Peridot shows what the colony would’ve looked like.  There’s a reveal that the Gem structures on Earth seen throughout the series were part of the original colonization.  The whole colonization features even more structures across the planet, and the planet all hollowed out to allow the creations of even more Gems (Thanks Ronaldo!).  The sight of what could’ve happened to the planet they’re devoted to is frightening for the Crystal Gems, but Peridot is ecstatic, delighting in its benefits for Gems despite it wiping out all organic Earth life if it came to be.  After big objections from the Crystal Gems, Peridot fights back by saying that Earth would’ve been safer without the rebellion against Earth being a colony causing the Diamonds to create the Cluster.  This mere insult raises major tensions between the Crystal Gems and Peridot, which is a sorry sight after it seeming like they were finally on good terms. 

It does make for an interesting conflict though.  Peridot holds onto her claims that the Gem War didn’t resolve any issues, and while Earth’s life is fine and well, since Homeworld Gems keep invading and the planet's been in danger of the Cluster this whole time, maybe her statement is more valid than it sounds.  So when she leaves with a communication device from the moon base, you’re guessing if this is good or bad. It does, however, successfully get you excited for what’s to come regarding that matter.  Along with new, interesting, world-building locations, and nice uses of character, this is a great cartoon to leave you guessing things. 9.5/10

The Ranking

1. The Answer
2. Sworn to the Sword
3. Keystone Motel
4. When it Rains
5. Too Far
6. Friend Ship
7. Nightmare Hospital
8. Chille Tid
9. Cry for Help
10. Keeping it Together
11. Full Disclosure
12. It Could’ve Been Great
13. Catch and Release
14. Back to the Barn
15. Steven’s Birthday
16. We Need to Talk
17. Reformed
18. Historical Friction
19. Joy Ride
20. Say Uncle
21. Onion Friend
22. Rising Tides, Crashing Skies
23. Sadie’s Song
24. Love Letters

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Peridot's morality is proven once and for all when she contacts Yellow Diamond.

If you want to stay updated for more reviews, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter.

If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

'Toon Reviews 15: Steven Universe Season 2 Episode 21: Too Far

Too Far

Construction of the drill begins for real, but the trend of Peridot getting to know her current enemies and Earth continues.  

She still has entertaining observations to what the planet provides. They include using a simple tape recorder to record her logs and having weird names for certain body parts much to Amethyst’s amusement.  In addition, Peridot still holds onto certain Gem prejudices brought about by Homeworld which actually brings one of her most meaningful bonds of the series. 

While it’s wrong to be judgmental, there’s no harm in poking a little fun at the shortcomings of others behind their back. When Peridot goes to the Kindergarten to get a part of its injectors for the drill with Amethyst and Steven as assigned chaperones, she and Amethyst get closer over their comments on said shortcomings.  Every time Peridot mentions what she finds strange about certain Crystal Gems, Amethyst takes the comments as a joke which Peridot seems pleased about.  Peridot also points out that even though she’s small and reckless and follows the orders of everyone else, as a Quartz-type Gem, Amethyst outranks everyone on the team.  Amethyst finds this amusing at first, but then Peridot makes her feel uneasy. 

At the same time, the new information further develops Amethyst’s background.  We already know she was made on Earth in this very Kindergarten as opposed to Homeworld, but Peridot adds on how Amethyst ended up small when she’s not supposed to be, right down to happily pointing out the hole Amethyst came out of and how it’s different from all the others.  This is where poking fun at others causes problems, ending up going too far.  Peridot is saying hurtful things about Amethyst’s background, something Amethyst is already sensitive about, and seems pleased with herself for doing so, and Amethyst gets visibly hurt about not living up to the expected status, all because she emerged from her hole late.  Despite being hurtful, Peridot is still likable when it’s later shown that she was just trying to be funny and enjoyed Amethyst finding humor in what she said, and feels smaller when Amethyst ignores her calls for her.  In other words, Peridot really meant no harm to Amethyst, and this is further proven in an exciting scenee where she accidentally starts the drill and it runs loose, but she quickly gets Amethyst out of the way while Steven stops it. 

However, it’s the last moment of the cartoon where Peridot proves that she genuinely wants to better understand Earth.  Through nothing but the sound of her tape recording, the emotional effects of the message are greatly felt, showing that Periodt realizes she’s no better than what she’s found wrong with the planet, and that she now knows to be careful with the words she uses.  The whole message is capped off by Amethyst simply thanking Peridot ,and Peridot feeling bigger as a result, which is all we get, but all we really need to get invested in the heart of the moment, especially since Amethyst and Peridot keep up their bond in seasons to come. 

