Review: Steven Universe Future “Together Forever” ; “Growing Pains”

Our Take:

Together Forever explores more of Steven’s loneliness surrounding Connie, especially after last episode. While Bismuth Casual ended well, this one is a little rougher. Once Steven realizes that Connie is going away to college, he also realizes that she’s not really going to be part of his life as much. Steven’s life is still the city, and he hasn’t really stretched his roots outside. All of what he’s built is still just here. Unfortunately, when he seeks advice, he doesn’t get much help, because Garnet also has time and responsibilities to handle.

Of course, Steven and Connie are still young. While they are very close, it’s still no time for marriage especially because what Steven is actually implying to do. It feels more like he’s doing it out of desperation to keep Connie with him, as opposed to asking her for affectionate reasons. Then again, how would he be able to realize this– he’s a kid.

The second episode really hammers home that yes, Steven has been traumatized, and very heavily so. When he goes to see Connie’s mom she confirms this, that all the wacky hijinks and adventures he went through as a kid made it so that he is heavily traumatized, and that he takes the fear reaction to be appropriate for those situations– namely, situations where his life is in danger. Even though he isn’t in as much danger now, with the war over and situations stabilized, he has come to expect it, and experiencing minor stresses causes the panic reaction. Steven is suffering from PTSD, but he hasn’t even realized it yet.

I think this is one of the few times a kid’s show has gone this route; the admission that what their protagonist has gone through isn’t normal, and if that action lessens, will have very real consequences on their life later. Steven needs a lot of help, and a lot of time to process his trauma, and it’s doubly hard to do so when he is a gem hybrid that people don’t have any diagnoses for.

Ultimately, when his father is called to pick him up, Steven only ends up feeling bad about it– even though this will not only help Steven, but is something he needs, he still feels reluctant, like a burden. Steven is so used to handling other people that he doesn’t know how to handle himself.

These were a powerful set of episodes, and also extremely heartbreaking. However, they’re episodes that put the series into context, and are definitely needed.