as an autistic adult who is incapable of functioning in ‘the real world’ or w/e im going to fucking kill you i am literally going to kill you
hes literally just poor? hes just a guy without a home or much money (fucks sake he works at a car wash) and he actively involves himself in his childs life and cares so much about steven and like… constantly works to include him and do things with him and be a part of his life… and protect him? he tells pearl off all the time? he has a panic attack when steven talks about almost dying? hes always bending over backwards for his kid? this is all shit most Good parents do?
im not one for defending men but like??? hes literally just a Poor man? apparently not being middle class and able to financially cope is an “inability to function as a parent”. like. steven has food and clothes. the gems don’t work. that money is almost certainly coming from greg and going to the gems for steven. steven lives with the gems more than likely because greg cant afford to rent a house and bc of stevens training. like fuckin hell its so refreshing to see a character whos Poor, a parent whos poor, and they still make it work ijust
Greg Universe is an amazing character.
I openly cry in almost every episode he’s in because oh my GOD. The writers of this show are FANTASTIC when it comes to Greg Universe.
We’ve had the archetype of deadbeat dad in so many shows. Or the bumbling dad. The completely distant stupid father. Greg is NONE of those things, and it’s fantastic.
Greg never went very far in his life. He wanted to be a musician, a rock star. He has great technical knowledge. He knows his way around concert equipment. He’s a decent musician, and a fantastic artist. He had the skills but he never achieved his dreams. But he DID make one very important fan….
Rose Quartz, an immensely strong and respected Gem who betrayed her people and her homeworld to protect Earth as she had fallen in love with the fleeting but fascinating creatures of this planet, looked at Greg Universe and fell in love. Saw someone so pure and good despite his shortcomings that she gave up her life to create a son for Greg.
Some would argue that he wasn’t worth that. Certainly the Crystal Gems don’t seem to think Greg was worth Rose’s sacrifice, despite their love for Steven. But Greg is SO important and SO well written, and it’s SO fucking tragic.
He’s poor. He lives in a van and in a storage unit. He works at a car wash. He hoards everything he owns because he has no permanent place. His wife, or at least the love of his life, is gone. His son is part alien and Greg, as we know now, is privy to the violent past of the Gems and now his son is a part of all that. Steven’s other caretakers are distant from Greg, if not occasionally condescending or cruel to him (Amethyst and Pearl have not been the nicest to him).
The show has every opportunity to make Greg Universe a distant or bumbling failure of a person. Another manchild dad to throw on the pile. But it doesn’t and I’m so glad that that’s the case.
Greg is there for Steven. Greg (save for when Steven healed his leg) is always building Steven up. He supports Steven in any way that he can. He makes it known how much Steven means to him. He gives Steven insight to aspects of Rose that even the Crystal Gems weren’t aware of. He taught Steven how to sing, how to play music. Steven doesn’t see Greg as a failure, Steven IDOLIZES his father. He has the same love for his father that Rose had for Greg, seeing what about him was amazing when no one else could.
Greg involves himself with Steven and Connie’s friendship. Greg steps in to put his foot down the Gems when he needs to, even if they don’t respect him. He even helps them from time to time. At no point is he ever incapable of being a good parent to Steven. Sure, he’s not FINANCIALLY aiding Steven, but outside of money Greg is involved in Steven’s life in a very positive way.
And nothing is more prominent in Greg’s character than the tragedy that was losing Rose Quartz. From his introductory episode where it was HIS saying about Hot Dogs that activated the light cannon (and his tearful single line of “….Rose”), it’s been a constant in Steven Universe that Greg is still suffering a deep loss in his life. From the video tape that the two left Steven, to the torture that Amethyst put him through with tormenting him through her shapeshifting, it’s evident that Greg loved Rose Quartz like no other. It’s beautiful, it’s sweet, but GOD is it tragic.
Greg Universe is an incredible character and I’m so very very happy that he exists.