Let's Discuss: Steven Universe Future "Together Forever"

'Together Forever' opens in Steven's Room, Steven is sprawled across his bed talking to Connie. This is the first real time we see Steven comfortable since the beginning of Steven Universe: Future and the events of the Steven Universe Movie. It's a nice change to the gloom that Steven has been feeling up until this point.

Connie appears to be planning out her major and minor for college as she and Steven facetime together. They are interrupted by Connie's alarm alerting her that it is time to get back to her studies. Steven reminds Connie that she left a brochure at his place the last time they hung out together. You quickly catch on that he was trying to use the brochure as a way to see Connie. Steven takes a look at the brochure and makes a comment noting on how far the college Connie wants to go to is and triggers his pink gem-glow.

He heads downstairs and sees that Garnet is downstairs. As he approaches her he asks for some advice. I want to make a quick note that Steven did reach out and at this point is still attempting to reach out and ask for help from his family and loved ones. Something you'll see again following this episode in 'Growing Pains' and you also see in the episodes prior with Peridot and Bismuth.

Garnet, unfuses and become Ruby and Sapphire after telling Steven that she can't and reveals that Sapphire is running late to her Alternate Timelines lecture at 'Little Home School'. Sapphire runs out and Ruby tells Steven that he can still talk to her and rely on 'Ol Ruby, which was a not so subtle callback to the season four episode 'The Question' where the song 'Ruby Rider' was sung by Ruby herself.

Which in it of itself is a foreshadow to what is yet to come in the events of this episode. I don't know if anyone else has made that connection yet or if anyone caught that. The foreshadowing is quick because in the next scene Steven asks Ruby what he should do because his only close friend outside of the Crystal Gems, who had been with him through all of the gem stuff appears to be moving on and has a plan for her life. He confides in Ruby about how lost and unsure he feels and how confident and adjusted Connie is. He tells her that as Stevonnie his fusion with Connie; he feels ready for anything. As his mind drifts about the idea of Stevonnie, Ruby gives him some advice and excitingly tells Steven that he should propose. She edges him on excitedly and tells him if he's still unsure to ask Sapphire, someone who can 'see into the future.'

Sapphire edges him on and agrees in excitement that Steven should ask Connie to marry him.

But from what we already know as the audience and the released stock image it won't go the way Steven, Ruby, or Sapphire want. It's both heartbreaking and uncomfortable watching the next few frames unfold.

Steven surprises Connie at her house on the back of lion and invites her out, promising that they'll be back in time for her to get back to her studies.

Steven serenades Connie with a love song and a picnic at the spot where they both met in the beginning of the series, all the way back in the season one episode 'Bubble Buddies'. Connie responds with a very understandable 'no, not right now' also telling him that she doesn't want to be Stevonnie forever.

Their time together is once again interrupted by Connie's alarm and Connie leaves to go home on the back of lion, leaving Steven alone and brokenhearted on the beach. Steven cries himself into a nap and wakes up on the beach in the evening hours, Garnet is once again by his side.

The episode ends on a great life lesson that a lot of us sadly don't have the opportunity to learn until they feel just as miserable as Steven is feeling now. And that lesson is that you can't use someone else/someone else's love to make you feel better. Which is something we can all take away from this episode. However even though the message was good and Garnet was coming from a place of love and understanding, still trying not to push into whatever Steven is going through. Even though she knows more than what she's letting on. Steven lashes out at her and blames her for feeling like this. Garnet assures him that she knows he's upset. But knowing that there's a rift already forming between Steven and the Gems, I can imagine that Garnet may step back after this episode. That assumption is based off her character development and her relationship between Ruby and Sapphire and their relationship with Steven. Garnet is the embodiment of the love between Ruby and Sapphire and wouldn't exist without that.

It's a bittersweet ending to the episode.

Steven Universe: Future is on Fridays at 7 p.m. on Cartoon Network.