The biggest Stevenbomb in all of Steven Universe history is well into its third week, with new Steven Universe episode “Bismuth” airing tonight. The “Summer of Steven” began July 18 and gave us six new episodes , while Week 2 of “Steven’s Summer Adventures” gave us some time with Beach City citizenry before Jasper’s malevolent return. This week, the big buff Cheeto puff creeped us out in “Gem Hunt” and “Crack the Whip,” while Amethyst fought her own worst enemy in “Steven vs. Amethyst” (hint: it’s not Steven). Next up is Steven Universe ’s 100th episode, a double-feature simply called “ Bismuth. ”
“Bismuth” starts off with all three Crystal Gems watching Steven play video games. (I love the scenes of family bonding and affection!) Then Steven spots Lion playing around with one of his shirts. Because Lion is obsessed with that particular shirt, Steven decides to place it inside Lion’s mane for safety. While inside Lion’s mane, Steven accidentally pops the bubble on a Gem inside Lion’s mane. He tries to fix it by entering Lion’s mane again to rebubble the Gem, but it’s too late: Bismuth has emerged.
Steven stares at Bismuth in disbelief and pops back out. “There’s a Gem inside of Lion’s mane!” he hollers to the Crystal Gems, who stare at him in confusion and apprehension. He peeks into Lion’s hair and describes Bismuth as having “rainbow hair and tattoos,” and her Gem as “an innie.” Garnet asks Steven to bring her out.
At the sight of Bismuth, Pearl’s eyes well up with tears. Garnet even takes her glasses off. (Amethyst, by contrast: “Wooow… a total stranger.”) Bismuth’s rapport with Garnet and Amethyst is immediate and warm. (“Who do you belong to?” says Bismuth. Pearl yells, “Nobody!” in delight.)
Garnet introduces Bismuth as one of the original Crystal Gems, which Steven takes in stride. Apparently Rose had said she lost track of Bismuth at the Battle for the Ziggurat. Bismuth asks where Rose is and Steven tries to explain that he’s her son. “It’s not always easy to understand Rose’s choices, but we have to stand behind them,” says Pearl quietly.
Bismuth seems to take everything in stride, though, cheerful and bombastic, as she asks after the other Crystal Gems: Crazy Lace, Biggs, Snowflake… (Crazy Lace Jasper and Biggs Jasper bear an uncanny similarity to the corrupted Gem monsters Jasper has taken control of, by the way.) The Crystal Gems take Bismuth to the Strawberry Fields in response, where Pearl explains through tears that they could save the Earth, but not one another.
Bismuth is heartbroken and frustrated, convinced that had she been present, she could have stopped it. She reminds Garnet of the time they took on three battalions of soldiers, or the time Pearl pulled a Nephrite out of the cockpit. (Nephrite Jade, by the way, bears more than a passing resemblance to our Centipeetle…) Bismuth promises they will pick up where they left off in the fight against Homeworld and takes them all to the Forge.
At the Forge, Bismuth explains how Gems such as herself were used to erect Spires and Temples for the Gem elite. It was Rose who taught Bismuth that her life was her own and she could make her own choice, so Bismuth chose to forge material weapons for the entire rebellion. She tosses Garnet a pair of spiked knuckles and hands Pearl a trident attachment.
Amethyst is suspicious and points out that if Bismuth is one of the original Crystal Gems, it’s strange that not even Rose mentioned her. But then Bismuth asks to see Amethyst’s whip, and hands it back with a three-part flail attachment. “Aww yeah baby! Bismuth’s the best!” Amethyst howls.
Back on the beach, Bismuth drills the other Gems. Steven watches, cowed by the intensity. When Bismuth asks Steven to join in, Steven shares some of his rituals with Bismuth instead, such as playing cards, making a pizza, and watching TV.
Steven is glad to meet Bismuth, who cryptically says, “Glad to have another chance.” She asks to see Steven’s weapons, most of which are for defense, but then brings out Rose’s sword. This is Bismuth’s cue for a combination Rose Quartz testimonial and personal history: Bismuth thought she was coming to Earth just to build arenas or spires for important people to fight or think in, but Rose Quartz, who was made on Earth, opened her eyes to the possibilities.
