Metrocon 2021 Steven Universe experience

I went to a convention yesterday and I was picked to present a Steven Universe !

It was called "Let's Talk Steven Universe" and here was its description:

I was dressed as Stevonnie to host it. :)

My friend was dressed as Steven Tag Pearl.

Together we handled the --I did all the talking and interacted with the audience and my friend made sure they got prizes!

HOW THE WORKED:

I had a stack of index cards with prompts on them. Each prompt would give a participant a topic to talk about--usually an opinion question or just asking for their thoughts on a character or subject. That person could then answer the question, and I would give two more people a chance to answer the same question before moving on to the next one.

Also, there were three categories of question, each corresponding to one pocket of the Cheeseburger Backpack!

The BURGER MEAT questions were the deepest, most personal, and most meaningful or complex. Anyone answering a BURGER MEAT question would get a prize from the meat patty part of my Cheeseburger, and in that pocket we had toys, books, and larger prizes.

:meat_on_bone: :meat_on_bone: :meat_on_bone: :meat_on_bone:

The HAMBURGER BUN questions were medium levels of depth--less complex than burger questions, but still with some layers. People answering a BUN question would get smaller toys, dog tags, or cute buttons.

:hamburger: :hamburger: :hamburger: :hamburger:

The CHEESE questions were more superficial--quick answers, less personal, pretty easy to answer. People answering a CHEESE question would get small prizes that were always either stickers or trading cards.

🧀🧀🧀🧀

So here were the cool questions we discussed!

:meat_on_bone: BURGER QUESTIONS: :meat_on_bone:

☆ Is there a character in the show who is similar to yourself in a unique way? Who do you relate to most? ☆

One person said they related to Pink Diamond because of feeling put down by your older relatives. Relatable comment! One person related to Jasper because people built like her are dismissed and judged, and they felt like she should have been treated better. I think one person said Greg here.

☆ Who was your favorite character when you first started watching the show? If it's changed, who is it now? ☆

One person really loved Onion at first. One person ended up loving Lapis the most.

☆ Are you glad Future addressed Steven's trauma and healing, or would you have preferred Future cover a different subject? ☆

Everyone who answered this question was glad Future addressed Steven's trauma!

☆ Which of the Off Colors do you relate to or like the best? ☆

One person said Padparadscha because she's out of it and late. One person liked the Rutile Twins because they say the same thing as each other a lot. One person related to Rhodonite's attitude.

☆ Name an unsolved mystery from the show that you really want an answer to. ☆

Two people talked about different aspects of how Gems are made, like how are they actually made, and one specifically wanted to know the Diamonds' origin. One wanted to know what Steven was going to do next and why he had to leave. I was surprised no one brought up the treasure chest.

☆ What initially made you watch the show? ☆

One person said their niece brought them into it and then they ended up liking it more than the niece!

☆ What do you like best about Garnet besides her relationship? ☆

One person liked that she's voiced by Estelle. Another just really liked her attitude, and someone said she's a softy inside even though she seems really stoic.

☆ If Peridot got rejuvenated, what would you do to bring her memory back? ☆

One person said to have her talk to Lapis.

☆ Are you glad Lars and Sadie decided not to be a couple? What do you think of Sadie's new relationship? ☆

All three people who answered this question thought Sadie and Lars's breakup was better for both of them.

☆ What was a scene or episode that made you emotional for a personal reason? You don't have to say why, but you can. ☆

Spinel's abandonment was mentioned.

☆ Which Gem would make a good therapist for Lapis's issues? ☆

One person suggested Bismuth! (Because she was the one who poofed her actually, and because she knows what it's like to be put away and forgotten by the same person.) Another said maybe Sapphire.

☆ What do you think about how the Diamonds (and their powers) changed in Era 3? Was it healthy? ☆

Someone thought Yellow's power was pretty constructive, while Blue's was frequently interpreted by fans as similar to getting high. White's power wasn't that easy to understand. It was agreed that this is at least healthier. At least they're trying.

:hamburger: BUN QUESTIONS: :hamburger:

☆ Favorite new character introduced or featured in Steven Universe Future? ☆

Someone actually liked Bluebird! Someone loved Little Larimar. And one person said Mega Pearl.

☆ Do you think Greg Universe is a good dad? ☆

Everyone seemed to agree that Greg did the best he could with what he had. One person thought he kind of wasn't a good dad, but the others thought he at least tried to do his best and it was enough. I added some stuff about how he tried to give Steven what HE wished he'd had--more freedom--when Steven turned out to have needed some stability.

☆ What is your favorite song and why? ☆

One person loved "That Distant Shore," one person loved "Here Comes a Thought."

☆ What is your favorite song from the Steven Universe movie? ☆

The songs mentioned were "System/Boot.pearl_final(3)," "Let Us Adore You," and "Drift Away."

☆ What do you think is under Sunstone's glasses? ☆

Everyone seemed perplexed by this question and didn't really want to answer it. I joked that the sunglasses ARE their eyes. My friend said he hoped it was a whole bunch of eyes.

☆ Share your thoughts on Pearl and Rose's relationship. ☆

This was complicated and everyone had complicated thoughts. Most thought it was kind of toxic and problematic, even though there were positive aspects. One person mentioned how Rose encouraged it by saying "don't ever stop!" (and implied that was almost like a Diamond order, though it wasn't canonically). Pearl's inability to move on as mentioned in "It's Over, Isn't It?" was referenced.

☆ What treat or recipe in the show would you most like to try? ☆

The treats called out were Cookie Cat, Together Breakfast, and Lars's ube roll (and all of his baked goods).

☆ What do you think of Bismuth? ☆

One person loved her puns. Someone loved her voice and attitude.

☆ Any theories on Fluorite's components? ☆

People weren't really enthusiastic about theorizing on this one. I can't what the people who did contribute actually suggested though. ;)

🧀CHEESE QUESTIONS:🧀

☆ What episode do you show people if you want to get them interested in the show? ☆

One person just wants to start at the beginning with "Gem Glow." One person thought "Giant Woman" has enough context for an introduction. Another person said selections of "Jailbreak" work well.

☆ Which character should have gotten a song but didn't? ☆

We quibbled about this a bit, and had difficulty thinking of people who hadn't sung. I mentioned Lars didn't get a song. Someone said Onion should have had a song. My friend thinks Jasper needed a song!

☆ Do you have a least favorite Fusion? If so, who and why? ☆

One person disliked Malachite. One said Smoky Quartz! And one said they don't like Bluebird.

☆ Which battle on the show was your favorite? ☆

One person loved the Alexandrite vs. Malachite battle. One liked when Pearl was fighting Sugilite. And one liked Spinel's battle with the Gems at the end of the movie.

That's it! We actually gave away ALL of the Burger prizes and ran out, so anyone who got a Burger card after that got to take a bun prize and a cheese prize. I let people trade with me after in case they didn't like what they got. I was really happy to help a person who loves Greg get a little Greg figure, and I was happy that just by chance someone dressed like Rose in the audience got a Pink Diamond button!