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AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48076: Mar 14th 2017 at 5:38:09 PM

I like the art being inconsistent just like I ultimately like the show itself being inconsistent. I can rant and rave about how much I despise every Ronaldo episode out there, how there needs to be better pacing and less Beach City episodes, about every little thing I dislike about it, but in the end the positives outweigh it so much that it having negatives isn't an end of the world thing, it's a consequence of the show being a work that, like all works, is flawed. But the way people go on about it, you'd think the writers don't know how to do anything right. God's sakes, this is the show where they say "If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn't have hotdogs", I think I can be fine with flawed art not getting in the way of good animation. Majority of discussion I've seen for Room for Ruby on Reddit and Tumblr hasn't been about the writing, it's been about the art and the art only, nothing about Lapis's character development or anything.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#48077: Mar 14th 2017 at 5:54:57 PM

I like being able to see the differences between animators. It's when it's seriously off-model/stiff/weird that it bothers me. Like, say, The Legend of Prince Valiant. I like the writing and the voice acting, but the first half of season one is bizarre. It's a mix of the old Hanna-Barbara/Filmation stiffness and weirdly fluid, almost bouncy movement, all as the scenery hangs crookedly. There's one scene where Valiant is ranting about how his home has been stolen and his family's been driven out- while he throws the food bowls, repeating the same motion over and over. Or a fight scene- Rowena kicks a barrel by lifting her leg ninety degrees and holding it, and then Valiant and the bad guy are kind of... jumping and crouching all over the place while they swing their swords. It's like pogo sticks.

edited 14th Mar '17 6:03:02 PM by JBC31187

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#48078: Mar 14th 2017 at 6:42:15 PM

My issue isn't the different artists, it's the fact that Peridot and Steven used to be able to reach the counter without stools. I don't like how they keep shrinking, as it makes them look like toddlers.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#48079: Mar 14th 2017 at 6:43:37 PM

Gravity is a harsh mistress.

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48080: Mar 14th 2017 at 6:47:50 PM

From my understanding, Steven using the stool in Storm in the Room was at the very least an artistic thing to accentuate his loneliness in that scene.

Anything else I'd agree with, that's a complaint I can get behind. Letting it overtake the writing and using it as an excuse to attack the writers for alleged laziness is where I draw the line.

edited 14th Mar '17 6:48:57 PM by AdricDePsycho

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#48081: Mar 14th 2017 at 7:00:46 PM

How does needing a stool to reach the counter top represent being lonely in anyway...?

A 14 year old who can't reach the counter...

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48082: Mar 14th 2017 at 7:01:52 PM

The way the scene was framed, I mean.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#48083: Mar 14th 2017 at 7:35:50 PM

I will point out that in both cases of Blue Diamond hoarding Pink's creations (well, her creations in terms of the Quartzes, as well as snatching Greg for the Zoo as a memento), the alternative is for those creatures to be destroyed - Yellow suggests that she shatter the entire caste because of what Rose did, while Blue just has them bubbled. Sure, it's ominous and a little obsessive, but those Gems are still alive because of her, regardless of her personal reasons for it. Same with Greg - if she was organizing Gems to kidnap every human on Earth I'd be more inclined to agree that it was inspired by sinister intentions, but as far as Homeworld knows the timeframe for the Cluster to explode is 'pretty much any time now'. She "saves" Greg because as far as she's concerned it's for his own good, saying that he (or perhaps humans in general) don't deserve the Cluster.

For who she is as a person, motivations are what really matters here.

She doesn't save those people or Gems because she cared about their wellbeing or thought it was unfair for them to die (in her speech to Greg, she's even rather meh about the death of humans in general). She saves them because they were once Pink's, and so she wants to keep them for herself so that their presence will make her happy, regardless of their feelings.

Likewise, she objects to Yellow killing Earth and the Rose Quartzes because she would rather have Pink Diamond's possessions as keepsakes, not for moral objections (or at least, what she morally objects to is destroying Pink Diamond's stuff, not killing lesser life forms).

