Reunited: Good, but Rushed - Steven Universe S5E23+24 Review

For the most part I enjoyed "Reunited," but once the Diamonds decide to crash Ruby and Sapphire's wedding, I thought the pacing was too rushed. Still quite a solid double-feature though.
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[@sneakaboo3486]

Rebecca Sugar said in a behind the scenes in that they wanted to have the wedding be it’s own episode, but when they tried the network kept rejecting it, so they had to tie it in with the diamonds so it couldn’t be censored. It’s too bad SU had to sacrifice quality to fight for representation, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It means a lot of other shows can do more with LGBTQ rep. SU will always be my childhood!

[@garibaldibritann1240]

Highly appreciated of that reason behind that episode, i hope this reason doesn't make any pollitical, reactionary clickbaity articles/videos that said the gay wedding scene of this episode makes SU loss several international screening and screeching the "Get Woke Go Broke" phrase just to justify it and calling the struggle of the show's crew "a liar" and they shilling to the media just to further their lies which not only this reasons are pollitically scummy but also slanderous and insult the intelligence

[@francesatty7022]

6:50 and WHERE their agates??? their topaz??? and *_WHERE_* WAS THEIR PEARLS

[@scp--297]

😂

[@clickbaitmullings]

Got em' 😂

[@pankreas2195]

Honestly I think Rebecca purposly mashed the two events because this way homophobic countries can't choose to not show it because it's game changing for the series

[@harmlessspider3693]

I think that choice may have negatively effected the episodes pacing and the effect of the important event, at least for me.

[@ryancarrell3186]

Yeah, she knows how to get around censors.

[@pankreas2195]

@ABCDEFG T what? Make it more difficult?

[@samblerisco]

All that is going to happen is that they wont broadcast a major episode. They care less about continuity than censorship

[@pankreas2195]

@@appleooza1920 many countries have real homophobic policies and laws welcome to the world

[@tylerdarlington4269]

i heard that a lot of elements in the episode were designed to force censors to air the lesbian wedding as a lesbian wedding. Ruby's dress, so they couldn't pretend she was male, and putting the diamond encounter in the same episode so there was no way to skip it without missing pretty much the biggest development in the show thus far

[@fobija1378]

Lareda Raneon Thats quite dick move...

[@kiing.diimon4984]

@@fobija1378 it's a "dick move" for those countries to pretend that gay ppl don't exist 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@bored_person]

That is just speculation.

[@himbolover69]

ijfharvey No, it isn't. Multiple countries edit the shows to avoid lgbt topics, even going so far as to portray Ruby as a man.

[@bored_person]

So? That does not prove the original claim. A single piece of evidence is not proof.

[@CharaViolet]

I thought it was very clear that yellow was digging into the earth with her ship

[@Stilluetto]

Chara Violet There was no way her ship could have dug far enough in that time to make a difference

[@CharaViolet]

her ship is very big and digs a lot so idk dude i think it could

[@manuelmojica8009]

Stilluetto, Did you not see how big Blue’s ship was compared to the mountain in Steven’s Dream? Her ship is HUGE. I’m pretty sure Yellow’s ship is good enough to dig for the cluster.

[@danielruiz8259]

The cluster is really really REALLY down in the earth, not in the center (just how Peridot told us) but again, there's no sign of yellow diamond digging into the earth, just using the ship to hit the earth...really ilogical

[@manuelmojica8009]

Daniel Ruiz, I guess it was to get the Cluster to react to the vibration that the Diamonds were making.

[@MrKiron12]

So no one going talk about that blatant art error or inconsistency at 8:50 where Connie is affected by Blue diamonds emotion wave even though in the very next episode it's confirmed that Connie isn't and shouldn't be affected by it

[@harmlessspider3693]

I’ve seen more disruptive plot holes and inconsistencies. That one only lasted a second, so I wouldn’t worry too much.

[@fenrisvermundr2516]

i believe that one was a more powerful wave, that could affect more than just Gems

[@guy4913]

Fenris Vermundr I wish but it was just a error

[@fenrisvermundr2516]

@@guy4913 People had to animate it so it was intended, possibly to focus on lapis

[@guy4913]

Fenris Vermundr Possibly,but maybe they forgot? It’s a lot more common then you think

[@appleofdoom]

1:06 is it me or is lapis disproportionally HUGE compared to the barn?

[@Che8t]

She is. This show is reallly bad about consistant character models

[@hundragant]

I didn't notice that at first. But she is just slightly too big, not horribly so. Like try to picture her sitting in the truck watching TV, she prob wouldn't fit too well lol

[@ryancarrell3186]

It’s also a quick shot, so it doesn’t matter too much.

[@TtimeXP]

... Bad proportions, but I mean what else is new? Haha Steven changed sizes in Tha same episode many times 🤷‍♂️

[@julioi.3166]

Apple Of Doom wow never noticed that!

[@jameshansmeyer4936]

At the end of the cluster arc Steven taught the cluster to bubble itself, I assumed it just did that again after fighting the YD ship. But Steven Universe thrives on having the fans fill in details the crew didn’t feel like including, so it could easily be more incomplete writing

[@Hinatachan360]

Steven does ask the Cluster if it's going back into its bubble and the Cluster gives a thumbs up.

