Steven Universe: Political Power

March 11, 2015 4:50 PM - Season 1, Episode 47

Steven goes on a ride-along with Mayor Dewey to reassure Beach City after the Crystal Gems cause a blackout.
posted by Small Dollar (13 comments total)

While the ominousness of the upcoming two-part season finale (tomorrow!) hangs heavy over the episode, it's nice to have one that's relatively light. It was Joel Hodgson's presence on the show's cast that drew me to Steven Universe.

(Speaking of which, how in the world am I going to be able to focus on tomorrow's MST3K Club showing of King Dinosaur when the two-parter will have just aired?)
posted by JHarris at 5:20 PM on March 11, 2015

You'd think Beach City would have more emergency management than just the Mayor, y'know, police, fire, something.
posted by Small Dollar at 5:20 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

Well to quote Greg, the town is only "like 15 people".
posted by Peccable at 5:34 PM on March 11, 2015

I think that Steven has some unexplored electricity powers. In this episode, the power comes back on after Steven and the gems reconcile and are honest with each other. Also, in Maximum Capacity, Steven turned off Lil Butler when he got mad at Amethyst and Greg (the TV just went to static).

Speaking of wild speculation, I'm pretty excited about the incoming gems that Lapis Lazuli mentioned in the last episode. I'm wondering, though, what if Lapis warned them not to fight because they might be able to get along? Seems like something Steven could broker.
posted by sleeping bear at 7:31 PM on March 11, 2015

Mayor Dewey shows off his primary attribute in this episode: The fact he has no real idea what a mayor is and what's really expected of him. Mayors don't go around trying to get people to be happy about miserable reality, a real mayor would be on the phone to the utility company riding them to get the power back on, and keeping the public informed of the progress. In fact the whole incident plays like how a child would perceive it, with the power mysteriously returning.

Also in this episode's theme of powerlessness is the crystal gems' quiet knowledge that they're not going to be able to stand up to the incoming force in a face to face confrontation. Their refusal to include Steven in their plan stands in opposition to the fact that what is most likely to happen is that Steven does something steveny to solve the problem. Or, you know, unleash their army of Gem monsters against the invaders.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 8:40 PM on March 11, 2015

Mr.Encyclopedia: “Also in this episode's theme of powerlessness is the crystal gems' quiet knowledge that they're not going to be able to stand up to the incoming force in a face to face confrontation. Their refusal to include Steven in their plan stands in opposition to the fact that what is most likely to happen is that Steven does something steveny to solve the problem. Or, you know, unleash their army of Gem monsters against the invaders.”

Up until tonight I was thinking the same way. I thought that obviously Steven and the Gems are going to win in the end, or Steven will show everyone that fighting isn't even necessary in the first place. Now I'm not so sure. In addition to all the other fine qualities of this show, they've managed to make me not certain of the outcome. I'm worried for Steven, the Gems, Beach City, and all of Earth. My hat's off to them.

JHarris: “Speaking of which, how in the world am I going to be able to focus on tomorrow's MST3K Club showing of King Dinosaur when the two-parter will have just aired?”

With love in your heart and fiery death in the sky?
posted by ob1quixote at 10:07 PM on March 11, 2015 [1 favorite]

Or, what if Lapis is being coerced to convince Steven and the others to not put up a fight? Remember, she has no love for the Crystal Gems.

Mayors don't go around trying to get people to be happy about miserable reality, a real mayor would be on the phone to the utility company riding them to get the power back on, and keeping the public informed of the progress.

Presumably he did that last night, or before dropping by the beach house?

The big thing here is the continued disregard the Gems have for human problems. Here's something. Gem Tech has advanced very far while the Gems have been on Earth, but so has human tech, which the Gems seem to be largely clueless about. You see the EMP device Pearl made; it has mechanical parts! I wonder if the Crystal Gems could partly bridge the gap if they made a study of human technology.
posted by JHarris at 11:36 PM on March 11, 2015

Who were the FBI-lookin' guys at the riot? Suits and sunglasses at night, pretty federal agent-y.
posted by books for weapons at 1:41 AM on March 12, 2015 [1 favorite]

I think that was actually one of Mayor Dewey's aides, they've been seen in previous episodes. The fact that they were on the side of the rioters indicates just how angry the townsfolk are!

I love Onion with his baseball bat, BTW. Also, some other finds in that crowd, noticed in the subreddit: Suitcase Sam (the eyepatch-wearer) from Onion Trade, and the very exterminator truck Dewey was complaining about earlier in the episode!
posted by JHarris at 2:48 AM on March 12, 2015

Anyone notice the lack of a closing theme? I've been playing catch-up, but is that new?
posted by endotoxin at 5:51 PM on May 13, 2015

They did a thing right before the season ender (The Return/Jail Break) where they changed the closing to signal what they were leading up to.

Ending for The Message

Ending for Political Power
posted by JHarris at 6:16 PM on May 13, 2015

Stupid Amazon has this after The Return/Jail Break, so I thought the whole episode was about them worrying about Peridot in her escape pod. :(
posted by ocherdraco at 7:06 AM on May 24, 2015 [1 favorite]

I love Steven being completely perplexed at the mayor asking for his "sisters." It's kind of like when he didn't get what Connie meant by "nuclear" family. He lives in a temple with the Crystal Gems and doesn't understand people's attempts to fit that into their own expectations for a family.
posted by RobotHero at 5:48 PM on July 14, 2015