Review: Steven Universe “Onion Gang”

In another “filler” episode, We get to know Onion slightly more despite having fewer words to work with…

The episode begins with Steven Babysitting Onion and being robbed of his chips and later vocally narrates Onion’s actions which is something Onion strangely enjoys.

Before he goes home when hearing “Tug Boat” sounds echo through Steven’s house, it signals Yellowtail’s return and Onion leaves.

A day later, Onion takes Steven to an unknown forest location within Beach City and as they walk towards this forest, this happens…

I had to really pause and think about what I was looking at before I proceeded to collapse in laughter. 😛

When they finally get to the forest, Steven encounters Onion’s bizarre collection of friends who strangely understand Onion yet are different levels of weird than Onion. Their names are: Garbonzo, (Who follows “Pokemon Logic” by saying nothing but his name) and carries his baby sister “Pinto”, a Skinny kid in overalls named “Squash” who wears a yellow hat that hides literal Squashes and a little girl who prefers to be called “Soup” that wears a metal cauldron-shaped pot on her head and enjoys using a Sling-Shot.

After getting well acquainted with Onion’s personal friends it’s a small montage of Steven further interacting with them and being part of their comical Antics such as:

Making a go-kart-soap box from the ground up.

And Wearing a Trenchcoat disguised as a grown adult and taking pictures of people with their surprised scared faces,

I want to point out that they not only collect polaroids of scaring people but surprisingly even Garnet approves. (Nice cameo) 😛

The Montage ends when Soup arranges a small “Bug Race” which consists of actual insects racing and the bug steven chooses wins, However after the race is when things take a slightly dark direction…

They give him a wooden mallet to squash the winner.

Fortunately, Steven doesn’t go through with it which adds to his peaceful nature since he’s against killing of any kind and leaves.

After Steven returns home to forget almost breaking his principles, He tries to find people to hang out with him with no luck but part of me laughed at this scene. (Wait, why would Lars have 3 phone numbers?)

Also, It’s a bit sad that Connie’s first thought was that Steven needed her for a mission.

He decides to call it a day and sleep off the anxiety of what Onion’s friends almost made him do.

Steven Wakes up to Onion again but this time, Onion goes as far as to crash through his screen door and gives him the bug as proof that they spared it’s life and they go back to the forest.

Steven notices Onion’s friends packing up and Steven is given a leaf quickly figuring out that the summer is the only time these particular friends are all together and wanted to hang out before the summer completely ends.

After they leave, Onion starts to feel sad and in a heartfelt moment,  Steven narrates to Onion that he won’t disappear after every summer and they can still hangout if he wants to and Onion responds with a hug. (Awwww.) And the episode ends. 🙂

Overview:

At first, I think we the audience, were supposed to purposely see Onion as creepy because we’re seeing him through Steven’s eyes, and any pretty sort-of sheltered 14-year-old watching any slightly odd very young child would be creeped out.

Personally, I think he’s a very odd child, who is a little out of control (I question Vidalia’s parenting methods), but he’s not a bad child, he seems to actually want to help the people he’s close to and fleshing out this side of him shows that he has friends who despite his own quirks accept him genuinely. 🙂

I’m sure we all had to relate to this in the sense that we had weird friends we hung out doing outside adventures and having fun in their own weird way. I had a different experience of course…

I’m pretty sure Onion Gang wound up being an allegory for the fans collective feelings heading into what’s likely a hiatus (no new episodes are currently scheduled after this week).

We’ve had all of our amazing Beach City friends to hang out with and go on adventures with and do things that don’t make a lot of sense and get worked up about things that don’t make sense and have our feelings crushed like a bug occasionally, but it’s a summer fun we’ve enjoyed being part of.

And now it’s fall and our friend – the show – is leaving again for a little while, At least until “Gem Harvest” But, just like Onion, we’ve got our memories. 🙂