Was Bismuth’s Return Handled Well? (Steven Universe “Made of Honor” Discussion)

Let’s get back to Bismuth. It took far too long to unbubble this gem if you ask me, and I have rather mixed feelings about “Made of Honor” now that the time has finally arrived.
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[@elihersh2133]

I disagree that Steven's reasoning for unbubbling Bismuth at this point in time was purely for the wedding. I think the wedding may have prompted it, but I think after the Rose Quartz = Pink reveal, Steven feels as if he understands more and will be more likely to communicate with Bismuth, and thus can unbubble her and reunite her with her friends. I feel like this failure to communicate was the main reason that the gems decided to keep her bubbled in the first place.

[@uncivilizedelk]

Obviously it wasn't purely for the wedding (I said I was oversimplifying), but it does seem that without the wedding, Bismuth would have remained in the bubble for an unspecified amount of time. The wedding prompting the decision (that Steven makes alone instead of with the group) simply doesn't sit right with me is all.

[@elihersh2133]

Maybe... It just doesn't seem to me like enough time has past to say for certain that nothing would have been done. It seems like this is maybe even the first time Steven thinks about Bismuth since the the Rose reveal.

[@uncivilizedelk]

I'm also of the opinion that Bismuth should have been unbubbled before the Rose reveal anyway.

[@elihersh2133]

I can agree with that

[@BlackHayateTheThird]

Well the Crystal Gems finding out and the whole huge issue of Ruby and Sapphire hurting happened in a matter of DAYS! Bismuth was released very soon after they all found out- of course RuPhire's issues took precedent. As well, there was no way Bismuth would've been let out before the Pink/ Rose reveal. She attempted to shatter Steven- there was no way they would've trusted Bismuth and Bismuth wouldn't have trusted Steven either. Steven telling Bismuth about Pink/Rose was the only way Bismuth would've ever been released.

[@212Assain]

I was thinking that, instead of Bismuth being unbubbled to grow the guest list, rather, Steven felt remorse for Sapphire wanting the other crystal gems for the wedding, and considering Bismuth being the one uncorrupted gem in the bubble room, he figured he could make Ruby and Sapphire just a little happier by having at least one more old friend attending.

[@kharijordan6426]

that's what elk had a problem with. instead of him un-bubbling bis for other reasons he un-bubbled her for a guest list. sure ruby and saph is happier but to un-bubble bis for them and not for remorse for bismuth who followed a lie and got bubbled for it. steven didn't say he didn't want to un-bubble her because he didn't want to die he just didn't un-bubble her for no real reason. it would have been cute to hear him say that he's risking being murdered by bis for ruby and saph's sake, but instead it's just glossed over. i want to say because they don't have the time, but a part of me is saying because they want steven to be incapable of feeling that why towards a gem, even if he has a right to feel that way.

[@Uppy21]

K'hari Jordan You mean like, he's been almost killed, so many times by gems, even Garnet, Amythst and Pearl, that he doesn't feel like he should talk about it? Like, his feelings aren't important compared to whatever the situation is? 'Cause like, if he's doing that, that's sad. I feel like this gem stuff is kinda wrecking him emotionally and he's already not normal but he's surrounded by abnormality and dysfunction. Scary, tbh.

[@kharijordan6426]

Uppy21 hu...your right. i thought steven was lucky to have p,a, and g to deal with his gem side but they really haven't been helping. just putting more baggage on him to be the leader of the crustal gems. with steven being not human and not gem they don't know what he was going to be grown up. what if steven never developed his mother's powers? was they ever going to let him be involved in gem stuff? iv been thinking what if steven was adopted. would the gems just ignore him? it's relly fucked up that they only care about steven( and humans to an extent) because he has pink diamonds gem.

[@BlackHayateTheThird]

Also want to point out the first thing he tries to do is not explain the wedding but explain to Bismuth Pink/ Rose's identity because she deserved to know.

[@kharijordan6426]

black deserved or needed? from my point of view she dose deserve to know, but from stevens point of view it feels like steven's thoughts: ''i need to make up with this chik so my aunts can be happy.'' witch would mean steven will tell her anything if it gets her butt in a chair at ruby and saph's wedding.

[@harmlessspider3693]

I think that too much of everything in Steven universe revolves around Steven.

[@uncivilizedelk]

"Last One Out of Beach City" is my favorite episode of the whole show for many reasons, but one of those is Steven simply gets to be the occasional voice of reason in the background decor while Pearl and Amethyst get to take the center stage.

[@harmlessspider3693]

That episode wasn’t my favorite, but it was definitely refreshing to not have to watch Steven forcibly take the focus off of the other more interesting characters.

[@doofs]

Take a second and reread that. Don't know if you intended that, but that's still delicious.

[@t84t748748t6]

its like its steven universe ?

[@ccaw5785]

That's the whole point of the show, Rebecca said that the audience sees the show through stevens eyes. If you want to see it through different eyes make an OC and start RPing.

[@zodayn]

I loved Peridots oblivious ''who is she?'' reaction. She was an excelent comic relief thru-out the wedding arc. But to get to the point. Ofcourse unbubbling Bismuth was also because Steven felt like he needed to, after finding out the truth about Rose. Really the wedding shouldn't have been the catalyst to release Bismuth but rather the Crystal Gems contemplating what the Rose/Pink thing would mean for Bismuth. It feels strange that the other gems didn't even bring Bismuth up.

[@merrittanimation7721]

Especially her flower throwing in the next episode

[@watermelon668]

I think a biiig problem with Bismuth is that it lacks the open communication Steven Universe is so known for. I get that Stevens thoughts and feelings are often not explicitly stated in the show, and I can respet that choise despite the fact that it makes the audience feel like he's just a dumb kid and not taking things seriously. Most times, theres no real reason for steven in an episode to say 'I feel insecure about my powers' or 'im still conflicted about my mom, by the by'. Steven hides his feelings and only lets them out when theres an external push. So I could understand why, for example, when he found out Rose shattered Pink Diamond, he didn't immediately go to let Bismuth out. He was feeling conflicted about it and it was ultimately the Gems decision to keep her in the bubble- he didn't want to go against them. Except now with the wedding? He decides to do it anyway? And not tell them???? I could understand the wedding pushing Steven to bring it up? But to sort of go behind their backs feels like a reach for the character and a waste for the story. If steven had instead maybe brought up 'we could bring back bismuth?', we could get some justification as to why she was in the bubble the whole time. The gems could refuse, and explain that despite how much they miss bismuth, steven comes first. We could hear the reasoning come fro the gems instead of bismuth interpreting the situation, and we could spend more time on the resolution of the conflict. As is, the ending of this episode continues to not show WHY the gems never considered letting her out.

[@arellajardin2323]

It’s interesting. Steven is very empathetic and is frequently motivated by wanting to help others. But he also often acts without much reflection, or discussion. He just does what he wants. A little bit of his mother, I guess.

[@scp--297]

I completely agree. It would have been much much better.

[@duykhangtran4406]

Arella Jardin it sound like some other pink hero to be honest.

