Steven Universe Episode Collection: Party with the Pizzas and Lion!

Welcome back to the Steven Universe episode collection! We’re inching ever closer to where I will start recapping the show weekly. You want to know why? This is the last batch of episodes that I’ve already seen! Every collection after this will be episodes I’m reacting to for the first time! For now, let’s get into my thoughts on episodes 17 through 20.

Lion 2: The Movie (1×17)

Summary: Steven and Connie try to go see a movie, but it appears that Lion has other plans.

Rating: ★★★★½☆

THIS SHOW IS SO PRETTY AND CLEVER I CAN’T STAND IT SOMETIMES.

Steven and Connie are hanging out for the day to see Dogcopter 3, the third installment in Connie’s favorite movie franchise. Steven is excited to spend time with her and see an awesome movie that features a dog helicopter that shoots missiles out of his butt. However, Connie begins to feel intimidated when she notices all the magical aspects of Steven’s life. The magical warriors raising him, Amethyst’s ability to shape shift, Steven’s pet lion… It can all be pretty intimidating when the biggest thing you do in your life is tennis practice.

Steven and Connie jump on Lion to head to the movies, but he ends up walking out into the ocean and transporting the two of them into a cave somewhere in parts unknown. The sequence leading up to this is gorgeous and shows just how much work goes into the show. If you’re not watching Steven Universe, you’re missing out on a weekly 11 minute feast for your eyes.

In the cave, Steven comes across a stone that features the design on his shield. He puts his hand on it as it begins glowing, but his hand becomes stuck. Connie tries to help him out with no luck and eventually makes a joke about having to cut it off. When Steven shows distress, the cave responds and produces a bevy of swords. The two try to figure out how to make it work and eventually realize that new weapons come out whenever Steven is in pain, including laser light cannons. Hmmmm… I wonder how exactly this is connected to Rose.

However, all this magic is making Connie feel left out again and she wonders if she should actually be there. Steven tries to reassure her by saying that he’d rather be at the movies watching explosions. That causes a giant robot to come out of the cave and start shooting at them. Steven’s hand comes unstuck, but the two go on the run trying to avoid being set on fire until Lion rescues them and takes them to the movie theater. Connie tries to tell Steven to forget about it because she doesn’t understand how Dogcopter 3 would even be interesting to him. Steven tells her that Dogcopter 3 is very important to him, and you’re dense if you don’t realize the two are having a very obvious conversation about Connie using Dogcopter as a metaphor.

Just then, the robot comes through the portal and begins shooting up the street. Steven and Connie have no idea how to avoid it and ask Lion for help. Lion then produces a sword from his head, if you had any doubt of this show’s Revolutionary Girl Utena influences. With Connie’s help and her tennis knowledge, the two defeat the robot and FINALLY manage to see Dogcopter 3.

God, I love this show.

Beach Party (1×18)

Summary: Steven throws a beach party in hopes to diffuse a “conflict” between the Gems and the Pizza family.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

The family behind Fish Stew Pizza finally gets a chance to star in an episode that shows how the Gems act around the rest of Beach City. It’s interesting, to say the least.

While fighting a giant pufferfish, Garnet gets launched into the sign of Fish Stew Pizza while Amethyst knocks it back into the ocean. When the team goes to check on Garnet, they find her getting yelled at by Kofi Pizza, the owner of the shop. The Gems fly off to regroup on the puffer fish, leaving Kofi to stew in his emotions. His daughter and mother try to convince him to calm down, but Kofi informs Steven that the Gems are officially banned from Fish Stew Pizza.

Steven is devastated by this news, but the Gems really could care less. Still, Steven wants to make it right with the Pizza family and invites them over for a beach party in front of the temple. The Gems are themselves for the most part, which doesn’t seem to impress well on Kofi, who’s still mad about the sign. I’ll admit that he’s not wrong in being upset that they didn’t help, but his caustic nature over it reminds me of the plot line in Captain Marvel where Carol was subpoenaed for eviction just because her landlord saw her superhero status as a threat.

