“See?! I dropped you from the sky but you almost just won by, using a rock!” – Amethyst while fighting Steven. There’s a joke I could make about this, but it’s way, way too obvious.
Airdate: August 3rd, 2016
Written By: Hilary Florido and Jesse Zuke (credited as Lauren Zuke)
Plot: Amethyst is in a bit of a state. Getting defeated by Jasper and watching Stevonnie take the antagonist down all by themself has sent her self esteem to another low. Steven tries to cheer her up and drag her from her Garbage Disposal Egg Salad to partake in training with Pearl. Said training has taken a less deadly direction compared to what it once was. Amethyst eventually decides she wants in, and is slowly stunned to learn that Steven has become a more capable fighter than ever before and is starting to outclass her.
Review:
“I only feel how I wanna feel.”
It’s almost too easy to write off Season 1A of Steven Universe as mostly superfluous. I mean, let’s be real, the show was still waiting to set up its arc, some of the characters were still in their early stages of development, and the overall tone of the series leaned more towards animated sci-fi comedy with some occasional dramatic elements rather than the genre-bending dramedy that would become the show’s hallmark.
Well, that piece of dialogue above should be a decent rebuttal. Don’t get me wrong – Season 1A is one of the weakest seasons of Steven Universe because of some of the aforementioned issues in setting up the series. But that’s the point – it was slowly unveiling the motivations behind each character, slowly peeling open the overall arc of the franchise, et cetera. Accordingly, it makes the venerated “Mirror Gem” and “Ocean Gem” two-parter seem like a revelation – the hints of a more complex show that we saw before just exploded and flooded into the franchise, leading to an absolutely astonishing Season 1B and 2.
Take, for instance, Amethyst’s arc. “Tiger Millionaire” has Amethyst become the premier actor in a wrestling competition – she uses that role to escape into a world where she has an adoring fanbase, can escape from her troubles at home. It hints at a more insecure side to what had been a very hedonistic character. Further hints would be dropped in other episodes before the bomb was dropped in “On The Run”, widely considered one of the show’s most haunting and tragic episodes. Since then, episodes have aired that have shone a light on how Amethyst’s feelings of inadequacy can surface, such as “Reformed” and “Too Far”.
The back end of Season 3 can be considered the “climax” of this arc, so to speak. Not that it goes away after this era – “What’s Your Problem” will signal the effective parting salvo in Season 5 – but what we have here is Amethyst laying her disquiet about her sense of belonging alongside the Crystal Gems bare.
And she does so right alongside Steven… who is starting to go through his own period of existential disquiet.
The Crystal Gems, as I’ve mentioned in prior reviews, are a Team of Misfits. Each member of the group would be considered outcasts by Homeworld society in one way or another. For a state that desires perfection, each of the Crystal Gems is a slap in the face to their idea of a utopia, the implementation of which is quite dystopic in nature. To get the four characters not really described in this episode out of the way, Garnet is the product of a highly taboo relationship, Pearl broke her social class to become a Renaissance Gem, Peridot abandoned stoicism and embraced the power Earth could yield, and Rose Quartz was a defector from decadence whose own outcast status gets completely exposed from the penultimate episode of the season up through Season 5.
Got it? I think you’ve got it.
This episode’s focus, well, I think you’ve got that as well.
Steven and Amethyst, if anything, are a case of how the show explores opposite sets of expectations, and just how unhealthy imposing those expectations on oneself or others is to the psyche of inflicted individuals. Further, their interactions with others in this episode as well as with each other demonstrates how these expectations can lead to behavior that, while well-meaning, can be somewhat insensitive and out of touch.
Amethyst, after all, was not meant to be much. Homeworld all but abandoned her – those that have seen her consider her an abject failure on just a surface look. She came out late, and because of the way geology works, she wound up half the height of her apparent contemporaries. Worse still, she was built to be a war machine. Her genesis was hellish, and Homeworld society considers her a failure at achieving their rather haunting ends. The cherry on top? She’s seen Jasper and thinks that is the physical standard by which she needs to be measured. And saw how Steven and Connie managed to take her down, that was a massive blow to her self-esteem.
Never mind that Jasper’s psychological state is in rapid decay. Never mind that Stevonnie’s victory was based on a combination of strategy and physical training. To Amethyst, that doesn’t matter. Jasper is the embodiment of the perfect soldier, and Amethyst can’t reach that form permanently. Hell, it makes her “Purple Puma” persona in “Tiger Millionaire” a bit more unnerving – in the ring, she’s embracing what she feels the ideal could be to an unsuspecting audience, an audience that doesn’t know jack about Homeworld.
On that note, refer to her line to Jasper in the last episode. “Rose said I’m perfect the way I am.” Again, this is certainly not malicious advice – in fact, most would call that helpful. But this episode really exposes that there exists in the Crystal Gem dynamic a crutch – that her ability to do anything she desires is not limited by any physical shortcomings that she might have. This mantra, when you actually think about it, is a bit simplistic. It’s rather cold to say, and I fear that I don’t know how to put this without giving offense, so I apologize in advance. Some of our shortcomings – disabilities or otherwise – make certain tasks virtually insurmountable. At the very least, they can attract attention, not all of it positive. The psychological impact is undoubtedly massive.
