small note, 28:36 😭😭 idk how you interpreted Pearl being aroused by Steg cause Pearl is a lesbian and there’s no way the team behind the show intended for that to be the case, from either Steg or Pearl hinting that to each other. She’s just being uplifted and liberated from her “meant-to-be” role as a pearl gem (+ getting her memories back)
A couple of other people seem to have the same sentiment as you, so I'm gonna pin this comment so that I don't need to reply to everybody :) - I definitely agree with you that the show did not mean for "Pearl falls for Steg" to be the interpretation, but instead it's their attempt to turn Steven and Greg into a prototypical rockstar, which includes the attributes that I described as him resembling a typical "sex-icon," that creates some unfortunate frames along the way (like this one: i.imgur.com/twOochX.png ). It seems that a lot of people don't see any issue with this, and I think that's a perfectly acceptable view. Still though, it's difficult for me, or the other people who have agreed with my point of view, to not be a bit uncomfortable with this depiction of the father-son fusion. Or perhaps I'm just projecting my thoughts onto Pearl lmao.
@@sungexpression9093 it's not bi erasure when the character is a confirmed lesbian... Garnet is a lesbian, Pearl is a lesbian, Bismuth is a lesbian, Rose is pansexual, Sadie is pansexual and Peridot is asexual+aromantic - those are the only characters who's sexual orientation have been confirmed. Everyone else's can be whatever, implied,, but Pearl is in canon: a lesbian. Lesbian= no men!!!
I will say on Steg. The fact that a fusion between Steven and Greg’s signature power being telekinesis, being able to literally lift others up, is such a great touch.
I legit always thought it was because of how Steven saw his dad “cool guitar dad- always chill and good with ladies” being how he got the looks- loved how they were always so supportive of each other
@@Regrettispaghetti21I mean, after seeing Diamond Steven in Future, Steg could just be how Steven would look in his late 20's to 30's. A little idealized but that probably comes from his dad and Stevens view of him and his awe of his dad's old rockstar days.
@@fangsabreyou’re honestly probably right! Greg looked so similar to Steven in flashback sequences. I wouldn’t be suprised at all if that was both of their “ultimate forms” or something lol
@@Regrettispaghetti21Was just about to comment that! I think Steg's design isn't inherently sexualized, (and the show goes out of it's way to show that fusions are their own people) but I understand why it makes so many people uncomfy. I'm not sure I'm too comfy with Steg's design, either. But I don't think the crewniverse intended the design to be sexualized.
Thats why I personally hate the fusion name steg, like it’s literally Mr. Universe. The way both Greg and Steven envision that persona, when they fuse its like he comes to life.
Spinel is fascinating: among all Gems, she's the only one who doesn't struggle with the concepts of offspring and progenitors, she easely understands that Steven is the son of Pink. This not only shows she owns advanced biology knowledges prodived surely by Pink, but also a high intelligence that helps her to grasp concepts fast and connecting them, as well as her great creativity. The deepness of her emotions reveals she has a very rich and powerfull inner world. Damn, she puffed (basically die) of sheer pain and sadness after finding out Pink never loved her. She deserves all the happiness of the world.
It is mainly her creativity. I doubt that Pink had any chance to get much talking in with Spinel. She isn't a deep conversation friend. She is an energetic playmate. Pure entertainment. I doubt Pink had conversations about bio lifeforms with her nor that at that point in time where she had contact with Spinel, she ever had a deeper knowlege of such life. That came with earth, after Spinel was abandoned. So I suppose it'll be due to her having creativity that allows her to think outside certain rules to make up new games and game rules so there be no repetition.
@@inichan8786 They were playing in a garden, a place full of organic life. There were even butterflies flying, who must have sex in order to reproduce (and surely Spinel saw their eggs or the plants' seeds). Spinel is very curious and a pleaser, so for sure she asked Pink about organic life as soon as she realized her Diamond loved them. It didn't have to be an university biology class, just "there's a mom and a dad and they can create a new being". Spinel is smart, but she couldn't figure out such complex thing just arriving to Earth. High intelligence and intuition are more powerfull than people think, but even us gifteds need some knowledge in order to go from point A to point H and drive some conclussion XD
Agreed! I almost didn’t enjoy the movie, bc I was so upset with Pink Diamond by the end of it. She really left a trail of broken hearts behind her, but the way she hurt Spinel was just different.
There’s a small point to be made that the diamonds didn’t really see other gems as people, but as possessions. …which has the hole of, she specifically had to trick Spinel to stay.
I honestly think that it could've been great to have a post-credit scene where Steven, Peridot, and Spinel find themselves in the garden, repairing and remodeling it. It would've been a nice analogy to spinel's situation.
i never saw Steg as a “sex icon”, i saw him as an 80s rock star, which makes sense as Steven and Greg are both musicians and thats how their father/son bond manifests
This. Also extremely confused at the assertion that Pearl was turned on by him. Maybe it's just because I'm asexual and so can't recognize some sort of sign that he's seeing, but I really thought she was more.... Star struck? Amazed because she was having a paradigm shift?
Right but fusing has been implied as a metaphor for sex. And the hip thrusting doesn't really help. Which is really weird since they are father son. Like fusion isn't always sex, but there are definitely times where it's treated as super intimate.
@@namingisdifficult408early on it was though later in the show especially once Connie and Steven fused they strayed away from that. When Garnet and Amethyst fuse the first time the dance is quite sexual. And even in the episode were Steven and Connie fuse the dance Pearl and Garnet show to teach Steven is very sexual and pearl even blushes when Garnet pushes her against the wall
Maybe its just us then. Because it felt VERY gross and weird with how they protrayed him with huge muscles, ripped clothes, humping the air, all while its a fusion of 2 FAMILY MEMBERS bound by blood. Just overall gross and did give off stripper vibes when i first watched the movie, and still does.
