SMOKY QUARTZ!? *Steven Universe* Season 3 Episodes 22-23 FIRST TIME REACTION Beta, Earthlings

[@SputnikSpyglass]

Hey guys! Please feel free to share which episodes you'd like Indi and I to watch together for season 4 💙 -Sputnik

[@-i_own_you_-]

4,8-17, 23-25 Important ones

[@ananon3560]

I'd love it if Indi was there for ep 4, 8/9, 11-15, 21, 24/25 of season 4

[@eddog6666]

When earthlings aired Smokey quartz took the fandom by complete shock. Everyone was betting Garnet would be Steven first gem fusion.

[@jasonhoagland8444]

Just a little history. If you remember the episide at the beginning of the season where Lapis tells her backstory, it show Bismuth as the one who poofed her and cracked her gem before she was put in the mirror. But of course we hadnt met Bismuth yet. Some nice foreshadowing.

[@dawningshine]

Minor correction, yes, Sugar did say that Bismuth poofed Lapis, but she was captured by Homeworld later, who put her in the mirror to force her to show them information about the rebellion, mistaking her for a crystal gem. When Homeworld forces and gems fled, Lapis in her mirror was dropped and cracked by a miscellaneous gem, not Bismuth (she was bubbled away before it happened). Hopefully I'm not wrong or accidentally spoil something.

[@NeclirGo]

Yeah, sge wasn't cracked by Bismuth

[@Starlightclod]

Smokey is one of my favorite fusions! The imperfection of them is a perfect combination of Amethyst and Steven. They fused from accepting their flaws and insecurities, which created the imperfect Smokey Quartz. And this episode is one of my favorites just for the meaning behind it, and seeing Amethyst hear that they weren’t alone just made me cry every time.

[@SputnikSpyglass]

They're definitely one of my favorite fusions we've seen so far!

[@gowonfan12]

if a big ass corrupted giant creature was all up on me screaming i probably wouldnt spit on her either 😭

[@padparadscha9921]

When Jasper said “my planet!” she meant like “my home” Seven’s healing spit likely wouldn’t have worked entirely, it would’ve been another centipeedle scenario but Jasper would’ve done nothing but try to kill them with her new form Peridot said the beta kindergarten was made halfway through the war because they needed more soldiers (meaning the Crystal gems were winning by just proofing and bubbling instead of shattering I’ll just say), so whe Jasper came out she was fighting from day 1 until the gems evacuated when the corruption attack happened

[@diminie_chimket]

I've always kind of felt bad for Jasper, because since the day she was made, she was taught to hate the earth, and she was held to this high standard as the perfect quartz for thousands of years. And she was also just as much of a victim as Lapis was, because she clearly developed some type of stockholm syndrome to the idea of fusion in general. It makes some sense that she thinks the way she does, despite how toxic she is. She feels some sort of self hatred as well for being made on earth. So she really is one of my favorite characters.

[@iesika7387]

One of my favorite little things about Smokey - While Steven and Amethyst are both very down on themselves a lot of the time, they're also really great at pumping each other up. They are both each other's biggest cheerleader. So, Smokey gets to talk themself up and appreciate themself a lot more than either of them usually do alone. They still have Steven and Amethyst's overlapping hangups and vulnerabilities, and that self-deprecating humor, but they have that self-cheerleading thing built in to keep their confidence much higher.

[@cream7226]

steven mentioned yellow diamond because thats the only diamond he met, remember that episode? Anyways it was funny steven thought jasper was having a tantrum because peridot called yellow a diamond, thinking that jasper was referring to yellow when he was really referring to pink. You probably have a lot of question from those few lines before jasper turned corrupted, stay tuned for the next episode >:)

[@cream7226]

"called yellow a clod" sorry it's very late here I'm half awake

[@luarconstantly9588]

Also loved Natasha Lyonne being perfect for Smoky Quartz since shes iconic for her smoky voice! But also she and Mikaela Dietz do sound similar. But also at this time 'Orange is the New Black' was really popular so the subconnection of having Uzo Aduba voice Bismuth and Natsha Lyonne voice Smoky became a fun easter egg for the fandom.

[@SputnikSpyglass]

😱 I had no idea that's who voiced them. What a great connection!

[@downbeatdialga1341]

And now we’ve finally gotten to a big topic of fusion; how it also has a connotation for intimate and sexual relationships sometimes. Obviously you’ve gotta separate the instances where it’s characters like Steven fusing with Amethyst, cuz they’ve a sibling dynamic, or Amethyst, Garnet, and/or Pearl. You have to separate which dynamics are familial, and which are intended to be romantic ones (like Ruby & Sapphire). But simply put, Jasper fused with a corrupted gem, and began to corrupt too, a situation not too far removed from the AIDS epidemic our nation faced back in the 80s. With the Crystal Gems being a rebellious group, and a minority at that, you have this realization that many of Pearl & Garnet’s former companions, the other crystal gems, were either shattered or corrupted…killed or contracted an illness, losing themselves right before their eyes. And so that scene where Garnet and Steven found those gem experiments, rightfully horrified and infuriated Garnet, when she realized that’s what Homeworld thought of her suffering friends…just experiments. As we saw with Bismuth and Peridot, bubbling a gem keeps them in stasis, and so time doesn’t pass for them in that state. For the corrupted ones, it’s all the CGs can do to prevent them from hurting. Pearl’s line back in Season 1, “it’s the best we can do for them, for now…” was in regards to this. With the AIDS metaphor, it’s also why the CGs were so adamant on Steven not getting close to Centipeedle when he wanted to heal her. Again, tying back into the scare when AIDS was first diagnosed, and people believed just BEING near someone with the illness meant they could contract it too. And much like any illness, there’s a mental and emotional aspect where stress, anxiety, or recalling trauma can exacerbate it. When Centi had to relive her trauma of the war, she began to revert. When Jasper’s insecurities finally blossom, like having to ask for help from someone she considered weaker than her, no-less her enemy, she corrupted much quicker too, ergo worsening symptoms.

