Wow, 100 episodes! Holy cow! It has been a long and wild ride! And what could be better to celebrate than the first half hour special of Steven Universe? I wonder if we'll get another special for episode 200? Well hey, that's a long way off, and this episode had so so much packed into it. Let's dive in!
Let's start off the episode with some casual slice of life fun. Maybe this episode won't be so bad.
The sun is shining in Beach City and Steven and Lion are playing. How peaceful!
"Thank ya boo!"
Magical trees growing inside of magical lion manes definitely could never break like real trees. They're magic.
Oh man! The mystery that was first revealed 64 episodes ago!
STEVEN RELEASED A HORRIBLE DANGEROUS GEM THAT ROSE WAS HIDING!
QUICK, BUBBLE IT BEFORE SHE RE-
Okay never mind RUN AWAY!
4 whole storyboard artists? This is certainly going to be an intense episode! And look at that beautiful title card!
"What does her gem look like?"
"It's... an innie?"
Lion was not ready for a gem to emerge from his mane.
How long was THAT inside of me?!
GARNET TOOK THE GLASSES OFF? OH THIS IS SERIOUS!
Hot diggity, has Pearl ever been this happy in the show? Like, not since Sardonyx.
"You're two to talk."
I wonder if Bismuth was the 4th Crystal Gem or something. She seems really close Pearl and Garnet.
Bismuth seems to be bringing Pearl and Garnet closer together. It's like Steven dropped a nostalgia bomb on them.
Yo Bismuth... why are you looking so terrified when asking about Rose? Something you'd like to share with the class?
Right well... someone's going to have to uh... tell her.
"Rose really is something else."
Well, Bismuth is certainly adjusting well! And full of puns!
"How many of us did they shatter?! Crazy Lace, Biggs, Snowflake?!"
Biggs?
A gem full of rage and ready to take down Homeworld? What could go wrong?
Finally, someone willing to tell war stories around Steven!
I guess Homeworld would be pretty embarrassed to be taken down by the equivalent of a handbag.
Steven Universe is my favorite Anime.
"But, now, we're back in Bismuth!"
Oh man, she keeps the puns rolling!
It's really great to see Pearl genuinely happy.
This is a super cool affect! They really pulled out all the stops for the 100th episode!
Speaking off, this is a really cool background! Very dramatic!
Aww, look at Garnet showing off to Pearl?
She's speechless!
"It's a pleasure doing Bismuth with you."
Well, third time's the charm! Let's hope for one more puniful use of her own name!
I am loving this use of background for special moments.
How to befriend Amethyst: Give her something really cool!
"I think the power couple's losin' their spark."
Oh snap! She called Ruby and Sapphire a couple! Whaaatttttttt.
Somebody order a pair of disappearing pants?
Look at that little blush on Pearl! She's so so happy!
Amethyst! No cheating!
The ultimate pizza roll! Or calzone. Or uh... something.
Draw the squad. Oh wait, this is the squad.
Who is responsible for storyboarding this scene? WHO?!
"If that thing's got infinite power, then, of course Lonely Blade should use it. It just makes sense."
Ah crap, is this foreshadowing?
"Usually, when I meet a new Gem, they try and kill me and it takes me forever to become friends with them."
It's a good thing that Bismuth is a Crystal Gem and already on Steven's side!
It's nice that Bismuth is able to open up about Rose Quartz in a way that Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl have shied away from. Maybe Steven can hear all sorts of war stories from Bismuth about his mom and the other gems!
"You are different. That's what's so exciting. You don't have to be like Rose Quartz. You can be someone even better. You can be you."
That is really great advice for Steven. I don't think anyone has specifically told him that he doesn't have to be Rose and that he isn't expected to be. Steven is his own unique person.
"And you know what? You deserve an even better weapon."
Oh man Bismuth is going to make Steven his very own sword!
"It can cut through a Gem's physical form in an instant! Destroying the body, but never the Gem."
Which makes sense because all the Crystal Gem forces came from Homeworld and if you shattered gems from Homeworld they'd never have the opportunity to join you!
"I call it a Breaking Point!"
Not a sword, but still looks pretty awesome!
Let's take a moment to look at this scary face and appreciate all the detail that went into this episode and Bismuth as a character. This is a really cool frame.
Bismuth stop! You're scaring Steven!
"Now, you look like you really mean Bismuth."
The third time was supposed to be really funny! But it's not!
Let's just pause. Have a breather. Appreciate these cutie pies. Hope Bismuth will see the error of her ways thanks to Steven's fantastic speaking skills.
Steven's already crying just thinking about shattering a gem! ;_;
"I'm sorry, Bismuth, but it's not right."
You know what, some lines in SU you can almost hear in Rose Quartz voice.
"Sometimes, you even sound like her." - Pearl, S1E45, Rose's Scabbard
"That's exactly what she said."
Uh oh.
"You know what happened to me!"
Why DID Rose keep Bismuth a secret? Wouldn't the others have understood? Something weird is going on here...
Even in a serious situation, the Crewniverse does not let us down with a wacky frame or two sneaked in.
Earlier in the episode... "You know, usually, when I meet a new Gem, they try and kill me."
Dangit, it is happening again.
"How could you value the gems of our enemies more than our own?"
Bismuth.... do you not know where Rose got her army? It was called a rebellion. Because... because ALL of her forces were rebels? Former Homeworld gems? You know that, right?
Man, Steven is even holding his own against Bismuth. And she sparred against Garnet and was holding her own. Hm, I wonder what a Steven vs. Garnet battle would end up like?
Episode 1: A half human boy with magical powers thinks his abilities come from eating his favorite snack.
Episode 100: Steven is forced to fight with a former Crystal Gem and one of his mothers oldest friends, eventually impaling her with the same sword she created for his mother.
You know, for kids.
You know, for kids.
"You should've shattered me back then. At least if I were in pieces, I wouldn't have to know 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."
YEAH WHAT THE HECKIE? ROSE WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!
I wonder what Steven is thinking about his mom. She did some kind of messed up stuff.
"Then you really are better than her."
Is this just about the bubbling and not telling anyone thing or do you know more?!
I bet the gems thought Steven and Bismuth were having some cool bonding time and then... this.
Pearl: "Guess we need to keep her in a bubble."
Amethyst: "We can just bring her back and try to explain that-"
Garnet: "No Amethyst. That was a guest voice."
One big happy family, right? Ho boy.
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