Steven Universe Season 5 is finished and I’m emotional.

Because of the intense amount of content explored in this penultimate episode, my reactions will be detailed in several parts.

For the first third of the episode, we explore how Steven copes with remaining in prison while delving into Pink’s old memories yet again as he slept. His powers have offered him more instances where Pink’s empathy for organic life had caused chaos during a ball Pink Diamond had helped throw.

Blue Diamond enters the prison chamber, looking exasperated. This also shows us that Pink Diamond was placed inside the tower more often than initially thought. Which is terrible to consider.

Gif source: moonlightsdreaming – tumblr – TGON – Steven Universe – Cartoon Network

Blue’s admonishing Steven echoes Steven’s experiences in his dream. Blue demands Steven apologize for fusing with Connie at the ball, and he refuses. He reminds her that locking someone up for doing something wrong is unusual and shouldn’t be used as a means to control another Diamond. Steven also explains that he fuses with Connie, and that the Crystal Gems fuse with one another often.

Blue Diamond has trouble comprehending this information, thrusting her powers onto Steven as Connie warns he’s dehydrated. Steven simply wants to be let out of the prison and to discover where the poofed Crystal Gems are, in order to protect them further for simply defending him at the ball.

Blue Diamond finally realizes her mistreatment of Pink Diamond had consequences.

“You were right to leave. I always thought that you were failing this world. But if you were happier on Earth, maybe this world was failing you.”

This realization allows Blue Diamond to release Connie and Steven, offering food and a change of clothes before the two set off to save the Crystal Gems. I can relate wholeheartedly to Connie and Steven’s expressions here when presented with snacks when you’re hungry. In fact, I’m feeling just a bit hungry now.

Gif source: hanaxsongs – tumblr – TGON – Steven Universe – Cartoon Network

It totally makes sense that Yellow Diamond has the Crystal Gems bubbled inside her chamber. And the callback to the Topaz soldiers made my heart sing.

As a trans person, I was so elated when Blue insisted that Pink Diamond be called Steven. My stomach tingled in the best way witnessing this.

The brawl between Yellow and Blue Diamond is epic. Yellow Diamond continues to press on about how rules have to be followed based on the framework that White Diamond designed for Homeworld.

The climax of this encounter occurs on a bridge, as Connie and Steven scamper past holding onto the gems.

Blue Diamond reminds Yellow that suffering and the emotions behind those conditions deserve to be felt. Yellow comically believes that Blue had used her powers on the other diamond as she cries for probably the first time in millennia.

Yellow finally let it all out. The pressure to be perfect for White Diamond’s sake must have been enormously taxing for her. Blue Diamond soothes her fellow Diamond’s fragile emotions as Steven and Connie leave to try and revive the Crystal Gems. Due to the direct hit by Yellow Diamond’s electric powers, it may be a while.

I never guessed how the next events would play out….

 

Here more of my thoughts next week on the tumultuous finale of Steven Universe Season 5. And be sure to rewatch episodes of Steven Universe on Hulu and Cartoon Network.