Everytime i think about Steven Universe and the concept of Teshuvah I become something else.
Rebecca Sugar, creator of SU is jewish and that cultural perspective is woven into the very fiber of Steven Universe
Teshuvah is how Judaism approaches redemption/reconciliation/forgiveness
So these two images should give you a barebones idea of what Teshuvah is.
The Steven Universe Redemption formula IS Teshuvah.
To demonstrate, I will be using the most controversial example of redemption in Steven Universe: The Diamonds.
Before I start we should establish that Judaism does not acknowledge the concept of a "point of no return" there is always a way back, there is always a way to improve and a way to make things right as much as can be done.
Rigorous self examination:
When confronted with the fact that they were genuinely hurting Pink/Steven/The Gems in a way they couldn't ignore they all go through this process.
"I always thought you were failing this world, but if you were happier on Earth maybe this world was failing you."
Blues is the most plainly laid out, here she confronts that it was in fact their treatment of Pink thay drove her away and that their current treatment of Steven was perpetuating that same cycle.
Yellow doesn't do it verbally but here she is forced to confront the fact that she is feeling guilt and that she is also unhappy with they way Homeworld is run.
White diamond has to confront the fact that she's not infallible and that her worldview is based on things that arent true.
Engage the victim by confessing, expressing regret and making every effort possible to right the wrong.
The diamonds admit to the faults of their reign, and they express regret as seen above. As for making every effort possible:
They dismantle the entire empire, allowing Steven and the gems to install democracy instead, reducing their role in society to little more than super-powered tv celebrities. They heal the corrupted gems and literally PUT THE SHATTERED GEMS BACK TOGETHER, including those that had been "clustered" they work hard to have a positive relationship with Steven and honor Pinks memory. And they work to help with mood stabilization and giving a voice to those who were previously voiceless in society.
This is from the scene where they go to heal the corrupted gems:
That archway sure is strangely shaoed hmm i wonder what it-
Its no coincidence that the Diamonds are shown in their Quintessential Scene Of Making Amends in a garden with a Magen David archway.
And finally, Being presented with same oppurtunity to sin and abstaining:
"I've disbanded my armies, I've liberated my colonies" Yellow Diamond could have at any point went back on her word and went right back on to colonizing the stars. She doesn't. When we see what she is up to post SU most of what she is doing is studying how to help people instead.
"I never shatter, I never make anyone cry."
Blue could also have gone back to her old ways at any time, she could get overwhelmed in her greif and torment people with her powrrs but she doesnt.
"I've been saying please and thank you even to lower life forms." Even if White's delivery leaves some to be desired shes making an effort to treat everyone with baseline respect.
And yes these things are brought up by them to exclaim how good theyve been in hopes of comvincing steven to stay but they dont trap him there when he says no anyways like they might have done in the past. They look for another solution and eventually let it go when its made clear their alternate solution also doesnt work.
There's also Spinel, spinel would be a prime opportunity to once again abuse a much smaller and less powerful person into being their personal clown but only under their rules but when we see spinel living on homeworld she is free and and unbothered.
Even if the Diamonds still aren't the most likable people by the end of the entire series they still fulfilled Teshuvah.
And ftr Jewish law forbids killing someone even to ssve anothers life.
Steven Universe is a JEWISH story of reconciliation and redemption. Remember that next time you see someone call it "nazi propoganda" because imo demonizing a jewish person for writing their story with a fundamentally jewish take and calling it facist apologia is far closer to "nazi propoganda" than the show ever could be.
