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Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
#59026: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:03:15 PM

Spinel doesn't seem to come off as 'sterile' tho. I can't really picture a Sapphire on Era 2 Homeworld playing with one - it seems incongruous with what we've seen of Gem society

Kaiseror Since: Jul, 2016
#59027: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:04:17 PM

I get the implication that Spinels in general are entertainers but this one in particular acted as Pink's playmate, plus we've seen that the homeworld gems do have a desire for social interaction.

[up] Our Pearl and this Spinel are both era 1.

Edited by Kaiseror on Sep 4th 2019 at 6:05:23 AM

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#59028: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:09:47 PM

> I can't really picture a Sapphire on Era 2 Homeworld playing with one

Actually I could see a sapphire being entertained by one if she was on her own,although future vision might make her antics a little predictable

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#59029: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:09:57 PM

I mean the aesthetic in direct view of the diamonds is sterile, not that most Spinels are—they're probably "allowed" to be actually fun, but not to go to something so prestigious.

Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#59030: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:16:20 PM

Yeah I think Spinels are probably the equivalent of clown/jester gems for high ranking gem parties or something.

AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#59031: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:29:44 PM

"Feels Ignored"

Well, these more than stellar ratings put Steven Universe as the number one show on CN. I cant wait to see what comes next. Because CN would have to be REALLY STUPID not to capitalize on this!

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#59032: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:33:41 PM

[up] No, I saw your post, it just got drowned in the sea of Cluster talk.

1.5 million... That's amazing! Probably the highest rating's SU's had in a while.

Jawbreakers on sale for 99¢
AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#59033: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:39:46 PM

The Highest CN has seen in a while in fact! The Adventure Time finale didnt have this much viewership.

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#59034: Sep 4th 2019 at 4:45:12 PM

Spinel is interesting because she’s the only gem we’ve met thus far who is not built for a productive role in society, at least not productive in the sense that Gem culture prides it.

The average Gem wouldn’t have one, even a high ranking member of nobility, because most gems are made for a function and are expected to spend their existence fulfilling that function.

So it would take a certain kind of Gem, one not expected to contribute much, perhaps not entirely taken seriously by their betters, but still important enough to be catered to rather than expected to shape up, to be given one.

So... yeah, I’d buy Spinel being uniquely, at least currently. Pink Diamond is the only Gem that it would really make sense to have one.

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#59035: Sep 4th 2019 at 5:36:10 PM

The Highest CN has seen in a while in fact! The Adventure Time finale didnt have this much viewership.
I actually have a bunch of different thoughts and notes about ratings:
  • I wish most wikia episode guides were like the Gravity Falls one and had a handy list of ratings besides the episodes (though at least the Steven Universe one shows them on the individual episode pages).
  • For recent references in the same show, "Reunited" and "Change Your Mind" both got just under a million. However, comparing ratings needs to control for many other factors: In season 1a, literally every episode got over a million, many were over 1.5, and the highest was over 2. But then the show had a more consistent timeslot, had other premiers bolstering it, and video-on-demand was less supported.
  • I don't know if the movie being seven-and-a-half times the length of a regular episode (and taking up as many timeslots as six episodes with commercials) dilutes or enhances the significance of said ratings.
  • Since it's a musical movie, sales of the movie and its soundtrack are also quite significant. (There's a reason the end credits only include the songs while everything else was at the beginning.)
  • Even putting all of that aside, Steven Universe has gotten some "prestige" factor: the critical acclaim and good press help the show in the network's eyes even outside of direct financial gain.

From a brief NY Times interview with Rebecca Sugar:
Q: Will there be a sixth season?
A: This is not the end. I think that’s about all I can say. What’s gone on in the show and the film will continue to matter in the future.
I'm reminded of shortly before the movie itself was announced, when it was clear from staff postings that something past season five was in production. On the other hand, Petersen specifically posted about doing pitches like regular episodes would have.

Honestly, I don't know if this evasiveness has been to keep focus on what's upcoming (like how we heard nothing about the movie until half a year after "Change Your Mind") or some weird thing I can barely guess at.

JBC31187 Since: Jan, 2015
#59036: Sep 4th 2019 at 7:12:44 PM

[up][up]As the Fridge Brilliance page for the movie notes, real-world spinels are used as replacements for diamonds and other more valuable gems, so maybe there's a small production line of Spinels meant to be slotted into odd jobs? Rejuvenated Pearl recognized the Gem, anyway.

And I gotta say, I didn't expect much from this movie. I'd slowly lost interest in SU during season five, what with the hiatus, and the resolution with the Diamonds... I liked that Homeworld was just too powerful to be defeated through force of arms, but considering all of the monstrous things they did knowingly and unknowingly- forming the Cluster, corrupting Gems, killing and shattering all who get in their way- the resolution of "let's get along together" felt off.

And the movie just felt like a rehash of everything. There's a Homeworld Gem, and she's stronger than the gang, and she's got a scythe and a grudge and a real on-the-nose gem, and a super-duper injector, and the world's in danger again, and it's a musical.

And... it was! But in a good way. There wasn't some big revelation about Gem society, but Spinel's story was horrible and heartbreaking and another interesting facet of the general callousness of Era One. And then there was the moral about how just because Homeworld was better didn't mean all problems were fixed.

KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#59037: Sep 4th 2019 at 7:31:53 PM

If they - and this is just hypothetical - planned on continuing Steven U as a series of short tv movies and such, it would kind of make sense that this one is a character reintroduction and kind of a launching off point.

