​I really need to get this off my chest so massive Spoiler warning for Steven Universe: The Movie.

If you’re new and you don’t already know, I stumbled upon this show at a very low point in my life and ever since, have been obsessed. If you don’t know the show, you should give it a try! It follows the story of Steven, a half boy, half alien, in his quest for peace in the universe! I mean kind of? There’s a lot of twists and turns and it’s just a really good show. The thing I’ve always loved about this show is how deep its storylines run. It handles some genuinely heavy topics in such a magnificent way. From unhealthy abusive relationships, to dealing with the death of a parents, to even LGBTQ+ issues. This show doesn’t pull its punches and that’s what I absolutely love most about it. Steven solves things with talking instead of brute force. In a show that has almost anime style fights, Steven uses a shield instead of a weapon and his main power is healing. I always felt that Pearl had the absolute saddest story of all the characters on the show. And then the movie gave us Spinel. Now, I’ve watched this movie a lot more than I’m willing to admit, and I still sob when we finally see her back story. To say that Pink Diamond was the worst of all the Diamonds is an understatement. I have never bonded with a character quite like I bonded with Spinel. I saw myself in her so much and in so many ways that she just hit too close to home. Buckle up kids, we about to get real personal in this blog. Like probably more personal than I’ve ever been.

When we first meet Spinel, she’s the typical villain. Right? Because that’s how Steven Universe goes. Only when we finally get her story, finally see what made her the way she was, we get brutally stabbed in the feelings. Spinel isn’t just a random villain out for revenge on Rose. Spinel is literally damaged from Pink Diamond’s actions. She was left alone for 6,000 years while Pink went and led her life. She even brings her Pearl with her, but Spinel? Spinel gets left alone because Pink seemingly outgrew her. Spinel was created to be Pink’s Best Friend, which means she was designed to bring Pink joy and entertainment, and she did. At one point in the movie, Spinel even comments that she thought everything between them was great. When Pink got her colony, Spinel was so excited to be on this new adventure with her best friend. Only, Spinel literally got left standing alone for thousands of years. Her actions following the incident are reactionary to what she’s been through. The trauma of being abandoned like she was and what she experienced trigger anger, hysteria, and leave her quick to relapsing into those mental states. She admits to wanting to kill Steven, but later even asks herself what she’s doing and says that she only wanted to be his friend.

To someone who’s never experienced anything like that severe of abandonment, the things Spinel exhibits look a lot like a borderline personality disorder. To me, these are all symptoms of severe abandonment, something I’ve experienced personally. My biological father left at a very early age and literally wanted nothing to do with me. And while that’s not being left alone on a planet for 6000 years, some of the behaviors I’ve developed from it are similar. That one thing has set the course of every relationship I’ve ever had in my life. It’s made me paranoid, clingy, desperate to be a people pleaser and a fixer, self-sacrificing to a detrimental level, and above all, angry. You also learn to push people away before they can hurt you, and there’s this sense of little self-worth, depression/anxiety, and self-loathing that gets covered with self-deprecating jokes, and humor. Having friends do the same thing to you doesn’t help either. The storyline within this movie between Pink and Spinel hit home for me because I’ve had a few close friends abandon me like this. The worst was someone whom I was really close with. Granted, I was going through a ridiculously tough time in my life. The death of someone really close to me triggered so much. The second I felt like this friend didn’t care I shoved a barrier between us, but I had never expected to come home and find they’d moved out and left a note. At least I got a note, unlike Spinel.

During one scene, right after Spinel helps Steven save his planet, he says something that triggers her. She asks if that’s all he needed her for, and he says sort of. Spinel is sent into a regression of rage and to be honest, I really understood that. What Steven does, however, is not fight her. He defends himself sure, but he doesn’t actually attack her. He listens, blocks blows, and even tells her that she can make this right. When Spinel yells that he can’t change how she feels, I also lost it. Steven is the friend that is there even when you don’t want them to be. He doesn’t fight you, he just listens and helps you want to be better. Which is absolutely amazing and everybody needs that friend. I’m so lucky to have my Steven. The only good thing that came out of that very dark period in my life, is John. Truthfully speaking, we became the type of best friends that have been through everything together. Without him I wouldn’t be here or be the person I am today. So, for that, John, I thank you from the bottom of my soul.

