The Episode That CHANGED Steven Universe...
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- Опубліковано 28 чер 2024
- The Episode That CHANGED Steven Universe...
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I completely agree. This episode totally changes the course of the whole show! In this episode after Garnet says the line “we don’t know WHAT Steven is” we see Steven struggle to find the answer to that question for the next 4 seasons! He wants to know, is he a human? Is he a gem? Is he a Diamond? Is he HIS MOM? Who is he? What is he for? That thought that Garnet incidentally puts into his head this episode stays with him all the way up until Change Your Mind when he learns that he’s just Steven, something completely new, who was only made because his parents just wanted him to be
But then comes Future, where he asks.. Who is Steven? What is Steven?
Doesn't Garnet say "We don't know what Steven *needs*"?
@@TrovaoSmasher Yeah it's need
@@GumSkyloard They said it goes all the way to the end, meaning Future. 🤦♀️
@@KissyAdair I was specifying what Future focused on, which is Steven knowing he's Steven.. but not knowing what "Steven" is. ^^"
tbh i love the fact that amythest was the most mature in the gems' discussion. she was self aware enough to admit the three of them aren't what steven needs. Whilst garnet and pearl try to reassure themselves or do what they think is right. amythest is just able to admit it but still keep trying to improve. i feel like it really comes full circle at the end of the show w the pink diamond reveal and she actively puts the spotlight onto steven bc he needs someone to listen to him.
Imo amethyst was what Steven needs, she listened to him and understood that he’s a kid
Amethyst pretty much raised herself among the others. She's the most immature but also has the least baggage to force her into stupid decisions. All her stupid decisions are hers and she owns them. Whenever Amethyst is conflicted, it has to do with when she values herself against the others and always comes up short , no pun intended, because she's using a metric that was made to exclude her. Pearl knows what she is and chose to reject it. Ruby and Sapphire know what they are and chose to reject it. Amethyst is Amethyst and the only ones who can reject her for what she is not would be Pearl and Garnet and herself. She has no other Amethyst to compare herself to so she compares herself wrongly to Pearl Pefectionista and Mega Powerful Fusion Mom.
I think the Famethyst was the best thing that could have happened to her. Besides Steven accepting her the same way.
I think its interesting that one could argue that Amethyst might be one the most emotionally mature of the cast. She is the first to admit they dont know what they doing and after the Pink Diamond Reveal she is the one to keep it together and is the one to realize that she can't rely on Steven to fix her problems or be a venting board for her. She knows that its not ok to expect Steven to be burdened with all their problems and that he is a kid who has also gone through some shit and is in fact not ok.
While Pearl and Garnet very much are Moms to Steven i think Amethyst plays the role of the older sister. She is always there for steven but lacks the expectations that the others place on him. And because of this the two of them are more open with each other with their problems and fears.
Amy was also the first Gem to fuse with Steven into Smoky. How has that not been brought up at all in this thread? Smoky got 3 episodes to her existence. While the other two with Pearl and Garnet got 2 and they were somewhat minor. Steven and Amy's relationship is the most important out of the CG's.
Amethyst is the only gem I think that truly understood Steven. Even Steven says you're like me because you're not like anyone when they fuse. Amethyst is, arguably besides pink diamond, the only "child" like gem we've seen. When she gets reset she's basically a kid, she doesn't come out with the same sense of self that gems usually come out with. She had to grow up. She knows what someone needs to grow up. She's mature when it comes to a lot of the most important things in the show
Steven decided to lie at the last minute. He was marching through the test angry and determined to tell them off. But as that last door opened, he saw how nervous, relieved, and proud they were and having overheard them before he knew it was genuine feelings but still a lie, with loving intent. He knew it would be wrong to be angry with them, but still being a child didn't grasp exactly what to do.. so being put on the spot, he did what they did and told a loving lie too.
My thoughts exactly. I don't think he would have started out with "I can't believe you guys" just to mess with them. And we know his voice actor is *really* good, so that slight petulance in his voice kind of reinforces it for me. And halfway through that very sentence, he chose kindness, and to care for the people he loved, even at his own expense. THAT was the real test.
@@yulebonesmy God you ate that analysis
Not.... necessarily "wrong". Intent absolutely matters, but it's okay to be angry when someone hurts you. EVEN if they do it with good intentions.
I don't think I realized just how much that episode taught Steven to *fake being okay* for the sake of the people around him. Throughout the show he does his best to help everyone in his life, and _it's good to help,_ I still remember his talk with Garnet and the stray cats when I get overwhelmed. But he's also a child that really, really needed a therapist.
