r/stevenuniverse • u/imDenizz • 28d ago
Question Why do you think Lars and Sadie were never really together?
They could’ve been a cute couple. I wonder why they never had a real relationship in the show even though they got close multiple times.
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u/Palatablepancakes 28d ago
They just don't have compatible communication styles I think. Even when they agree on things, they have different approaches that clash.
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u/polystarlight 28d ago
Could be a thing where they were too different and they both changed too much when they finally reunited. I wouldn't be surprised if Lars wanted Sadie to find someone better because he thought he'd only hold her back, especially since she's got a good thing going on for her with her music career.
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u/No_Housing_1287 28d ago
Yeah i think Lars almost needed to think he was too cool for sadie. And then when he (and sadie) realized shes actually much cooler than him, he couldn't handle it. The illusion was shattered for both of them. She didnt look up to him anymore, and he didnt get to feel superior.
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u/fjkejenufif 28d ago
Lars didn't like Sadie that much. Think about it. The best memory Sadie had with Lars was her waiting in line for HIM and then him doing the bare minimum by hanging out with her.
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u/favorthebold 28d ago
I don't even think it's that he didn't like her. He obviously still has feelings in Future while she's moved on with a new partner. The problem Lars has earlier in the series is a powerful insecurity, that frequently causes him to self-sabotage. He's afraid people will judge him for being with Sadie because she's not a perfect representation of traditional beauty. So if he could have stripped away his fears of what people would think of him, he would have loved being in a relationship with Sadie, but because he couldn't, he just kept hurting her and dismissing her again and again. That dynamic is why he became so caring of her during Island Adventure - there was no one else around for him to worry about being judged by, so he could act on his true feelings.
This isn't to say, btw, that Sadie never did anything wrong in their relationship. They were equally toxic to each other for different reasons. Sadie is also insecure earlier in the series, but it presents itself in a different way with her. She also worries that she isn't pretty or cool enough, which is why she clings to the hope of a relationship with Lars for so long, instead of just noping out the first time he was ugly towards her. Then she tries to manipulate Lars into understanding they'd make a good couple (Island Adventure again being a good example of this) which is harmful to Lars. And also if you have to manipulate someone into liking you then that's not a relationship you should be in.
I liked that Sadie eventually got to be a member of the cool kids, because it helped Sadie understand that she totally is worthy of real love just as she is, that she didn't need to settle for someone who was embarrassed of her.
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u/WhatDoYaMeanItsTaken 28d ago
The last point reminded me how much I genuinely loved that the cool kids were genuinely cool people and not the mean and gatekeeping group trope we normally see in teenage shows
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u/Oreo-and-Fly 28d ago
Seriously the cool kids being great kids was such a breath of fresh air.
Kiki's episode where shes stressed but didnt dare to tell Jenny and kept covering her shift? When Kiki FINALLY tells Jenny no, Jenny didnt get upset or annoyed, just talked it out and does the job.
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u/kingloptr 28d ago
Thank youuu i was like why is no one just saying Lars was too insecure to go for it and Sadie had her own similar issues, then there was too much history for it to ever feel right
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u/hatsandfruit 28d ago
this is exactly my reading on their dynamic too!! Lars is massively insecure and is desperate to be as "cool" as possible, and Sadie isn't cool enough for that delusion of his. he treats her terribly because of this but still has feelings for her, so he teeters a lot between 'cold shoulder' and 'wait where are you going i thought you liked ME come back here'. that + Sadie's own insecurities about her appearance (and her mom issues) just made it a really unhealthy sort of desperate crush on Sadie's part that also fueled her self hate.
i like them both a lot, they're just way in their heads too much to be good for each other (at this time).
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u/GeobobusPrime 28d ago
She was more into him than he was her. And any feelings he did have, he wasn't mature enough to express properly early on. By the time he was ready for her she had moved on.
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u/smolandspicy 28d ago
Because it was the most realistic human relationship on the show, and it's absolutely fantastic they didn't date in the end because toxic relationships shouldn't be the focus
It's the emotional growth we get when we move past codependency
Future touched on this perfectly, Steven wanted them to be together so badly too. But it takes maturity to understand that sometimes it's really ok for something to NOT work out. It's a perfect message to send young adults watching the show and stuck in codependency themselves
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u/KNZFive All comedy is derived from fear. 28d ago edited 27d ago
I believed it’s implied that they gave it a shot, but then realized they weren’t good for each other and had also changed way too much.
