"Corrupted" Steven & His Symbolism Explained! | Steven Universe Future 

Steven Universe does something I've can't remember seeing in a series before, not only dealing with what the metal consequences of being a child protagonist would entail, but also dealing with what it would be for a main character to give up the role that defined their existence.

Other people: stevenzilla Me, an intellectual: alaskan bull worm

Jasper corrupted herself has always been my favorite take. Fusing with a corrupted gem didn't infect her, but was more like being exposed to corruption while having a predisposition or being mentally susceptible.

*[Stevenzilla: King Of The Monsters]*

Actually it’s Steven Quartz Cutiepie Demayo Diamond Universe

Anyone else notice that when Steven healed Jasper, he used tears instead of spit

Honestly Steven became a monster because he thought he was becoming one in my opinion. It's the same reason why Steven appearance before was similar to Pink Diamond because subconsciously he slowly thought he was becoming like the Diamonds.

"Pink Monster Boi" ... As I'm trying to hold back tears. Edit - Steven's *BEAST MODE*

I believe that like there are many forms of anxiety and depression, there are many forms of corruption. No one "corrupts" in the same way. We have three different examples with the diamond corruption, Jasper and steven. What I love about Rebecca's writing is you could read corruption as a metaphor or as part of lore. For example, the diamonds could have corrupted the earth gems, or all the earth gems suffered PTSD, from the trauma of being essentially almost killed by their leaders and left behind, causing their bodies to manifest their inner dark thoughts. Steven could have been healed by his own tears with the diamond essences or it could have been the support of his family and friends. But in the end it was kind of both. It was only because of their support that steven cried, which healed himself. I like how Rebecca weaves these two things together to make of think and make the show much less one dimensional.

Corrupted Steven is a great representation of undiagnosed/masked mental disorders and how some people dealing with mental disorders view themselves. How without getting help and masking can cause a lot of damage both internally and externally. And how some people see themselves as monsters because of this. People who have or struggle with mental disorders aren’t monsters, broken or less than human. Accepting help does not make you weak. Talking about or letting others know about you disorders is not you seeking attention. Steven Universe is what made me realize I had PTSD.

Speaking of Magical Girls, I think Steven's transformation and corruption in general draw a lot from Madoka Magica where the characters had literal soul gems that could corrupt either through going above their magical limits or through traumatic experiences. When corrupted, the soul gems would transform into "grief seeds" which were a bit like eggs for an eldritch witch form that was a literal embodiment of the character's trauma. I do think in Steven's case, it wasn't corruption. A common theme throughout the show is how Steven's appearance changes with his self image. When he felt older, he turned older, when he felt like he was getting stronger training with Jasper, her got buff, and when he thought he was becoming like the diamonds, he started glowing pink and got his diamond pupils. So when he thought, "I'm a monster", he became a monster.

4:48 Pretty sure she made the face as in "I care about you but pls dont shatter me like how you tried earlier °-° "

I wish the series didn’t end with Steven having so much discontent with his mom because she’s my favorite character and she evolved to be a better person and i wish that in Stevens corrupted like state he would have had an unconscious meeting with her deep in his gem and she would have apologized and said sweet things to help him and they could have embraced or something idk and I only thought this could have been a possibility because in her video tape she told him how every time he loves being himself that’s her loving being him and it would have been so sweet in my opinion

More than just the group hug, I feel this scene was a representation of the fact that sometimes you can't actively help people, all those characters tried to help steven but they can't understand, they can't relate. And when this happens the only thing you can do is simply to be there for the person suffering. In the epilogue we see that steven mental healing comes from himself, his friends can do nothing to help with it, just be there and show some love. It struck me when in the last episodes when almsot all characters said at a point or another "I know what could help you" each time to no avail . The group hug is a show of love and affection, it won't fix steven but it simply says "we are here for you"

Today I realized that what Steven says “how am I suppose to live my life when I always feel like I’m gonna die” I live my life in fear because deep down I am always preying for someone to help or save me, also I too feel like a monster

I’m on team wasn’t corrupted it was just his always shape shifting body reactions to his emotions Steven felt older he ages Steven feels like a monster he becomes a monster

I actually couldn't understand why he was so angry. Steven has always been open with his feelings in the past. He's always talked it out... With everyone. I didn't understand what made this situation different. At first I thought it was his powers going out of control. But it seemed more like his powers were reacting to his negative emotions rather than causing his negative emotions.