There's a psychological term for what happens to Steven for the rest of the series: emotional parentification. He feels like he needs to care for those who were supposed to care for him. And what's one of the biggest behaviors that indicates this type of trauma? A lack of care for one's self. People pleasing. Putting others needs above your own, even to one's own detriment. It's really interesting when analyzing trauma, and very obvious in Steven's character. (Maybe obvious, I'm just a psych grad)
Man I knew I loved Steven for a reason. He became a parent for people’s emotional needs and always thought abt what others wanted even if they don’t deserve it (Ronaldoj
He may not be his mom, but he tried to be everyone else's mom. Because he felt he had to. Because they needed it.
Oh _that's_ what I have
something insane is that Garnet was likely able to predict something like this could happen. She knew, to some extent, Steven would have this revelation and reaction. Of course, as Steven gets older, he becomes less predictable, which changes the visions paths, but.. damn...
@JoaquinElf it really depends. that was something she experienced, and padparacha, while unable to see the future, is able to see how people experience things- such as garnet making rhodonite uncomfortable. Garnet didnt know rhodonite was uncomfortable, but padparacha did. with how well garnet knows steven, its possible she does figure it out.
@@karmageddon9047 Looking back and - hey! - recontextualizing it, Garnet's lines sounded like Ruby and Sapphire were arguing with each other, and that Sapphire knew how damaging it would be long-term if he figured it out, but they both wanted so badly to believe that it wouldn't go that route.
@@yulebones aww :[
Remember chat garnet looks cor possible paths chooses the one that Its more likely to happen. She probably didnt think it was possible for him to figure out and lie to their faces bc he isnt the type of person to do that. She saw him as a naive kid that wasnt mature and was still growing. She bougth into that lie bc she trusted he was able to finish their test.
@JoaquinElf she see's the near future, based on her own actions, not stevens, so it is most likely she never saw steven confronting them about it
definitely, Steven being complacent with the Gems, even lying to them, is one of the darkest moments of the series, as it compiles several future mental traumas that Steven starts to have.
As Adele said, "Complacency is the worst trait to have, are you crazy?"
Crazy? I was crazy once
@@CharlyOmegathey locked me in a room. A room of rubber. A rubber room
@@dr.inspector2403with rats and rats make
Me crazy. Crazy? I was crazy once.
@@iantaakalla8180they locked me in a room a
I remember when future finished people were so critical saying that Steven decline came out of nowhere and I agreed until I rewatched the show and saw this episode again. This is really all the context you need as to how he ended up in future. In that moment he decided he would prioritize other peoples feelings and mental states over his own and instead of finding out what he needs which is the central question of the episode the whole show is about Steven pursuing other peoples needs
I think people only forgot because episodes took a while when they were coming out
Last year my mental health took a nosedive (fortunately I'm good now), and I genuinely started respecting Future more after that. I also lashed out in anger, manifested way too many insecurities from small things that grew overboard. While I still think it could've been more gradual, I don't think his decline is as absurd as I originally thought
I never understood that, typically people do try their best to pretend everything is fine and the longer the facade is maintained the more drastic and explosive it is when that dam breaks.
Just because he pretends all those things are fine for the sake of making other people happy, doesn't mean they actually were fine.
@@pedroff_1 Yeah. I've been struggling with mental health since I was a kid, younger than Steven even. I never saw his behaviour as "forced" by the plot. It just made too damn sense he would eventually break, especially during a peace period when he got more mature so he could think and process everything that happened more precisely without worrying about survival.
Back then this episode left me puzzled, I was even a little baffled because I understood Steven's frustration and didn't get his decision at the end. By this point episodes usually had a moral, but this one was left oddly ambiguous, the show isn't really claiming Steven did the right thing, it ends on an almost depressing note.
Man, it's hard looking at the first episodes and seeing how ill-equiped the gems were to be parents. Most of the time they were neglectful or emotionally distant.
Most first time parents are ill-equipped in some way to be parents. Being a parent is a big responsibility and it is very easy to make a mistake. The good parents are the ones that worry about making mistakes and do everything they can to correct any mistakes they make.
Yes, Rebecca Sugar and Ian JQ have actually spoken repeatedly in some detail about how important of an episode "The Test" is. Episode freaking 38 of the show and they were already consciously laying so many of the themes and ideas that would continue on until the end. What artistry, what courage. Just personally, I think it would enhance your argument to have some quotes from the creators backing up what you're saying. And the cool thing with SU is that often, those quotes are out there because yes, the writers did intend that really cool thing.
And yes, Steven Universe is so rewatchable because it was written to be. They put in subtle details that you'll only really catch on a second or third viewing. And the way the show's writing is deliberately designed to be recontextualized at certain points is true mastery. Future is actually genius imo. And all of this effort was put into a "children's show" way before it ever got super popular. That's passion and a desire to create true art.
