History Recap / StevenUniverseS1E16StevenTheSwordFighter

* BloodlessCarnage: Not a drop of blood is seen when a sword pierces Pearl's gut (thanks to their BizarreAlienBiology). Considering that the stabbing is fairly graphic as is, the episode probably wouldn't have passed the censors if this [[TropesAreNotBad trope hadn't been used]].

* {{Foreshadowing}}: ''Lonely Blade V'' has a scene where the hero encounters a zombie incarnate of his brother, only to realize that it's essentially [[CameBackWrong not his brother]] and fights the zombie. This mirrors what's going to happen next in the episode: After holo-Pearl stabs the TV, Steven finally snaps and comes to realize holo-Pearl is barely even the real Pearl's ghost, and ends up fighting her.

* HeroicBSOD: Steven doesn't spend much of the episode severely beating himself up for what happened, but the fact that he starts tearing up when he remembers the incident makes it clear he's very troubled by it.

* LimitedWardrobe: Semi-averted. After Pearl regains the energy to make a new body, she creates a different outfit for herself. WordOfGod has said these redesigns will only happen after their bodies have been heavily damaged.

''[[InstantlyProvenWrong (The hologram begins to regenerate)]]''

* OhCrap: Everyone has this reaction (save for Hologram Pearl) when the real Pearl gets stabbed.

* SpinAttack: The "Boomerang blade" attack from Steven's movie.

* TenderTears: Steven on seeing Pearl become impaled on the Holo-Pearl simulacrum's blade.
* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: It works for Lonely Blade, and for Steven.

* VirtualTrainingSimulation: Pearl can use her Gem to project a hologram version of herself for training purposes.

* AlmightyJanitor: In Steven's kung fu movie, the President of Martial Arts is disguised as a janitor. While this takes Steven completely by surprise, Pearl points out that the janitor was in the background of every fight scene and even appears on the video cover.

* GoryDiscretionShot: Played with — Pearl's midsection is just offscreen '''as''' Holo-Pearl stabs her, but the immediate ([[BloodlessCarnage bloodless]]) aftermath of the attack is plainly displayed second later. Likewise, Pearl stabbing Holo-Pearl to finish their first spar is shown from the opposite side, despite the latter just being a hologram that shows no injury at all.

* IrisOut: Over Pearl's face as she notes that she can't leave any of them alone for a second, with Steven adding in one last "Pearl's back!"

* PreEmptiveShutUp: A non-verbal variant; Pearl asks for a volunteer to spar against, and Garnet pushes Steven's hand down before he can finish raising it.

* FreezeFrameBonus: During Pearl's revival, silhouettes of her previous designs can be seen.

* TheGlomp: Steven pretty much rockets himself into Pearl when she finally comes back after two weeks. [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming It's rather adorable.]]

** This is also the first time we see one of the Gems get poofed, leaving behind her gem - just like one of the Gem Monsters. [[spoiler: We'll later find out that Gem Monsters ''used to be'' regular Gems.]]

!!Tropes

* CallingYourAttacks: "BOOMERANG BLADE!"

* ContinuityNod: The tree that holo-Pearl destroys is the same tree Pearl stood under with Steven describing how she summons her weapon through discipline in "Gem Glow".

* ExorcistHead: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]] in that it happens quickly and Steven doesn't react to it, but when he throws a boomerang to distract holo-Pearl it watches the boomerang with a full 360 head rotation.
* {{Flynning}}: Discussed by Pearl as she criticizes the sword fighting in the movie.
** Also justified...the parry, parry, thrust that Pearl teaches is the very BASIS of Flynning...as it's the most basic sword drill out there!
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Lonely Blade V has a scene where the hero encounters a zombie incarnate of his brother, only to realize that it's essentially [[CameBackWrong not his brother]] and fights the zombie. This mirrors what's going to happen next in the episode: After holo-Pearl stabs the TV, Steven finally snaps and comes to terms holo-Pearl is barely even the real Pearl's ghost, and ends up fighting her.

* GoryDiscretionShot: Played with--Pearl's midsection is just offscreen '''as''' Holo-Pearl stabs her, but the immediate ([[BloodlessCarnage bloodless]]) aftermath of the attack is plainly displayed second later. Likewise, Pearl stabbing Holo-Pearl to finish their first spar is shown from the opposite side, despite the latter just being a hologram that shows no injury at all.

* HolodeckMalfunction: The Hologram Pearl sticks around and mistakes Steven for an swordfighting opponent.

