The Irony of Mr. Universe (Steven Universe Future)

#StevenUniverse #Cartoons #Review
I go into these videos wanting them to be like 9 minutes I swear.
Follow or something : Twitter.com/amplesamuel_
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00:00 Intro
01:50 The Episode
12:11 Conclusion
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NOTE: all Steven Universe Instrumentals from Phizzy
(shorturl.at/dtFLP)
Music (By order of appearance, "Song - Media/Artist") :
White (Owner's Recommendation) - Mother 3
Welcome to Alive, Darling Hatchling! - Anodyne 2
Dear Old Dad (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
Galdin Quay Theme - Final Fantasy XV
Dad Museum 2.0 - Steven Universe
The Cave - Steven Universe
Mr. Universe (Instrumental) - Steven Universe
Pulse of sephonie island - Sephonie
Sephonie - Sephonie
Lustrous, Brilliant - Melos Han-Tani
Fly Me to the Moon - Sackboy: A Big Adventure

[@rainbowzzzplayzzz]

It hurts because Steven doesn't realize Gregs parents were authoritarian or what that fully means and Greg doesnt realize him and the gems were neglectful

[@Jawesomness16]

To me, every family’s going to have problems no matter how perfect they seem. Doesn’t make them bad parents, it just means that they have a lot to learn about it

[@SilverScribe85]

In a way, Greg's parents were a lot like the Diamonds towards him. This, as a result makes HIM and Rose all the more alike

[@IMakePeopleSaltyApparently]

​@@Jawesomness16If every porkchop were perfect, as they say.

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

I still think we're seeing it from Greg's perspective and that his parents were pretty decent. I this episode made me despise Greg

[@t-eehee7057]

​@@dissonanceparadiddleNo, they really weren't.

[@imkuelllgremlin]

I guess Greg's parents being authoritarian is why Greg and rose connected, she was technically "parented" the same way.

[@Mightymajin]

The difference being that Greg at least attempted to reconnect with his family

[@PSN_OGRE]

I think you mean connected not contacted because contacted would mean they messaged each other online and gave their phone numbers or socials.

[@imkuelllgremlin]

@@PSN_OGRE oh yep XD typo lol

[@flngtrash]

​​​​@@Mightymajinbecause anything that Greg's parents did couldn't really compare to the horrible abuse that the diamonds put Pink/Rose through. So yeah, I'm sure it was more easy for Greg to reach out to his family.

[@Mightymajin]

@@flngtrash not to mention Pink fakes her death to get away, Greg's parents are at least aware he is alive

[@azariahgarcia8958]

What I find great about this episode was that it paints Steven’s problem and Greg’s perspective correctly. Greg wanted to avoid being strict and overbearing like his parents where to the point he gave NO direction for Steven growing up, not realizing that was being emotionally neglectful in another way apart from his parents. Steven getting mad at Greg makes perfect sense because from Steven’s point of view, his dad is basically saying I don’t have any answers, just let life figure itself out. It’s almost like dealing with that bum parent who’s never around, which from a visual standpoint, Greg fills the stereotype of, living in a van with a low paying job.

[@senflyer-]

I really enjoyed how it was written in a way you could understand where both sides are coming from. Steven and Greg are both looking from their own experience. Greg knows the downsides of his own upbringing, and is trying to do the opposite with Steven regardless of how he feels about it. While Steven knows the downsides of too much freedom, and is overlooking the negatives of too much authority, because he wants less freedom and more structure. He feels like Greg isn't getting him.

[@goastem2991]

Didn't he get like a million dollars at one point?

[@azariahgarcia8958]

@@goastem2991 he did…but he was still content to live in his van. He could’ve gotten his own house but chose to still live aimlessly. It’s not until the last episode that he finally gets his own bed to sleep on.

[@goastem2991]

@@azariahgarcia8958 yeah when you put it like that it's not good

[@OldBuggaboo]

Which would probably be even more frustrating given that they are actually really close. It's just... Greg doesn't have the answers that you would have from a parent that close, and he can't be mad at him ina way you would be at a bum of a parent. God it's such a cluster :( [pun unintended]

[@amyrodgers4252]

Greg's not the best father, but you gotta feel bad for him. He grew up without having a choice on what to wear, eat or do with his life, all because of how authoritive his parents were (or were implied to be). He wanted Steven to grow up and actually be able to freely make his own choices and not be pushed around by strict parents. He's really trying to do better as a father

[@user-pi3hd2bt3f]

I think Greg is a perfect example of how unresolved trauma can affect your relationships with others even if you don't turn bitter and just as abusive as your abusers were Gregg, in wishing to be better than his parents and for Steven to have the choices he never had ended up neglectful as heck

[@TakeshiInazuma]

@@user-pi3hd2bt3f The problem I have, is painting Greg's parent as "abusive". That's not a word that just doesn't apply. Having high expectations and having your child join various clubs is not abusive, it's controlling, but at least it's level of direction. Could they learn to loosen their grip a little. Yeah, but..

[@neonoah3353]

​@@TakeshiInazumathey literally had many letters from greg that they didnt even bother to open. That is ridiculously bad, it pretty much means that "their project" didnt go as they planned, so they dont care about it anymore. While it shows that Greg at very least care enough to send them letters.

[@TakeshiInazuma]

@neonoah3353 That's not what that means . Here's the difference. If they didn't love him... they wouldn't have kept them at all. Family has a habit of cutting ties with each other, regardless of the cut ties, whether it's them or him, they are not going to completely forget him. Hence why they have his pictures still everywhere, and his room still made. Also, we assume the letters aren't open. They could've opened and read them and inserted them back into the envelopes. A clue to this is that they are also stacked neatly together. They way you put it would have Greg come back to an empty room with no pictures or belongings. That's incorrect, as even if they are upset at him for ditching them for freedom, they didn't cut him out of their lives completely. The letters serve as an indicator that Greg is alive and well.

[@SwitchyBitchyWitch]

⁠@@TakeshiInazumaI think that all you’re saying confirms that they did not value Greg as his own person but the image they have of him, that’s why the things they keep “on display” are meaningless to him, but the letters that contain his actual self are kept out of sight. It gives me the feel that they rather morn the child they wanted to have instead of accepting the person he is (wich doesn’t mean they don’t care at all buts it’s no good either way)

[@connienoland8400]

One of the lessons i took from this is "its sad when you outgrow your parents." Like most people outgrow their need for their parents but some people, Steven included, mature past where their parents have. Greg never had to actually grow up and mature since the gems raised Steven. Hes basically stuck as that teenager who ran away from home. Meanwhile, Steven is operating as an actual adult. If I described the two and told you one was 19 and the other was 40/50 (idr) most would probably get them switched. Lives in his van, devil may care attitude. Sounds 19 Runs a city, has anxiety about the future. Sounds 40. I just think thats interesting as someone who went through that with their own dad.

[@StarViewer68]

I agree with how you’ve described Greg. In the show, Greg seemed to be going through a second “adolescence.” Since he was not given the freedom to make his own choices under his authoritarian father, as an adult, Greg is finally free to live a more open-road, live in the moment kind of life. While it made sense for Greg to entrust the Crystal Gems to help raise Steven to better understand being a gem, I also think Greg was relieved to have someone else take of his son, so he could continue having freedom.

[@connienoland8400]

@@StarViewer68 I dont think he maliciously passed Steven off. He was stressed from caring for the baby on his own and when the gems offered to take some of that responsibility from him, he gave it up to rest and just never picked it back up. I think if he had stayed close with onions mom (I wanna say adalia but I cant remember), she could have helped him mature and grow up while still keeping his childlike wonder to him. But that didnt happen. And the gems are so old and wise, he must have figured it was just for the best if they kept the responsibility. (The fact that garnet can see the future probably helped him come to that conclusion.) But no one accounted for the fact that while the gems could help him find his purpose as a gem, they couldnt help with the human half. And in the end, thats what he needed. I wouldnt call Greg abusive or anything like that. But hes... Accidentally neglectful and definitely delusional. Too focused on what he wants for Steven to be able to see what Steven wants for himself.

[@kenshanparchman6838]

Technically, Greg did raise Steven(he confirms it in 3 different episodes) and we see Greg mature in the flashback episodes(Greg the babysitter). Greg is immature, but from the moment he got a job at wash to the moment Steven started to live with the gems(the majority of Steven's life), Greg was the only responsible person in Steven's life.

[@bluedemontr-whisperofwind-2296]

I don't blame Greg for most of the stuff he's done, from a logical standpoint the only mistake he did is to have Steven, but that wasn't a logical decision, it was an emotional one. He clearly doesn't know what to do, and he isn't a good father, but he does his best with the hand he's been dealt and I think he's a good dad

[@gagegotgaming]

I think greg is a great father, being someone who wasn't able to support himself to being the guy who was able to give his kid a house while he lived in his van so the gems wouldnt be upset all while still being there for his kid.

[@TwiDashFTW]

I do. He isn't a good father, but I don't hate him. That doesn't mean his mistakes as a parent are excusable or ignorable. The biggest problem isn't the freedom he gave Steven or giving him away to the gems (who have no idea how to raise kids) it is simply the fact that he made Steven feel other. Greg (and the gems) at the least WORSENED his identity issues by telling him he's not human. Being surrounded by humans. On a planet full of humans. And it's not even true. Like if he was fully a gem then it would at least be true, but he's not. He's still human. Every time Steven has a gripe with Greg, Greg's response is always "but you're a gem" which yes he is, but also he's human. Greg never attempted to integrate his son into his human culture for fucks sake the kid didn't even go to school. They thought his gem side was more important than his human heritage and it's just almost unexcusable.