[@supervamp78]

"They didn't explain this thing yet so obviously its a plot inconsitentces"

[@jameshansmeyer4936]

tanki motoko not exactly. The crewniverse has a habit of not explaining plot details that they don’t care about, so that explanation wouldn’t be unprecedented.

[@supervamp78]

James Hansmeyer no they have a habit of leaving ground work for someone and people assume its a plot hole for some reason even tho that makes no sense when the series isn't done

[@crfstewarje]

@@supervamp78 Exactly.

[@ObaREX]

That's my problem with Steven Universe. It's pacing is just so off most of the time. We spend so much time hyping up events and the stakes that approach with them. And so much time is dedicated to such slow slow slow paced filler. But when the things we wanna see actually come... it all happens just so fast and then it's over. And then we're back to a tons of filler and very slow build up to the next thing. The next episode is great and all but, with tons of things I wanna see. But then everything happens so fast again, and it doesn't even wrap up properly. We're kinda left hanging. I really wish the show had better pacing.

[@heliosmorningstar]

Edward Gil, I totally get you so much Beach City filler type episodes, I don't know if that was clear but omg those arks are just painful in some way the creators pack too many things, plots and a hole lot of everything

[@nigerundayo1996]

Agreed the show is amazing but the pacing is horrible it’s (as far as I remember) the only bad thing about the show

[@Missdigitallycrazed]

I honestly feel like the wedding should've been its own episode, including the cliffhanger, and the Diamond encounter should've been its own half-hour special. Literally EVERYTHING in that diamond encounter felt way too rushed because we were getting used to that big gay wedding. And holy shit-- I didn't even think about Blue and Yellow not bringing forces despite going up against who they believe to be ROSE QUARTZ. The MURDERER of Pink Diamond!? That was dumb?! Like?! The scene with Lapis coming back was pretty badass....which is ashame because her character arc is completely broken at this point, lol. Had she had a decent development, that scene would've been even MORE impactful imo. Also, the "I've felt worse" bit has to be one of her most badass moments in the ENTIRE show. Though, I wish she would've told off her diamond similarly to what Peridot did with Yellow back in "Message Received." Also this is a minor point but, AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO NOTICED THE REPRISE OF "STRONGER THAN YOU" PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND? (That scene where Garnet was walking over to Blue Diamond and giving a speech despite being affected by her powers.) That was so clever!

[@Missdigitallycrazed]

Oh good point. Also, why didn't they have their pearls with them? Do they suddenly not follow them anymore?

[@spectacularsceptile3879]

they prob did on the ships.... oh wait... shit....

[@SocraticMayhem]

Lovelyduckly Where were the other pearls at the very least? I can’t remember if we saw them or not. They should always remain by their diamond so it’d be pretty weird to not have them.

[@roberta2828]

They probably mashed the two together to make it harder for homophobic contraries to sensor or blur the wedding episode.

[@kharijordan6426]

12:57 yellow and blue was just sitting doing nothing as they were attacking.

[@lucasmartinez5703]

They clearly care very little about the gems fighting them. They were not a threat to them and were too busy moping about Pink.

[@thesuperdogs2247]

Bored af 😪

[@thinhhung6497]

If they brought some sort of army that'd make more sense

[@carabe197]

I think that Yellow and Blue didn't put that much effort in the fight when Steven was knocked out. I mean, just look at it: Crystal Gems are constantly hitting, thinking things like "don't die" and "I have to win", while Diamonds are doing next to nothing and moping over Pinks death. Blue and Yellow are putting so little effort in that they aren't really even thinking the whole fight. Whole thing is kind of like Vegeta fight against Friezas Final Form, where he is fighting with his all and Frieza is just using 10% of his power. That really how it should be. Diamonds are praised and feared by other gems, so its believable that they could overpower the other "lesser gems" if they put little effort in the fight. I mean, Blue got barn drop on her and the Arm Ship slammed on her and she didn't get poofed nor did she stagger or stumble from it. Bottom line: Diamonds could have won easily if their hears were in the fight and not in Pinks unfortunate fate.

[@scp--297]

True.

[@Kingcourt_]

The worst part of this episode for me has to be the way it handles lapis lazuli because she's hyped up to be this Strong character by having jasper, the shows definition of the perfect gem acknowledging her strength and blue diamond recognizeing her and calling her out but doesn't recognize Garnet of all people until Garnet tells her and then she remembers who Garnet is and then lapis is the second one poofed... like common crewniverse why are you hyping the character up to be really strong but never following up with anything meaning full.

[@exoticcats6119]

kingcourt Conveniently the two gems without a star.

[@dragonempress8367]

Oh no I've gone cross eyed

[@crestfall3042]

~6:07 To me, Steven Astral Projecting to the cluster was suppossed to make you feal dread. You see that Steven has no time to calm the cluster down, and then it breaks free. You don't know what's going to happen. So when they run outside and it chooses to HELP them, it's a sigh of relief!

