Steven Universe Future:

Snow Day & Why so Blue?

I’m beginning these reviews en medias res, mostly because I needed an excuse to start writing again or I’d go out of my mind, and I only came to this realization this far into the run of the series. I may go back and retroactively review earlier episodes from the beginning depending on how these go. With that out of the way, I found this episode of Steven Universe Future an important place on which to start out because I feel it has some issues that have become pervasive to the series overall.

I don’t have much to say about Snow Day. I think it’s an all around fun episode, and I’m glad the show is still including jaunts like these to stay true to it’s more light-hearted core ethos. I was especially delighted to see Pearl partake in “Steven-tag”, breaking her self-imposed taboo on shape-shifting. It goes to show that even in camp episodes like these, important character development is still taking place.

I do have more thoughts to spare on it’s partner episode, Why so Blue, in which Steven and Lapis try to convince two rogue Lapis-Lazuli’s to abandon the practice of destructively terra-forming planets. My main problem with this episode is that the majority of its run takes place in one scene, with the characters walking around in the same location. A great deal happens in this one localised space, like Steven and Lapis demonstrating the appeal of art, song and dance. Most of the dialogue is of our protagonists condensing the major themes of the series and spewing them out in the form exposition. Without any major transitions in time-table or location, it feels like these endeavors are stiff and drawn-out.

I think the problem is that Why so Blue? is essentially duplicating the formula we saw in Peridot’s redemption arc in the space of this one scene. This problem crops up a lot in the series whenever Steven encounters a new Homeworld gem and must reverse their ingrained mentality of totalitarianism. Being thrust into this situation so often, he has to acheive this with a few lines of dialogue rather than the half-season of character interactions that Peridot enjoyed.

I think this is also part of what made the Diamonds’ redemption feel so contrived. In their case, they could have been spared just a few episodes of hanging out with Steven and his friends on Earth, taking in its scenic vistas, trying not to step on Beach-city dwellers and such. It could have just been in the background of other episodes, or heck even off-screen! I believe it’s safe to glaze over most of the moment-to-moment interactions so long as we know that during this length of time they are going through the same motions we saw in Peridot’s narrative. If executed this way, her redemption arc can be emblematic for those of other characters, meaning Steven doesn’t have to feel like he’s being put on the spot so often like in this episode.

For instance, I think it would have been better if the beginning portion of Why so Blue? was framed as a montage, showing Steven and Lapis engaging in creative activities with the Lazuli twins over the course of the day and across the planet. Additionally, Lapis’ song could be sung over this montage rather than launched into while she continues to waltz around in the woods. Montages may be a common trope, but a good fallback in the face of the show vs. tell dilemma.

Otherwise, I think this episode does a good job of showing how far Lapis has come and has given her some much needed good-will with her detractors. I also like how by the end of the episode they only succeed in converting one of the Lazuli twins, acknowledging that it won’t be so easy to redeem every gem Steven comes across. What’s better is that this is sentiment is never outright stated by the characters, but left as subtext for us to infer from the other Lazuli’s absence.

Overall:

Snow Day: ???Subjective???

Why so Blue?: 7/10