Ok, can we talk about Stevens lack of personality and how much i relate to that?
Because uff.. look at this guy.
Steven has spent a good portion of his life trying to live up to his mother legacy. Then, trying to fix her crimes. But more than anything, he has spent most of the last few years trying to make people happy.
He has been building that for a while, but the earliest example i remember is in “The Test”
After finding out the “test” the gems have prepared for him was fake, just a tactic to raise his morale, he is upset. And with good reason! But after eavesdropping the gems and how scared and lost they are now that Rose is gone, what does Steven do? He lies. He puts on a cherry face and says how awesome the test was, all just to he can make the gems happy. And i took notice of this because i thought… “hey… dude… thats kind of unhealthy you know?”
Five seasons and a movie later and what you get?
Disaster. You get a Steven who has built his life around helping others by putting his own feelings aside. He is so into it that he has neglected time with the gems and his human friends. In fact, when he found out that Lars and Sadie had figured out their issues IN PRIVATE, does he get happy? No, he is devastated becase “HOW did i not knew about this?”
Prickle pair is even more in-your-face about Steven’s lack of self.
He started doing gardening, something that i believed (when i read the episode description a while ago) would be good for him.
It wasn’t. Turns out Steven likes gardening marginally. He doesn’t do it cause he wants to, he does it just for the sake of trying new things AND showing how well he is doing now.
And what happens when the gems left him alone? He comments to himself.
“The gems are not even impressed. Guess gardening isn’t as cool as liberating the galaxy.”
Yeah, thats not healthy. He is basing himself enterely in the opinion of his family. Mind you, is not that the gems dont think its cool, its just that they can tell something is WRONG with Steven…
“This is a much needed YOU time” said pearl.
“This may not be the HEALTHIEST approach to your new hobby” said Garnet.
And they are both right.
To his merit, Steven has grown a bit in the last few episodes.
“Its probably better that i am not running the school, tho. Who am i to decide whats best for all those gems students?”
So, after everything that happened after “Guidance” and “Little graduation”, it seems Steven has realized he doesn’t have the answer for everything. He has to let people walk their own paths.
Which is a sensical but Horryfing concept for someone who’s entire identity has been built around the others. What do you do when you cant to the thing you focused your life around?
Have a life crisis it seems.
I know Steven is suffering but i, for myself, am LOVING how they deconstructed the idea that people have around his character.
And whats best is (like i mentioned earlier in this post) is that none of that is new. Steven has been building this for a while. His Empathy, his love, his selflessness… all of those are good qualities, but take them to the extreme, and what do you get?
I am Silver Tongue, I am an artist. I have many characters and you can check out my art in the art tag. I occasionally practice witchcraft though I don't do anything too complicated. I am girl 2 and don't know what else to put here.