Review: Steven Universe Future”Snow Day” ; “Why So Blue”

Overview(Spoilers Below):

Steven’s message has mixed results.

Our Take:

Future seems to be all about Steven’s struggles in transitioning into adulthood, and Snow Day encapsulates that really well. The previous episodes showed how he is learning to be responsible in different ways, and that his good intentions might not always be enough for everyone. This one hits closer to home with his family, the Crystal Gems, and how they see Steven. They can’t just go on adventures the way they did in the original series, because now Steven has responsibilities. He is the ambassador for Earth and has tasked himself with rehabilitating the gems who have been lost in purpose following the war.

He is an adult and wants to be treated like such, so the Crystal Gems implying that he’s a child angers him. He’s not all-knowing, but he wants his growth to be acknowledged. The truth is, it’s a communication error, and the Gems do value the kind of person he is now. They aren’t nostalgic for his childhood in the sense of denying the person he is now, but for the fun and freedom, they had with his free time.

And finally, a Lapis episode! Lapis truly is one of my faves, and I’m glad to see her again. Most importantly, this shows how gems who have incorporated Steven and the Crystal Gem’s message have fared. It has taken Lapis a long time to warm up to earth, especially after her traumatic experiences, but she does believe in Steven’s ideals. Earth is her home now, and for the current stretch, she has it pretty good. It feels like Lapis is finally more comfortable with herself.

It tries to highlight that even if Steven’s message is a positive one, it’s up for individuals to decide whether it’s worth taking or not. Lapis did her best to try to show the other Lapises what’s so good about the world, but she didn’t take that message in through one day. It took her a long time, and the other Lapises don’t really understand. They don’t want to change, and so even the nice things Lapis brings up end up being used as tools of violence. Those that do want to change, the nicer Lapis by the end of the episode, deserve an open place at the school. Still, you can’t really force someone into changing their mind if they’re unwilling to see it any other way in the first place.