History Recap / StevenUniverseS5E5DeweyWins

* StepfordSmiler: It's implied that at least some of Steven's DissonantSerenity is him trying to avoid thinking too hard about what happened on Homeworld and put on a brave face.:

* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: A list of things Dewey mentions taking blame for includes termites eating the boardwalk, alien abductions, and [[NoodleIncident crashing his]] [[{{Thememobile}} Mayormobile]] into the town's only cellular tower ([[NeverMyFault which really does sound like his fault]]).

* StepfordSmiler: It's implied that at least some of Steven's DissonantSerenity is him trying to avoid thinking too hard about what happened on Homeworld and put on a brave face.
* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** Given that this is the immediate aftermath of Steven coming back after turning himself in, it's no surprise that his guardians are extra protective of him.
** Steven thinks his HeroicSacrifice should be seen as brave, but Connie tries to explain to him that him giving up and sacrificing himself was basically saying that he didn't believe they could beat Aquamarine and Topaz. She also points out that the sacrifice caused Steven's loved ones, ''especially'' his father and the Gems, to go through tons of emotional pain because they all thought he was dead. When Steven doesn't realize this, she and Lion leave in frustration.
** After Sadie learns about Lars' DisneyDeath and the fact that he's still on Homeworld (albeit with some nice gems who are also hiding from the Diamonds), she pretty much freaks out and breaks down in tears. Lars might have been brought BackFromTheDead, but her co-worker, friend, and possible crush still ''died''. Lars' parents also aren't happy with what happened to their son.
** Dewey's HeadInTheSandManagement finally catches up with him after the alien abductions, as it caused most of the town to scapegoat him since he was their leader and he didn't really do anything about it.
** Steven may be a loving, magnetic person, but he has zero experience when it comes to mayoral elections.
** Dewey, having run unopposed his entire life, has ''no'' idea what to do when someone is actually running against him.
** Connie is not instantly ready to forgive Steven the moment he finally recognizes what's wrong.

Steven helps Mayor Dewey run a difficult campaign.

* OffModel: The pattern on the hilt of Rose's sword is drawn as a simple, thick stripe instead of a thin stripe with a thorn pattern.

* AdultFear:
** After Steven goes outside to walk Connie home, Greg and the Gems watch closely from the door and window with worried expressions.
--->'''Steven:''' They're never gonna let me out of their sight again.
** Lars' parents have to deal with the fact that their only child is both stranded on a distant planet and [[CameBackStrong is now an undead being fused with Gem magic]].

* RealityEnsues:

* RightForTheWrongReasons: The people of Beach City finally take issue with Mayor Dewey's inaction toward potential crises, but the motivator (Aquamarine and Topaz's series of kidnappings) was something [[TheScapegoat he could not have expected or done anything about]].
* TheScapegoat: People assume Dewey could have done something about the {{Alien Abduction}}s, even though the acts were committed by nigh-unstoppable, superpowered aliens and ended before it became public knowledge. That said, Dewey ''[[RightForTheWrongReasons does]]'' have a history of HeadInTheSandManagement, and even he seems to recognize it. Notably, Nanefua focusing more on what's best for the town and not just blaming him is what convinces him to step down.
* ShoutOut: The episode having the title it does despite Dewey ultimately not keeping his job calls to mind [[http://blog.archive.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dewey.jpg this infamous newspaper headline]].
* SmashToBlack: The episodes abruptly ends without an IrisOut on Steven trying to call Connie.
* StepfordSmiler: It's implied that at least some of Steven's DissonantSerenity is him trying to avoid thinking too hard about what happened on Homeworld and put on a brave face.

** Connie's anger at Steven for his HeroicSacrifice is understandable, given it implied he didn't trust her and that they could've thought of something together. Steven was in a stressful position where his loved ones (including Connie, his LivingEmotionalCrutch) were about to be taken away, with no way to get them back; of course he would try and save them the best way he saw.

