After the most recent new Steven Universe Future episodes it looks like we’re in for another looong hiatus–just like the good ol’ days.  These last two episodes pulled on my heart strings in a way few previous episodes have. I think it’s because Steven seems to be spiraling deeper into a young adult existential crisis, which is hella sad and hella friggin’ relatable.  Remember when Steven’s greatest dilemma was trying to get his three moms in the same room to eat Together Breakfast? Ah, childhood. Anyway, let’s get to the Quickie Mini Reviews!

Little Graduation

As his beloved friends move on to bigger and better things, Steven begins to question what he is doing with his life.

The episode opens with Steven driving his Dondai and singing along to “Teens by Day,” by Sadie Killer and the Suspects.  He stops by Lars’ bakery to pick up a cake for the Little Homeschool graduation ceremony that evening. During the visit, Sadie drops by.  Steven is thrilled to finally be in a baked goods establishment together with his old friends (and his favorite will-they, won’t-they couple) after so long.  However, Steven’s cheerfulness is shattered when Sadie reveals that she is in a relationship with someone named “Shep,” and Lars reveals that he plans to leave his bakery and return to exploring outer space with the Off Color Gems after they graduate from Little Homeschool.

That night the Beach City folks come together to celebrate the Off Colors’ graduation.  After the commencement, Steven meets Sadie’s partner, Shep. Shep is a gender-nonconforming musician with a nosering, and they and Sadie seem seem happy together after dating for two months.  Steven however, reacts a bit coldly toward Shep. A moment later Steven learns from Jenny that Sadie Killer and the Suspects are breaking up and that she, Sour Cream and Buck and moving on to other ventures.  Sadie performs for the crowd, but she does so with Shep playing an electric flute. The song, a departure from Sadie’s angsty and spooky aesthetic, is a gentle tune about looking forward to growing up and having new experiences: I’m looking forward, I’m looking forward, I’m looking forward now.

Lars decides to leave the party early to go to space with the Off Colors, ignoring Steven’s protestations.  Suddenly the weight of having so many friends move on hits Steven. He glows pink and accidentally manifests a giant pink dome that traps all of his friends together with him.  Steven knows that the dome formed as a reaction to bottled up emotions, but he misattributes said emotions to Lars. Steven tells Lars to talk to Sadie about his feelings. But Lars and Sadie explain to Steven that they already talked out their feelings in private and decided to just stay friends.

The dome begins to shrink, threatening to crush everyone inside.  Shep helps Steven realize that he created the dome out of his sadness over his friends moving on and living their own lives.  Steven’s friends reassure him that they’ll still be his friends even if they change, become busy, or in Lars’ case, travel lightyears away.  Steven is touched. The dome disappears.

As everyone departs, Steven admits to Lars that he may quit running Little Homeschool as he doesn’t think he can handle anymore graduations.  Lars and Steven share an extra long hug (at Steven’s request). The next day the Gems prepare to welcome the Little Homeschool class, but Steven drifts away looking forlorn.  Steven listens to Sadie’s “Looking Forward” song as he drives the Dondai away from the Temple. The last scene is of Steven laying atop the Dondai in the middle of the woods and gazing up at the night sky.  The end?

This episode gave me feelings.  It continues the “Happy Ever After” subversion from the Steven Universe Movie in a way that feels incredibly realistic.  Everyone is getting older, becoming more self-actualized and following their dreams, which is inevitably taking them away from Beach City and leaving them with less time to hang out with Steven.  Also, Steven’s friends are changing in ways he never expected.

This episode made me wonder if Steven is still sixteen like in the movie.  Connie is applying to college two years early, which means she is at least sixteen.  Considering she’s about 2 years younger than Steven, this means he’s about 18! I only put this out there because Steven seems to be experiencing some distinctly young adult growing pains.  Seeing all his friends go off and have new experiences makes Steven reevaluate whether working at Little Homeschool and watching Gems graduate and move on is his true calling. I wonder if this reflects something personal happening behind the scenes with the Crewniverse?  Many of the original team members working on the show have moved on to different projects over the past several years.

This episode reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from The Perks of Being a Wallflower (the book, not the movie): “Things change, and friends leave, and time doesn’t stop for anybody.”  Ah, the hardships of growing up.

Pearl Points:

• Lars is leaving Spacetries to Blue Lace Agate–looks like Amethyst’s job placement program is still going strong.
• Lars has really matured as a character.  In Lars of the Stars he had a meltdown when he learned that Sadie was living her life and having fun without him.  Now, he can smile and accept that she’s happy in a relationship with someone else. Hooray for character growth!
• Shep is bae!  Not only are they the first gender-noncomforming, they/them pronoun using character that is not a Gem, they’re also super nice and intuitive.  Sadie’s taste in partners has certainly improved over time. Sorry Lars, but you used to be kind of a dink.
• Lars is leaving Spacetries to Blue Lace Agate–looks like Amethyst’s job placement program is still going strong.
• The Suspects’ new ventures: Sour Cream has regular DJ gigs in Empire City, Buck Dewey is going to medical school (he’ll be saving lives in like, 20 years), and Jenny Pizza is launching a phone jacket business
• Sadie Killer and the Suspects splitting up is upsetting, but it makes sense.  Bands break up all the time. And Sadie’s new, more mellow style feels realistic too. Singers that originally make their mark belting out angst-ridden tunes about youthful emotions eventually grow up and calm down–compare 1990s Alanis Morrisette to 2000s Alanis Morrisette and you’ll see what I mean (dido for Paramore and P!nk).
• Lars leaving the bakery and going back to space with the Off Colors also makes sense.  It’s space! And it’s full of kooky alien life. Plus Lars is immortal now. No need to tie himself down to the first nine-to-five he lands right after being brought back to life.
• Speaking of old friends moving on…where’s Connie?

