Rose, Greg, Love, and Torture (Steven Universe)

#StevenUniverse #Cartoons #Review
Wait, I forgot to mention that Rose is the worst character in the show!
Follow or something : Twitter.com/amplesamuel_
All transcripts and lyrics from the Steven Universe Wiki
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
00:00 Intro
00:58 Story for Steven
5:27 We Need to Talk
14:44 Everything Else Pre-Steven
20:11 Post-Steven
24:40 Conclusion
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music (By order of appearance, "Song - Media/Artist") :
NOTE: All Steven Universe Instrumentals from Phizzy
Big Dreams - Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Comet (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
Alone Together - Steven Universe
Down a Drink - Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
Destiny (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
Rose's Room - Steven Universe
Blue Lady - Last Window: The Secret of Cape West
What Can I Do (For You) (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
luv u (Greg's Theme) - Steven Universe
Theme From An Endless Romance - Steven Universe
Serenity - Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Dad Museum 2.0 - Steven Universe Future
I Think I Need A Little (Change) (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
Sunlit Battlefield / The Sleeping Pyramid - Steven Universe
Lion's Mane - Steven Universe
Prevailing Westerlies - Hylics 2
I Could Never Be (Ready) (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
Pink Rabbit - Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Ravaged Rustworks - Hey Pikmin!
Lustrous, Brilliant - Melos Han-Tani
Fly Me to the Moon - Sackboy: A Big Adventure

[@FatherSonandHolySpirit]

The devil spoke to Ample once and offered him a Faustian deal that granted him the powers of incredible content creation. He obviously accepted, but I organized a small trade so don't worry Ample you'll be chillin in heaven.

[@AmpleSamuel]

that was the devil???

[@thedarkgenious7967]

He can be very subtle when he wants. You think all his aliases have gimme-names like Louis Cypher?

[@AzazelTheMisanthrope]

You're welcome.

[@meow6031]

“Story for Steven” also demonstrates a very important characteristic of Greg’s, especially in the context of his and Rose’s relationship: Greg refuses to let other people define him. He ran away from home because his parent were authoritarian, he ran away from Marty and from superstardom because Marty was trying to tell him what to do, it’s all quite intrinsic to the person he is. And this quality is what draws Rose to Greg! The ability to grow, change, and define one’s own path in life is something Rose was incredibly envious of, it was the thing she admired most about humanity and Greg was the embodiment of it. This was a value they shared, and it’s part of why their relationship was as healthy as it was (not perfect, but definitely among the best). :)

[@overlorddante]

It also reflects her own journey. She ran away from the other diamonds in order to live a life of her choosing.

[@ultima1594]

I like the idea that Greg is mostly moved past Rose and doesn’t care about her past as Pink Diamond because Greg loved her as a human while Pearl and the others loved her as Gems. They have radically different concepts of love. Greg understands the concept of changing yourself more than the gems, the gems dont. Mega Pearl’s monologue at the end of Volleyball confirms that.

[@jackz6971]

Well, at the time in the show, greg didn't know who Pink Diamond was, and positive they never spoke about each others pasts.

[@dracula8510]

How come I just realized while watching this that the hypothetical reason Steven loves “the bits” is because when he was younger his dad did not have enough money to actually get a meal so he got the bits that were left when the actual fries were fried, frybo even says that they don't charge for the bits in an actual episode I'm pretty sure... Honestly, that is very sad... And Steven being a kid just loves “The Bits! The bits! The bits!”

[@tinseltina]

im gonna explode. thats an excellent observation! 🤯😢 i know greg already worked at the car wash before steven was born and likely had SOME money coming in, but maybe it was a habit to save that carried over even as steven grew and money became tighter with all the expenses. i'm still curious where steven lived before living with the gems, because doesnt greg live in his van? and that's why he also has a storage container for all his stuff?

[@compassrose1466]

@@tinseltinaif I had to guess he stayed with Greg’s friend who had sour cream and stuff? Because y the time he moves in with the gems is when he’s like 3/4 and they sing the extended theme? Or maybe they were in the van here and there when not at the friends idk. I can’t remember her name rn! Sorry..

[@Merrsharr]

Rose's line "I'm not... a real person?" has so many layers. On the topmost layer she is just confused by what Greg said, but underneath that - She is not a real "person" (human) - She is not a "real" person (quartz gem) I think this is the final piece of character development for Pink D to finally become "Rose" (the all-loving motherly gem) for "real". People, including Steven, hate on Rose for what Pink did, but in the end she did become the version of herself that we were told about in the beginning of the show. It's kind of ironic: people complain about the diamonds getting redeemed without putting in any work, but the one who actually DID do the work, and debatably had the fewest atrocities to work off, is generally seen as not redeemed at all just because we witnessed her redemption arc backwards.

