Mature Themes In Rick And Morty

Animated series often have mature themes, innuendos, visuals and mature language to attract an older audience to what may seem like a show that it would be targeted to younger viewer, some series use the mature themes as a background, used only to tell the story or make the character's reaction seem more human, while others many use the mature themes to gain cult following. I will be referring to two different shows in this language study the shows “Steven Universe” and “Rick and Morty” will be used for example. The TV-PG “Steven Universe,” (program creator, Rebecca Sugar) airing on Cartoon Network, “The Crystal Gems are a team of magical beings who are the self-appointed guardians of earth. Half-human, half-Gem hero Steven is the "little

Steven universe builds its own jargon slowly, for example crystal gems is the name of their group, not a real gem, and uses real world gem names to name the characters based on the likeness of their “gem”, amethyst is called amethyst as her “gem” looks like an amethyst. As explained by the show a “gem” is the person, the gem projects a physical form, like a hologram with weight.

Rick and Morty is heavily influenced by the sci-fi film “back to the future”, each episode uses the plot of one or more popular film, such as episode 2 season 1, using plot devices like inception, even mentioning what they're doing as “incepting” the person, jargon being used in inception for going into someone's dreams. And the use of a knock-off freddy krueger from “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, and comedically referenced as “Scary Tarry” and rick makes a statement on Scary Tarry, saying “Looks like some sort of legally safe knock-off of an '80s horror character with miniature swords for fingers instead of knives.” making fun of character infringement and how it’s clearly meant to be freddy krueger but they can’t legally use the

Held as “the most progressive cartoon show of all time”, steven universe has been touching on sensitive and important issues since its creation, from the deconstruction gender roles and openly showing LGBT relationships and characters. The show has gained a large following not only for its wonderful storytelling and characters buts as the mature issues of the show is woven through the whole narrative of show instead of having single dedicated episodes attracting an audience that watches every episode who will relate to can understand the mature themes. One of these plots in particular that had been leading up towards a particular episode where the main character (Steven) takes Lapis Lazuli on a boat to try and find peace on earth. In a previous episode, lapis had “fused” with the antagonist Jasper to hold jasper from attacking steven and get revenge on Jasper putting her in prison, lapis then trapping jasper in the fusion under the ocean. Fusing in steven universe is gems fuse to create a stronger single entity, it serves a purpose in battle fusion is used as symbolism as deep friendship, love and even sexual intimacy. By the show having a gem being forced into fusing and being forced into staying fused creates the commentary of abusive relationships. In the episode Jasper comes back and begs to lapis to refuse because she felt so powerful as the fusion,lapis had previously talked about missing jasper