[@keyanaclark526]

I'm surprised no one pointed it out but when Blue Diamond used her powers to make everyone cry Connie was unfazed. The next time Blue used it, Connie cried. This could have been an error or maybe intentional? (idk)

[@BahuschBahusch]

It's an error. This episode is full of animation errors. There's a list of them on the wiki. I love this episode, it's one of the best in the series but that is really the only problem I have with it.

[@keyanaclark526]

Yeah, it sucks that this show has so many errors. And thanks for telling me about the list, didn't know there were more errors in the episode other than the Connie thing.

[@keyanaclark526]

Yeah, after I wrote this comment, I saw the comments below. I was like "Oh" and felt bad. Lesson learned: read the comments before commenting.

[@animon613]

. . . . I remember Andy

[@DecafInvidia]

So the Cluster and the diamonds start *arm wrestling* but the cluster won by playing paper against *two rocks.*

[@thesuperdogs2247]

👌👌👌👌👌👌👏👋👏👋👏👋👋👏👋👏👋👏👋👏👏👋👏👋👏👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍💐💐💐💐💐😁😁😂😄😄😄😄😏😏😏😏👏👋👏👋👏👋👏👋👏👋👏👋👋👌👌👍

[@jasoncarto]

This should have been atleast 4 episodes long. First the wedding, then the fight ending with diamonds getting the pink reveal, then diamonds grtting the backstory into deciding to go go to homeworld with the ending being liftoff into space, then steven bonding with the diamonds over the trip to homeworld ending in the "we've arrived" ending, then homeworld ending in white pearl taking steven to white diamond and all you see are gleaming feet and "hello starlight". Thats how it should have happened.

[@Otaku.Utopia]

Jason Carto exactly the whole heart of the crystal gem arc was totally useless in my opinion

[@DashawnLoves]

@@Otaku.Utopia *100% needed. Story first plot second those are the rules

[@mattf.868]

@@DashawnLoves What? Story=Plot, lmao.

[@avosmash2121]

That I'd love! Perfect sense.

[@taylorslade8080]

Pancakeloverman 69 that isn’t true: plot is what happens in the story, story is why the plot happened.

[@crimson2356]

This episode wasn't epic, the fight was a little bad, Peridot coming to earth was a bit threat, the diamonds in this episode were easier to fight than Jaspe, i mean, One single quartz was more powerful than two Diamonds? What!?

[@enchidle]

But Steven is a diamond not a quartz

[@crimson2356]

@@enchidle but Jasper was a Quartz, and she puffed Garnet, amethyst and pearl, two diamonds!! Were not abble to puff someone else than Lapis and Peridot

[@enchidle]

Ohhkay sorry, I read it wrong...that makes a lot more sense

[@crimson2356]

@@enchidle Do you remember how Yellow puffed Zircon? With only one finger, what if she tried to puff the Crystal Gems with a whole hand? This fight sucks, damm :'v I was expecting more

[@hirokokueh3541]

if Steven was there to fight together, that would make sense, they got a shield now, it a big improvement. maybe before Steven passed out, there should be another fight, then the Diamonds get tired or traped.

[@MrKiron12]

Honestly the build up to the confrontation with Steven lamenting in song about he doesn't want to confront the complicated feelings he has about his mom, or the constant impending danger Is much better than the actual confrontation cause I don't know if it's just me but that fight did not feel as grand as it should've been These are the main antagonist of the series and the fight just feels so small and the choreography kinda boring

[@ShaudL]

MrKiron12 the main antagonist was hinted at white diamond tbf.

[@josesosa3337]

@@Danosauruscrecks thank you for this, when I saw the diamond fight I was pissed. All that build up and everyone attacks once or twice. Connie's sword braeks after one hit and we see yellow diamond throw two hits only for steven to get knocked out and then he wakes up and everyone is friends.

[@crfstewarje]

@@Danosauruscrecks Nah, this episode was probably the best in a while.

[@CalebRichardsChannel]

Despite being an entertaining show, SU's storytelling is contrived, stilted, and inconsistent. I think the answer to solve the problem would be to hire actual writers to write episodes, instead of artists, and having 22-minute episodes with less eps. per season,

[@ammierose4211]

I love how when blue diamond came bismuth said "lets put her in a bubble" showing she doesnt think shattering is right anymore

[@TheUnknown-is1cc]

They really need to work on fight scenes.

[@goblinwrecks698]

Indeed

[@stalwartsoupbone6869]

The Unknown really? I love all of the fight scenes in the shoes.

[@100billionsubscriberswithn4]

You should really get your shoes checked out.

[@awesomepossume3682]

O rly

[@thesuperdogs2247]

Fight scenes are hard

[@duykhangtran4406]

You didn't know how long I have been waiting for this video. Thank you.

[@DecafInvidia]

Hahaha yeah we've literally been waiting a long time for this. On the subject of release time note although this came out on a convenient time for my side of the world (8 am) aren't majority of the audience on KZbin around 12 pm-3 pm cst? Personally commenting in the normal timeframe of KZbin is easier for me cause I'm usually on graveyard shift.

[@indigobeah]

As much as I love SU. Why is *Ev-Ery-thing* foreshadowing for this show

[@harmlessspider3693]

Because that’s the only story telling that they know how to do.