I think the funniest visual gag they used Amethyst for was when Pearl was giving Greg an umbrella and Amethyst turned into Greg and just stood there, it was so goofy lol
i never saw steg as a sexy thing. i just thought it was like a portrayal of a hot music artist. sort of like steven and greg’s confidence came together. also i don’t think he was sexually ‘seducing’ pearl but rather ‘seducing’ her into rebelling and being herself. i feel that their fusion was out of the familial love they have for each other.
i genuinely cannot comprehend this movie is 4 years old. I still remember the feelings i had while first watching it, i miss the show. Im so so content and happy with it looking back. Yes it has flaws and issues but it truly helped me accept myself and become a better person and i will always be grateful to it for that.
What I also really love about Amethyst shape-shifting into Rose during "Disobedient" is that she asks for Greg's consent first. Because we've seen before in the OG series that she would use that ability to shame and manipulate Greg into giving her more attention. So fast forward through seasons of growth, I think this was one of Amethyst's strongest moments in the entire franchise.
Idk what it was about it, but that last delivery of “I want to be disobedient. Disobedient. Disobedient…” unsettled me. Like freaked me out, just that part!
I had the pleasure of watching this movie in my junior year. It came out at just the right time (and Steven was MY age! How cool was that!?) I was still grieving the end of a precious friendship. 'Drift Away' hit a little too close to home and actually made me cry, especially the line "happily wondering, night after night 'is this how it works? Am I doing it right?'" I love it when I can relate to the media I consume! Space moms and ending a galactic dictatorship? Nope. The distance growing between two close friends, and realizing too late that the distance has grown into a vast, uncrossable ocean, and that your best friend is now a stranger you don't even know? Now that's a part of the human experience!
I experienced that very thing last week, and I literally started listening to Drift Away and other songs from the movie lol. What coincidental timing for this video
Care if I ask for a piece of advice regarding a similar situation? Ive mostly worked past it but I still have this longing for my friend and sister back
I like that Spinel formed new attachments. "Working on herself" doesn't mean being alone until she's better, especially since abandonment is her trauma. She's being honest with herself by accepting her grief into her identity. I'm glad AmpleSamuel pointed out that Spinel seemed to be asking to be Rejuvenated toward the end, since I sort of missed that amongst her crisis of wanting to hurt Steven and wanting to be his good friend. I guess I thought she was trying to turn a complex emotional situation into a simple contest of force, like other antagonists tend to do. Come to think of it, was she low-key trying to get Rejuvenated the entire time? Not for her own sake, that would have been simple. But maybe Spinel only wants it if Pink Diamond would prefer her that way? So she jealously offs Steven's other friends, erasing their shared history, and brings an injector to kill Steven's human half (and beloved planet to boot). Then she Rejuvenates Steven and gives whatever is left of Pink Diamond an opening to return the favor. I think she doesn't want to get the Rejuvenator treatment, but she's desperate enough to suffer it for her Diamond's attention, affection, or at least acceptance. Which is why Steven accepting her as she is is such a big deal. But once she has reason to doubt his sincerity, she gives him every reason short of just asking him to Rejuvenate her.
(i haven’t finished the video) dude this has me thinking 😭 but yeah i’ve always thought that she was insecure/didn’t feel good enough about her new form, especially when she referred to herself before she was rejuvenated “the old me” and how she was surprised that steven liked her like that, and when she asks steven if he wants her “like this (her new form).” it really does sound like she’s asking to be rejuvenated and doesn’t like how she looks and acts, or she thinks that she was better before she got her new form. i hope that makes sense
I go with the same notion of what @rebepicc said, Spinel had no idea how to output her grief and ended up projecting that hurt and pain to Steven by //making him isolated// as Pink left her. Asking to be rejuvenated was no the point, but an emotional argument. Since she was rejuvenated in the beginning of the movie, remember what she said when she held garnet near the end? and to quote: "You know, this is pretty twisted, but I'm a little flattered that you liked the old me: innocent, loving, stupid. If that's your thing, why don't you leave her like this?" This is spinel distrust after seeing the rejuvenator drawing her back to survival mode, because of her traumatic experience of abandonment "Oh, you're so protective of your real friends, and you're so careless with your fake ones!" these are reactions of someone who is not emotionally secure with herself, has not received genuine friendship and care, and on top in fear of being discarded because of what she did, is or feels. Invalidating what she felt in the beginning and the reason she arrived after centuries of being forgotten because of a game she and pink played which involved her care, loyalty and trust, her assuming that's what friends do. Having that trust broken, missing out having connections along with her, she had no reason to keep playing, she just took it out on Pink/Rose's lineage because of her //dumpster fire of a legacy// she left to Steven (Lets not forget Pearl herself made attempts because of the same sense of loss). Steven being the protagonist, the student and teacher of the show, understood her and in the end, making a change. He, being the change and the emotional labor of the mess Pink/Rose left. Spinel did not wanted to be rejuvenated, she wanted redemption and genuine connection, but what she didn't know how to properly process that grief and the damage she has done to the new people she met, because of her pent up resentment towards Pink/Rose. No wonder she fitted in wonderfully with the Diamonds because part of that resentment, that being unresolved grief and betrayal under different context. The changes the Diamonds underwent was to please Steven and what Pink/Rose couldn't do herself. Later on acknowledged and internalized and understood what Steven meant, not to please him but to do the right thing. ((Which funny enough in Steven Universe Future kind of fell on the same line of unable to understand change without him in it when he isn't the one resolving people's problems, became as self destructive, by no fault of other, but his own distress of dealing and processing traumatic events. People around him tried to help him as much as he showed them those lessons. And genuinely walk into the path of healing and self discovery. This show is holistic.))