Prickly Pear

Steven has taken up a gardening hobby. But this relaxing activity takes a disturbing turn.

Steven has left Little Homeschool and is absorbed in a new hobby: crippling social isolation– I mean, horticulture!  The little guy has holed himself up in his domed greenhouse, tending to various plants that he has named after his distant friends.  The plants won’t jet off into space and leave Steven behind, no they won’t. All seems well (kind of) until Steven accidentally gets some of his magic spit on a tiny cactus.

The cactus becomes sentient and is given the name, Cactus Steven.  Steven confides in Cactus Steven about his sadness over his friends leaving and his frustration with the Crystal Gems.  Steven thinks he can’t tell Pearl about his feelings because she’d blame herself. He feels Garnet’s advice comes off as high and mighty.  And he’s annoyed at Amethyst because “[S]he thinks she’s sooo mature now.”  Steven also complains that the Gems don’t need him anymore, and he frets over his need to be needed by others.

The next day Cactus Steven grows bigger and even speaks by copying what Steven says.  Steven excitedly shows the Gems, but then Cactus Steven begins repeating Steven’s insecurities: “Why do I need to be needed? Why do I need to be needed?”  Steven scolds Cactus Steven for revealing his private thoughts.  The two argue, with Cactus Steven literally using Steven’s words against him, “I thought I could talk to you!”  Steven glows bright pink in frustration and hides Cactus Steven under a box.

Deprived of sunlight, Cactus Steven becomes misshapen and quickly grows into a giant monster.  It breaks into Steven’s house and attacks him. The Gems quickly join the melee to rescue Steven, but Cactus Steven distracts them by repeating all the mean things Steven said about them.  Also when they get too close, Cactus Steven hurts the Gems with his spines. Steven finally realizes that Cactus Steven is copying him and figures out how to end the fight. Steven apologizes for being a bad role model and for mistreating Cactus Steven.  The two hug it out, causing Cactus Steven to sprout pink flowers (aww). Steven offers to fix up the dome so Cactus Steven can live there comfortably, but Cactus Steven leaves the Temple and walks off into the sunset. The Gems ask Steven if there’s anything he needs to talk to them about.  Steven says, “I think I’ve said enough,” and the episode ends.

You guys, I think Steven is depressed.  In Little Graduation, Steven realized his friends don’t need his help anymore and they’re moving on with their lives.  In this episode, he confesses that he thinks the Gems don’t need him anymore. I can understand why.  All the Gems have become more secure, honest, and happy as a result of Steven’s unconditional love and support. Pearl has come to terms with her past heartbreak, Amethyst has high self esteem, and Garnet…well, Garnet was always mostly okay.  Only now she’s married!

His friends are okay.  The Gems are okay. The universe is okay.  What is Steven’s purpose now? Steven is having an identity crisis because he’s always been the helper and his help has always been needed.  But things have changed. And Steven has not yet found a new role for himself. He seems like he’s feeling stuck, maybe even a little smothered still living with the same three Gems he’s known since infancy.  I think this is hinting that he needs to make a change in his life, and move on in order to be happy. I think this was also foreshadowed when Cactus Steven left despite Steven’s pleas to stay. I think Steven Universe Future is going to end with Steven leaving the Crystal Gems.

But what will he do?  What’s next for young adult Steven?  Will he join his uncle Andy and fly around the world?  Will he enroll in college with Connie? We’ll find out after the hiatus! 

Pearl Points:

• Punny title: Prickly Pear is about Steven and Cactus Steven, who are a Prickly Pair of emotional cinnamon rolls
• Sweet Symbolism: the plants have their roots in the Earth and won’t leave Steven
• The blue dress-shaped flower is named Connie, the onion plant is Onion, and the pink flower in a pot with a yellow star on the front is Lars
• Amethyst names the cactus, Cactus Steven.  Garnet named her cat, Cat Steven. The Gems are nothing if not creative (if that doesn’t read as sarcastic, imagine me rolling my eyes while saying it)
• Steven seems surprised that he accidentally activated his magic spit, but this has happened before.  He accidentally created sentient watermelon Stevens in…Watermelon Steven.  Did he forget?

Thank you again for joining me as a gush about my favorite cartoon!  I can’t wait to write another one of these in…how ever many units of time it will take until the hiatus ends.  I’m not crying, you’re crying.