History WhatCouldHaveBeen / StevenUniverse

* The idea of Lars [[spoiler:coming BackFromTheDead with pink skin]] came very early in the show's writing, with plans for it to happen as early as halfway into the first season (as part of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E24AnIndirectKiss "An Indirect Kiss"]], which would have been foreshadowed by Steven selling pink lemonade). As is, they decided to hold off until the beginning of the fifth season for it to be dramatically appropriate.%%Podcast: Battle of Heart & Mind
* Instead of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E49JailBreak "Jail Break"]] revealing that Garnet was a Fusion, an idea was considered to have Steven finding out when he saw Ruby and Sapphire unfusing in order to go into their separate rooms in the temple, as Garnet wouldn't have her own. It was even planned to show this as early as [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E4TogetherBreakfast "Together Breakfast"]].%%Podcast: Vol.2/Ep.10
* Yet another idea pushed back by ''years'' was [[spoiler:Steven being separated from his gemstone]] in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E28ChangeYourMind "Change Your Mind"]]. At first it was planned as part of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E12GiantWoman "Giant Woman"]] (then meant to be episode ''ten'') [[https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/steven-universe-future-finale-rebecca-sugar.html as a result of Steven's first attempt at fusion]].%%Podcast: Battle of Heart & Mind
* Steven enters Pearl's was another season one episode that got pushed back all the way to season five.%%https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/steven-universe-future-finale-rebecca-sugar.html

* [[http://rebeccasugar.tumblr.com/post/145334824303 During the concept stage]] of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E5HitTheDiamond "Hit the Diamond"]], it was planned for Steven [[TheNicknamer to come up with nicknames]] for the [[PlanetOfSteves Ruby Squad]]. Though the nicknames were still used by the crew and in the credits, they weren't used in-series until [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E23BackToTheMoon "Back to the Moon"]]. The concept art also shows that Leggy and Eyeball's gems were originally on the other side of their bodies, something that stuck with Leggy during the storyboards, but was changed in the final episode.

* The idea for [[spoiler:Ruby and Sapphire getting married]] was one that the crew had had for a long time before becoming a reality in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E21TheQuestion "The Question"]]. To the point where the scene from [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E14ThatWillBeAll "That Will Be All"]] where they lock hands when they become Garnet was originally to show [[spoiler:their wedding rings on Garnet's fingers]]. One idea was that Garnet would [[spoiler:marry ''herself'']], and the episode was called "If You Love Yourself So Much". %%SDCC 2018 panel; Podcast Volume 3, Episode 5

* Yet another idea pushed back by ''years'' was [[spoiler:Steven being separated from his gemstone]] in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E28ChangeYourMind "Change Your Mind"]]. At first it was planned as part of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E12GiantWoman "Giant Woman"]], then meant to be episode ''ten''.%%Podcast: Battle of Heart & Mind

* The Off Colors original had two more members, a pair of [[SuperSoldier Quartzes]] who went AWOL for refusing to fight. They were dropped because the group was already pretty sizable, and didn't quite fit the theme of the rest of the group (who were rejected by Homeworld for the way they were, rather than acts they chose to do). %%Podcast: Steven Selects 8

* A special theatrical Sing-A-Long edition was [[http://www.fathomevents.com/events/steven-universe planned by Fathom Events]], complete with an exclusive premiere of the episode "[[Recap/StevenUniverseFutureS1E17HomeworldBound Homeworld Bound]]" (which featured Spinel), only for the event to be cancelled in response to the Coronavirus pandemic.

* Spinel's character design started with just the idea of incorporating [[HeartSymbol hearts]] somehow--the first drawing was "just a heart with a face"--from which the artists came up with an ''enormous'' variety of designs. One was very short, cartoony design with heart-shaped hair and parachute pants forming a heart. Another that was more similar to Pink's, with visible, glossed lips and jester-inspired eyelashes. One looked like a combination of Minnie Mouse and Shadow the Hedgehog.%%artbook

* Spinel's character design was ''very'' different, with her having heart-shaped hair and parachute pants forming a heart, and her gemstone being in a different place in the earliest design. Her face was also a lot more similar to Pink's, with visible, glossed lips and jester-inspired eyelashes.%%DVD documentary

* Creator/DeedeeMagnoHall (Pearl) also auditioned to voice Sadie. %%Podcast Volume 2, Episode 4

* Deedee Magno-Hall (Pearl) also auditioned to voice Sadie. %%Podcast Volume 2, Episode 4

* Charlyne Yi (Ruby) also auditioned for Stevonnie. %%SDCC 2018 panel

* Erica Luttrell (Sapphire) also auditioned to be Garnet. This played into her being cast as Sapphire, as Rebecca wanted to work with her.

