• "Sworn to the Sword" Episode Followup


    Let me just start with the fact that this episode was amazing. I heard that people were doubting this week would be as intense as the first Steven Bomb, and I think they were totally proven wrong.





    First, the intro!


    Unfortunately, due to the interview with Rebecca Sugar, I had the surprise spoiled just before I watched the episode. But you know what, it just helped me get more hyped!

    The song itself is much more upbeat. It's very interesting how the mood of the characters has changed so much. In the original intro, the Crystal Gems seem very serious, their only purpose to protect the Earth and its inhabitants. But in this new intro, you can see that they've opened up a lot. There are so many more smiles! Steven has gotten them to smile and laugh a lot more. Now that he's grown, Steven has helped strengthen the team, and bring back the joy that Rose once did.

    Ladies, please.

    This intro really spotlights the growth of all the characters in the show. In the first intro, Steven can’t even manage to stay on the warp pad. In the new intro, it’s Steven who creates the warp stream for the gems. Not only that, but Garnet used to be the only one to ruffle Steven’s hair, but now all three gems have joined in. It highlights Steven’s growth as a gem, by having him summon his shield along with the gems summoning their weapons.

    Yep, that's it.
    Not only that, but- HOLD ON DOES CONNIE HAVE ROSE’S SWORD? Also, she has a new outfit, which includes the glow bracelet from Bubble Buddies. Whereas her outfit was more geared toward spring time in the original opening, now she's moved on to a summer outfit.


    The quality in the intro is really outstanding. It even shows that Greg has reconnected with his rockstar self. Lion is included too! The whole town really is all there! (Also you can compare Connie's outfits.)


    All the gems have their new regeneration outfits in the new intro!



    Oh wait, there was an episode too!

    One of the first things to note is where Connie and Steven are sitting while they are jamming. Look familiar?
    That’s right, it’s the hand from the intro! The washer and dryer are actually up there!

    Oh, and Connie got a song! At long last! She has a truly beautiful voice. The song was super cute and punny. Want to listen again?


    Ahh, more star eyes!

    Hey, check out the subtle star eyes from Pearl. There’s no way that wasn’t intentional!

    I always have a thing for the background music and the background scenes. Have this one of the warp pad at the sky arena! Hold on is that a yellow diamond?


    Connie is not the best warper yet.



    Here’s a full view of the back of the arena.



    Look at these adorable kids!


    Woah, hold on. Did Steven just say “reflex” about his bubble ability?



    Looks like things are coming easier for Steve-aroony!


    Thought you guys might like to see the stages of Steven’s bubble.

    I was trying to get a shot of Pearl’s old outfit.



    Notice the lack of detail in the enemy. Rose has a lot more intricacy. I believe that is because these are Pearl's personal memories. WHO she was fighting wouldn't matter so much as who she was protecting. All of Pearl's focus was on Rose, so much so that she barely paid attention to the enemy at all.

    So… Pearl hasn’t changed her hairstyle in 5000 years. That's the important thing here. Actually, if you look, you can see so many small details on Rose. The tears in her dress, the etchings on her sword, the curls in her hair, even the subtle scrape on her shoulder. There is obvious attention to detail given to Rose. If you look above at the enemy, however, it looks very plain and generic. The weapon is seemingly the most detailed part. Because the weapon is what Pearl is going to have to defend Rose from. That's the part of the enemy that mattered. With Rose, every little bit mattered. Pearl wanted to capture every tiny detail. Also, can we take a moment to consider that Rose might have been left handed? Swords are normally held with the dominant hand/arm, because you want to attack with the strongest part of your body. A shield is only for defense, not usually a fighting tool in itself. But here we see Pearl holding her sword with her right (dominant) hand, and Rose holding her sword with her left hand.

    Okay, by the time I got halfway through this episode the first time, I was completely overwhelmed. Not only was there a new intro, we were in the middle of the second song, both which featured Connie singing for the first time, and we got hit with Pearl/Rose backstory.


    I could tell that everything Pearl was singing about was not what Rose had told her to do, but rather the things that Pearl had repeated to herself, over and over, as she trained to try to make herself good enough to protect Rose.


    A big and powerful gem like Rose was meant to be a warrior. A much smaller gem like Pearl was not a gem created for battle. Sure, Pearl has practiced and honed her sword fighting skills, but at the end of the day she’s not big, or strong. Her skills lie in her smarts.


    Pearl saw herself as a knight, serving her leader and willing to give her very life to protect Rose. She saw herself as disposable, unneeded in the grand plan to protect Earth. It was Rose that was the necessary one, and Pearl knew that without her the war would be lost. Pearl would have let her gem be smashed to pieces if it meant Rose would live on. Of course, Pearl would never let that happen to herself, or else who would be around to protect Rose?

    Oh Steven.

    Hey look, Garnet and Pearl’s (Yeah thanks Unworthy_Tinker) Amethyst's VA’s get paid to be in this episode! For 35 whole seconds!


    Steven and Connie make the greatest team!


    Woah, shield and bubble? Together? That’s new!


    Once again, Pearl fails to understand human relationships.



    PEARL DON’T CRY! PEARL STAHP!



    I once again want to draw attention to the background in this image, mostly. Will they ever reveal what the writing says? Will the gem language be revealed later, and we’ll all have to go back and look for hidden messages?


    Pearl calm down.


    See you next time!

    Twitter: Emerald