Steven Universe Season 6 plans

Full Disclosure: I pretty much dropped Steven Universe after Season 4. So I'm pretty much out of the loop as to what happened up until the finale. I may check Season 5 eventually if I feel like it.

On the Steven Universe podcast, creator Rebecca Sugar, co-Executive Producers Kat Morris and Joe Johnston, writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, and former Executive Producer Ian Jones-Quartey discuss about plans for Season 6 of Steven Universe.

Below are some highlights of the podcast:
- The episode starts with the rainbow worm in Steven’s dream, who is voiced by Deedee. This is the last homage to the princess references in the arc. The worm is from the Kyanite colony and was brought to Homeworld by Pink, which Blue allowed, but then Pink released all worms in the ballroom. Rebecca mentions this links with Pink’s desire to be free by releasing animals from their colonies.

- This specific princess reference was to Jasmine (in Aladdin) opening the cage and allowing the birds to fly free. It was also a reference to Pink’s love of animals and wanting to set them free, which isn’t out of character for Steven either.

- For Diamond Days, they picked the most common princess tropes for Steven’s time on Homeworld and made this experience alienating for him.

- Rebecca states that the Diamonds are meant to exist as a body- the inspiration for the ship. Pink is the Id, Blue and Yellow are the Ego, and White is the Super Ego. This is represented in Change Your Mind where the collective mind experiences embarrassment when the Id demands they enjoy something.

- Kat admits that they came up with the new outfits by continuously emailing each other with ideas. Rebecca said they considered everything but there were some concepts that they really wanted, for example, Rainbow 2.0 would have a scarf and a jacket. It was important either way that the fusions would notably have Steven’s clothes and the gems. However, the fusions would hint at the new forms and Pearl didn’t end up having a scarf, but she did have the jacket. Later, McKenzie asked if the jacket was a throwback to Bad Pearl and Rebecca confirmed that it represented her independence.

- One of Garnet’s new designs included transparent glasses and Peridot’s glasses in the shape of a star. Kat came up with the idea for the shredded shorts and star pockets for Amethyst.

- All of the new outfits represent how the gems have changed and learned from Steven.

- Rebecca mentioned that Pearl has been ‘playing the field’ and ‘exploring who she is’, which started in Last One Out of Beach City.

- Lapis has gold accents on her new outfit to match the real-life gem stone. Kat said that Rebecca really wanted the sandals for Lapis and it makes for comfortable cosplay.

- Joe said that he enjoyed a lot of Garnet’s new designs. Most ideas were based off superheroes and had a more ‘nightly’ aspect.

- They confirmed that they tried Peridot’s new design with star hair but it was too much. Rebecca said that the glasses already change her silhouette and expose her gem more.

- Peridot also has boots this time. Before, she had socks because she used to wear limb enhancers.

- Mary Poppins and Bert were the inspiration for Rainbow 2.0. These concepts were made by Joe around 2-3 years ago. Sunstone was a newer concept.

- Rebecca said that all Garnet fusions can break the fourth wall, but with Steven, it would break it to give advice to children. The suction cups are also a combination of Steven’s shield and Garnet’s gauntlets. When creating Sunstone, Rebecca wanted her to look like a toy that you could stick in the back window of a car with suction cups.

- Alistair James auditioned for Rainbow 2.0 by doing an impression of his grandmother with a British accent. Rebecca said that Shoniqua was perfect and she knew immediately that she wanted her for Sunstone. She sounded exactly like how Miki Brewster pitched her.

- For Obsidian, they’d had her concept from the very beginning since she was shown as the temple. It was a hidden in sight visual that would eventually pay off.

- Obsidian’s sword is in the ocean, which is a part of the temple. It’s first seen in Bubble Buddies and seen again in Ocean Gem when the ocean is cleared. The sword design changed over time to ensure that all the Crystal Gem’s weapons could fit into the design.

- The earliest inspiration for White Diamond is traced back to the beginning of the show. She was inspired by the film ‘A Story of Menstruation’, which was made in 1946. It was a film by Disney played in schools to teach children what to expect in menstruation, and the narrator’s voice was a kindly older woman. Rebecca said that she found the designs really interesting and cute.

- From the film, the inspiration came from a scene where a woman cried into her arms but in the reflection of her mirror, she straightens up and starts smiling before going out dancing. The narrator says: “Don’t forget that people are around you and you’ll have to be more pleasant if you want people to like you”. The scene passes by and it ignores that fact that the woman was crying earlier, because she’s now seen being ‘correct’. This is the voice and the feeling that she went for with White Diamond and Homeworld.

- Homeworld is inspired by Busby Berkeley, and White is inspired by Hedy Lamarr in Ziegfeld Girl and Nell Brinkley drawings, all within an era where women were seen as beautiful pieces of furniture. Rebecca states: Women are like lamps, smiling and there, part of the scenery. It all originates from the idea that people thought it was lovely and seen as an escape from reality.

- Those early inspirations were also used for the wall gems- the idea that people are in the background as if turned to stone and function solely as architecture. These faces we see in the architecture are gems and that’s their function.