[@hispartyinvite1632]

FOR REALLL

[@WraythSkitzofrenik]

"Is this not how it works?" That line says SO much about her past trauma and how she normalized it. She was hurt, used, played with, and that was just "how it worked". Greg was the one who really kickstarted her character development.

[@adiazrue5776]

Wow, this essay makes me realize Greg fell first, but Rose fell harder 😭❤

[@mcg_18]

I find it interesting that Rose and Greg both has similar pasts that they were running away from. I think that’s what drew Rose to Greg. She saw herself in him, except he was able to change. And change is what she ultimately wanted.

[@sissysovereign1294]

Isn't it interesting though? Both had miserable childhoods, ran away from their abusive families, and eventually grew out their hair once they were finally emancipated. Well I know Rose can't technically age but I literally see her past life as Pink as just her as a(very large) kid/teenager.. It's really no wonder they were so drawn to eachother.

[@KediNeedsFirstAid]

What i noticed about Rose is that her skin color changed over time, her skin tone is more like human in her tapes for Steven and when she is pregnant. What i think is that she probably shape-shifted into a human to be able to get pregnant. Gems dont have reproductive organs, so this makes sense to me but idk about fan theories and such...

[@crystallinecrisis3901]

I want to say I remember one of the writers saying she shapeshifted a womb but I’m not positive bc that was a LONG time ago

[@helixsol7171]

​@@crystallinecrisis3901 Yep

[@seeleunit2000]

It's pretty much confirmed that she created a uterus to carry Steven.

[@seeleunit2000]

​@@crystallinecrisis3901They did say that.

[@cleep14]

I like to think that Greg was in his late 30s when Rose was pregnant with steven so that way they had a decent amount of time together.

[@nuyynuyy]

Yeah, seeing as having a baby would make rose disappear I doubt they wouldn't jumped to the idea entirely

[@cleep14]

@@nuyynuyy also when we see the pregnancy scenes with rose Greg looks quite a bit older like 10 or 15 years older than earlier flash backs

[@aissatoundiour5419]

I think canonically they were together for 5 years, confirmed in the art book

[@adrianluna9648]

the people who say rose ran from her problems by creating steven just don’t understand the show and its message

[@Merpicus1026]

I guess I don't understand the show and it's message. That's okay tho, I can rewatch.

[@da-vidcargill4975]

She thought homeworld would never return before she had steven. Remember, the homeworld wasn't advanced as we seen them now, and in the early stages the cystral gems, we were likely on the lookout for homeworld but they never showed up for thousands of years.

[@user-pt5cl2ro6f]

No fr bc that's the most bitter-tinted glass you can look it through.

[@Merrsharr]

Yeah, Steven never really understood the show

[@nessmarie6044]

@@Merrsharrwhat a character believes about someone within the show vs how the narrative presents that character are two very different things

[@cashordeals3672]

When I get to where I wanna be in life I definitely need that rizz greg has

[@deadcool3227]

1:38 I really love the line "I hear the universe calling my name!" in retrospect, because it's 100% a reference to Mr Universe

[@cloverdebban8032]

With relationship to her line about how humans always change and grow and how gems are created with a purpose, I think about when pearl showed her around Earth and her reaction to everything is “we’re not creating something out of nothing, but taking and leaving nothing behind”

[@lila709]

that is controversial because they were creating non-organic life, the lives of their "daughters", other gems, that's not nothing. Human life is worth more than that of gems?, her people? I think that reflects how much Rose hated herself.

[@theretrodragonyope]

@@lila709 The line literally says, “We’re not creating something out of nothing..." they were draining the Earth and thus "... taking and leaving nothing behind.”

[@Quarter_BeetheSkid]

@@lila709it’s not as though they created those gems out of love, just for their armies and societies to grow. Not to mention gems like… don’t age, they could all live forever if not shattered, and it doesn’t seem like many currently oppose the gems… so what are they making more gems for? Just needless growth?

[@GingerIntrovert]

When you described Rose's decision to have Steven as "her ultimate declaration of love for humanity" that hit so hard. I didn't know I needed that put into words until I heard it, and it makes perfect sense for her.

[@UncleMudz]

Pretty sure Garnet saw Steven when she mentioned they'd already fused, using her future vision to see the baby

[@sebastian-dirtsubtraction]

But Sapphire said she never looked into Rose because she trusted her.

