WARNING: This article contains Spoilers throughout the article. Do not read further unless you are up to date with the series Steven Universe, or have not yet seen the episode "Alone At Sea." Thank you and enjoy.

Steven Universe is an animated show that first aired on November 4th, 2013 following a half-human half-Gem boy's adventures with friends, the Crystal Gems. The show has been highly acclaimed for its art style, voice acting, music, and overall story that both children and adults have come to love. It has also been a show filled with controversy when the show introduced "fusion", where two or more gems become one new gem being, and revealed a main character to be a result of such a fusion. These complaints consider fusion to be sexually suggestive and propaganda that is promoting a lesbian agenda toward youth audiences. Regardless of such complaints the show has only risen in popularity, being renewed for a fourth and fifth season while half way through its third.

The show has slowly progressed itself from just a silly children's show into a show with character development, story progression, and subtly addressing serious topics. Steven Universe is going though a special "Summer of Steven" where a new episode is being released daily for four weeks. On July 28th, 2016, the episode "Alone at Sea" was released. This episode is believed, not only by myself, but many dedicated viewers to be dealing with one of these serious topics.

Anyone who saw "Alone at Sea" was shocked when Lapis Lazuli revealed that even though it was torture being trapped under the ocean as Malachite and knows Jasper was an awful person, she missed being fused with her. Why would Rebecca Sugar and the other writers choose this approach? Well when Jasper finally made her appearance and even asked to fuse into Malachite it became clear that this was an episode with a undertone of a lesson. Many fans, including myself, believe this was suggestive of an abusive or toxic relationship. Th fact that such a popular show directed at children addresses this topic shows its value as a children's show and a show of positive influence.

First thing that was done was that they established that the relationship between Jasper and Lapis was a negative one. This is beyond a simple, "Jasper is bad and so she treats Lapis bad". Though visually they do remind the audience that this does play a role. When handling Lapis before their fusion, Jasper is aggressive with Lapis in how she grabs at her and calls her names. This could be a way that the writing team wanted to establish there is no positive relationship prior to when it occurs in "Jail Break".

When finally in the fusion, Lapis overpowered the fusion and chained their form to the bottom of the ocean to trap them both. Garnet at the end of this episode even stated "Yikes, they are really bad for each other.". This alleviated all the tension came from the episode, but verbally tells the audience the relationship those two have is not good. There were visual and verbal cues established so that any range of audience, from the child viewer to young adult, could understand the concept.

Now "Alone at Sea" is showing to children, who hopefully have yet been exposed to anything like this, how an unhealthy relationship can affect those involved. Even explaining to a degree, why there are those that are tempted to return to the relationship. This is where the lines of who is good and who is bad are irrelevant. This is about two individuals, though cartoon gems, and how the relationship affected them. So I will be referring to this from now on as a relationship for ease of explaining the point.

Now, Lapis had reasons obvious reasons why she hated the relationship; she was literally confined, hated her partner, and had to use all her physical and mental strength just to keep control. The relationship took so much out of her that once it was over, Lapis was in an unconscious state for days. Then it is revealed the relationship even made Lapis hesitant toward the water, especially the ocean, even though her water abilities are a big part of who she is. Well it was still revealed how she liked being with Jasper. Lapis admits that while together she took out her anger, frustration, and hatred on Jasper. Even admits to feeling powerful being able to do these things to her. Lapis wasn't just the innocent one, children aren't being taught that both parties can be bad when in a relationship that is unhealthy. It may even educate why someone they love may change or act unexpectedly if exposed to such toxicity. However, Lapis gradually loses all her strength and becomes engulfed in the relationship.

Jasper received plenty of the unhealthy behavior, just from hearing how Lapis acted. Jasper was kept against her will and aggression was taken out on her. For the longest time she wasn't able to even be a mental presence in their relationship. However, once she did become present, she had all the power and loved it. Experiencing that power and being together so long made her obsessed with the once forced relationship. When seeing her for the first time the word "unhinged" comes to mind. She is obsessive of Lapis and desperate to be together again. It is ever present in her attitude and actions, her following Lapis around suggestive to possible stalking. Jasper even goes on to say how she has changed and how Lapis was the one who changed her, a common line for someone to use to continue an unhealthy relationship that may even be abusive.

Talking about unhealthy or toxic relationships is important for children to become educated about prior or during these unfortunate cases in their lives. It shows that not only are some relationships/friendships are bad for them, that it is okay to leave them as well. Also if there are loved ones that are in these relationships, children now know why it can be difficult for them to leave. Though topics like this are serious and children do need some safe places to enjoy themselves, like their afternoon cartoons, there needs to be educating on the topics that socially will come up. Steven Universe is providing that from the acceptence of different types of relationships to understanding when one is unhealthy.