Spinel is a character with a lot of depth and in her I saw not only myself, but other friends I’ve had in my life. The friends that shove you away the second you say something slightly wrong or that is misinterpreted. And while that can be hurtful, my advice is that sometimes we just need to be compassionate and understanding. I never knew how deep my own abandonment issues ran until I went to therapy and finally worked them out. Like Spinel, I’m not cured. Friendship isn’t easy for me, and it’s something I too have to work at. But I have friends that make me want to try. I have people in my life now who encourage me and love me even when I’m having a bad day. The anxiety that comes with abandonment is something that never goes away. I’m always worried I’m replaceable, because I’ve had people in my life who’ve fed that insecurity. I worry that I’m not good enough or that I’m not invited places because I’m not as fun. The truth is, I don’t need to be liked or have a lot of friends. I am enough for me, and I can make a change. People can’t fix you, that’s something only you can do. True friends aren’t going to abandon you. They’re not going to leave you because you had a bad day or even because you tried to push them away. A true friend will always be there for you. Steven said it best when he told Spinel she deserved a better friend than Pink.

After the movie, I understand that Pink has her side, but what she has continued to do to the people she supposedly cared about is unacceptable. Spinel broke my heart because I literally am her. The best part of this show, aside from the deep topics it showcases, is its ability to redeem the characters in it. I genuinely hope we see Spinel again and that she did find her better friend. While I don’t think the Diamonds are good for her, I do think a fresh start is. Sometimes, that’s what we all need.

​Let’s talk about trauma and how it’s handled in media! Why? Because we need to. It’s very important that media show cases traumas and how they’re handled so that we all realize it’s something people go through. And for those who’ve been through any trauma to know they’re not alone. Please note some of these topics can be triggering for some and also slightly spoiler-y for shows and/or movies and what not.

When it comes to portraying trauma through any media form, it can be quite difficult for the both the creator and the audience. A large number of things can easily go wrong on both ends, so it’s a tricky situation to have things play out just right. If you’ve been here for a while then you’ve definitely seen many an article of mine proclaiming my love of Steven Universe, and the shows delicate way of sneaking things in. One major theme through the show is how it brings to light many different types of trauma and difficult topics with a positive look. The subjects that are showcased within this cartoon are utterly deep and resounding for such a “lighthearted kids show.” They tackle everything from loss to abusive relationships and even some PTSD. Recently The Steven Universe Movie aired and it brought a whole slew of other messages with it. The show has a bright shine on mental health and has interconnected characters and relationships with their own varying connections to really bring home that being not okay all the time is okay, and that leaning on others for help is also okay. Steven is able to deal with a lot of different traumas himself and always finds a way to connect with someone else and make them feel better by relating and understanding. However, while he doesn’t always have the same feelings and experiences as whoever is going through something, he does have a wealth of empathy and understanding. It’s a wonderful message to really show people. We may not always get what someone is going through, but we can be kind and listen. With this amazing trait, Steven is able to turn the most vicious enemy into a friend.

Not all shows are as fluffy and loving, however. In the Amazon series, The Boys, which is an adaptation of the comic, we see a different take on trauma. When Hughie’s girlfriend is killed by a superhero he snaps. This show doesn’t really sugarcoat anything, including violence. Driven by loss, rage and a bad influence, Hughie goes to some pretty extreme lengths for what he thinks is revenge. Hughie experiences his own PTSD which isn’t helped when he meets Billy. In fact, Billy pushes him after some reluctance and then completely projects his own issues onto Hughie. Truthfully, Billy seems to be pulling everyone down with his trauma by feeding on everyone else’s and manipulating them into working with him. Oddly, it’s Homelander, the hero of all hero’s, that is the most traumatized. Homelander is a sociopath with a number of issues, all of which were brought on by the people who raised him. It’s a really good look at what happens when people are treated like objects and nothing more. Homelander lacks empathy and is a narcissist, for sure, but he also has emotional problems.

Speaking of emotional problems, Batman and the entire Bat Family have those and then some. Granted, seeing your parents murdered is never fun and has some long-lasting effects. Both Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson had the same experience with that type of trauma and yet they turned out different. While they both seek vengeance, Grayson is far more chill about certain aspects of it while Wayne is cold and detached. Batman is quite an interesting one considering he dresses like the very thing that terrifies him. Which is pretty hardcore because I absolutely could not dress as my phobia, ironically clowns. Then you have Harley who is manipulated into being dependent on the Joker, which later she finally breaks off. The abuse she suffers at being the Joker’s girlfriend deserves its own lengthily blog to be honest. Harley has thankfully evolved with the times and pulled herself free, but that doesn’t mean those traumas have vanished.

Creatively, many writers have managed to showcase different types of traumas in their allotted story arc’s without making them seem like flaws. I think, for me, that’s the most important life lesson. These traumas aren’t used to define a character, but rather show how a character deals with them and grows with them. While a trauma can lead to mental changes, it never is a defining characteristic, and nor should it be. Still, these things can often be hard to see or triggering for those who’ve been through specific or similar traumas. I’ve mentioned this in another blog, DoesTheDogDie.com is a wonderful site that offers warnings for various possible triggers and traumas in many media forms. It’s a wonderful resource and I highly recommend it for literally anyone. The site is thorough and even includes warnings for phobias, like spiders and clowns! Not to mention, it does let you know if a dog dies in a movie, which is pretty helpful.