[@danielblair4413]

Steven went behind the other Gems backs when he released Peridot in an earlier episode, so him doing the same with Bismuth shouldn't come to a surprise. When Steven decides to do something he does it whether he has the other Gems permission or not and it's not something that is uncommon to his character.

[@arellajardin2323]

Then there was him deciding to out himself as Rose Quartz and turn himself over to homeworld. Literally nobody wanted him to do that, but hey, his Intention was noble, so screw consequences. Honestly, I’m surprised the Gems didn’t join Connie in calling him out on that one.

[@Hakajin]

That part with Steven saying that the other Crystal Gems would forgive Bismuth because he forgave her rubbed me the wrong way, too. Like, it doesn't even feel like real forgiveness if you're basing it off of someone else's decision. Because then it has more to do with pleasing that person, than with your feelings toward the person who wants forgiveness. Of course, the other Crystal Gems did not actually need Steven's input to forgive Bismuth, but... Yeah, that felt misguided on Steven's part.

[@arellajardin2323]

It’s a little too easy. Steven says “we had a fight and we could make up.” Which is a soft way of glossing over attempted murder. I kinda feel like Pearl wouldn’t be so immediately forgiving. Even if you factor in the part where Pose hid her away and lied about it, Pearl’s over protectiveness for Steven should kick in. Although, Pearl herself is frequently almost accidentally killing Steven, sooo....

[@kharijordan6426]

wait....dose bismuth know that humans can die or that steven wouldn't poof? she knows steven is half human but dose she understands what half human is? bismuth could have just thought that rose was just changing her name and appearance like how she changed her name from quarts to rose. nvm. she talked to steven as if he was steven so...hmm idk.

[@arellajardin2323]

When she fought Steven in her titular episode, she thought he was just Rose Quartz lying to her again. And, she tried to use the Breaking Point on him, a weapon designed to shatter Gems.

[@Steps1000]

I believe that what he was trying to communicate was that the reason Bismuth had been locked up in the first place was because of him. The rest of the Crystal gems did not express any animosity with Bismuth. They were not there for the fight. When she was being put in the temple they all looked remorseful. I think that if they could they would have let Bismuth out and tried to work it out, but acquired to Steven's desire to keep her bubbled until he could figure stuff out. So OF COURSE they would be fine with Bismuth coming back under any circumstance(assuming Steven's forgiveness was given*). They didn't want her bubbled in the first place.

[@neeneko]

I actually find that misguidedness to be an interesting and potentially important plot point. Think about how the episode ended, with Steven interacting with the various gems in that dream space. He wasn't giving them a pep talk, he was changing their moods manually. Looking back, a lot of events can now be reframed as his empathy being two way, he has grown up being accustomed to the idea that people feel how he thinks they should feel. It has generally been presented as 'Steven reads other people's emotions', but now we have a stronger hint that Steven WRITES other people's emotions. Things are Steven centric because he is a diamond, with the power to change and command the people around him. Something Pink never seemed to really understand but took as a given, and now Steven does not understand and takes as a given. Which if you think about it, really should rub one the wrong way, but for an even creepier reason.

[@ThePonderer]

I really really enjoyed this one, and I’m glad Bismuth is presumably around to stay. I’m fascinated to see what can be done with her in this new context now everything set up in her debut is mostly resolved.

[@CombatSportsNerd]

They honestly should never have picked a voice actor for bismuth that they could not dream of affording *_consistently._* The way they shoved bismuth to the sidelines and brought her back was honestly poorly thought-out in my opinion

[@darkalicornkingdoom3572]

how the voice actor influence here?

[@arellajardin2323]

I agree, I think at least part of the reason for shelving Bismuth was VA cost. Though, considering her role and implications, I doubt it was the primary reason. Likely, the crewniverse thought attempted murder was a good enough reason to keep her bubbled, and only regretted it after getting feedback. And since they weren’t going to use her much, they might as well splurge on a celebrity VA. I’m curious what they’re going to do now. The cost issue didn’t disappear. So, will Bismuth retreat to the Forge for most of the show? Will she just be a quiet background character? Peridot lives with them now, and she’s rarely seen. Or, even worse, will they kill her?

[@Jacob-rb7wn]

The Otaku Dragon Slayer here's the tea bismuth's VA cost less than garnet:/

[@CombatSportsNerd]

Arella Jardin Good question

[@sutyerator]

It's not necessarily that having Uzo Aduba on is too expensive, it might just be that she is too busy with other things to be a regular on SU.

[@arellajardin2323]

Ok, here’s a question. What is Steven’s rationale for believing unbubbling Bismuth is the right thing to do, NOW? He was fine with leaving her down there up to now, and Sapphire only seemed to remind him that Bismuth existed. So what’s his reasoning for thinking he can bury the hatchet with her, that she won’t just keep trying to kill him? Two possibilities. Either it was the revelation that Rose shattered Pink Diamond. Or it was the revelation that Rose WAS Pink. If it’s the latter, then less than a week passed since he learned about his mom, and he’s been busy with Garnet. But if it was the former.... wow, did he forget about Bismuth for a very long time! He’s had since the Season 3 finale, when he got back to Earth after learning about the shattering, to confront Bismuth with what he knew.

[@patknack7368]

This may be me projecting, but I felt that Steven’s reason for letting Bismuth out was not strictly because of the wedding. In context of Ruby and Sapphire’s grief, Steven is reminded of how many friends that the Crystal Gems have lost. So many can’t return due to being shattered or corrupted, but there is still one who is neither that is being kept from reuniting with everyone: Bismuth. I felt that Steven letting Bismuth out was to alleviate some of that sadness, if just a little bit.

[@sploogecarp814]

I feel like the SU creators are really improving. I liked Bismuth,but I hated how her episode was handled. She feels really fleshed out now and might be the most human of the Gems, ironically.

[@kamenridernephilim]

You cannot improve what was garbage from the entire time.

[@CombatSportsNerd]

kamenridernephilim Another man's trash is another man's treasure

[@caswellweird]

There is no possible way that Bismuth can appear more human than Pearl or Amethyst. You are entitled to your opinion, but id really recommend rethinking it. tbh

[@sploogecarp814]

No I'm keeping my opinion. I like Pearl and Amethyst too, but Bismuth has been more developed within a shorter amount of time, plus she thinks for herself. That's very human and something the Crystal Gems even have problems with now.

[@djmeagaaim17]

kamenridernephilim How was it garbage?

[@JohnRDVSMarston]

Bismuth's character arc isn't over, man. Forgiving Pink Diamond/Rose Quartz is one thing; accepting what happens after Reunited (probably on Legs from Here to Homeworld) is another thing... ... Yes, I'm meaning her accepting the other Diamonds. Rose wasn't her enemy; Blue and Yellow, however...

[@himbolover69]

And from the teaser for Corrupted, you can see Bismuth and Garnet and Pearl still have some MAJOR animosity towards the Diamonds.

[@m.ivyluna4632]

JohnRDVSMarston Yeah, on top of that we need to deal with that she and lapis are going to need to work some stuff out.... and lapis is not very forgiving....

