Steven Universe (Season 1B)

As mentioned in my previous review, this is the second half of Season 1, and is thus a lot stronger than the prior half. It's a bit more serious, a lot more fun, and definitely has a stronger grasp on its characters.

Despite still being a part of the show's first season, Season 1B of Steven Universe does have an entirely new central storyline about a Homeworld gem named Peridot looking into Earth and the Crystal Gems. There's a great sense of dread to this storyline, as many of the Crystal Gems are just counting down the days until they're found and Earth has another Gem war. This storyline doesn't get too many episodes, but it's enough to establish Peridot as a cold antagonist. In addition, we also get some more additions to the lore, like the reveal of a few more fusions, and a lot more episodes that delve into the backstory of the Crystal Gems. Steven is a lot less annoying and a much more likable protagonist, with the finale showing how much he's subtly grown since the first episode, and the general episode quality definitely took a step up.

There's definitely a much stronger sense of confidence in Season 1B. From the big artstyle shifts in episodes like Garnet's Universe, to the stronger focus on emotion in episodes like Lion 3 and On The Run. The animation, while still at times inconsistent, also looks way nicer and more lush. However, while this season was generally an improvement, I still have some problems with the series, most notably the episode lengths. I think a show can tell strong and fleshed-out stories in an 11-minute time span. Infinity Train is probably the best case of this, never feeling rushed despite its short length. However, I think Steven Universe can feel a bit pressed for time with some of its episodes, with episodes ending on a pretty abrupt note that leave me thinking "that's it?". It's not a massive issue and I don't think the series needs to extend its episodes, it just needs to manage its time a bit more effectively.

With a much stronger season comes a lot more great episodes:

Garnet's Universe: While not having anything to do with the overall plot, Garnet's Universe is an adorable love letter to shonen anime with charming animation and a general sense of fun. One could argue that it's a filler episode but it's hard to really care it's just so damn entertaining.

Lion 3/On The Run/Rose's Scabbard: I'm grouping these episodes together because they all try to accomplish a set of goals. They give us more info on Rose Quartz and the gems as a whole, and they want to make you cry. All three of these episodes are emotional impactful, from Sadie and Steven watching the tape of Rose, to Amethyst's heartwrenching backstory, to Pearl's complete and utter breakdown. These are all some of the best episodes the season has to offer.

Alone Together: This is an odd episode, as it doesn't really have much of a conflict outside of Stevonnie briefly getting hit on. Steven and Connie fuse, they run around a bit, go to a rave, and then split apart. But despite its simplicity, Alone Together is also just groundbreaking. Stevonnie isn't just one of the first nonbinary characters in a cartoon, but in TV period. The whole episode just exudes queerness, and it knows this. Alone Together is a joyous and powerful episode and I couldn't be more happy it exists.

The Test: While this could have just been a standard "protagonist goes through challenges to prove themselves" episode, The Test does three things that really made it one of my favorites of the season. First, it brings back the events of Cheeseburger Backpack and reveals that they were a test, which does actually make more sense in retrospect. Second, it reveals that the Crystal Gems know they don't actually know how to be parents to Steven, a fact that I never thought the show would bring up, especially not this early. And finally, it has a hysterical Evangelion reference that is by far the funniest joke in the season. 

The Return/Jail Break: This was a great finale. The Return is a dark and tense episode as Peridot's ship looms, but Jail Break is far and away the best episode of Steven Universe to date, and it's not even close. It puts the characters in a new and uncomfortable situation, it has the fantastic reveal that Garnet is the fusion of two gay gems, it has the show's best fight set to its best musical number so far, and it ends on a dramatic and personal final confrontation that left me stunned. This is how you do a finale, even with its short length, Jail Break is impressive on so many levels.

Overall, while still not incredibly well-paced, Season 1B shows Steven Universe continue to improve, with a solid main storyline, plenty of great lore stuff, some creative episodes, and a fantastic finale.

3/5 Stars