[@UncleMudz]

@@sebastian-dirtsubtraction She could've looked into Greg's future, tho

[@jamboy05]

im so happy to see people still talking about this show so passionately ❤

[@zenebean]

I love your take on their story! I think alot of people can relate to having past versions of themselves they've worked to grow beyond. I wouldn't have alot of wonderful relationships without the desire to change

[@Autumn-Leafeon]

Rose Quartz always brought an interesting thought to me... if a woman knowingly gets pregnant, 100% knowing that she was going to die, is... that considered suicide? If it's not suicide... why isn't it?

[@NoName-xm8oc]

it's not suicide, gems cant die, they can shatter and rose wasn't shattered. Although she is not Steven she lives through him.

[@peeblekitty5780]

You could see it that way, but she gave up her life for another's, which we generally regard as self-sacrifice as opposed to (outright) suicide. Whether that label really applies for _creating_ life as opposed to _preserving_ it is kind of up in the air since there's no easy real life equivalency for that

[@Sephajinami]

@@NoName-xm8oc Actually I think Autumn-Laefeon is on to something and it counts as suicide. If you were presented one day with the option to complete erase all of your own memories of who you are and your body transforms into an entirely new person who goes on to form their own memories, experience their own emotions and have their own identity, have you not technically killed yourself? Just without the dying part? I think yes.

[@tariqthomas9090]

@@NoName-xm8ocRose was very confusing when it came to that (very in character for her). She tells Steve that she is going to be “half of him” but she also says that they can’t both exist. Implying that technically she no longer exists…which essentially means she’s dead? I dunno.

[@9990zara]

@@Sephajinami but i mean, rose isn't completely gone. her gem retains her memories as we see them through steven's dreams, as well as her powers. it's more like she went dormant, possibly forever. whether or not she knew this, she probably didn't... but i think it's fair to assume she thought of the possibility that she would remain inside steven's gem, conscious or not. maybe she thought of it as a mix between the "death" of pink diamond and something like a permanent fusion. i don't think she saw it as "death", but as "change". at least, i think that was her mindset when she had steven. so not quite suicide.

[@GloomyFish]

i literally just rewatched We Need To Talk, the timing of this video is perfect

[@subnauticabro7069]

The video is great as always and as always I love the background music

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you !

[@Liam_219]

I really feel like more people need to do what greg did and start separating rose quartz from Pink Diamond. The way I heard it put is that during the progression of the series we saw rose quartz character arc backwards, as she went from the loving partner and mother of season 1 to tyrant coloniser in season 5

[@DerpySquiddles4043]

In ‘Mr Greg’, steven’s final song ‘Both of you’ i like to think that Rose is speaking through steven, the song is Rose’s final message to Greg and Pearl telling them they aren’t so different and that she loves both of them even though she’s gone. Just a personal headcanon

[@9990zara]

i've always had this headcanon too! i feel like while rose's identity was erased/overtaken by steven's, there definitely is a little bit of her in his subconscious. his love is the same as her love, something like that.

[@heckporter]

So sorry you had Covid. Excellent video, though. I think I might have mentioned a month ago that finding your channel had been my last push to re-watch the series? Well, I’ve been doing so with some friends! It’s slow going as I work two jobs and only have one day a week when we’re all free to watch, but we’re about to start on episode 29 Secret Team in the next few days. I’ve missed SU sooo much! Experiencing this show again is such a delight, especially without fandom discourse in my ear every week. Cannot wait to get to season 2 and beyond. Love your analysis on the relationship. Rose was incredibly flawed but I think it’s sad that she didn’t seem to realize how much she herself had changed. The gems man not grown and change like organic life do, but I do feel the show does highlight that gems CAN change for better or worse.

[@someoctopus8749]

It’s always a good day when AppleSamuel uploads

[@mckenziehill1961]

love the steven universe videos so long after the show ended!!! 💕

[@eden22.7]

Sorry to hear you had covid. Glad you’re feeling better

[@melodywitch8627]

I would love to see a greg and rose mini series TBH

[@Aphelia.]

I'm having a PD/Rose brainrot again so let's watch this

[@sakareeh]

Valid

[@locosword3985]

Greg really got a 10/10 but she's gonna traumatize you.

[@flubble2473]

I really loved this one. Hope you're fully recovered from the nasty btw !

[@umistar]

I love the way they wrote rose and Greg

[@lorettabes4553]

I love that the SU fandom still makes video

[@saltysk8599]

one of my fav episodes, this is probably one of my favorite episode breakdowns you've done

[@eden22.7]

You’re the main cartoon commentator I trust

[@AmpleSamuel]

❤️

[@grape21231]

Thanks for the really interesting video. It's nice to think that what happened between Rose and Greg wasn't at all coincidental.

