Cartoon Network's Steven Universe went from being a cute cartoon about some kid with an ice cream obsession to becoming a sprawling cosmic epic with heavy themes about identity, mental health, and more. Long story short, there’s a lot of layers to Steven’s very complicated coming of age.
But given its sheer scope and the depth of its themes, some things just fall through the cracks. There’s some stuff that can be chalked up to fantasy or simple cartoon logic but even by the show’s own imaginative and otherworldly framework, some things need a better explanation.
Everything About Crying Breakfast Friends
Growing up, one of Steven’s favorite cartoons is the cartoon “Crying Breakfast Friends!,” which revolves around a bunch of anthropomorphic breakfast foods (ex. a waffle, a milk carton, some fruit, etc.) crying over each other about anything.
In reality, Crying Breakfast Friends! is a self-deprecating joke made by the Crewniverse. The faux show acknowledges the mockery of early Steven Universe as supposedly being nothing but crying cartoon characters. But in-universe, Crying Breakfast Friends! makes no sense as a cartoon, as it has no plot to speak of. What Steven sees in it will be a mystery for the ages.
The Watermelon Stevens Made A Society
One of the show’s very first episodes displayed Steven’s inherited phytoanimation (i.e. plant manipulation) through the Watermelon Stevens, sentient watermelons that bear his resemblance and bits of his personality. After wreaking comical havoc on Beach City, Steven tearfully exiles the Watermelon Stevens to an unknown location.
Five seasons later, it’s revealed that the Watermelon Stevens not only founded their own island society but that they’re thriving. This isn’t a gamebreaker, but it does raise interesting questions. When exactly did the Watermelon Stevens become socially aware? Did they seriously make a religion? Are they aware of their mortality given how fruit are quick to rot, especially in tropical conditions? None of this makes sense and it’s hilariously intriguing.
Homeworld Gave Up Its Caste System Overnight
For the longest time, gem society in Homeworld was ruled by an oppressive caste system that literally put gems in their pre-assigned places. Following the Diamonds’ defeat at Steven’s hands, Homeworld quickly drops its eons long social order because Steven told White Diamond that it was not nice.
Politically speaking, such upheaval would lead to chaos before a new order is established. The worst that happens is Aquamarine and Eyeball fuse into Bluebird Azurite (above) to beat up Steven for ruining their Homeworld careers, but not much else. Additionally, if the Homeworld gems were conditioned to follow the Diamonds’ commands no matter what, is replacing the old caste system with another Diamond-approved social order really freedom? Do they even understand what freedom is?
Modern Humanity Remains Unchanged Despite The Gems’ Presence
If not for the gems, Steven Universe would just be another contemporary slice-of-life cartoon like We Bare Bears. But given that Earth was a liberated Diamond colony where a decisive gem war was waged, human history should’ve followed a different course that led to a drastically different modern civilization – which isn’t the case in the show.
Supplementary material and showrunner Rebecca Sugar confirmed that Steven Universe has an alternate history. And yet, its modern times looks exactly like the real thing, despite major paradigm shifts like World War II never occurring in its timeline. Gem culture and technology should have a bigger presence on Steven Universe’s modern times, outside of some abandoned gem ruins and the occasional Crystal Gem historical cameo.
Nobody Healed The Cluster
Formed long before the events of the series, the Cluster is a forced fusion made of possibly millions of gem shards that are actually the remains of shattered Crystal Gems. In the original series, the best that Steven could do was bubble the Cluster for the mean time. Fast forward to Steven Universe Future, where all of the corrupted gems were successfully healed with the Diamonds’ help, yet the Cluster is still stuck a giant arm in the Earth’s core.
Yellow Diamond off handedly mentions that she’d like to cure the Cluster later. But given her newfound purpose (i.e. undoing her unethical gem experiments), immense powers and her fellow Diamonds’ help, it’s weird how she didn’t cure the Cluster earlier, since she could theoretically do so almost instantaneously.
Steven & The Crystal Gems Don’t Use All Their Weapons & Powers
Since they’re the underdogs, one would think that the Crystal Gems would’ve used everything at their disposal, but they don’t. Amethyst, Garnet and Pearl often reveal amazing weapons and abilities that serve as a plot device or world building for one episode, but then are promptly forgotten. For example: literally everything in Rose’s armory.
Similarly, Steven displays an impressive host of powers that he doesn’t activate when they would’ve proven convenient. Some abilities include his aforementioned phytoanimation, shapeshifting, telepathy, astral projection, and more. Granted, he doesn’t know how to control everything yet and most of these powers manifested unintentionally. But you’d think by the time of Steven Universe Future, he would’ve mastered at least some of them.
Steven Enabled Ronaldo’s Delusional Escapism
Ronaldo is Beach City’s resident conspiracy nut, who’s determined to expose a sinister conspiracy he totally did not make up. But just when he thinks he finally cracked the Snake People’s insidious plot by capturing one, Steven reveals that he was the sneople all along. Steven only donned the snake disguise to keep Ronaldo’s spirits up, though the revelation breaks him.
Instead of getting Ronaldo some professional help, Steven and Peedee encourage his delusions by giving him a new (false) mystery to chase. This makes Ronaldo ecstatic but also more insufferable, with his new target being the Crystal Gems because of their supposed conspiracy to do… something. If Steven and company helped Ronaldo then and there, the annoyance of “Rocknaldo” could’ve been avoided and he could’ve matured a lot faster.
Pink Diamond Just Abandoned Spinel
Spinel, the antagonist of Steven Universe: The Movie, is driven by her anger towards Steven and the Crystal Gems for “replacing” her as Pink Diamond’s favorite. What doesn’t make sense is part of her past, wherein Pink Diamond (who Spinel played court jester for) abandoned her despite their history.
Without as much as a proper goodbye or explanation, Pink Diamond left Spinel in their garden for 6,000 years before Steven’s galactic message broke her. Since Pink Diamond never mentioned Spinel when she started her new life as Rose Quartz, it's safe to assume she forgot about her. Pink Diamond's sudden abandonment drove the once jovial Spinel mad with rage and sadness.
Everybody Easily Forgave Spinel
Arguably, Spinel inflected the most trauma and pain on Steven. Her (technically) non-lethal scythe reset Steven’s loved ones to their Homeworld states, in a way killing those who raised him ever since he was a baby. Not only that, but Spinel came to Earth on a giant injector that would’ve literally poisoned the planet to death if she weren’t stopped in time.
And despite this, everyone quickly forgives Spinel. She even gets her wish when she’s adopted by the Diamonds, who bring her to Homeworld. Spinel is practically perfect as an exploration of a betrayed and deeply hurt character who lashed out violently. However, whatever sympathy she gets pales in comparison to her lack of comeuppances and the gravity of her actions.
Everyone Easily Forgave The Diamonds
Metaphorically, Blue, Yellow and White Diamond are emotionally abusive aunts whose combined insensitivity and callousness pushed Pink Diamond (later known as Rose Quartz, Steven’s mother) away. Steven forgiving them in Pink’s place after they realize their mistakes makes thematic sense, since the show is all about the power of love conquering generational pain.
But since the Diamonds are literal imperialists, Steven and company easily putting the past aside is questionable, at the very least. By the series’ end, everyone’s alright with the Diamonds just deciding to be nice. For some reason, the Diamonds’ former slaves and victims live in harmony with their former oppressors. Minus some scolding, the Diamonds never face accountability for being intergalactic genocidal colonizers and fascists.