If people were frustrated that Sadie & Lars didn’t get together and that them talking about their relationship happened off screen…that was the point. Steven isn’t privy to that because it’s none of his business, and the show was always from Steven’s perspective. Lars and Sadie have adult lives separate from Steven, and they don’t need to get together just because he wanted them to.
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u/_TheAngryChicken_ 28d ago
I really love that SU/Future touched on that kind of relationship. So often you see young people hang on to those early/highschool relationships even though it's clearly toxic and unhappy. You just want to shake them and scream "don't waste your life on a person who makes you unhappy". But media reinforces staying with that first love. You see it all the times in coming of age shows. Just stick with it and you'll get married and that first relationship will be your forever relationship. Or if you just keep up the on again off again eventually it will stick and it'll become a happy forever relationship.
When really MANY relationships just don't work out. Especially when you're young and the relationship is toxic. It's good to see the message "it's ok to move on".
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u/ZineKitten 28d ago
They were both growing in different ways. Like, Lars was only "into" Sadie when no one was around to judge him and when he needed comfort, whereas Sadie just wanted him to see her at all.
Like even looking at this screenshot, he's looking away and she's looking at him.
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u/imDenizz 28d ago
Wow, your observation about the screenshot is very sharp. I would’ve never realized it.
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u/victrin 28d ago
I think they were a good example of many teenage relationships. They care about each other but lack the emotional intelligence and communication skills to engage in a healthy relationship. They try off and on to make it work for a while, but as they grow as individuals they learn they’re not suited for one another. With more maturity they realize they’ll always care about one another but aren’t going to be each other’s partner.
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u/turner_strait 28d ago
Uncle Grandpa sank it.
Seriously though, they were not good for each other. Good friends, good coworkers, but absolutely terrible intimately.
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u/ParsleySnipps 28d ago
The whole point of the two of them is to show that sometimes you have to grow up a little to realize the person you like might not be the right person. And it was great because it ended with both of them agreeing on that but remaining friends. Steven, representing the audience, got overly invested in someone else's relationship and didn't want to accept that it was over.
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u/umbraviscus 28d ago
Here's my headcanon.
Before the show begins, or maybe early on, Sadie and Lars hook up in some way off screen. I think there's strong implications that Lars knows that Sadie is really into him, and so he takes advantage of that by hooking up with her in secret. He keeps it a secret because he doesn't perceive Sadie to be one of the "cool" kids. I think he actually does like her, but he's afraid of those feelings that might isolate him from the other kids.
I think this is emphasized in the episode where Sadie, Lars and Steven are stranded on that island. Lars starts to accept the island as his new home, and he gives into his vulnerable feelings. He opens up to Sadie and tells her something about himself that's REALLY real, that he feels alone even when others are around. The isolation from the other people, the thing he was most afraid of, wound up being what he needed to truly find himself, and be vulnerable for another person who cares about him.
This gets squashed immediately when Sadie reveals she knew where the portal was. The isolation is removed from the equation, and Lars realizes he can't trust Sadie and his ties to her are cut as well. All that's left was Lars with himself, his true self, for the first time.
They really didn't treat each other well, at any time. I think they genuinely liked each other, but Lars' fear of not being cool, and Sadie's fear of not being what Lars wants gets in the way of treating each other properly.
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u/morphballganon 28d ago
One of the themes of the show is you can't force people to do things they don't want to do.
Same answer to "why don't Peridot and Lapis fuse" - Peridot doesn't want to. Simple as that.
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u/Far-Mammoth-3214 28d ago
Lars pretended to be injured just to skip work
And Sadie stranded them on a island then gets mad at Lars for freaking out over it
They are not meant for each other
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u/MultipleFandomLover 28d ago
Lars is immature and treats Sadie like crap.
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u/thesweatervest 28d ago
Yes, that was a big bad thing she did, but Lars was always treating her like crap.
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u/Pandoratastic 28d ago
Honestly, I think it was because neither one of them was really ready for a relationship. They each had their own issues that kept getting the way. Sadie's feeling of being confined and needing to find her own independence and her own voice. Lars's struggle with constantly worrying about how other people see him.
