#amethest

(This post was made when only the first 4 episodes were out)

Table of contents:

1. Intro and explanation

2. A new show

3. So much to do in such little time

4. The end of arcs

5. The plot?

6. Other little bits

7. Conclusion

1. Intro and explanation

So I want to make it clear before I dive into this right of the bat that I honestly truly love Steven Universe with all my heart. It is easily my favorite show of all time and has influenced and affected me in so many positive ways beyond just enjoyment of the show.

That being said I (and the person I was watching it with) felt that something just felt a little... off for Steven Universe Future. It just didn’t feel quite right, and didn’t grip me nearly as much as as the original show or the movie. Now maybe it’s because of my experience in both film and writing and my desire to understand what makes my favorite things tick, I couldn't just let it go and decided to really dig deep into what it is that makes it feel so different and I think I figured out some of the reasons as to why.

I haven't seen too many people talk about it on here and though that maybe it was just me. Most people on here seem to enjoy the show with no problems and if that's you then great! please don’t let me take that away from you, just ignore this post and move on if you don’t want to see me dig deep into it, I honestly hate being a fun killer/ buzz kill on these things but I asked a few days ago if I should make this post and a couple of people said they were interested so here we are.

And yes I know this post is excessive but I have a lot to say on the matter, also understand this is not a post bashing on the show or calling it “bad”, it’s just an insight into what makes the show tick and how it differs to the original show (and the movie)

With all that being said, let’s jump into the first major thing.

2. A new show

Ok, so this one kind of goes without saying, but yeah Steven Universe Future is a new show. It’s not season 6, it’s a new show and as a result I think it’s only natural for the creators to want to try and emphasize that fact by giving it a different feel.

They accomplish this with a lot of subtle things but I think that it’s likely done intentionally in order to differentiate itself from the original series. Now do I think it was a good idea to change the overall feel of the show in order to separate it form the original? ehhhh not exactly... It would make more sense if it really was a different show, but you literally can’t understand anything that happens in SUF without watching the original show in almost it’s entirety, so eh.

That being said you could argue they wanted to try a new feel just to mix it up after working on the original for so many years and I guess I can get that.

This is a fairly weak point overall, however I wanted to start with the lighter stuff before getting into the big bois.

3. So much to do in such little time

Again, this one may be kind of obvious for some but it honestly feels like that some of the episodes either really should have been longer or deserve to have a whole arc around them.

I’m talking especially about ‘Rose buds’ and ‘Volleyball’. Both of these episodes feature some pretty heavy themes and ideas that in the original show could easily be the focus of an entire 4 episode long arc each.

But here they have put everything into just the one episode, cramming it all in and constantly hitting us with big ideas and surprises. Not saying the episodes are paced badly, just that I think that these ideas really could have and perhaps even should have had way more time to be explored and expanded.

For example in ‘Rose buds’ there are so many moments that could easily be their own episodes if given the chance:

The ‘Zoomans’ learning to pilot the zoo

Greg and Steven reuniting with the Zoomans

Bringing the zoo to earth

The Zoomans reacting to earth

Freeing the Rose Quartzes

Greg reacting to the Quartzes

Pearl reacting to the Quartzes

Do you see what I mean? they could each be an episode in the original show, but here it’s all just one episode and as a result it feels like it goes by too fast, we don’t get as much time to react and take it all in, to absorb it all. Instead with it all being in one episode it weirdly devalues these moments as just an almost throw away one off episode.

It’s still a good episode, don’t get me wrong but I really do wish that the concepts within it were given more time to breathe.

4. The end of arcs

Ok, now we are getting into bigger stuff. So tell me, did Amethyst and Pearl seem a little different to you? Almost a little too... complacent? Like they didn’t quite react the way you would expect them to? Well that’s because of their character arcs.

In a story, character arcs are very important to making characters interesting and likable, It’s essentially the transformation from what the character was like at the beginning to what they become at the end. Typically through these arcs, characters confront their weaknesses and issues, they tackle their flaws and eventually overcome them.

Now the character arcs in Steven Universe are amazing and I love them, but they have one problem: they are done.

The things is, by the end of ‘Change your mind’ the main crystal gems and even Steven to an extent had been through so much and had confronted all of their biggest flaws and demons that they all just completed their arcs and ended the story as their best selves.

Then in the movie they do something super clever by reverting them all back to default and we get to see how far their arcs have taken them and how much they have changed, it’s simultaneously a brilliant way of addressing their arcs and tying into the theme of change and growing stronger, it’s honestly inspirational from a writing perspective for me.