a small theory about peridots analysis that could make sense is that the poison doesnt eat through material fast enough and probably didnt go fast from the start bc it needs to be slow, whilst going fast just makes it flood on the surface compared to if it got through the earths crust
At 24:18 there is a difference in how the drill is supposed to function (in it's normal mode, based off of which Peridot makes her prediction) and the desperate attack mode (the way Spinel ends up using it towards the end of the movie). By slowly injecting the poison, it would get to eat through the earth, slowly consuming it and spreading it, killing all organic life (eventually after it has fully spread in the 41 hours). Late in the movie though, Spinel ends up triggering (most likely) some kind of "fail safe" on the drill. A protocol which makes it drop all the poison, instantly, in the area surrounding the drill. (The reason why this is a function, is most likely, again, a fail safe. It's likely the Diamond Authority used these during Era 1, to try and quickly dispatch of organic life. But in the few scenarios where these "sites" were attacked [by extremely hostile and big wild life], instead of letting the drill go to waste, dropping all the poison in the surrounding area would most definitely kill the wild life that threatened the colonization's operations). This doesn;t allow the poison to slowly spread throughout the planet (while eating away at it), but rather gurantees the instant extermination of all life in proximity. Like they are clearly 2 different modes in which the injector functions. Thus it makes sense that the consequences vary drastically, as do the circustances in which the different modes are triggered and how they ensue and reach their respective goals. I wouldn;t call it a "weak argument" but to each their own I suppose.
32:44 I'm gonna argue it wasn't a command. The only thing that kept Spinel in the garden was herself and her clinging to her relationship with Pink. Given Pearl still couldn't talk about Pink even after Rose was gone if she was held in place by a command Spinel never would have been able to leave at all. I think it's very important to Spinel's character that her literal inability to move on was self inflicted.
Gems can disobey commands. Pearl just wouldn't because HERS was self inflicted! She loved and respected Pink/Rose SO much she just couldn't break that last command..she couldn't get herself to do it. She also was told "no one should know about this" and yet she let Steven know and then everyone else..she coincidentally only obeyed the "don't speak of this" part when there was MORE to the "command". She wanted Steven to know, everyone to know, and realized she couldn't hide it anymore so she worked around it a bit to feel better about it all, if she obeyed even a portion of it she'd feel better about herself. Spinel was also given a command..she was told to sit there and wait. And she did! However unlike Pearl she lost all the love she had for Pink, she was heartbroken and wanted REVENGE..she was betrayed by her command, Pearl wasn't (Pearl was in on the plan..Spinel was abandoned)
Considering Peridot calculated that ALL life on EARTH would be dead in 41 hours, at the rate the injector was going *before* it got pushed further into the ground, injected all of the poison, and exploded... I really don't think that's something that could be fixed. LIke, *everyone* should've been dead. The way Peridot predicted it, made it seem like the entire planet would be wiped out once all of that poison went into the ground, in just a little over a day and a half at the rate it *was* going. I don't think a few kisses would fix that, since 100% of the poison was actually released into the ground. If 100% of life on Earth was going to be dead... There should have been at least a few million casualties (since it was injected faster, the poison wouldn't have spread as far yet). So what I don't get is why everyone was smiling and making jokes even BEFORE Steven had the idea to kiss the ground. They were pretty much telling Spinel it was okay to make mistakes, while at that time, the entire world was literally ending and they still had no way to stop it. By the way, I love Steven Universe and the movie is possibly my favourite thing in the franchise, so this isn't meant to sound like an actual criticism. I just think it's a bit unrealistic even for this show. When you think about it, even if kissing the ground COULD fix that, wouldn't fixing an ENTIRE EARTH worth of damage take more than whatever part of the 41 hours he had left? xD It was already the next day so they probably had less than 24 hours left for him to fix an entire planet. So even with a solution, everyone is dead either way. But they all acted so casual about it like there was no urgency or anything to worry about. I think I'd be panicking, scared, or at least a bit upset if I knew all life on the planet was going to be extinct by tomorrow O_O
The reason the drill doesn't end the world is because in the end, Spinel loses her patience with its actual operational procedure of pumping the poison deep into the earth, and just sprays it all out at once, which isn't the way it was supposed to work, and causes it to do severe, surface-level damage locally, but the poison doesn't get injected deep into the Earth's crust the way it was intended, which WOULD have ended the Earth as Peridot predicted. Spinel's actions caused more immediate and severe damage to Beach City and the local area by completely flooding it with the poison at a very shallow subterranean level, but this rash action thankfully prevented the entire Earth from being killed by the drill's poison. There was a reason the drill was taking so long to inject the poison -- because it needed to do it that way to work. It stands to reason that it wasn't taking its time for no reason. Spinel did the full spray thing because she was angry and just wanted to see Steven and his friends die, no matter what, which caused a more immediate threat to the locals (including Steven and the Crystal Gems), but ultimately prevented the drill from doing its real job of ending all life on Earth.
I imagine as a like poor injection. Imagine having a vaccination properly vs making a small shallow cut and spraying the vaccine on the cut. Having the injector go unplanned could be like the vaccine on shallow cut situation.
