Steven Universe: The Movie

SPOILER ALERT: STEVEN UNIVERSE HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO HAVE A NECK!!

As a kid, did you just love cartoons? Did you watch endless hours of Cartoon Network, going down the rabbit hole towards an endless binge? Well, as a legal “adult” I can say I still do the same. Animation to me is an art form that honestly has no age. So when Steven Universe: The Movie came out, I was hyped. A movie based on one of the greatest cartoons ever? Yes, please! Make that a musical and I am even more excited. So watching this movie made me feel like a kid again and gave me that sugary cereal excitement that only cartoons can give me.

Just an FYI, if you haven’t watched Steven Universe then go do that now….

Okay, done binging? Then let’s go!

The film starts off two years after the events of the last season. Steven is now 16 years old and has gained a serious upgrade: a neck. More worn down, wiser, but still with that youthful energy, Steven returns home from Homeworld to start his happy ending with his family, declining an offer to become the Pink Diamond.

But the happy homecoming is cut short when a new challenger enters the ring. Meet Spindle, an unknown gem that seems to have a huge hatred towards Steven and the gang. She comes bearing a giant injector, one that in the span of a few hours will wipe out all life on Earth. Ready to fight, Spindle cuts them down quickly and causes Steven’s powers to go on the fritz with her weapon. Though the Crystal Gems regenerate, they have lost all memories of their lives on Earth, rebooted to factory setting. Spindle is also reset, becoming a happy-go-lucky “best friend” which is a far cry from the villainous gem she came as.

But Steven has a plan and puts them back together, making Amethyst know that she isn’t alone, teaching Pearl that obedience isn’t everything, and teaching Garnet the power of love. Spindle also relearns her true identity and backstory, remembering that she was a playmate for Pink Diamond, Steven’s mother. Pink left her alone on a planet for 6,000 years, telling her not to move and to be happy. This broke that happiness inside of Spindle, causing her insanity. Steven promises to be her friend, and Spindle is quick to trust him, but then she goes back and expedites the end of the world.

Steven, without his powers, faces off against Spindle, and Spindle beats him bloody. Steven, defeated, asks himself why he hasn’t been put back together, as he is powerless and alone. He realizes that he must change to regain his abilities and grow up a little bit. He regains his powers and beats Spindle, who comes to her senses after Steven talks her down. But the world is still in ruins. That’s when Steven realizes his powers can fix the world by kissing the ground back to life.

Spindle obviously wants to change for the better and wants a fresh start. So the Diamonds, who originally came down to Earth to live with Steven, say they will bring her back with a place in the palace just for her. The film ends with Steven, the gems, and people of Beach City (the town where the show takes place) rebuilding and living in the future.

Rebecca Sugar, the creator of the show, really made something special. The songs are amazing, the animation and story are superb, and it has a message about not being static or living in the past that resonates with all ages. Steven Universe: The Movie is truly a gem.