History WhatCouldHaveBeen / StevenUniverse

* The crew wanted to do an episode focused around Rhodonite's past, but it had to be scrapped, partly because it was too detached from Steven's character arc, partly because the amount of ideas could've made for a complete miniseries on its own. %%https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/steven-universe-future-finale-rebecca-sugar.html https://io9.gizmodo.com/steven-universes-rebecca-sugar-lifts-the-lid-on-an-epis-1845334831

* The Barn Arc was originally planned to end with an episode called "Greg's Brother". Judging from the title, it was an earlier version of "Gem Harvest" (which came a season later) where Andy was Greg's brother, not his cousin. %%https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqppLTqRQcQ, visible in background

* Matthew Moy (Lars) also auditioned to play Steven. This possibly inspired the plot of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E10TheNewLars "The New Lars"]], where Steven possesses Lars's body (and thus [[VoicesAreNotMental speaks with his voice]]).%%Podcast: Volume 3, Episode 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 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

* The first episode storyboarded [[UnfinishedEpisode was shelved before going any further]], [[UpToEleven or even getting a formal title]] — the crew simply called it "the shield episode". It was about Steven trying to summon his Gem weapon, eventually doing so to save himself and his father from being hit by a car. The Gems [[HumanDisguise disguised themselves as humans]] to go out in public and Rose appeared in Steven's dream, both concepts rejected for the series proper. There was [[CutSong a song called "The Meatball Sub Song"]] and Pearl drove an old car. [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E1GemGlow "Gem Glow"]], the actual series premiere, reused the basic plot of Steven trying to use his Gem weapon, while Pearl driving around town in an old car was used for [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E6LastOneOutOfBeachCity "Last One Out of Beach City"]], three whole seasons later.

* [[http://stevencrewniverse.tumblr.com/post/148478710772/rebeccasugar-2015-secret-crew-holiday-card Early ideas]] for Bismuth's design included multi-colored bands around her face and arms/wrists, plus eyes with black sclera. The former were replaced by her MulticoloredHair, while the latter were specifically judged as too [[ObviouslyEvil overtly menacing]] for someone whose bad side is meant to be a surprise. %%Podcast Volume 2, Episode 7

* The pilot had [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness numerous differences from the final show]]: The artstyle was more realistic and closer to Rebecca Sugar's earlier comics, everyone seemed to have different chemistry with each other (for instance, Amethyst and Pearl seemed to get along better, Pearl teased Steven, and Steven both knew and reciprocated Lars's dislike for him), the Temple was called the "Crystal Palace" and looked incredibly different, the Big Donut was right across the street, and Garnet's gauntlets were golden and showcased her gems in the center of them.

* The pilot had [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness numerous differences from the final show]]: The artstyle was more realistic, everyone seemed to have different chemistry with each other (for instance, Amethyst and Pearl seemed to get along better, Pearl teased Steven, and Steven both knew and reciprocated Lars's dislike for him), the Temple was called the "Crystal Palace" and looked incredibly different, the Big Donut was right across the street, and Garnet's gauntlets were golden and showcased her gems in the center of them.

* Lion was originally going to look weirder, with his appearance inspired by Chinese guardian lion statues.%%artbook

* The titular song of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E28ChangeYourMind "Change Your Mind"]] wasn't even written for the show at all. It was something Rebecca Sugar [[CopeByCreating wrote for herself when she was frustrated]] over the network's resistance to the aforementioned [[spoiler:wedding]]. %%Podcast: Battle of Heart & Mind

* In the early storyboard for [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E4MindfulEducation "Mindful Education"]], the injuries Connie accidentally inflicted on her classmate were far more severe: instead of Jeff ending up with one arm in a sling, [[https://twitter.com/howhowhoward/status/827625074312089600 he was wheelchair-bound with an arm and leg each in a cast]].

* The crew wanted to do an episode focused around Rhodonite's past, but it had to be scrapped, partly because it was too detached from Steven's character arc, partly because the amount of ideas they could've made for a complete miniseries on its own. %%https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/steven-universe-future-finale-rebecca-sugar.html https://io9.gizmodo.com/steven-universes-rebecca-sugar-lifts-the-lid-on-an-epis-1845334831

* Creator/CristinaVee auditioned for Spinel %%https://twitter.com/CristinaVee/status/1196523327243743232

* 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 a very short, cartoony design with heart-shaped hair and parachute pants forming a heart. Another 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

* The crew wanted to do episodes focused around Rhodonite and Nephrite, but the plans were scrapped because they couldn't figure out how to make them fit within Steven's story.