I kinda wanted to see the next day after “I am my Monster “ I bet he felt bad for all he did.

I dont think it was possible for it to just be shape shifting thanks to white's line "That isnt steven anymore" when she tries to use her powers on him. Given corruption is a mental physical and emotional thing this kind of confirms his corruption. He already was emotionally not ok, he transformed physically, and mentally he had changed after admitting to being like how he saw the diamonds.

Even though it was bad that Steven turned into a literal monster, imagine if he could control that form, he'd be able to turn into it whenever he wanted, it would come in handy if he ever had to fight another giant monster.

This reminds me in Adventure Time episode "No Eyes" where Finn gets magical eyes from a dead hermit which turns people into what the user of the eyes see them as. Finn sees Neptr as a normal microwave, making him think he is a villain, turning himself into his dad.

I feel bad for everyone who drew corrupted Steven purple.

I don’t feel like he was necessarily corrupted I feel like his emotions made him shape shift into the monster also I’m commenting this before watching the video so

It's not corruption, it's shapeshifting. He became a monster because his body subconsciously changed to suit what he was feeling, just like in 'Too Many Birthdays'.

IT WAS ALL ONION, THAT HUMAN I THINK.

Ohhhh😮 Fancy😍. I have to admit. Corrupted Steven is cute. I always thought it was Corruption, because I remember Steven saying in “Gem Hunt”: “Well, they're like that now, but before they were different. They used to be normal Gems like Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet. They had thoughts, and feelings, friends... I don't really know how the corruption works. It's like they're sick. They don't remember who they used to be... Maybe they don't even know how to look like themselves anymore.” So maybe “Corruption” is a metaphor for “Mental Illness and Disorders”

who remembers the Dove + Steven Universe Comercials

Steven when he turned into worm boi wasn’t trying to attack anyone so when the gems attacked him he only did what his body would normally do and treated it like it was trying to kill him so he tried to kill them before they could if it was anyone’s fault for dragging out the fight any longer it was the gems

I tried to convince everyone that the monster is called "pinkzilla" but now,stevenzilla is the only name remaining.

I think he is corrupted because if he was just in a new form then he wouldnt be attacking, but when white diamond tries to connect with him she said that's not Steven anymore. And corruption is a tear to the mind. Which means that they take on a animalistic form and they dont remember anything Steven was destroying things. Plus, he is a diamond.

He’s part gem and part human. He spent the season feeling negative towards himself, not asking for help and making himself crazy. He “corrupted” himself with his dark thoughts.I think that’s why he turned into Monster Steven. His gem reacted to his corrupted human self and changed just like the other gems changed when hit with the Corrupted Light.

Yeah, even me, known throughout the town for being incredibly selfless and kind, used to-eh who am I kidding, still does struggle with mental issues. When I went to public school, if I found out it was someone’s birthday, I’d drop everything and make a gift. A sketch of an alien flower with spiraling thorny tendrils for leaves and layers of differently shaped petals and a gem-like center, or a simple origami dragon or owl, or even a Minecraft outer space card, even if they said there was no need. I made it a habit to hold the door open after lunch and let women or girls skip ahead of me so long as I wasn’t hangry. Yet sometimes I’d have emotional breakdowns due to sensory overload and not being able to properly read facial expressions, and I’d lash out at people, yelling and making threats that, if the vice principal wasn’t so understanding, could’ve gotten me expelled or even jailed. I’m better now, and whenever I get upset I usually do a lip sync performance in the bathroom or draw my emotions or just go for a walk. It’s always good to have a creative outlet. If you’re not good artistically but know a lot, try making educational slideshows or documents on subjects you’re an expert on! But always remember that you can get better, that whenever you’re down life might surprise you with something amazing! I found a perfectly preserved sea biscuit fossil chasing our dumb dog who got off her lead, and I’ve found the most beautiful flowers going for walks through the woods. So never forget that you’re amazing and you’ve already done so much. Look back on past achievements, even small ones, even with unfinished projects, look at how far you’ve gotten already, and no matter what, the moon and sun always smile down on us, but the sun’s smile can be a bit too bright at times, haha!