27:50 idk if I'm alone on this but a sex icon seems like such a stretch, it seems much more their "rock style" meshing into an 80's rocker, and pearls reaction is on par with other reactions throughout the show, over the top cause her world view is changing back to how it was before, feels kinda icky to imply something that is pretty obviously not the case, good video just wanted to put it out there
I never felt anything sexual with steg, and I never thought pearl thought that he was arousing. She was just relishing in her new independence/restoration. And spinels ending was fitting I think. She was alone for thousands of years, having her go be alone would seem cruel. The diamonds got someone to help them remember pink and reminisce and spinel got healthy companionship
Yeah I don't see how pearl would have been attracted/aroused by steg either. The whole point of that fusion was it causes her "master/owner" to cease existing, if only for a short amount of time. Basically she was essentially suddenly experiencing a view of the world outside of her servitude, all in the span of a few seconds, and having memories flood back to her as the song goes on. On the other hand, even if it isn't sexual, there's something that innately drives a deep feeling of discomfort with steg's appearance that makes me a bit too grossed out to watch most of that particular song scene. What is interesting is that both opal and steg are "child + parental figure" fusions (imo), making it seem like two single parent families connected by their shared loss of a partner, specifically for these two it was the same partner Rose.
I mean... I can understand your interpretation of Steg, but honestly a big part of his appearance was, to me, based on how Greg sees himself. And probably a bit of how Steven looked up to his dad and his "rockstar past". And with that in mind, his appearance and self assured sex appeal is that plus the fact that a fusion is as much it's own persona as it is the original identities in said fusion. We see best the example of in sync/out of sync fusions in Jungle Moon with Stevonnie, and i just think that Steg, fusing for the purpose of a show they're putting on, is like, the pinnacle of Steven and Greg being in sync.
Still gross and unnecessarily sexualized. A fusion is quite literally gem sex and with Steg being so sexualized, a design like that brings some HORRIBLE implications forth.
@@Maludosgatos you... Realize that fusion in fact is not gem sex? That's the thing that has been said over and over again? Yes, some of the first fusions we saw had what appeared to be a sexual element to it, but fusion is just some form of expression of love. Stop applying your own interpretations of it, and go see what the creators has to say about THEIR OWN SHOW AND HOW THE THINGS THEY CREATED FOR THEIR OWN SHOW WORK
I always saw spinels first fight more of her playing since she does pretty silly playful things while still kicking their butts but during true kind of love as her actual trying to fight as she uses more punches and it trying to hit them. She has the advantage over them if she’s playing because that’s her whole life but they fight all the time
I have a lot of feeling about the movie. I think it kinda held the soul of the show of being a fun, kinda messy adventure. Also I love the songs, especially isn't it love and change
this movie did beat Oda to both paying homage to rubber rose animation era but also at displaying how utterly bonkers/ terrifyingly efficient rubber rose powers would be in a fight
Spinel: I need to change, I can't go back to being dependent on someone else for my happiness diamonds: Be dependent on us. Spinel: OK! This movie had a lot of great themes, and Spinel had an amazing story.... for it to lack a proper conclusion.
It honestly never occurred to me to make the connection "Steven and Greg fusing is like them having sex," so I never had to "get past it" and I could just enjoy the best song of the movie (with Other Friends and Drift Away being a pretty close second and third). Also, I've never been an enormous fan of Garnet songs; they just all seem kind of ... samey ... to me with the "oo oo love oo oo together oo oo" lyrics and drag on for what feels like far too long. The one Garnet number I can think of that I actually unreservedly like is Stronger than You.
I honestly really wish Steven's blue shirt design was reused in Future. I get that the black shirt fits more for Future's darker tone, but the blue shirt here looks way better palette-wise.
Something I love about rewatching the movie is seeing how detailed everything about the movie pertains to Spinel. Even if the song number or story beats aren’t intended for her, reading into it with her point of view the entire time, you can really see how well she fits in despite feeling out of place or inserting herself. My best example would be No Matter What. As you explained that song is, without a doubt, entirely about Amethyst and Steven. Yet, it perfectly fits with Spinels desire to be a friend and have that kind of special bond that she thought she had with Pink. Who We Are and Independent Together and are also great examples too.
Great video, but I'd have to argue against 10:30 and say the 360 degree shot of Pearl in "It's over, isn't it?" Is the best. I'd personally give the opening scene with Spinel probably 2nd place or so lol lol
the idea that spinel might want to be rejuvinated just before true kinda love honestly rocked my world. like, that is such a rich interpretation. great video!!
really love the breakdown i always kinda saw it as if the drill slowly leaks into earth it would destroy the entire earth as it would slowly spread through the earth over time but when it's all shot straight in it overflows causing the cracks in the village that we see and more destroys the target area then a larger surface area.
also about your statement at the end just because someone disagrees with your pov doesn't make it wrong that's why fanbases exist so we can discuss the topic and express our opinions and why we think that way it's all based on our own experiences in life and how we percieve things.
Really wonderful retrospective, it reminds me why I was so enamored with the movie when it was released. I'm still unclear after watching what the negative critique of Spinel's drill actually was! I also don't feel that the fusion of Greg and Steven is problematic. Both of them are musical performers, and fusion usually results in a character that maximizes the fused characters' best qualities, it makes total sense to me that Steg would be an Elvis-like musician. Sure, he does pelvic thrusts, which is a sexually charged dance move from the 1950's, but it seems overly puritanical to criticize that action as sexualizing Greg and Steven's relationship. This is especially true since neither the TV series or movie shows Steven and Greg's relationship as romantic in any way, shape, or form outside of this fusion, so contextually I don't think it's a problem. Fusion is shown to happen between two people who are not romantically involved with each other, like the Rubys, or Jasper and Lapis. It can happen between Greg and Steven and not be interpreted as sexual or romantic, I think it's fine.
