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‘Steven Universe’ Recap ‘Together Alone’

 

With vivid dreams, parties and fusions all in the space of 11 minutes, there’s almost too much to recap in this episode!

We start back in Pink’s room with Steven juggling MC Bear Bear, Chapps and all his other favourite bits to an astounded pink Pearl when they’re interrupted by Yellow Diamond in a truly terrifying yet hysterical extended neck routine which is sure to haunt my dreams tonight. Satisfied they’ve convinced Yellow they’re behaving themselves, the pair go back to giggling after her exit, only for Steven to start coughing up lumps of pink hair, suspiciously like Rose’s curls. Things go from weird to weirder when Pink Pearl fades away in to the dark to be replaced by White Diamonds terrifying face filling the screen (so great to get another look at her after last weeks no show though). The sequence ends with Steven coughing up and being covered in Rose’s curls, only to find him waking up in the present, in Pink’s room with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and Connie by his side, and some adorable pebbles for good measure.

In the throne room, Steven discusses his idea for a ball with Yellow and Blue, gifting Steven their Pearls for help, the diamonds leave him to get on with the planning, reenforcing that if White will be attending, everything must be perfect.

Unfortunately, gem parties aren’t quite the same as human parties as Steven learns, with his suggestions of balloons and dancing being shot down “Why would a Diamond want to dance?”. Steven tries to teach Blue and Yellow Pearl about fun when he is interrupted by an incensed Blue Diamond (in a nice throwback to the opening dream sequence) who needs to check everything is going smoothly. She’s horrified to learn Steven is considering inviting his Earth friends, but Steven protests that his friends are inspiring. Blue relents and allows him to take his Pearl, his ‘pet’ (Connie) and his faulty Amethyst if she gets limb enhancers. At the suggestion that Ruby and Sapphire unfuse, Garnet refuses to attend and we get a sinister look at Blue and the hierarchies that exist on Homeworld.

The ball provides a wonderful look at the inhabitants of Homeworld and all the different types of gems, almost too many to count. Steven is clearly uncomfortable with the formality, but encouraged along by Pearl and Connie, as well as the appearance of a split Ruby and Sapphire.

After Blue and Yellow make their entrance White Pearl arrives to greet the attendees of the Ball, and announce that White Diamond has more important things to attend to, so White Pearl will be observing in her place. Welcome to Era 3.

Dejected and ready to give up, Steven is encouraged to dance by Connie, which unfortunately only ever ends in one way, a fusion. Any question on whether or not Homeworld has loosened their stance on fusions since Garnet’s banishment is answered by the pure simplicity of White Pearl’s smile turning upside down to the most menacing sad face I’ve seen in a long time. Quick to defend Stevonnie from Yellow and Blue’s wrath, Ruby and Sapphire fuse to make Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl to make Opal and two crowd gems even fuse in celebration that they aren’t the only ones anymore. The celebration is unfortunately short lived as Yellow quickly poofs all the gem fusions back to their hibernated gem state and locks Stevonnie away to “Think about what you’ve done”. Cue credits.

With almost no time to take in the elegance of Homeworld, the various beauty of all the different gems, Together Alone was a whopper of an episode.

The opening dream sequence seems to hint at the big fan theory that damaged White Pearl was once Pink Pearl, belonging to Pink Diamond and punished for some wrongdoing. It’s sad to see Pink Pearl so adorable and happy and turn back up at the end of the episode, as the hardened, robotic White Pearl who seems to be under White Diamond’s control.

It’s interesting to see once more the big sister resentment playing out with Yellow and Blue’s relationship with Pink/Steven, and whilst White didn’t attend the ball, we got another full shot at that unhinged face. Some questions have been answered, and we’re left with so many more, so let me know you thoughts and theories in the comments below. I’m off to a dark corner to dream up insane conspiracy theories, like how we all know White Diamond is really just Onion.