And yeah, smart idea to go through old fandom analysis and stuff for ideas and talking points. There's a ton of pretty good writing out there about the show that is just laying around for any content creator to come along and use. I'm fairly knowledgeable about this show myself so if you ever want someone to bounce ideas off of for a video, I'd be happy to. Keep up the good work!
nice i was looking for this comment. but yeah i think in the steven universe podcast that had rebecca sugar on, she deliberately said that the test was meant to be a big turning point in steven’s development and maturity, but i don’t remember which episode she said that in.
Too much filler tho. And the morals are very iffy. The show was good until the topaz and aquamarine arc
when it first came out i loved The Test because it just shows Steven's emotional maturity, and being able to put the Gems' own feelings above his own. I think I've cried watching it, the way he lies to protect them in a little way, instead of blowing up at the gems for lying themselves. He's able to see where they were coming from and that makes him such a "strong" character.
I guess we see that he couldn’t handle it (cuz of the stuff from future). Cool insight tho.
@@johnsimpsen5 There’s a difference in between him handling this one situation and the culmination of years of bottled up trauma we see in Future. Just this instance alone could have been inconsequential. But in context, it can be seen as the beginning of Steven’s savior complex which later exacerbates his issues in Future.
K😊 8:46
200th like
At the same time, it's basically the first crack in the dam of his future declining mental health.
I honestly think Steven was tossing up whether to lie or tell the truth right up until the last possible second. He's a good, sweet, pure, innocent child at this point in the show still, and is likely compelled to tell the truth to the Gems, that he knows what they did, but he also knows how much that will hurt them too. So after struggling to come to the final choice he ends up choosing to put his emotions behind everyone else that he loves. For their sake.
As i always said about this episode, the tests purpose was to see if he could act like a crystal gem. During the test he observed the crystal gems behavior, and copied it, proving he could do everything a crystal gem could do, including lying to make one of their fellow members feel better and giving them a win when they really needed it
Oh my gosh that makes so much sense
I feel like Steven decided to lie when he actually got to the gems, realizing mid-way through what he was saying. he fully understood why the gems did what they did. also another reason is how he was walking through the dungeon the second time, he looked angry to me, but also determined. I dunno, but this truly is one of my favorite episodes in all of Steven Universe.
PLEEEEASE KEEP DOING THESE STEVEN UNIVERSE VIDEOS! I love your takes on this show and honestly it’s so nice to see people talk about it in a less negative light that I don’t see often nowadays.
Yea, I don't see people talk about it in a positive way that much. I don't get why people hate or don't like this show. The show is one of my favorite and it's forever gonna be(:
@@nicolas._.2294definitely!
Ikr, people (at least, from what I've seen on UA-cam) shit on this show WAY too much.
fr! ppl shit on this show way to much for it only being in stevens pov, but honestly i love it bc it makes these scenes way more powerful. its in the eyes of a kid growing up in this situation, slowly learning how the gems think about him and actually not is powerful as they seem. which is how alot kids feel growing up, not knowing anything about your parents besides they love you and in power, but slowly realizing their just human too.
Yeah he's gonna keep doing Steven Universe... Wait
I personally think when Steven first over heard the conversation he was going to confront them. However as he going through each challenge I feel like their words echo through his head. So when he gets to the end, he is facing down so they don’t see him making the final decision and that was to lie. I think that’s how it went.
To be fair, even if it was rigged, Steven passed those first two tests fair and square.
“With great power comes great responsibility”
A common theme in superhero and fantasy stories.
I like how Steven Universe Future flips it on its head to become “just because you have great power, doesn’t mean you have to carry ALL the responsibility”
This is a little off topic, but an episode that I thought was interesting was “Too many birthdays” because first of all, you got to see how Steven grew up and how you shouldn’t care what others think about things you like. Also, ALL of the gems freaked out, I don’t pay attention much, but the way Garnet silently started freaking out and had to be stopped by the OTHER gems was crazy to me.
NEVER STOP THE STEVEN UNIVERSE VIDEOS!!! your single handedly brought the fandom back together and its your duty to further keep it alive
not singlehandedly but he do be helpin alot
As someone who has still not recovered from Steven Universe ending I really appreciate you showing these different perspectives. Really changes how you watch it. You’ve more than earned my sub. I cant wait for the next one.
This recontexualizes the intro too! Well, the full intro heh. The part where all the CG sing why are they fighting for, and Steven says "I will fight to be everything that everybody wants me to be when i grow".
Poor kid, he stopped having ambitions and started living for others
I think he thought about lying when he overheard the gems, but made the final decision last minute. It's not really like baby Steven to lie about that, and that's why I think it was at the last minute when he really chose to. Great episode! I love these videos and I would love more Steven universe if you have it! listening to other people over analyze a show like an English teacher is really my favorite kind of video!
The Test was literally the main reason I got into Steven universe in the first place. It was airing one day randomly on TV and I was bored so I gave it a watch.