[@null7198]

​​@@TwiDashFTWIdk, I think that's slightly exaggerating-- Of course Greg recognized his Gem side, but I don't think he's ever Dismissed Steven as a human, from my memory most refer to him just as Steven, and otherwise usually show some level of tact-- Greg's never been demeaning about it, and through Most of Steven's life he never had anything that made him THAT different from humans, his abilities formed overtime-- So it's hard for me to believe Greg really ever treated him as "Other", he just obviously recognizes his situation and circumstances are unique-- But even then, if anything he doesn't give ENOUGH precedent to said circumstances and uniqueness. Also you kind of say it like they just... Never refer to him as a human, or Half-Gem Half-Human, which they all certainly do-- If anything, the gems especially treat him as Not a gem most his life, and don't really encourage that part until his own self-discovery.

[@joshbarnes2313]

​@@null7198It's not just about him being called a human. Steven didn't know what school was until he was like 12.

[@joshbarnes2313]

There were no attempts to raise him in ways that Greg should have known to do. Alien or not, Steven should have been taken to a doctor somehow. He should have been homeschooled. Sure they said he was half human, but they didn't provide things that humans his age needed, alien or not

[@Gatekid3]

probably my favorite episode of future. The show does a great job of showing parents arent perfect people, but greg always stood out as just being good for being so laid back. he made mistakes like other characters but this episode clearly shows how his paranting style can also be harmful without vilifying it. I think Greg really did appreciate Steven telling him off. It probably upset him a bit but he seems to think any amount of freedom he gives steven if good because of how different it is from his parents. But that's what's so wrong about it, in a situation where steven probably would have appreciated his father being a bit more strict he was still completely chill. Love the video

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you! probably my favorite too

[@TheMeloettaful]

It also makes me think of Connie's parents as well. We see Greg's parenting style as too lacks, we also see her parents as too strict/controlling(?). But at least they eased up on her some eventually. Then we have Greg's parents as totally authoritarian (as told by Greg). It's fascinating to see all of the different parenting styles in the show.

[@Gatekid3]

@@TheMeloettaful true. Connie's parents are a kind of medium. they are strict, but when connie proves herself they try to understand her. Connies rebellion in term never really goes past hiding her activities with them. She holds no real resentment that i can remember while steven, greg, and pink all do have some kind of resentment that builds

[@akdreamer6497]

Bro Greg is literally the best father in all of television, you saying "Oh he represents how parents aren't perfect people" just sounds stupid, I'm sorry. Literally what did he do wrong? Change his last name? What the fuck is the problem with that?

[@tss3393]

The skewed perception of Mr. Universe's lyrics between Greg and Steven reminds me of how each respective journey ends for Bilbo and Frodo Baggins. Because of his conservative upbringing, Greg always faced the universe with awe and a taste for adventure, even when he was abducted or witnessed everything his son was up against. Steven on the other hand, being raised by Greg's wide-eyed romanticism of what's out there, had all of those expectations crumble down over the years as his means of experiencing the universe was essentially becoming a child soldier. Steven spent all of his earlier childhood pretending he was off somewhere else, with the gems or his parents on a big adventure...but his own adventure turned out to be quite different.

[@tourmelion9221]

Greg ended up thinking the world was great Steven saw it as ruthless Which is why you don’t give kids too much world exposure too soon And why you don’t under expose them making them naive and blind to the value of their lives/ungrateful

[@simoneperkins4419]

Fun fact about this episode: The song "Mr. Universe." is sung by Jemaine Clement. You might know him as the guy who played Tamatoa in Moana.

[@luxblitzar]

or Nigel in Rio!!!

[@crecenda6049]

or Flight of the Concords !

[@sergeantcatfish4502]

Or Fart from Rick and morty, who also is also supposed to sound like Bowie haha

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

He's so shiny

[@kiwisboomerang5805]

Flight of the Conchords

[@TheOddityFair]

Greg was more like a fun uncle to Steven than a father. He was fun but not responsible. He never even took Steven to the doctor before. Steven had to take himself as an adult. Steven also never went to school or had a proper education. I get that it’s not the life for everyone, & Greg wanted to give Steven all of the freedom he never had growing up. Still, a huge part of Steven’s problems is that he’s never had stability. Parents are suppose to provide a semblance of that, & Greg didn’t.

[@boxman7044]

To be fair it was shown that Steven can read and write and is capable of mathematics so he at least had some level of home schooling. Also considering how poor Greg has been shown to be throughout both shows it might be that he couldn’t AFFORD to take Steven to the doctor. It doesn’t excuse his failures but it paints them in a new light.

[@TheOddityFair]

@@boxman7044 But we also know he becomes a multimillionaire when Steven is 12. So, even if he couldn’t afford it before then, he could afterwards.

[@christopherbennett5858]

@@boxman7044The homeschooling part does make some modicum of sense. All the lessons but none of the social bonds Whilst he could afford to take Steven to a doctor now, there was the fear of an Area 51 situation and the fact that the showrunners were more focused on Beach city and the semblance of a plot.

[@boxman7044]

@@christopherbennett5858 yeah that’s the logic I’ve been using. It doesn’t excuse everything he’s done but it paints it in the light of a scared father not a negligent one

[@christopherbennett5858]

@@boxman7044 Exactly. He’s just a scared dad in an area where many people don’t ask questions.

[@damiondraws8538]

Every now and then I end up heavily relating to Steven. My mom may not be as extreme as Greg, but she certainly could’ve been more… normal in raising me. I love her and understand that raising me essentially by herself was hard. Even with friends to help take care of me, my childhood was far from normal. She never had me get any vaccines or shots, leading me to grow up completely unvaccinated and surprisingly, rarely getting sick at all. I learned to utilize my child charm and my understanding of what I could do to help people to comfort the adults around me. I acted surprisingly mature for a kid and was just about always told by my mom that I was different than other kids. I was more responsible, I was more mature, I was smarter than other kids. But when I did a childish thing it’d turn into “you’re better than this” “you’re smarter than this” “you’re more mature than this” “you should’ve known better”. It especially didn’t help when my mom would come into my room while I was crying and tell me that there’s no reason for me to be crying right now and that “you’re being ridiculous”. And that she though mental issues like depression and anxiety are people making excuses for themselves. So I ended up not being allowed to share my own emotions and would instead comfort others over myself. Then there’s the fact that my mom is a tattoo covered, motorcycle riding, weed smoking, whiskey drinking republican. Even before weed was legal she’d be smoking it out of her bong and here and there she’d even offer it to me. When I was 14. And whenever it was the anniversary of her father’s death (my grandfather), she’d makes us all take shots of whiskey. (Again I was a child). Only once I turned 18 was I able to say no and have her hear it and let me take a shot of soda instead. Seeing episodes like this in Steven Universe and Future reminds me of my own weird messed up childhood and how I’m still trying to figure out who I am after years of being told who I’m supposed to be. Finally being able to be free of being told by everyone that I look exactly like my mother and that I’m her “mini me”. Being told that I should be this or shouldn’t be that. Even occasionally having nightmares about my repressed trauma but being able to talk about it all to my fiancé. This show really made me feel seen. Especially since I was the same age as Steven as the show was airing (maybe offset by a year or two since shows don’t follow real world years). And I’m glad that so many others appreciate this show and probably relate to it too, for their own reasons and life stories. Jesus this was long, why do I keep doing this? Oh yeah, because I can’t afford therapy lol.

[@EeveeFlipnoteStudios]

This show really is powerful stuff. I was moved reading you explain exactly how this episode personally affected you. Glad things are looking up in adulthood, for us. Really hope you can find therapy that you can afford! In the meantime, finding a community group of people experiencing the same mental health issues as you really makes a big difference, too.

[@pumpkinwarrior7138]

Vaccines aren’t really going to affect you from getting sick but more so prevent specific illnesses that while not common are often fatal

[@bobtheball5384]

Im so sorry you had to go through something like that

[@imjupid]

I relate to this a lot up until the comforting others instead of myself part. I hope you're doing good!

[@jackkoffman5742]

I feel a similar way about my mom, though she was more destructive. As much as I love her, I’ve only benefited from having her out of my life.

[@singracia1]

I remember a friend telling me once that SUF was bad bc "he had a happy ending why make him be sad after", but that's how life goes sometimes, up and down

[@alejandrapedroza14]

Yeah, trauma comes up sooner or later, in subtle ways or in a literal breakdown

[@DrawciaGleam02]

I heard someone say the same thing about Disenchanted (the sequel to Disney's enchanted)

[@isabellejoestar2455]

That's pretty dumb, the whole point of SUF is that it's tackling every single problem with Steven's childhood, this kid was put through a LOT, with pretty much Earth's fate on his shoulders. He has issues, a lot of them, and they never EVER talk about it or help him through it. I like that SUF actually showed how messed up was the fact he had never gone to a hospital before (besides Nightmare Hospital), how much hidden trauma he has, and how he doesn't actually forgive White Diamond for what she did, she got off too easy for almost killing Steven, his friends and planet, he just puts up with her.

[@singracia1]

@@isabellejoestar2455 yep

[@kirby-impostor5594]

Does your friend know PTSD is something you usually get a few years after said traumatic events or....