Thanks for watching ! I've already touched on the Steg stuff from this video in this comment section, but I wanted to clear up my thoughts on the Drill. In general, while I think there are various critiques one could make about it, such as the fact that Spinel just magically has it somehow, the main one I have in this video is that the entire movie is built around the idea that Steven has to get all his friends and Spinel back to normal before the poison from the Drill go into the earth, something that ends up happening anyway with pretty limited consequences.
35:21 What's so lovely about Found is Zach Callison and Sarah Stiles recorded it together in the same booth side by side. That just makes it work all the more.
I always saw Steg as a call-back to rock and Steven and Gregs love for it (and rock stars did get pretty flirty). Spinel is probably one of my favourite characters, as she's both someone I highly empathise w and relate to, but she's also a warning for co-dependency and the steps it takes to heal from trauma (her rubber-hose animation makes her fun to watch). My fav songs are Isn't It Love, Found, Ture Kinda Love and Change
Years later...I stay baffled how people damned Pink for this. And didn't put Spinel into responsebility for how she reacts to the news. Yes, her anger is valid to feel...but not to destroy others life over. Just because she was abandoned, doesn't mean she gets a free pass of destruction. People forgetting that each time we learn something about Rose/Pink we go further BACK, deconstruct her future to her past and condem her for actions she did BEFORE she herself realised her belief of how life worked was wrong just baffled me. During Spinel and the abandonment of Spinel, Pink was utterly caught in the beliefsystem of the Diamonds. She was growing frustrated, yes, but she didn't grasp fully why yet. That came way later, around her exploration of earth with Pearl confessing that she imagines things without her ordering to: THAT is the moment where it clicks to her that gems below a diamond still are capable of complex emotions, thoughts and feelings. THEY HAVE LITERALLY GEMS BE WALLS OR FURNITURE ON HOMEWORLD! The belief that lower servant gems are furniture pieces below in emotional and intellectual capability isn't too far off here. If she beliefed that truely during her abandoment of Spinel, Spinel was to her a gaming consol that can't be turned off and she had to proof to the other diamonds she could take this seriously! No room for that gameboy to be around so to speak. It doesn't make what happened to Spinel right and we have to think that either Pink thought the Diamonds had already taken Spinel back or was unable to make time for a visit due to having to show the other Diamonds she can do the colonization on her own, then her struggle to keep life protected on earth when she realized more and more of her understanding was wrong. Time is limited, sharades had to be upheld and her every move wasn't as free as anyone tries to claim. Risks growing higher and higher the more Rose took the stage over Pink. Like damn....yes OG Pink, before earth was a bad person. But so is Spinel for HOW she allowed her pain to lash out against other people. And it utterly fits to what we see from her when she plays with Pink and Pink visibly grows distant because: There was no talking with Spinel about it! Spinel, programmed or not, always just went to games games games. She literally was unable to see when Pink was troubled. She wasn't a good friend neither and shows this missing empathy as she is rejuvinated as well. Spinel might be innocent in her wants, but she still causes harm by not caring enough for the people around her. That comes later gladly into her character as she learns to pay attention to others as well. But damn....she literally plunges toxins into a planet. Screams toxic. ((Don't get me wrong, this is a movie, it is supposed to be not the best way to react to a situation. But damn, call her out on it too! YA SUPPOSED TO! As this review does and I am so happy it does.)
I don’t really see it either unless you try really hard to interpret it that way. I’m 100% sure that scene was just supposed to represent Steg giving Pearl a new positive experience with other people that isn’t the person she was revolving around (Greg/Rose). If anything in my opinion, it kinda *felt* more romantic with Amethyst while Steg was just being playful 😂! Steg being a Elvis Presley rockstar may be a little jarring, it was most likely just a cameo/Easter egg that wasn’t thought all the way through on how a audience could interpret it. It doesn’t change the intention.
Haha thanks - but this video was supposed to come out two days ago because copyright stuff delayed it so it’s not actually my birthday anymore. My bad, but still thanks !
woahh, long video! will greatly enjoy this. I remember when this movie first came out, what a time that was. My favorite part was definitely the songs, and I think this movie will always hold a special place for me. especially since I was right around Steven's age the time this was released.
What’s amazing about Change and Other Friends is that they were animated by the amazing Takafumi Hori, a Japanese animator who is responsible basically every especially memorable scene from at least S3 onward animation wise. The scene where Steven re-fuses with his gem in Change your Mind was animated by him. He animated these scenes literally just because he loved the show.
Once again, your analysis gives me a new perspective on what is already my favourite franchise. Especially your bit on Spinel reattaching to Steven, which is an angle I didn't really consider until now.
Something that came to me about the rejuvinator(I probably misspelt that) is that its in the form of a scythe which is the main weapon of the Grim Reaper. This could symbolize how it kills the gem's present state and rebirths as how they were first made
WOW. I literally *just* finished watching Project Senpai's full length reaction to the movie on Patreon. Then I clicked on my RU-vid tab to see what I should watch next. This video was the very first recommended video!
I also think that people miss another important reason why Pink Diamond left Spinel the way she did. As talked about a lot in Steven Universe Season 5, the other diamonds never treated Pink with humanity. She was treated like a baby who was never treated with respect, and if she was bad she was locked in her room as a lesson. Pink probably didn’t even understand that the way she left Spinel was wrong, because she never learned that kind of humanity and respect until she got to Earth.