But then we get to future... where they don’t get the novelty of being rest to zero here, instead they have continued on from where we left them as their perfect selves.

Now I’m happy for the characters, it’s really nice to see them all happy living their best lives, but having flaws as I said helps the characters be relatable and continually interesting, but they really don’t address them here, as... well they’re over it.

Again, in ‘Rose buds’ our old Pearl would have absolutely freaked out at the sight of the Roses, or probably be really mentally scared and messed up... but not here. Here she has gotten over Rose, and while she is still made uncomfortable by the Roses, she is nowhere near as messed up as she could have been once upon a time. It’s nice to see her change so much but it feels off to us now, that’s not how the Pearl we knew would react, and that’s why it feels weird.

5. The plot?

So this is the biggest bit that honestly bothers me the most because I’ve seen other media do the same things and it’s upsetting to see Steven Universe fall into it but, as of right now Steven Universe Future does not have a plot.

I know, I know, that’s a crazy statement to make but hear me out. A plot is an incredibly basic thing that helps bring everything together and to get audiences invested. A plot is essentially made by a goal, the goal does not need to be complicated, it just needs to be something that drives the story along.

In Star Wars, the plot is essentially for the heroes to stop the Empire, It’s pretty broad but it’s still a plot and a goal for the heroes.

In infinity train the main character wants to get off the train and get home.

In JJBA: Golden Wind, Giorno wants to become the boss of the mafia.

In Steven Universe (original series) Steven wants to learn about his gem powers and the crystal gems want to defeat and bubble all the corrupted gems.

And in Steven Universe Future, Steven uh he’s trying to uh... live.... life...?

See what I’m saying here? There is no goal, there is no plot, the story hasn't really started yet, we as an audience don’t have much to hold onto story wise to keep us invested.

“But what about Steven’s new pink powers?” I hear you say. While yes this will very likely tie into the main story at some point, as of right now it’s just a plot thread waiting to be picked up. The main thing is that none of the characters are really following that thread right now, it’s just a thing that’s kind of happening while other stuff is going on.

Imagine if instead of just going “huh cool a new power!” Steven actually went out of his way to pursue this now power and find out what it is, giving him a goal. Or hell even telling the crystal gems about it and giving them something to do, then you can say with confidence that:

‘Steven Universe Future is about Steven trying to find out about his new powers”

Simple as that, but unfortunately as of right now this is not the case.

Like the episodes wouldn’t even have to be all that different, it would just help to know that we had an overall goal in mind and the rest could carry on as usual, just like it has many times in the show.

I am 100% confident that it will become a plot point, but as of the first 4 episodes so far it hasn’t been properly established yet and as a result the episodes feel like they are missing something, it just feels like a slice of life story, but with really intense and interesting ideas, and ultimately, just feels off.

6. Other little bits

This next part is just a list of little random things that are ultimately inconsequential and don’t deserve their own points but might contribute into the overall ‘off’ feeling of the show.

The music does not quite feel to have that Steven Universe charm (Idk about this myself I’m not a music person as much as the person I watched it with who pointed it out.

No musical numbers yet (again a small thing but you think there would be one by now?)

Voice acting a bit off? (could just be me but that sound a little strange, as if they have a new voice director (maybe they do idk))

Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl (they haven't really all been in a scene together yet which feels weird as they always used to be together)

Some character models seem off (probably just me but sometimes characters like Pearl just seem weird in some shots idk)

Steven isn’t quite as jovial? (this is likely intentional for where is character is going, but it’s important to point out as it’s intentionally made to make the viewer feel off about him)

There is likely more that I might add later.

7. Conclusion

So these are the reasons I’ve found that Steven Universe Future might feel a little off from the rest of the show (and movie) It’s entirely possible that you won’t agree with me on anything here and that's fine, these were just my findings and an attempt to rationalize why I feel this way about the show.

Please believe me when I say I want nothing more than for this show to be just as good as the original show if not even better because I honestly love the SU franchise so much. That’s why I made this post, because I want it to be the best that it can be and these are the things that I feel might be holding it back.

Honestly so many of these things are easily addressable and very likely will be! Although my personal prediction is that the actual ‘plot’ won’t properly start until the end of episode 10 as the description for these episodes seem like they are going to be along the same lines as the first 4 eps.

Either way I will be happily watching as the new episodes come out as nothing can stop me from loving Steven Universe at this point, the show has already done so much for me and I will forever love it for that <3

Who are you really?