Steven Universe #63: Cry for Help

Something that I'm sure would be shocking to some people is why I didn't include Steven Universe on my normal lineup for reviews. This is because, at the time, the show simply wasn't impressing me. I can watch Gravity Falls and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and get easily sucked into their worlds. But, the thing about Steven Universe was that it was a very mixed bag for me. I thought the concept was incredibly creative and, as you would know if you even watched a single episode of the show, the characterization is superb. But, the writing always seemed a little distracted to me. I mean, I know that the show has to make 52 11-minute episodes each season, and there's only so much you can exhaust out of a concept even this creative, but, that's only this show's main flaw.

Garnet, a main protagonist, in the climax scene of "Future Vision"

Episodes like Future Vision are probably the best examples of what I mean. The idea for the episode is so amazingly good. It starts off very promising and its climax is priceless. However, its main problem? Everything else. After Garnet reveals to the titular character Steven that she has the ability to see different paths of the future (not just see THE future, see different paths. Interestingly unique way to go about it, animation wise!), we are subjected to a good 7-8 minutes (over half the episode) of nothing of substance happening. And, this is fine, as long as we get some good jokes. We get one actually funny joke, but most of the time, we're given good reminders on why comedy isn't at the forefront of Steven Universe.

Nevertheless, I did everything I could to give this show a shot. And the episodes themselves ended up becoming mixed bags. By that I mean, episodes like So Many Birthdays, Mirror/Ocean Gem, On The Run, and The Return/Jail Break are spectacular, and are good reminders of why this show is so well-known and respected. But then you have episodes like Lion 2: The Movie, Beach Party, Steven and the Stevens, Watermelon Steven, and even the show's debut episode Gem Glow that are good reminders why no one ever mentions them. That's the thing about Season 1 of this show. There's a dedicated fanbase that will stand by this show until the very end, but they refuse to ever mention the likes of episodes such as Steven's Lion that feel like you're watching a show of completely different quality.

So. Much. THIS!!

Season 2, on the other hand...

Clearly, times have changed, since I am now reviewing an episode of this show (and not only that, adding it to my main lineup). What has Season 2 done that delightfully improved the show over Season 1? Simple. It takes more time to make sure almost every episode is good. Now, even the episodes that are strictly filler and comedic are usually hilarious. And the continuity/story episodes have been knocked up about 11 notches. What was the final nail in the coffin for any doubts I originally had about Steven Universe? This beauty of 3 episodes, fitting together under one nice, neat arc. And I'm going to review all three to further show what makes this cartoon one of the greats.

We start off the episode, innocently enough, with a show within a show. Crying Breakfast Friends is the name, and it's a hilarious parody of the show it's within. And, well, the title says it all. It's a show about friends who cry a lot and just so happen to be breakfast foods. And the Crystal Gems' reactions to this show are nothing short of priceless. The signal of the TV, however, gets a little fuzzy, and it turns out to be because of Peridot! ...She's a recurring villain on this show if you're new. She's broadcasting a signal to all over Earth, signalling any Gems that may be colonizing Earth that she's stranded and needs to get back to Homeworld. The Crystal Gems quickly deduce that Peridot could only be broadcasting a signal like this at the Gem Communication Hub (a recurring location of the series), and even after being destroyed by Sugilite (a fusion between Garnet and Amethyst), it has been rebuilt. However, this time, instead of forming Sugilite, Garnet decides to fuse with Pearl to form-- oh my god, it's happening, is it?!

"Was I worth the wait?"

To be honest, though, Sardonyx, the result of this fusion, is a little bit irritating to me. I mean, she's very close to what would happen if you fused Garnet's personality with Pearl's personality. Thing is, though, Garnet is a very fun character on her own. Pearl is a very fun character on her own. Sardonyx, though, feels very stuck-up, and her voice... just... ugh. But I wouldn't be lying if I didn't say she didn't get a laugh out of me. "And yes, sometimes I am known to smash". Communication hub is down, yay.

And here we go with the Crying Breakfast Friends again, this time, foreshadowing what's about to happen in the episode. That's probably the best way to use these "show-within-a-show" things, and it was used subtle enough here so that your first time watching, you're not gonna catch that, but the second time, you're probably gonna say "Clever!" out loud... at least, I did.

Anyway, Peridot's signal comes in again, and when the Gems investigate the hub, it was, somehow, built once again... overnight! Pearl and Garnet fuse once again, and Amethyst (who goes the entire episode annoyed that Garnet is fusing with Pearl rather than her) sings a song, talking about her feelings of sorrow towards Garnet, and how she wishes she could make up for the Sugalite incident back in Season 1. In all honesty, though, this is the low-point of the episode. The song is very short (it doesn't even clock in a minute), and the lyrics aren't that powerful.

After this, we see Steven and Amethyst staking out the hub, to see exactly how Peridot's been able to fix the hub. After some top-notch banter, it's revealed that Pearl has been using Peridot's escape pod (that had previously been found by Steven) to fix the hub herself so that the can fuse with Garnet again. Amethyst and Steven tell Pearl as she and Garnet are about to fuse that she needs to tell her the truth. But, Garnet sort of figures it out on her own. And she... is less than amused.

Dang, Garnet, you scary!

After an amazingly satisfying outburst from Garnet that just hits all of the right notes, Garnet tells Amethyst to fuse with her, and Sugalite destroys the hub in one blow. Cut back to the Crying Breakfast Friends once again, this time, a little more annoying than they normally are, seeing as how we just had this emotional moment seconds ago, and plus, their crying lasts the rest of the episode, and it's... irritating. To say the least, anyway. We get a nice enough ending besides that and the episode ends.

I seriously changed my mind on Steven Universe after seeing this episode alone. And seeing as how it's only part 1 in a 3-part-series, all I can say is...

BRING IT ON!

Yes, but it was an overall fantastic episode that had all the right words, put all the characters in the spotlight, creates a well-done arc out of a character that is irritating, making Sardonyx a plot device, but, in this case, a good one. I'm excited to see what's next in this series, I'm excited to review the next two episodes I will review, and I guess I'll see you all next time!

Episode Verdict

+  Tension between Garnet and Pearl

+  Well-paced story and great comedy, out of the norm of some of Steven Universe's worst

+  Crying Breakfast Friends

+  Sardonyx creates a great arc, but...

-  ...she is a VERY annoying character.

-  Tower of Mistakes is definitely not this show's best song.

Overall: 8.5/10