- White has always been associated as a mother, especially in terms of her storyline with Steven in this arc, and how gems are viewed as her children. This arc wanted to being to explore her relationship with them.

- Rebecca says that White’s way of thinking is that she is everyone and everyone is her. She considers herself the default white light that passes through other gems, so when she sees gems absorb other colours from that light, she considers it a variation of her but lesser. In that way, she has no identity at all because she considers herself just light. She feels that people can be turned into her because they are all the same.

- Rebecca also stated that White is wrong about how she views the world and herself. It’s an antithesis to Rose’s journey- expression and repression. She lives in a delusion that everything is fine but it isn’t.

- Matt and Ben said that the whole episode was balanced by ensuring that every single character got their moment. It was an accumulation of ideas from over the years that they tried to fit into one episode, such as Amethyst greeting Jasper after she was uncorrupted. They felt they did everything they wanted to do before they left.

- All past episodes, especially for Diamond Days, were made to build up to the scene with White and Steven where she pulled out his gem. Mirror Gem is the first time they introduce the concept that a sentient gem can be trapped inside an object and that object is Steven. They’ve been planting hints that Pink may be trapped inside him ever since.

- From the beginning, they’ve wanted there to be doubt that Steven was his own person and have the audience question if Pink/Rose could still be alive. Even when the gem was pulled out, they still wanted the viewer to doubt if he was Steven. They planted enough hints that the viewer would think it could go either way.

- Between the crew, the hottest debates were about the storyline between Steven and Rose/Pink, about who Steven would be if they were separated. One of the most recent arguments was about Steven’s gem self and the fact he was devoid of any feeling, that there was none at all. That emotion came from Steven.

- Rebecca had planned the split perspective scene since the start of development and storyboarded it early in the process. It’s still from Steven’s point of view. Ian noted that if the show wasn’t completely from his perspective, it wouldn’t work. The split perspective was to also represent how torn and disoriented Steven was in that moment.

- Pink Steven is him as a default. If you take away his personality and emotion, he is empty. He’s been separated from his humanity and all that’s left is power. There have been nods to this in the past by showing how his power is greater because of his humanity and his capacity to love.

- Ian said that Rebecca has always had the idea of the final confrontation being about Steven’s relationship with his powers and that connection showing who he really is. Steven wants that human side of him, even if it slows him down, because it’s what makes him who he is.

- The scene of Steven returning to himself was originally written for episode 10. It was going to be a part of Giant Woman where they establish fusion.

- Rebecca confirms that James Baxter animated the scene where Steven reunites with Pink Steven. She met him by doing a drawing for his daughter’s birthday.

- The fusion sequence with the two Stevens was the ultimate princess trope- a rotating dancing scene specifically boarded by James Baxter. He completed the whole sequence himself apart from the inking.

- Ian mentioned that he wanted the uncorrupted gems scene for a long time. He said they always knew the arc would come back to the corrupted gems as that was the original conflict of the series, but now they finally get to see it through.

- On top of that, Ian went through every single episode that had a corrupted gem and designed their healed versions, while Rebecca added some of the quartz designs. He mentioned that the longer they were in their ‘monster’ form, the more they will look like that form, even when they’re healed. That’s why several of the healed gems look more like their original designs.

- Rebecca added that Ian helped with the fusion designs and their sequence, as that was a wishlist moment for him. He wanted Steven to fuse with all the gems in a row.

- Ian said that he had been most excited about Rainbow 2.0 and that Colin Howard had done most of the groundwork already.

- Rainbow is they/them and he/him, and Sunstone is they/them and she/her.

- Rainbow 2.0 is mixed with Pearl’s properness and Steven’s pension for making jokes. Rainbow 2.0 loves to make puns and is a throwback to Steven’s puns in the earlier series. In the episode, Ian also came up with the idea that RQ 2.0 could ride their umbrella and have a rainbow shoot out of the end- a reference to Pearl being able to shoot lasers out of her spear.

- With Sunstone and Rainbow 2.0, they wanted to be able to show common traits in Sardonyx. The break in the fourth wall comes from Garnet. but loving to hear themselves talk comes from Pearl. Steven enables the both of them to embrace their silly sides.

- The ship foot falling on them was a slight reference to Monty Python but also a reference to the giant foot mentioned in Arcade Mania.

- Rebecca stated that the song Change Your Mind was not written for the show, but a personal song she wrote while fighting for the wedding arc. She was hesitant at first to include it.

- Change Your Mind isn’t for the end of the Steven Universe franchise but for this arc, Ian mentions. He adds that even though it was written for the process of including the wedding, it perfectly captures the theme of the show. As a coming of age story, Rebecca notes that this is something that had to happen for Steven to start making decisions for himself.

· Rebecca also admits it has been hard to write for Steven because he always puts others before himself. It’s always about what others want and what he thinks they want. However, he finally comes to a realization in this arc that he doesn’t have to be anyone else other than himself or pamper to other’s expectations.

