Steven Universe's latest episode “ Back to the Barn ” continues to follow Peridot’s adventures from “ Catch and Release ” and “ When It Rains ,” episodes that took Peridot from huddled in Steven’s bathroom to joining forces with the Crystal Gems.
While the first Steven Universe episodes to greet us post-hiatus were “ Nightmare Hospital ” and “ Sadie’s Song ,” two episodes about the stumbling blocks between mother and daughter, Steven Universe appears to have left that subject matter aside for now as it pursues the Homeworld side of the story.
The new episode of Steven Universe , “Back to the Barn,” is summarized by Zap2It as follows:
“Steven and the Gems work on building robots in the family barn.”
Watch some preview trailers for Steven Universe episode “ Back to the Barn ” below:
So what is it about “ Back to the Barn ” that’s got Steven Universe writer Matt Burnett so excited?
Tonight's all new Steven Universe checks off an item that's been on my wishlist since I started working on the show. 5:30 on Cartoon Network
— Bat Boo-nett (@mcburnett) October 8, 2015Let’s find out.
Steven Universe episode “Back to the Barn” opens with Peridot in prime form, haughtily presenting information regarding the Cluster using Steven as her assistant. Steven, dressed in a cardboard box with different images on it, rotates when Peridot smartly raps the box with her fly swatter. At the end of the presentation, he punches a dinosaur sock puppet through the image of the Earth while making dinosaur sounds.
“What a cluster…” says Amethyst. (Hah!) The Gems are dismayed, but Pearl concludes that they will need to build a machine to take them beneath the Earth’s crust, where the Cluster lies dormant. At least, she tries to do so. Peridot immediately interrupts Pearl and completes her sentence for her in the most insufferable manner possible, then proceeds to dictate that they take the house apart in search of materials.
So what’s the world look like to Peridot?
A microwave is a “primitive radiation concentrator”
A phone is a “primitive vibration transmitter”
A television is a “primitive image cube”
After rapidly destroying the above three items, Peridot is interrupted by Steven, who suggests delicately that perhaps there might be a different way to collect materials that doesn’t involve destroying the house.
Pearl escorts Peridot out to the barn, where a confrontation ensues between Peridot and Pearl based entirely around Homeworld prejudices Peridot has brought with her. They are as follows:
Pearls are not intended to build things: “A Pearl can’t build a thing like this. Because Pearls aren’t for this. They’re for standing around and looking nice and holding your stuff for you.”
“She’s a made-to-order servant just like the hundreds of other Pearls being flaunted around back on Homeworld…. and she looks like a fancy one, too.”
Pearls belong to other Gems and have specific functions. (Peridot asks Pearl who she belongs to and what her purpose is.)
Pearls do not normally belong to Peridots. (“A Peridot with a Pearl!” says Peridot in a fit of gleeful disbelief. “What would they say back home?”)
Pearls are “made to take orders, not to give them.”
Peridots rank above Pearls, a rank order that is not mutable: “I will always be better than you and nothing I’ve seen today will ever change that.”
Pearls are not made for manual unskilled labor or drudge work: “You’re an accessory. Somebody’s shiny toy.”
Pearls are not considered their own free and independent Gems: “Where do you get off acting like your own Gem? You’re just a Pearl! ”
I’m wheezing with excitement. So much worldbuilding! What a huge Homeworld info dump! Fans had long speculated that Pearl had servant-class origins and that “Pearls” were a mass-produced manner of Gem, but actually, it seems that Pearls are luxury Gems. Made to order? According to what Peridot has revealed, Pearls are bespoke , like celebrity wedding gowns. They’re a status symbol to be flaunted, the prospect of having one making Peridot giggle with delight.
As for a Peridot?
“I am a natural technician and a certified Kindergartener. I was made for this.”
“Name one thing you can engineer better.”
Technicians, certifications, engineers: Peridots are skilled labor with some leeway for creativity and intelligence in the application of their gifts.
Oh ho, so in addition to being created as a skilled labor class, Peridots have the option to pursue additional certification? Pearls don’t appear to have the same options. When it comes to how Pearl speaks, Peridot can scarcely believe Steven didn’t “teach her to talk like that.” It’s clear that Pearls occupy a very rigid role on Homeworld, one so narrow and strict that Peridot can barely conceive of Pearl evolving on her own instead of being “taught to talk like that.”
