How Steven Universe Manages to Display The Power of Love.

I imagine plenty of people have heard of Steven Universe. It’s a show that’s known for the plucky kid with the magic belly button, the intense battles against an authoritarian alien society, and a cast that is predominantly made up of a bunch of magical lesbian space rocks. The in-depth mythos and secrets regarding Gems are an important part of Steven Universe, but something that really makes the show so appealing — and the reason it reaches so many people — is its emphasis on love. Love is a driving force in Steven Universe with many an episode focusing on different kinds of love and how that love can affect different characters. For the main character, Steven, love is literally a source of power, with his ability to summon his magical weapon or use any of his other powers fueled by the love that he feels for his friends and family. Another main character, Garnet, is literally a being created by the romantic love between two beings. As she proclaims in one of the show’s best songs, being “made of love” makes her so much stronger. Fusion, the act of two gems combining and one of the show's biggest topics, is a process that is made easier and stronger based on the amount of love that the two beings fusing have for each other whether that love is platonic or romantic. The love that people have for friends, family or their homes is extremely important to the show. But it’s not just love for others that plays an important role in the show. Self-love is displayed as being just as important to the show. Multiple characters in Steven Universe display large amounts of low self-esteem and self-loathing and letting these emotions overtake them made them weaker. Jasper, a gem homeworld super-soldier, secretly detested her earth-grown origins, and after being beaten in battle by multiple fusion Gems, it lead her to seek the same kind of power which ultimately cost her as it leads to her own downfall. Steven’s mother, Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond, devalued her own importance and thought that by faking her death she could have freedom but it only ended up causing more pain and heartache. Love in all its forms is a strength in the world of Steven Universe and it’s only when someone lacks love, whether it’s for others or even themselves, it makes them weaker as a result. It’s truly a testament to what a jewel of a show Steven Universe is that it is able to display just how powerful a force love is without it sounding preachy or interfering with the plot. Love is just there as a part of the show. As it should be in life.