· Ian states that this arc was incredibly important for Steven’s development, in terms of who he is, who he thinks he is, and who others believe him to be. Moving forward, everything will be different from Steven’s perspective. There’s going to be more but it will have changed, because Steven has changed.

Some Cartoon Network Rumors

A little bird told me about these, but take them with a grain of salt as they are all unconfirmed rumors:

- Infinity Train is greenlit but production will not occur until creator Owen Dennis finishes his contract with TBS as he is working with JG Quintel on Close Enough.

- Pilots for Infinity Train as well as Victor and Valentino are said to be being done in the same office that developed the CN Minisodes.

- There is a delay in producing the Apple and Onion series due to conflicts of interest with its creator.

- OK KO is now producing episodes for Season 2.

- Despite the hate towards the PPG Reboot, it is well received in other countries and merchandise sales are said to be satisfactory, which is enough to give it a 2nd Season. The same goes with the Ben 10 reboot.

- Production on episodes for Steven Universe is on halt for a time due to a plan on creating a Musical-themed TV movie. Sugar and the staff are back at work. The series is said to last for a grand total of 9 seasons.

- CN is planning to be more active in social media by making deals with content creators and fandoms of various series. So expect Youtubers making promotional content for Steven Universe, of which CN will be prioritizing.

Again, these are UNCONFIRMED rumors.

OK, K.O. Episode 1 Screenshots and Preview

Here are the images and the first 2 minutes of the debut episode of OK, KO - Let's Be Heroes, from former Steven Universe Director Ian Jones-Quartey.

Screenshots:

Click Here for 2-Min Preview

Steven Universe - Wanted Review

Last week, Cartoon Network USA aired the 5th (and possibly final) season premiere of Steven Universe. As part of the promotion, the first four episodes of the 5th season premiered under the "Wanted" event. Unlike the Stevenbomb events where viewers watch a week of new episodes, "Wanted" aired the first four on the same day. Another reason for this is that Lars plays a major role in this story arc.

The first episode, "Stuck Together" was actually leaked weeks before the broadcast premiere and it continued where the last season left off. As Steven remains under the custody of Topaz and Aquamarine, he runs into Lars, who was hiding in the ship the entire time. During their captivity, Lars confessed that his insecurities and cowardice got the better of him and ditched his arrival to the pot luck with Buck Dewey and the Kool Kids before he was captured (uhhh, what a waste of that delicious Ube Cake...).

 Steven for his part revealed his insecurities with the responsibility left to him by his mother. Steven and Lars's conversation leads to a sentimental moment between the two, which got Topaz to finally speak and sympathize with them. Topaz tries to help them escape, but was stopped by Aquamarine.

"The Trial" is as the name implies, where Steven is put on trial for crimes committed by Rose Quartz. We are introduced to the Zircons - gems whose primary purpose is to act as attorneys. Steven is given a Blue Zircon to act as his defense attorney, while the Diamonds serve as Judge and Jury.

During the trial, Yellow Diamond was very eager to end it quickly and have Steven executed. (I know it's supposedly "shattered", but let's not put up with the word game charade. We all know Yellow Diamond wants Steven dead)

Blue Diamond, however, constantly intervenes as she wants to know the details regarding Pink Diamond's death by Rose, demanding Steven, who claims he is Rose, to provide answers. So the revelation is that Pink Diamond's death is part of a grand conspiracy regarding the Diamonds themselves, with Rose framed to take the fall. The Blue Zircon presents this, which got Yellow Diamond furious and poofs her, along with the Green Zircon who was the prosecutor. As Blue Diamond restrains Yellow Diamond for the latter's outburst, Steven and Lars made their escape.

It was clear from this episode that Yellow Diamond was the mastermind behind the conspiracy and set up Pink Diamond for her death, then pinning the blame on Rose Quartz. It gives merit to Yellow Diamond wanting Earth to be swallowed up by the Cluster, so to speak, as it will remove any traces of evidence that lead to her pulling the strings. The motive for this is a mystery for now, but we can theorize that Pink Diamond may have the same feelings as Rose Quartz in which the inhabitants of Earth are worth protecting and not to be transformed into a gem cluster.

In "Off-Colors", as Steven and Lars flee from the drones that are hunting them down, they are taken in by the 'Off-Colors'. To put it more bluntly, the Off-Colors are gem rejects that are deemed as outcasts within Homeworld and are to be shattered on sight. The Off-Colors remain in hiding for thousands of years, in fear of the Homeworld Gems, something Lars could relate to.

Eventually, the drones arrive to attack Steven and the Off-Colors. But Lars, being human with no gems, cannot be detected by the drones. In a rare feat of showing courage, Lars takes down the drones, but was killed after destroying the last one.

Now this would've been quite a shocker seeing an on-screen death of a character. But this is Steven Universe. And as with the unwritten rules regarding American animation for kids, Lars's death is not a permanent one. In fact, he's been dead for just a full minute! Besides, the next episode is titled "Lars's Head", so that's a giveaway already.

