Steven Universe: Island Adventure

October 24, 2014 10:20 AM - Season 1, Episode 30

Steven tries to help out Sadie and Lars' relationship by taking them to a tropical island, but they end up stranded.
posted by Small Dollar (12 comments total)

Sadie needs a new, worthier love interest.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 10:39 AM on October 24, 2014 [3 favorites]

Oh man, how long were they gone?! I'm excited to see the repercussions of them (especially Steven) being gone for a while. Sadie is seriously BAD ASS by the end of this episode. I hope she somehow becomes part of Steven's team with Connie.

It's worth pointing out that this show keeps doubling down on awesome women.
posted by sleeping bear at 6:32 PM on October 24, 2014 [1 favorite]

I think like a week? Lars' phone still had battery and Sadie's leg hair grew out a little.
posted by Small Dollar at 6:56 PM on October 24, 2014

I think those were meant to be scratches rather than leg hair. Steven had the same lines on his face and he's a bit too young to shave.

This episode really highlights what I like about this show. It's careful to keep characters rounded. Sadie is awesome; but she still decided to strand them all on an island. Steven's optimism and desire to make peace is his defining trait, but it leads him to take two people into serious danger. On the flip side, Lars is a jackass, but even with the most deliberately unlikable character, the show hints at more going on. In the episode with the moss, it's made pretty clear that Lars is deeply insecure. This episode really suggests his attitude is covering for something. He's still a jackass but he's not just a jackass.
posted by Grimgrin at 3:13 AM on October 25, 2014 [2 favorites]

I wanted to like this episode more than I did. I don't think every episode needs to move the overall plot forward. I'm certainly happy for the world to develop. But maybe I just don't find Lars and Sadie that interesting (Sadie's becoming more so, though). I don't feel like I learned anything new about anyone during this episode.

Steven is still the sweetest, though. I watch this show for him.
posted by darksong at 7:20 PM on October 25, 2014

darksong: I don't feel like I learned anything new about anyone during this episode.

I don't disagree in the main, but one thing I learned is that you don't have to be a Gem to defeat a Corrupted Gem. Also, now that Steven is The Warp Master, I have hope that we'll find out what the deal with the damaged warp pads is.

Ultimately, for me, the episode was worth it just for the song Be Wherever You Are.
posted by ob1quixote at 1:49 AM on October 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

I think those were meant to be scratches rather than leg hair.

Some model art on the show's production blog actually identifies it as leg hair. AN ANIMATION FIRST???

I don't disagree in the main, but one thing I learned is that you don't have to be a Gem to defeat a Corrupted Gem.

This is a very nice thing about the show, finding ordinary solutions to magical problems. There tend not to be Dragonball-Z-style situations where usually the only thing that can defeat Power Level X is Power Level X+1. Remember, Greg fixed a storm-causing crystal dome with duct tape.
posted by JHarris at 11:08 AM on December 24, 2014

And I think this is yet another standout episode overall. It is a genuinely interesting and realistic situation with likable characters (even Lars), and get this, the episode has them snuggling. Are you allowed to show that in a kids cartoon?
posted by JHarris at 11:41 AM on December 24, 2014

I think Sadie was right. Lars did really need that.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:35 AM on May 23, 2015 [1 favorite]

Doing a rewatch, and I find this episode surprisingly uncomfortable. What Sadie did was basically unforgiveable, kidnapping Lars and forcing him to spend time with her. (I mean, if the genders of these two were reversed, it would definitely read that way, wouldn't it?) At the end, he's clearly confused by his feelings; is he genuinely attracted to her, or just so lonely that his defenses were down? Probably the second one; I don't think Sadie and Lars would actually be a good couple. She's got too much of a nurture/savior complex going with him. He is too confused/full of self-hate to know what he wants at all.

I love her badassery, but think maybe the Beach City dating pool isn't healthy for her (she later seems about to hook up with Ronaldo, who is not exactly great relationship material.)
posted by emjaybee at 1:50 PM on June 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

I can definitely see that point of view, yes.
posted by JHarris at 6:39 PM on June 9, 2015

Not one of my favorite episodes, but I do love the "fish murdering skills" line and Sadie's competence.
posted by Foosnark at 1:51 PM on August 27, 2015