[@pieflower6419]

I really wish Future was longer 😭 It was actually pretty good but left on a bitter note as we only saw Steven in recovery for 10 minutes.

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

If only Rebecca didn't insist on the gay wedding.

[@pieflower6419]

@@nevaehhamilton3493 It's important for representation. The show was always a champion of LGBTQ representation and Ruby and Sapphire's wedding was the first gay marriage to appear on a kid's cartoon. It may have shortened the show's run, but it was important.

[@nevaehhamilton3493]

@@pieflower6419 can't there be a safer way to do it then?

[@pieflower6419]

@@nevaehhamilton3493 What safer way to do it? It was already pushed to practically the end of the show. Rebecca always wanted a wedding in the show as it's a pretty important character trait that Steven loves weddings. It's a shame that broadcasting the wedding cost the international funding of the show to be pulled, but I think it's admirable they stuck to their morals. I'd much rather have the show as intended then trying to comply to homophobic standards.

[@doppelsotria4620]

@@nevaehhamilton3493 Why should anyone be forced to compromise on existing? CN could have just been sensible and people could have been less bigoted

[@BlooB6493]

This was a amazing review, As a person in both positions It hurts to see that they are both right in their own way. Greg hearing such a song when he was probably at his lowest and without a family had such a huge impact mostly because when you feel like you can't do anything or that you have failed under the conditions you were put under realizing that you're in charge of your own future hits hard. Greg realized that he could do anything, and that one day he would do something great and find his place in the "universe" . He was now allowed to have all the experiences he wanted and do everything he's ever wanted. For Steven you can really feel from his perspective, the reason greg didn't sound very supportive or made bad decisions is because its now from Steven's perspective, its like realizing that your parents weren't good people and everything they do just confirms that thought. HIs action to delete gregs photo was such a blow for me, it felt like that was the moment he realized that greg may not be the safest person to speak, or engage with so he distanced himself. I feel like this episode was one that needed to be done because we have been focusing on Rose's mistakes and overlooking the ones that Greg had made

[@ramrd5779]

It's very interesting how much you can analyze both Greg's and Steven's fault as father and son respectively. Greg constantly fails to empathize with Steven, and Steven further strains his ability to do so since he prefers to keep quiet about his feelings. Greg fails to see how something that worked for him didn't work for Steven, which is like, the most common parenting mistake ever, and Steven fails to understand the message and way Greg tries to connect with him and give him advice. Greg fails to step up and act as an autority when Steven began to disrecpedt him and Steven literally shit talked his father in front of him and got rewarded for it. Both of them did a lot of mistakes, mostly because Steven being a Gem and Greg not being exactly able to understand how limits are supposed to work (Only one time I can remember Greg saying "I don't know if I'm comfortable with you going on missions this dangerous" which could translate, as someone with parents that are a little bit strict, that I shouldn't be doing that at all) and the Gems pushed Greg so far away (And also emotionally neglected Steven several times with Pearl being condescending multiple times and belittleling Steven and Amethyst not being the best example for him, Garnet being the most decent on them three because she's functional as a fusion) that he couldn't understand or figure out what his son needed the most, which was stability. Either way, they all made mistakes and Greg tried his absolute best and Steven failed to appreciate that, and also Steven was in a position so vulnerable withouth any kind of coping mechanisms that it would've been a shitshow either way. Him deleting the photo of young greg and pretty much distancing himself from his parent is something a lot of kids do, mine included, sometimes you forget your parents are people too, and the idea one might have of them migth not be the reality. It hurts, as almost every child wishes to have the superhero parent they think they want, but sometimes, the failed mess that tried their best parent is the one we need.

[@calypsolemon9571]

I equally love this episode so much. Su is one of the few cartoons that I feel is actually good at portraying flawed but well meaning parental figures that you really feel for and root for their improvement, without giving them the sort of trite "everything is basically fixed now" conclusions that I personally find alienating as someone who experienced similar failures of their parents. Greg is a great guy but he's always been a bit neglectful, and its good to see that come to a head while also finally understanding WHY he is that way and empathizing with it.

[@sleepylionking1103]

“We’re allowed to admit it’s good” THANK YOU! My god.

[@debrec4266]

As a fellow Steven Universe Future apologist i loved this video. You have show a true appreciation and understanding of Steven Universe that would melts any hater hearth, or ears. I am so ready for your next episode, keep being awesome.

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you !

[@LittleMissFoxy]

The beginning of this episode felt so real to me when I was a teenager. How my dad despite not fully knowing what to do with how I was feeling during my depression would still come to my side even though we lived further away from him and watching Greg tend to Steven reminded me of those times when I'd be crying and not wanting to be alone and my dad would come over and spend the whole day with me, getting food and just watching stuff together. My father isn't perfect and hasn't made the best decisions in life but nobody is perfect and Greg really showed me that even despite everything he was still there for his son through everything just like my father. That's what made this episode stick with me and why I adore it so much.

[@turtleking7772]

To quote The Time Travelers Wife “Their just people, takes you a long time to realize that, that your mom and dad are just people” My boyfriend and I talk often about how Greg was both raised by abusive and horrible parents AND he failed Steven at every junction because he never healed or grew from his own childhood, and it causes Steven to suffer because of it.

[@newthejsterjacob408]

I saw so much discourse in this episode bashing the show for making Greg a bad father but Greg was always like this. It makes so much sense that this is what he thinks is needed to solve a problem. He cannot fathom that someone would want a structured life. All of the rules and social norms gave him nothing but strife so he put them as far away from his kid as possible. As far as giving his care to people who aren't even human. We crave for what we can't have, we also like to blame what we didn't have as the fault for our problems. Of course Steven had the stance he did. He thinks if he had that structured life he would actually be happy and feel "normal". But who knows what would've happened if Greg gave Steven that life. It could've been better it could''ve been worse but for Steven anything would be better than how he is now, so he is violently aggressive at the fact things could've been different

[@SupHapCak]

I feel like the gems took Steven instead of Greg handing him over. They have super powers and have been shown to be irrational and ruthless at times.

[@Tijopi11]

This is my favorite episode in the entire series. The thing is, Greg is just as traumatized as Steven if not more so. Everything he chose to do in his life, including throwing away any future career opportunities to become a Rockstar, was because his parents failed to show him support and he's been coping with that conditional love approach for his entire life. Greg became 'stuck' in his teenage years and hasn't matured past that phase. Greg's actions in this episode comes from someone who fully wanted to be the support for his son he never got, but he wasn't able to overcome generational trauma and he went too far. But Greg's mistakes weren't really his own, it was left-over conditioning from his parents. Greg tried his best, he did what he thought he needed to do. He's not a bad parent (as far as he knows), he was just wrong.

[@newthejsterjacob408]

@@Tijopi11 I wouldn’t say he’s more traumatized than Steven that’s not really something to compare anyways. But yes Greg fully thought he was doing the best job possible and he had every good intention. But even though that’s what Greg desperately needed it’s not what Steven needed

[@Chibiknux]

What's really tragic it's that I don't think Greg will realize how is he a bad father, he's doing the best he can with what he has, which is actually what most of our parents did. Greg did teach Steven lots of things tho, albeit out-screen, but every musical thing Steven does is thanks to Greg. It's a powerful tool to connect with people, express your feelings, gives you discipline somewhat, its a language. Also if Steven is as emotionally intelligent as he is at his young age is because Greg is at least a positive masculinity role model.

[@thefloralpunk]

I think the breaking point with the song Mr Universe is also Steven realizing being human is always wanting to be more than you are, but already is more than human, and it becomes an extremely frustrating discovery that makes him feel disconnected from humanity.

[@clarisacalderon9555]

I think what fruasterated me abit is I'm pretty sure if the show hadn't been cut short and rushed in the end we WOULD have seen greg stand up for his kid and put some boundaries. We kind of clearly see in each season Greg kindof freak out or have a bad moment where we seem him clearly want to put his foot down but he also looked a bit scared to do so because he literally can't do anything against the Gems...like i kept thinking about how Greg might have been villified for lying to steven about his broken leg...but greg literaly felt like he had dyo do that or he wouldnt be let to live in te=he house. the gems have literally STOLEN steven before...twice on pearl

[@clarisacalderon9555]

i kept wondering why the humans weren't hve more of a impact..especially once greg and connie's parents became friends.

[@clarisacalderon9555]

even more it makes the situation with the diamonds even odder because wouldnt greg know having steven around the diamonds be a bad call if they echo his own family? like on one hand steven did help be a good influence on thm...on the other I feel like if we hadnt sped into the future greg would have stepped up more. especially the doctor thing...considering the zhombie episode took place in the hospital you'd think it would come up more before future.

[@bowchickabowwowthatswhatmy3219]

through it all, Greg just doesn’t truly understand that his teenage conflict isn’t the same as Steven’s. They’re both so similar in many ways so it makes sense how Greg would want to help Steven in the way he wish he was helped.

[@jelly.mangoes]

Pp😊⁹please pp

[@lilybug4854]

I really think this is one of my favorite episodes of the Future Series. I always had an odd feeling for Greg. Even in the main series, he never seemed to be taking the dad role very seriously. And it was rare for the series to ever call him out for his absence and avoidance in Steven's problems. That's probably why I liked this episode so much. Finally felt like Steven was calling him out himself.

