All of these girls are underage, and someone thought that it was a good idea to have them in bikinis!?
Look, if this had been a stereotypical beach scene, then I would have rolled my eyes at drawing out another generic scene, but at least then there would have been some legit reason behind them wearing bikinis.
But no, this is borderline child pornography, at minimum underage eye candy. Yes, Meiko and Sora are one year short to being 18 in this, but the fact that they are so young is creepy as fuck.
If this had been them when in Last Evolution, then I would be less creeped out, but these are legally children!
So while I was watching Lily Orchard's Steven Universe is Garbage and Here's Why for...
I don't know how many times I've watched it now...
I had an old thought occur to me...
well, more like a very loose theory based on what little I know of regarding Steven Universe.
This one is about Lapis Lazuli...
More specifically about why I think Lapis would never fuse again after the crap between herself and Jasper.
Now, what I'm about to say is mainly from one specific point in the series, but please understand that my current knowledge about Steven Universe is based on clips I've seen on YouTube as well as the two-hour video done by Lily Orchard.
Now, which clip am I talking about that's actually canon?
Funny enough, it's only a small bit from Alone At Sea, specifically the clip below at around 4:27.
Jasper remarks here that she's the only one who can handle Lapis' power.
Mind you, this is coming from Homeworld's ideal warrior: if memory serves me correctly, even Peridot (from a technical standpoint) says that Jasper is perfect.
It might be insignificant information... but what if it wasn't?
In Too Short to Ride, Peridot finds out that she's a stunted Gem, like Amethyst. This means that, especially from a power standpoint, she is not at the fullest potential she could have been if she wasn't.
What does any of this have to do with fusion? I say this theory is loose because this theory also hinges on a head-cannon I have about the Steven Universe's... well, universe.
Even though I don't have any 100%, without a shadow of doubt evidence to prove this yet, I believe that the reason fusions can be hard to control (Sugilite being the most infamous of them, as I've heard she's gotten really bad reviews by even the black fan-base) can be for a number of reasons: the number of Gems, how well in sync said Gems are, etc...
I also believe another factor that plays into the stability of a fusion is the power levels of each respective Gem.
You see, if there isn't a balance in power, then even if fusion is possible, it may be harder to sustain the said fusion. That explains, at least to me, why Jasper said what she had said at the time to Lapis.
Think of this like the fusion presented in Dragon Ball: Trunks had to knock down his power level a little so he could fuse with Goten.
Using this same principle, then even though this would likely piss off a lot of Lapidot fan-base, the likely-hood of a fusion between Lapis and Peridot would be all the less likely, if not impossible.
Even if they never fuse on screen not just because of the priorities of Steven Universe Future?
What if the reason they never fuse involves the power dynamic between Lapis and Peridot?
What if the result of that fusion created, at best, a hard-to-control fusion because Lapis is such a strong Gem, while Peridot (by power means) is on the opposite end of the spectrum?
This isn't just Lapis and Peridot: this would also be a good reason why it would be risky for any stunted Gem to fuse, or at least make an interesting point/episode of what could happen if two stunted Gems were to fuse - for example, Peridot and Amethyst.
Now even if a balance of power wasn't an issue, let's not forget the crap that Rebecca Sugar pulled between Lapis and Jasper. What Jasper did to Lapis, and vise-versa, will forever change how Lapis looks at fusion and essentially the relationship she has with others.
During my lifetime, I've come to understand that there are situations where you have to forgive people: not because they suddenly decided to not be scumbags anymore, but rather for the sake of your own emotional health. Long story short, you forgive them for you, not for them.
(As a side note, if forgiving people for you was the central theme of Steven Universe and not redeeming the worst of people, then I would be a little more lenient with this show.)
If they had at least done this with Lapis (forgiving Jasper for her own sake and not because Jasper is just the one of many to get an unnecessary redemption arcs), then maybe I would understand why she is the Gem she is now.
However, they don't: do you honestly expect me to believe that Lapis would be careless about a fusion with just anyone? Of course not.