Steven admits that he feels he can never measure up to her, but Bismuth gives him a pep talk. He doesn’t need to be like Rose Quartz: he can be better by being himself. That’s when Bismuth promises to make him his own weapon and takes him to the Forge.
It turns out that Rose’s sword was designed for a fair fight, destroying the body but never the Gem. But Homeworld doesn’t fight fair, so Bismuth says a different strategy is needed. Things turn sinister as Bismuth takes Steven to a deeper level of the Forge, where she explains that she was working on a game-changing weapon called the Breaking Point. She fills Iron Maiden-looking Gem simulacrums with lava to test the Breaking Point, which shatters Gems. Game over.
“One shot will shatter any Gem in the galaxy. The Homeworld Gems won’t be able to retake the planet if they’re in shards,” says Bismuth.
Steven looks horrified, but steps up to one of the mannequins and carefully points the new weapon with a tear in his eye. Ultimately he says he can’t use it because shattering Gems would just make them the same as Homeworld, but Bismuth says it’s not the same because they’d be doing it to free the Gems from tyranny. With tears in his eyes, Steven angrily says, “I’m sorry Bismuth but it’s not right.”
This straight-up triggers Bismuth into a rampage of hurt and anger, because that’s exactly what Rose Quartz said to her before killing her body and bubbling her, then lying to Pearl and Garnet about her. Bismuth hadn’t wanted to fight Rose, but she did over this. She doesn’t believe Steven about not having Rose Quartz’s memories, because Rose lied about Bismuth’s disappearance.
“What kind of leader doesn’t give her army the best way to win? How could you value the Gems of our enemies more than our own? And look what you’ve done without me, without the Breaking Point? You’ve lost!”
Steven tries desperately to hold Bismuth off. He says he’s not her mom and is sure she didn’t want to hurt her. But Bismuth is in a rage, accusing Rose of lying about how Gems can control their own identities and potentials. Bismuth would have shattered the Diamonds and liberated everyone. She flings Steven into the wall and throws one of the Iron Maidens at him. Steven has to fling it back out to escape, but calls out to Bismuth in warning.
Finally Steven tells Bismuth that this fight has to stop. Bismuth tells Steven to just shatter her. “You should have shattered me back then. At least if I were in pieces, I wouldn’t have to known how little I mattered to you You didn’t even tell them. You bubbled me away and didn’t ever tell your friends. My friends,” says Bismuth, her voice breaking. But Steven promises to tell the Gems everything, and Bismuth says “Then you really are better than her.” Then Steven bubbles Bismuth and throws the Breaking Point into the lava.
At the Temple, Steven tells them the story of Bismuth, and Garnet gently places the bubble into the Bubble Room at the Temple. On the balcony, the other Crystal Gems come forward and embrace him affectionately. End of episode.
I can’t help but think that Bismuth’s treatment is painfully close to Daisy Fitzroy’s in Bioshock Infinite . Give the oppressed party a legitimate grievance, have them endure suffering and mistreatment, then put them over the moral horizon as a result. The narrative will no longer sympathize with them, and their willingness and ability to give back even a tenth of what they’ve received will be construed as a moral failing or even villainy.
Of course Steven Universe was never going to come down on the side of “Yes, shatter the Gems of all who disagree,” and its willingness to tackle dark or morally gray topics has often been a highlight of the show. But calling Bismuth “the same as Homeworld” for being willing to fight back against the engineers of her oppression with every tool at her disposal is too much.
Bismuth’s extremism could have been denounced or even softened without having her cross into unforgivable territory by shattering Gems or fighting Steven. Bismuth seemed more than capable of both logical thought and gentleness. The ancient wounds inflicted on her by Homeworld, the Rebellion, and Rose Quartz are all still raw to Bismuth, who hadn’t even had time to process the loss of her comrades.
I don’t know how much it costs to get Aduba to voice Bismuth, but every moment spent in that bubble is a moment too long. Free Bismuth!
The "In Too Deep" Steven Universe special event for season 3 kicked off with “ Watermelon Island ” and “ Gem Drill ” back to back and ended with “ Hit the Diamond .” Now Cartoon Network is delivering the " Summer of Steven " in the biggest Stevenbomb yet . Steven Universe will be airing new episodes every single weeknight for over a month, July 18 through Aug. 12, so make sure to check back with iDigitalTimes every weeknight after Steven Universe airs for recaps, analysis and news.