[@nathansalim]

I like how SU and Avatar designed that side of parenting. Greg, Rose and Toph were raised in authoritarian homes, grew up as freed adults, and wanted to give their children that same freedom. The problem is that all this freedom when not dosed becomes negligence. That is, Greg and Toph did not know how to be stricter as parents, as this directly reflected on their upbringing. Then we had Suyin, Lin and Steven growing up with practically no emotional control: Suyin grew up as a criminal who was not punished, Lin became extremely authoritarian and aggressive, and Steven grew up being complacent, not knowing how to deal with his own traumas, but being a relief from the traumas of friends.

[@ElegantHope]

This episode really showed that while Greg and Steven both struggled with self identity issues; the root cause of their issues were very different which meant they needed different solutions for their issues. Greg was never allowed to explore or be himself, so he needed the freedom to explore himself without pressure to changes or fit into someone's standards. So him running away from home to become a traveling rock star meant he was able to find himself in the world he was never allowed to see. He was able to express his likes and dislikes freely instead of bottling it up. But Steven was raised with an absurd amount of freedom, which led to a lot of traumatic and terrifying events in his life that kept him from ever having stability. He was never allowed to stop and breath, or the chance to self reflect because danger and everyone's own trauma was always around the corner. And everyone always needed him to fix them and their issues. By moving away at the end of future, Steven is able to distance himself from the chaos and unpredictability of his life with the gems, his dad, and beach city and move into a new life of consistent stability. He'll be able to discover who he is while maintaining a stable environment with therapy, Connie, and a roadtrip where he'll be mostly by himself and able to make his own decisions independent of everyone's needs.

[@NoahWilson-dk5rl]

Finally we can come out and say how good Future was. IT WAS GREAT.

[@yazanhussam8182]

Last episode was heavily rushed, and should have split into at least 2 episodes.

[@Eqha67]

Or at least an hour long

[@gota7738]

I have mixed feelings on this episode, as coming to recognise your past-idealised parent is...human, is a realistic and painful topic which was good for SUF address. However I think it's also where the show's lack of world building for the humans and where Steven would stand socially and legally kind of muddies the waters and glances over another aspect of parenting; that a parent has limited control of the environment your child is raised in, and the lower you are economically and socially, the lower that control is. There's often been speculation on if the state or legal system knows about Steven and how it would react, and whether Steven attending School or going to the Doctors would put him in danger. The show has always side-stepped the topic as it's not the focus on the show, but in Future it becomes relevant and as an audience member it's hard to tell if we should see earth in this story as itself an idealised place or if we should expect it to work similar to ours. Therefore it's really hard to get a clear look at the circumstances that led to this situation on the human side of things. When it was revealed that Steven had never been to the Doctor and there was a fandom outcry against Greg, it was a little uncomfortable to think of real cases where parents have been able to afford medical care for their kids due to poverty or complicated legal status, especially as Greg's lack of money was highlighted in early seasons. I don't think his situation was intended to be seen that way but again, the show is very muddy on what its angle was. SU and SUF were great in exploring character psychology, and personal and small group relationships in fantastically nuanced ways, but also kept its focus away from sociological and systemic analysis except in a very broad way towards Gem society, and even then it hones in on the familial. That worked mostly fine when the conflict was in the Gem world but it left the landscape unprepared for the theme of Steven trying to connect with the human world in Future.

[@gota7738]

@@brettglover135 That's kind of what I was getting at; we DON'T know if he'd be taken away if authorities knew of him. We don't know IF they know of him. We don't know what they know or make of Gem activity on earth. We know people locally know of them but the state? You'd assume so but then I'd also assume they'd interfere if they knew, but we don't see that. Why? We don't know. I'm not discussing the in-universe judgment of Greg the fictional character, I'm discussing the show's narrative choices in staying away from that topic, and how it impacts what it does cover. As someone in the real world, how the fictional character of Steven interacts with what I assume to be government regulated or controlled institutions who don't have a category for him, is influenced by my knowledge of how such real world institutions have historically treated people who are different or foreign. However the show doesn't provide enough information to confirm or deny that applicability, no one even brings it up as a possibility. And unlike other times where the show is deliberately ambiguous, it doesn't invite the question in any way, just avoids it. That's why I find this aspect of the show's writing difficult to enjoy, as these questions take me out of the experience.

[@gota7738]

@@brettglover135 For a counter example there were times in the show prior to Greg getting his royalty checks which implied that he didn't have a lot of spare money, on top of crew confirmation that Greg pays for the Gems expenses (and damages). Combine that with the fact that he tried to fix his own leg rather than go to Hospital (which we have seen exists) in House Guest, we can infer that finance may have been an issue in his own medical history. There are counterarguments to be made and perhaps Greg is simply poor at managing finances, however the show does provide various bits of information to draw on to either conclusion. I don't think that the show does the same for the political landscape of Steven Universe's human society. Understandably as that's not the show's focus, but the topic of Steven's access to such institutions are inextricably linked to politics, as shown by the theories we fans think of to make sense of it.

[@gota7738]

@@brettglover135 I understand, but my argument is still that everything that's "might of" or "possibly" is not enough (for me) to effectively carry and explore the conflict of Steven missing out on a "normal human" childhood, at least not to the nuances the show reaches in other areas. This is just criticism of one aspect of the show, it's genuinely ground breaking in so many ways and I'm really glad they decided to push for the wedding and Ruby & Sapphire's kiss, even if it came at the cost of cancellation. Sometimes changing the real world means more than executing a story perfectly. That said, I'm also not sure if I buy that the show was ever interested in covering this topic. There's just nothing in the show that looks like it was set up to explore the ramifications on and between human society down the line, and frankly it would be really unusual for a kids show to do that. It's one thing to do a Very Special Episode or use a fantasy allegory for human politics, and another to directly bring in sensitive real world issues into your magic adventures show as an ongoing plotline in a kids show, one that will eventually require a happy ending. It's just in some aspects of Future, which itself feels like it's aimed for the teens who grew up with SU as kids, I think it tries to lean in further into realism while sidestepping real issues tied to those topics. To me that makes part of the story unclear. And as far as I'm aware, Future was greenlight after the cancellation notice. Again I'm not condemning SU and Future as terrible shows for not being perfect. Had they been simpler shows then they might have been more satisfying, but they also might not have been as experimental or groundbreaking, creating paths for future show runners and writers to follow. Hopefully they might also try different ways of navigating the misteps SU did make, something that can only come from SU existing as it does in the first place. If every porkchop was perfect and all that.

[@DrawciaGleam02]

I recently watched a "what if Steven went to school" video. It honestly gave some good reasons why Steven not attending school may have been the best.....

[@senflyer-]

I hadn't thought of that point before. I remember Pearl saying in an earlier episode along the lines of "we're not exactly legal citizens!". Although then it makes me wonder how they handled the process with Steven without a doctor and... Yeah. lol I don't think the doctor comment was trying to shame Greg's situation, but at the same time I think for the sake of the story they didn't want to get too technical about legal paperwork and such.

[@pompousbowl8048]

The amount of build up to this conflict was actually stunning. I feel like it began with the human beings high five, but what blew my mind was steven going "demayo is cooler than universe" in Andy's episode.

[@treaveannyretro92]

I'm glad we are slowly coming tk the end of the hate boner the internet had for SU since like...S3? Not saying is the perfect show, but for the longest time it felt everytime anyone talked about the show was coming from such a nitpicky pov, it's refreshing to hear someone openly say they enojoy it and articulate it in a really succint way 10/10 vid

[@Anamizuki]

This episode is one of the best from the entire series, because it dares to showcase us how Steven idolizes humanity to an unhealthy decree. And how parents often end up making the opposite mistakes of their own parents.

[@christopherbennett5858]

Oh I completely get it. However, is it more like his naivety on structure? I mean, he saw the extreme of the diamonds and the writers waved that off. Maybe that warped his perspective on that.

[@Anamizuki]

@@christopherbennett5858 Nah, he has always been like this. Remember how excited he was about going to a motel or that Andy was related to him? He didn't go to school and had no medical records, he lived in a time limbo from 8 to 13 and never physically aged.

[@christopherbennett5858]

@@Anamizuki I mean, that is a good point. And because he was so isolated, he doesn’t naturally pick up on the red flags.

[@Gooberwares]

Honestly Greg left his folks in a healthy way he just goes off on his own but the letters he still cares and wants to keep them updated

[@Broeckchen]

I think a vital part of why Greg's parenting doesn't feel vilified is that it... well, it worked in SOME ways. Steven has grown into a kind and empathetic person, with a strong backbone. Up until the start of the show, he was a bright eyed, happy kid. If he hadn't been pulled into a war and forced into the role of the only person capable of saving the galaxy, Greg's parenting might have been fine. It may have left Steven a bit adrift here and there... but it wouldn't have caused and enabled terrible trauma. Future points out very well that what really harmed Steven, at the end of the day, was War. Greg might be a decent to good dad. He just wasn't prepared or equipped to raise a child soldier whose shoulders the fate of humankind would rest on, and who would get deeply traumatized by this. And I don't think Steven realizes yet that he doesn't miss being handled more "strictly". What he misses is an external excuse to say no. A force to protect him from his own kindness. It's fascinating because he watched Conny overcoming just such a force in her own parenting. I think what he really yearned for was a father who would hold him close and go "Over my dead body is this kid going to hunt dangerous monsters and fight in a war!" A protector. The fight feels so much like him trying to hurt Greg just *once.* Trying to see the anger he feels in his father just once. Trying to get any sort of angry reaction. But Greg refuses to ever give in to anger. Greg always clings to the love he has for Steven. And I think that's so incredibly frustrating to Steven because Greg modeling this behavior and Steven learning it from him is what Steven traces a lot of his pain back to. If Steven hadn't learned to resolve conflict with kindness and love above all, maybe he wouldn't have opened himself up to some of the wounds he now has. But he did. And he can't get healthy models of anger out of Greg. Not even a "I need a moment right now to speak calmly."

