'Toon Reviews 6: Steven Universe Season 1 Episode 39

Future Vision

As most people who watch this show can tell, Garnet is a pretty unique Gem.  She’s taller than most, is the most calm of them all even in the heat of battle, and that’s not even mentioning her having three eyes.  This cartoon is where we first find out about another unique feature of hers.  Through a series of charming interactions with Steven which are equivalent to moments of a mother spending time with a curious, energetic child, Garnet reveals that she has the power to see any possible outcome for the future, i.e. she has future vision which also means that she, unlike other Gems, has two Gem powers instead of one, the other being to magically obtain her gauntlets.  Regarding her future vision, it’s explained in a creative and at times insightful manner by equating time to a river that flows in different directions, each one representing something that could happen as a result of an action and that’s a perfectly reasonable analogy.  Among the examples of possible actions, the ones this particular story focuses on are the ways Steven can get hurt from doing anything he normally does, even something as simple as eating fry bits.  As soon as Steven hears Garnet list off all the bad things that could happen when he does that, you can probably predict that the rest cartoon will be of him becoming paranoid about getting hurt while doing anything.  It’s presented in a fun way of looking into Steven’s psyche drawn in a simple style where all his actions lead to him getting hurt in some way which reduces him to a pile of bones, but I will admit that the whole idea of Steven’s paranoia goes on so long that it gets tiresome after a while.  Now, all of Steven’s fears lead to a big climax where he does something about them by awaiting his ultimate fate by going up to the roof during a storm, something Garnet specifically told him not to do.  Garnet arrives back fast, and with intensity added in by the storm, as she struggles to get Steven to come down, she reveals that she saw that he would do this if she taught him about future vision.  The reason she told him anyway was because she wanted them both to be closer, so that gives her actions some genuine heart along with how she regrets letting herself be one of the things that could hurt Steven.  The whole moment is really full on heart when you hear that all this happened because Garnet wanted to be closer to Steven and is a great way for Steven to learn that it’s up to him to decide how the future will turn out, something everyone can relate to.  While this cartoon is largely basic and falls short to stronger ones, what it adds to Garnet, whose future vision becomes a prominent asset after this, and her relationship with Steven give it genuine value. 8/10

The Ranking

1. Ocean Gem
2. Lion 3: Straight to Video
3. Alone Together
4. Coach Steven
5. Mirror Gem
6. An Indirect Kiss
7. Space Race
8. So Many Birthdays
9. Steven the Sword Fighter
10. Lion 2: The Movie
11. Bubble Buddies
12. Monster Buddies
13. Laser Light Cannon
14. Giant Woman
15. Lars and the Cool Kids
16. The Test
17. Steven’s Lion
18. Watermelon Steven
19. Gem Glow
20. Steven and the Stevens
21. Warp Tour
22. Island Adventure
23. Rose’s Room
24. Cheeseburger Backpack
25. Future Vision
26. Secret Team
27. House Guest
28. Serious Steven
29. Joking Victim
30. Beach Party
31. Cat Fingers
32. Tiger Millionaire
33. Together Breakfast
34. Fusion Cuisine
35. Frybo
36. Onion Trade
37. Arcade Mania
38. Garnet’s Universe
39. Keep Beach City Weird

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where we learn more about Amethyst's background as she and Steven go "On the Run."

If you would like to check out other reviews on this blog, click here for the guide to all the reviews posted so far.

'Toon Reviews 6: Steven Universe Season 1 Episode 7

Bubble Buddies

While most of the side characters aren’t really as interesting as the main ones, there are those who stick out as some of the best in the cast such as Steven’s dad, Greg.  This cartoon introduces another side character who’s worth calling one of the best, and her name is Connie.  Steven’s first interaction with her is a very cute and well-written adventure that lets us know what we’re in for with this relationship, and it blooms naturally in a relatable manner.  When he first notices her, he clearly wants to introduce himself to her, but is too shy to do so.  Then, when he tries again, circumstances convince him to act quickly, leading him to save Connie from a falling rock.  This moment also gives us our first look at one of Steven’s most prominent powers, a magical pink bubble that shields himself and anyone around him from harm, and as is usual for first time skills, he doesn’t know how to properly work it including making the bubble go away.  Adding to this situation is the fact that Steven told the Crystal Gems to stay out of his way while he talked to Connie, meaning that they’re both on their own in finding a way out of the bubble.  Through many wacky schemes Steven arranges to burst the bubble, he and Connie slowly establish a strong bond through their conversations about themselves, Connie showing off her impressive knowledge on certain subjects, and her also serving as a foil to Steven by pointing out the flaws in his ideas.  Their small moments lead up to a big moment where their attempts to pop the bubble send them to the bottom of the ocean.  When Connie laments how Steven doesn’t know what he’s doing and that she’ll disappear without making a single friend, Steven steps in with a moment of genuine caring.  He grants her his friendship and even gives her a bracelet which she dropped and he saved for almost a year (which you can see if you look closely at the shot of his freezer in "Gem Glow").  This works in cheering up Connie who accepts the offer to be Steven’s friend, and this moment is so heartwarming that it’s enough to pop the bubble.  This mutual respect is even put to good use when they both take out a giant worm monster before the Crystal Gems have a chance to come in and help.  This is especially great because all moments between Steven and Connie here, and in many cartoons to come, show they make for a great relationship together.  They’re great at working as a team, they know what to say when they’re in distress, and they basically bring out the best in each other.  The fact that this is the introduction to a great relationship grants it the status of the show’s first of many top-tier cartoons and one that’s sure not to mess with one’s funky flow.  10/10

The Ranking

1. Bubble Buddies
2. Laser Light Cannon
3. Gem Glow
4. Cheeseburger Backpack
5. Cat Fingers
6. Together Breakfast
7. Frybo

Be sure to stay tuned for the review of the next episode where Steven tries to be serious on his first Gem mission with questionable results in "Serious Steven.

If you would like to check out other reviews on this blog, click here for the guide to all the reviews posted so far.