Why Punch When You Can Understand? with Steven Universe

I’ve already thrown in my two-cents on some of the great animated shows of this generation: Avatar the Last Airbender and Gravity Falls. Both shows are wonderfully written, have great character development, and are just a joy to watch. But even so, neither is quite so wonderfully subversive to the action genre as Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar.

Let’s start with the premise. Steven is a young boy looked after by a group of friendly, super-powered aliens called the Crystal Gems who defend the planet from monsters and the strange, sinister denizens of their home world. Steven’s mother was the leader of the Crystal Gems, and everyone’s feeling a little lost without her. Steven’s got powers, too, he’s just… figuring them out.

Friendship, growth, and a whole lot of singing ensue.

Steven Universe is a lot harder to define than Avatar or Gravity Falls: the former is a fantasy adventure, the latter a supernatural mystery/comedy. But Steven Universe is an action show that’s also a small town slice-of-life show, and a musical, and a space opera, and a mystery, and a meditation on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but putting all that aside, what really makes this show special is being an exciting action show fundamentally against violence.

It’s true. There’s plenty of high-stakes action in this show, bad guys, monsters, invasions, and spookiness. But more than punching your enemy in the face, this show is about understanding the person on the other side of the line and trying to resolve the conflict. Old grudges can be put aside. New friendships can form from a single moment of kindness. Heck, even the “monsters” I mentioned back in the premise are never destroyed: they’re “poofed,” turned into crystals and stowed gently away until they can be healed and rehabilitated.

What makes the show work so well is how it lets its lead, Steven, face dramatic, exciting challenges with compassion, kindness, and understanding in a way that still makes the audience want to cheer him on. 

It’s got oodles of charm, and if you’re interested in a show that really lives its message, the whole thing is on HBO Max. Check it out.