Talk:Steven Universe (character)/@comment-24468230-20180622000811

It seems like fictional characters (like Steven here) are far more likely than real people to suddenly discover, well into their lives, that they're royalty. And I think I know why, beyond the "it's an intriguing plot twist" angle.

Real-life monarchs are usually raised in their parents' palace, with all the trappings of wealth and the ability to (literally) have everything they could ever want handed to them on a silver platter. While some folks might enjoy those perks at first, after awhile it can get boring and tedious. It can also make them spoiled brats, and detract from the senses of compassion and fairness needed to be a good ruler.

But when a king or queen had to EARN the way to the throne, often by winning a war or performing some sort of noble deed, it tends to produce better rulers. The fictional phenomenon of "Revealed Royalty" (to use the TV Tropes term) could be a way of making absolute monarchy seem more palatable, especially at a time humanity seems to be moving away from rule by royal decree.