The most recent SU episode (Change Your Mind) has seriously fucked me up in the best kind of way, and it’s not just because of the awesome new designs.
That’s right, ladies and gents, I’m talking about That Scene. I’ve been wanting to write a Thing on it for a while now (read: all day) but kept on putting it off because I just have so much to say about it and I really wanted it to do it justice. But then I realized whatever I say it’ll never really do it justice, so…
Might as well hop right to it, amirite??
Let’s start with Gem Steven.
From the moment Gem Steven appears, he’s almost eerily disconnected from the whole scene. He just stands there, blank-faced, not making a move to do anything until Human Steven tries to lunge towards him–
Right when he hits the ground and the scene cuts to Gem Steven, you can see him suddenly perk up a bit, like he felt the physical impact as well. And it’s this physical impact that motivates him to start walking– or rather, would motivate him to start walking, if White didn’t interrupt him.
A lot of people have already commented on the scream, and how it represents Steven’s anger coming to light etc etc, but I want to focus more on the physical side of this arguably emotional outburst.
The scream, a moment of intense emotion, is accompanied by a literal physical explosion that leaves a Steven-gem-shaped crack in the ground (which in turn connects to the whole “it’s just steven” theme and has been analysed before in different posts.)
When White attacks him, we get to see even more of his power as he not only defends himself effortlessly against her but also attacks the others (people Steven loves!!) in the process and doesn’t even seem fazed by it.
And it’s here, only here that Steven (our Steven, human Steven) finally gets involved.
All this time, while his other self was being attacked and the ground was cracking under their feet he didn’t even bat an eye. It was like he was in a trance or something.
But the second ‘he’ turns a hand against White Diamond and the Crystal Gems, he jolts back into action, crying “No– stop– you’re hurting them!”
The whole thing almost reminds me of a split between Steven’s physical and emotional selves.
Gem Steven is Steven’s power in its rawest form. All his actions are physical, or motivated by physicality (the scream excluded, but still involving a physical outburst.) He defends himself against White without breaking a sweat, and hurts both her and the Crystal Gems without even flinching. He’s a shadow of Steven– a very powerful shadow but lacking in the emotion and loyalty that gives Steven purpose and makes him know what to use his power for.
Steven, on the other hand, is a literal mess from the moment his gem gets pulled out. He sprouts bags under his eyes, he becomes pale and sickly, he can’t even stand up by himself. He’s dying. All his physical power has been stripped away from him, leaving him with nothing but his emotions that dictate that he protects those he loves. But to do this and follow through with what his emotions ask of him, he needs physical power. Which he doesn’t have anymore.
And it’s this dependence in part that makes their reunion so beautiful to me.
You can see Gem Steven’s pupils grow as a smile splits across his face. Through Steven he’s experiencing emotion and purpose again, and in response he gives him the physical support he needs to dance around with him– look! Steven is on his feet so he doesn’t fall!
–and eventually, for a larger purpose, reform so he can protect his friends, family, and the earth.
This is a moment of pure self love, yes, but to me it’s also a moment of two sides of the same coin reuniting and offering each other what the other lacks. They’re dependant on each other to truly be Steven. They need to be powerful, and they need to have feelings.
And this show keeps making me cry.