i have this request that's been rotting in my inbox for nearly a year. i just cannot get behind the idea of a 'brotherly' relationship between steven and lars. i wonder if, outside the parameters of the narrative's events, this is a cultural issue for me as well.
growing up in a poor/working class neighborhood and having lots of relationships with all the kids of all ages where i lived... these relationships were very distinctly not familial, they were not like family. if anything, they were a reprieve, a temporary escape from the crushing dynamics and limitations of The Family at home. i was not the only child involved with this perspective lmao.
there is a very stark line drawn for some folks between Family and Other- and I get that fandom loves their tropes and their formulas, I get why the 'found family' thing is cute and heartwarming to people, but to me it is not. i cannot, on a personal nor an intellectual level, distinguish the family from organized, enforced violence. after everything lars has been through because of steven (even though, yes, steven is literally a child for most of the series and obviously most of the harm that came to lars was unintentional on steven's part [although. remember. some of it was entirely intentional. :)]), shoving him into some older brother role (a caregiver role, mind you, lol, doesn't steven have enough of those? what about all the other kids in Beach City? two or less is fine for them right?) i think would be one of the highest forms of insult and disregard. can this guy just make a fucking friend?
it's similar, although lower stakes in many ways, to the bath scene near the end of Steven Universe, which to this day i find legitimately and thoroughly revolting. do people understand the symbolism of sharing a bath? what that means for families, what that means for soldiers? that these subjugated beings were symbolically bathed and washed in shared waters with their vile makers, insinuating an equal rite of purification? gross. hate it. 0/10.
i think the idea of lars and steven not being mean and annoying as shit to each other is great. i think the idea of them forming an authentic relationship built on deeper mutual understanding and respect is a REALLY cool idea and i think it would be awesome to see someone explore that. i DO think when people draw/write about lars being someone who would Get steven (specifically post SUF) on that mental illness/self hatred/socially avoidant shit because of pain and fear is very compelling and cool and smart! it makes sense! but why does that mean they have to be like brothers. what do you people think brothers act like? what do you think a family is, what is does, what it's for? lars canonically communicates misogynist ideas. sexism is canon in the rock people cartoon (amongst so many other things, why are we pretending otherwise. they fucking nuked half of china and russia in that show please be so fucking for real). what does brotherhood bring to a world that we can take for granted is patriarchal. do you remember when steven killed a woman?
i will be that guy looking at everything through this lens, because it exists, and it matters, and frankly- it is interesting to think about. i love playing toys.