In fact, even if she did forgive Jasper for the stuff she's done (and forgive herself for the same things she did to her), that doesn't change the fact that she wouldn't trust Jasper as far as she can throw her, and from what we've seen in Alone At Sea, Lapis can throw Jasper pretty far.
Just because you forgive someone doesn't mean you trust them.
Add on the potential that Lapis could also have issues trusting herself in fusion too, and that's three reasons why Lapis may not ever fuse with anyone ever again.
My point is that if power-dynamic isn't an issue, personal demons would likely prevent this Gem from fusing in addition to the fact that we've yet to see her work through those demons: she just went from being a depressed powerhouse to being a remotely okay Gem. If she ever does fuse again, then she better get her sword out to fight those demons because if she fuses with even her closest friends, I demand an explanation.
So Steven Universe Future has been on my radar lately, but I suppose that's what I get for constantly running into clips about certain segments of Steven Universe. I've also heard a lot about certain characters that I think it's about time I give my opinion about.
Everyone is allowed to have an opinion, but that doesn't really change the fact that I find certain opinions... well, odd.
One of them is reuniting the Jasper, Lapis & Peridot Trio.
And sure, it would resurrect some potential nostalgia in the sense of an evil trio, but I personally do not care if Jasper is getting a potential redemption arc: the shit between those three (most popularly between Jasper and Lapis) is just too much.
Now, there are a lot of characters far worse than Jasper that have made miraculous turn-arounds. I mean, I sincerely doubt that the Vegeta from the beginning of Dragon Ball would believe he would turn into someone later down the line who would literally cry at the thought of failing Bulma and Trunks as he's being knocked out of the ring in Dragon Ball Super's Tournament of Power because what is at stake involves them.
The thing is, there is potential for Jasper to change, but there seems to be no desire for change coming from Jasper and/or a sudden reason that would change Jasper's heart. It also isn't like that Jasper's got something to protect. If she does, then I would think it's more out of obligation and personal pride rather than out of love. Exactly what happens to her in Steven Universe Future, I'm not sure. I've heard she gets shattered and the wikipedia confirms this, but I think she's supposed to get a redemption arc too, as she is revived by Steven. However, this isn't exactly about Jasper: I only point out that there is too much crap that isn't worked through and Jasper is too stubborn of a character for the reuniting of a Jasper, Lapis, & Peridot Trio that would make the team any better than what they were before, which was the evil trio that was the villain for the week.
As pointed out between Aang and Katara in E;R's The Legend of Whorra (Part 2), what makes the Bismuth, Lapis, & Peridot trio is an air of respect: something Jasper doesn't have and likely would not give. Even if they don't have that much respect, then you can at least imply that there's a hell of a lot more where Bismuth is concerned then there is with Jasper.
Now even if Jasper did, or at least wanted to become a better Gem, do you honestly expect me to believe that Lapis would throw herself into a situation with Jasper intentionally? Plus, let's not forget how much Peridot loves Lapis as a friend: there's no way that Peridot would support that kind of thing. To make matters worse, if Lapis was such a jerk to Peridot when reaching out to her in Barn Mates, then what the heck to you expect me to believe would happen if she was expected to do the same thing with the very Gem that not only abused her, but whom she abused right back in a fit of anger and frustration?
Now, some of you might be thinking, "You're not writing this just to point out the respect, are you?" And, you would be right - I'm not. The truth is that Bismuth, Lapis and Peridot have so much potential as a trio that I hope they dive into it.
One of the biggest potentials in this trio is the fact they could contribute in a way that can't be done by anyone else. Bismuth is a blacksmith, Peridot is a genius, and Lapis is not only powerful, but revealed potential for this dynamic in Why So Blue?
Could you imagine what they could make? Peridot's genius, Bismuth's know-how, and Lapis being able to get the resources together would be a force to be reckoned with. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they were doing that already by the time of Steven Universe: The Movie, which would explain what the heck they were doing off-screen on Earth.
Now if that's what they have been doing off-screen, then I'm going to frown at the loss of much needed ideas pertaining to development. Sure, Lapis is all happy now, but how exactly did she get there?
How did she work things out with Peridot after her return in Reunited?