Anyhow, Steven's healing powers allowed his tears to revive Lars, though the latter was brought back with his skin color changed completely - pink. At this point, everything is predictable within seconds. Lars is basically the same as Lion, with their hair serving as a gateway to a another dimension. Steven would be able to return to Earth by going inside Lars's hair, and out through Lion's mane.

So Lion, for his part, was a pet that Rose adored, and when he died under unknown circumstances, Rose revived him, and used his mane to store some of her valuables.

Lars made the resolve to remain in Homeworld to serve as a bridge between the planet and Earth, while Steven makes his way home. The Off-Colors, being offered a chance to go to Earth with Steven, chose to stay with Lars to guide him around Homeworld. Steven returns home to reunite with the Crystal Gems, Greg, and Connie, just as they also arrived home via the Warp Pad.

As of this recording, 132 of the planned 156 or so episodes have been aired. This means there are 24 episodes left in this series unless Cartoon Network announced it has ordered a new of episodes. But give that the CN Upfront has already passed, and there are 24 episodes left, and we heard nothing from Cartoon Network or the staff of Steven Universe so far, the chances of a Season 6 are very, very slim.

The way the first four episodes of the 5th Season are presented, these final 24 episodes will be pretty much story-based, with probably a few breaks here and there. It would be weird if the next episode is Steven going off on a random slice-of-life episode, given what has happened. How would everyone react, especially Sadie, upon learning what happened with Lars? What are they going to do now that they can go to Homeworld directly? Exactly what is Yellow Diamond's grand plan? We can expect these and more to come up much sooner than we think...

...episode-wise of course. The show is once again on another hiatus, which is expected and has been the norm for Cartoon Network. Personally, I hope it goes back to the weekly format and enough with the Stevenbombs as it only makes the lifespan of the show much shorter than it already is. Cartoon Network should only look at Adult Swim and how the final season of Samurai Jack was so successful, airing 10 episodes on a weekly basis.

As for this "Wanted" event, the 4-episode premiere is a great start for this season, and a great follow up from the last one. Honestly I find no problems with it other than something new viewers should not jump in unless the watched the previous seasons to catch up. While some may be disappointed that this arc is focused on Lars rather than Steven, I personally find his character development great.

Looking back, Lars from the beginning was very mean to Steven, but as the series progresses, the two do become friends, and Steven is the one who Lars opens up to. Some may probably go for a Steven x Lars ship at this point. I've already seen fan shippings of Steven with other male characters (as very few as they are in this show), so eh, why not?

Anyhow, expect more revelations and resolutions from Steven and the gang in their conflict against Homeworld as this series continues. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give Steven Universe's "Wanted" event, a 4 out of 5.

Steven Universe Season 4 Finale Review

So the latest round of episodes of Steven Universe is airing this week on Cartoon Network in the US. I did post some previews of the episodes on my Toon Inferno blog, and personally I wasn't that much impressed, and even dare I say it made me lose interest even more in the show than it already had. I made a video giving my thoughts on my current standing with Steven Universe back in April, with the link in the video description so you can see for yourself.

In any event, I did watched the latest Stevenbomb episodes anyway, which is now available on the Cartoon Network app, with my expectation bar set virtually to the bottom. Hopefully these episodes are good enough that it restored my confidence in the show. As I said earlier, my review of these episodes will contain spoilers, so last chance to back out right now.

We begin with the episode "Lion 4: Alternate Ending", which was actually uploaded to the Cartoon Network's On-Demand service weeks ago, but was quickly pulled out - Not until the fans already saw the whole thing. Now it's back up.

To recap, Steven is obsessed in finding his true purpose for being around, and searches for clues in the video message Rose left him. This led him to a wild goose chase until he stumbles across another tape titled "For Nora". As the title of the episode suggests, "For Nora" is an alternate version of Rose's video to Steven in the event that Steven was born instead as a girl. Basically, everything Steven has done in this episode is indeed just one wild goose chase that's all for nothing, and this has some fans upset on the show's progress in the narrative. At the very least, Steven learns that rather than being born as some sort of grand scheme Rose cooked up, he was born simply as Rose's son and to live and grow like any other human being, nothing more.

Given that Steven is actually in his teens, I expected that he would've been smart enough to figure out about the Nora tape, rather than let Greg explain it to him. Then again, since his shape-shifting powers allow him to control his age, and he changed himself to be as old as Connie, I'm guessing this may have affected his noggin as well.

Now that I mentioned it, I do remember a conversation on how Steven's height varies episode by episode, mainly due to the way he is designed by each storyboarder. So the birthday episode was likely a way to explain it by saying Steven intentionally or unintentionally changes his height (it unfortunately doesn't explain the other characters, though).

In "Doug Out", Steven, Connie, and Doug Maheswaran investigate some strange happenings going on in Beach City Funland. After a series of rather painful situations for Mr. Maheswaran, they eventually found Onion and deduced him as the intruder, despite the latter showing gestures implying it wasn't him. Doug would let Onion off the hook and the trio returned home before Onion is taken by the real intruders.

Until this episode, Doug Maheswaran wasn't given much focus as a character. So this is a good way to know more about him. Despite being a security guard, Doug is almost like the show's version of Disney's Goofy, who wants to experience the same kind of adventures as Steven has. It does make me wonder how he and Priyanka, Connie's mother, hooked up given their distinct personalities.