Still, Steven being Steven, he tries to diffuse the situation by having the families split up into teams to play volleyball. It seems to be working well at first, but eventually their shenanigans cause the teams to start fighting with each other over cheating. Steven seems defeated, but it isn’t for long since the pufferfish comes back and attacks. With the quick thinking of Nana Gunga, the Pizzas and the Gems work together to finally defeat the pufferfish once and for all. Seriously, watch the episode for the sequence of them defeating the pufferfish. It’s kind of inspired.

Convinced that the Gems are doing good for the city, Kofi unbans the Gems from Fish Stew Pizza. Steven’s happy about it, but the Gems have entirely forgotten about it by then. Oh parents…

Rose’s Room (1×19)

Summary: Steven’s desire to be alone opens the door to Rose Quartz’s room, but it is not what it seems in there.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Man, this might be one of the most unsettling episodes of the series so far and it wasn’t even overly frightening.

Steven eats four cans of creamed corn to get $5 admission at mini-golf for him and the Gems. However, the Gems have to go on a mission, going back on their promise of hanging out with Steven. He’s understandably upset in that way we all got as kids when parents broke promises they make to us because of work, but he decides to play a golf themed version of Final Fantasy all night. He unlocks the secret ending, but is unable to watch it when the Gems return and end up breaking the TV on accident. Steven gets even more upset, wishing he had a place of his own to stay.

His gem reacts to this, opening the door of Rose Quartz’s room. The Gems warn him against going in there, but Steven, in his anger, tells them off and goes in anyway.

Rose’s room doesn’t appear to be much at first. Just a plane of clouds. However, Steven soon realizes that anything he asks of the room can be produced. He has some fun with this at first (including a tiny whale), but is disappointed when it turns out the food he asks for is nothing but clouds. He decides to go out for food, and that’s when the episode gets truly unsettling.

As it turns out, Rose’s room ends up creating an alternate version of Beach City. Steven doesn’t put two and two together right away, but it is obvious from the way several of the characters seem like animatronic versions of themselves that something seems off. Even the ocean skips like a record. When Steven does realize he’s still in the room, the constructed version of Beach City begins to break down and the whale asks Steven what he wants. He tells it he wants to be back with the Gems, and the room spits him back out the door.

Steven tells the Gems what happened and they seem surprised that the room built an entire town. WAIT WHAT? They knew about this?! Still, it isn’t dwelled on for long as the Gems and Steven apologize to each other and the four FINALLY go out to mini-golf. The final frames of this episode make the whole mini-golf plot worth it. Still, if they’re hiding Rose’s room from Steven, what else are the Gems hiding?

Coach Steven (1×20)

Summary: When Garnet and Amethyst fuse together on a mission, Steven is inspired to become strong.

Rating: ★★★★★

NICKI.

NICKI NICKI NICKI.

NICKI MINAJ IS A GEM FUSION.

*ahem* Let me back track it a little.

The Gems come across an old structure from the early days of the Gems on earth that is releasing electromagnetic waves that are causing interference with television. Since the pillars are large and heavy. Garnet suggests that her and Amethyst fuse together to create Sugilite. Amethyst is all for this idea, but Pearl is hesitant since Sugilite tends to go out of control. Garnet insists that they don’t need control, they need power and the two fuse.

Sugilite’s size is certainly impressive (and the fact Nicki Minaj is a perfect combination of Garnet and Amethyst’s voices what the hey), but Pearl isn’t happy about it. When Steven gets hit by a rock, Pearl is quick to escort him home and leave Sugilite behind. Still, Steven is inspired by Sugiite’s power to get buff and strong, bringing Lars, Sadie, and Greg to the beach to work out with him. This still annoys Pearl, who then sings a song about teaching Steven to be strong in the “real” way. The show hasn’t had a song in a while, so this made me extra happy.

Steven picks up on Pearl’s message and begins to motivate his gym members, but it’s not long before Sugilite comes back and destroys it all. Pearl faces off against her, but Sugilite’s size and strength is too much for her. Steven manages to motivate her though and she rallies from behind in true David and Goliath fashion, defeating Sugilite and bringing Garnet and Amethyst back.

This episode was so fun and exciting, and not just for Nicki. It had songs and friendships and legitimately funny/inspiring moments. Not to mention it came after a hella long break, which made it all the more exciting.

I do hope we’ll see Pearl and Garnet’s fusion in the future though. Pearl did seem rather set on it. I wonder what makes her so fantastic…