[@hundragant]

It's my favorite part of Steven Universe!! Each time a huge reveal happens, I feel encouraged to rewatch older episodes to see all the hints that were left.

[@harmlessspider3693]

I guess, but that can’t sustain it forever. Foreshadowing plus loads of slice of life is not a good science fiction show made.

[@ZenithReach]

@@harmlessspider3693 there are other storytelling tricks and gimmicks used. Think about the play within a play "Beach city or Bust" Foreshadowing is great but even better when they are recontextualized in such a meaningful way.

[@ZenithReach]

@@harmlessspider3693 they could use better pacing though...

[@uyenuong7291]

I love how you mentioned the Tart Toter! Just rewatched that the other day and it's so amazing. Great review as always

[@joshobrien3467]

okay but tbf Korra had to deal with way more censorship issues, esp bc it couldn't sate the network with the whole "they're genderless rocks" excuse

[@Reckno64]

It's honestly good to see people talking about this. These are all things that could make an already great show even better. I feel ya. Even though I still loved Reunited, I did feel it was a bit too rushed. Perhaps they heard out the slow pacing concerns and paced it too fast this time? Idk......

[@DominateandTrueBlue]

The cluster learned to bubble itself

[@rodolfocilenplay7125]

Its surprise me that the bits that you show from "The return" seems to be better directed + with a far better nimation in general than the parts from "reunited"

[@clairemercer3099]

Steven Universe seems to me like a stone rolling down a hill. It starts off slowly but pjcks up pace until you can barely catch up to it.

[@caswellweird]

Hoooo boy i was waiting for this one. This episode feels like a mountain range, lots of high peaks and low valleys. The opening song is really nice even if i needed a few relistens to start enjoying it. However I feel that the Diamond "foreshadowing" was really poorly executed. It never felt like there was an real weight to them showing up now rather than later. The fight was comedically cheesy and anime the pinnacle of that was the all out attack on Blue Diamond where everyone fired their attack at the left side of the screen. I get what its conveying but it looked silly. Lapis returning was awful. Her reasoning feels so half-assed, ironically if she had came back before or for the wedding the previous comment about no weight would be revoked. Personally, i would have preferred if Lapis had met with Lars and the Off Colors and THAT was what made her return. Even could have had the SunBlazer shoot at Blue. It feels weird to not include a character that was super hyped up this season in the finale. And her "I've felt worse" made me burst out laughing. Was half expecting Linkin Park to start playing. Finally, while i LOVED the segment of Steven's astral project visually, that script is one of the worst ive heard in the series. Not even cheesy just groan inducing. But that concludes Season 5, easily the weakest season but still capable of producing, pun intended, gems.

[@Missdigitallycrazed]

THIS. Only thing I disagree with is that Season 5 is weakest.....imo, season 4 is STILL the worst season in my mind, I'm sorry but Season 5 WISHES it could be as bad as season 4 lmao. GOD THAT LAPIS THING-- I HATED THAT-- AND SHE'S LIKE MY FAVORITE GEM. She's all like: "Oh, I couldn't stay away" not necessarily half-assed in my opinion, but more around the lines of just being super vague, like literally, that's it? I feel it would've been more impactful if her character arc wasn't so broken, lmao. I feel like if the diamond fight was its own half-hour episode and the wedding was its own 15 minute episode, the crew would've been able to go all-out in the fight rather than having the cheesiness we have here. This whole thing honestly felt like two 15 minute episodes poorly mashed together-- I mean, don't get me wrong, I still liked it, it was just as elk said, it was rushed.

[@harmlessspider3693]

I agree

[@BuzzabeelYT]

At least part of what made the Diamond foreshadowing as bad was the awful way CN marketed the SU bomb. The entire time CN made it seem like the majority of the episodes would be dedicated to the Diamond battle. Every single one of the ads for the bomb showed the diamond fight. So is it really any surprise that people ended up disappointed with the diamond fight and it being in the last fifteen minutes of the last episode when it was so hyped up? The foreshadowing was weak because with only one episode left, where else would the diamonds show up? I love SU, but even I was disappointed because of the blatant false advertisement. If the inconsistent pacing doesn't kill the show, CN ruining any suspense or good-will the fans have sure will.

[@crfstewarje]

@@Missdigitallycrazed How the hell is Lapis's return contrived? What makes the scene work, is that Lapis chose *HERSELF* to stop hiding and come back. She didn't need some sappy motivational speech.

[@Vasharan]

I feel like they are being rushed because they know they are not getting renewed by CN. Although this does not explain or excuse the numerous, /numerous/ filler episodes they photobombed on us before Reunited.

[@FelipeSouza-gb7yf]

Yup. Season 5 was indeed the last. It all makes sense now.

[@leahmontesinos6303]

I love your perspective and breakdown of each episode. Thank you for making this! I hope the depression for you improves based on your increase of meds. Thanks for the video :)

[@sempaiiwacky9542]

Reunited was way to rushed Like I loved the wedding but the fight sence was kinda lame Amethyst and Pearl didn’t use two whips or spears Plus none of them use their powers or fuison so hopefully if we fight white diamond it will be better

[@jensenpeacock8395]

Well I mean they couldn't fuse because Blue's aura caused Alexandrite to poof back to the main 3.

