Steven Universe 's latest episode “Catch and Release” follows “Nightmare Hospital” and “Sadie’s Song,” two episodes about the stumbling blocks between mother and daughter. The new episode of Steven Universe , “Catch and Release,” is summarized by Zap2It as follows:
“A look inside Steven’s bathroom.”
The summary of Steven Universe episode “Catch and Release” doesn’t sound like it’s going to lead into more mommy issues, and I’m still holding out for fishing something - or someone - interesting out of the toilet, but Steven Universe episode summaries are notoriously understated. I can’t wait to find out that “Catch and Release” is actually the lynchpin of the season. Watch the preview trailer for Steven Universe episode “Catch and Release” below:
Steven Universe episode “Catch and Release” begins with Steven doing his night-time routine, which involves polishing his gem and saying goodnight to all his stuffed animals, as well as the “ominous triangle at the foot of my bed.” Wait, what? Two seconds later, the Green Dorito herself slaps a hand over Steven’s mouth and drags him to the Homeworld Jump Pad. Peridot demands that Steven do whatever he did to fix Lapis Lazuli, but this time to the Jump Pad. She calls Lapis “Lazuli.” I want to say “aww,” but they did imprison Lapis. Might not be that “aww.”
Steven licks his palm and slaps it down on the warp pad agreeably enough, but nothing happens. Peridot enters despair mode and slides to the ground, moaning, “I’m gonna die here.” Steven, drawn by this show of distress, scooches over to comfort her by telling her that Earth isn’t that bad. But Peridot doesn’t care what Earth is like either way.
Steven recoils, but just as Peridot might have been about to say something more, the Crystal Moms appear on the scene. Pearl runs to Steven and clutches him to her avian bosom, howling, but Garnet refocuses them and they go on the attack against Peridot. In a panic, Peridot stammers, “You need me! I’m the only one who knows about the --”
But no one is listening. Garnet crushes Peridot in her fist, bubbles her Gem and sends it to the temple. Steven stares in distress as the Gems confirm that Peridot’s limbs and fingers aren’t actually a part of her body. Then Amethyst chucks her bits into the ocean with a drawled, “ Oops .”
Steven feels that Peridot was trying to tell them something, but Garnet doesn’t buy it, and Bird Mom gently ushers Steven home. Cut to Steven, who can’t get Peridot out of his head because he’s too worried about why she was so scared and what she had wanted to say. In response to his urgent desire to speak with Peridot, his gem lights up bright pink and the door to his mother’s room opens. He runs into Rose’s Room, which opens the way to the basement for him. (Here’s our nine seconds of trailer!)
Steven frees Peridot from her bubble, and Peridot reforms, finishing her sentence. “-- the Cluster, you insufferable, half-worm traitor Mega-Clods!”
But she’s brandishing around her spindly little arms instead of her mighty limb enhancers, and it turns out she is teeny-tiny . She’s bite-sized. She’s a chibi Dorito. She’s Steven’s height, but only if you include her very tall hair.
Curiously enough, Peridot looks truly and sincerely terrified as she stares up at all the bubbles floating in the high ceiling. “Oh my stars. You’re going to harvest me?” she says in horror. (We know that's an upcoming episode title! What does it mean?!)
She reaches out and plants a weak little slap on Steven’s face, but immediately cheers when he confirms that it hurts. She slaps him again with slightly more strength, then starts slapping him on the cheek some more, not unlike a cat batting at yarn. Steven takes her wrists like an adult calming a child: “Hey. Hey. Heyyy .” Then he flicks her nose, which launches Peridot into a series of hysterically feeble slapping in his direction.
Finally Steven asks Peridot what it was she was trying to say. Peridot launches into an angry rant about how the only reason she was even on Earth in the first place was to check on “the Cluster” before it hatched. I like the Gem lingo Peridot drops, derisively calling Steven a “pebble” and saying “shattered” instead of “killed.”
When Steven asks for more clarification, she flicks his nose and takes off running and cackling -- straight past the shocked Crystal Gems. Shaking, she tries to distract them: “Look! Over there! Another planet to betray!” Pffft. But the Gems have her cornered. She scampers into the bathroom and locks it with another maniacal cackle.
Garnet bangs on the door as Peridot scours the bathroom for escape routes. Not so fast, Peridot: possibly one of the funniest moments in a really funny episode is Peridot grimly rotating in the flushing toilet as Amethyst confirms that you can’t flush yourself down there.
Steven confesses that he released Peridot because she knows something, and this time, his Gem moms pay attention. Tiny Peridot investigates the bathroom while the Gems try to interrogate her through the bathroom door. As anyone who has ever tried to communicate to a cat or a recalcitrant four-year-old knows, it’s ineffective.
But Steven has to use the bathroom, so his moms send him outside to pee. (In the ocean, like a fish, says Amethyst, continuing her string of hilarity. Amethyst is in prime form this episode.) Peeing is one thing, but Steven wants to brush his teeth and wash his face, so he marches to the bathroom as the Gems discuss how valuable Peridot’s information might be. Steven gives Peridot back her boot, so she allows him into the bathroom.
“What a great souvenir of that other time you assaulted me,” says Peridot, hunched in the corner of the bathroom with her boot. Steven apologizes awkwardly, and Peridot’s natural curiosity proceeds to overpower her wariness as she darts around the bathroom asking if a toothbrush, a comb, and a towel are weapons. Perched on the toilet, she cringes back when Steven rolls up his towel like a whip.
But Steven promises he won’t hurt her and that he wants to help her with the Cluster. Peridot accepts this with a sigh, not convinced that he’ll be helpful. Steven then asks her to move; he needs to use the toilet. “For what?” Peridot asks. End of episode. Too bad, Steven should have tag-teamed with Amethyst on that one.
So Peridot is now living in Steven’s bathroom like a pet gremlin, and Steven has grudgingly earned perhaps an iota of trust from her with his kindness. “Catch and Release” is equal parts adorable and funny while also moving the plot forward in an interesting way. It’s not as tense as momentous and important plot episodes like “Jail Break,” and it's charming and funny, and it's great to see Steven consistently be kind and sweet to Peridot, who with her cringing and fear seems to need that kindness almost as much as Lapis did. "Catch and Release" is almost everything I want from Steven Universe right now…. except for Malachite. Where is Jasper? Where is Not So Little Lazuli? Where is Malachite ? Where’s Yellow Diamond? Where’s the Cluster? (Where’s my car?)
“Catch and Release” puts us on track for a lot of these questions: the only Homeworld Gem we’ve met whom Steven has not personally charmed now is Jasper. With Peridot and Lapis Lazuli both having episodes full of sympathetic treatment by now, is Gem Vegeta due for an ounce of redemption next? What’s Yellow Diamond going to think about all this, when and if she arrives?
I’m already excited for next episode. The next episode after “Catch and Release” is titled “When It Rains” and its summary reads:
“Steven helps a friend who is afraid of thunderstorms.”
It feels practically guaranteed now that this “friend” is Peridot. But you know… rain is part of the evaporation cycle, which includes oceans. Also included in the ocean: Malachite . I’m just pointing it out.
“When It Rains” will air Oct. 1 at Steven Universe ’s usual 5:30 PM EST time slot.
To check out past recaps, click here for all of our previous Steven Universe coverage. Make sure to follow us on Twitter for more Steven Universe recaps and other news, and remember to tune in for Steven Universe episode “ When It Rains” on Oct 1 at 5:30 p.m. EST.
