History Recap / StevenUniverseS5E27Escapism

* AbsenteeActor: Due to having been poofed in the previous episode, Amethyst, Garnet and Pearl obviously don't appear.

* DoubleMeaningTitle: "Escapism" references both Steven and Connie's wish to escape Homeworld (as evident in the song of the same name) and the episode being [[SomethingCompletelyDifferent a reprieve]] (though not an entirely peaceful one) from the plot at hand.

Stevonnie has been locked up in a tower after fusing at the Era 3 ball by the Diamonds, with the other Crystal Gems poofed. A look around the room reveals no options for escape, and Steven and Connie unfuse. Fortunately, Connie brought along a snack bar in her pocket for just this eventuality, and they split it. Connie's attempt to use her cell phone gives Steven the idea of using his PsychicPowers to call for backup from Earth, so he goes to sleep as Connie watches over him. However, when Steven manages to reach Earth in the mental space, he finds to his frustration that he's stuck in the body of a Watermelon Steven, instead of just contacting Bismuth directly as he'd planned. As he tries to reach Beach City, he has to navigate a civil war between two factions of Watermelon Stevens, and his determination to build a raft and sail away ''accidentally'' ends the conflict as he departs. After his raft is sunk by a storm and a watermelon shark, he's found by Lion, who recognizes him and takes him to where Bismuth and Greg are working on rebuilding his house. Steven finally manages to communicate the need for backup by writing it in the sand before his watermelon body expires. Waking up back on Homeworld, Steven finds Connie has fallen asleep, and admits that the only option left for now is to wait.

** The tower that Stevonnie gets locked in is very reminiscent in appearance to that of [[Disney/{{Tangled}} Rapunzel's]].

** Steven using the ocean currents to navigate his way back to Beach City also brings back memories of [[Disney/{{Moana}} Moana learning to way-find]].

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: Stevonnie concludes they can't escape through the tower's window because it's too small (only about a foot wide). But they could've just unfuse and theoretically make their components small enough to fit through.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: Stevonnie concludes they can't escape through the tower's window because it's too small (only about a foot wide). But Steven shapeshifted enough that they could theoretically make themselves small enough to fit through.

** Stevonnie's failed escape attempt is very similar to Pazu's attempt to escape his military capture in Anime/CastleInTheSky.

** Steven using the ocean currents to navigate his way back to Beach City also brings back memories of [[Disney/{{Moana}} Moana learning to way-find]].ss

* NoDialogueEpisode: There is no intelligible dialogue outside of the opening and closing scenes with Steve and Connie.

* RuleOfSymbolism: As the Mask Island split in half from the Cluster's near emergence, the society of Watermelon Stevens has split in two from those who follow Baby Melon's example and those rallied by Steven to help fight Malachite.

Steven uses his psychic powers to find help.

* AnArmAndALeg: Steven in his melon body loses his leg to the watermelon shark and his arm falls off after swimming for hours.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: In the middle of his ItsAllMyFault moment, Steven says the Crystal Gems are poofed, he and Connie are locked up, and his dad will be disappointed to have his fourteen-year old son in jail.

* BrickJoke: A cross-media one: A few days before the episode aired, one of the storyboard artists posted [[http://joethejohnston.tumblr.com/post/181800888683/tonights-episode-is-storyboarded-by-me-and-the an alternate promo]] homaging the mobile game ''VideoGame/MonumentValley''. During the episode, Connie remembers her cell phone, which makes Steven realize he could go to Bismuth for help. The next day, [[http://joethejohnston.tumblr.com/post/181845134778/heres-the-full-promo a "full" version of the promo]] posted, showing the previous one as a game Connie played on her phone while waiting for Steven to wake up.
* CallBack:

** Steven decides to stop bothering with pictures and just writes out a help message in words, the same thing Connie did while trying to talk to Onion in "Bubble Buddies".
* ChekhovsBoomerang: Steven's ability to possess Watermelon Stevens returns and once more comes in useful. So does his connection to Lion, who finds him in the ocean and recognizes him.

* ContinuityNod: Bismuth is helping repair the house, as she said she would do in "Reunited".

* GondorCallsForAid: Steven astral projects to Earth to get help from his family -- Lion, Greg, and Bismuth.

* ImmediateSequel: Takes place immediately after "Together Alone".

* JustIgnoreIt: Since time is of the essence, Steven has no interest in getting involved with the politics of the Watermelon Stevens, both groups essentially trying to indoctrinate him and being a general nuisance to him as he tries to get off the island.

** Seen on a branch is a watermelon bird. It tries to fly, but [[BlackComedyBurst it can't.]]

* SequelEpisode: Although more of a background for Steven's quest to get help, we see how the Watermelon Stevens have fared since Malachite's defeat and the earthquake in "Super Watermelon Island".
* ShoutOut:

** Steven using the ocean currents to navigate his way back to Beach City also brings back memories of [[Disney/{{Moana}} Moana learning to way-find]].

* WanderlustSong: During the silent montage of Steven contacting Lion, Greg, and Bismuth, we hear "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFwR1kLlgpk Escapism]]", in which the singer laments being in an awful place they long to break free from.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Bismuth being the only Crystal Gem to not go to Homeworld becomes important to the plot in this episode. Because she is the only Crystal Gem that has not been poofed, Steven manages to uses his powers to send a message to her on Earth, telling her, Greg, and Lion that they are in trouble and need help.

* FreeRangePets: It was said in previous episodes that Lion did is own thing when Steven didn't need him, but this episode takes it even further. Lion finds Steven in the Watermelon Steven's body while he is walking on water in the middle of the ocean.

* AthensAndSparta: The Watermelon Society seems to have developed a schism based on their differing interpretations of their creator (Steven): those who take on a pacifistic, passively-resistant philosophy (characterized by a yellow star painted on their chest) and a more militant group keeping spears (wearing eye black under their eyes).

* AthensAndSparta: The Watermelon Society seems to have developed a schism based on their differing interpretations of their creator (Steven); those who take on a pacifistic, passively-resistant philosophy (characterized by a yellow star painted on their chest) and a more militant group keeping spears (wearing glare-makeup under their eyes).

* WackyWaysideTribe: In the process of Steven looking for help on Homeworld, we revisit the Watermelon Steven's on Mask Island.

* DiegeticSwitch: Greg plays the intro to "Escapism" on his guitar. When he sees (watermelon) Steven, he stops playing, the music continues over the muted dialogue, then the vocals kick in.