When I say that was the most unique and complex storytelling I've seen from a single episode from a cartoon that showed flaws from both sides in a way that could be heavily relatable to people pleasers (Which I am guilty of being)
And I was hooked since
THANK YOU! I have seen no one ever talk about The Test. It always seems to be left out of pivotal moments in s1 that showed "this show is getting GOOD now". We know Mirror Gem and Ocean Gem, and that deserves that spot, but this? This is where it begins in my honest opinion. This is where it got good for me. That glimmer, that spark that was set off by that one line--"We don't know WHAT Steven is"--is what got me hooked into this show more than anything else. It's brilliant, honestly.
Also I had a slightly different takeaway from this ep--I think that Steven definitely learns, and accepts at the end, the gems DON'T have all the answers. They're, for lack of a better word, human too. It really shows that moment where kids realize their parents aren't these perfect, all-knowing beings who always know what to do. And his decision to boost THEIR confidence in stead, lying at the end, is him coming into terms with that fact. This really is basically where his childhood ends, or starts dying. Good stuff.
nah i love your steven universe videos, and no, you're not reading into the episode ''too much'' it's actually quite cool to see everything connect! epic
this is the beginning of steven's "hide your feelings" personality
i think steven didnt really have one big "im going to lie to them" thought, rather he was in thought throughout the final journey through the gems' obstacle course for him, and he probably didnt even come to a final conclusion before the lie just...naturally came out to spare the gems' feelings
as someone whose a people pleaser, i can relate to steven setting aside his emotions for others, and its very easy for me to implement how ive treated situations into what hes going through and think of what hes thinking - i already *know* what hes thinking, ive been there after all
also shoutouts to your cat in the video bg lol
The first time I thought about this episode again was in Mindful Education. The line you used in your last video where he's like "you hurt people and you just have to try not to think about it." That line is a direct result of this episode, because I felt like Steven equated disappointing people as hurting them. I know he goes through a lot of literally hurting people up to that episode, but when his disappointed mother appears as one of the people he 'hurt,' it put everything in place for me.
Spitting straight facts my guy, I totally agree. In my opinion, this is one of the first episodes that shows what makes Steven Universe special. An acknowledgment of so many different ideas
i totally agree with you, i was half way through the video and was gonna comment, this is definitely the start of stevens' self sacrifical tendencies that lead to his mental break. but then you summed it up perfectly. i was like ah never mind he gets it LOL.
Also, you dont know how nice it is to see steven universe vids on a channel that are not just cursing the whole show like it personally killed their whole family. like, yeah i know the show is flawed but its also amazing in so many ways. anyway awesome work!
Also personally i like to think as he moved through the test the final time. he went back and forth with himself even as he went forth unhesitatingly. only when he dropped down in front of them, he was gonna confront them but then changed his mind.
The fact that Steven was sweating when he lifted his head to lie is what gives it away to me
He wasn't before doing so, so it's clear his nervousness only made itself present when about to speak up, not even before that, prior seeing the gems praise him, which would've been more logical to get nervous at (if lying was previously planned and not just something that came out more naturally)
I think Steven's determination was kneejerk anger. but when actually going to confront the gems, he'd had time to think about it and changed his mind. Even if he was angry, he knows they meant well. And that they're as confused and lost as he is. So he buries that anger, finding solace in the joy his falsehoods bring to their faces.
This feels backed up by when he found out about the palanquin and was told Not to go there. He finally let his pent up anger out at them, lambasting them for never telling him anything and keeping so many secrets about his mother. It all goes back to that feeling of not being trusted showcased in this episode.
The writing in this show was so calculated, I love it.
I talk about recontextualization as a writing tool all the time. My favorite anime (which Rebecca Sugar has cited as an influence), Madoka Magica, uses it more spectacularly than any other show I know in just 12 episodes.
For instance, there's a scene in episode 1 where a character is introduced and she walks alongside the main character through the school hallway. There are moments in this scene where the main character says things to try and lighten the mood and the camera zooms in on this new character's mouth as she scowls and grits her teeth, presumably in annoyance, making her seem intimidating and throwing a dark, awkward mood into the tone of the scene. A later episode, however, deliberately parallels this scene with another by framing the camera in the same exact position over a similar conversation, putting context to the characters' relationship with each other. If you return to episode 1 and watch the original scene over again, you realize these aren't intimidating expressions of annoyance, but sad expressions filled with emotional pain.
Over and over, the series does this same duality trick where it uses camera direction, lighting, music, dialogue, and so on to lead you astray with obvious assumptions until you come back and realize these same elements also lean into the scenes' true meaning once you have the full context. Not a single scene in that anime was wasted.
