Series creator Rebecca Sugar graciously gave CBR her time to discuss the ending of Steven Universe Future.
CBR: Steven Universe Future has a very different feel that the original five season arc. Future recontextualizes a lot about the first five seasons, both things that were heavily argued about (Stevenโs seeming forgiveness of White Diamond, which โHomeworld Boundโ shows was a lot more complicated) and things most people werenโt even thinking (Iโm still amazed how all those wacky season 1 adventures came up in discussing Stevenโs PTSD in โGrowing Painsโ a few weeks ago). How much of Futureโs darker recontextualization was planned out from the beginning of the series versus how much was discovered through developing this season?
RS: I could absolutely never understand where this idea of Steven being a โforgivingโ character was coming from, because internally we all understood Stevenโs self-sacrificing nature as his biggest flaw, one that related directly to his identity issues. This is all over the show: in โThe Test,โ even though heโs disappointed in the Gems and feels disrespected by them, he lies to them to make them feel better โ a huge turning point for his character, one of the first times he decides that their comfort matters more than his own feelings. Even though Steven will not allow Connie to sacrifice herself for him in โSworn to the Sword,โ he does exactly what he tells her not to: puts himself in harmโs way countless times and ultimately turns himself in to Aquamarine and Topaz. Connie even calls him out on this in โDewey Wins.โ
The toll his adventures take on him mentally is a huge theme. His self-depreciation is evident throughout the show, even in first season episodes like โCheeseburger Backpack.โ He internalizes everything as his fault. In โWhatโs Your Problem,โ Steven is shown to be aggressively repressing his feelings. In โReunited,โ Steven sings that he essentially needs the wedding as a distraction, because he canโt stand thinking about who he is or the situation heโs in. In โChille Tid,โ he explicitly states that he has issues to work out, but then shifts the conversation immediately to Lapis, who he feels needs help more.
At no point does he forgive White Diamond, or any of the Diamonds. He thinks how he feels about whatโs going on matters less than the greater good, because throughout the show, heโs not sure if he even really exists. Ultimately, in โChange Your Mind,โ you see the moment he realizes he is himself and he loves himself. Stevenโs existence proves White wrong and crumbles her entire reality, and with it her authority. And knowing that he is himself, and he does exist, is what he needs in order to respect himself enough to leave those self-destructive patterns behind.
In an animated series with a kid protagonist, itโs easy to take for granted that a child hero is being tasked with saving the world, being antagonized by adults and having multiple near-death experiences. As we wrote the original series we always approached this as if it was real for Steven, and really taking a toll on him. We explored this in episodes like โMindful Education.โ Future was a chance to further clarify that, by having an older version of Steven reflect on those experiences and their toll. I also wanted Future to be a chance to show that his relationship with himself requires maintenance, and that his old habits die hard. Once the story for Future clicked, it felt like a very natural progression.