steven has a long name lol and here early :D

is anyone gonna mention that monster steven naruto ran across the water

Well i have one theory but its a long time, steven’s having his trauma and his half gem couldn’t take it any more that pink steven is out of his body and and then corrupts then steven is passed out and the gem are trying to wake him out. The battle is over then connie brings steven into his gem and fuse. Thats my theory (even the show is over)

Imagine what a fusion between Lapis and Garnet would be like. So powerful

I saw his transformation as him thinking he was becoming more like his 'diamond' mom. There was so many parallels (like when he broke the reflective material and saw his angry face=when he was seeing through Pink's memories of her breaking the window/wall and we see her angry face). I feel like since he found out that Rose is Pink Diamond that he feels like his life is a lie. I think he was also trying to live like Rose, but now that Rose is Pink he's confused. He doesnt want to be like the 'old' diamonds (I dont think he wants to be like the 'new' ones either) so now hes trying to over correct. He went from one extreme, saving the galaxy, to the other, stay at home dad. He also shoved all the trauma aside and when ALL of it came rushing back he wasnt prepared on how to deal with it and he 'broke'. I'm so glad he got a therapist too! A therapist helped me personally so much when I needed one. I cant suggest one enough. Tl;dr: I agree with a lot of other commenters.

does “spoiler warning” in vid thumbnail: am i a joke to you?

therapist: let all your trapped feelings out Steven: okay -*later* now there is a pink Godzilla roaming beach city

godzilla + barney = steven monster- i'm sorry i had to-

I like to think that it's a little bit of both:shapeshifting and corruption

i believe it's not corruption, and it's just shapeshifting because of a few reasons: 1. corrupted gems seem to corrupt slowly, growing horns and they also have prominent blotches of colors that grow other than steven, which he just suddenly BURSTS into it suddenly 2. look at his other "forms" he's taken throughout the episodes in fragments, he grows into that of a quartz soldier, due to jasper's teachings he grows stronger, taller, and even his hair begins to poof out like a combination of jasper and pink diamond in homeworld bound, after he runs from the diamonds, he grows even taller, gains the diamond eyes and, yet again, his hair grows out, similar to pink diamonds because he views himself as a diamond. in everything's fine, he stays the same as in homeworld bound all of his "forms" are taken on by his perception of himself i don't think it's ACTUAL corruption, but instead he views himself as similar to a corrupted gem, or just, in general, a monster.

Corrupted Steven aka SNEEPLE(lizard) Finally someone brought up Mr Jekyll and The Hulk in the mix. Steven has 2 identities 1:56 #StevenUniverseForever

I think he became a monster cause his gem reacts on how he pictures himself like in the birthday party episode he was changing his form on how his mental state was

Defo think it’s his inner turmoil manifested since he’s able to shift shape it allows him to physically change as he’s feeling a sort of way

I never felt that was corruption so much, but that he subconsciously transformed in much the way many other gems can, because of how he felt about himself. Like when he was uncontrollably aging.