[@thegreatmajora5089]

And boom shakalaka it's fine now

[@PikaKip32]

The way I see it, the reason the ‘Steven-centric’ resolution with Bismuth makes sense, at least mostly, is he fact that Bismuth didn’t actively betray the other gems. By that I mean she didn’t attack them. She only attacked Steven. So if Steven felt okay with her and explained everything to her so she knew it all, then of course the others would forgive her. Especially when the main focus, Ruby and Sapphire, were already nostalgic about missing long-lost friends.

[@uncivilizedelk]

Obviously not 100% comparable, but if one of my friends tried to kill another one of my friends, but they forgave each other, I wouldn't be cool with the friend who was nearly a killer. Also, Bismuth straight-up admitted that she felt she betrayed the entire group by trying to shatter its leader, so she very much betrayed all of them in that sense. Everyone being cool with it honestly felt somewhat like sheer luck. With how protective Pearl is of Steven, I would think she'd be the most conflicted about it all, but seems like even she didn't care.

[@PikaKip32]

Uncivilized Elk Uncivilized Elk I understand the points. I think some of it can be attributed to the split focus at the moment, which I know is one of the criticisms you brought up - the fact that this all revolves around the wedding. For now I’m just rolling with Steven’s explanation. They cared about his feelings to not unbubble her, so they would care that he made the decision to add her back to the team. I know it does feel rushed in that sense, but there may be room for them to explore her feelings more when it resumes, who knows (probably not with the diamonds around but eh).

[@patiencewallace8453]

Uncivilized Elk you make a good point. But it lines up with the narrative. The CG don’t care about a lot of things unless the plot demands it. They never even asked Steven how he felt about the PD twist they just fell apart on him (except for amethyst)

[@Zarkonem]

I feel that the reason why the other gems didn't unbubble Bismith is because they didn't want it to be uncomfortable for Steven. Steven is after all the one who Bismith attacked and the other gems likely left it alone not wanting Steven to feel any stress or remorse over it, he has enough on his plate as it is. They know Steven very well and probably figured that he would eventually make the decision to forgive her on his own and decided to just wait for that to happen. They haven't seen Bismith in thousands of years already, another couple months or however long it took Steven to want to welcome her back wouldn't hurt them, and it wouldn't be with any awkwardness or reservations from Steven at that point. It also makes since for Steven to do this alone, he's been known for a while to just sort of make decisions like that. Remember when he told Aquamarine he was Rose so that they would only take him and leave the other humans alone? No one else wanted him to do it, but he did it anyways. Steven is a risk taker when it comes to the safety and well being of his friends and family. .... this ended up being way longer than i intended....

[@caswellweird]

Bismuth's Redemption episode is definitely the most divisive of the bomb. It was kind of doomed to be that way though. 30 min intro episode and 15 min redemption episode? Oof. On the one hand, im glad it exists, on the other so little happens in terms of interaction that it might as well not have. I feel like the bomb should have been rewritten to bring Bismuth back earlier so that she could contribute to the following episodes and we could get more attached. But most of all, just like how Pearl and Garnet needed to talk to Bismuth about the past, the issue of trust needed to be addressed. It was REALLY fucked up that no one seemed to care at all that the person who tried to kill Steven is just back. Another weirdly sociopathic moment that SU has become known for sadly.

[@uncivilizedelk]

I really wish Bismuth was unbubbled before the Pink Diamond reveal. She didn't even know of the "Rose Quartz shattered Pink Diamond" narrative - nobody informed her of that (widely believed) lie. I think that alone would have led her to reconsider quite a lot. Not to mention when she tried to kill Steven she was sure she was still being manipulated, something that she accepted she was wrong about right before getting poofed. The circumstances for her reintegrating into the Crystal Gems really didn't change much due to the Pink Diamond reveal now that I think about it, so I felt it was unnecessary for the Crewniverse to wait until then.

[@caswellweird]

Uncivilized Elk you are absolutely right about what a missed opportunity that was. Not to mention, Bismuth was like the leading cause for people to doubt rose shattering pink d since she said that the sword can only disrupt forms. I was convinced that after learning that the sword was what shattered Pink D, Steven would unbubble Bismuth to get some answers. A Bismuth redemption arc bomb would have been infinitely better than the Teen Angst bomb we got.

[@uncivilizedelk]

The sword shattering contradiction is a perfect alternative reason for Steven to unbubble Bismith by himself (especially when the other gems give him so little when it comes to the topic of Pink Diamond). What a missed opportunity.

[@arellajardin2323]

You know, only the tv promos reminded us that the sword doesn’t shatter gems. I don’t think they mentioned it in the show again, ever. I could be wrong, maybe it was in the quick recap at the start of A Single Pale Rose. But I’m pretty sure the show, and Steven, never made the connection.

[@christianbawua-anipah1987]

Arella Jardin looks like CN knows more about SU than the crew themselves

[@alyssawitt2904]

As someone who has gotten married and through the process reunited with lots of old friends that I hadn’t seen in ages I feel like saying “just a guest list” is a bit insulting to weddings in general. For example when I was growing up I had a series of exchange students (all girls) that stayed at my house and were like sisters to me, that afterwards went back to their country and I didn’t get to see them much afterwards. During my wedding however I invited all of them to come as my brides maids and it was an epic reunion. Maybe that’s what they were trying to capture? Weddings are special events that bring people together, and bringing back bismuth during that time may be a way to embody that and make the event more special. Honestly I don’t think the next episode would have been the same without bismuth so I’m glad they brought her back.

[@justakid7991]

Except Bismuth doesn’t need a redemption. She still has major issues with Rose but none with Steven. She realized her war tactic was wrong by seeing what happened to Biggs. She solved some of her issues and now that she’s a permanent character she’ll be able to have character development and to expand her character arc. We’re only back in Bismuth.

[@wisdommanari6701]

Thank you

[@JEEVES635]

I get why you feel the reason for her unbubbling was a bit petty, but you gotta look at this with the knowledge that the revelations about Rose are extremely fresh at this point. Steven likely would've done it sooner or later, but Sapphire's words just gave him the thought sooner.

[@MrPopTarted]

I sort of felt the opposite about most of your negative points. I felt that understandably, Steven's mind didn't immediately rush to Bismuth prior to Sapphire's comment (he has a lot on his plate at the moment!) and seeing how sad Sapphire and Ruby were over the loss of their friends cause Steven to realize how , as you put it, Steven-centric his decision to bubble away Bismuth in the first place was. He had just gotten out of an intense physical and emotional battle with Bismuth and probably still feared a bit for his life, as well as lacked any way to reason with her. Once the PD reveal happened, he now had that way. So no, I don't think Steven unbubbled Bismuth to fill out the guest list, I think he honestly regretted his selfish decision to take an old friend away from his family. The wedding prompted this thought process of course, but it wasn't the primary reason. The other fault you had with the episode was Steven's consolation at the end. I think this was exactly the opposite of Steven-centric. He was basically saying "Pearl and Garnet miss you very much and it is unfair to them that you were taken away because of an argument solely between the two of us. They still love you despite what you did and would be so happy to see you. How about we go out together, obviously made up, and give them the happiness I took away?" Anyways I still loved the vid as always, just that I think you took a couple things at face value, which is odd because you usually delve so deep into these episodes.