[@benoitdot3756]

Jensen Peacock but GARNET was TO STRING TO SPLIT

[@wook5676]

@@jensenpeacock8395 that's what disappointed me they hyped up Alexandrite fighting the diamonds do we get that no instead we have them get undone by Blue's sadness aura

[@jensenpeacock8395]

@@wook5676 The sad reality of fast action shows like steven universe. if we've seen anything with how he managed to befriend the show's main villain in like 1 episode, then we know how shit this show's pacing is.

[@wook5676]

@@jensenpeacock8395 as much as I love the show I agree and they need to stop going the pacifist route with villains

[@bereftspud279]

The episode was good, but I think it should have been split into two episodes. Marriage of Garnet in first and Diamond attack second episode.

[@thesuperdogs2247]

No, homophobic countries could have chose not to show the marriage, but if she m a s h the episodes together, It would be too important not to show.

[@strawberryskies3712]

I liked the episode, but I agree, it did feel pretty rushed and a little unrealistic. The Diamonds should have had more time to shine before they were instantly reformed, and the cluster should have been a bigger (not literally) thing, instead of surfacing for a quick arm wrestle before retreating underground. Also, I was confused as to why the Diamonds had no backup? Like they were going to Earth but they couldn't be bothered to bring, I don't know, soldiers with them as bodyguards or other gems as assistance? I've been thinking that for a while and I'm glad you brought it up. Again, it was a super cute and enjoyable episode, but I personally think it was kinda flawed too.

[@billcipher2604]

I think mentioning the Cluster, the diamonds and Lapis during the song was a really good move. It felt less like foreshadowing and more like a reminder of that those things happened so people can catch up. Specially about the cluster, that could easily have been forgotten. In fact, most of the song feels like a needed recaping of recent events, i feel like without it people would have felt it was "Suddently Diamonds!" or "Suddently Cluster!" if that wasn't hinted earlier.

[@eliandervalderen5849]

While I love the breakdown you overlooked one bit and that was that Steven specifically asked the cluster if it wanted to go back in its bubble suggesting that the cluster having helped bubble itself the first time can now bubble itself without needing Stevens assistance

[@tibot4228]

I have been opening KZbin every single day starting from your chnnel, except today; and it just happened to be the time this long-awaited video was released (if only that worked with Togashi's and Ashihara's chapters...). I hope the delay was not due to anything serious and that you are doing ok. Excellent point, as usual, about the tone dissonance, but I did like the beginning of the episode A LOT. It pulled off pretty well what Gemcation failed miserably at: yes, there are big problems, but we choose to push them down and focus on something else for a short duration. The song in and of itself was pretty amazing in my opinion, too, and the moment when Steven began to cry, just before Blue Diamond's theme cued in, gave me so many shivers. As a silly note, remember all the way back in Gem Glow when Garnet gives her speech about the harmony and energies of the universe? Well, I think this episode confirms that was Sapphire taking the lead. Cluster-wise: the whole slapping thing was probably meant just to induce what should have been Earth-shattering Earthquakes to awaken it (I mean, it's Lapis Lazuli water tower physics), but a repairing headcanon might be that Yellow wanted to cause the tunnel to collapse so that the debris would pierce the bubble. I mean, silly and stupid and it kills the tone... but what about flying through space inside a butt and two legs on high heels? Now, the Diamonds: I can completely see the two Diamonds wanting to enjoy a front-row seat for the destruction of Earth; and even Blue being mad enough to take on the Crystal Gems by herself, with no back-up (which her abilities would have rendered useless anyway) when the Cluster fought back. As for the ships being empty... yeah, it's insane. I mean, nobody on Homeworld knows about the state of Earth (Off-Colors), so it would not be impossible for the Diamonds to have flown in by themselves... but it needed to be addressed at some point. Same if all other Gems on the ships were poofed or shattered. As for their fearing a dirty trick, however, did they? They knew Pink had been shattered by Rose Quartz with a sword, and may have believed Pink to be weaker than them,.

[@Mewz_Thrtn]

6:47 its probably so her "foot soldiers" dont join the crystal gems, it is a joke that every gem that goes to earth joins so? edit: 7:38 *probably cuz Steven is Pink diamond secretly*

[@CptMorganArr]

"I'm just being overly nitpicky here"

[@jamdeluxe7456]

i can’t tell why Steven universe is consistently able to put the relaxing slice of life filler awkwardly in between the actual plot in the worst ways possible

[@wisdommanari6701]

They aren't. The fans are so starved for content they'll except anything

[@Allen-yv5xg]

Steven Universe has been steadily slipping in quality for a very long time

[@crfstewarje]

This was probably the best episode in a while.

[@SirGarmaples]

secretagentman But had some errors like Connie being affected by Blue Diamond’s power when she shouldn’t be.

[@ryancarrell3186]

The One Piece thing wouldn’t surprise me. Rebecca love her anime references

[@hadarsnorlax]

I also thought the episode was too rushed, but no one else said it until you, so thank you!!!