[@YouthRightsRadical]

I was genuinely hoping that Steven working with Jasper was going to give him that healthy model of anger. Everyone around him is treating anger as something to be avoided like the plague, like something he isn't allowed to feel. But no. His time with Jasper is inherently negative because the show also agrees that anger is something he isn't allowed to feel. He can be sad, and his tears when he's having a group hug show he's saved from corruption. But anger is just threatening. A sign that he's taking after the worst aspects of his mother. He can't be angry without hurting people, so anger is to be repressed, avoided and sublimated into other emotions. Him giving serious consideration to murdering White Diamond is presented as a bad thing, when she is literally worse than Hitler in terms of the scale of her atrocities. Because Steven being angry at the genocidal monster who raped the souls of his loved ones and literally tore him in two is just not acceptable. He was close with Peridot, when he was strugging to set boundaries, but we never got to the actual message that the show needed. That anger is not inherently bad. That it serves a purpose and you should not dismiss it. The greatest sin Greg committed as a parent in the entire show was when he made "hate" a four letter word and did not recognize that when his son who was happily forgiving people who tried to murder everyone he loves used that word about Kevin, that he should take Steven's feelings about Kevin seriously.

[@Broeckchen]

@@YouthRightsRadical Honestly, this is the first time I hear a critique of the show's treatment of forgiveness that has a lot of merit in my eyes. A healthy model of anger is invaluable. And it's true that while we get to see some in characters like Ruby, Sapphire, Greg (when he fights with Amethyst) and Lapis - heck, even ultimately in Spinel when she admits she can't just simply dismiss her anger and needs time away and care for herself -, we don't see Steven go through that arc. In a way, his anger as a monster does end up being a useful call for help, but you're right, it's still treated as a threat first and foremost. I still like the show's clear power fantasy of redemption being universally achievable - we don't have super much of that in the western world, so I think it enriches our media landscape. But children do need a healthy understanding of anger as an impulse meant to protect and defend us from injustice...

[@lowestoflows2]

I love your take so much! Steven being pulled into war as a child was def unpredictable to Greg and maybe even out of everyone’s will. But he had to do it to save the planet. In an alternate timeline, Greg could hide Steven’s gem side from him to protect him and Steven would be upset with that being hidden. Everyone did their best with the circumstances they were put under, just as most people respond to serious unprecedented traumatic events. While it is unfortunate that Steven didn’t know much about his human family, Greg did what he could to protect him from that lifestyle and likely tried to tell his parents about Steven through the UNOPENED letters. that was such a good detail to add. Steven is so used to assuming everyone has the ability to love and wants to change that he can’t picture a household where parents want nothing to do with their child’s life all because they are different.

[@EeveeFlipnoteStudios]

Steven Universe Future analysis? In the year 2023?? GOOD. This was a great video, and I’m always super torn up about this episode. Emotionally. The writing is brilliant; SU does an excellent job writing complex family relationships in a realistic way. There’s been a lot of discourse around this show and episode particularly, and while I’ve seen good perspectives from those who sympathise with Greg or Steven more, I think your analysis is the best I’ve seen so far. I appreciated that you pointed out many details about the episode, such as putting the lyrics of the song into focus and on screen to examine both Greg and Steven’s perspective. Pointing out the way music calls back to previous episodes in order to foreshadow conflict. Or Steven’s comment about his father’s yearbook photo as a metaphor for him trying to connect with his human half, and his possible brain fog. It accounts for the emotional reality that Steven faces at the moment and why he does things, while also making room to acknowledge his blind spot in the moment. Ditto for Greg. But the detail in the beginning about how Greg was spot-on about what Steven needed despite not being the right kind of support and fumbling up perfectly captures what this episode is trying to say about Greg and Steven’s parent-child relationship- of this kind of relationship as a whole.

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you ! i watch each episode i talk about an obscene amount of times, so I'm glad to hear when people appreciate some of the details I'm about to pull out of it

[@sbondiw7943]

Did most people really dislike future? It takes everything that was subtext throughout Steven Universe and has the absolute audacity to make it just straight up text. When are we gonna have another kid's cartoon that actively deconstructs kids' cartoons and happy-go-lucky kid protagonists? SU has always been ambitious, and that means it's never been perfect, but it's always been interesting and filled with care and just straight up GOOD. Steven Universe Future did not need to exist, but it's honestly pretty incredible it does, and honestly it would be a disservice to Steven's character if it didn't!

[@shuki3488]

I feel like Greg fell into the same issues that some parents out there have fallen into. Allowing their past experiences with their own parents to influence their own parenting styles and habits.His parents seem to be extremely strict and unsupportive of what Greg wanted to do with his own life almost to the point where they dont even want to hear from him via the letters. They didnt even open them to at least read about how he is doing or what is going on with his own life most likely because he did not turn out the way they wanted. Greg seems to want so badly to do the exact opposite of what his own parents did to the point where he loses sight of what steven needed to live life as a normal kid. Going to school may have been restrictive too, therefore Steven doesn't hear about school till he was 12. Prepping for his future career and endeavors might have placed a.lot of negative pressure on Greg, therefore steven is neither prepped for college nor do they discuss what he wants to do with his life outside of being a Crystal Gem. Its little things like this that got me thinking that he is (at least from a practical stand point) not a very good parent. There is no doubt in my mind that he absolutely loves his son, this can be seen throughout the entire series. But his parenting falls short due to a slight lack of mental maturity, the lack of freedom, emotions and autonomy from his parents and his blatant use of the fact that steven is half gem to excuse his lack luster parenting skills. I love Greg but he definitely ended up doing the same thing his parents might have done with him, he did not understand what his son actually needed and just gave him what HE thought steven needed.

[@slipperytummy5532]

I love your analysis of this episode, but i wonder if your read on the letters was what they were trying to show. I think with parents as neat and organized as Greg's, it makes sense that they would put the letters back in the same envelope after reading them. Moreover, I found it more potent that his parents decided to keep the letters at all. To me, the scene showed that they are interested in Greg but continue to be disappointed by his actions (moving in with a stranger and not having a conventional job, having a kid with the knowledge (?) that it would kill his wife.... the rest was so spot on though. The shot of greg getting smaller/blurrier in the background as he tries to tell steven what he thinks will help (but ultimately misses the point of his frustrations) just makes me want to cry, painfully relatable.

[@jamtyx4170]

Out of all the episodes of Steven universe future. This one probably stuck with me the most so I really appreciate you covering it. This show has helped me solve so many personal problems. When it comes to my family, so I'm forever grateful for it. Awesome, show awesome video, keep up the good work.

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you!

[@pieflower6419]

This episode was just so beautiful because it's difficult. The show writes different perspectives so well.

[@Cyburim]

It always chokes me up that Future is the beginning of Steven adapting to the adult life and reconsciling to hug his inner child and traumas. Even if it was surpressing most of himself within the season, living with reconsiliation over your childhood traumas has this episode display it at full. As you put it, yes stevens human Grandparents do not even know that he *exists*. I felt a lot of Stevens pain in this episode as the one caretaker in your life you look up to might not be all roses and sunshine the more you know the less you want to actually go into.... Sometimes connecting with Stevens over-emotional side is so refreshing as a main character as the backlash from Future really goes to show how people missed the entire point of how you shouldnt bottle your feelings up to explode, you should take into account your own traumas with your family and learn to heal and grow and change from them then hold onto grudges or argue for the sake of dramatized arguing... 😢 This is just a bit too personal but I feel like this episode as a whole can commentate on a lot of different family abuse dynamics then just the neglect Greg has done.😭💜 Edit: please please please do not misinterpret me Greg is literally my favorite beach townie I constantly spout out 'Carabeena, Carabeenaaa Cherry Man!' After it's first original airing so don't even try to say that Greg's the greatest animated dad ever when first of all-Bob Belcher-secondly yeah he's also my dad too but parents are not excused from criticism 🎉

[@daniman0114]

What is this? An actually thoughtful and well analyzed video about SU Future? Did hell freeze over?

[@SpaceElf]

Greg never had the opportunity to develop substantial parenting skills. His role as parent was stolen from him by aliens, who cannot realistically be capable of fully understanding the human condition that Steven's identity is predominately made up by. Steven *literally* does not understand formative human experiences. The Gems severely messed him up by raising him so divorced from his own species. Greg's doing his best despite the immense power imbalance of alien weaponry dictating his son's life-experience. Let's be real, there's no way Pearl was ever going to let Greg care for "Rose." Other people's autonomy always comes second to Pearl imposing what passes for comfortable order, and if she has to gaslight and lie to do that, she will: As seen with Garnet and the radio antenna escapade. A lot of Steven's emotional problems stem from being allowed by his "parents" to become a child soldier in an interstellar holocaust. Greg might view the world with wonder, but I don't think a father is going to let his child become a space marine at the drop of a hat. Left with Greg, Steven would be a complete person before a weapon. He'd probably have many fewer emotional issues because of it, and Greg would have developed the parenting skills thanks to the opportunity to take care of Steven not having been stolen from him by three incompetents.