I imagine leaving Spinel was her way of "trying to grow up". Hanging around with a baby toy makes you look like a baby..she she got rid of her toy (Spinel)..Some might say she "outgrew" Spinel (became too mature to enjoy her company) but no, she simply got rid of her to LOOK more grown up which ends up only making her look more immature as she literally tossed away a PERSON to look better for the other diamonds; to be taken more seriously. You can see this in how before abandoning her Pink looks angry about Spinel trying to play with her when on call with the Diamonds (frustrated with the distraction, and angry that it makes her look childish when she's trying to grow up and get her own colony) but after the call ends she seems more calm and suggests the game.
great review! i disagree on some points- i think Independent Together is the weakest song of the movie (despite having the best vocals), and Pearl’s reboot song one of my all-time favorites for the series (exposition dumps as song are pretty much a necessity for musicals). but this is such a wonderful review of the movie, thanks for sharing it with us!
the ending is crazy cause it was through the diamonds abuse that they gave pink spinel and made her act the way she did and i can’t imagine that spinel never heard pink EVER vent about the diamonds
The movie was okay My biggest grift with it is: how come that Blue, who's canon is to collect and keep all trinkets and possessions of Pink, forgot that the garden exists? The diamonds gifted her that garden, they knew where it is. This is the biggest plothole and one at which the movie collapses. Another one is: who gave Spinel her scythe? Spinel is neither a warrior nor a keeper of order but a playmate, as explained by reboot pearl. In total, that movie should've been a crescendo ending for Steven universe. The sequel series is a hot mess that just doubles down on how bad they've written Pinks reverse redemption as she's still blamed for everything. Oh dont hold the human adult accountable that should've looked further into his sons well being, all Pinks fault.
fantastic retrospective & analysis of a (despite its flaws) truly magical and special movie. i agree with almost all your critiques here-although i actually really like the ending with Spinel and the Diamonds, which is obviously SUCH a messy situation for them to be putting themselves into, but we know all 4 of these characters are invested in changing themselves and becoming better (made more obvious in Homeworld Bound, i think) and the idea of them all trying to work on themselves together is one i find super compelling. (also i may be biased because the Let Us Adore You reprise is just sonically and lyrically one of my favorite moments in the franchise, i think it’s an insanely clever reappropriation of the lyrics of LUAY & Found, and their voices all sound so lovely together!) it is definitely a messy film and i find more tiny issues with it the more i rewatch (the reaction shots are one of my biggest gripes-seriously, how are ALL the Crystal Gems literally just standing there like statues every time Spinel is doing anything?) but those pale in comparison to the profoundly affecting emotional core of the film. the Drift Away backstory + Spinel’s double heel turn + the climax of the Spinel-Steven fight with her saying “when i change i change for the worse”/“now i’m not good at all” hit me in a way that none of the other redemption arcs/moments in SU ever did, and felt so honest to the way abandonment trauma impacts your self-worth and ability to trust others/have any hope that you could become someone worth caring about… that combined with Sarah Stiles’ insanely entertaining and nuanced vocal performance, and Spinel’s stunning character animation, instantly made her one of my favorite animated characters of all time. even the worst end-of-the-world drill plotholes and stakes issues could never take away from that 💖
I love that spinel's hair follows Mickey mouse ear rules: Both of them have to be visible all the time from any angle. Really plays into the retro cartoon vibe
disapointed about how pink diamond being an excuse le show made everything possible to make pink diamond a grey area character ,only for that movie to basically say" yep pink is trash" also , it would have been nice to have any mentions of spinel durant the 5 season show
Remember all the secrets and unfinished things she kept when she died? She once again abandoned everyone around her regardless of the consequences for something she wanted. She didn't look at others. All things which would naturally fall onto Steven.
I think Pink’s efforts to reinvent herself reflect ideas about generation gaps… really, the other Diamonds get off awfully light compared to her. She’s a pampered but also infantilized Diamond who falls in love with things her elders don’t think about and won’t accept, so she works hard to become someone else… and ultimately fails. Rose isn’t really a quartz. She can’t separate herself from her past. She does change, she does learn, but the mess she creates as she does- poor Pearl!- can’t be dismissed. Ultimately she has to give up her life in order to really change. No one knows how she made it possible, that was her genius… but her consciousness is gone. Had to be gone so that Steven could exist as his own being, but also so that she could separate herself from the past. Yellow and Blue and White may have changed somewhat, but not like Pink did. Might be really fascinating if they did; new half-human Diamonds.
This is my first video I watched and you perfectly described this movie very well, I recently just watched the movie a few days ago and now I want to go back just to catch things I didn’t the other times I’ve seen it
I honestly think the movie would have worked better as a mini series. Future was very messy mostly because, in my opinion, it focused nearly entirely on Steven and his character arc but the arc itself kinda meandered for around 10 episodes instead of naturally building to a conclution. I think some continuos plot happening in the background could've helped centre his arc and the whole show in general. Ironically, Spinel has the same issue Steven has, to a lesser extent, in Future. If the movie was a mini series, it would allow us to see a bit more of Spinel, fleshing her out and making her hatred turning into redemption much less garring and flip-floppy. Additionally the reset gems slowly returning back to themselves could've allowed them to have more interesting interactions with Steven and give a little more of a look to the gems defalt personalities. It could give insight to Pearl's relationship to Rose through either Greg or Steven, Ruby and Sahppire could have slowly fell back in love together sementing the previous message Garnet said with the line "love at first sight doesn't exist" and that Ruby and Sahppire's love was a organic process. We could also find out a bit more about young Amythist and her friendship with Greg, possibly through channling that through Steven. This whole series could set up Steven's truma flooding his mind, it would also help if Steven took a long time to regain his abilities. The reguvenated gems, Spinel and the drill lasting for a whole season of television would add much more gravity to the situation and would set up Future as it being set possibly in the imediete aftermath. I think it could fix a lot of the basic issues with the movie and sequal series. And before you say "If the events of the movie lasted a season, why wouldn't Steven ask the Diamonds to rip the drill out then?", the drill could simply start infecting the earth, forcing the characters into finding a "cure" for the poison. If that sound contrived, it is a bit but then again so was the drill and the reguvinator from the movie itself. Plus we'd have probably gotten more songs.