BUT this should not preclude any of us from reaching our full potential, nor should it prevent one from being loved for what one can do. This is a philosophical statement I mentioned way back in my review of “Friend Ship”, so I’ll just quote it from there;
“Our circumstances – be it our social class, our sexual orientation, our nationality, all that jazz – might change the dilemmas (or the severity thereof) we face through our lives, but it’s up to us to shape how we react to it […] we also have to strive to improve ourselves, to be better, more stable, more self-assuring people. Because, at our heart, most of us – hell, almost all of us – are capable of brilliant things.”
A very similar sentiment exists here. We might not be able to do it all because of any disabilities (or other shortcomings) we might have, but people can still stand out and make an incredible mark on the world. We just have to work at it. And people should appreciate the contributions all of us do produce.
And that is Amethyst’s biggest tragedy. She can be, and is, a formidable fighter, the “fists” of the Crystal Gems. But she stagnated, she relied purely on what she thought was an innate power. That, as much as anything else, is what caused her to fall apart against Jasper. She didn’t adapt, didn’t develop her craft, and hasn’t done so for years. She’s been spending her time as a complete hedonist – even in her more introspective and depressive state early in this episode, she makes egg salad in the garbage disposal unit – and as a result, while she’s still physically capable, she’s quite rusty and in need of a tune-up.
Steven, in contrast, has been slowly framing his own craft across the series. Accordingly, even though he is the “shield” and the “heart” of the Crystal Gems, he is rapidly equalling the core trio. In this episode, he even passes one of them! Pretty nifty for a kid who was once concerned about his friggin ice cream being discontinued.
There’s just one issue with this whole scene.
Rose Quartz.
Steven is a true anomaly – half-human, half-Gem, raised by three Gems of different origins, different classes, different types. Again, we have a former servant who rebelled to become an intellectual, a diplomat who is in a perpetual taboo union with a working-class grunt meant to be cannon fodder, and a gem created to be a brutish soldier but left behind. Steven’s closest analog is his mother. His oft-venerated, apparently uber-powerful Crystal Gem who has been held in high regard post-mortem. She was a high-ranking war general who managed to drive Homeworld off Earth – with high casualties, of course, but still! And that’s what Steven and most of the Cyrstal Gems know at this point. Believe me, the truth is much more trying.
For him, the standard by which he measures himself is almost impossible to meet. The worst part is that there is no possible way to measure this standard directly since his birth meant the death of Rose Quartz. If anything, it makes these feelings of inadequacy that are surfacing within him even worse. Steven is not only Rose’s successor, but he’s also the reason why she’s shuffled off the mortal coil and joined the choir invisible.
It’s not his fault – certainly not! But that’s gotta weigh heavy on anybody.
Not helping is the constant veneration of Rose Quartz amongst the crew. She is the specter that lingers over the Crystal Gems, and in the wake of her death, her personality has been all but cleaned up, turning her into a borderline saint. At first glance, the standard that Steven has to live up against is amazing. However, the reflection of this at the end of this episode is rather fitting. From “Bismuth” forward, Rose’s sanctified image is taken apart bit by bit as we learn more about her past. Let me be real – by Season 5, her reputation will go from “well-meaning, if somewhat aloof and enigmatic” to a brilliantly frustrating, tragic figure.
Remember back in “Keystone Motel” – Steven wondered if he was the source of the tensions that have plagued the Crystal Gems over that particular week. As he becomes more keenly aware of what has gone on with the trio, this feeling of inadequacy has only intensified as time has passed. Even as he has aided in mending some of the troubles that have plagued the crew, Steven thinks of himself as an albatross for the team.
And so does Amethyst.
This can not end well. Oh, who am I kidding, it’s Steven Universe. This can be as bitter or as sweet as humanly possible.
And our catalyst for this episode? Pearl. This is an interesting case where Pearl actually goes from one end of the spectrum to the other – this time, in her training tactics. Instead of a mentally troubled military lead, she acts more like a grade school educator. She uses “Pearl Points” to measure training and psychological development. (SpongeBob fans, think “good noodle” points.) The training has gone from combative and negative to positive, albeit quite passive. Indeed, she actually suspects that Amethyst threw her side of the competition to aide Steven. This track is not unknown – “The Test” had the trio revealed to be treating Steven with kid gloves during Season 1A. The difference is that Amethyst is now measuring herself against Steven instead of trying to aid him, and is getting blown out in training.
Further, the irony comes full circle. Noting a disquiet, Steven sets up a game of Lonely Blade on the Dolphin Game System and proceeds to throw it faster than you can say “Arnold Rothstein”.
