It’s been ages since the last new episode of Steven Universe, but all that changes tonight, as Cartoon Network welcomes the season 3 premiere of Steven Universe. The second episode to kick off season 3 of Steven Universe aired directly after “ Super Watermelon Island” and is titled “Gem Drill.” “Gem Drill” is summarized as follows: “Steven takes a journey deep underground.”
The episode begins immediately after “Super Watermelon Island” ends, with the earth cracking all around Steven. Peridot is more than ready for Steven to join her in the drill, gripping his shoulders and very intently asking him if he’s ready. Steven quails in a panic, but Peridot only wants to be reassured. Upon Steven parroting Peridot’s desired reassural, Peridot shrieks, “Liar!” Stress does strange things to us all.
They hop into the drill, giving Steven and Peridot two hours’ worth of time to talk until they reach the cluster. Peridot has installed elevator music in the drill, because of course she has. After a little light conversation, Peridot explains the plan, which is: “We have a drill. We’re going to drill.” That’s the type of plan I like. One step, and the step is “Step One.” Great work.
As Steven and Peridot venture deeper into the Earth’s crust, Peridot explains a little bit about her start on Homeworld. She has no memories of Homeworld, just feelings. (Interesting - are the feelings implanted when the Gem comes to exist?) She tears up a little when talking about Homeworld, but brushes the moment (and her tears) aside. She has something different now: “You guys.” Aww, Peridot.
Interrupting this sweet moment, a monstrous hand slaps one of the drill’s windows. Apparently, protoypes of the Cluster (made with only two or three Gems as opposed to the zillions in the Cluster) have been placed along the way. Peridot activates the blast cannon, which is controlled with a Nintendo 64 controller. Nice.
But something is really bothering Steven about this. He’s concerned about the shards of those Gems, who will only reform into monsters again. If bubbled, they could be kept from reforming and thus kept safe. He tries to spur Peridot into helping them, but Peridot explains that the beings who were once those Gems are beyond help. They’re too broken and can’t understand who they are or even what’s going on around them. All they can do is seek out other Gems, the missing pieces of themselves. The Cluster is even worse, a huge and inseparable fusion. Steven looks heartbroken.
Finally they locate the Cluster, a celestially beautiful sea of Gem shards. But the Cluster is already taking form, coalescing in ghostly white shapes that grasp endlessly towards the ceiling. Peridot fears they’re too late. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you or the billions of other life forms who matter far far less to me,” Peridot wails. “Do you have any last words?”
Steven being Steven, of course, flings his arms around Peridot in a hug and tells her he loves her. Aww.
They cling to one another in a panic as the Cluster’s wispy form covers the drill entirely, then subsides. The Cluster is still struggling, so Peridot repositions the drill and tries again over Steven’s objections. The drill separates into three different drills, struggling to penetrate the ocean of Gem shards. That’s when Steven starts to show signs of real pain, wincing and crying out as he covers his glowing Gem. He starts seeing strange flashes of tortured ghostly faces. Peridot panics and then Steven is suddenly, magnificently alone.
He floats in a starry sea of indiscriminate voices, surrounded by twinkling Gem shards. He curls up, unable to understand what the Cluster is saying. “Want to, have to, need to,” a sea of voices speaks. The Cluster has no answer to any of Steven’s questions except for one: “Form, want form, want form,” the Cluster screams. The Cluster needs form to be whole; the zillions of shards all want to find the rest of their Gems.
Forming won’t help, Steven explains, but if they want to find other Gems, there are many Gems all gathered here in one place. He tries to redirect the Cluster from an attempt to form to an attempt to communicate with itself. But the Cluster can’t stop itself and begs Steven for help. All he can think to do is bubble everyone in the Cluster, but when he tries, he can only bubble a few at a time. The Cluster screams and sobs in the background as he cries that he can’t do it alone.
Then he’s expelled from his terrifying vision and returns to Peridot over him, trying to wake him. He babbles that he spoke to the Cluster and that they need to bubble it. Peridot turns to the vast sea of Gem shards in a panic - it’s an impossible task.
That’s when the Cluster sea begins to boil with bubbles. The Gem shards are bubbling one another. With their aid, Steven is able to extend a massive rose-pink bubble over the entire Cluster.
They emerge from the depths of the Earth just in time to spot the Crystal Gems returning. Garnet is holding an unconscious Lapis in her arms. Steven excitedly tells them that the Cluster just wanted company, so they’re bubbled and safe. The shards will get to know each other now, rather than forming the monstrous thing they were intended to be against their will.
Lots of good stuff in this episode, from many Peridot and Steven bonding moments to the entire painful concept of the Gem shards, pitiable fragments of beings with no memory or consciousness who grasp single-mindedly for anything that might make them whole again. Why can the Cluster reason and speak, even in that terrifying screaming way, when the mutants can’t? Perhaps by virtue of being so large, of containing so many shards?
Either way it’s a bittersweet fable about choices and bodily autonomy. Steven instantly feels for the shards and their desire to be whole, and by listening to them communicate their wants and needs, he is able to help guide them to a consensus that will ultimately benefit them much more than the tortured, wracked abomination they would otherwise become (a formation that would only need to be destroyed anyway). His signature tenderness doesn’t just transform lives, it literally saves the world.
Also, I’m still not over controlling the blast cannon with an N64 controller. Thanks, Peridot.
The "In Too Deep" special event for Steven Universe continues with one episode every Thursday for the next three weeks. Cartoon Network has also promised a " Summer of Steven" running June through August.
Make sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com after next week’s episode of Steven Universe on May 19 at 7 PM, titled “Same Old World.” We’ll have all the recap you need.