I had three issues with the episode. The first, which a very minor one, is that I had a hard time listening to Crispin Freeman as Doug Maheswaran. American anime fans will remember Freeman as the voice of Itachi in Naruto, Alucard in Hellsing, and Zelgadis in Slayers. He also provided the voice of Roy Harper in Young Justice, and recently, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. I guess I find Freeman's voice somehow doesn't quite fit with Doug.

The second, which was my biggest issue, is that throughout the second half of the episode, Steven does his Mario impersonation. Comedy isn't Steven Universe's strongest trait, and this is one of them. The fact that Steven continued his impersonation throughout the 2nd half has made it less funny, and more irritating.

The third is the plot hole at the end. How could Steven, Connie, and Doug leave Onion by himself in Funland when they left? Sure, Onion can be quite scary at times, but he's still around kindergarten or younger and it's baffling for the trio to just left him there instead of giving him the ride home. I'm aware the writing staff wanted Onion to be captured, but surely they could've done a much better job writing a scenario that would make Onion reach that point.

Next up is "The Good Lars". In this episode, Lars is showing off his baking skills when he, Sadie, and Steven are invited to a potluck by Buck Dewey. Lars, being who he is, doesn't show that he can bake. But he is encouraged by Sadie and Steven to show it off at the potluck. In what is perhaps the most unexpected thing I would see in a Steven Universe cartoon, Lars has settled for an Ube Cake Roll. As Lars explains it, Ube is another name for Purple Yams, which are much sweeter than other yams and is known for its distinct purple color. Purple Yam is often used for preparing desserts like cakes and ice cream, and is quite well-known in the Philippines.

I know so, because I have tried the Purple Yam or Ube desserts and let me tell you - It is indeed amazing. Once you dig into it, there is no turning back and you would want more of it. Even Beerus of Dragon Ball Super would be blown away if he tried Purple Yam cake or ice cream, and he and Whis would probably have a fight over it!

Despite all this, Lars has a moment of revealing how insecure he is in showing his baking skills, as he feels that his love of baking doesn't quite mix well with his personality. In other words, Lars doesn't feel "manly" in a sense if he reveals he can do desserts. We get a moment of Steven showing some maturity as he provides words of encouragement for Lars.

At the potluck, everyone but Lars showed up so Steven went out to look for him, only to find he is nowhere to be found and his Ube Cake Roll is in the trash. Steven thinks Lars's insecurity got the better of him, leaving Sadie by herself with Buck and the others, to which she does well. After the party, Steven and Sadie went their separate ways, with Sadie being followed by Onion's kidnappers.

In "Are You My Dad?", the disappearances of Lars, Sadie, and Onion, and Jamie being the latest, has caught Steven's attention. While searching for them, Steven runs into a gem who asks "Are You My Dad?" before flying away. When Steven tells the Crystal Gems and Connie about it, it lead to the only part of this Stevenbomb where I really had a good laugh when the four showed off their drawings based on Steven's description.

The group decides to split up for their search, with Steven and Connie together as a team. During their search they have indeed found the gem, named Aquamarine, who then orders another gem, Topaz, to take Connie while Steven gets stuck in a tree stump for some reason. Topaz is revealed to have Lars and the others trapped in her body. Steven tries to rescue Connie as she is taken, but is quickly taken down by Aquamarine.

The story concludes in "I Am My Mom", when Steven rendezvous with the Crystal Gems and heads back to Beach City Funland. There they encounter Topaz and Aquamarine, who reveal they were sent by Yellow Diamond to capture a number of people known by Steven, with the last one being "my dad". Turns out they were part of a list Steven told Peridot when the two first met and Peridot was still working under Yellow Diamond.

Unable to engage Topaz without harming the others, Steven claims he is the "my dad" on the list to be intentionally captured, so he can use his Bubble powers to escape with everyone. Turns out that was a very bad idea. Nevertheless, Steven did eventually Bubble himself out and a battle ensues. Because they're fighting inside Aquamarine's ship and is already airborne, Steven notes that fusing with Connie will further complicate things. Add to the fact that Steven blames himself for being the catalyst of this incident. Meanwhile, Lars has shown how much an Old Yeller he is by not helping Sadie when she is in trouble, and instead has gone into hiding.

Aquamarine has shown how powerful she is by paralyzing even Alexandrite very easily. Things looking grim, Steven offered himself to be taken again by revealing that he is Rose Quartz, making Aquamarine let everyone go and taking Steven instead as they left for Homeworld. It's worth noting that while Aquamarine has released everyone to take Steven, Lars remains hidden, making him pretty much Steven's only ally and likely play a huge role in the episodes to come.

Not only does this mark the end of the latest Stevenbomb, it also marks the end of the 4th Season. For a long time, we've known that Steven will play a huge role in the current conflict between the Homeworld and Earth, and we have pretty much reached that point. The good news is we won't have to wait that long, as the 5th Season will start May 31st (in the US, of course). The bad news is that there are only 26 episodes left in the series, and as I said in my previous video on Steven Universe, there is no confirmation of a 6th Season. So we can very much see the end of the road for this series.

