Steven Universe Future episode 10--Prickly Pear!

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And that’s Steven Universe Future, as far as it’s aired.

I think we’re finally, finally, finally  going to dig into all the repressed trauma and self-sacrificing  impulses Steven’s had to deal with for all of this time.  No more  jumping from one crisis to the next without time to breathe.  No more  running from it.  It’s time for Steven’s pain to air out, for his issues  to air out, and for him to start learning to need himself instead of  needing other people to need him.

I hope that’s where this has been going, at least.

Thus  far, Steven Universe Future has been about change--about moving  forward, about moving into the future.  About becoming a new person,  finding that next step in your life.  The people around Steven have all  been finding their way, and that leaves Steven feeling left behind,  because he doesn’t know how to do the same.

Where does he  go from here?  What makes Steven happy in himself?  What is the  healthiest thing for Steven to become?  I honestly don’t know.  I think  adventuring may end up genuinely being what Steven is happiest with, but  if so, he can only reach that point once he’s dealt with all of the  trauma it’s brought him in the past.  My prediction?  We’re going to  spend a few episodes having Important Therapy Times, and then, once  Steven’s begun to find himself again, then we’re going to meet the big scary space dinosaur from the antagonist shot in the opening.

That’s  the Big Question, though.  What would make Steven happy via internal  validation?  He’s clearly not going to just walk away from the troubles  happening to those in need; not only would it not work with the show’s  story structure, it’s not in his nature, even at his healthiest, to  ignore those who need help.  It’s just not the meddlesome I-know-best  kind of help that he finds himself giving--what he’s best at  giving in the stand-against-injustice kind of help you get from a Real  HeroTM.  If he’s going to take saving the world onto his shoulders  again...that’s the question.  For all I know, Scary Dinosaur Friend is a  one-off antagonist and not an overarching one, but I wouldn’t count on  it.  How can he get to a place where he’s able to healthily take  that responsibility onto his shoulders?  Where he does it because it’s  the right thing to do, and not just because it’s all he knows how to  do?  Where he’s freed by it instead of trapped?

I’m talking in circles.

Suffice  it to say that I like that Future is addressing Steven’s problems.  I  hope that it continues head-on, instead of dancing around it much more.   It needs to happen.  It’s been so long, both narratively and in real  time, that we really need some kind of resolution for his issues.

As  for Prickly Pair, I like the tone, it didn’t belabor the awkwardness  and instead pushed the point that Steven needs to let things out.  It  comes in at my new #5 for Season 6, between Guidance and Rose Buds, and my new #61 overall, between Letters to Lars and What’s Your Problem.

Up  next--well!  We’re finally caught up on Steven Universe again!  So now  we’re going to get back to something I’ve neglected for far too  long--we’re going to be starting episode 7 of She-Ra and the Princesses  of Power on Wednesday!  More immediately, I’m going to take a few  minutes to eat some dinner, and then stream--now that I’ve completed my playthrough of Resident Evil 2 Remake, I’m going to be playing Hollow Knight (mostly) blind!  If you want to tune in, check out my Twitch channel.   (I’ll also be streaming Hollow Knight tomorrow, unless something  interrupts my plans.)  If you don’t, then I’ll see you guys here for  She-Ra on Wednesday!