* According to ''End of an Era'', White Diamond would've channeled every Gem out there to help calm Steven down.

%%* Creator/CristinaVee auditioned for Spinel %%https://twitter.com/CristinaVee/status/1196523327243743232

* Creator/CristinaVee auditioned for Spinel %%https://twitter.com/CristinaVee/status/1196523327243743232

* Matthew Moy (Lars) also auditioned to play Steven. This possibly inspired the plot of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E10TheNewLars "The New Lars"]], where Steven possesses Lars's body (and thus [[VoicesAreNotMental speaks with his voice]]).%%Podcast: Volume 3, Episode 8
* Deedee Magno-Hall (Pearl) also auditioned to voice Sadie. %%Podcast Volume 2, Episode 4
* Shelby Rabara (Peridot) auditioned for all four of the main characters as well as Stevonnie, getting closest to being cast as Garnet.%%Podcast
* Jennifer Paz (Lapis Lazuli) auditioned to be Amethyst. [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E15TheNewCrystalGems "The New Crystal Gems"]] pokes fun at both this and the above by having Peridot and Lapis impersonate Garnet and Amethyst.
* Erica Luttrell (Sapphire) also auditioned to be Garnet. [[CastTheRunnerUp This played into her being cast as Sapphire]], as Rebecca wanted to work with her.
* Creator/CharlyneYi (Ruby) also auditioned for Stevonnie. %%SDCC 2018 panel
* Estelle (Garnet) also auditioned for Amethyst. %%Podcast Volume 3, Episode 10

* Dogcopter's partner in the opening of "Growing Pains" [[https://twitter.com/KingOfSafari/status/1253117893887156225 was originally storyboarded as]] [[CreatorCameo a caricature of one of the episode's storyboard artists]] before being changed to a dog (wearing a collar with said artist's name).

* 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 COVID-19 pandemic.

* [[https://twitter.com/cocoshonen/status/1281258351687434240 Mega Pearl's early design]] was originally meant to resemble that of Franchise/SailorMoon's.

* [[https://twitter.com/cocoshonen/status/1281258351687434240 Mega Pearl's early design]] was originally meant to resemble that of ''Franchise/SailorMoon'''s.

* The first episode storyboarded [[UnfinishedEpisode was shelved before going any further]], [[UpToEleven or even getting a formal title]] — the crew simply called it "the shield episode". It was about Steven trying to summon his Gem weapon, eventually doing so to save himself and his father from being hit by a car. The Gems [[HumanDisguise disguised themselves as humans]] to go out in public and Rose appeared in Steven's dream, both concepts rejected for the series proper. There was [[CutSong a song called "The Meatball Sub Song"]] and Pearl drove an old car. [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E1GemGlow "Gem Glow"]], the actual series premiere, reused the basic plot of Steven trying to use his Gem weapon, while Pearl driving around town in an old car was used for [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E6LastOneOutOfBeachCity "Last One Out of Beach City"]], three whole seasons later.

* The Off Colors original had two more members, a pair of [[SuperSoldier Quartzes]] named Flint and Chert 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). Flint and Chert [[RefittedForSequel would later appear]] briefly in ''Future''. %%Podcast: Steven Selects 8

* The pilot had [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness numerous differences from the final show]]: The artstyle was more realistic, everyone seemed to have different chemistry with each other (for instance, Amethyst and Pearl seemed to get along better, Pearl teased Steven, and Steven both knew and reciprocated Lars' dislike for him), the Temple was called the "Crystal Palace" and looked incredibly different, the Big Donut was right across the street, and Garnet's gauntlets were golden and showcased her gems in the center of them.

* Matthew Moy (Lars) also auditioned to play Steven. This possibly inspired the plot of [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E10TheNewLars "The New Lars"]], where Steven possesses Lars' body (and thus [[VoicesAreNotMental speaks with his voice]]).%%Podcast: Volume 3, Episode 8

* At one point, [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E3OffColors "Off Colors"]] would've ended on a cliffhanger with [[spoiler:Lars' death, with his resurrection being in the next episode. It was decided to end the episode with him being brought back to life, as ending the episode on his death would've been too depressing and grim]]. %%Podcast: Steven Selects 8