[@daniellejeffery1528]

beautifully done!

[@MoonlitCaster]

Love the video and the use of hylics music

[@Mariasouza-um8cx]

A 30 min video about Rose and Greg??!?! YEEEEEES!!!!!!!!!

[@intellectually_lazy]

tbh, a quarter hour time slot on american, commercial television is 12 minutes run time including opening and closing themes. i learned that back in my vcr-ing days

[@Juniper-jn6wk]

Bro you're so underrated 🥲

[@unripetheberrby6283]

26:50 I'd definately see earlier men and women doing/trying to do this with her, maybe even for a long time, but, for sure this is the first time She is able to do that with & for Them...

[@nicolecastrogiovanni385]

Poor Greg. He fell in love with a form Pink Diamond created. He never met the actual Pink, he only seen the manufactured shape of a Gem soldier. Than later in life, after he got over all the loss and grief, he meets the same gems that look like “Rose”, and can’t even bare the sight of one who looks exactly like her.

[@Merrsharr]

He never saw her "true" shape, but I'm sure her personality was truer to herself than Pink D ever was. Especially since she'd done a lot of (emotional) growing since then.

[@AerionTargaryen24]

He said himself that he didn't care about her past bc it was who she was now that mattered to him and he also was leaving his past behind to become the person he wanted to be, they both had that in common. I'm sure he wishes he knew more with her past just bomb dropping on him but ultimately he loved her for who she was and he would be hard for anyone who lost someone dear and running into their doppelganger that would be rough.

[@9990zara]

i'm sure looking at someone with your lover's face after they've died would be hard for anyone. plus, the way someone looked at their birth or when they were young isn't necessarily their "true self". lots of people alter the way they look permanently, particularly ones with a past as troubled as rose's (not the war stuff, but the tough family dynamic stuff translated to humans).

[@babycakelings]

Strongly disagree. Yes, he never met Pink Diamond, but that's because Pink Diamond died the day Rose decided that was no longer who she was as a person. You have to remember in the show we see Rose's development in reverse. The Rose you see in season 1 is who she died as. She died as a person who loved earth and humans and wanted to do anything to protect them, she even sacrificed herself to become one. But that took thousands of years of development to get to that point. It wasn't like one day she became Rose, the next she met him. The reason she loves humanity so much is because of their ability to change and grow, which is something she wasn't allowed to do as pink, but is allowed to as Rose. Rose isn't made up, she's just as a real as Pink. The seeing people who look like her is traumatic no matter who you are. If you lost your life partner then found out she had a twin, I think you'd be just as upset.

[@nightsofsilver1573]

awesome vid!

[@auby5001]

Can you go over season 4, episode 8, gem harvest once you can??

[@milkeywilkie]

I was in middle school when SU began airing, and I was immediately smitten with Rose myself haha

[@sakareeh]

Tbh I really liked their dynamic

[@Karuu21]

THATS MY FAV SONG TOO'

[@tinseltina]

cool video! ❤

[@pedrogabrielduarte4544]

do a review of heroes united

[@fizzyphy9901]

Babe wake up! a new applesamuel video judt dropped 🔥 🗣️

[@MTGAshliok]

What about petey he had a good episode of fry Bo and I think it needs a video

[@cedricjones7560]

When is Terra video coming?

[@AmpleSamuel]

Next video!

[@cedricjones7560]

@@AmpleSamuel can’t wait!

[@Down.D.Stairs.]

I just realized thire pet name is gross

[@cedricjones7560]

Is the Terra video coming anytime soon?

[@AmpleSamuel]

I’ve been crazy busy as of late, but it’s about half written. I’d guess it’ll be out around the first of August !

[@intellectually_lazy]

you know, i can't stand teen titans, but i do adore the way starfire talks

[@mindless2266]

The crying child’s name is Evan? MatPat taught is that?

[@2istedchocol880]

Hotel Dusk OST spotted 👁️

[@skye188]

Greg the Space Goddess Slayerrr!!!

[@Kittycatva1]

first lets go

[@malaikarose2985]

The term "quarter-hour" confuses me.

[@AmpleSamuel]

One can only say episode so many times haha

[@L0rdOfThePies]

You can also only say quarter hour so many times tbh

[@blueberrybaddie]

hot take "what can i do for you" is mid

[@Frostbane_Aarvid1987]

Rose should have been with pearl not greg

[@Arbysroastbeefjuice]

This art is hideous. Why is it a thing