minjimunji

[minjimunji]

“I’ll just rest my eyes” is the biggest lie you’re going straight to snorkmimimi land

[minjimunji]

Bothering the beast

[minjimunji]

I just finished this series. It was so good. So much queer longing and angst with a happy (but melancholic) ending. Great writing and acting. Weird cinematography sometimes and horrible sound production, my god.

I’m watching bad buddy rn and it’s a really good show with good chemistry and storyline blah blah blah but Pa is so pretty holy shit jhxxhnjmcxcvxzv

#bad buddy

[minjimunji]

I’m watching bad buddy rn and it’s a really good show with good chemistry and storyline blah blah blah but Pa is so pretty holy shit jhxxhnjmcxcvxzv

#bad buddy

[minjimunji]

Some doods

#omg! #pb is half Korean and half German you’re so right

[minjimunji]

HAPPY FIONNA AND CAKE DAY EVERYONE!

#the tiny rainicorn 😭😭😭

[minjimunji]

catalysts, protectors

[minjimunji]

local old man finally gets new clothes

[minjimunji]

You don’t understand how much I love his character. Ppl want complex characters with depth and then get characters like Steven and are judgemental

Steven Universe as a character is someone who has been mischaracterized and flanderized over the years, to the point people who aren't into the fandom or haven't watched the show believe that mischaracterization to be a fact rather that a product that comes from memes and jokes

The truth is that Steven often fights in the series when it is needed, usually by fusing with someone else like Connie or Amethyst since he is still developing his powers in the original series. He doesn't cry when he has to fight back or defend himself, with exception if the person attacking is someone he considers a friend. Because, yes, for a 14-15 old teenager it isn't fun having to do something like that and it can be traumatic.

He also doesn't start to cry the moment someone refuses to change their mind or is being mean. He often isn't afraid to be sarcastic or call that person out. He didn't cry when Aquamarine mocked him in ¨Stuck Together¨ nor when Jasper didn't apologize for poofing Amethyst in ¨Crack the Whip¨

However, what we see is sometimes him blaming himself for not being able to help people that, more often than not, have been hurt by Rose Quartz, his mother, in some way. After Season 3, Steven fears a lot that he is going to become like Rose and he is going to hurt people the way like she did.

In general Steven deals with an Atlas complex in the show. He feels like he has to fix his mother mistakes and deal with ¨what she left behind¨ even when Rose wanted for him to be his own person as seen in the tape she left for him as it was revealed in the episode ¨Lion 4: The Alternate Ending¨.

Steven also defines his identity a lot for being to help other people and fix their problems. He believes that he has to be ¨useful¨ for others. So when he believes that he failed to help someone, that may lead him to think that he isn't living up to his ¨purpose¨ or that he is a failure as a person.

In reality, he isn't that much different from other hero protagonists from other animated shows. Those who are kind and emphatic and willing to listen to other people and give them a second chance if the person changes their ways. You probably like an animated show that has a protagonist like this. (Who was probably taken inspiration from Steven if the series came out after SU).

The main difference, i think, is that Steven goes a bit more than those protagonists do when it comes to listening to other people, understand their motivations and give them another chance if they regret their actions. A lot has to do with how he is aware that his enemies (usually gems) act the way the do because of the system they were born into rather ¨they are evil just because¨. He gets that their motivations come from the system that hurt them or lead them to believe that their actions are justified.

Another common mischaracterization is that Steven becomes super buddies with every person he helps...when this isn't always the case. There are some occasions that Steven shows discomfort around people who he has given a second chance. Just because he gives them a second chance doesn't mean that he immediately considers them close friends, maybe allies at best.

A good example of this is the gif above of Steven's interactions with White Diamond in ¨Homeworld Bound¨. White Diamond touches Steven very close to where his gem is- which makes Steven distressed since in his battle again White, she ripped his gem out to prove that Pink was still ¨alive¨. In most of the episode Steven shows to be very uncomfortable around the Diamonds and Spinel, to some extent. They bring him bad memories, which is the main reason he has been doing everything to avoid going to them to ask for their help until this point in Steven Universe Future. He even almost accidentally hurts White's gem by smashing her head against a pillar when she lets him control her to talk to himself. This being result of a intrusive ¨vengeful¨ thought.