Quite frankly, I'm satisfied with this Stevenbomb. Other than my issues with the first 2 episodes, Rebecca Sugar and the Steven Universe staff are taking the narrative of the show into full gear. I can expect the 5th Season to be heavily story-based to wrap things up. So yes, this Stevenbomb has indeed restored my confidence in the show.

My favorite episode? Obviously "The Good Lars" because of course, the Purple Yam or Ube Cake Roll. It's both nostalgia, and it's one of my most favorite sweets in the world, and I'd be floating in heaven to be able to have some of it again. Lion 4 is my least favorite, for the obvious reasons.

Looking back, it's hard to believe Season 4 is over and it felt like it passed by so quickly, despite the fact Season 4 started in August of last year and ended just this month. So that's 26 episodes in the span of 10 months. I'll be honest, Season 4 did have some lackluster episodes, while others are forgettable. However, it is balanced out by the good ones like we see in the last two Stevenbombs, and with how this Season ended, it makes it all quite worthwhile.

If you feel bummed with Steven Universe recently, this latest Stevenbomb will restore your confidence, just as much as I did. It's a great Season 4 finale and you don't have to wait long for the next one. I will close this video by giving two ratings - one for the latest Stevenbomb, and one for the 4th Season overall. On a scale of 1 to 5, I give the latest Stevenbomb a 4 out of 5. And for the 4th Season overall, I give it a 3 out of 5.

And seriously, you MUST try the Ube Cake Roll or Ice Cream if you ever managed to get the chance to.

Latest Stevenbomb Previews

Rather than post the images and the 2 min preview for each episode, will only post a few for each episode along with a preview of the respective episode.

Doug Out

Are You My Dad?

The Good Lars

Are You My Mom?

Steven Universe - Out of This World Full Review

The following is a full transcript version of my video for the Steven Universe event "Out of This World"

Hey guys. Ryoga316 here. By next week in the US, Cartoon Network will release its latest Stevenbomb event called "Out of This World". Now I actually watched the bomb in advance when Cartoon Network put it up on their website, and I did use some of the scenes for the JoJo memes. I even made a review that is already done, but it's only now  that I've made a video of it as I've been too busy with everything else, that my review of the latest Steven Universe went to the back burner.

Also when I made this review, Cartoon Network had yet to label the Stevenbomb event as "Out of This World". So I gave it a different name. In any case, it is here. It's ready. And I hope you guys enjoy my review of the Steven Universe event "Out of This World".

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If you are a constant viewer of Cartoon Network in the USA, you will notice that more recently, whenever there is an ad for the latest episode of a particular show, not only did it provide an airdate of when that episode will be on, but also viewers can watch it in advance either by visiting the Cartoon Network website, or the CN App. I do not know what's the marketing strategy behind this, but I would think the goal is to get more kids to get the app or check the website, though I have no idea how will this mean in profits for the network.

In any case, this is Cartoon Network's latest gimmick now, and among the shows you can now watch in advance before the broadcast release, is the latest set of episodes for Steven Universe, also known as "Stevenbomb". These episodes are scheduled to air from January 30th until February 2nd. But for those who simply cannot wait, just visit the website or get the app and you can watch them right away.

Something tells me Cartoon Network decided to do this because they either somehow knew it's going to get leaked eventually so they might as well put it up. Or more diabolically, CN wants to "burn off" these episodes and be done with it for good. Evidence of this points to their promo showing the upcoming episodes of their lineup for 2017. What's missing in the promo are clips for Adventure Time, Steven Universe, even Justice League Action. So again, we have the conspiracy that the top brass of Cartoon Network just doesn't like shows such as Adventure Time and Steven Universe, and wants to get rid of them as soon as possible so they can bring in more shows, like Teen Titans GO, and Mighty Magiswords.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves and just focus mainly on Steven Universe. Instead of reviewing each episode individually, I'm going to review all 5 episodes as a whole. This is mainly because these 5 episodes a built around a single story arc, similar to the mini-series "Stakes" and the upcoming "Islands" from Adventure Time. I would personally call this arc more of a mini-series than as a bomb. While no official title has been given for this arc, for the sake of this review, I will call it "Greg in Space". The title pretty much explains the general plot of this arc.

The mini-series begins with Steven defying Garnet's orders to not investigate more about Pink Diamond, after learning she was killed by Rose at the end of the Gem War. Steven, along with Greg, begin their investigation by finding what is called the "Palanquin", basically a transport shuttle for Diamonds. After landing in Korea (and learning they're fictional characters in a cartoon after getting inside an animation studio), Steven and Greg found the Palanquin, only to discover that there were two with one belonging to Blue Diamond, who was also on the scene mourning her fellow Diamond's death. Greg then ends up being captured by Blue Diamond, so Steven and the Crystal Gems begin their journey in space to find and rescue Greg.

