SPOILERS FOR THE ORIGINAL SERIES, THE MOVIE, AND THE FIRST TEN EPISODES OF FUTURE SO FAR!
One canโt help but wonder why Steven Universe as a whole has been consistently so great. Other showrunners wouldโve probably burned themselves out by the time they got a movie, but not Rebecca Sugar and her crew- theyโve somehow managed to keep the themes they established 100% consistent throughout the original series and the movie. โSteven Universe Futureโ, the latest (and last TV broadcasted) chunk of the series isnโt complete yet.
But you know what? This is on par with, if not somehow BETTER than the original show.
Continuing a few months after the events of the movie, Stevenโs opened up a school for any Gems still adjusting to the new, peaceful โEra 3โ. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl are helping teach any Gems interested in starting anew, and Steven seems the most peaceful weโve seen him in a while. โBut wait,โ a skeptic may ask. โWhat about Stevenโs mother issues? What about Jasper? How about Pink Pearlโs awful crack on her face?โ
Iโm so glad you asked, hypothetical skeptic.
The main purpose of โFutureโ is to act as an epilogue thatโs answering all the questions some fans may have after Season 5 of the original show wrapped up (and the movie happened) and to serve as a cap for Stevenโs character development. Speaking of which, if you only liked Steven before, then this show will make you LOVE HIM. All his angst about his mother combines with his โneed to be neededโ and newfound destructive powers that his mother fought to repress to create one angry, confused hybrid son of a Diamond insistent on burying his own issues while forcing himself to solve othersโs problems.
I love this. Normally, I would be opposed to such a shift in Stevenโs character, but as heโs aged up by 2 years and grown a neck, it actually makes sense. Heโs still just as empathetic and kind as ever, but the flaws in his approach are beginning to show. Who knows how long it will be before he has a full-on meltdown?
Regarding the other Crystal Gems and the other characters, theyโre just as stellar as ever. Garnetโs focus episode hasnโt happened yet, but Amethyst and Pearl both got excellent episodes that either cap off their development or show that theyโve got a ways to go regarding Pink Diamond and her short-sighted actions. โFutureโ doesnโt introduce that many new characters, but thatโs okay. We donโt need to overclutter this epilogue with a dozen new Gems or humans (and the ones we are getting are pretty great). However, the show has also taken its time to show the healed corrupted Gems reintegrating themselves into society and getting jobs among the townies of Beach City.
Overall, Steven Universe Future has surprised me. Not only is it on par with the original show instead of being a subpar continuation (like Dragon Ball Super or post-movie SpongeBob), but itโs keeping things going in a way that would make the original show proud. God bless, Rebecca. Once again, youโre making some of the best stuff on TV. Just take a break after all this, okay? Youโve earned it.
Rank: 10.9/10
Reward: Protein Shake and a Round of Steven Tag
Peace, love and Garnet!