I wouldn't say that Steven hates the Diamonds,but- he doesn't want to be their friend neither and wants to avoid in general because he feels nervous and bad around them. It's something like ¨I'm glad that you are changing but i don't want to be associated with you. Please, i would appreciate if you kept your distance from me.¨ dynamic.

On last point, Steven is someone who usually pushes his feelings down in certain situations and buries them down, which has led him to have strong emotional outbursts in bad moments. He usually prefers to ignore his own problems and take priority on others. Again, this comes a lot from his desire to be useful and be needed, making him trying to ignore how he feels about certain people and pretend that he is doing fine.

This explains why we don't see him lash out that much to others in the original series, and, why he feels so frustrated and angry in Future, since all that anger and negative feelings can't no longer be ignored as they used to and they are having a negative impact in Steven's mental health. This, of course, isn't meant to be seen is a healthy coping mechanism. It is in fact potrayed as something pretty self-destructive for Steven, as a huge flaw of his, that over time he comes to learn that it isn't the best way for him to deal with his problems.

These are some of the most common misconceptions i have seen about Steven's character online. I could go in more depth with some of them but i think the points should be clear enough. This could be considered a general analysis of how Steven is as a character and how he operates, leaving aside more specific things that can be covered in other posts.

[minjimunji]

I loved the portrayal of ptsd in this show, it was so real, raw and didn’t sugarcoat things (for being a pg kids show) it’s so rare to see something like that handled so sensitively in media

Dumbest part of criticism of SU Future is when people say "Future is character assassination of Steven" and "The show trivializes/poorly represents mental illness" in the same breath. If you think a character whom has suffered immense interpersonal and physical trauma having breakdowns and snapping at people because of being triggered is mutually exclusive to a character being kind and empathetic, I don't think you have a right to speak on mental illness rep.

Seeing a character who is defined by kindness and compassion crack under that pressure of being there for everyone like that is crazy to see in a kids show. Personally I hadn't felt that seen by anything in a while, and it's just offensive as hell to me to say that a character acting traumatized in a way that isn't sad puppy dog eyes means they're mischaracterized or abusive now. That's half the point of Future that Steven didn't know how to express his problems within his role as precious angel.

He wasn't mischaracterized, he was recontextualized. It's like people can accept "this mean character was once nice but changed cause trauma", or "sweet character is now depressed cause trauma", but the reality that someone youre familiar with can change dramatically due to trauma - acting angry and abrasive instead of sad and demure - is blasphemous somehow.

Double points if they then say the gems or Greg were dumbed down to make Steven look better. Like, My Brother In Christ, they are exhibiting the exact lack of awareness you are thinking it's impossible for a person like Steven to have angry or vengeful trauma reactions.

EDIT: Actually not gonna leave this in the tags -

Something-something ableism, something-something not accepting dramatic and unpalatable expressions of mental illness in fiction and likely not for people IRL.

[minjimunji]

Oh.

[minjimunji]

Steven universe future is so good omfg I love the way it deals with Steven’s trauma and how he’s his own antagonist in this plot line. He finally has some time to reflect on the past and he struggles to find who he really is in times of peace rather than times of crisis. Feeling needed was a huge part of his character but gradually, everyone around him became more stable so he feels like he has no purpose anymore. Suddenly, all the traumatic experiences he has faced catch up to him physically and mentally and this short show explores how he comes to deal with it. Anyway I’m so glad he has a therapist and is traveling the country to find himself bc he really deserves it and I love this character so much

#Steven universe future #su #su spoilers

[minjimunji]

Just finished Steven universe future

#Steven universe future #su

[minjimunji]

HOLY SHIT HE SHATTERED HER????

#steven universe future #su spoilers #jasper #I love the direction this show is going in #Steven’s trauma is acknowledged in such a complicated and frustrating way that’s so real and relatable

[minjimunji]

Growing pains is so,,,,, why am I sobbing

#Steven universe future #growing pains #Steven universe growing pains #su

[minjimunji]

He’s not really gonna propose to Connie is he….

Ah. He’s doing it

#Steven universe future

[minjimunji]

Funniest Steven universe clip I love it when the show is self aware (not that he’s annoying, he’s just so full of love it’s kind of unbelievable sometimes)

#su spoilers #su #Steven universe #Steven universe future #bluebird #aquamarine #eyeball ruby