[@uncivilizedelk]

I think it's just a difference of perspective. Bismuth never even heard the narrative that Rose Quartz shattered Pink Diamond! I'm of the opinion that Bismuth should have been unbubbled before the reveal; I definitely think Steven had a way to reason with her. The fact that shattering a Diamond led to the corruption of the Crystal Gem forces was the main emotional drive in this episode, and that aspect wouldn't change at all if Steven unbubbled Bismuth prior to the Rose reveal. Steven doesn't actually know if the others would forgive Bismuth. He just assumes. That's my entire problem with there being a lack of open discussion about everything, it's an extension of me being upset that Rose, Pearl, and Amethyst never had a talk with Bismuth on the same day he bubbled her. Steven takes initiative without consulting anybody and believes he knows exactly how the others will feel; I don't know what's more Steven-centric than that.

[@Nanamowa]

My biggest problem with episodes concerning Bismuth is that everyone online calls me Bismuth, but in real life they call me Stephen(because that's my name), so I'm sitting here with people saying both of my names on screen and it messes me up.

[@AgentSilver-en4yc]

A fun little tidbit about this episode that I noticed upon second viewing, was that in the final scene, when everyone was holding up their soda cans was that you can actually hear the magnetic waves when Peridot uses her Magneto powers to hold the can up. Just something I though I would share since you covered everything else on the episode so well. A great video overall.

[@keerya4179]

Doesn't it feel like even if the crystal gems are fighting for freedom, they were made to serve the diamonds and are unable to function without one ? Rose quartz was the diamond of the crystal gems, they put her above everything else, now it's Steven turn. Or is it because they ARE diamonds that instinctively the other treat them this way ?

[@djmeagaaim17]

Keerya That is an interesting point. I hope that gets explored more in the show, but i doubt it.

[@thetyguy7783]

I thought Steven bringing back bismuth was more selfless than Elk perceived it to be. I think Steven was just trying to make sapphire feel better by inviting one on the only survivors of the war.

[@BananaMike780]

It's steven's universe we're just living in it

[@dasme8210]

there might still be some animosity between bismuth and lapis lazuli as it was heavily hinted that she was the one who attacked her and set of the events that turned lapis into a POW. If lapis is going to be a crystal gem now that is something I still want to be addressed in the story.

[@djmeagaaim17]

Conair Magic Lapis still has issues with the Crystal Gems that has has yet to be addressed as well.

[@wesleyfarmer877]

Your thoughts were great goods. But I thought when they left bismuth bubbled is that he attack steven, and it's either they have steven or they have bismuth that they think might attack steven again. So when steven comes back near the end of the episode with bismuth it shows that she can be around steven without her trying to kill him. The rest of what you said. I thought was quite good though!!!

[@chiaraflores4404]

I think it's fine that Steven took the initiative of freeing Bismuth before consulting the Crystal Gems. He was the one who poofed her again after recovering her from Lion's mane. Plus, It's very Steven like to want to surprise the other gems. And with everything that has happened, I feel like Steven and the others are creating a new beginning that isn't Rose-centric. So, what Bismuth did, doesn't and shouldn't matter anymore! They're planning a wedding. It's a time of new beginnings.

[@34dollars35]

Bismuth needs to get closure for all of the years

[@fortello7219]

I had a *completely* different interpretation on Steven's reason for freeing her. Least of which was to increase the number of attendees. It seemed to me, that with Steven learning the truth behind almost all of Rose's actions, he was finally able to understand her, which played in very importantly to his decisions here. Upon hearing Sapphire's lamenting, i perceived his idea of unbubbling her as a reconciliation over her confinement. He knew that all the other crystal gems weren't avle to attend. Except 1, of course. And that's when Steven, with new information, and a small amount greater maturity, decided to free her. Because would it be worth it to deprive her and the others the chance to interact because they hadn't yet decided to talk through? No. Steven let her out, because knowing the truth about Rose meant he had no reason to deny her anymore, and because he knew that it was time to talk with her. It happened to line up with the wedding, and still being a kid he decided to use that event as a cushion for bringing get back. And as we were shown earlier (this episode?) He takes the wedding very seriously, and no doubt wanted to make everyone enjoy themselves as best they could. Not, to increase the number of attendees.

[@scootnessmonster1421]

You forgot about the part where Bismuth calls out the bubbled gems names including Biggs Jasper

[@DenverEight]

I feel like the episode be better framed from Bismuth’s point of view rather than Steven’s. We’ve never seen what it’s like for a Gem to be bubbled. What if we could have a mind bending setting like Rose’s room or the observatory Lapis kept herself in. Like Bismuth already in her new body observing and playing back the last moments before going back in the bubble. A muffled noise comes from the outside and in a flash of light, Bismuth is brought out to a cautious Steven. Then things fold out like they do in the main episode. It changes the tone of the episode and if the music would be subdued until the reunion in the end, could remedy the episode’s shortcomings.

[@uncivilizedelk]

When Peridot got bubbled mid-attack, she came out thinking she was still in battle, so I feel like a bubble causes a "stasis" state for the gem. Then again SU has had mild contradictions before, and I'd be willing to have contradictions if it leads to a better overall story.

[@spectralight8412]

I think the majority of the forgiveness portions of the show revolve too much around Steven, almost to the point where it sometimes feels like no one is really deciding to forgive and tolerate others on their own accord, but just to make Steven happy, it doesn't quite help to determine this aspect of characterization in the other characters when it sometimes feels Steven is constantly the instigator of peace in the series.

[@kharijordan6426]

spectrra your comment is giving me flashbacks to rebel taxies review of su. hahaha nothing really changed. what he said back then can be said about the show now. dam i can't wait till that guy get's his his own show.

[@ShabyUwU]

SO MUCH THIS!!

[@kharijordan6426]

xavier andres so much what?

[@djmeagaaim17]

K'hari Jordan What did he say about show?

[@kharijordan6426]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWaoiqiohLKmrc0 go to 3:04 in the video THEN rewind and watch the hole thing just in case you don't believe me when i say he likes the show.

