While the biggest Stevenbomb ever has come to an end, new Steven Universe episodes will continue to air once a week through September. Recently, “ Mindful Education” brought a powerful therapeutic technique to children’s television's beautiful new song “Here Comes A Thought,” sung by Estelle and AJ Michalka. Last week’s “Future Boy Zoltron” gave us a little more on one of Beach City’s least-known residents, the ubiquitous Mr. Smiley.
This week’s episode, “Last One Out of Beach City,” starts with Amethyst telling Pearl and Steven how excited she is because Greg is taking her to a show that evening. Not at the thee-ate-err, as Steven floridly pronounces, but at a rah-hah-hack show. Steven and Pearl have a cool night planned too: a 612-piece puzzle. (I mean, it sounds like a cool night to me.)
Greg shows up to pick up Amethyst… or rather, to apologize. He forgot he’d promised to do something else that night. Disappointed, Amethyst flops onto the couch. Pearl offers to hang out with Amethyst, a prospect Amethyst greets with less than total enthusiasm - “maybe we can throw in some knitting, too!” - but Pearl nervously explains that they could go to the show with Amethyst rather than spend the night in.
Amethyst is intrigued, but delighted, and a little skeptical that Pearl would really want to go to someplace so uncouth. But Pearl calls on her rebel bona fides: “You two just never saw me in action! Breaking every rule! Taking on the authorities so I could indulge in the joys of life on earth!” Determined to show them that she can so totally be a cool rebel, Pearl is in on the rock show.
Amethyst reminds Pearl that a rock show is a human thing, not a Gem war, so Pearl will have to blend in. Cut to Pearl in skinny high-waist jeans and a dark jacket, popping the collar to make it look “even gooder” because “the collar isn’t supposed to go that way.” It’s a good look on Pearl and her hilarious “cool voice” is the cherry on top.
Pearl even agrees to drink some apple juice… though she struggles to open the tin can in the background as Amethyst talks about the band they’re going to see. Cut to a cool, attractive alt-style girl walking into the Donut shop… and cut to Pearl entering a brief lesbian fugue state. It’s the mounds of pink hair that seems to have caught Pearl’s eye: “I just didn’t realize humans could come with pink hair,” she says.
Steven explains the concept of hair dye, and Amethyst and Steven encourage Pearl to ask the girl about her hair. Pearl steels herself to do so, lingering by the counter, but instead pushes over a stack of cups. The girl looks at her and leaves the store as Pearl emits a weak “hi…”
Amethyst razzes Pearl hard as they head out in the Dondai Greg lent them, where Steven can’t help but point out that the girl looked like Rose Quartz. Amethyst hadn’t noticed it, but Pearl sputters that is totally not it, she’s done with the past and she’s all about the future, where she just loves socializing with humans.
That’s when Steven notices that the girl is driving right next to them. Pearl has another chance and panics. But Amethyst is there, offering support. Pearl glances over, the girl smiles back and Pearl blushes, big bright circles of blue. Excited, Pearl blows past the stop light to Amethyst’s excited cackles (and starry eyes) and catches up to the girl on her motorcycle.
“New Pearl. No plan,” she says intently, just as police lights start flashing. Steven panics. Pearl needs to pull over and show her license, but, well, Pearl doesn’t have one. As she points out:
“What was I supposed to tell the DMV? That I’m from another planet? I’m not exactly a citizen, Steven!” As Steven panics harder, Pearl puts the pedal to the metal and turns the music up even louder. Amethyst screams with joy as Steven looks terrified in the backseat.
They’ve driven all the way to Ocean Town: No Longer On Fire, where Pearl hides behind the sign as the cops speed past. But now the car’s out of gas. Steven offers to find a gas station… but the closest one is 20 miles away. So they’re forced to walk along the side of the road.
Pearl groans that she was so ready for the show tonight, and that she really wanted to see it. “I was going to drink a juice and wear these… pants… and hit people gently enough as to not actually hurt them, and you’d say, wow, Pearl is really cool! But nooooo, instead we drove to loud music, chased a mysterious woman into the night and broke the law. I’ve lost my edge. I should have stayed home with the puzzle,” she says sadly, ripping off her skinny jeans and huddling into a ball.
Steven and Amethyst cheer her up by assuring her that she’s definitely hardcore. “That’s the most scared I’ve been since you almost let me die! You’re a criminal now!” Steven chirps.
“I’ve been a criminal for 6000 years,” says Pearl, cockiness restored.
That’s when they realize they’ve actually made it to the house party, and the cool girl from before is at the party too. Pearl marches over and holds out her hand… the girl shakes it… they smile at each other, the girl laughs… then the magic encounter ends and Pearl heads back to report. Amethyst, who had anxiously assured Pearl that she was already cool and could start small (“talk to a nerd!”), is eager for deets.
Pearl reports: “I asked her about her hair and then she asked how I colored mine. I told her, my appearance is just a conscious manifestation of light, and she said I know how that is, although I highly doubt it. Oh! And then I added, by the way I saved your planet and your species and you’re welcome.” Then the girl gave Pearl her phone number (‘some kind of code,” says Pearl in bafflement) and walked off.
Amethyst is beside herself with Pearl’s coolness. “You just gave her some Shakespearean spiel about light, then got her number like it was nothing! Oh! Pearl! You’re a total rock star!” Pearl looks at the paper, then smiles.
The episode closes with credits, ‘80s teen movie style: Pearl as repressed nerd, Amethyst as ultimate wingman, Steven as voice of reason, and Mysterious Girl as herself. End of episode.
If I didn’t say I loved this episode, I’d be lying. Seeing Pearl work so hard to impress Amethyst and Steven was a great reversal from the norm, especially given Smokey Quartz, the charming amalgamation of Amethyst and Steven’s insecurities and self-loathing. Pearl cares what the two self-proclaimed “Worst Gems” think of her too, and wants them to think well enough so much that she’s willing to (gasp) wear skinny jeans and (deeper gasp) drink apple juice and even (swoon) go to a rock show!
On top of that, Deedee Hall’s line delivery made all of Pearl’s funny lines even better. I can’t decide what’s better, her “cool rebel voice” or her “I definitely understand humans and can do things” voice.
And of course, the Mysterious Girl subplot was just delicious: I loved seeing Amethyst act as wingman for Pearl and Girl, I loved that Pearl and Girl was a thing in the first place, I love that Steven pointed out Girl’s similarity to Rose, I love that Pearl loves her some tall and thick and big-haired ladies, and damnit, I really love Pearl. The stakes may have been small when compared to the larger Homeworld plot, but the character insight was solid and the writing was cute and funny at every turn. Great episode.
Make sure to check back with iDigitalTimes for upcoming news, analysis and hot takes as they happen, with the new Steven Universe episode, “Onion Gang,” next Thursday at 7 p.m.