* "Gem Harvest" was first planned as an episode called "Greg's Brother" which would come a season earlier, at the end of the Barn Arc. Judging from the title, Andy was Greg's brother, not his cousin. %%https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqppLTqRQcQ, visible in background

* The character designer for Nephrite's uncorrupted form [[https://twitter.com/egomatter/status/1211846031429771264 thought of giving her sharp teeth]], but hated how much it made her look like [[WesternAnimation/MonsterInc Mike Wazowski]].

* The character designer for Nephrite's uncorrupted form https://twitter.com/egomatter/status/1211846031429771264 thought of giving her sharp teeth]], but hated how much it made her look like [[WesternAnimation/MonsterInc Mike Wazowski]].

* In early storyboards for "True Kinda Love", the Crystal Gems attacked Spinel aggressively. Co-director Joe Johnston thought they came off as too mean, so it was redone with them countering Spinel's attacks instead. %%DVD documentary

* Spinel's character design was ''very'' different, with her having heart-shaped hair and parachute pants forming a heart, and her gemstone being in a different place in the earliest design. Her face was also a lot more similar to Pink's, with visible, glossed lips and jester-inspired eyelashes.
* During early drafts, the looming threat of the movie was that Spinel would (almost) regain her memories at multiple points, and Steven would hit her with the Rejuvenator each time to keep her violent self from hurting people. They decided they needed to raise the stakes higher, and so introduced the Injector and the idea that Steven was trying to ''restore'' her memory.

* Originally, Spinel was supposed to regain her memories at multiple points during the movie, and Steven would hit her with the Rejuvenator each time to keep her violent self from hurting people; it got scrapped because the concept was incredibly OutOfCharacter for Steven.

* The scene of Steven and the amnesiac Amethyst in Vidalia's garage [[https://twitter.com/amishkumar/status/1169773096242278400 was storyboarded]] to be longer. Amethyst would shapeshift into more objects, Vidalia herself showed up, and Steven explains to her why Amethyst was that way.
* Steven and Greg fusing to form Steg [[https://tv.avclub.com/rebecca-sugar-on-happy-endings-and-the-steven-universe-1837947668 was another thing]] they'd been thinking of since developing the first season, with one early idea being that it was for a BattleOfTheBands. Steg was also originally going to be called Mr. Multi-verse and the battle of the bands episode would have featured [[https://www.tvguide.com/news/steven-universe-movie-spoilers-rebecca-sugar-interview/ Marty]] in some fashion.
* Spinel's character design was ''very'' different, with her having heart-shaped hair and parachute pants forming a heart, and her gemstone being in a different place in the earliest design. Her face was also a lot more "lady-like" with visible, glossed lips and jester-inspired eyelashes.
* Originally, Steven was supposed to hit Spinel with the Rejuvenator every time she was about to regain her memories to keep her violent self from hurting people. This was scrapped because it was incredibly OutOfCharacter for Steven.

* Originally, Steven was supposed to hit Spinel with the Rejuvenator every time she was about to regain her memories to keep her violent self from hurting people. This was scrapped because it was incredibly OutOfCharacter for Steven and could potentially make him UnintentionallyUnsympathetic.

* Spinel's character design was ''very'' different, with her having heart-shaped hair and parachute pants forming a heart, and her gem not being on it's original place in the earliest design. Her face was also a lot more "lady-like" with visible, glossed lips and jester-inspired eyelashes.
* Originally, Steven was supposed to hit Spinel with the Rejuvenator everytime she was about to reform back into her evil self, this was changed because it was really out-of-character for Steven and could potentially made him look UnintentionallyUnsympathetic.

* [[https://www.instagram.com/p/B3-GRBtnhtW/ The earliest concepts]] for Steg had a very pointy [[DelinquentHair mohawk]] and a tied up ponytail with spikes on the end, a strong contrast to the enormous, flowing hair from the final design.

* Steven and Greg fusing to form Steg [[https://tv.avclub.com/rebecca-sugar-on-happy-endings-and-the-steven-universe-1837947668 was another thing]] they'd been thinking of since developing the first season, with one early idea being that it was for a BattleOfTheBands.