Here’s the issue, however. There’s a pretty thick line between accommodation and being patronizing. Nobody, nobody, wants to be patronized. And to Amethyst, this comes off as quite patronizing. A free win does nothing. I would complain about Steven doing this and coming off as a hypocrite… but he already did something akin to this way back when. As in, the end of “The Test”. He walked through and hyped up the simulation to improve the morale of the trio, as they felt out of their depth. In reality, he felt a greater task than the simulation the Crystal Gems set up.
This time, however, she’s aware of this tactic. Her self-esteem has been absolutely crippled, and this is just another nail in the coffin. In fact, it’s pretty much the final nail in the coffin, as she lays the depth of her self-loathing bare yet again. If “On The Run” was a complete mental breakdown, this is a more pointed and resigned “I suck more than you” moment. This leads Steven to put Amethyst up, all while embarking on his own self-deprecatory tendencies.
End result? A fight to hell and back. The biggest fraud wins.
Accordingly, the battle between the two is very uncomfortable to watch. This is not a bad thing – the writers demonstrate how each side of this conflict is so blinded by their hatred for themselves that they ignore the physical and tactical power that they do yield. All while the genuine admiration they have for one another slowly comes forward, culminating in the two exhausted, emotionally and physically, ready to lay their insecurities bare. It’s catharsis framed in a tragic battle, and it results in a surprisingly emotionally effective climax to the episode!
Really, “Steven vs. Amethyst” is only setting up the climax of the arc. “Earthlings” will really show the peak of this whole dynamic, and it will result in a glorious showdown with the haunting Jasper. But for what it’s worth, this episode really does a fine job of setting it all up.
Steven and Amethyst have one of the more relatable dynamics in the canon – they’re basically two siblings who have very similar issues with their upbringing. They absolutely play off of each other, with their dynamic ranging from a comic duo (two sides of an emotional coin) to a more introspective partnership. This episode really demonstrated the latter, building on their strikingly similar psychological issues and how they approach the uncomfortable aspects of their past. And it really does aid in improving the impact of future episodes.
They have a road to climb up, issues to overcome. They might not be able to do it all. But from what they’ve done so far? The kids are alright.
Appropriately, I have to give a solid thumbs up to “Steven vs. Amethyst”. There’s solid character development, great emotional resonance, a well-directed climactic fight, and still a good deal of humor to bring an appropriate levity to proceedings. It’s well-rounded, doesn’t really miss a beat, and provides a great look at one of the show’s main character dynamics. Can’t say much more than that.
Tidbits:
- This episode has Pearl at a new level of brilliantly “dorky” as the administrator of training… all while acting like an elementary school teacher. It really is one of the character’s more amusing moments. I dunno – just her enthusiasm with the whole act is a great balance to the fantastic “Sworn to the Sword”, as she’s absolutely perky about the whole thing. What could be better than this? Well, guess what her reaction is at the end when Steven and Amethyst fight, causing collateral damage to the arena as a result? “What did you two do? You’ve ruined the ruins!“ For all her eagerness, for as much as she’s started to loosen up, she’s still meticulous and quite the historian.
- A mildly interesting thing about this episode – it only features the voice talents of the “core four”. Even then, Garnet only gets a grand total of two lines. This is effectively a three-hander as a result. (Add in the relatively limited settings – the Arena and the Beach House – this episode is closer to the stereotypical “two-hander”, even if the technical aspects of animation negate the cost-effectiveness present within those episodes.) The end of the season, by the way, will have an episode that, except for the last minute or two, is legitimately a two-hander.
- Maybe it’s just me, but one thing I notice in a lot of the Florido/Zuke episodes is that the hair found on the characters is very slightly… messier. Say what you will about the leeway given to the storyboard artists – I’m of a very mixed opinion given the genre – but I actually can see where the duo went with this. It serves to symbolize the stress of the situation facing the Crystal Gems and their allies. A small thing, and it really is inconsequential, but that’s how I read it, at least.
Wrap-Up:
Favorite Scene: Not a particular surprise – Steven and Amethyst fighting to see who the worse Crystal Gem was.
Best Character (ironically enough): You know what? An effective tie here between… well, guess who?
Memorable Quote: I’m just gonna post the climactic dialog here…
Amethyst: “I know what’s wrong with me. I’m not supposed to be small. And everyone’s always acting like there’s no problem. ‘You can be anything you want to be, heh.’ No, I can’t! I can’t even be the one thing I’m supposed to be, you know?”
Steven: “Of course, I do. I’m… not Rose Quartz.”
Heartbreaking.
Verdict: Gold. An admittedly close call, but it does serve to set up the final five episodes of the season, not just for Amethyst, but for Steven himself! Accordingly, this episode enters the rankings at #40, between fellow Zuke/Florido outings “Log Date 7-15-2” and “Catch and Release”. If you look at the rankings, this episode just clears the threshold, but hey, plot development ain’t a bad thing!
That’s all for the review, but before I close, I want to give a shout-out to Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar, who married her long-time partner Ian Jones-Quartey (the creator of OK KO – Let’s Be Heroes) on December 4th. Here’s to nothing but the best for the duo!
The Review Nebula 