But that's just hypothetical.

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#59038: Sep 4th 2019 at 8:55:11 PM

Theoretically, I'd like if things ended up like Venture Bros, where the show maintains its quality over a long time by not being in production constantly.

Unfortunately, that production schedule isn't conductive to retaining staff or cast members. And despite describing herself as a "control freak", Sugar wants other writers/boarders to contribute creatively.


The movie makes some effort to stand alone from the series, but maybe that was less to accommodate newcomers (or viewers who'd forgotten things) than an attempt to keep things more focused and creatively interesting.

I'd honestly be interested in the perspective of someone who started with the movie. For instance, they could easily mistake Lars for an alien. Of course, the issue is you'd need someone who'd be interested in the franchise, hadn't seen it yet, and didn't mention spoiling the hell out of themselves just for a curiosity.


Fluorite makes herself very comfortable in a large number of background shots.
The way Amethyst just suddenly starts drumming and singing backup for Sadie Killer and the Suspects makes me wonder if she'd been their session drummer before.
I said Sadie might have shaved the sides of her hair, but noticed she just tied it back—you can see a hairclip when she's singing on stage.

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#59039: Sep 4th 2019 at 10:55:42 PM

Movie tidbits: Recap is probably the most negative parts of any kind of thing...

Especially 10 minutes worth.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
Pachylad (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#59040: Sep 5th 2019 at 11:56:14 PM

pffffffft, this is hilarious, Rebecca Sugar got the idea for the memory wipe subplot from accidentally wiping her phone:

"I was planning a trip to Japan, and I was trying to set my phone up for international travel, and I accidentally restored it to factory settings, and I lost all of my stuff, and I was completely devastated," Sugar said. "It started making me think about what would happen if the characters lost all of their progress. The feeling of it was just so awful, and I wanted to apply that to the story. And so that's where the idea came from."

Sunchet Since: Oct, 2010
#59041: Sep 6th 2019 at 1:16:02 AM

So, is it normal for Gems to completely change their appearance, even without poofing, like Spinel did? Or is it something that only Diamond could in theory pull off, but Spinel could do it because she's super moldable?

I think that similarly to her incredible fighting skills, it was something her creators simply didn't thought about when they made her. Same thing with Lapis - no one even considered that they're encounter planets that have enough water to make her a deadly threat.

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#59042: Sep 6th 2019 at 1:38:19 AM

They don't need to poof to change their appearance, it's just something they just chose to do upon reforming.

It was just a formula, the show set it up to seem like they needed to and there was no reason to assume otherwise.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
SalFishFin Since: Jan, 2001
#59043: Sep 6th 2019 at 3:04:00 AM

Given that Spinel doesn't actually shapeshift when she fights, but did go all glowy when she regained hee memories, I take it tjat she poofed herself somehow and reformed all goth like for aesthetic.

sgamer82 Since: Jan, 2001
#59044: Sep 6th 2019 at 5:22:52 AM

That or her reforming into that form was a result of trauma of confirming she had been abandoned.

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#59045: Sep 6th 2019 at 3:55:53 PM

A Review:

This person has thoughts.

The movie is fun spectacle, but also very retready and sloppy writing.

Isn't that fantastic?

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
razorrozar7 Migrated to Chloe Jessica! from Chloe Jessica Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: Hooked on a feeling
Migrated to Chloe Jessica!
#59046: Sep 6th 2019 at 4:03:43 PM

tbh, if it's enjoyable to watch, that trumps everything else in my book. ill forgive a hell of a lot of bad writing if it results in a fun ride.

i think that's why i actually like the Matrix sequels. the writing fell flat on its face, but damn if they weren't fun movies.

Migrated to Chloe Jessica!
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#59047: Sep 6th 2019 at 4:05:13 PM

I want best friend Gem to meet Jasper

-boops Jasper's nose-

-gets sent flying-

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#59048: Sep 6th 2019 at 4:20:24 PM

[up][up]I have similar thoughts...

As long as it's not with movies.

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#59049: Sep 6th 2019 at 4:31:48 PM

[up][up][up] Yeah. If anything, people should enjoy the ride first and foremost.

Edit: was looking through movie pictures on the wiki, and Mr. Smiley changed his shirt during the timeskip. So that's neat.

Edited by Crossover-Enthusiast on Sep 6th 2019 at 8:03:46 AM

Jawbreakers on sale for 99¢
DeathsApprentice The Ultimate Lifeform from The Ark Since: Aug, 2011 Relationship Status: Is that a kind of food?
The Ultimate Lifeform
#59050: Sep 6th 2019 at 6:23:17 PM

Personal enjoyment of a movie is definitely what's most important for me when it comes to movies. I've enjoyed movies with bad writing before because I had fun. (And then felt bad for enjoying them when seeing reviews that call said movies bad, but hey. One of these days, I'm gonna learn to not need external validation for my own opinions on stuff I like, one of these days...)

I'm honestly kinda impressed that, even though the movie was technically a retread of Pearl's, Garnet's and Amethyst's character development, it didn't feel repetitive to me? YMMV, of course, clearly the person who made that video didn't feel the same way, but it certainly felt more like a celebration of who they've become more so than a repeat of the same storylines.

Literally the only issue I had with this movie was, where the heck did Spinel get that injector from? And that Gem rejuvenator? It's never explained. Guess we'll never know.

Edited by DeathsApprentice on Sep 6th 2019 at 9:27:13 AM

When we're done, there won't be anything left.

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