[@hannahbecxa]

Ok but when Pearl went from saying "everything I do, I do it for her" to "I do it for me!" I was woooooo character development

[@sakareeh]

Hannah Lou glad someone else noticed 💓

[@lightbulb129]

"Do you remember andy?" Me:no "Yeah me neither" If someone actually haven't seen andy The episode is called gem harvest

[@binah7744]

Great review! And it finally helped me understand my biggest issue with the show. If SU’s scheduling was regular instead of the bomb format, I wouldn’t notice how rushed some of the episodes are, then slumping a bit during the townie episodes. Nothing wrong with the slower-paced episodes, but this episode felt like it crammed a lot

[@cr0w342]

As always a wonderfully insightful and extremely well worded review.

[@santiagopandolfi3360]

It definitely felt rushed, specially because the wedding was almost 8 minutes and the rest had to fit in 12. It's like the wedding lasts ages if compared to the talking between Steven and the cluster, or any of both Yellow Diamond's fights she has to be fighting for like, a minute out of twelve. And yeah, I know it's supposed to be funny, but arm wresting? Seriously? We've seen spaceships fighting already. Maybe they could have made less emphasis on the fact that the ships are arms and make them attack like peridot's or Lars'. Also, I'm seeing a lot of hating to the Crewniverse in these comments. I've to disagree with the bad writing of the plot, mainly because this show has to have the best story between the ongoing cartoons. Guess they only complain about the plot because it's the only one of Cartoon Network's shows to actually have plot. That will be all.

[@MG-ls4eu]

Wow thank you uncivilized elk today is the last day of summer and i wanted a blast and i love your videos so thank you very much

[@mysterysunfurled]

Honestly dude I love your voice and the way you talk.

[@wariyoshidirector]

Eh I feel like it was rushed too, but my theory is that it's because they're trying to wind down the series. I mean if they were trying to continue, they could've milked the dynamic of "Steven is a diamond but the other diamonds don't know yet" for a while, then making it so that when they find out Steven is Pink, they imprison him and try to get him to remember in a brute force effort. Idk if it would've gone exactly like that, but my point is that they could've taken this farther than they did, and I think the final "phase" of the show is gonna be the white diamond antagonist arch, likely ending with the diamonds overthrowing white and fixing the gem corruption thing. After that, we have no more big baddies and I think that's gonna be the big finale of the show :P

[@OurWoRLd319]

A few things I'd like to acknowledge about this episode... 1) I know they'd never do this in the show for obvious narrative reasons, but Blue and Yellow Diamond had the perfect combination of abilities to win that fight easily. Blue Diamond's ability to subdue everyone with her pathokinesis was the perfect setup for Yellow Diamond to just zap everyone right then and there. They totally threw that fight haha. 2) The Diamonds coming to Earth _completely_ unescorted is fucking stupid. Even looking past the lack of body guards, I'm really supposed to believe they didn't even have any technicians on board? Not even their own personal Pearls? Sheesh. 3) _Please_ tell me Steven's going to go and rebubble the Cluster at some point. Please just tell me it's holding itself together through willpower. I'm not asking for much, Crewniverse haha. (Good to see you back Elk, was just thinking of you today haha)

[@samb496]

Hey uncivilized elk I was wondering if you would be up to making a video compilation of some of your favorite adventure time episodes. You could explain your reasoning behind them and it would a be nice look into the past as the series comes to its end.

[@bones9964]

2:10 anybody gonna mention that the dress didn't burst into flames even though it should have Lol

[@mariopokemon955]

"Do you all remember Andy?" Yes, he's a very funny background character that is helpful to Greg and Steven in Steven's Dream by flying them to Korea "Yeah, me neither" *W H A T*

[@Duck-de9dw]

I was waiting for this! Thank you for the vid

[@kencowzyay]

Oh no, she has WEAPONISED SADNESS... RUUUNNNN!!!!!

[@Hakajin]

I got the impression that the Cluster had just had time to work things out with itself. Also, I feel like you could look at Steven's "luck" can be interpreted as something like survival instinct, where he's pushed to activate his powers when he needs them most.

[@wyvernio9419]

I like to think after all this time of the gem shards mingling within the cluster, they may actually be able to control themselves better, i mean, all this time they've just been talking and chilling with each other, they must of found some control while searching within themselves.

[@wafflesthewookiee4716]

Lapis Lazuli's return: or, When your depression becomes your *edge*.