PMMM is a good show to compare SU to in that sense and it also does a very good job with this. But what sets SU apart a bit to me is that its recontextualization is written so that things change even 100+ episodes in, and yet those changes can reverberate all the way back to the beginning of the show. Mostly because those recontextualizations were planned from the start and were set up slowly over time. PMMM has very good recontextualization too but it's a much shorter, more focused story that was written as a single package. I think there's an extra level of difficulty when you're writing a longer story without even knowing if you'll get the chance to later bring all the threads together (SU had to fight for each season it got). It just goes to show the level of foresight and planning that went into SU, even from the very start.
I could have sworn Steven's mental decline originated from the very first episode after all the events of that episode were mentioned by Steven when he was explaining his trauma to connie's mom in future but never brought up this episode
Oh my god you’re right, this episode was what started the whole thing with Steven having these mental instabilities later in his life 😬
"I will milk Steven universe....wait-" Is a line I spat my drink at and made me subscribe
This steven universe resurgence is giving me hope for a new spin off or continuation that dives into the darker more space opera anime vibes. Even if that isn't with steven I'd love to see this world fleshed out more.
Won't go on a tangent, but for me, when I first saw the episode, I interpreted the end as the Gems' plan actually working! That he went and pretended, because he did actually feel more confident after hearing what they were saying. So the recontextualization works even better after watching the entire series and realizing it was something far far worse.
I think Steven's determined face on top of the dungeon was when he had the idea to lie, finally decided to when he confronted the gems
You have reignited my love for this show. It’s a mess and I rarely rewatch half the episodes but there are so many stories, plot elements and character moments that hit me in a unique way.
I feel like this episode is very underrated so I love that you made a video about it
While I enjoyed the debunk of the episode, and it does makes sense after how the series wrapped up, I do think The Test is more about Steven finding out he's one of a kind: not quite human and not quite a gem.
And the angst that realization brings could actually explain why Steven becomes determined to be there for everybody to a point of fundamental exhaustion.
I think those are the kind of questions going through Steven's mind when he finds out the gems don't really know what he needs.
The most important thing is that not even Garnet knows the truth. She literally stopped looking in to the future. She had to or she would have said or done something.
Honestly this episode is sooooo GOOD, not only does it add so much depth to Steven and the Gems' character, it captures SU's s1 vibe perfectly and the pacing's wonderful.
One of my favorite things on my recent rewatch was noticing all these tiny details and lines that so clearly reference or hint to things like stevens arc, or the gems arcs, or even stuff like the pink diamond reveal. I think people forget just how important every single tiny episode is to the series even shitty "filler" like rocknaldo. All the episodes are intertwined and foreshadow or reference things throughout it. Its fun because the entire crew knew where the characters would be going the entire show, hell all of them knew about the pink diamond reveal the moment they were brought on. Hope one day i can work on such a beautiful show or something like steven :) (sorry for so much typing i love this show)
Also! I think with this context it isn't a coincidence that steven starts the next episode by putting away his toys and claiming he can't be into kid stuff anymore. He even takes down his ninja poster and replaces it with a ninja that is sitting down looking sad lol.
Obviously, he still has a lot of the mannerisms of previous episodes and essentially a very similar upbeat, kidlike demeanor and attitude, but even he realizes something has changed in the role he's playing now. This is also the episode where garnet tells steven of her future vision and basically causes him to panic about the potential danger of existence. Which is to say, garnet tells steven something he isn't ready to hear yet and essentially forces him to mature by way of freaking the hell out about a complex concept he was probably not quite old enough to understand healthily yet.
So yeah... this really was the turning point of steven taking on the role of caretaker to his caretakers which eventually causes his breakdown in future. Pretty good writing that makes rewatching the series a WHOLE different experience!
The way I always interpreted the ending of the episode was that Steven decides he's going to lie to them when he starts walking back, and he spends that whole time psyching himself up to actually do it. And that last moment, the mood switch, is when he actually commits to it and turns the acting on. That's when the switch flips and he goes from having made the snowball to actually rolling it down the hill.
And the awesome thing about this resolution is that Steven doesn't necessarily do the "wrong" thing here. He makes a choice to put the mental health of other people above his own in this moment, and clearly doing so also helps him out. The problem is that he takes this moment and clearly learns this as a coping mechanism. Going forward into the future (hah) this is the ONLY way that Steven deals with tough intrapersonal conflicts. He ALWAYS responds by talking about the other person, no matter what they do or how they do it. And that is what becomes such a damn burden for him. Jasper tries to kill him and he still approaches her trying to heal her. Peridot tries to contact homeworld and Steven befriends her with more patience than she ever shows she deserves. Eyeball tries to kill him and he heals her and tries to help her until he literally can't anymore. He tries to talk to Blue Diamond. He tries to Yellow Diamond. He tries to talk to White. A lot of people get frustrated with this aspect of Steven's character, and I agree, but not because he does it. It's a problem because the show doesn't feel like viewing it as a problem until the post-series when it should have been one LONG before then. The narrative lets Steven off the hook for this every time because either it works or because Steven is able to get away with it. But at the very least, the show needed to start planing seeds that this was not a healthy response to conflict WAY earlier. Like, season two early. Maybe a little musical sting whenever he does it, or a shadow under his eye every time he knows he's about to talk down another fascist.