[@Snow-vk7th]

I'm glad to see you talking about future! I defintely know it's not perfect, just like the entirety of Steven Universe, but it doesn't deserve as much hate as it got. "Future apologist" is so funny to me fjjgjfjfg. I think most of the people saying they ruined Steven's character have never experienced cPTSD themselves, they just don't get it. Your video brings up a lot of interesting points, like how disoriented Steven likely was at Greg's parents house or how Greg really was trying to be a good parent, but just swung too far into loose parenting. The level of nuance you have is so refreshing. I would love to see your thoughts on other episodes or possibly the movie. Super excited to hear your takes on the new fiona and cake :)

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you so much! definitely want to talk about the movie at some point

[@rickywilliams1586]

Well, that sounds extremely dismissive of someone experiences. So because they don't like a kids' show that you do or are more critical of it, that automatically means they haven't suffered like you have?

[@Snow-vk7th]

@rickywilliams1586 no of course not, just that I think there's a lot of understanding of trauma in Steven's character. It was a black and white statement to make tbh

[@RURK_]

I really wish this episode got more attention than it did. The "Universe" part of Steven is so much bigger to his character than people talk about. Great video!

[@senflyer-]

So glad you're covering Future. I've enjoyed your previous videos, but something frustrating ever since the show ended is the constant hate for both SU and SUF. I understand that the fandom was extreme at times, but so is any highly popular fandom. I consider the fandom and franchise separately. Maybe it's because I like the show, but I felt like a lot of complaints about SU are missing the big picture. I think it's okay to dislike the storyboard style and inconsistencies. I completely understand being frustrated at incomplete arcs and dropped plot points. Waiting ages between episodes wasn't great. There are a lot of things that could have been handled better. I even understand why people say Future feels OOC. But I don't understand why the whole show(s) need to be written off because of it. I find myself continuing to go back even after the hype has passed because there's so many different parts and details to it. I don't want to get too long, but I really enjoyed your take on this episode. I think a lot of the setup was more gradual than is usual. Steven didn't say "you left me with the gems all the time and I resent that you took out your issues on me", but you have all these moments where he wishes he could go to school like the other kids, hanging around people wanting attention, and taking on tons of responsibility for his age. Something I found refreshing about Steven's arc in future is sometimes the severity of things doesn't hit you until you feel safe. You think you're fine until symptoms like Pink Steven pop up, and you scramble to figure out what changed.

[@saddlebag]

Ah, this episode… yeah, I wasn’t a fan just because of how painful this episode was to watch. Greg is my favorite character, and I didn’t like seeing Steven lash out at him. I’m not saying it didn’t feel realistic, I’m just saying I didn’t enjoy the drama. Greg’s song in this episode was really good though!

[@manupm9161]

Yeah... This episode tries to make you fell bad for Steven, but seeing him torture poor Greg while he tries his best to be a good father causes you to be angry to him, and that's a horrible feeling only this episode causes...

[@MiraculousHolder365]

Same, Greg isn’t perfect but he’s still a good parent spending time with Steven anytime he could in the main series, questioning if Steven should be going on dangerous Gem missions in “Ocean Gem”, trying to prevent Pearl from sending Steven to space in “Space Race” and him agreeing with the Gems grounding Steven for attempting to run off with Connie in “Fusion Cuisine”.

[@Remelia-co2ej]

@@manupm9161 as someone with a dad that’s kind a like Greg I think it just takes some time for people who don’t have parents like that to relate to what Steven is going through like it’s really hard to have a parent whose focus isn’t stability and who sometimes feels like just as much of a child as you are. It can be very frustrating, especially when they don’t understand when you want something more structured because that’s the opposite of what they wanted because they lived in a strict household. So it’s just kind of like a misunderstanding on both of their parts. Neither is really in the right or the wrong. They both just have a fundamental misunderstanding of each other in the moment. I also don’t like the wording that you used to say like oh he tortured Greg he didn’t torture Greg he’s just a teen who is expressing himself very intensely because his dad is not understanding what he’s saying.

[@itsakid-6288]

​@@manupm9161 It was a misunderstanding on both parts. Steven has been through worse than Greg so it's pretty easy to see where he's coming from as a child raised with no stability majorly misinterpreting a life of abusive strictness.

[@CrokusTheDerg]

@@Remelia-co2ej dude he intentionally crashed his fathers car and could have killed him

[@theenchantedteapot5882]

This is such a good review! I never even noticed how well the lyrics fits this scen! Steven is one of my biggest kin characters and god this episode took that to a new level. I can't watch the car scene without tearing up, it just hits way to close to home to me. Greg reminds me so much of my mom. Loving, accepting and just trying her absolute best not to make the same mistakes as her parents (overcorrecting in the process). But at the same time putting you on this perfect little pedestal and unable to be a reliable parent, or give any stability, and too often having switched roles with me taking more care of her. Which puts you in the difficult position of being so hurt by someone, but feeling guilty because you know they are trying and love you more than the world. I also went from idealizing her till i was around 17, until I even started acknowledging a lot of pain she put me through, even without meaning any harm. And then came so much anger for never even having the chance for a 'normal' childhood, making me feel so alienated from other people and confused where I belong. It's definitely getting better, but GOD that scene brought up some old wounds and when Greg is toned over just by this ringing sound? This was so much how it felt like when I broke contact with her for a while. There are so many depictions of like these super strict abusive parents, and while Greg is absolutely not abusive and did the best he could, it was wild to see these struggles shown in one of my favorite shows with a character i already deeply related to. Even if it has a lot of flaws and definitely isn't for everyone, I'm glad Steven Universe Future aired for this episode alone.

[@SarahMelo2000]

FINALLY, someone else who realizes the deeper meanings behind this episode. I've thought about it for so long and am relieved this topic has been brought up again on KZbin. The way they both perceive the world... is only because of the unique experiences they have separately (and together in some cases). It's not about what the heart of the matter really is but it's to understand that they are both suffering and that compassion goes a long way

[@clairemercer3099]

To be fair Greg was never ready to be a father let alone to Steven. Although he tried his best Greg never had the life skills to lead a stable life let alone raise a child.

[@drewhaynes1874]

As much as i didnt like how su future handled steven and the bad stuff he done this kinda added a bit of context..... It doesnt fully excuse everything steven did yeah hes suffering and all that but at a point he knew what he did was bad, and had people try to help him repeatedly whish he denied at every turn....idk this softened it a bit. Still feel everyone trashed rose... And was also suffering... Steven did the same and worse in future but had everyons sympathy

[@boo2424]

Sometimes you love people and want to help them despite them having lashed out. Because guess what? People are human. Maybe we deserve some grace. It would be different if the show ended with Steven not getting his stuff together. Maybe he deserved to get yelled at and thrown out from his support circle? Let me ask you, what would get accomplished?? Retribution? To what end? I only say this so you’re not a massive ahole

[@ChespinCraft]

The people trying to help him thing is literally how mental illness/mental health decline happen for a lot of people. Denying help is very realistic for someone in Steven's position.

[@pumpkinwarrior7138]

That’s kind of the thing with mental illness, it’s not rational It’s so incredibly painfully realistic to push people away And I love how he did it in this episode because Greg tries to comfort Steven with everything he needed to hear as a kid but his issues are not like Steven’s It’s also patronizing to hear that “you’re doing great though!” after breaking down about expectations and anxiety You’re not doing great, you’re obviously not doing good at all

[@drewhaynes1874]

@@ChespinCraft depending on who because a lot of people who have it, I included didn't think that was too accurate.... And got help... Steven universe was exaggerated... He knew what he was doing was bad mind you and still did it

[@ChespinCraft]

@@drewhaynes1874 Yes it does depend on the person. It’s not something everyone’s gonna experience or relate, but that doesn’t make it inaccurate if you personally haven’t had that experience.

[@tutancoco9876]

For me one of the strongest moments is when Steven yells that he grew up in a van. Greg had this idea of ​​freedom that just didn't fit with fatherhood. He idolize this so much that he completely forget thta he was being negligent. Steven just wanted some structure, a bit of normality thtavgerg wasn't ables to provide . Ans Steven was completely right at telling him thta thye couldn't be worse than mom family, i think it was a reality check to greg .

[@whalek]

I actually didn't really like future, but of all the episodes in future I must say this is the only one I truly loved

[@thequimsnaim]

You could not have timed this better. I finally got around to finishing SUF literally today. I am beginning a binge back into su content. This is a great start!

[@AoiNoxy]

steven universe always stuck a chord with me and this scene is something so similar to some situations with my dad. i love him to bits and he is a great person, but on the emotional side he is so... frustrating, he is my only parent too, so i SO Understand steven

[@firstnamelastname2202]

I loved your analysis of this episode and how you didn’t take anyone’s side argument since they both had good points and i really hope you talk about the episode prickly pair

[@gingerjelly]

It's always fascinating when shows address this cycle of parents not wanting to repeat the mistakes of their own parents and accidentally going too far in the other direction and causing the exact opposite problem for their child

[@sailorg00n]

I’m guessing a lot of the people watching this are a bit younger than I am, but I’m 33 and this episode hits way harder as a person in your thirties. Eventually, we all see our parents (or any figure you revere in your life) as the extremely human person they are. It’s surreal to realize how flawed and human the people you so respect are when you need help but they’re unable to provide it. It’s hard to articulate but I think everybody goes through it at some point.