Before I continue, I'd like to point out that the first episode, "Steven's Dream", shows a side of Garnet that's out of her character like we're used to. In this case, she was totally freaking out over her knowledge of Blue Diamond coming to Earth, which explains her adamant order to Steven to not investigate about Pink Diamond, and the heated drama that ensued. As any fan of Steven Universe can tell you, Blue Diamond is both Ruby and Sapphire's superior. Naturally if you find out your boss with the attitude of the Trumpster is going to your house to check things out, of course you're going to freak out.

You know given that this story arc is set in space, it would've been pretty cool if Steven and the Crystal Gems somehow ran into Mordecai and Rigby from Regular Show, as the latter's final season is also set in space. Even if it were just a cameo, I would still be excited about it. But alas, that never came to be.

Anyhow, Steven and the Crystal Gems arrived at a facility known as "The Zoo", where many of the humans from the Gem War were imprisoned, and is most likely where Greg ended up. Despite the awkward and hilarious attempt to sneak into the facility, Steven was able to get inside the Zoo and reunite with his father. We also learn that the Zoo remains active with humans living there who are the descendants of the original captives, and are living well within the Zoo. Obviously these humans have no idea of the world beyond their confined space, let alone know anything of Earth life. While it would seem that Steven should be obligated to free them from their captivity, it's probably best to leave that to those who write the Star Trek episodes.

The Zoo is run by a group of Amethyst and Jasper-class gems acting as guards for the facility. Turns out they all come from the same Kindergarten as Crystal Gem Amethyst, which makes it easy for the latter to quickly make buddies with them. Thanks to their help, Steven and Greg make their escape. As they proceed to rendezvous with the Crystal Gems, they encounter Blue and Yellow Diamond and we get to learn a bit more about them.

After Pink Diamond's death, all the Rose Quartzes were poofed and bubbled to prevent another Rose Quartz from going rogue. Yellow Diamond insists the Quartzes be destroyed, while Blue Diamond objects because the Quartzes are all of Pink Diamond's creation, and thus the only remaining part of her existence. While both mourn the loss of Pink Diamond in their own way, Yellow Diamond wishes to move forward and settle the score with Earth.

Now I honestly cannot remember the last time I wasn't so thrilled with a song number in Steven Universe, but this one, performed by Patti Lupone as Yellow Diamond, is definitely one of them. Her song just doesn't connect at all and I find it quite cringe-y and forgettable. It's only saving grace is that the song is also part of the narrative as it shows how Yellow Diamond deals with Pink Diamond's death.

Anyhow, Steven and Greg did manage to avoid being detected by the Diamonds, but were found out by Agate, the warden-of-sorts of the Zoo. She was however easily subdued and is forced to not speak of the incident to avoid receiving the wrath of the Diamonds, as Steven, Greg, and the Crystal Gems made their escape, ending this mini-series.

The good parts of this arc are that despite being a rescue mission to save Greg, it's mostly a very light-hearted one and there were plenty of funny moments. We also learn a bit more of the Gem Lore as we are slowly inching closer to the show's eventual finale. Given the state of the Amethyst, Jaspers, and Rose Quartzes, I would predict that if a second Gem War were to occur, those three types of Gems would end up being Steven's allies against the Diamonds.

The question of course is would there be a 2nd Gem War at all? In spite of what Steven has gone through, from fighting Jasper as Stevonnie and Smoky Quartz, and poofing out Bismuth in self-defense, Steven remains quite the pacifist. I doubt he'll go and say "Ok, let's go to war against the Diamonds and battle the other Gems", as that would mean a drastic change of his character. And I certainly doubt Rebecca Sugar, or the Steven Universe fanbase, would allow such a drastic change. In my opinion, for that to happen, Steven needs to be shoved to the edge in a sense. And for that to happen, he needs to experience some pretty terrible things, like the Diamonds somehow killing Greg right in front of him.

The bad part of this mini-series. Aside from the disappointing song number, the entire arc doesn't give us anything significant besides more Gem lore. If the Diamonds were to discover Steven and Greg escaping, then they probably would respond by ordering a full invasion of Earth. That would've been big and something I would've looked forward to. Instead, the arc ended pretending nothing really happened and everyone is back doing about their business. So in a way, this latest Stevenbomb is almost skippable.

It's best to say that "Greg in Space" is a good mini-adventure for Steven and the gang, but other than that, not much. On the one hand, it sucks because there's very little to do with regards to the show's continuity. On the other hand, it makes it easy for someone to watch the arc but hasn't seen the previous episodes of Steven Universe. So for those people, they don't have to worry much about continuity and enjoy the Stevenbomb as is. The result is 50/50, and for that I give Steven Universe - Greg in Space, a 3 out of 5.

CN Schedule January 2017

January will be filled with tons of premieres on the network. Rightfully so, as one of them will air its final episodes. Pokemon XYZ will also air its final episodes on the network as the next installment, Sun & Moon, will officially air on Disney XD. Gumball, meanwhile will finally air the rumored crossover with Miracle Star (aka Chinese Gumball) as well as the first episode featuring the new VAs. Surprisingly, despite its debut in December, there is no airdate for any episodes of Justice League Action.