* IgnoredAesop: Steven starts to make a speech about how he should just accept that Pearl isn't around [[SweetAndSourGrapes only to be interrupted with Pearl's regeneration.]]
-->'''Steven''': You know, I might miss Pearl a whole lot. But sometimes you just have to accept things the way they are before you-\\
({{Beat}} where Pearl regenerates)\\
'''Steven''': Nevermind, Pearl's back!

* MST3KMantra: [[invoked]] When Pearl complains that the sword fight in the movie isn't realistic, Steven replies "It's just a movie, Pearl.".

* SubbingVersusDubbing: In-universe, Steven [[AvertedTrope seems to like the dub for Lonely Blade V just fine]] compared to the sub.
* SugarWiki/SuperlativeDubbing: InUniverse, Steven thinks the dub of Lonely Blade V is really good.

* WideEyesAndShrunkenIrises: Pearl's eyes open wide and her irises shrink to dots after she's stabbed. In reaction, Steven's irises also shrink.

* MoodWhiplash: The mood violently swings back and forth the entire episode. The episodes starts with the Gems spending some movie time together, Steven being amazed by Pearl's sword fighting abilities, and deciding that he wants to learn too. Pearl tries to teach Steven the basics of sword fighting while demonstrating them against a hologram she created. Much to her displeasure, Steven is more interested in seeing flashy moves. Pearl turns her head to scold Steven then [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice Pearl gets stabbed in the gut and DIES]]. The extreme horror of this lasts only a few seconds as it is quickly explained that Gems can regenerate their bodies as long as their gemstone remains intact, and she will be back. Most of the rest of the episode is a sequence of humorous scenes of Steven trying to use Holo-Pearl as a ReplacementGoldfish for the real Pearl... which goes from funny to terrifying in an instant when he accidentally activates its advanced combat training routines and is nearly killed.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Lonely Blade V has a scene where the hero encounters a zombie incarnate of his brother, only to realize that it's essentially [[CameBackWrong not his brother]] and fights the zombie. After holo-Pearl stabs the TV, Steven finally snaps and comes to terms holo-Pearl is barely even the real Pearl's ghost, and ends up fighting her.

* BalloonBelly: Amethyst gains one after swallowing a cloud until the next episode.

* BloodlessCarnage: Not a drop of blood is seen when a sword pierces Pearl's gut. Considering that the stabbing is fairly graphic as is, the episode probably wouldn't have passed the censors if this [[TropesAreNotBad trope hadn't been used]]. WordOfGod has described this as being a result of Gems' BizarreAlienBiology - a gem's body is basically a solid light hologram.

* DinnerDeformation: Amethyst eats a cloud. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny It causes her to swell up like a balloon and float away.]]

* SuperlativeDubbing: InUniverse, Steven thinks the dub of Lonely Blade V is really good.

* BloodlessCarnage: Not a drop of blood is seen when a sword pierces Pearl's gut. Considering that the stabbing is fairly graphic as is, the episode probably wouldn't have passed the censors if this [[TropesAreNotBad trope hadn't been used]]. WordOfGod has described this as being a result of Gems' BizarreAlienBiology.

** Having someone akin to a son watching you as you get brutally murdered in a method as graphic as a kid's show would allow? Pearl's expression all but screams this.

* AffectionateGestureToTheHead: When Pearl offers to show Steven some proper sword-fighting technique, he places his hand on her forehead so she'll see his [[WingdingPupils starry-eyed reaction]].

* Flynning: Discussed by Pearl as she criticizes the sword fighting in the movie.

* {{Flynning}}: Discussed by Pearl as she criticizes the sword fighting in the movie.

* DarkerAndEdgier: One of the main characters temporarily ''dies'' (sort of), and in a fairly graphic manner too.

* MoodWhiplash: The episodes starts with the Gems spending some movie time together, Steven being amazed by Pearl's sword fighting abilities, and deciding that he wants to learn too. Pearl tries to teach Steven the basics of sword fighting while demonstrating them against a hologram she created. Much to her displeasure, Steven is more interested in seeing flashy moves. Pearl turns her head to scold Steven then [[ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice Pearl gets stabbed in the gut and DIES]] (though only temporarily).

* SuperlativeDubbing: InUniverse, Steven thinks the dub is really good.

* NerfArm: Steven gives Holo-Pearl a balloon sword. She still ''cuts down a tree'' with it.

** Also, from the same episode, the T.V. is destroyed.