I honestly thought he was going to tell them that they shouldn't have rigged the test like that. watching that twist always made me think that steven is growing up and making adult decisions... although very self sacrificing ones.
I only realized few days ago how important SU was for me to build not only my love for storytelling but my personality in a sort of way, so it is heartwarming for me to see that people still make content about it and recognize how amazing the show is
Anyways, loved the video!
you should have at least 500k subscribers by now. Your editing style and the way you present makes it seem like you do!
You're absolutely right, I've been saying for years that The Test is one of the most pivotal moments in the show. Honestly there was a point in time where I saw this episode as Steven maturing for the better, but it's much more grey than that, with the burden he decides to place on himself putting everyone else's problems before his own. The episode that was once inspiring to me now makes me feel very sad for Steven that he had to grow up so quickly.
Long time massive SU fan and first timer om your channel. What a great video! Thank you for making it. The Test has always been one of my favorite episodes, the musical choreography of his final walk back through the dungeon is stunning. I hope you make more SU content, and I look forward to watching your other videos as well.
I love steven universe too! I used to watch it with my little sibling and we would sing all the songs. I love rewatching it and noticing all the details. Never understood the massive hate it got and Im glad to see you ralk about it with so much love.
Personally I think Steven made up his mind to lie when he noclipped above the dungeons. Just because he so determinedly walked through it and approached them instead of hurriedly like he wanted to confront them. Idk
Anyway. Looking forward to more steven videos ❤
I really hope you secretly wanted to be a Steven Universe UA-camr, because that's definitely what's sticking.
That said, I'm really enjoying your videos on the show. The short structure format is pretty refreshing, ironically.
gasped when i saw that you made a video on this episode, cuz it makes me INSANE. i remember being so throughly shaken by it when it first dropped, and i still am now but for different reasons i didn't fully understand when i was younger. so yeah, this episode is incredible and it fucks me up. good vid.
This is absolutely the episode that hooked me on the show. It shook me in how real and tragic it was, despite the ramifications not being obvious.
There is one caveat, if Garnet had future vision all this time, wouldn't she have seen a future where steven figures out that their test was steven-proof?
Another truly splendid video. I am far from burned out on hearing more of your opinions on this series so I am here for more if you do make more. :D
You're not over doing it. I truly love Steven Universe and it is my favorite show of all time. The show was an integral part of my life and hearing you talk about it is basically new content for me even though it ended a while ago. Keep doing what you're doing!!!
me encanta que aun ahora haya gente hablando de Steven Universe. gracias por el video ^^
I love your SU analysis video so much. They make me see some of the episodes in a new light and some of the characters in a new light too. The good thing about this show is that none of the characters are inherently good or bad, they’re just characters. Thats what i love about Steven universe. ALSO I NOTICED THE SONG FROM LUD AND SCHLATTS MUSIC EMPORIUM IN THE BACKGROUND THE INTRO! I SEE YOU
It's my 3rd favorite episode of the season. Right behind Rose's Scabbard and Together Breakfast.
“Garnet, the leader of The Gems,” bro said it how it is 💀
I’ve noticed that when Steven came from homeworld in season 5, he was more focused on everyone else’s problems or their pain because of him leaving instead of how he was handling all of it. He was taken prisoner, he went on trial as rose quartz, the diamonds were very violent towards him and wanted to kill him, he got Lars killed, it was a very horrible experience, and yet when he comes back it’s all about everyone else.
Connie being upset that he left, not trying to comfort him who’s been through everything, him being the one to say sorry to her
Garnet being confused and breaking down because she didn’t expect him to make such a mature action, where he had to reassure her
Lars and how he’s doing with the off colors comforting him about Sadie
Lapis leaving and scared of the diamonds, he reassures Lapis and even comforts Peridot when she’s left alone
Major Dewey not being major, so he tries to help him getting his role back and saying sorry for what he’s done
Sadie with her being worried of Lars and trying to get her mind of things by making her be a part of a band
Literally these are all the people he helped instead after such a traumatic experience, and not once did any of them try to talk to him about how he was feeling about the whole experience. The closest they did was in Gemcation, the gems assumed he was upset about homeworld, and they very half assed their comforting towards him, and hey in usual Steven fashion all he cares about is Connie’s feelings, and how he hurt her. Then the gems just move on and assume that none of that stuff will impact him mentally.