[@kiyaluque]

My mum was expecting bismuth and peridot to fuse (at the time when bismuth instead throws peridot), I think that would’ve been a cool follow up to bismuth catching the bouquet if a little rushed but damn that seemed to be the theme of this ep hahahhaa (but like a totally platonic vibe from this possible fusion, they just both seemed so hyped and on the same wavelength about fighting the diamonds)

[@purpletrauma]

Second comment: Steven specifically asks if the Cluster wants to go back into its bubble. It's an indirect "Why would he know that?" way of saying it, but I think the implication is that if it can control its forming that well, it can bubble its shards efficiently enough to readily put itself back in. As for its formula of his powers.. it indeed is a noticeable formula for how they progress his powers, but given when it has happened I think it may also be some kind of metaphor for personal growth, given its development pushed the most by chance self discovery and conflict. I dunno; these sort of things throw me for a loop, but I think there is more than plot convenience for this being the formula. It's an intentional choice that he develops this way. .. I also feel this isn't so sudden. While it is the first time it was depicted this way, I suspect this power is the same one that allowed him to commune with the cluster, go into the dreams of humans, and swap places with Lars. My interpretation is that Pink's variation of this seemingly Diamond exclusive variety of powers is just far more nuanced than the other diamonds. .. and for the diamond fight; I sort-of interpreted Blue Diamonds' statement about "making these gems suffer" being about them toying with the gems; they intended to pick them off slowly as a punishment. Alternatively, perhaps they can use their greater powers only so much? I dunno, but I can't fully ignore there are potential answers for the Crystal Gems handling the fight, particularly when your answer for why they couldn't was just "They probably couldn't fight against that." Yellow Diamond also having the psychic blast; I believe the implication is that this is a diamond's power. Not the first hint, with Bismuth saying "Only a diamond could do this sort of damage." I think there's some kind of higher powers that only diamonds could output. Ones that will be the future things that Steven suddenly hears or discovers he is capable of that he didn't know before, and will suddenly gain access to and develop. All in all, I found it interesting, and yeah, it was rushed.. but I like to focus on what I like over what I don't; give the parts I enjoy the most power and just skip any episodes where Ronaldo acts like an ass because of his delusional sense of self entitlement. So what this finale meant for me: I am the most excited to see the Diamonds get their plot arcs. There are a few stories I feel are coming: Pearl now seemingly having to re-adjust who she is and falling on old habits, Garnet refusing to think of the diamonds as anything other than "shatterers" even when they aren't hostile, and most interestingly and exciting, Aunt Diamond stories where Yellow/Blue start to understand what Steven is and have their own arcs. All in all, with the next episode after this especially, I get the impression we'll be spending some time on Homeworld while the Crystal Gems' place is re-discovered and the Diamonds have story arcs where they develop as individuals because of Steven. And, the long list of other interesting ideas: the discrepancy of Pink/White's pearls, the real Rose Quartz (that I am still not fully convinced existed before Pinks' disguise), Amethyst given her size, Garnet's nature as a fusion, Steven's protective desires, the expectations of Homeworld, ETC.

[@FaintlyAlarming]

Maybe its a specific pattern of vibration to break the bubble? Like when the vibrations from Stevens shield broke Lapis' water clones.

[@cherrycandygina]

I saw the similarities between this episode and the return as a metaphor for the fact that the crystal gems have gotten so much stronger, that an attack from the diamonds is just like an attack from some quartz.

[@EntityMays]

Nice review. I feel like it was on purpose that this episode feels like the return. Rebecca also wanted to go all out for this one as it it was the series finale

[@BahuschBahusch]

Before season 5 started, Rebecca said this when talking about the season "Endgame or not, I'm going to shoot for the moon. I'm going to write us into a serious corner." That may not have been the exact words she said but it got the same meaning as her quote.

[@TheObsidianX]

Since the cluster was under the west coast US how is it even possible for it to be under beach city? It made sense when it was at the core but not when it’s only a few hundred kilometres down. That arm would have to stretch out under the entire continent to be there.

[@WhoTookXay]

Thanks I've been waiting for another vid

[@EuanB2002]

Youre right, usopp is here very most favourite character, it was in the su podcast episode 10!

[@ProjectSudoku]

I heard a theory that stated that not only do all of the Diamonds have Steven's psychic-mind-meld-power...thing, but that they use it to manipulate and control the gems on Homeworld through subliminal suggestion.

[@veryimportantx2241]

You're alive!!!!

[@KatastrophicNoodle]

The cluster made it's own bubble too, just with the help of Steven. Now with it's new found unity, it can totally make it's own bubble by itself.

[@maskedkitty7350]

i’m more surprised nobody noticed that greg was playing the tune for “stronger then you” on his guitar.

[@heyheyheyLIC]

I believe the similarity for the Return and Reunited was intentional. I think the parallels were very blatant, but with Reunited you are able to see how far everything and everyone has come; the addition of new crystal gems, more solidarity, more confidence in the face of homeworld, and the growth of Steven and each character that simply was not present in the Return.

[@WhoTookXay]

And I like how elk's comment is literally a separate review

[@bastard-cu2378]

cluster is able to bubble itself being a bunch of gem bubbling each other

[@eddog6666]

remember the cluster was inserted at an angel so it is a lot closer to the barn location. I think the staff was trying to say remember the cluster arc? they had to go to the moon base so peridot could find where the cluster is which lead into peridot betraying Yellow Diamond. it was near the barn. and where was the barn located? near beach city.

[@PlacidSine]

Wait I just realized in an early episode when peridot explained the cluster on a chart and Steven described it as a hand AND IT TURNED INTO A HAND 😂

[@dansmart3182]

The sleep communion was to remind us that Steven can psychically communicate while unconscious.