[@zachanikwano]

Honestly, the payoff feels more rushed than the buildup, imo. Rushed as heck. Pre PD reveal, it felt somewhat better paced. Each reveal was alluded to, and when it happened it was an event. We were given time to think about it and what it means for the series. Now we get lore bomb after lore bomb. I mean, I like getting answers. I'm not complaining about that. I'm just not to happy on how it was handled. Like they should choose to focus on one major change at a time. One arc per major revelation, plus time to see how the change affects the characters and plot. I mean, PD/RQ wasn't that long ago, was it? Biggest bomb of the series. That's where it seemed to go downhill to me. Sapphire recovered way too quickly from the reveal, Ruby recovered too quickly from essentially being abandoned, then Bismuth suddenly returns, then the marriage happened, then the Diamonds suddenly show up out of nowhere. The cluster kinda emerges, the diamonds personally fight the Crystal Gems, which is incredibly confusing to me. Why not send troops in waves, then force a confrontation between the Diamonds as Steven tries to reason with them? Instead of facing them in person the first chance they get? I feel like this problem is due to the Steven-only perspective which bleeds into the problem of lacking lower tier villains like Jasper, kinda-Lapis, and Peridot, when she first appeared. There are zero recurring villains after Peridot is recruited and Jasper is corrupted. Where are our Hessonites? Our Emeralds, Aquamarine's, Topaz's? That's probably why the Diamonds were chosen to face the CGs. There's literally no one else apart from three gems who are villains. What also doesn't make sense is that they're personally fighting gems who are responsible for PD's "shattering." Isn't that a huge risk? So back to the summary: Lapis returns, and then Steven gets a "deus ex machina" empathy-telepathy power, then they reconcile with the Diamonds in seconds, they don't seemed to be incredibly pissed as they should be, then they talk about fixing the corrupted gems and get closer to doing so then Rose ever did, then they mention White, then find Pink's ship, then go to Home World where everyone's there to welcome Pink back, surprisingly. White Pearl shows up (who may be mind controlled and also might have been original Pink Pearl?), then White Diamond is revealed, and Steven is "grounded." I feel like the series is in turbo mode right now. It's either hiatus or heavy lore dump. Good pacing is dead.

[@uncivilizedelk]

Turbo mode is a good way to describe the pacing. It's so odd too, because often the Beach City folk episodes (Townie eps I believe fans call em?) have pacing on the slower side, but when it comes to lore and Homeworld-based plot developments, SU has really been rushing along.

[@SuperSylar]

I thought it was fine actually. A reason that the CG didn't tried to talk with Bismuth one last time it's because, from what Steven told them, they believed she would still hold some rage towards all of them for "siding" with Rose despite everything (even Steven was cautious when released her this time), meanwhile Bismuth was uncertain that she would be welcomed since she attacked Steven and was angry at Rose. At the end, all of them (the CG and Bismuth) wanted Bismuth to come back, but they still thought that the other party would keep some grudge regardless. They could have given another episode before the nuke that was "Reunited", something simple would work, to integrate Bismuth more properly, like she would help Steven/Peridot to shopping materials and stuff for the wedding, meanwhile interacting with people from Beach City. Also, no comment on how hilarious Peridot reaction to Bismuth as "less important" than winning a holding can competition? Also also, WHAT ABOUT LARS DAMMIT!!!!

[@yannismorris4772]

I like to think that the reason Steven unbubbled Bismuth was along the lines of "We have enough friends that we can't get back".

[@TheMarcus4]

I mean I like the episode and I don't exactly have problems with it though I can see where everyone else has problems with the episode and I can respect that. I do think it was rushed, maybe this should have been like another 30 minute episode to handle everything a little bit better. They did the best that they could it with this episode in the time limit that they had but of course This Means Everything feels rushed and top of never really giving a reason of why the gems decided not to unbubble her and that they instantly accept her despite the fact she tried to kill Steven something she says herself. Really I feel this all goes down to the time limit not being 30 minutes for many episodes, not all of them but many of them nonetheless, that happens to have plots detail in it as well as not have many townie episodes. That way we can focus on setting this up earlier. But other than that I liked the episode I think bismuth's reaction to the whole thing was handled well I thought she was handled well with her character despite the problems with the episode and I'm glad that she is here to stay presumably, better late than never I suppose.

[@WaterHazard86]

For me, the part where Steven tried to shrug off past events and reintroduce Bismuth's character felt forced, it's pretty much a cliche at this point and she didn't even WANT it.

[@ForgottenDawn]

I don't know, to me it just makes sense that Steven's acting the way he's been always acting. Not saying it's good or bad, but he's basically Pink Diamond's reincarnation, a morally grey character with condescending compassion and a self-centered, shortsighted attitude despite harboring good intentions. Seems like it runs in the fam, eh? Perhaps it's not being hammered enough in the show, but I think it's interesting how both Steven and his mom have been deconstructed and dismantled over time. Steven definitely isn't always right and the moral "filter" through which we watch the events unfold only makes it more evident. Still, I love the little goofball and I'm glad Bismuth's back to provide some fresh perspective on the other characters, hopefully.

[@emp100k]

Bismuth accidentally grabbing the bouquet is a not-so-subtle hint that she will be the next gem to fuse?

[@ThePantyExpert]

emp100k she was bonding with peridot quite a bit 👀

[@uncivilizedelk]

I literally mention this guess in my next review, haha.

[@spectralight8412]

Uncivilized Elk Spoilers for the next review

[@arellajardin2323]

She shared two lines with Peridot, in which she shows no more affection than she did any other Crystal Gem in her first episode. Shipping fuel.... ? Also, I’m guessing they’re going to kill her.

[@hirokokueh3541]

maybe she fuse with her corrupted old friends

[@emopeterparker7]

I liked Bismuth's return in general, but yeah, they could've handled her arc better. At least it wasn't as forgettable and pulled out from the ass as blue highlighter's return. I know there's a lot of things to be discussed about neon blue, and her return, but I just dislike how they brought her back. And I think the main issue is we're not allowed to go out of Steven's perspective.

[@ShabyUwU]

Who's blue highlighters?

[@kamenridernephilim]

Reality this franchise is forgettable.

[@georgiewebb1184]

Bituin Kleinman-Mell

[@djmeagaaim17]

kamenridernephilim Do you hate Steven Universe?

[@Fernando.lorijola]

This series is suffering big time whit pacing issues, from lars getting abandoned in the middle of space for useless filler episodes like getting Sadie into a band to massive plot twists and character introductions that feel extremely rushed...we know more about the mayor of beach city than we know about bismuth, one of the original crystal gems. Why do massive things like ruby and sapphire weeding and the diamond discovering pink is alive, two massive milestones in the series happen in the same episode wen we have so many filler episodes that added absolutely nothing to the series. In the end I see Steven universe going sadly in the same way adventure time did, a series that as going super slow whit massive plot episodes every one in a while to a sudden cancellation, this last Steven bomb felt so rushed especially wen last one was basically 90% filler and barely advanced the plot.

[@nathanielstein8904]

ABCDEFG T its fine to have that as part of the plot. It's NOT fine to cram it in the middle of another plot especially given the month long waits.

[@nordern1]

I think it's more that Sapphire's comment reminded him that Bismuth is still around and that these news are probably very relevant to her. (With Garnet splitting up immediately after they learned about PD, he just had other things on his mind) The handling of the Bismuth situation over all might have been unfortunate, but I think it still works.

[@lucasmartinez5703]

I figured Steven was just trying to make Sapphire feel better by bringing Bismuth back and that it had much less to do with what he wanted specifically. It wasn't just for a guest list.

[@williamstark9568]

I thought that Steven's memory was just jogged about Bismuth since he had a truth to tell her about Pink Diamond. The fact he unbubbled her very shortly after the Pink Diamond reveal, I thought made sense because he can explain things to her.

[@NinjaKIngAce]

There's no doubt in my mind that Steven, at least on some level, wanted to unbubble every gem in that room, but knew that doing so could very easily go badly. So he decided to unbubble the only gem he could talk to.