No wonder how he ended up in Future, he has always put others people problems first, and he has such a savior complex. Literally after an event that should’ve been about him recovering, he just ends up comforting everyone else.
The part when the decisive path song plays it’s a bit scary as the viewer because we don’t know what Steven is going to do but the song and the way Steven walks so determined could only mean trouble
I find it interesting that when Stephen realizes that they lied to him, he decides that the best solution is to lie in turn, since their lie was to make him feel better, he lies to make them feel better. It's an unhealthy dynamic, for sure, but it's a 'good intentions' type situation where neither party realizes the harm they caused in trying to satisfy the other.
Steven Universe is full of these moments where Steven is given the chance to either stand up for himself, or go with the flow just because not doing so would upset others, and Steven's chronic need to not disappoint people.
I think one of my favorite episodes that serves as the counterpoint to 'The Test' is the SU future episode 'Snow Day' where the gems want to play Steven tag like old times, but Steven isn't feeling it, and in the end of the episode, he relents and gives the gems what they want and they immediately realize that Steven isn't the same person as he was when he was a child anymore.
This is exactly what I've been thinking for years, & I'm so glad to see other people agree. There are three perspectives to watch The Test from: as a first-time viewer, as a second-time viewer without having seen Future, & as a second-time viewer *having* seen Future. From the first two perspectives, Steven lying to spare the Gems' feelings & give them the win they thought he needed is very sweet & marks a big jump in maturity for Steven. And in some ways, The Test still evokes both of those things. But after Future, there's this really sad & disconcerting undercurrent to Steven's decision. Neither he nor the Gems' lying was malicious, but it still marks the beginning of a pattern that eventually becomes maladaptive & takes over Steven's entire life; the thought that any negative feelings he might have in reaction to being hurt or mislead simply do not matter compared to making other people happy.
There's also this implication that the Gems', even Garnet, don't really think Steven could be intelligent enough to figure out that the test was a sham (granted, he found out on accident, but still.) That also marks a pattern of behavior for them, although them underestimating Steven's intelligence started earlier than The Test imo.
I think Steven Universe does an excellent job of exploring trauma, how we cope with it, and the more insidious effects it has. Having to parent a parent/authority figure is a common, extremely overlooked form of childhood trauma. Even small, forgettable moments of having to carry the emotional weight of an adult can make permanent alterations to a person's psyche. I think you did an excellent job highlighting this, and the show did an amazing job exploring it.
This episode always made me sad and before I even finished the series after watching this episode I could tell what this was leading to that mental decline especially because I know what that’s like putting up that front to make the people trying the hardest for you happy and feel more secure
I just finished all of steven universe yesterday and now i feel so empty inside 😭i need more episodes, the show was so comforting to me ,especially now that I’m going through a whole lot in life i just moved out of my parents house 2 years ago and have been dealing with a boat load of mental issues and that show made me feel just right you know?
Why are you underrated
I ask that everyday
i rewatched this episode a few days ago and i agree! i think his decision to lie marks a new level of maturity in steven's character - like it's the point where he really begins to place others' needs above his (even though he is so small)
This was the episode that made me love Steven universe so much, it made me genuinely cry because I thought the meaning behind it was very sweet.
The test has been always one of my top episodes in SU season 1
I remember first watching it on TV when I was still a wee lad and thinking to myself "Oh... This silly cartoon might have more to it-"
Never heard of your channel, but I already love it. You do a great job of discussing interesting topics and also making them funny with your comments. Keep it up!
your analysis of this episode and the series is right on point!! i’m rewatching the series for the first time since future ended and it’s crazy seeing how everything built up even if i’ve just finished season 1. this episode 100%, the return, jailbreak, and full disclosure especially! even just little moments i remember how a moment was brought up as traumatic to steven in future, or seeing steven console the town better than the mayor as child?? watching the show now with the knowledge of future events and just my own life experience being almost twice the age i was when i started watching it puts a whole new perspective on everything that happens
apologies for my jumbled thoughts but as you mentioned in the video, ahh!! i love story telling!! i love set up and pay off!! i love chekovs gun!!!!
I love these Steven Universe videos. I have literally rewatched the full series of Steven Universe MULTIPLE times, I watched the first episode to the last episode of Future as it aired on CN, I had a long term hyperfixation on it, and I still love it a lot now, and I have actually NEVER had this realization, and this is incredible. Everything makes perfect sense. I've always felt like The Test has had some deeper meaning to it, that feeling especially ringing with the way the episode just.. ended with Steven's lie, but I have never been able to put it together.
So, thank you for making this video. I very much enjoyed it.
great SU thoughts as usual, this is one of my favorite early episodes for exactly these reasons!
would love to see you talk about the SU movie at some point! definitely enjoying all your SU content but happy to be subscribed for whatever you choose to talk about next.
