This Steven Universe Future review contains spoilers.
Steven Universe Future Episode 11
Don’t fall into the trap this Steven Universe Future episode gives you. It’s easy to do, I understand, but don’t let all the Camp Pining Hearts jokes fool you. This isn’t commentary on fandom or reboots. This isn’t the writers getting a dig on the newest reboot that’s “ruined their childhoods.” This is an episode, as all episodes of Steven Universe Future have been, about the long-term effects of trauma on Steven.
All the jokes about Camp Pining Hearts, hilarious as Peridot made them, were really just a way to get Steven and her together again. This was so Steven could fall right back into his old patterns. The way he’s lived his entire life. The way that caused part of the trauma in the first place.
Steven fixes something for Peridot. It seems small, making their own reboot of Camp Pining Hearts seems like it’s a fun self-contained idea for the Steven Universe comics. In fact they did a story titled “Camp Pining Play” that, if you haven’t read it, you should pick up. Steven uses his dream to tape a new version of the show that makes up for the reboot they don’t like. If that’s all the episode was it’d be fine, a solid episode of Steven Universe.