Like, how much crap can a single Gem take from one other Gem, especially one that she held so dear to her heart? I mean, before Reunited, Peridot was freaking depressed in Back to the Kindergarten! And, let's be honest here, it was towards a Gem that really didn't deserve it, which makes Peridot all the more loveable.
You can't just forge a bond like that and give it little to no glance when the one who broke the other's heart suddenly comes back into the picture! Everything just can't be okay, even if it's because Peridot is more selfless than we thought and/or is better at hiding how she feels behind a sarcastic persona. I mean, bloody heck, even the fan-base knows that, or there wouldn't be fan-art that makes more sense than the cannon work!
I had to dig through a lot of Lapidot crap, but I was able to find a really good example of what it should have been like: Reunion by Linkerbell.
My mistake: this comic was Lapidot...
I was also able to find a better scene in fan-art of their friendship instead of just Lapis taking their stuff and leaving in Raising the Barn. Just compare the cannon video with the fan-art below and tell me what you honestly think: which one gives a more sincere, in depth look at what their friendship is, or at least could have been?
Like, Lily Orchard pointed out that Steven Universe is chalked full of anime references. If you're going to use those references, which are fine in principle, then at least try to use some that are appropriate for their situation... such as what fan-art was able to do.
Fan-art was able to do something that was supposed to be the job of the Steven Universe crew when developing each episode, and that raises a lot of questions.
Heck, let me dive in a little deeper: why is it never brought up again, not even during the battle with Spinel? Trust me when I say that when a friend bails on you only to suddenly come back, that would cause a lot of hurt towards any self-respecting human being... or in this case any self-respecting Gem, as both species are proven to be a lot alike with regard to feelings, emotions, and the psychological makeup of each. Here's the thing: there's so much potential here for episodes that never happened. If you try doing it in Steven Universe Future, then that would be fine, but it would just be much needed blasts into the past, especially the part regarding reconciliation of their relationship.
The truth of the matter is Bismuth could have played an important part regarding their relationship redemption. Sure, Lapis and Peridot could have worked out a lot of their differences, but in the event that emotions or something goes too far, there would be one Gem that both tells the truth and won't take any shit - that's Bismuth.
You want another episode idea? Here's one: how about one where Lapis goes through the same crap that Steven does with Connie in ⚠️π Bismuth Casual? However, instead of being different, Lapis goes through her own form of self-worth issues? How about explore the point where Lapis is past her crap with Jasper, but unsure if the stuff she did to Peridot really is in the past? How about Lapis gets jealous of Peridot being able to talk to Bismuth about important stuff (such as building Little Homeworld) like it's nothing? What if she comes to the realization that because of all her isolation to the world she now calls home, there isn't much for her to go on to connect with even to the Gems she holds dear? What if Steven, after Bismuth Casual, recognizes the same signs in Lapis and extends a hand? What if the reason Peridot doesn't do anything about it at first is because she recognizes there's something wrong, but decides to trust Lapis to tell her when she's ready, and they talk it out at the end of the episode? So I ask, what's wrong with that kind of ending, where Peridot does admit that she was hurt badly by what Lapis did to her, but they did talk about this after Reunited and have been making a slow but steady progress to getting to a far more healthy relationship that Lapis ever had with Jasper by the time of Steven Universe Future? Bismuth could also be the driving force behind Lapis extending to Peridot how she's feeling for multiple reasons: she knows what it's like and knows Lapis and Peridot well enough to know that talking would be the best option. Put in the fact all three of these characters have made some pretty big mistakes (I mean on a big scale), and there's already a level of understanding between them. Each of them have offended Steven in some way - Bismuth with being "too violent", Peridot assisting with the Cluster, and Lapis trying to take the ocean, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. Truth is, why wouldn't they listen to Bismuth? Play your cards right, and she's practically Garnet in this trio.
Look, all I'm saying is that, like other characters, you're missing out on a lot of stuff, and these three have something special, and I don't mean that in a romantic way. You just need to give them the breathing room to present that to the viewer. Don't tell me or hint to me that this stuff is happening... show me what's happening! And this is just one of those things that I really wanted to see!
What do you think? The Bismuth, Lapis, Peridot trio got something? Let me know!