[@sarcasm-aplenty]

I think Steven meant that because they're holding hands, they know Bismuth isn't a threat to Steven (bc he was the only one endangered by Bismuth before, as she showed no malice toward her compatriots). By this point in the series, he and Garnet are the leaders- when Garnet's gone, they look to Steven, when Sunstone's present they take the leader role as seen in Change Your Mind. I agree that it should've been a group decision instead of a surprise guest, but I think they were trying to parallel the last time Bismuth had an appearance [Just Steven and Bismuth in a room with lava talking about Rose]. ((And they clearly wanted to make the "there's a third option now" joke, how could they pass it up?)) Maybe Steven didn't want the others to see that hostile side of Bismuth if she still harbored anger directed at him, talking to Bismuth in an isolated environment was so Steven could control the fallout should it come. He wanted to invite Bismuth, but that didn't mean the two were exactly on the same page, so he brought her up to speed. He didn't know the whole picture before, but he did now. That's my take on it anyway, I can't speak for everyone that's for sure.

[@silvertongue.242_99]

They making Steven so much things revolving around and happen because of him. It takes away from other focal points sigh but ep was great when it got started

[@ChristopherCapersJones]

Just hearing Bismuth's gargled scream in the lava is now making me laugh even though after watching the episode for the first time I never laughed.

[@eternalsgokuz]

Steven explained everything to the gems, including the fact that Bismuth refused to accept that Steven wasn't Rose and that she developed a weapon to shatter gems (which went against everything Rose stood for). To be honest, Rose left her bubbled hidden in Lion for thousands of years and never told anyone about it, so the month or two that she was bubbled after the Bismuth episode was nothing. She tried to kill Steven, not just to got angry with him, literally tried to shatter him. He was the only one that could decide if he was ready to un-bubble her after something like that. And he finally felt he had enough new information to reason with her and make her understand better. I think it was fine.

[@CitrusArchitect]

Pink Diamond's reveal is why steven brought Bismuth back. The wedding just reminded him of her.

[@silvertongue.242_99]

I agree it was selfish and not good reason so if sapphire didn't want any of there old comrades bismuth would have been there forever

[@uncivilizedelk]

Steven was too busy trying to help a bad mayor stay in power and being in a band with Beach City kids to remember that Bismuth exists apparently.

[@hirokokueh3541]

they could just move the two Bismuth episode to season 5, it seems like they want to reveal her earlier, but don't know how to put this extra character into the story.

[@nuibaba280]

+Erik Tough luck, Bismuth didn't deserve priority after her attempted murder

[@nabinoorshahil2715]

I believe that Steven also unbubled bismuth is because he belived that bismuth deserved to know about the pink diamond thing and ruby and shaphires conversation and and shaphires desire to see her old friends again just him the push.

[@jakepulley8155]

I have to disagree that Steven decided to unbubble Bismuth for Ruby and Sapphires wedding. This has been something he has been considering for a while (as he has felt guilty about how he left things with her). Rose being Pink Diamond was the tipping point and Ruby and Sapphire’s wedding was the straw that broke the camel’s back. And it’s all shown by one line “I want you back on the team”.

[@verticalgrand23]

I think a core problem with Steven Universe is the fact they have to cram so much story & development into a dinky 11 minutes. Moments that should have much more weight or attention are brushed off or moved past quickly, leaving the audience with barely enough time to feel the emotions they're obviously supposed to feel. Steven Universe is a show begging for a 30-minute format. I feel a lot of the issues raised in this episode would be alleviated if the show allowed itself to have a break in the middle and spend each half of the episode building up its ideas more. This is probably a network-mandated thing, since all animated shows cannot be longer than 11 minutes now, apparently. It's a damn shame because SU's concepts are interesting and worth exploring deeper. The price to pay for a fast pace, I s'pose.

[@SonicmaniaVideos]

11 minutes isn't the problem....

[@jaggerwan7459]

Hope everything with your personal life is alright cause buddy... WE NEED YOUR VIEWS ON...LEGS FROM HOMEWORLD...I watched all your SU in one sitting and I NEED YOU ELK.

[@chowlinlow]

thing is, steven was feeling bad about bismuth for a wile and NOW he knows about pink diamond theres a chance he can really connect and help her understand WHY rose didnt like the braking point and WHY she didnt shatter but bubbled her (for both their safety). as for the others not talking to her, what could they say? and bismuth was already pretty far in her rage theres the chance it could push her to corupt. and honestly i dont think the others could have added anything (at the time) for fixing things with bismuth, she needed the one on one with steven, rose was held at such a height she needed to hear 'from her(him)' she needed it much like pearl did, she was already preciously accepted so she was already aware they they DID miss her the first time around and haveing steven on her side would give her confidence.

[@pyoheliobros5773]

How about this: The Steven-centrism of the show results from the continuation of Pink Diamonds egocentrism. Steven is partly Pink Diamond, Pink Diamond is very, not extremely, egocentric and a part of that quality shows in Steven as well, so it makes kinda sense that not also the show but Steven itself acts this way.

[@untitleduntitled4740]

I wonder why people think SU’s storytelling has been flakey as of late. I think everyone’s been complaining since after season 2 and finding some flaws in later season. Can someone pls explain why others take issue to some SU stuff?

[@Zenithal1843]

Joshua Pyun Well, ik one of my gripes is how climatic plot points are followed by town fillers.

[@kikompray]

the answer is hiatus, in the early seasons few people had problems with the show pacing but now we have a hiatus every 5 episodes, and having to wait mounths to watch 3 to 5 townies episodes is not that great(i myself don't mind it)

[@silvertongue.242_99]

Mostly the plot holes that arrive and inconsistency but so far this Steven boom been good and am enjoying myself

[@samwallaceart288]

The beginning of the show was about Steven is busy trying to learn about other people and what they know. Now, the show is about Steven making everybody agree with him. Where other characters were mysterious and felt important before, now the other characters are basically props there to echo Steven's opinion. Because of this, the whole story is made to seem less important than Steven's feelings; which means all tension and gravity are at zero.

[@djmeagaaim17]

Canaan_Crystal wing Plot-holes?

[@no1mayorofsimpleton]

Was hyped to see this video when you talked about hoping it would be handled well. Glad to see it's come a reality

[@dansmart3182]

He didn't unbubble her for a guest list. He saw the loneliness and loss of his friends and figured maybe this is a time for forgiveness. There is this phenomenon where major life events often times cause people to break off relationships, because they have reconsidered their life. This is similar.

[@bloodraven432]

I have to agree with your statement of oversimplifying Steven's reason to free Bismuth. I feel it was less about wanting to extend the list length and more about wanting to fulfill Ruby and Sapphire's desire to have their old comrades present for their wedding. I also agree with how Bismuth should've had more time to be reintroduced rather than a last minute cramming in, but with how the plot went and all the revelations I can see how it would be somewhat easy to forget her. It's not everyday you learn that your mom was also a leader in a large empire. As for Steven being not consulting the others to freeing Bismuth, I feel that the others might've been hesitant to let her out considering that she, you know, tried to shatter Steven. I mean, they didn't exactly become friends with Peridot right away and she tried to kill them all. I guess it's easier to forgive someone who did something wrong if the person they tried to hurt forgives them first. But these are just my thoughts. Also: when new Steven fusion? Been too long since Smoky Quartz.

