Here’s how the Cartoon Network show began back in 2013 with original series Steven Universe, which told the tale of its titular protagonist. Steven is a boy who is half-human, half-Gem (a race of alien beings) and protects the universe from nefarious intergalactic forces with his alien friends the Crystal Gems. The series marked a milestone in animated broadcasting; not only was Steven Universe the first Cartoon Network series created solely by a woman, but it was also the first animated series to receive a GLAAD Media Award thanks to its inclusion of LGBTQ-related themes.
Steven Universe came to an end in 2019 after five seasons but was swiftly followed by a feature-length film – aptly titled Steven Universe: The Movie – that picked up two years after the series finale. The film was then followed by Steven Universe Future, a limited sequel series serving as an epilogue to both the original show and the movie. The series premiered on Cartoon Network in late 2019 and follows a 16-year-old Steven and the Crystal Gems as they oversee Little Homeschool – a school that teaches Gems how to integrate into life on Earth.
In Steven Universe Future, humans and Gems are living in relative harmony but Steven faces several new challenges such as trying to figure out what he wants from life and who he is as a person. In Steven Universe Future's “Mr Universe”, Steven goes on a road trip at the insistence of his father Greg who wants to help him work his way through those issues. The pair wind up at Greg’s childhood home where Steven learns his father resented his parents for his restrictive upbringing. Greg also reveals exactly what prompted him to run away from home to become a rock star and to adopt “Universe” as his surname.
Steven Universe’s dad was born Gregory DeMayo and tells his son he spent his young adulthood going through motions until one day his friend gave him an album that changed his life for the better. The album in question was by a David Bowie-like artist named Kerry Moonbeam and featured a song called “Mr Universe” (A role sung by Jemaine Clement of Flight Of The Conchords fame) which is how Greg got the idea to change his surname and take to the road to live out his rock star dreams.
Unfortunately, Greg’s attempts at inspiring his son to carve out his own path in life backfired in “Mr Universe” as Steven was angered by the fact he didn’t have the conventional upbringing his father did. Consequently, the Steven Universe Future episode didn’t have the happiest of endings and established conflict in Steven and Greg’s otherwise close relationship. However, like other episodes of Steven Universe Future, “Mr Universe” excelled in its exploration of the issues and conflicts teens like Steven Universe face which is a major reason why the series and wider franchise are so acclaimed.