Even if not all the supporting characters of this show are all that interesting, they work because of the solid relationships they have with Steven.
Take the Cool Kids, Sour
Cream, Jenny Pizza, and Buck Dewey, for instance. They’re a basic gang of teens who hang out
and do things for fun. However, there’s
a hidden depth to them that make them worth your time. You’d expect a gang of cool kids to think
they’re the best and everyone else is beneath them, but they’re way more
human. Anyone can befriend them through
being themselves, and that’s why they’re fond of Steven. This cartoon here shows this off when they
end up giving Steven what he needs.
The
effects of the Homeworld invasion are shown to be gradually resolving
as Steven is spending all his time helping the Crystal Gems clear the beach of
the remains of Peridot’s ship. That’s when the Cool Kids come and
take Steven out for fun late at night.
As they hang out together, we get a further taste of their endearing
side as they talk about the problems they have with their families. Sour
Cream’s dad wants him to be a fisherman instead of a DJ, Buck is always judged
for all his actions because he’s the mayor’s son, and Jenny is constantly
nagged by her sister Kiki. While they’re
more fleshed out with these factoids, they still feel like typical teens who
want to do what they want.
When
Steven explains his family problems which include him thinking the Crystal Gems
blame him for his mom, Rose Quartz, not being around, it’s great that they
realize how petty their problems are compared to his.
They are understanding that some people have it worse, and since Steven
honestly feels like his guardians think he’s the cause of their biggest grief,
he deserves their compassion.
As for how
the Cool Kids help Steven deal with what he’s been through, their methods are
questionable, mostly leaning towards their delinquent sides. They find Peridot’s escape pod which the
Crystal Gems are hard-pressed to find, and since Peridot herself isn’t inside
it, the Cool Kids coax Steven into taking selfies by it and getting inside to operate
it. This is clearly irresponsible and
hard to get behind, but this impact is lessened by Steven frequently saying the
pod needs to be taken to the Gems and the Cool Kids’ good intents of helping
Steven break from the pressure of his work.
So, there’s agreeable aspects to these actions, even if, like the last time the Cool Kids messed with magic stuff, it leads to serious danger of
Steven getting stuck in the pod and almost getting beaten up by the Crystal
Gems who sense its activation.
After an
intense end to the action when the Cool Kids stop the Gems from smashing the
pod while Steven’s inside, they defend him saying that the whole thing was
their fault because they were trying to get his mind off his heavy
pressures. This further sells the Cool
Kids as great, albeit flawed, characters since their words get the Crystal Gems
to realize that Steven does need some time for fun, especially after what he’s
been through. They even finally unground
him from TV, which is good on account that 1,000 years to be grounded from it was way too long to begin with.
We’re overall left with a solid relatable message
that balancing work and fun is the best thing for a healthy lifestyle. It’s true that life isn’t all fun and games,
but it’s not all work and serious stuff either.
So even if it doesn’t come from the most interesting of characters, the
way the story and their bond with Steven plays out makes them fine additions to
the cast all the same. 9/10
The Ranking
- Full Disclosure
- Joy Ride
The next Steven Universe review will be on a crossover with, of all Cartoon Network shows, Uncle Grandpa.
Next time on MC Toon Reviews is the review of Episode 2 of Hey Arnold Season 3.
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.
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.
