The Symbolism of Change Your Mind

After thinking it over for a few weeks, I think I'm finally ready to explain the symbolism in Steven Universe Battle of Heart and Mind, otherwise known as Change Your Mind. There's a lot of scenes with a lot of different meanings in this episode, so let's discuss them!

The episodes in the Diamond Days arc are: Legs from Here to Homeworld, Familiar, Together Alone, Escapism and Steven Universe: Battle of Heart and Mind. Will Steven be able to live up to being Pink Diamond, or will her legacy be too much for him?

Buy Official Channel Merchandise at These Stores ►

========================================

Music Credit:

========================================

Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.

[ToonRuinsOfficial]

Hey everyone! Just a reminder to take the poll regarding this video over on my Community Tab on my channel! If you’d like to start a discussion on this video, comment below! Make sure to be civil with one another while having discussions!

[MegaChickenfish]

The symbolism to real world abusive parents really hit hard. "How many times did you make her cry?" and Blue realizing that that's why she *ran away.*

[emeraldqueen]

In my opinion, Rose’s tape is symbolic of a mother saying “I’m sorry I’ll never be able to meet you” to an unborn child because she knew she would die in child birth...

[BadgerPride]

Honestly, I see the Blue and Yellow parts as older siblings in a toxic family who've heard how bad it is for the remaining sibling but don't believe it or they think by making the targeted sibling act a specific way, it'll keep the parent from abusing them worse. It's a terrible way to cope, particularly since they too are abused in their own ways, but it happens. Yellow's bit where she's screaming and denying the problem particularly hits me hard.

[acenull]

Thank you for clarifying for others. As Steven said “SHE’S GONE” that means forever and ever

[trover]

Wait I just realized some foreshadowing.
Before Steven said ‘Call me, Lasagna, ’ Yellow Pearl said ‘Pink Steven.’





Damnit Rebecca

[beanzie]

Pink Steven: SHE'S

Fandom: So, what if Rose-

[MaxMallard]

Rose being half of Steven always came across to me more as a genetic thing, going only as far as any other mother passing on her genes to the child. In Steven's case, this came through in the form of her powers, some aesthetic similarities and maybe some aspects of his personality, but it was mostly learned from the people and world around him. Maybe Rose hoped to keep some form of consciousness, not out of identity, but so that she could still see Steven growing up even if she wasn't physically there. Of course that wasn't the case, but I wouldn't blame Rose for thinking that way.

[Hulk]

I 100% agreed with this video. You made everything about Stevens existence as clear as day. Its weird that people still believe Rose is alive when its clearly not even after CYM. Its like they were hoping she does come back and are in major denial. Thats not the point of the show. The show revolves around a boy not being able to meet his mom and his friends have to live with the grief that someone they know so much is gone forever. There are kids in real life who have family members that died before they were born and this is something to relate to. I never get the chance to meet my Grandpa since I was born so I know how Steven felt for never getting the chance to meet that one person in your family. This is a really good video to make it all clear.

[LyingLionLying]

Steven's song at the end hits so hard. It sums up so well how many of us feel about loved ones we distance or cut off because they aren't willing to understand us. And the song isn't sad. It's about how you love and respect yourself. But it still brings up so much pain.

[missconstruct]

Basically, Steven is the third update to Windows, Rose is the second, and Pink is the original version

[gianna]

I don't need you to respect me, I respect me.

[AllanPatrick]

I was so afraid that if Steven died, Rose/PD would come back. If it was the case, Steven would be just an experience. A way she found to live like a human for a blink of an eye (for a gem), and then come back, and say wow, that was cool.

[CrowRider]

The amount of symbolism in the episode was insane! I didn’t notice most of it because of how much I was in shock over what was going on throughout.

The only things I really picked up on were Blue and Yellow calling Steven “Pink” and the infamous James Baxter scene.

[yesikanarvaez]

She's gone means *She's Gone* that's THAT, Steven makes his own legacy and may NEVER know his mother in any way like the Diamonds did, but he knows who is he loves himself, *and the Diamonds now have a chance to love HIM in honor of Pink just as the CG did in honor of Rose*

[thewhisper]

"She's Gone" is the climax of Pearl's "It's over isn't it?"

[DEATHMONUMENT]

The whole "she's gone" thing kinda hit close to home. A grandparent on my mother's side died a bit before I was born. And hearing the stories about the grandfather I could have met... i really wished he could have been around. To be honest, that little kid in me hoped that PD was alive so Steven could have met her but the older half had to accept that she was gone and there was nothing anyone could do.

And the moment I accepted that, was the moment the little kid in me had to accept that I had no control over how I couldn't be there to see my grandfather (and vice versa).

Also, the self love thing really STRUCK me close to home because I deal with a lot of self conscious issues and self loathe as a whole. And seeing that Steven was always himself (and he accepted that) kinda helped me come to terms that I'd always be me. I can't change it. So far... I've grown to love who I am. If I weren't me, I wouldn't have met the friends I've come to know and love. This episode also has a lot more stuff that hits close to home (the abusive parents) but those two struck me the most.

[kristofgriffin]

I was just about to comment about how Pink Steven materializing instead of Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz was because she was erased and replaced with Steven as the gem's default body. I'm currently grinning at the fact that you noticed that too! Though, much as I completely understand why she didn't show up, I'm still kind of sad that we'll never get a scene where she'll meet Steven and the others in the present. I know it wouldn't make sense, but it would've been nice to see.

[chaos]

Ah, Rose's video to Steven, probably the one time a Gem speaks metaphorically and everyone takes it literally.

[RaeIsTiredCryptid]

as a trans person i saw the similarities right away and i am happy others did too. the ending song feels even more special from a standpoint of singing it to an unaccepting or abusive family.