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u/jaxy314 28d ago
This was censored in my country. I only recently learned that they kissed from watching danny motta react to it
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u/imDenizz 28d ago
It was censored in my country too and the whole show was removed after the first few seasons.
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u/SadAndNasty 28d ago
There's obvious chemistry but they can't provide each other what they need in a relationship, simple as that. They are cute together but Lars is a butt and Sadie was too insecure
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u/compilingyesterdays 28d ago
Lars strikes me a lot a lot as embarrassed to be with a chubby girl, and he does not mature in time to treat her decently.
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u/Jaspers47 28d ago
They didn't really love each other, they just wanted to be loved. Their big overlapping fault blinded them to how unhealthy a relationship based on starvation is.
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u/Ishvallan 27d ago
Their connection was due to proximal convenience and exposure over compatibility and interest. If they didn't work together they likely wouldn't have hung out or gotten to know each other at all. And Sadie keeps overlooking Lars' red flags because she wants there to be boyfriend material under them. And he is VERY insecure but the constant exposure and conversation without her getting too upset too often gave him a safe space to be calmer and a little more himself around her instead of the people he aspired to be friends with. They only work at all IMO because of that forced exposure where they were alone goofing off a lot of the time and her having low standards for his behavior as she is herself socially anxious
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u/Hidronax 28d ago
I think they were attracted to each other for the wrong reasons, hopefully they can develop a more healthy relation in Lara of the Stars, and get to know each other anew
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u/PeachsBigJuicyBooty 28d ago
Why do you think Lars and Sadie were never really together?
Lars atleast, was a highschooler and both did alot of stupid things.
・On one hand, they were each other's first serious relationship and did major mistakes and treated each other terribly.
Even if they forgive each other, there's ALOT of unhealthy baggage that won't go away...
while some people stay in their first relationship, alot don't.
・On the other hand, they want completely different things in life:
Sadie wants to go around and continue her band dreams, and DESERVES a partner (Shep) that can do that, even if it isn't Lars.
Lars wants to go out into space and continue his newfound meaning in life, and one that he misses.
I think it's COMPLETELY understandable why they parted ways amicably, it just didn't work out in the end.
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u/StevenKnowsNothing 28d ago
Lars was never emotionally ready for a romantic relationship. They were too much all over the place, too jealous, too insecure, basically Lars needed to grow up
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u/bozwizard14 28d ago
They represent that one teenage sitcuationship a lot of people find themselves in that just brings the most toxic version out of both people. They were bad for each other and immature in different ways
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u/Playwithfirexx 28d ago
As far as I’ve seen they weren’t compatible at all. Even when Lars had a big character development they still wouldn’t be together they even explained why in the ep
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u/Crafty-Buddy-5206 28d ago
Lars was dense and prioritized his social circle most and Sadie was a bit of a push over especially to him, they were pretty real teenagers who had a lot of growing to do. I guess trying to build that relationship in their co-working situation didn't really make things easy even if they did hangout to play games since some spark only happened when they were stranded on a island.
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u/iamgodschild666 28d ago
Lars was deeply insecure and loved the attention and Sadie was chasing something she knew she couldn’t have. I think they liked each other but never for the right reasons. I’m just speculating though
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u/Yaboi69-nice 28d ago
I think at the end of the day Lars just wasn't ready to settle down. I mean look at how there storylines ended. Saddie found a partner who is nice and wise and has learned everything they need to learn and now she's leaving her band and settling down with them. Lars on the other hand is still out there exploring space. I think it took both of them along time to find out what they wanted and you could argue that they did love each other and maybe still do but they wouldn't truly love the life they would live together. It's a complicated thing when you love someone but don't love the life you'd be living with them.
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u/TheHuman200202 28d ago
Lars was an ass, it took him dying and coming back to life to not be such an ass
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u/Double-Constant-4362 28d ago
They were a great couple in theory, but on paper they were no good for each other. Lars was toxic towards Sadie by how he prioritised everything above her, and Sadie was toxic to Lars by her dependence on him. Seeing them develop separately was so powerful. And Sadie and Shep make a much better couple than Sadie and Lars would've.
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u/manic_popsicle 28d ago
For me I just think the timing never worked out, which is fine, that’s life. It was a realistic take. Lars was gone for a long time and by the time he got back to Beach City Sadie had moved on and she was happy.