I always thought the reason why the drill didn't slowly poison the Earth as Peridot said it would was because Spinel rushed the process when she activated the drill again. Explaining why the poison was expelled all over the town and not into the ground.
The way i interpreted Steven and his dads fusion was that together, both of them are their greatest selves and ideals. And nothing encapuslates that better than their music and love for the stage. Their fusion then, imo, is a projection of the "perfect rock n roll singer" full of swagger, muscle, and sex appeal. (Sort of like elvis?) Which admittedly is weird, but rock and sex do have a long history together. But i agree that of that weirds some people out, then thats their right.
For independent together and Steg, I read his design as being that way because Greg is, or used to be, a rockstar and both he and Steven love music, and they are both, Steven especially big goofballs who get into the moment and just act silly. It makes sense for the fusion of the two to be a big buff rockstar who gets way too into the song and the performance of it.
52:58 I also don't how people come away from the movie with "Rose is the villain." This is one of the earliest points we see in Pink's life and we already knew she was largely destructive and impulsive back then.
Technically she is the villain..in Spinels story ig. Pink specifically. She's the cause of the conflict once more but this time it's because of something cruel she did! But I wouldn't say Rose is entirely a villain, like her entire character and over the entire series..she's a grey area. She started out horrible but grew!
She IS the villain, the bulk of both shows and the movie was to point out that just because you improve as a person, doesn't magically erase all your past mistakes, doesn't erase the people you hurt, doesn't erase the consequences of your actions. Literally every conflict is directly the result of a choice Rose made, literally everyone has suffered one way or another because of a decision she's made, especially Steven who has to face the brunt of it as her replacement while she escapes the consequences. I'm tired of shows just brushing aside the horrible actions of some characters because "It's okay guys , they're a better person now so all is forgiven!". How they portrayed Rose was so much more realistic, people don't have to forgive how you wronged them just because you feel you're a better person now, some wounds don't heal, some things can't be forgiven and no amount of "but I'm better now guys, really!" will actually fix things. Let's not forget, Hitler donated to orphanages, but that doesn't absolve him of his crimes.
@@RiveroftheWither Rose as Pink was a product of her environment. She also made alot of messy mistakes as Rose and her last mistake was thinking Homeworld would never come back to Earth when she made Steven. That doesn't make her the villain of the show. That makes her as complex and flawed as every other character in it.
@@SaiScribbles That doesn't change literally anything I said, no one has to forgive someone who wronged them just because they think they're a better person now. Especially when her most consistent character flaw is responsibility avoidance.
@@RiveroftheWither Yeah? And so what? All the characters have flaws. What makes her more of a villain than the other Diamonds, who are also shown to just be people with flaws?
I'm thrilled to finally see some love for Disobedient. I also fell in love with Mike Krol's music after his episode and from the first guitar note I recognized that sound of his. I think as a Steven Universe song it does absolutely feel kinda out of place, but it was such a perfect song for Pearl. One that wasn't even written explicitly for her, Mike Krol wrote it ages ago and it just worked. (Don't quote me on tht fact I just remember reading it when I was looking up the song once it could be completely incorrect)
As a Lapis fan, this movie has one of the most dubious plot holes ever ( seriously Lapis can't you just fricking hold the Drill back from injecting again!?!?! Bruh... )
Peridot kept pushing the idea that so much as touching the injector could cause it to release at a faster rate. While lapis is a very over powered gem, I can understand the irritation at her hot using her very creative power to accomplish the goal easier. I just think there had to be some reason it was limited, or else she would have no reason to ever have failed at anything, even if its only limiting her own power as steven does in future.
Stegg doesn't bother me at all. But I think of Stegg as an *experience*, as Garnet describes it. I don't think of Fusion as an entirety of a relationship. Stevonnie and Garnet might be described that way, but Sugelite or Opal don't seem to fit that description, instead I interpret as a vibe of the moment. Steve and Greg both have such a deep love for rock and roll, particularly 80's glam rock, that what sexuality is presented feels *entirely* performative. More akin to drag than an intrinsicly sexual experience. But I definitely see how the nature of them putting on this performance *together* feels icky. Especially the pelvic thrusts, but it's not an experience that I share.
What I find crazy about Bismuth is that to her the war was 2 years ago. She got over all of that in such little time with a memory nearly perfect of the horrors
the thing that annoys me most about steg is that there’s so many concept designs which feel much more like a fusion of steven and greg than what the final result was and while fusion definitely doesn’t imply a romantic or sexual relationship by any means, i feel like it’s really hard to deny that steg’s demeanour had some degree of sexual undertones. and that’s not just “ohh he’s ripped therefore sexual” but more with his actions and interactions. it’s absolutely possible for him to be a buff rockstar without being sexual. and while i’m definitely not accusing the crew or anyone of anything malicious, i feel like they could’ve done him better idk
I know I'm very late to the table, I loved this though and agree with most of what you said (music is very subjective), one thing I would've loved to hear your thoughts on is the name of Pearl's narration song, reboot smth smth final (3), and what that implies about her past. Given that I think, while this is an amazing and beautiful film, knowing how CN crunched time for the team, you can see bits that feel rushed and where the team drops a bit of lore they really wanted to share in a more expansive way, but didn't have the time to. I know there are lots of theories out there about the title of that song, I just think cause of the subtle Pearl lore drop that song deserves a little more recognition and always like to hear how others interpret it
I do really hate how most of the fandom didn't have the critical thinking skills to see what they did with Pink/Rose and made Rose in the fandom into the big bad. So it is always very refreshing to see things like this where all those little details are taken into account, this video was awesome to watch
Spinel being such an incredible representation of BPD makes me identify with her so much. I legitimately identify with the emotions she feels throughout the movie and it has helped me with my own mental health journey.