[@TwiDashFTW]

Even with parents who were very present in my life and going through things similar to Steven (people constantly relying on me to fix their problems) even with a good and sturdy relationship with my parents it is hard to rely on them. Greg treating Steven as other and handing him off to beings who have never had to raise a child in their life, was completely neglectful in my opinion. I don't hate Greg, but I can say he made a LOT of unforgivable (imo) parenting mistakes. Every time a conflict arises between Steven and Greg, Greg's first response is "you're a gem" which yknow is like when a lady gets depressed as fuck or angry and then someone goes "oh well it's your period" do you THINK periods should make me want to hurt myself?! LMAO

[@tntsonic7482]

Ngl you've given me a new appreciation for this episode. When I first saw it I was confused and couldn't tell if I liked it or hated it. But youre explanation makes perfect sense

[@agaybooknerd]

I feel like Steven did have a right to be annoyed. He didn’t want authoritarian parents he wanted structure and a house. Bare minimum stuff like doctors appointments school and other stuff. Greg’s parents were horrible but Greg let the gems take care of him more than him which gave Steven a disconnect from his human side and yearn for what he was never given.

[@bloodyrose1995]

Thank you! Someone has finally expressed how I feel about this episode! I’ve seen so many people criticize Steven and his behavior and just wondered “did you even understand why he feels and does those things?” it seems like even a lot of fans are expecting Steven to remain the most stable character in the show that everybody relies on, without even knowing what that has done to Steven mentally. Fantastic review! Beautifully articulated!

[@jaydenc367]

Ya know I just want to say that I find it interesting that you play Mother 3 music in the very beginning of the video as I actually find Steven similar to Lucas in some ways when I think about it.

[@cleopatrak8792]

This actually reminds me of Toph from ATLA She was sheltered and restricted from even making friends but she raised her kids with too much freedom Greg didn’t want to be strict or overbearing but there is such a thing as too much freedom and too much control but Steven didn’t even know how to answer to what grade he was in he had never been to a doctor normal things he didn’t even get a chance to do.

[@AveryLiberg]

I'm relate to Steven so much that it hurts. It was especially difficult to hear the part with "you're a gem, you couldn't have a normal childhood" as a person who was constantly told that he is "not like other children" :'> Biggest kin ever, unfortunately

[@SpecialInterestShow]

What annoys me is if Greg knows his parents were messed up, why isn't he seeking therapy? Like, my guy, you can literally afford so much therapy now! Get therapy and talk to your therapist about how to best interact with and help your kid! Do something, dude! Read more parenting books for Christ's sake! Anything! Aaaaaa I like Greg I just wish he'd tried a little harder! For example, he knows full well he can only support the human stuff when it comes to his son, for the most part. Talk to the gems! Pressure them to educate you on gem stuff so that you can better understand that side of your kid! Like I get that the gems wouldn't have been the healthiest or clearest minded teachers and were still reeling from Rose's death but, still! He supported Steven's human side just fine. But he just kinda didn't try to understand the other half of Steven's life that much, it felt like

[@YouthRightsRadical]

Because the gems just had so much respect for Greg's opinion that he had any leverage to "pressure" them with... Steven was effectively kidnapped by a collection of powerful alien superbeings who, were they so inclined, could teleport away to the farthest corners of the earth and keep Greg from ever seeing Steven again. And there would be absolutely nothing he could do about it. We see quite clearly in several episodes that the gems, particularly Pearl, had zero respect for Greg as a person and that he has zero ability to influence them in any way, shape, or form. It gets better over the course of the series, but Greg's only crime was being too weak to fight off alien warriors and resigning himself to being a more distant presence in his child's life in order to be in that child's life at all. Look at the episode where he gets a broken leg. He wants to live with Steven and be more of a father to him, but is actively prevented from it, to the point he has to fake a major injury in order to be allowed to live with his son. And he's treated as the bad guy in that episode for undermining Steven's confidence in his powers. It is always so frustrating to see toxic gender roles being enforced by people who should know better. Greg isn't an invincible male action hero so he is to be reviled for doing what he can with the limited power he has. Because if he isn't fighting off indestructible alien superbeings singlehandedly it's only because he isn't trying.

[@lucyvazzz]

I remember when this ep came out EVERYONE was bashing Greg on social media for not being a good dad. And while yes, he was often not a good parent to Steven, the way people completely ignored all of Greg’s past and lived experience saddened me. He was far from perfect, but he really did try to give Steven the life he wanted growing up and I think that counts for something

[@TheEarthforge]

Very nice analysis! I'm so glad to find video essays that actually like Steven Universe. You have a relaxing way of speaking, editing, and a good structure for your script. Your analysis reminded me of another fascinating aspect to the argument between Steven and Greg at the end of the episode. The linchpin is Steven's line "they [Greg's parents] can't be worse than mom's family, I went halfway across the galaxy for them". "Growing Pains" is Steven's first realization that his experiences growing up are likely the reason he's having problems now. While half of that is because of decisions made and not made by his guardians and mom, the other half was his own choice. He threw himself into fixing problems not just because of wanting to help people, but because he wanted *family*. "Together Breakfast", trying to bond with Uncle Andy, and his appeals to the Diamonds ("we're family" in the wedding episode and his realization in "Familiar" that the Diamonds were showing similar family dysfunction to the Gems that maybe he could repair) all were out of his desperate desire for family. So there's this implicit question, would I be messed up now if I had known about my human family and could have had their support, maybe then I wouldn't have felt so driven to repair the Diamonds and screw up my life. This question is built on a faulty premise that Greg's family would have been possible to repair, but has the kernel of truth that Steven recognizes that his resolve to fix the Diamonds led to his current PTSD. Simultaneously, Greg hears that Steven is trying to find himself and relates, but the way that Greg found himself was the exact opposite. Steven is seeking relief from the extraordinary situations and wants to explore the ordinary, but Greg wanted to escape the ordinary to explore the extraordinary. That's why the song "Mr Universe" is so inspiring for Greg, who went from a child of authoritarian parents to a rock star who had the love of a literal alien princess.

[@RoseProseFroze]

I too really like Steven Universe Future and never quite understtod why people were so miffed about it.

[@MusiKube_]

another banger video from AmpleSamuel, huge congrats on 10K!!! legitimately one of my favourite channels on the site as of late

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you so much !!

[@Mightymajin]

This is honestly my favorite episode of Future, because it explains so much about Greg and his choices, for better and for worse.

[@ashamatronichow2226]

I’ve only watched Steven Universe Future once, I’ve never seen any of the episodes twice because it was just so uncomfortable to watch. Watching Steven break down and not addressing it was just really hard to see, and at the time I just wanted what I watched to make me happy since things weren’t that great for me and I didn’t really want to admit that to myself either. So I watched it as fast as possible to get to the end and then just never touched it again. But the more I hear about what that season was trying to say the more I realized it might have something valuable to say for me personally. I’m not saying that I’ve got through anything even remotely as bad, but I just think I could find some comfort and relatability in what’s left after years of a certain situation and finding yourself without it, or how you don’t always have to be the person you felt you had to be in that situation everywhere else. And who knows, maybe I’ll go back to it after I’ve got some licensed therapy under my belt

[@sexypancake1]

Great video! I recently re-watched the entire series, so it’s been interesting to check out videos like yours that do deep dives on certain episodes or themes. I enjoyed this a lot.

[@darure]

I wonder if the creators just "kinda forgot" about the fact that they had a whole song where Greg became a millionare (for his OWN work), and the first thing he did was offer to put Steven through college, and he refused, saying he's with the gems all the time. No, I don't think Steven getting so angry here makes any sense canonically at all. Stuff like letting Steven experience dangerous situations can be a worthy conversation... But what set Steven off is that Greg didn't want to spend his life loading off his toxic parents???

[@twindrill2852]

I mean, keep in mind that he was still a child at the time and likely didn’t process that he really did need human education at that moment. A lot of Future has to deal with him growing up, both physically and mentally, and how that affects his past and current life choices.

[@demi-femme4821]

I always loved the titular song. I wish there was an extended version of it for the soundtrack.

[@ii8thecookies]

I havent been around that kong but I've enjoyed a lot of your videos so far. Totally deserve 10k subs and much, much more than that. Keep up the videos, man.

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you !

[@gototheend1139]

Future is my favorite part of su, personally i think because the main series divorces the main plot from the town episodes, the epiloge series needing to be so economical with its story, can make these episodic adventures tie into each other and the main aspect of steven coming to terms with himself and his path in life, if the town was more involved or he remembered what he learned or was doing it for the connections he made, i think the filler episodes wouldn't be so poorly rated

[@RedBoi1337]

I enjoyed Future a lot, but I still prefer the original series

[@MissyMona]

I wish we'd be honest enough about Greg to remember that, he had a kid with a space alien who is immortal and knew she'd die. He knew that his son would still have a broken life. Gems or no gems because it was an active decision. But the show conveniently doesn't want you to think of that they treat it like Pink was the only one who abandoned or had an active role. And only Pearl is the one who acknowledges that it's messed up but from a very different perspective. While I can /see/ that Greg's childihood had struggles and that authoritarian parents are extremely hard. Growing up in a van, having to behave like a parent yourself and having a parent that can't be responsible for anything is still abuse. Neglect? Is abuse. And even when his son is literally having a break down he still doesn't know what to do to connect with him.