[@keitoimon]

my critique is ... we saw what humans looked like when pink diamond first started the colony and that'S no where near " forging metal into wedding rings" . so ... how did bismuth even know what wedding rings are ?

[@tibot4228]

I completely agree with the reason Bismuth was brought back, it feels like pretty muddled priorities; although, going on, it seemed like Steven had chosen to unbubble her independently of the wedding. Also true about the Crystal Gems needing to discuss unbubbling her instead of Steven just taking matters into his hands... but maybe the timeline justifies it, if only a little? I assume this episode takes place the day after Ruby's return, so the CG have been preoccupied with other things since the R=P reveal. On the other hand, I adored Bismuth's reaction to the bubbled Gems, and her awareness that shattering a Diamond would have made her responsible of inflicting the same fate upon her comrades.

[@zacharydechant1303]

Believe it or not I still haven't seen Reunited. iTunes Canada still hasn't released it despite releasing the first four episodes of the bomb two weeks ago.

[@monkey-network]

I figured this episode felt like a tiny roadblock on the way to the wedding episode, but this clears things up a bit.

[@alankim4401]

I never really thought about how rose pretty much took bismuth's advice in a way, and that bismuth would eventually see that the breaking point was the "put to the end" solution as she thought

[@crystalhamptonhines]

So... I got married 2ish months ago AND moved across country. I have family members who hurt my immediate family in ways outsiders would've never forgave. I decided to forgive but not forget, inviting then to my wedding to say goodbyes, since our differences have kept us apart. Weddings are places where 99% of people play nice, even if they don't know how to act, LOL! So it was a nice wedding where we all wished each other the best, and I have been talking to some of the more friendly family members. I think that's what SU meant to do. Sometimes weddings can be a place where people can BEGIN to mend the past in a very well behaved environment. I think Bismuth will be further fleshed out later.

[@DBArtsCreators]

All I can say is: if it weren't for the Crystal Gems being the Crystal Gems, Bismuth would have been freed earlier and we would have gotten multiple episodes. However, the Crystal Gems are the Crystal Gems, and following the status quo is in their nature as gems, regardless of what they learned or done.

[@ellerycole5706]

I'm constantly trying to imagine how they would all look in real life.

[@rayanhey2411]

I just forgot about Bismuth

[@AlquimistEd]

I feel like all your issues with this episode were kinda just taking events at face value without taking into consideration the context within the whole episode.

[@nuibaba280]

T H I S

[@OriginalGameteer]

I just think it's nice we learned the names of a few of the other Crystal Gems

[@feysira]

made of honor was my fave of the bomb tbh i just was so so so stoked to have her back and i think it coincided well with steven accepting his position as a leader for reunited. bismuth is just the best

[@elthehuman7032]

When Steven says that they’ll forgive Bismuth because JE forgave Bismuth, I read it as “they’ll forgive you for trying to kill me, because they still love you and I care for you. And I forgive you. And I’m the one you tried killing”

[@BrasiI]

0:21 "the future dont exists"

[@ellieinhiding]

Its not an excuse, but the actress who plays Bismuth is expensive and Im sure has much more glamours offers to take up her time. Thats why her arc has to be 1 episode and not a series of them like it would have been for any other gem. Possibly also the reason she got stuffed in a bubble in the first place. They should have just got someone cheaper to voice her if they knew she wouldnt be able to come around on a regular basis, but the voice she has now fits her so well i cant imagine anyone else doing her justice.

[@Yetie_guy]

Bismuth is my 3rd favorite gem,... 1st is Peridot, because idk

[@eggboy-ku5tg]

Yetie Spooghetti who's 2nd

[@Yetie_guy]

eggboy 1872 Ruby

[@eggboy-ku5tg]

I can see why ruby is a good character

[@Yetie_guy]

eggboy 1872 yes she is a tough character but also a sweet as well, she is like a rage character but not too much rage.

[@Anonomius0]

I really enjoyed this episode, although I was disappointed when it turned out that Bismuth didn't know that Rose was Pink, as I had this theory she found out the truth which partly explained her hatred towards her (Saying that Rose 'lied about everything' and thinking that she had assumed a new form). That said though, I did enjoy Bismuth's reaction to the revelation, and whereas I did expect her to be more upset, it does make sense that she took the news better than say Garnet. After all, her opinion of Rose was so low so it does make sense that she took it better than someone like Garnet who was still loyal to her. There were two things that bugged me about this episode. The first was Steven saying 'you know how you and Mom thought because her strategy made no sense? Well, you were right.' So is Steven now agreeing with Bismuth that Rose should have shattered gems? The second is the attitude towards Rose now 'They're not going to follow Rose anymore'. Really? all because she lied about who she was? So shattering pink diamond was fine, bubbling Bismuth for disagreeing with her was fine too, but lying about who she was was the unforgivable sin that crossed the line? I mean, I knew this would be upsetting, and that they would need to reevaluate how they feel about her (Which they started with Sapphire realising that rather than following her, Rose was following them), but not this whole 'you're dead to me now, Rose!' attitude (ok I know she's technically dead, but you know what I mean!) Even Bismuth's line that it was 'all a sham'. To paraphrase a rebel from another rebellion focused around someone who lied about who they were in another cartoon, "Nothing she said was wrong" (then again Marco did confess early who he really was rather than the truth being revealed five thousand years later from another source). Actually a third thing bugged me. Peridot. that is we never saw Peridot's reaction to this revelation, or how this would change how she felt towards Steven now that it's known that he is half diamond. Actually that's something that really bugs me about this whole event. It's not really addressed that finding out who Rose was also effects considering what Steven is.

[@psv2]

I felt like the wedding wasn't as important as the Earth maybe being blown up--the only reason the plot progressed is because it showed up on their doorstep. The Cluster helping them out would have felt more realistic if we were shown tiny bits of Steven going to talk to them directly or in his dream world. That way it'd feel more valid that they'd come to help him and it'd feel more earned. I also feel like Bismuth wouldn't/shouldn't have accepted the truth that fast without hardcore proof.

[@aruraven]

I think Steven didn't bring out Bismuth exclusively due to Sapphire's remark. It was more like the cherry on top. He doesn't seem to have thought of the whole thing out of the blue. It seems appropiate even, that he would wish to tell Bismuth about Pink's reveal, of all people (that weren't already there during said reveal, of course. She, and Greg also). So it didn't look unnatural to me, specially since she is the only original CG in the basement that is not corrupted. It makes sense. However, I'm not saying that they couldn't just explicitly show us Steven's thought process and taken more time for the whole thing but, it's not horrible either. It's ok and I'm glad she is back in bismuth. Just don't shove her in that forge forever, show, pretty please :)

[@Zazabazaa]

I didn't feel like Bizmuth's return was because of the wedding list... In my opinion it was more like Sapphire talking about her lost comrades made Steven think of it and that therefore led to the unbubbling... yes, it was supposed to be a surprise but that felt like it made sense in the grand scheme of things... Everybody else would be worried... because even if Roses beliefs are warped in their minds now, they still spent centuries with her, never questioning anything, always keeping things the way Rose wanted from the monster bubbling to the Bizmuth bubbling... Steven hasn't dealt with that and in bringing in Bizmuth without bringing in doubt first, it brings them to the next step in shattering all that Rose had warped into being good.