Next video : Onion & his symbolism explained! (can't wait for it)

The symbolism was a little too on the nose, and I felt like I was being spoon fed, but I still loved the ep and Steven Universe will be missed

There's something that seems off for this "corruption" First no colored cercle around the spikes were present when every corrupted gems had and still have if Yellow don't heal them Second remember the episode "so many birthdays"? He was thinking himself older and older so the gem reacts and he physically became older. And finally when Jasper was corrupted it was slowly not all at once. Steven transform immediately after he says he was a monster and plus his healing power is a sort of stress reliever when nephrite can't stop saying "No please no, no we're all gonna be!" Steven use his spit and that calmed her. I think that's why he was healed. His tears was part of the cure (of course realizing that he have a lot of people that are here for him is huge help too)

Steven did get corrupted but in a flash he ran when he was getting corrupted cause he thought he was a monster and he didn't want anybody to see him Edit: Steven's tears healed him and I think Steven got corrupted because cystrals when out not a ball of light shapeshifting.

Plot twist: Onion is the master of corruption and the mind behind Steven's undoing

Kaneki: ok steven now turn all your rage and let your kagune out! Steven: 0:12 *turns into a crystl beast*

i’m apart of the group of people that think (know) it was shapeshifting and not corruption

I honestly don't see this as corruption. It's more of an enhanced malfunction off his powers from when he couldn't control his cat transformation.

Huge problem with the whole Steven and Jasper corrupted themselves. Jasper's case was both mental and physical illness. I say this because Jasper was corrupted thanks to fusing with an already corrupted gem. Yes her mental health played a HUGE part in speeding it up sure, but she only got it because of the corrupt fusion in the first place. Its like when you get sick from sharing a soda with someone with a cold or something when you've just gotten over a flu bug. You get sick a LOT faster because your immune system hasn't replenished itself. Same deal with Jasper here. Afterall her body started changing first, not her mind. Steven's problem was strictly psychological but because his body responds to how he views himself? If he sees himself as a monster in mentality? His body is going to change physically.

I like to think that the extreme swelling of Steven in Steven universe future is Steven’s inner demon trying to escape from his body. Just think about it. When you stretch something, it looks like something is trying to come out. Plus I think this could be a metaphor for people who are on the brink of losing themselves. Like when your about to have a panic attack, you could feel like something is trying to come out of you. Now, that’s just my theory but idk if it’s right.

lapis lazuli has to be my favorite character in the series

My hot take is that his body reacted to his feelings and became into the thing.

Nobody's going to talk about how Steven was exhibiting the behavior of someone who's having a panic attack?

I thought Steven became a monster is because he was surrounded by danger and feel like he’s gonna die like majority of his childhood so even little things like when he got turned down by Connie he started growing bigger started panicking feel like he was going to die so may be all that stress piled up and he just felt like he was gonna die so maybe like animals instinct he turned ballistic he turned FERAL, that’s all really I got

To me, Steven corrupting could represent a suicide attempt. The way Amethyst said, “Why didn’t I do anything?” really unsettled me.

i dont feel he was corrupted. but more suffered a form of what happened when he kept turning old....just more extreme

Ah yes, my favorite musical number: "This is a thought to mind"

No I don’t think so He view himself as a monster and so he transformed into one

Steven Universe-Steven Quartz Universe-Steven Quartz Cutepie Universe-Steven Quartz Cutepie De Mayo Universe- STEVEN QUARTZ CUTEPIE DE MAYO DIAMOND UNIVERSE

The 4 diamonds can corrupt and cure any gem and the can corrupt and cure themselves

At 4:46 and end at 4:52 i couldn't stop laughing "yes yes there there stuffed upper lip ew I'm touching peasants"

You guys have to admit, Corrupted Steven looks like the 2018 rise of the TMNT SHREDDER.

I think this was pink Steven lashing out due to the deeds yes ashamed of. Monster Steven had horns similar to the ones on Jaspers helmets. when he shattered her. And his Dianne wail sounds like the screeching the van made before it crashes, though there was nothing like wh853”s bear shattering. .