[@SputnikSpyglass]

Wow this show has such deep and layered symbolism. Thanks for helping me connect the dots on the AIDS metaphor that's a super interesting interpretation!

[@dopeydoughnut6334]

AIDS?!! AIDS!!!????!????? I have seen a lot of outlandish theories because I’ve had the misfortune of stumbling upon lily orchards videos but connecting corruption with aids is insane like insane in a bad way like holy cow that comparison is just no.

[@amyreynolds7244]

I never thought of the AIDS connection but that makes SO MUCH SENSE

[@abstract_space_]

tbh, i immediately thought of Jasper corrupting herself like that as her getting an STD (mostly as a joke but still kinda serious)

[@odairjunior8826]

I think most of the corrupted are homeworld loyal gems, the cristal gems seemed tô be a vary small group, even bismuth named only 3 unknown gems(of course there must be more, but a very small group in comparison yet), they feel moved by seeing the corrupted gems just because they are their kin, and lost themselves, and Live as husks, beings that should be immortal

[@SilverScribe85]

At the time of their release, both Steven fusing with Amethyst for the first time and Jasper's bombshell about Pink Diamond broke the internet

[@troy6646]

It's so interesting to see what dots new watchers connect and which ones they don't. I missed a bunch and ignored others because of how they're framed in the show. That's what I enjoy tho, adds to the mystery

[@xmant8842]

Smoky quartz is tied with stevonnie and garnet for my favorite fusions

[@SputnikSpyglass]

Can't wait to see more of them!

[@Jonah-720]

Someone pointed out that most of the complex yo-yo tricks use three fingers, three points. Pretty cool

[@none_ana0753]

In the fandom, what jasper did, fusing with a gem that wasn't in control of herself, it's kinda considered some type of harassment, because the poor corrupted gem PROBABLY wouldn't want that😅

[@SputnikSpyglass]

Yeah it definitely felt non-consensual.

[@none_ana0753]

@@SputnikSpyglass I felt weird saying r4pe, because some fans don't think that and I don't want to be cancelled 🥲, but the way fusion works, becoming one it really feels like it.

[@dopeydoughnut6334]

If they didn’t want it the fusion would have broken immediately or wouldn’t have happened at all. The way I saw it was jasper wanted to be stronger and to beat Smokey and the corrupted gem wanted freedom and when she got it the fusion broke apart and she left.

[@virask]

@@none_ana0753ik this is 3 months ago but fusion isn't THAT

[@none_ana0753]

@@virask fusion is a intimate connection, so much that if you aren't close enough to be balanced together the fusion will be unstable, if someone tries to connect with you, when you have no control over your actions because you are corrupted what would that be? That is just my line of thought get it?

[@revangerang]

The way I see the Smokey Quartz arm thing is that their two arms on the right side fused to become the single big arm, but the two fusion of the two on the left came out a little wrong and only fused half way. As for Stevonnie, Steven and Connie's arms and legs fused to become single but longer for their increased height.

[@lafleched]

3:58 As someone who went to art school this is exactly how group critiques usually go.

[@zephon6745]

Peridot: I still have one of those things. Which one?

[@melrose246]

Dignity 😂

[@randomguy7946]

I think she meant that she still has one of the limb enhancers. Remember when Steven gave her back a foot?

[@ananon3560]

Loved your reaction to these episodes! Peridot appreciation moments! Excited to see what you think of the coming episodes

[@MiMiLock58]

not sure if you were aware but there are a few steven universe shorts as well

[@SputnikSpyglass]

When do you think I should watch them? Do they have spoilers?

[@MiMiLock58]

@@SputnikSpyglass you can watch them whenever, there are 6 that came out after season 1 and the other 5 came out after season 3 so they're safe to watch

[@Lil_isa]

I love it when u update steven universe, I NEED MORE! FASTER! pliz :')

[@Sisqo49]

I love this channel soo much it’s crazy😂, I love watching you guys together and it gives me something to watch during my free blocks in school ❤

[@Jonah-720]

My ‘👍’ moment: comparing Zuko (LEAAAAVE 😂) and Jasper lol, it was totally accurate in that moment

[@JackSmith-oq4mf]

Next episode is good one

[@danielmartins9901]

22:23 gagged me💀💀💀

[@fused_ice]

I'm sad they didnt use Killua's yoyos more

[@Peridot5xg]

It is a beautiful day INDEED

[@taetae-z5u]

Another great reaction💗love you guys lol

[@SputnikSpyglass]

💙

[@amyreynolds7244]

I swear, the older I get the more I feel like Bismuth was really not so far in the wrong as I first assumed 😅

[@wilhelmhedin8845]

engagement

[@Leechington]