[@smiith5]

I think Steven chose Bismuth because she was the only one he could do amything about.

[@babygorilla4233]

i dont think that Steven unbubled bismuth just for the sake of having her to be a gust at the wedding. i mean yes that was the initial idea and played a part into it but up until sapphire reminded steven of her i dont think any of the other gems have had time to stop and think about bismuth seeing as there all probably still processing what roses real identity means to them. what i think is more likely is that sapphires reminiscing reminded Steven about bismuth and he decided that she has a right to know about rose..... also its a nice surprise for the wedding. but of course this is just me speculating about whats happening inside Stevens head.

[@Gradamit]

I think her character arc is coming in future eps especially since she's the one that cracked lapis

[@tomcurl8034]

To be fair with the revelation that Steven’s mom was in fact pentameter self and did not shatter for that revelation added new context to roses decision to bubble business and Steven wanted to discuss that with her

[@uehgjur]

Steven hesitate more to forgive a fellow revolutionary who wanted to liberate all gems than forgive the diamond who were dictator who ruled with an iron fist...

[@ScoldedLuck]

I think another good reason stands that Rose's fate was finally made clear, and if anyone bismuth deserved a explanation, and this was finally a big enough plot reason.

[@HellfireComms]

I thought it worked well enough and the episode was great. Was it rushed? Well yeah, 11 minutes will do that to you. But it makes sense.

[@unnamednewbie13]

This was always coming regardless of whether or not the wedding was a thing. Steven dwells on gems like Bismuth, Jasper, Eyeball, and Centipeetle. Two of these are corrupt, and one is far from Earth. It makes sense that he would internalize Bismuth as his own responsibility, especially while coming to terms with being a Diamond. It makes sense that Steven would want to bring her up to speed and back into the fold, especially after the Rose/Pink reveal. It makes sense that he would bring her back without consulting the others. It makes sense that he would try to cushion the it with the "surprise" stunt. It makes sense that she accepted Steven for Steven, considering the last thing she said to him before being poofed. It makes sense that the other Crystal Gems would have kept her in a bubble after learning about her attempt to shatter Steven. It makes sense that Bismuth would have had second thoughts about everything considering what she'd learned. It makes sense that Steven would still be able to talk her down, given his diplomatic drive and the episode's progression. And it makes sense that the other Crystal Gems took her back in with open arms after seeing both her and Steven finally getting along. So we can probably strike Bismuth off of his list of butterfly specters. Of course in its place is Pink Diamond, and all the baggage and responsibility THAT entails. The shattered, the corrupted, the forced fusions, and the war weary. Gems like Jasper and Eyeball Ruby who could not let things go. The subverted Diamond Authority. Gems from PInk's court who had to be reassigned. Yellow's irrationality. Blue's neglect. Pearl would assure him that his mom did everything she could, but will he really believe it?

[@rhondahoward8025]

I feel like the Heart of the Crystal Gems special had (to a lesser degree) the same problem the In Too Deep special had. It tries to juggle two big conflicts that really were best to handle separately. In this case though, it's three. Dealing with Rose being Pink Diamond, Sapphire and Ruby reevaluating their relationship as Garnet, Bismuth being back, the wedding, and then the return of the Diamonds. This causes a rushed pacing feel with all the factors juggled.

[@pskullv]

Problem Inordinately-Bad Problem Inordinately-Bad Problem that renders everything else moot. Bismuth specifically said that she intended to liberate the rest of Homeworld by shattering all of the Diamonds. Steven (the naive little twit) is still not tolerating even thinking of that, what with melting the Breaking Point. That is ignored in this episode, because the people writing season 5 are clearly incompetant.

[@morganstiefvater2019]

I liked the episode. I agree that some of it was a little ehh, but overall, I'm really glad Bismuth is back. She can have more character development after the wedding, I guess. And I look forward to it.

[@robbywilliamson4152]

Shortly after “Mindful Education”, I think there should have been an intermediate episode that tackled how Steven and the Crystal Gems felt about what happened with Bismuth and why they were keeping her bubbled. Would anyone really have been upset to see that instead of “Onion Gang” or “Rocknaldo”?

[@neeneko]

While the criticism has merit, the pattern is also VERY inline with the story and characters. Inertia and changing direction are major flaws of the main characters, it is one of their defining characteristics that they return to over and over, with a major growth element of Steven being his attempts (despite being raised in this mentality) to break out of the cycle that they have been locked into. This is one of the major underlying themes of the show. Having them sit around, unprompted, discussing, and deciding to unbubble her would have been very out of place.

[@oddbirdMusic]

I think most of the problems you describe with Steven's reasoning and how the story is framed around him have one thing in common -- they're all perfect examples of Steven being too much like his mother. He means well, he wants people to be happy and get along, but he's far from a perfect character. He's used to being the center of every situation he gets involved in, and when the going gets hard, Pink Diamond/Rose get avoidant. As far as the crystal gems not taking initiative -- they're all used to trusting Rose and Steven's judgement, and going with the flow, while problem after problem gets bubbled up and stored for later. Steven's most important character development is that he looks around at all the neatly bundled disasters that both he and his mother have left behind, and actually works on fixing them. Better late than never.

[@vaultshadow]

it was a good thing that steven unbubble bismuth himself, if you remember that she said that only steven unbubbled her, that gave her the feeling that the other crystal gems no longer care about her and even if steven is the one giving her another chance, also is was more meaningful that it was a surprise because that prove everyone that they no longer care that she tried to kill steven and rose, they understand that is because rose and pearl kept the truth for everyone, but i'd liked more if everyone were angry at pearl than rose for keeping the secret, i know is reapeating the sandonix thing but is more realistic

[@chrissteadham3833]

just found out bismuth is voiced by crazy eyes. neat

[@poisonmist13]

1:26 I accept your opinion, but I don’t agree. I think the reason Bismuth was bubbled because because the Crystal Gems were protecting Steven. I think the final goodbye at the end of “Bismuth” indicated that. She was no longer a member of the Crystal Gems, they removed her. They never would have unbubbled her unless something changed with Steven. And it did. Steven got past his trauma, and he eventually found a good enough reason to face her.

[@wisdommanari6701]

But did they even talk to her? Steven is a child a naive sanctimonious child

[@SarahTheShuckle]

I can’t wait to hear what you have to say about the last episode. Would you also cover some of the things shown at SDCC? I’m a little confused with all the information thrown around and I think you’d be best at compiling it all accurately!

[@astrisperspecto4130]

My theory why Pink necver unbubbled Bismuth after the war: She was ashamed. She saw the desaster her rebellion has caused and become and didn't want Bismuth to see that. So she bubbled her up (plus Pink always had issues with unraveling a lie, I have to admit that.).