That they would be dead if she hadn't done so doesn't it any less selfish, and in a couple cases outright incidental. She isn't out to rescue anyone. As she makes no effort to help any humans besides the one who cheered her up momentarily, even "saving" Greg was a self-centered thing.

edited 14th Mar '17 7:58:11 PM by KnownUnknown

Victin Since: Dec, 2011
#48084: Mar 14th 2017 at 7:57:31 PM

@48024: ... I mean, it's literally Greg, what else can I say?

I don't think that would have been a good idea, at least from the point of view of the characters in the episode.

Ok.

Hm, yes, I can agree with that analysis.

Ooohh, the art style change is probably meaningless but for some reason I like it. I also like the hair in the second pic.

... She's so big I thought it was Garnet for a second.

:0 I'm loving this pic. Now I want to make it into an avatar.

Oooh, cosplay. *clicks link inside* O_O That Peridot hair. How?!

@Blue Diamond: I agree she's as much of a threat as Yellow Diamond, but I personally would need more scenes with her because I'm still falling for her sympathetic side >_<

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#48085: Mar 14th 2017 at 7:58:44 PM

I specifically remember pausing at a point in Room For Ruby where Peridot's head and hair was the same size as her torso, arms, AND legs.

unknowing from somewhere.. Since: Mar, 2014
#48086: Mar 14th 2017 at 11:36:40 PM

In a way, what the greg arc show is that they are trap in their on issues, they rule and empire and can destroy planet on a whim and yet they cant let go the death of a family member.

of course I dont hold that against diamond since without steven, the Crystal Gems would be a neurotical mess.

"My Name is Bolt, Bolt Crank and I dont care if you believe or not"
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#48087: Mar 15th 2017 at 12:03:17 AM

Blue speaks to Greg as someone who understands what she's feeling, and says that he (or, again, perhaps humans in general) don't deserve what's going to happen to them when the Cluster hatches. I think there's a mix there, of wanting to save something else of Pink's legacy and also having the chance to snatch Greg when she can - it's not like she could stop the Cluster now even if she had the authority to, and she appears to be sufficiently cowed by Yellow's power to admit that she shouldn't be on Earth at all.

I'm not saying Blue Diamond is secretly a good person. What I am saying is that she's a person, and it's not necessarily just about hypocrisy or short-sightedness - the whole of Season 4 has been focusing on Steven learning more about who Rose actually was instead of what people thought of her as, both as a friend and as an enemy. Blue Diamond's relationship with Pink, and her parallels with Steven, are likely going to lead to some very interesting revelations about what Rose did.

edited 15th Mar '17 12:05:29 AM by RedSavant

It's been fun.
DeathsApprentice The Ultimate Lifeform from The Ark Since: Aug, 2011 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
The Ultimate Lifeform
#48088: Mar 15th 2017 at 5:42:36 AM

Blue does seem to be pretty hypocritical, but to me, that kind of just humanizes her more. People tend to be pretty hypocritical, too. I didn't even think about potential paralleling with Rose, but you're right, they might parallel. Steven is learning that Rose did some questionable things and isn't right all the time, and he may eventually learn that the Diamonds aren't just one-dimensional forces of evil but are more human and multifaceted (heh) than they seem to be.

@Adric: Holy FUCK do the complaints about "lazy storyboarders" bother me. I recently saw a post where someone compared the color palette of Navy Ruby with the color palette of her previous appearance, and the shade of red that she is in "Room for Ruby" is apparently a few shades off, and they were whining about this "inconsistency." And I'm kinda staring at this like, how do you people have time to nitpick stupid shit like this?

When we're done, there won't be anything left.
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48089: Mar 15th 2017 at 7:06:08 AM

I'd heard about people complaining about the color palette from some people on Reddit. Apparently some people were raising a fuss about it being too neon now or something. Plus there's that hilariously inaccurate sheet of Peridot that's been making the rounds that people have been pointing out has a lot of photoshop involved. Fuckin' hell, somebody tried attacking Ian JQ with that photo when he was just tweeting about animating in Flash and Toonboom.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
RedSavant Since: Jan, 2001
#48090: Mar 15th 2017 at 7:51:05 AM

@Apprentice: Basically, yeah. It's not like they're being all "but it's different when it's someone I care about!" I saw a post saying that "Three Gems and a Baby" kind of links Greg and Blue Diamond (when Greg opens Steven's jumper, it settles into a diamond shape, and when he's wearing the blue blanket it settles on him the same way Blue's cowl does on her), suggesting that Blue might have been a parental figure to Pink, at least however the Gems understand it. Like I've said before, that puts her and Steven at an interesting juxtaposition as the child of the murderer and the parent of the murdered. I expect that Steven finally learning what happened that day is going to involve a confrontation with Blue, face to face.