[@heirhead413]

I actually didn't have a problem with the gems "fighting" off the diamonds while Steven was knocked out because of how it was depicted. Everyone else's Astral Projection thingies were moving in real time with their bodies. We saw that they were fighting and struggling, even if it was just one attack over and over again (they're weren't going to animate an entire fight scenes split up like that so whatever). However, the diamonds are just sitting there, only moving when they are talking to each other and interacting with Steven. Everyone else was fighting for their lives in both body and spirit, and the diamonds just don't care. They're just sitting there. They could end the fight whenever they want but ultimately it doesn't really matter to them, the cluster is gone, they are stuck on Earth, there isn't much point in any of their actions anymore. So they're just sitting there, pretending to fight. Either that, or they were actually just sitting there in real life while the gems wailed on them with no effect, which would be hilarious.

[@wisdommanari6701]

That would have been hilarious

[@erikisip3843]

I agreed when you said you prefered the return better. It was one of the episodes that actually hooked me on watching the show.

[@alexandreduarte4448]

I'll throw my theory of why the cluster can keep itself from forming now: It had a lot of time to talk to itself inside the bubble. Though gems seem to think no time has passed inside their bubble from how they act, clearly time doesn't actually stop because of how they can reform instantly. So it's kind of a unconcious sleep, and the cluster is basically all unconciousness anyways.

[@urank3918]

I think the diamonds went to that insertion point because that looks like where Peridot contacted Yellow Diamond back in Message Recieved

[@musicman2872]

So Elk, what do you think about the Diamonds possibly joining the side of the Crystal Gems? Considering how much Peridot went through in her redemption arc with already being interested in Earth and being relatively new, how would something as complex as a Diamond redemption arc be done?

[@diegorosario5165]

I remember Andy vividly, man. he was great.

[@danielruiz8259]

Something that i think about and i hope for a answer is...why blue and yellow don't shoot with the ships to the crystal gems or the cluster? just like peridot did when she came to earth

[@erichernandez1958]

For the Cluster just going back into the Earth, I always thought that maybe it used a lot of energy or willpower to fight Yellow’s ship and afterwords reverted back due to the need to rest.

[@victormunhozzz]

Something else that I liked about lapis' resistance towards Blue's power is that...her colors don't change at all with the blue filter, because she's already blue. So not only do we have her verbally stating that "you ain't got nothin' on me", we also have a visual representation

[@sidsthesid]

I honestly was so confused when I saw this ep! I didn't get that the gems were still in the real world fighting at all, I saw it very literally like they were trapped on weird status by the diamonds and they were punching the air for some reason I don't know, maybe I'm stupid I just wish they made it more clear, I really do love symbolism Maybe cause it was such a weird cut? Like no intro or Segway into a more symbolic view, just going from fighting to this weird rushed scene but I appreciate you pointing that out cause now I can see the episode differently Though in the end it feels still very plot convenient-ey that he just glows and then the diamonds are like OH HECK ITS PINK like....? I get that they wanted to get the ball rolling and end the bomb but bad writing is bad writing Not saying I'm the master of all literature in all space and time zones of the nine dimensions but it's bland convenient stuff like this that reminds me off those trash anime's where they defeat the evil by believing in themselves or something

[@gamesux420]

The clusters arm reminds me a lot of Crazy Diamond from jojo, with all the muscle and the pink blue color scheme. Also the Name, obviously.

[@xsforreal]

Please understand this: Steven Universe would have ran longer if it could, and Rebecca Sugar wanted it to. Unfortunately, CN had to cancel the show over losing funding because of the nature of the show. Other countries (Out side the U.S.) Just weren't ready for a show like this I would have loved to have an extra couple seasons, but it just wasnt up to her.

[@ryleylang6840]

Finally you posted it

[@bearberserker]

It was a great review you made for the episode, I also didn't like the casual nature of Korra's ending. I also agree with you about the flaws like the physics of the show, how the Diamonds didn't bring any armies, bodyguards, or the like, which show a contrivance for the plot along with the rushed pace. I didn't notice how similar Reunited and the Return, thanks for that important piece of information. I wonder if they take most of the tropes from anime with like Steven's powers would follow how the protagonist fights a tough opponent and gains some new strength or power. Thanks for reading this comment and Uncivilized Elk, thank you for making another awesome video, they always makes my day. I hope to see you in the next review, too.

[@crfstewarje]

It was personal for them.

[@PataNautic]

I'm glad I wasn't the only who thought this was really rushed and should of been done in at least two episodes

[@NGamer_S]

It's probably been said before, but the Cluster didn't just go back to the earth, Steven said "back to your bubble", so it probably rebubbled itself

[@30092nana]

I know this video is long posted but I think it make sense the cluster was made in a hand, just since all, if not most, of the gem bits when they were merged together usually formed into hands and feet from their old form so appendages is a lot of what they know so a hand make sense. Do I think this was on purpose? Maybe? Do I think it was contrived on purpose, definitely

[@nolangerrans6083]

The armships hand positions make it look like they are trying to dig

[@Jonasaurus7]

I agree that it would have been a fun bit of foreshadowing if the next fusion was whoever cot the bouquet but the jades weren’t at the wedding