Line #34 Recap/StevenUniverseS1E1GemGlow


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gemglow_6749.jpg]]
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3	'''Original airdate:''' November 4th, 2013
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5	'''Production code:''' 1020-003
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7	Steven is extremely upset because [[SeriousBusiness they stopped making his favorite snack]], Cookie Cats. Lars, one of the teens working at the Big Donut, theorizes (rather coldly) that the product was discontinued because of cutthroat competition from Lion Lickers (a product Steven despises because "they hardly look like lions"). Sadie, the other, nicer employee, gives him the empty Cookie Cat mini-fridge as a keepsake. When he gets home, he finds it invaded by centipede monsters, but the other Crystal Gems deal with them, though Garnet warns that their mother must be near.
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9	Steven describes his sadness over the discontinuing of Cookie Cats and while wrestling a baby centipeetle away from the fridge, finds the freezer full of them! It turns out that on hearing that Steven's favorite snack was going away forever, the Gems felt obliged to do something about it. Amethyst stole the last few Cookie Cats for Steven (though Pearl went back and paid for them). Overjoyed by the Gems' display of affection for him, Steven's gem starts to glow, and when Steven sings the Cookie Cat jingle, he manifests a shield not unlike ComicBook/CaptainAmerica's. It ricochets around the room before destroying the TV. The Gems impart their individual wisdom to Steven on how to call his weapon. Pearl describes fractals and mathematical calculations in real time. Amethyst says she doesn't try at all; her weapon just shows when she wants it. Garnet describes becoming one with the cosmic forces of the universe. All of this kind of boggles Steven and leaves him no closer to unlocking his own method of summoning his Gem weapon. He ends up believing that eating Cookie Cats is what does it.
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11	The house is then attacked by the giant Mother Centipeetle, and it traps the Gems on the beach. Steven tries to help, but the shield won't reappear. He even tries scarfing every last one of the Cookie Cats the Gems brought him in hopes of re-manifesting his shield. When the monster destroys the fridge, Steven [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge angrily uses it to attack the Centipeetle]] and accidentally electrocutes the monster, giving the Gems a chance to finish it off. [[HeartDrive Only a gemstone is left behind.]]
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13	The other Gems congratulate Steven and reassure him that someday, he'll fully manifest his power. Steven is tearful that not only are his Cookie Cats gone, but so is his only keepsake. To top that off, he has a sick tummy from having eaten too many.
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15	We IrisOut over Steven as he vomits.
16	----
17	!!Tropes:
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19	* BigNo: The first word of the episode (and show) are Steven yelling "Nooooo!" when he finds out Cookie Cats were discontinued.
20	* BluntYes: Steven asks Garnet for advice.
21	-->'''Steven:''' So I'm supposed to try really hard, and not try at all, at the same time?\
22	'''Garnet:''' Yes.
23	* BreadEggsMilkSquick: The "Cookie Cat" theme song has your typical ExcusePlot, then suddenly Steven cries out that "He left his family behind!"
24	* CasualDangerDialog: The Gems chat with Steven while killing a bunch of acid-shooting Centipeetles that have invaded the house, topped off by Pearl giving one a NeckSnap without pausing.
25	* ChekhovsGun: There is a glowing pink circlet in the fridge that turns out to be important in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E7BubbleBuddies "Bubble Buddies"]].
26	* DistantReactionShot: When Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl get their opening to attack the Centipeetle Mother, it cuts to a town-wide shot as the monster explodes into smoke.
27	* EstablishingCharacterMoment: The Crystal Gems as a group are introduced when Steven walks in on them fighting the Centipeetles while casually making conversation: Amethyst pauses to greet Steven, showing her relatively laid-back attitude. Garnet silently tears a Centipeetle apart to establish her as TheQuietOne. Pearl incorporates ballet into her fighting to display her as the perfectionist. Each gets an individual introduction as they try to teach Steven to summon his gem weapon:
28	** Pearl compares use of a Gem's power to a meticulously planned dance, and uses petals falling from a tree as an example of something that seems random but is actually brought about by innumerable factors working together.
29	** Amethyst says practicing isn't fun and that her Gem weapon just shows up whenever she needs it to without trying. She demonstrates by pulling out her whip with one hand for some random property damage, all while munching on a doughnut with the other hand.
30	** When Steven asks if he's supposed to do Pearl and Amethyst's mutually exclusive methods at once, Garnet just says [[MathematiciansAnswer "yes"]]. Then she dramatically proposes [[DontThinkFeel letting the cosmic power of the universe flow through you]] as an alternative.
31	* ExcusePlot: InUniverse, the Cookie Cat ice cream sandwich apparently has a theme song about Cookie Cat coming from space and leaving his family behind.
32	* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Garnet pulls on each end of a centipeetle until it neatly splits in half, showing its cross-section to be [[MadeOfBologna a pinkish ring around a white circle]].
33	* HighVoltageDeath: Steven uses the broken freezer to shock the mother centipeetle. This doesn't kill it directly, but lets the Gems finish it off.
34	* ImprovisedWeapon: Steven beans the mother Centipeetle with a broken freezer... [[HighVoltageDeath while it's still plugged in]].
35	* {{Jingle}}: Cookie Cat had one that not only told the story of the cosmic kitty, but where you could get the treat here on Earth.
36	* MoodWhiplash: The Cookie Cat jingle, helped by the cheerful way Steven sings it.
37	-->'''Steven:''' Cookie Cat, he's a pet for your tummy! Cookie Cat, he's super duper yummy! Cookie Cat! [[CrossesTheLineTwice HE LEFT HIS FAMILY BEHIND!]]
38	* MourningAnObject: At the end of the episode, Steven buries the last Cookie Cat wrappers.
39	* NeckSnap: Pearl snaps a Centipeetle's neck, while [[CasualDangerDialogue calmly talking to Steven no less]].
40	* OffhandBackhand: Courtesy of Garnet to a baby Centipeetle.
41	* OhNoNotAgain: Amethyst splits the Big Donut's trash bin in half with her whip, then Lars walks in.
42	-->'''Lars:''' ''[gasps in shock]'' AGAIN?!?!
43	* PowersInTheFirstEpisode: This is the first time Steven's ever summoned his shield, or been able to use any of his powers for that matter.
44	* PowerUpFood: Steven's gem twice starts glowing after he eats a Cookie Cat, [[FalseCause so he assumes the ice cream is what lets him use his power]]. He finds out he was wrong when eating a bunch at once does nothing. It's heavily implied what actually brought it about was ThePowerOfLove: first the Gems doing something nice for him by getting the Cookie Cats, and then when they tell him he's a Crystal Gem whether or not he has his powers.
45	* SweetAndSourGrapes: Just after Steven decides he'll be happy even if he never figures out how to use his gem and is told he'll still be one of the Crystal Gems, it starts glowing again and he summons his shield.
46	* TitleThemeDrop: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E5e9YwGsDo&t=32s An instrumental version of "We Are the Crystal Gems"]] plays when Steven summons his shield.
47	* ToiletHumour:
48	-->'''Pearl:''' Calm down, Steven. Breathe; don't force [your power].\
49	'''Amethyst:''' Yeah... and try not to ''poop'' yourself, either!\
50	'''Garnet:''' Please, don't.
51	* VomitDiscretionShot: The very last scene of the episode is Steven puking after commenting about how much Cookie Cats he ate in order to activate his newfound Gem powers. Not only does he obscure his face on a dirt hill, the episode [[IrisOut Irises Out]] right there.
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Context Recap / StevenUniverseS1E1GemGlow