Steven was losing his core power, his identity which led to his corruption. The diamonds represents the mind, Blue was emotion, Yellow was body, Pink was Identity, White is something I don’t know. When the diamonds united their power, they actually revoked their essence. remember when blue and yellow at homeworld was in a huge room called the extraction chamber, the extraction chamber extracts the diamonds essence for making gems. When the gems were hit by the blast they lost three fourths of their existence and became corrupted. The reason why the corrupted gems didn’t perish was because pink diamonds essence was still in them which was holding them together. Steven when he is 17 or 18 was going through through the inflicted trauma over the years and was losing himself, when he thought of himself as a monster he basically lost his identity losing a factor and became corrupted. When the gems were in a group hug they made him realize himself and his traumatic memories and brought him back. I think this explains corruption pretty well Btw I believe why Steven was uneffected by the diamonds power was because he himself was a diamond plus human and because he lost his identity which was not their factor so it would have been a temporary solution if his state was better.

Do you think that Steven would take Connies surname when they got married?

If they've been was still on the loose if he would probably cause PERFECT CHAOS 😄😄😄

This kinda reminds me of an episode on Adventure Time. I forgot what it was called, but I’ll figure it out at some point.

Stevezilla/Wormy Boi Has a *MEGA NECK*

He was corrupted and for a diamond to be cured their own healing powers must cure them

I think like little of all the points you made in this video btw:great vid sad that it's all over but happy to

Steven healed himself with the tears he cried, the water turns pink below him.

In fusion is when they connect and when fused no matter how much shared emotions they take a price of the person's personality and by the wording from jasper after fusing with lapis they shared memories or hidden feelings so when jasper fused she could have become corrupted from sharing or looking inside each other's mind

The only power monster steven had that was similar to godzilla was that he kind of like sent out a pink explosion in that one part and godzilla can release an orange explosion.

Remember... White Diamond also read his mind... and exclaimed "That's not Steven anymore" also Yellow Diamond stated that he was Corrupted.

Did you all just forget he becomes the emotion he have

Steven is straight-up Godzilla

Pink Gojira/Godzilla! I liked the kaiju design.

That's why Steven calls himself Pink Lasagna- because he has lots of layers.

The theory I've seen is that Stevenzilla is closer to the true form of what a Diamond is. If that's the case, I'm thinking that what White says in Change Your Mind about Pink being the part she always has to suppress is absolutely true - she knew that if she ever went full Kaiju, she'd destroy Homeworld.

Ah yes. Onion. The behind the scenes master of all Stevens troubles. Onion, the immortal Lord of Chaos. Onion, watcher of his own birth.

Knowone: No gem: Me: AlAsKaN bUlL WOrM!😂

I thought he was brought back due to the massive amount of his tears in the water and maybe som of blue yellow and white’s tears going into the ocean

1:07 Uh... Am I the only one that notices the sunglasses Garnet and Peridot wear look similar to Kamina and Simon's shades from Gurren Lagann?

Monster Steven's horns are just like Jasper helmet's

At the start of the video, did they forget the diamond in Steven's name

omg it makes seance now!!

3:47 first time I saw this I thought he was gonna pull a Godzilla atomic breath

gems are basically computer programs. Steven since he is part organic can't be corrupted, just like his mind can't be reset with a rejuvenation. He can lose control of his emotions tho.

totally onions fault onions make you cry

2:00 Rebecca Sugar likes anime, and has referenced Shounen like Dragonball Z, so I'm wondering if she might be making a subtle reference to NARUTO, who as a kid turns into a 9-tails fox whenever he gets too mad (Though...maybe it's not REALLY a reference to that since the 9-tails is actually a seperate entity in that series and ultimately ends up HELPING in the end...) Still though it could be referencing some anime Kaijuu...

Everyone: Stevenzilla Me: SUTR (Steven Universe Tyranosaurus Rex)

bruh steven is literally my cartoon character crush now wtf

Gems when corrupted change in shape and size but not as drastically as Steven so I think it was a bit of both

Loved the video keep doing wat your doing team NerdWire