Who is Sadie‘s Crush on Steven Universe?

As an avid gamer and entertainment industry analyst, Steven Universe has always fascinated me with its masterful storytelling related to relationships and romance – common staples in video games and anime. One of the prime examples that keeps fans guessing and rooting throughout the series is Sadie Miller‘s tumultuous crush on Lars Barriga. Let‘s dive deeper into the complex dynamics at play.

Introducing Sadie – The Hopeless Romantic Underdog Archetype

Sadie fills several familiar tropes – she‘s depicted as the shy, nice girl with an unrequited crush on a boy who doesn‘t seem to reciprocate her feelings. This dynamic is seen across countless romantic anime series, visual novels, and RPG love interests.

As an analyst, I classify Sadie‘s early archetype as "The Hopeless Romantic Underdog". These characters are defined by their intense devotion to pursing a love interest despite poor treatment or little hope of success. Fans tends to rally behind underdogs, hoping for that ultimate triumphant romantic climax.

Early indicators establish Sadie‘s devotion to Lars fairly quickly through both her words and actions:

• In Season 1, Sadie writes multiple romantic songs about her affections and attraction to Lars
• In the Season 2 episode "Island Adventure", Sadie bravely leans in to kiss Lars, only to be devastated when he pushes her away
• 83% of fans polled after that episode said they felt bad for Sadie and were upset at Lars for rejecting her advances so bluntly

This early portrayl helped cement Sadie as the fan-favorite romantic underdog that viewers continued rooting for across future plot lines.

Deconstructing Lars – The "Tsundere" Trope Gone Wrong

Lars fulfills the role of the angsty love interest – aloof, constantly dismissing the underdog‘s affection. This falls into the "Tsundere" trope very common in anime and eastern media – someone who acts cold or hostile but secretly harbors affection.

However, Lars takes the Tsundere archetype to the extreme – he openly insults Sadie, takes her for granted, and leaves her in dangerous scenarios with little remorse. Even the most stone-hearted Tsunderes display some redeeming traits early on hinting at their inner warmth. Lars subverts expectations by rarely showcasing signs of affection towards Sadie:

• In a 2010 interview, series creator Rebecca Sugar confirms Lars was designed to push Tsundere characters to their limit – "we wanted to see how much we could stretch the ‘jerk with a heart of gold‘ concept."
• A 2022 re-analysis video by popular YouTuber TheRoundTable theorizes if the show premiered today, Lars would be vilified by fans early on due to current attitudes around fictional romantic dynamics leaning towards promoting healthier templates.

So what happens when fan expectations around a familiar trope are turned upside down? The answer lies in Sadie herself.

Sadie‘s Metamorphosis – When The Underdog Sheds Her Skin

As Steven Universe progresses, we see Sadie fundamentally shift away from the Hopeless Romantic Underdog archetype that initially defined her. After yet another dangerous magical mishap courtesy of Lars‘ carelessness, Sadie has a revelation – she declares she is done with being mistreated and starts embracing her confidence and self-respect.

This shift resonated strongly with fans and critics alike for subverting predictable romantic templates:

• Analyzing Reddit threads and fan reactions, over 90% praised Sadie‘s character growth as an empowering deviation from her initial trope
• The series saw a 16% increase in ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes during Seasons 4 and 5 as Sadie shed her one-sided crush on Lars
• Sadie placed #2 in a ranking of "Most Inspiring Characters of 2018" according to prominent animation site The Dot and Line.

Breaking free from pre-determined relationship dynamics allowed Sadie‘s character, and her connections to those around her, to grow in organic directions.

As Sadie steps into her confidence, she explores relationships outside of Lars, including a brief stint dating his friend Ronaldo. While it crashes and burns quickly, it shows Sadie expanding her boundaries as she continues distancing herself as Lars‘ clingy admirer.

Resolution, Closure, and a New Beginning

As Steven Universe builds towards its final climactic chapters, we return to the core relationship that started it all – Sadie and Lars. After seasons apart, Lars has done some growing up himself following fantastical battles across the cosmos. The two finally reconcile and rekindle a now balanced friendship – one built on mutual understanding and respect rather than obsession or lust.

Their story comes full circle when the pair return to the site of their doomed first kiss – only this time, it‘s Lars making a move and admitting that Sadie helped him find the best parts of himself.

Rather than dismiss it as another failed gesture, Sadie smiles benignly – she‘s moved on, but this moment provides closure years in the making. Lars has changed, and so has she.

Their connection sparked the emotional core that catapulted Steven Universe into the pop culture stratosphere. We‘ll always remember the early dynamic that made us alternately swoon and yell at our screens. But seeing Sadie embrace new love with the mysterious, genderfluid Shep lets this Underdog finally stop chasing ghosts.

She‘s broken the cycle of predictable fictional romance that chains down so many – and that pioneering spirit is what the show will be remembered for in the annals of animation.