[@FuzzyPanda962]

This video is great! Excellent disecction of the episode and analysis of both character's perspectives. Espeically appreciate the discussion of the titular song and Greg's repsonse to the car crash. Although it does remind me why I'm still not ready to go back to Steven Universe Future. I always related very strongly to Steven, since the first episode aired, and Future *really* got to me. It emphasizes a lot anxieties and insecurities that I have, and I forgot about some of these shared issues around parenting my parents. So I think I'll give it a little while longer going to therapy irl before I try going back in for Future 😅

[@rosegirl3220]

They still kept the letters though instead of just throwing them away. It's not much but it's something

[@bruhmcbro2704]

This is honestly my favorite episode, and it's not talked about a lot, so im glad you're covering it!!

[@kklondikke9019]

i really liked this video!! this episode is one of the best in SUF. Even when it was coming out and receiving so much hate i immediately felt a connection to the series and stevens struggles and development. im looking forward to any other vids you do about SUF !

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you !

[@flamboyant_wolf]

I love Future too! it's a pretty great epilog series.

[@meanya4687]

For a show about alien rocks, this show and this epilogue season... hit some of the realest points in any show ever. Like... there are SO MANY parents who do the exact same shit; their parents are too much of one thing, so they swing to the other extreme with their own kids. My own father's parents were extremely strict, his father being distant, using physical discipline and perhaps even being verbally abusive, downplaying his dreams and who he was... He always tried to be the exact opposite of this with me and my siblings. Sometimes in supporting us though he let us get away with a little too much, tried to be supportive by helicoptering a little... It's so, so hard to find a balance between strict and careless, authoritarian and neglectful. This episode shows that dynamic so incredibly well.

[@caintrips]

banger takes as usual

[@AmpleSamuel]

❤️

[@SaiScribbles]

Hello fellow Future apologist! I adore this episode, the entire sequence in Greg's parents' house is a masterclass in visual storytelling. And I liked that we did get to pull the curtain back on Greg a bit because there has always been something enigmatic about him and his past under the "good fun dad" persona. I love your read on why the song effected Greg and has no effect on Steven. For me when I watched this episode I was just like oh god I get that feeling of fruitlessly trying to impart how a song makes you feel onto someone else.

[@Archaesinthewrongroom]

One thing you may have overlooked about the letters, yes they were unopened, but also they were stored away neatly in their own draw and had been preserved all this time. Along side that, Gregs room is exactly as he left it. If his parents didn't care about him they would have thrown away or destroyed the letters and thrown out his stuff or sold it so they could repurpose the room, but they didn't. They kept all their memories of him perfectly as they were, even the pictures of him around the house. I think they cared about him but didn't want to know about his life after he'd left them, his leaving hurt them but they didn't want to know if he'd changed in anyway, that way they could continue to remember him as he was. One major thing to note about with the letters is they're sent from Greg Universe, not Greg Demayo, so they know he changed his name. I have a feeling it hurt them that Greg not only ran away, but changed his family name, which to them would feel like he was completely rejecting them. I will note that Greg hadn't seen the letters, only Steven did, meaning that Steven likely saw that they kept the letters as a symbol that they cared about him. Along side all the Greg stuff around the house. This would colour Stevens perspective differently to Greg, who likely only saw his parents as people who didn't care enough to even write him back.

[@morganjoe2804]

Honestly, there comes a point where sometimes parents don't have the answers and the answer might never be answered or enough.

[@lowestoflows2]

The detail of the letters being UNOPENED is so crucial. Steven and a lot of viewers failed to notice and understand it.

[@lil_soulo8402]

So glad you did this one found u on mr.Greg stuck ever since keep it up and this jus another amazing video with the others

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you!

[@doriancarter964]

One thing I love to point out with this episode; as dear old dad finishes you might notice something: it’s just Steven’s part. Greg’s part of the song reflecting on just how important Steven is to him is missing foreshadowing the way that Greg wouldn’t actually listen to what Steven needed later on

[@piffny6666]

11:04 this scene was probably my favorite in this episode because steven got so upset that his upbringing wasnt as conventional as it could have been (along with a bunch of other reasons) but the responsible thing for greg to have done was to tell him exactly what you say in this video but also...yell at hom for the van. Later on in the series steven mentions (during his breakdown) that he crashed his dads car at the same time steven mentions that hes done horrible things and "goten away with it for so long". Steven wanted what greg had and if greg had crashed his dads car he would have been scolded and thats what steven needed, not to be yelled at exactly but to be shown that his dad is a responsible adult he can rely on. When steven realise that he cant rely on greg during this time of his life he deletes his photo.

[@CarlytheWolf23]

Kinda makes me wonder if Steven will ever go meet his grandparents, and more of his father's side. As I have a similar situation with my dad's father, though not even my dad knew him as he left the picture early in my dad's life, being that he was 18 when my dad was born, and yeah abandoning your kid isn't exactly ideal, I at the very least could see how overwhelming that could be from a teenagers perspective, I'm 20 rn so I'm only freshly out of my teenage and I can sympathize for that specific situation. My dad never had his dad growing up, and his mom was working all the time, and his older sister was already pretty much an adult as she was 11 when he was born. I desperately want to learn more about that side of my family, only knowing bits from my grandmother, as again my dad doesn't know nor does he want to, as understandably, why would he when his dad didn't want anything to do with him, it does however seem that my grandfather had matured by the time of his death, as all his family stated in his obituary how much a good father, brother and overall great guy he was in stark contrast of what I heard my dad say about him. Even when family from that side reached out to my dad, he refused to give his father any validation by reconnecting to that side of his family, even stating that his father wouldn't even deserve having his grave being pissed on, thats how much his departure affected my dad, and I can still see effects of it today, he doesn't understand family relationships to the degree like my mom does with her mom and her dad to some extent. I mean yeah this is an entirely different situation than what Steven and Greg are going through, but you could definitely see how I could relate and wonder if Steven would reach out to that side of his family he doesn't know much if anything about it, as it is the same with me, I don't know anything hardly at all, but instead of my dad withholding info like Greg did, my dad just simply doesn't even know himself, but in contrast Greg does seem to try and reconnect rather then close them out, but that comes with the differences of the relationship between them and their parents. I honestly don't know whether my dad knows what he's doing anymore for the future, he seems lost, but doesn't know how to express his what he's going through, and even if he did know how to, he probably wouldn't as he feels personally that he's too far gone to be helped, too broken to be fixed, his words in response to being recommended to going to therapy. I'm in a sort of similar vein of being unsure what to do in life now that my childhood is over and I feel lost to a degree, but I feel that might be normal with most people who's just gotten into their 20's or who are at the age of being able to move out of their guardian's house legally. I hope I can someday reach out to that family, as honestly, I can't hold them like that just because of someone else's actions, and even then, the guy's dead, so how would he even enjoy seeing his granddaughter reconnect to his family if he's not around anymore, though maybe I'm able to do it easier due to me being atheist, and not being sure of an afterlife existing, and well, I'm only secondhand affected by my grandfather's actions, my father got the forefront of it, and I even though my dad isn't perfect, I at least still had him and he never tried hurting me or my siblings deliberately, so I had a far more stable childhood comparatively to both my parents as my mom had to deal with a nasty divorce between her parents, and it greatly affected her relationship with her dad, but has recently begun to reconnect and their relationship has gotten better within the past couple years, I just hope my dad can also heal in some way for the better.

[@AtlasTorment]

I remember I saw one of your Steven Universe videos before like a year ago, and couldn't help but think; "Huh, this guy explains everything so well and gives his opinion on stuff". Then a year later (which is right now) I find this video on my recommended. I loved every bit of it, and I'm planning on watching all your past videos and future ones. Consider yourself with a new subscriber!

[@AmpleSamuel]

thank you so much !

[@AtlasTorment]

@@AmpleSamuel No, thank yourself for your incredible content! Watching your "We Need To Talk" video rn! That's one of my favorite episodes.

[@mason4615]

Awesome take, i enjoy content like this

[@ZDoreTyr]

You’re perspective at 8:16 was very impactful - I totally agree 💯

[@newtzyy]

I completely forgot how moving this episode was, especially with Steven deleting the photo in the end, that's heartbreaking omg

[@jenniferdaly6819]

I love how this episode does a great job highlighting Greg’s biggest character flaw in a way that doesn’t cause you to hate him. We are given context as to why he was a lot more loose with raising Steven, as he didn’t want his son to experience the same type of mental torment he got from his authoritarian parents. He was never allowed until he took the steps to leave home to truly be himself, and thought that by taking a more hands off approach to raise his son, he was giving Steven the good childhood he lacked. However, in the process, Greg accidentally gave Steven a different type of neglect, not being able to see that Steven was as traumatized as he was with the burden of being a half gem. It makes sense that Steven snapped, believing Greg basically abandoned him to deal with his trauma alone. Greg is put rightfully in the wrong by the writers of the episode, but Steven’s view of his dad was at the same time muddied by a lack of context towards what his father truly experienced. You don’t hate Greg for making the mistakes he did in raising Steven despite this, as he was genuinely tried to give his son a good life.

[@soledadcafeinada]

i eagerly await the introduction of the fionna and cake series to the ampleverse. let’s goooooo