okay so I'm still pretty fresh off my SU rewatch (just finished it 2 weeks ago). and I gotta rant about Lars's character arc for a minute because it's one of my favorite arcs in the entire show
he went from "philanthropy is boring" to literally giving his life to save Steven and the Off Colors. he died to save someone he only recently started to become friends with and some Gems he had only just met. such a character defining moment. the character development has never been clearer
he went from being an insecure teen who stayed in the shadows (not always by choice) to a confident leader of the Gems he saved. he became more sure of himself and his time to shine finally came
he went from trying so hard to be perceived as "cool" to becoming cool for real. once he stopped trying so hard to be someone else, it started to happen naturally. once again, the message of "be yourself" is sent
he went from struggling to fit in and make friends to finding a group where he did fit in without even having to really try. ironically, the group he found himself leading also didn't really fit in. but they all fit in with each other. they're my favorite found family fr
he went from seeing Steven as the annoying little kid who bothered him all the time to starting to trust him and coming to view him as one of his best friends. honestly, this section could probably be its own post. I love the development Steven and Lars both had throughout the course of the show and how it colored their interactions with each other. there was so much growth on both sides. Steven kept trying to befriend Lars, Lars wasn't ready to accept it for a while, but they did slowly grow closer over time. and then by the end of the show, they became friends. I love their dynamic so much
and of course, there are the more visible changes. he started out as a regular kid but then he got brought back to life and gained some powers and a new appearance. and also, he's going to live for a super long time now. there's SO much angst potential there since he's going to outlive so many people he knows
but one thing that also stands out to me is that while Lars has undergone such a major arc of growth, there's still more that can be done. I recently wrote a fic where this next point of mine comes up, but I'm going to briefly mention it here too. I could see him still struggling with some insecurities even if he's grown more confident than he used to be. insecurities are hard to completely get rid of, they're not something that can just be cured. and I could also see him continuing to keep his insecurities/anxiety/depression/whatever else to himself especially now that he's in a position of leadership. he definitely wouldn't want to let his crew see him acting anything less than self-assured. I'm low-key hoping we get to see something like this once Lars of the Stars comes out
that's all that's come to mind for now, but more will be added if I think of it. and if anyone else has points to share, feel free to drop them in the comments! thanks for coming to my TED talk