While sidekicks get a lot of love in comics and media, we often overlook the best types of sidekicks, animals. Recently, I sadly lost one of my animal sidekicks, and this got me thinking as to how often we see animals featured in media and how much they truly mean to us. So today, I’m going to shed some light on some amazing animal buddies in honor of my Bella. As a Great Dane, Bella was funny, sensitive, and beyond the gentlest animal I have ever met in my entire life. Just like Scooby-Doo she was also easily frightened. Now Scooby was one of the inspirations for wanting a Great Dane for a lot of people, his wild antics and gestures are very cartoonish and genuinely quite realistic. These dogs are beyond loyal and have extremely expressive faces can easily con anyone into passing some treats. Let me tell you, these gentle giants can easily reach the dining room table and happily share a meal. Scooby-Doo loved to eat anything Shaggy did, and despite being scared easily, he still went along for the Mysteries. Thankfully for Scooby, most of the scary monsters and ghosts turned out to be people. Which, if that isn’t the most real thing, I really don’t know what is. Scooby stole the hearts of millions and he deserves to live on in infamy for being the coolest best friend.

Speaking of really cool dogs that love people food and have really cool best friends, Pizza Dog. Okay, truthfully his name is really Lucky, but he’s the absolute best. Lucky was introduced in the 2012 comic, Hawkeye. That’s right, Clint gets a dog in the comics. He actually rescues Lucky and gets him back to health before deciding to keep him. The comic series even gives Lucky his own issue where everything is from his perspective, which is the coolest thing ever in my opinion. Fair warning, Lucky does experience some abuse which is very sad and off putting, even if he gets a happy ending. Lucky is a wonderful side kick that definitely deserves his own spot in the MCU, just saying, maybe a Hawkeye movie or a cameo in the new Hawkeye series on the upcoming Disney+? Maybe Lucky needs his own spin off!

Okay, while Lucky may never get his own spin off, there is at least one dog that has, that’s right, Krypto. Krypto has had his own comics and even cartoon, and to top it all off, his best friend is Superman. This super powered super dog has been around since 1955 doing all sorts of doggy things. Unlike others, Krypto does indeed have his own set of superpowers that happen to coincide with Superman’s, making the two the perfect match, which is fair and probably does make him the most recognizable of all the comic dogs. Like his human counterpart, he’s had many a struggle with many a villain and even his own death scene or two. Which, legit, can we not do that to poor comic animals?

Move over Krypto, because he’s not the only super dog on this list. Ace the Bat Dog probably isn’t as renowned, but he certainly deserves his own award. Also introduced in the ripe year of 1955, Ace hopped onto the comic scene by being lost and then found by Batman. The dog was later returned and eventually found his way into the Bat Family, where he then became the world’s coolest dog. Okay, working with Superman is pretty cool, but working with Batman is much cooler. Ace made his small screen appearance on Batman Beyond, where he was Bruce’s loyal hound. Bat Dog seems far more likely to bite first and ask later, and what’s probably why I love him more. Ace isn’t the only dog Bruce has ever had though. When Damien is introduced, we also get Titus, a Great Dane and great addition to the ever-growing Bat Family.

Dogs aren’t the only companions many of our heroes have. Redwing happens to be a robot bird type device created by Falcon in the MCU, however in the comics, this bird is just that, a bird. Sam Wilson buys him and through some wondrous comic magic of epic per portions, the two become telepathically linked. Okay, weird? Maybe. But cool? Definitely. The two can actually see through each other’s eyes and Redwing is able to understand Sam. That can come in really handy when taking down bad guys or picking up take out. I’m just saying, I’d probably use a telepathic connection with an animal for the greater good and that often includes pizza.

There are so many more amazing animals in comics, so don’t count this as the only blog! But I wanted to end this with something that’s a bit not my norm. Earlier I mentioned that there was animal abuse towards one of the comic dogs, and that can be quite sensitive to people. I’d like to introduce everyone to a website called DoesTheDogDie.com. This website lets you know if a dog dies in a movie and/or show, and so much more. It offers a variety of possible triggers, such as sexual assault or child abuse, animal abuse, and on and on. I found this site through social media and was really impressed. This site has saved me from a lot of shows that have things I cannot watch as it triggers me. I really want people to know about it in hopes of saving someone from those awkward moments of having a trauma or phobia thrown out there by a movie or show.