* DidntThinkThisThrough: Connie calls Steven out for giving up so easily instead of trying to come up with a better plan, and it's made clear that he didn't think of how his loved ones would be hurt by his HeroicSacrifice.

* IronicEcho: When telling Steven she's disappointed that he gave up so quickly, Connie says "I believed in us! We could have done it together!". At the end of the episode, Steven says the same thing to Bill after he drops out of the election. The irony is not lost on Steven.

* WhatTheHellHero: Connie morosely tells Steven her dim view of his HeroicSacrifice--that by putting everything on himself, [[CondescendingCompassion he abandoned the idea of them being equals]], and sacrificing himself proved that he didn't trust anyone or believe they could win as a team.

* UngratefulBastard: Steven believes Connie is this at first after she doesn't approve of him surrendering to Homeworld. It is only until the end of the episode that he realizes what he put her through.

* RabbleRouser: This episode provides a {{Deconstruction}} of the concept. While Dewey's HeadInTheSandManagement is a genuine issue, he goes with it mostly to avoid inciting panic. Nanefua is often the one to escalate problems and is typically the first one to point fingers at Dewey, leading to exactly the kind of problems he's trying to prevent. The trouble with her approach is that it often turns Dewey into TheScapegoat over things that he ''can't'' control and just makes things worse instead of prompting a solution.

* CutawayGag: When Steven promises to help Dewey practice all night for the debate, it immediately cuts to daytime, showing Steven and Dewey with bloodshot and baggy eyes from lack of sleep.

* GilliganCut: When Steven promises to help Dewey practice all night for the debate, it immediately cuts to daytime, showing Steven and Dewey with bloodshot and baggy eyes from lack of sleep.

* ShoutOut:
** Steven and Dewey showing up red-eyed to the debate recalls Joel Hodgson constructing the original robots for ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' during an all-nighter right before the pilot was filmed.
** The episode having the title it does despite Dewey ultimately not keeping his job calls to mind [[http://blog.archive.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/dewey.jpg this infamous newspaper headline]].

* AdultFear:

-->'''Connie:''' [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E18CrackTheWhip But what about our training?]] [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E37AloneTogether Stevonnie?]] [[Recap/StevenUniverseS2E9SwornToTheSword Jam Buds?]] I believed in ''us!'' We could've done it ''together!''

* LowCountGag: A video of Dewey getting pelted by a tomato is put online and only gets a dozen views, not that Dewey is consoled ("That's half the town!")

* InstantWebHit: A video of Dewey getting pelted by a tomato is put online [[SubvertedTrope and only gets a dozen views]], not that Dewey is consoled ("That's half the town!")

* ProducePelting: Lars's mother throws a tomato in Dewey's face after his response to Lars being lost in space is to promise to hire someone else for the Big Donut. She's ready with another during the debate, but never gets to throw it.

** Ability to handle a [[TheChainsOfCommanding stressful position of leadership]] is Dewey's primary argument for reelection, but he says this with bloodshot eyes, ExhaustedEyeBags, and sweating profusely (both because of the stress of facing electoral competition and staying up all night to practice his speech).

-->'''Dewey:''' Most people can't handle that kind of pressure. ''(Dewey's eyes go out of focus)'' But I can!

-->'''Steven:''' They're never gonna let me out of their sight again.

* TakeOurWordForIt: We never see Steven telling Lars' parents about [[BackFromTheDead what happened to their son on Homeworld]], but given their tearful reactions when they're at Dewey's speech and at the debate, and Mrs. Barriga throwing a tomato at Dewey, they most likely reacted as one would expect.

* RabbleRouser: This episode provides a {{Deconstruction}} of the concept. While Dewey's HeadInTheSandManagement is a genuine issue he goes with it mostly to avoid inciting panic. Nanefua is often the one to escalte problems and is typically the first one to point fingers at Dewey, leading to exactly the kind of problems he's trying to prevent. The trouble with her approach is that it often turns Dewey into TheScapegoat over things that he ''can't'' control and just makes things worse instead of prompting a solution.