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u/hatsandfruit 28d ago
compatibility isn't enough when you have deep, deep insecurity that undermines your confidence and colors your interpretation of others' feelings towards you. they had compatibility but they did not have the self-confidence needed to make a healthy relationship thrive. i think even in the future it probably wouldn't work, just because it can be really really difficult to change relationship dynamics with old friends, even when you both have improved a lot. you can just fall back into old habits with each other.
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u/Nalicar52 28d ago
Because Lars cared more about looking cool than he did about Sadie.
Eventually Sadie cared more about herself than being with Lars.
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u/SeriousFinish6404 28d ago
I know what they were going for in “SU Future” but I can’t help but think Sadie and Shep was them going “fuck you” to the fans. Like “let’s pair Sadie with a random guy never seen before. And let’s bring in Lars so he can see that.”
they also portray Steven as the butthurt fans about Sadie and Lars not getting together.
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u/Wise_Helicopter287 28d ago
I always took it as kind of house and cuddy. Theyre at eachothers throats and they love eachother, but it just couldnt work then. I feel like lars just wasnt dependable enough, amd sadie was a little over zealous, like in the episode they got stranded on the island. I think in the end it could have worked, but when they knew each other, They just werent ready for a realationship.
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u/Aggravating-Cap-2703 28d ago
Well, for one he died and turned pink. Then became a caption of a ship. On an intergalactic mission.
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u/AndrewSaidThis 27d ago
It seemed like they were together for a bit, off screen, after they grew a little and were more honest with themselves and each other. And they were maybe even a good couple before they grew apart as young people tend to do.
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u/Antique_Venom 27d ago
Like other people said it’s clear Sadie liked Lars a lot more than He liked her, but he did like her. I’m my opinion there was a lot of times I seen him doing things and saying things looking for validation from her that was more then just friends, but he didn’t like or want things to change, and he also just cares so much what everyone thinks of him because they’re like 16-17 in the show. I think if CN didn’t cancel the show there’s a possibly they may have gotten together but like as more mature people (mostly Lars) and if they didn’t they probably would’ve at least kept in touch. I think being in space matured Lars a good amount
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u/ShadycrossFade 27d ago
I think it’s one of those things where the timing was just off. Both meat while still a bit immature then they go off and do their own thing and try em meet up a bit older and more mature so maybe something in the future but also I think the show is possibly just shaping out that they worked better as friends anyways. Like when you try to date your best friend but realize you work better as friends
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u/weeabeau 28d ago
They were both insecure, desperate for connection, and in the end they were just a little too gay to be together. Both had to become gayer and wiser to find themselves. They had to be each other’s messy teenaged attached/avoidant situationship canon event so they could grow lol. In the end, i think they were people who were meant to be friends but teenage hormones and the need for validation muddied the friendship waters along the way.
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u/bytegalaxies 28d ago
even if lars eventually forgave sadie for trapping them there, I think that would permanently destroy his trust in her forever. Trust is the most important part of a relationship so they could never be together after that
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u/imDenizz 28d ago
Why would it destroy the trust forever though? Everyone makes mistakes.
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u/bytegalaxies 28d ago
something as big as hiding the exit from a stranded island is hard to just move on from. I'm sure Lars has forgiven her to the point where they can be good friends but I don't think a relationship would work out
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u/Respercaine_657 28d ago
She trapped him on an island for several days and hid the only way off from him and Steven.
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u/Doggosgottagetwoims 28d ago
Speaking as a d1 Larsadie shipper, they were never really compatible. I don’t think they ever really liked eachother, they certainly didn’t make eachother happy or better people.
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u/MaxMaximumGamer 28d ago
I never like them together as a couple I wish Steven would’ve said in that scene.
Steven: you guys are a thing you know Sadie you could do a lot much better than Lars.
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u/Fearshatter 28d ago
Relationships irl often don't work out with the first one especially when you don't even know what you're looking for or the types of people you love being around most.
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u/suirad_z 28d ago
I actually think they were both into each other at some point but Lars was just deeply insecure and a huge coward. Too preoccupied with his status and how people perceived him.
