By Amanda Knox

It’s easy to become absorbed in Steven Universe, an animated series that I’ve been binge-watching ever since another favorite animated series, Gravity Falls, came to its epic “weirdmageddon” conclusion on February 15th. Like the Gravity Falls’ magic- and mystery-riddled Pacific Northwest, Steven’s universe is only a little different from our own. The earth is populated by normal people with normal jobs, and Steven is a tubby pre-teen who’s noteworthy only because he’s uncommonly kind, and he’s half-human. His other half is Gem, an ageless, technologically advanced, and magical alien species of sentient gemstones who take on humanoid form. Steven’s guardians are the three Crystal Gems—Amethyst, Pearl, and Garnet—whose missions are to protect the earth, even against their own kind, and to raise Steven, the unnatural offspring of their beloved leader, Rose Quartz.

It’s an addictive show. Each episode is only about 10 minutes long, so it’s easy to pull one up even as you’re tying your shoes to head out the door. Steven’s allure is that he is an unlikely, but inevitable hero. Not much of a fighter, he harbors his mother’s powers and seems too good to be true—too much of a sweet, kind, open-hearted person to be real—except that he is. Because he cares so much about others, you can’t help but care for him, and you want to keep pulling up episodes to see how he grows. But more alluring than Steven, at least to me, are the Crystal Gems, because of how they nurture Steven’s growth. In every episode I find myself taking mental notes on their gestures, strategies, and sentiments in regards to their alien, but deeply felt motherhood. I’ve not been so moved and provoked to thought about this other aspect of the coming-of-age experience by an animated series.

Each Crystal Gem is her own unique personality, and therefore, her own kind of mom. Amethyst takes risks and encourages Steven to do the same, to make mistakes, to get his hands dirty. Amethyst is younger than her comrades, only a few hundred years old, so she has less wisdom to offer, but she relates more to Steven’s immaturity. Only Amethyst would covertly team up with Steven to perform some antic, like pose as a semiprofessional wrestling duo. By indulging in her powers also for pleasure, as opposed to restricting them to dutiful purpose, Amethyst provides Steven occasion to stumble upon his own powers through play.

Pearl sits in counterpoint to Amethyst. Overlooked on her home planet as nothing more than an elegant but dirt-common servant, Pearl is poised and self-disciplined, though she’s not a disciplinarian. She’s had to prove her worth and is sensitive to Steven’s struggles to prove his own. She’s also alert, even anxious, for Steven’s wellbeing, and offers Steven a gentle, reliable safety net in physically dangerous situations as well as in emotionally difficult times.

Bigger, stronger and wiser than either Amethyst or Pearl, Garnet is the de facto leader in lieu of Rose Quartz. She exudes confidence and warmth, though she can be intimidating. She is principled, and ardent about her principles, a harmonious balance of passion and reason. This is because she is actually a fusion of two gems—ruddy, rowdy Ruby and calm, collected Sapphire. Garnet is the embodiment of Rudy and Sapphire’s individual identities as well as their love for each other. For this reason, Garnet is particularly alert to Steven’s self-awareness. She understands when Steven needs challenge when he needs support in his journey of coming into himself.

Rose Quartz is Steven’s actual mother, though she is absent from his life. This is because Gems don’t reproduce like humans. Gems come into existence like gems—through the crystallization of specific elements in the earth. To bring Steven into existence, Rose Quartz had to give up her physical form and her gem to pass on to him. Steven is the product of the unconditional love and self-sacrifice of mothers like Rose, who are willing to give their whole selves for their children.

This last quality of motherhood, self-sacrifice, most reminds me of my own mother. I’m reminded of how, from a very young age, I intuitively knew Mom would give her life for Deanna and me. I dreamed countless dreams of adventure and danger—one in particular comes to mind, where I had to jump across a field of stumps rising from a bottomless darkness—and in every dream, Mom saved me from falling, failing, suffering, fear. This is because, in my real, waking life, Mom lived first and foremost for Deanna’s and my happiness, safety, and fulfillment. There was never a question of us deserving or earning this love—it just was. Her example has ever since then given me insight into how I should relate to my loved ones—my siblings, family members, friends, fellow human beings—but most especially, my own babies, when they come.

Steven Universe’s Crystal Gems have given me further insight.