fucking THANK. YOU!! everyone keeps talking about this sudden character shift and im like??? where tf yall been??? hes Been like this!!! maybe not quite so overtly but this is an extremely natural progression of stevens character. i fail to see how any of this is even remotely surprising... snow day was calling out the people who love the Idea of steven, not the Actual steven... reminds me of how a certain someone was looked at through Rose-tinted lenses
i think it’s also because a some in the fandom only focuses on the most recent episode, so an ep that mentions both “s1 steven” and “su future steven” makes them feel like we just jumped from one to the other. for some, it really is that simple. being hit with nostalgia for the old times and then re-remembering who he is now IS a real contrast, after all… but if you’re a reviewer or a superfan, you should remind yourself this is an intentional moment of contrast. it does not mean these changes are actually happening in real-time in front of you. they’ve been happening for a LONG while.
i’ve seen people say the “difference” is he also had a fun side and… he still does? that was in the episode. it ended with fun steventag family time.
it not happening at the Exact same time as him being stressed and wanting to get to work doesn’t mean it’s suddenly evaporated. it’s just… less dominant. this is who steven has been for a while now. him trying to sacrifice himself in “i am my mom” wasn’t a fun, happy-go-lucky steven either. neither was the one who refused to dance at the ball with connie because he was obsessed with conforming to the diamonds’ expectations. that, too, was a “duty first” steven.
this didn’t “suddenly” happen the moment they called explicit attention to it. it’s more like the CGs are finally catching up to being the kind of guardians steven would have needed in s1, who felt left behind, excluded, somewhat neglected, trying to have fun while everyone’s busy doing “important” stuff…
so yes, he would have loved this… then. which is what parenting often is like. you only “get” your kid’s current stage of development after it’s over. you have to adapt to a person who changes. even if that means letting go sometimes.
and look, steven is overly stressed. that’s bad. in the last episode before this, he literally fainted from stress. he exploded on pearl and volleyball. before that, he refused to answer when amethyst asked him about his own future, and his conclusion after meeting spinel is that this would be his duty forever.
so yeah, he’s clearly struggling. to combat it, he’s immersing himself in his aforementioned duties… but as a distraction from thinking about his own issues. steven only feels okay when he’s being useful, and he hates the thought of being weak (much like jasper, and really, the diamonds themselves).
that IS sad, and he needs help! it’s not wrong to acknowledge that, because there are both healthy and unhealthy aspects to how steven is growing up. being selfless and responsible isn’t necessarily bad, but it needs balance. you can’t neglect yourself for the sake of others.
this episode won’t fix it, but it is a step in the right direction. it’s good for the CGs to spend time with him. it’s really important that the episode stresses they love him as he is and as he was… they truly are his best support system. so i think they will play a crucial role in his eventual healing - whether from literal or metaphorical corruption.