Regular Show
· Saturday, Jan. 14 @12:00 EST: "Kill 'Em with Kindness" - Pops wants to be friends with someone.
· Saturday, Jan. 14 @12:30 EST: "Meet the Seer" - The guys need to talk to someone smart.
· Monday, Jan. 16 @6:00 EST: "Cheer Up Pops" - The guys want to cheer up Pops.
· Monday, Jan. 16 @6:30 EST: "A REGULAR SHOW Epic Final Battle, Part 1" - An epic final battle begins.
· Monday, Jan. 16 @7:00 EST: "A REGULAR SHOW Epic Final Battle, Part 2" - An epic final battle comes to its dramatic conclusion, and the fate of the universe is decided.


Adventure Time (Episodes @7:30 EST)
· Monday, Jan. 23: "Two Swords" - Finn and Jake contend with a mysterious, but familiar, new being.
· Monday, Jan. 23: "Do No Harm" - Finn makes amends at the Candy Hospital while Jake tries to connect with their unexpected houseguest.
· Tuesday, Jan. 24: "Wheels" - Kim Kil Whan is worried about his daughter's future and asks Jake for some parental advice.
· Wednesday, Jan. 25: "High Strangeness" - An otherworldly encounter puts Tree Trunks on the trail of a conspiracy in the Candy Kingdom.
· Thursday, Jan. 26: "Horse and Ball" - When disaster befalls James Baxter, it's up to Finn and Jake to help him pick up the pieces.
· Friday, Jan. 27: "Jelly Beans Have Power" - Princess Bubblegum's scientific mind must wrestle with her Elemental magic potential when she's faced with a Crystal Entity.
· Monday, Jan. 30: "Islands, Part 1: The Invitation" - A mysterious craft invades Ooo and Finn believes it may hold the secrets to his past.
· Monday, Jan. 30: "Islands, Part 2: Whipple the Happy Dragon" - Finn, Jake, and Susan set sail on a ocean voyage full of wonders and danger.
· Tuesday, Jan. 31: "Islands, Part 3: Mysterious Island" - After waking up alone and shipwrecked, Finn investigates a bizarre island in search of his friends.
· Tuesday, Jan. 31: "Islands, Part 4: Imaginary Resources" - Finn and Jake travel to a land where reality has been redesigned and improved.
· Wednesday, Feb. 1: "Islands, Part 5: Hide and Seek" - While exploring some futuristic ruins, Susan sees glimpses of a familiar girl.
· Wednesday, Feb. 1: "Islands, Part 6: Min & Marty" - An unexpected revelation from Susan leads Finn closer to answers about his past.
· Thursday, Feb. 2: "Islands, Part 7: Helpers" - Finn and his friends journey to a last refuge called Founders Island.
· Thursday, Feb. 2: "Islands, Part 8: The Light Cloud" - Finn confronts the power behind Founders Island, but will he ever return home to Ooo?




Steven Universe (Episodes @7:00 EST)

· Monday, Jan. 30: "Steven's Dream" - A strange dream prompts Steven to search for answers.
· Monday, Jan. 30: "Adventures in Light Distortion" - Steven and the Gems take off on a search and recovery mission.
· Tuesday, Jan. 31: "Gem Heist" - The Gems try to pull off a heist.
· Wednesday, Feb. 1: "The Zoo" - Steven visits a special zoo.
· Thursday, Feb. 2: "That Will Be All" - Steven and the Gems make a daring escape! 


Teen Titans Go (Episodes @6:00 EST)
· Friday, Jan. 27: "The Streak: Part 1" - It's Crime Season and Robin is determined to continue his streak of stopping 52 crimes every year.
· Friday, Jan. 27: "The Streak: Part 2" - Robin's streak of stopping 52 crimes every year is in jeopardy when members of his team are poached by Kid Flash.
  

Mighty Magiswords
· Friday, Jan. 27 @6:30 EST: "The Tome of Morrow" - Noville's Magisword training with Vambre pays off and the Warriors invite him on a mission to an ancient cave in the Barren Faceland to find the rare and sacred book, the Tome of Morrow.


My Knight & Me  (a new CGI series from France and Belgium) 
-Mon January 2nd - 4:00 PM (EST) - 103 - Witch Hunters 


Sonic Boom
Sat January 7th - 6:00 AM (EST) - 207 - I Can Sea Sonic's Fear from Here
Sat January 14th - 6:00 AM (EST) - 208 - In the Midnight Hour 


The Amazing World of Gumball
January 2017 - ??? PM (EST) - 511 - The Copycats
January 2017 - ??? PM (EST) - 512 - The Ollie


Pokémon the Series: XYZ
Sat January 7th - 7:00 AM (EST) - 1946 - Facing The Needs of Many!
Sat January 14th - 7:00 AM (EST) - 1947 - Till We Complete Again!

Steven Universe - Three Gems & A Baby Screenshots

Putting this one quickly because my hands are full with real life, again.

The 2 Minute Preview can be seen here.