It's been fun.
Mr.Badguy Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
#48091: Mar 15th 2017 at 8:16:45 AM

I feel like off-model animation, while not inherently bad, is worth criticism if it draws you out of the experience (the way Lapis' Josuke pompadour did me).

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48092: Mar 15th 2017 at 8:27:41 AM

See, I understand that. I don't like when people start acting like it's doomsday and the show is ruined forever.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#48093: Mar 15th 2017 at 8:45:08 AM

With the blue blanket looking like the diamonds symbol I'm didn't really notice it,to me it's happens to be blue,so it feels like a coincidence,but of course you never know what little reveals they have lined up

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#48094: Mar 15th 2017 at 10:33:34 AM

So I just stumbled upon this interview and I thought

"Human Garnet?!"

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
32_Footsteps Think of the mooks! from Just north of Arkham Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Think of the mooks!
#48095: Mar 15th 2017 at 12:14:09 PM

I'm definitely more of the Ralph Bakshi school when it comes to Off-Model - if it serves to advance the story, the scene, or the gag (depending on what exactly is going on), then going off-model is a good thing. I also subscribe to the theory that you could go all Watsonian on this and just say that all gems (even Steven to an extent) are subconsciously empathic shapeshifters, with certain features enlarging or shrinking because of their mood (I particularly love the idea of Peridot doing this with just her hair).

Also, if you're looking for a Hand Wave, I'd like to point out that they've shown parts of the house smashed several times (I think most recently in "Know Your Fusion," when Smoky was showing off), so they might have just repaired the counters with different dimensions.

My personal problem with Slice of Life episodes this season is just that they haven't been all that great for the most part. I feel like several of my least favorite season 4 episodes could have been way better with a bit more editing.

Finally, for the caste system... well, it's true that everyone in a caste system is trapped by it, but there's definite differences between the Gilded Cage and the leaden one. I might have a small amount of sympathy for Blue Diamond over her situation... but that she's all too willing to use it to her own ends when it suits her means that level of sympathy falls well short of me finding her sympathetic.

Reminder: Offscreen Villainy does not count towards Complete Monster.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#48096: Mar 15th 2017 at 4:19:42 PM

If Blue Diamond didn't make use of the caste system's benefits,that would undermine it surly? It would also undermine the authority of other diamonds and likely bring her into conflict with them as a result.

But yeah,she's probably takes full advantage of caste system because it benefits her and the other diamonds and she has no reason to change it because to them it's working.

edited 15th Mar '17 4:20:07 PM by Ultimatum

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
deuteragonist Since: Dec, 2013
#48097: Mar 15th 2017 at 7:33:06 PM

My personal problem with Slice of Life episodes this season is just that they haven't been all that great for the most part. I feel like several of my least favorite season 4 episodes could have been way better with a bit more editing.

This is a genuine question (to anyone really) but...are there any great Slice of Life in any season of Steven Universe? I can't really think of any; especially not ones that don't involve the gems. Well, except for maybe "Lars and the Cool Kids".

Also, what exactly qualifies as Slice of Life and Plot-Important?

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48098: Mar 15th 2017 at 7:38:10 PM

I think most people liked Sadie's Song. Minimal Gem activity, nice plot with a good moral, and a good song sung by Olivia Olson from Adventure Time. As for Slice of Life episodes, I personally consider them to be any episode where the focus isn't on one of the Gems, Greg, or Connie.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
TyeDyeWildebeest Unreasonably Quirky from Big Rock Candy Mountain Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: How does it feel to treat me like you do?
Unreasonably Quirky
#48099: Mar 15th 2017 at 7:39:18 PM

I thought Historical Friction was pretty dope, if that counts.

No beer?! But if there's no beer, then there's no beef or beans!
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#48100: Mar 15th 2017 at 7:44:09 PM

Eh, slice of life meets info dump with a bit of Pearl character stuff due to the whole Sardonyx arc.

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