Excellent review! The movie really is a great encapsulation of the show up to that point! I rewatched it recently myself and I find it still holds up both as a stand-alone movie and as a part of the show’s canon.
The reason the drill doesn't end the world is because in the end, Spinel loses her patience with its actual operational procedure of pumping the poison deep into the earth, and just sprays it all out at once, which causes it to do severe, surface-level damage locally, but doesn't seep deep into the crust the way it was intended, which WOULD have ended the Earth as Peridot predicted. Spinel's actions caused more immediate and severe damage to Beach City and the local area, but rashly (and thankfully) prevented the entire Earth from being killed by the drill's poison. There was a reason the drill was taking so long to inject the poison -- because it needed to do it that way to work. It wasn't taking it slow for for no reason. Spinel did the full spray thing because she was angry and just wanted to see Steven and his friends die, no matter what.
I love the movie! Musicals are one of my favorite type of movie. This one is concise, doesn't over stay it's welcome, and had an amazing soundtrack I play on Repeat sometimes. The whole soundtrack, not just the lyrical songs, but the backing tracks too. I can listen to it and picture exactly what part of the movie is happening No matter what got me through a tough time where I almost lost a close group of friends, but one of my friends pulled a steven and brought me back. Also drift away makes me cry every time 😭
i guess me being ace didn't see Steg as a sex icon. i was just over hyped that 'rose' just steven got to finally fuse with greg. something she couldn't do being just a gem.
14:18 I think Pearl's song is a great reintroduction for fans and an introduction for newcomers on the roles each Gem were created to fulfill, as well as giving an excuse for her to tell us what Spinel was for. Also the hilarious way Deedee Magno Hall performs it like a preschool learning song tickles me every time
Theres a few things to note about the movie Apparently the drill wasnt originally meant to be part of the story but Rebecca Sugar had to add it in because the execs wanted 'a dire situiation' for the movie Also apparently the song "Found" came to Rebecca Sugar in a dream, which really helps with the sheer beauty of the song
8:40 I never realized how deep the line of Steven saying he “wishes things could stay the same forever” HITS, but after watching future I can’t even say that line is forced- we very clearly that Steven can’t deal with change
Steg always seemed to be more of a 'character' or 'persona' than many of the other fusions, to me. A combination of the rockstar Steven sees his dad as having once been, and the rockstar Greg wanted to be. And, ultimately, the simple fact of the matter is that that kind of energy is just... kind of entwined with popular musical personas. I'm not sure it can say anything specifically about the kind of 'relationship' that Greg and Steven have, so much as it's building upon their "Conversation" about what a rockstar with Greg's experience and Steven's abilities could be like, while combining Mr. Universe's personality and Steven's charm.
I watched your video on futures before this. In that video you had a section on fan service vs character progression or something to that tune, that there was an "alternative timeline" where futures were more fan service motivated..... That..... The movie is that, story light, but heavy on quality animation, fun music, and a revisiting of all the show has done. Even had a new threat of the week like you speculated the "alternate timeline futures" would. Basically I don't judge the story because it feels more like a tool to convey fun songs and great animation, floating on a steady stream of fan service.
I love the movie, honestly. It's always interesting how it takes different spins on the Gems' growth and how they got there. It's jarring to see Greg's reaction to the Amethyst as Rose in a different light. And I love the foreboding undertones of you KNOW that there is something deeply unsettled inside of Steven and he's trying to hard to get a 'happily ever after' and not have to think about the Diamonds anymore. I was always worried about Steven because he was a 12/13 year old boy during the run of the show. And he was so focused on a "magical destiny" and kept incorrectly assuming that he had a 'grand purpose' which he took to mean 'become leader of the crystal gems and save the universe from evil' .. like his 'happy go lucky' attitude really seemed Learned and not Inate. Like.. Steven is not a laid-back forgiving happy boy.. he learned these behaviours from his Dad who was severely overcorrecting the trauma his own parents caused him. So like.. Steven Universe the Movie really setup the fact that Steven has a limited world view.. he wants Beach City safe, his friends and family safe, and he's not too keen on outsiders. He wants to be loved as he loves, and I think he sees this reflected in Spinel and that scares him a bit. Because Steven teeters on the edge of "being a diamond" because he has a diamond, he IS a Diamond even if he doesn't want to be a Diamond Authority. I mean, like.. to me, it just seems like Steven and Spinel are really similar, but Steven doesn't take out his frustrations, he holds them inside, which comes back to bite him in the ass later on. I think.. honestly, the Gems and Greg really forget that Steven is a child. The Gems don't truly understand humans or what that means, because they're born fully formed. And Greg just gives Steven everything he wanted as a kid, so he doesn't actually listen to what Steven wants nor does he give Steven what he really needs.. which is limits. It's just like.. Steven is a really neglected child who is forced a bad hand, he tries his best to be The Best, but he just wants to be accepted. Like Spinel, he just wants to belong and be happy, and he doesn't like other people getting inside of his bubble.