For adding to Peridot’s appeal and development, giving more information on one of the established protagonists, and offering a strong message to walk away with, this cartoon is one of this season’s most powerful. 10/10

The Ranking

1. Sworn to the Sword
2. Keystone Motel
3. When it Rains
4. Too Far
5. Friend Ship
6. Nightmare Hospital
7. Chille Tid
8. Cry for Help
9. Keeping it Together
10. Full Disclosure
11. Catch and Release
12. Back to the Barn
13. We Need to Talk
14. Reformed
15. Historical Friction
16. Joy Ride
17. Say Uncle
18. Onion Friend
19. Rising Tides, Crashing Skies
20. Sadie’s Song
21. Love Letters

The next Steven Universe review is a big one as we hear the thrilling story of Garnet's origins.

Next time on MC Toon Reviews is the next review for Rocko's Modern Life on "Keeping Up With the Bigheads" and "Skid Marks."

If you want to stay updated for more reviews, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter.

If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.

'Toon Reviews 15: Steven Universe Season 2 Episode 20: Back to the Barn

Back to the Barn

Our heroes now have another big task to protect Earth.  They have an unlikely Gem joining them, Peridot, and even base much of the operation at a location that was only used once before. 

Stopping the Cluster means they need a machine to take them to the center of the Earth, so a decision is made to make something out of materials stored at the old barn.  Before, the barn was only used in “Space Race” in which Pearl headlined the building of a spaceship.  With the barn now being used for something major, it’s now more relevant since all cartoons for the rest of this season take place here, and it’s continually revisited afterwards.  For now, just as drill production begins, conflicts arise and get in the way.  Fortunately, it’s an insightful conflict with character development. 

After Pearl shows the materials in the barn for the drill, Peridot expects her to leave, bringing on welcome background on Pearl which includes information on what Pearls are like on Homeworld.  They’re created to do menial tasks for more powerful Gems as opposed to major ones like machine construction.  From this description, the Crystal Gem Pearl really stands out.  She’s smart, she’s been shown to build and fix things, and she's a skilled fighter.  However, what’s learned about common Pearls does give some relevance to certain traits we’ve seen from her such as her obsessive cleanliness and her lack of faith in her own strength revealed in “Friend Ship.”  As if we didn’t need more reasons to make her the most in-depth Crystal Gem, the ways this Pearl differs from the majority add on even more depth, which makes her more appealing and fascinating.  Now, as is common with anyone conditioned to believe certain customs, Peridot won’t see any value in a Pearl, and production on the drill is halted before it can even begin. 

Eventually, it’s decided that they should see who’s better at building robots, competing the right to headline the drill.  The competition mostly consists of comedic antics from Pearl’s tall, skinny wheeled robot and Peridot’s shorter, buffer robot.  They’re all in the name of fun, and they are enjoyable as they are, but they don’t hide that they’re spending too much time on something petty instead of something important to save the world.  However, there’s a significant character moment.  When the contest ends in a tie, Peridot picks a robot fight as a tiebreaker, refusing to accept that this Pearl is not like all the others.   Pearl willingly takes on Peridot alone, at one point coming full circle with her prior anxieties by showing pride in herself while punching Peridot.  Peridot wins the fight though, but Pearl gets the most praise for attempting to fight her which only proves that she really is much better than all the other Pearls. What’s even better about this is that Peridot grows to accept this and warm up to Pearl, while further realizing the truths behind Earth .  This isn’t even the last time Peridot ends up on good terms with a Crystal Gem as we’ll soon see, which makes this resolution even better. 

This cartoon may spend too much time on frivolous matters when something serious is occurring, but for what it does for the characters involved, it has merit. 9.5/10

The Ranking

1. Sworn to the Sword
2. Keystone Motel
3. When it Rains
4. Friend Ship
5. Nightmare Hospital
6. Chille Tid
7. Cry for Help
8. Keeping it Together
9. Full Disclosure
10. Catch and Release
11. Back to the Barn
12. We Need to Talk
13. Reformed
14. Historical Friction
15. Joy Ride
16. Say Uncle
17. Onion Friend
18. Rising Tides, Crashing Skies
19. Sadie’s Song
20. Love Letters

The next Steven Universe review features Peridot warming up to Amethyst which also gives an example of what happens when playful teasing goes too far.

Next time on MC 'Toon Reviews is another Rocko's Modern Life review covering "Jet Scream" and "Dirty Dog."


If you want to stay updated for more reviews, become a follower of this blog, click here to like the official Facebook page, and click here to follow me on Twitter.

If you would like to check out other Steven Universe reviews on this blog, click here for the guide made especially for them.