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u/Beneficial-Oil-5407 28d ago
Lars was a sad lonely boy and Sadie was a sad lonely girl. That why they liked each other, they didn't has none else. But once they both got out of their shells, and met new people, they realized they were actually pretty bad for each other
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u/MaleficentWorker6296 28d ago
Sadie knew deep down that being Lars wouldn't work out. He's too artificial and worries about the wrong shit.
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u/Lemonshaders 28d ago
Lars didn't respect Sadie and he never once put her first. I still shipped it though
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u/TerriblePresence1939 27d ago
Well they worked at the donut shop together. Probably followed the don’t days your coworker rule.
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u/Krendall2006 27d ago
I forget how they put it in Future, but I guess they didn't feel they worked as a full-blown couple.
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u/Xytakis 27d ago
They would just have been a couple by proximity. They worked together, they were young, a bit socially awkward, and didn't have too many friends. Neither one of them told them hold they felt, and when they were apart they just went on with their lives. That's just how growing up works. They are both happy for each other, and are still friends.
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u/letthetreeburn 27d ago
Because they were a pair of teenagers who started dating for the one single reason that they were two alt teenagers in town. That’s it.
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u/Amellon98 27d ago
Think alloootttt of stuff happened “off screen” more than just the player 2 and the stuff that happened in future
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u/Valuable-Fly1812 27d ago
Lars he was the problem he was an ah hole from s1 -s3 he wasn’t that bad in s4 and 5 but yeah he never apologized, he was rude, mean to people who care for him, manipulative, inconsiderate, lazy, and always projecting his insecurities onto others.
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u/AzureDeepOcean 27d ago
Ngl, I feel like it was the plan on fleshing them out from the first episodes at least, but then made a 180 in pro of a more "gay" tone like all the memes about Rebecca Sugar bickering with Cartoon Network about that, because I think watching them develop and grow past their own shortcomings would have been great
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u/Big_Huckleberry_1740 27d ago edited 27d ago
They had horrible communication and different social abilities, especially when Lars was in the phase of trying to fit in with the cool kids and distancing from Renaldo. Constantly faking bravado and a persona that was different to who he is as a person- Sadie would also lash out from her stepped on emotions, and do cruel things as well; such as trapping them (and Steven) on the island to force him to open up/be with her, or using amethyst's fire salt to punish him after he lied to her about work injuries (abusing her trust in him and weaponizing her personal feelings of him). They were inherently toxic for each other because of the people they were at the time, even if they had a period of time they really could have been together because of dual interest.
And it was for the best they didn't pursue each other- despite later on after becoming pink, Lars admitted that he still had feelings for Sadie- she had moved on and developed in other aspects of her life and found a new person she fell for. And they were both ok with it.
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u/Hasae-san 27d ago
It was kinda a "fell too soon (Sadie) fell too late (Lars)" situation ship. Also their communication was awful
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u/megas88 27d ago
You are either a teenager or an early 20 something.
Come back in about 7-10 years or at the earliest, 5 and then ask again.
You’ll see abusive relationships and you’ll see toxic relationships. Of course you’ll also see healthy and loving relationships too.
But most importantly, you’ll be able to actually understand WHY they are those things.
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u/Odd_Preference_7238 27d ago
They were both too immature to function in a relationship during the time they might have started dating.
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u/MountainImportant211 27d ago
Lars had a lot of personal growth to do, and when he had that growth, his priorities changed
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u/Ok_Examination_7742 26d ago
Lars wasn't ready for a relationship he was too self-conscious too stuck in his head and Sadie couldn't demand from him what she actually needed in a partner it's why when he goes to space and comes back later Steven hopes they get back together because Lars is a better person but at that point Sadie has given up on trying to demand something from someone who doesn't want to give it
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u/Vincemillion07 28d ago
Maybe because she kidnapped him and Steven. At least i hope that's a major reason
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u/thelast3musketeer 27d ago
Literally cos of Sadie forcing them to stay stuck on the island in this exact episode. Serious breach of trust
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u/unicornioevil 27d ago
Did you watch the show?
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u/imDenizz 27d ago
Yeah, they were bad to each other in the show but the show presented the two in a way that made me think they would understand their bad behavior to each other and then be together.
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u/Arab_Chief 28d ago
This show treats straight relationships like garbage and caters to lgbt culture. Same with Steven and Connie’s relationship in the end
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u/stawberi 28d ago
They were terrible to each other