I love your videos :) just when I think I know all the deeper meanings of Steven, you open my eyes to more !! Don’t stop :)
This was really good!!! I never thought about it that way, I’m so glad I stumbled upon this vid 👍🏻
Wow! I've watched through this show 4 or 5 times now and I missed this connection. It is such a touching moment between them but knowing what happens in future makes it sad now too
This episode was the first one I was really impressed by! Great analysis
I find you genuinely entertaining and I truely enjoyed this video! ( no one watches my stuff so i feel you with wanting feed back lol)
I always tell people about how the show shifts but could never pin point when it happened, and you just answered that for me! Ive always loved how chilling this episode is. Mostly because of all the reasons you touched based on, steven starting to lie to protect the gems feelings and validate them and in return recieve their validation even though he is suffering internally.
Man i never was able to put that into words before, thank you for helping me! You are right about the snow ball effect too. I agree the series took its turn here for stevens character.
Thank you so much for making this video!!!! I really enjoyed it!!!! 😄🤩💗 You also did a great job with editing and clips, keep up the great work!!
I like to head-canon that Garnet knew Steven found out the truth. Garnet says that her future vision works like a river(?) that she can see multiple different options for the future. I like to imagine she saw Steven finding out the truth as an outcome, and took a glance at the ceiling and saw Steven; Especially because we can’t see garnet’s eyes through her mirror-shine glasses, and Steven was close to the edge as well as talking kinda loudly. And Garnet didn’t say anything because if she did then the gems would not only be hurt, but angry that Steven lied. Thoughts?
...for those who did not already know: Gems were in charge of kid shows, thematics parks about space, and also recorded ones. They ARE humans just like everybody, is just the way this kind of persons talk, the way they behave and their curious living and obviously their weird cometics. This is one many secret of the show. To know more secrets one would assume that they existed in real life, although they may or may not have existed. Maybe in real life the grave of Steven and very rare photos and other objects of them still remain somewhere (surelly Rebecca have some), for example the gems toys.
It’s like garnet said: “You are delusional”
I do agree that the episode "the test" is an important point in Steven's life that affected his future, but I also think it represents something that Steven overlooked when it comes to how he feels about his mother. When the truth about Pink Diamond comes out, Steven gets disappointed over her lying, but Steven himself has lied too. While Pink Diamond's reasons for lying weren't exactly noble, it doesn't mean Steven can be mad at her for lying. Sadly, everyone lies, and Steven is no exception.
All ur SU is great by the way and clearly well thought out. I will keep watching if you keep making them.
something i like is this also shows how steven put others before himeslf here. he cared more about reassuring the gems than getting a proper test, something that becomes a very common trait of steven (and future is basically him undoing this habit and learning to put himself first)
This was so interesting to me how this is the first step to how steven starts to actually help the people around him and try to make the world a better a place but also this is the first time he doesn't think of himself and ignores how his mental health is going downhill. I'd definitely love to see more of these types of videos. Analytical videos are so interesting
this video was so good! thanks for sharing!
the thing that kind of gives it away as an important episode is the fact that has an exclusive title screen, its the only one where its raining. at least I think it is.
Awesome video man! Never seen your content before but you give off Danny gonzalez vibes lol. Safe to say you’ve earned a sub :)
its also really interesting the strong shift in behavior from this point on, just as the vid states in a part- from bumblin around and chillin on missions to actually having some critical thought in his behavior, and the result of it
0:08 - What will you do ?????? 💀💀💀💀
completely unrelated but i love the song at 1:04, i found it from a Steven universe animatic way back in 2014/2015 and i just got nostalgia whiplash. thank you, i forgot hot much i love it 🥺
Soundtrack here when he’s walking back through it is amazing. Haven’t watched the video yet but I bet you’ll talk about that ha
I was always thinking about when did things actually start piling up onto Stevens mental health this helps me clear more of it up love the video
Late to this but I feel like I 100% agree. This episode is often overlooked and other ones are talked about instead like Mr Greg and Jailbreak. Great stuff! Looking forward to your future content even if it's not Steven related lol
my problem with this episode is that basically, the moral of the story is "suffer if it makes others feel better", and it's just so wrong
And this is what ends in Steven being the only one who didn't have Steven to support himself, because from now on he was always the one to suffer for others
Just because Steven went down that path doesn't mean the show is calling it the right one. This is the start of Steven's character arc, not a moral. After all, we see the way this path damages him and those around him later. Just because it's not in this episode doesn't mean it's not there.
Not every story needs a moral
@@Dandelionsinthesky That's not what I'm saying; SU is mainly targetted at kids, which are very often influenced by the main characters of the show they watch, which means that this terrible mentality might make at least some people think that it's right while it isn't