After that delightful info dump, and with Homeworld’s dogmatic caste prescriptions thrown in the gulf between them, Pearl and Peridot are at an impasse as to who should lead the robot drill project. Steven declares that the only solution is a robot race to see who’s better at building stuff. Pearl and Peridot agree to do this, but not to indulge Steven; they are deadly serious.
“The Wonder Nerds,” as Amethyst calls them when she and Garnet wander lazily over, start their project.
Pearl’s machine is a leggy, pretty thing that whirls elegantly out of the barn, just like Pearl. Peridot emerges in a squat bruiser of a clunker. And Garnet and Amethyst bear witness to the First Annual Robo-Lympics, meant to test the skills of “robo-construction and robo-piloting.” The categories include:
Balance
Crushing
Ballet
Jumping
Speed (the tree they both crash into wins this round)
Jumping Jacks
Tug of War
Rock-paper-scissors
Weaponry (missiles v. pew pew)
Painting Amethyst (“subjective”)
Chucking things
All of these, of course, are integral skills to any burgeoning robo-engineer.
In the end, Peridot and Pearl tie. While Pearl is annoyed and wants to move it along, Peridot throws an absolute temper tantrum. (As they argue, their robots express their body language for them, a bit of visual hilarity you have to see to appreciate.) Goaded by Peridot, Pearl engages her in giant robot combat.
Steven wails in distress while Amethyst chants “Fight! Fight! Fight!” Finally, with their robots up close and personal, goaded past forbearance, Pearl reaches out of her cockpit to punch Peridot right in her adorable little snot-nosed face. Talk shit, get hit, Peridot.
But this gives Peridot the leverage to grab Pearl’s robot and, two seconds after Pearl’s inspirational declaration of “I’m still gonna kick your butt!”, slam Pearl into the ground over and over and over again, leaving Pearl dazed and definitely defeated.
Peridot bounces out of her robot, gloating, “Now I’m the one in charge. Praise me! Praise me!” But the Gems have gathered round Pearl, paying Peridot no mind as they help Pearl to her feet and gush with enthusiastic praise for Pearl’s performance.
Peridot is bewildered by the lack of attention to her victory, sputtering, “She’s just a common Pearl!” But it’s Steven who steps up to defend Pearl this time.
Pearl smiles, clearly touched by how Steven has leapt to her defense.
One can only imagine what Pearl is going through: she is obviously scarred by Homeworld’s bullshit even as she longs for her old home, even as she has the chance to do more and be more than Homeworld would ever allow her to be. Between Homeworld, losing Rose, and the War itself, we see more of Pearl’s inner devastation than we do of almost any other Gem, so Peridot throwing all of this old hat prejudice at Pearl must sting old, raw wounds.
It’s clear that if Peridot will be working with the Crystal Gems, she’s got a lot of mental deprogramming to do. It’s exciting to see a character so fresh on her journey to becoming a better version of herself. We can see easily just how far Peridot has to go, and we already have a few signs that she may be capable of real change, so watching her cross the distance will make for great television.
We see the beginning of this change at the end of the episode, as Peridot approaches Pearl with a drill in hand. She says stiffly, “I have to admit it’s remarkable that a Pearl such as yourself could become such a knowledgeable technician.” Technician is a word Peridot used to refer to herself ; from someone who has internalized Homeworld’s caste-consciousness to such an extent, the word choice is significant. Pearl points out that she is holding the drill upside down, and they walk away, talking.
Steven then proceeds to pretend to eat his own hair with his Cluster sock puppet. Thanks, Steven.
This episode can basically be summed by the following exchange between Peridot and Garnet:
“What about the rules?”
“Welcome to Earth.”
Yipee-ki-yay, Peridot. That is the point of a Pearl.
The next Steven Universe episode after “Back to the Barn” is titled “Too Far,” which is summarized as follows:
“Amethyst and Steven get in on some gem gossip.”
According to Cartoon Network’s website, “Too Far” will air on Oct. 15 at 5:30 PM EST, with a rerun airing on Oct. 18 at 6:30 PM EST.
So what was Burnett waiting for? The sock in the jaw, or giant fighting robots? Feel free to discuss "Back to the Barn" in the comments section below.
