After “Steven Universe: The Movie,” it felt like the franchise had finally come to an end. However, the new limited series, “Steven Universe Future,” acts as an epilogue and has brought up more questions and problems.
“Steven Universe Future” feels like the past seasons, but with a more mature tone than before. Just when it was thought the show couldn’t get any darker and more emotionally draining, it did.
The hour-long special “Steven Universe Future” features four brand new episodes titled “Little Homeschool,” “Guidance,” “Rose Buds” and “Volleyball.”
“Little Homeschool”
In the first episode, everything is back to normal and Steven and the Crystal Gems have taken in some of the Corrupted Gems that are now healed to live on Earth. These new Gems are learning how to move on from the past and trying to assimilate into this new world, since there is no longer a war and almost everyone is at peace.
Jasper makes her return in “Steven Universe Future.” Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network
However, not everyone is at peace. Jasper is still stuck in the past and holds many grudges. After being away so long from my favorite antagonist, Jasper is back and I couldn’t contain my excitement when she came on the screen.
As Steven tries to make things right with Jasper, they get into a fight and Steven awakens a new power that he did not have before. This power shows a darker side to Steven and he must come face-to-face with his inner demons.
The first episode provides a great overlook of what to expect for the rest of the season, and it is exciting see what this power is and how Steven will face this problem.
“Guidance”
In episode two, Amethyst introduces Steven to the Gem Human Excellence Mentorship (GHEM), where a Gem is teamed up with a human to put their skills to work. The Gems perform a job based on their natural skills, but Steven raises the point that Gems shouldn’t be forced to do what they are “meant to do,” but instead should be free to discover new hidden talents. Steven tries to fix this situation, which leads to a disaster that both Steven and Amethyst have to fix.
Pearl and Volleyball realize that Pink Diamond wasn’t perfect and had her flaws. Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network
This episode was entertaining to watch because new Gems were introduced, along with their personalities and powers. This episode teaches the audience the moral lesson that one can’t control everything, and maybe that’s what’s best. Amethyst finally found her calling and purpose on Earth with GHEM, and now she can help find Steven’s true purpose in life.
“Rose Buds”
Episode three is where things start to intensify and get awkward. Steven meets a trio of Rose Quartzes who have been bubbled away due to the fact that Steven’s mom, Pink Diamond, changed her identity to a Rose Quartz and was a criminal. Steven feels awkward around the Rose Quartz’s and is reminded that deep down he still hasn’t forgiven his mother after all the things she did.
Steven reunites with the humans from the zoo and meets the old Rose Quartzes that were bubbled away. Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network
Steven, Amethyst, Pearl, Garnet and even Steven’s dad, Greg, feel uncomfortable around the trio of Rose Quartzes because they look just like Steven’s late mother. This episode was uncomfortable to watch. I felt like I was a part of this family and I wasn’t ready to meet another Rose Quartz after the last one caused so much controversy. This episode sparks the question of whether or not Steven will ever forgive his mom.
“Volleyball”
The last episode of this limited series is the best one. Pink Pearl, nicknamed Volleyball, reaches out to Steven to heal her eye that was cracked by Pink Diamond. Even Steven’s healing power can’t help her. Steven, Pearl and Volleyball then go to The Reef, where pearls are made, to fix her, but this just ends in chaos. Volleyball was Pink Diamond’s original pearl before the Pearl that fans know and love. The crack on Volleyball’s eye is due to the abuse caused by Pink Diamond.
Volleyball reminisces her time when she served Pink Diamond. Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network
This episode made Steven and Pearl realize that Pink Diamond was just as horrible as the other Diamonds. Pink Diamond brought so much pain to both Pearls, emotionally and physically, that it caused them to fuse together and understand each other. This episode is a tearjerker because it showed the audience that it’s okay to hurt and that there are people out there who relate to the same problems and can help each other.
Pearl and Volleyball fuse and become a bigger Pearl to save themselves and Steven. Photo courtesy of Cartoon Network
I really don’t know how the creators of “Steven Universe” catch me off guard every time. I was not expecting “Steven Universe Future” to be even more emotional than in the past seasons. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the epilogue has in store for the fans.
