Line #31 Recap/StevenUniverseS2E4SayUncle


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/b88ce9afbdb11a7eb896b2fc03b912f1.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[{{Crossover}} Worlds collide.]]]]
3
4	'''Original airdate:''' April 2nd, 2015[[note]][[AprilFoolsDay Man, just one day off...]][[/note]]
5
6	'''Production code:''' 1031-056
7
8	----
9
10	->''"Don't worry, bro, none of this is canon. But THIS [[VisualPun [=[cannon]=]]] is!"''
11	-->-- '''Uncle Grandpa'''
12
13	In this unusually [[DenserAndWackier silly]] episode, WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa comes to town to aid Steven in unlocking the power of his mother's gem. Unfortunately, the Crystal Gems don't take kindly to this RealityWarper whose idea of "help" appears to be aiming all manner of guns at the boy, and decide he must be stopped. HilarityEnsues.
14	----
15	!!Tropes:
16	* AbnormalAmmo: Uncle Grandpa has a BeeBeeGun, a bow that fires snakes, and a [[VisualPun literal]] [[HeadCanon head cannon]].
17	* AddedAlliterativeAppeal: The [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Doom-tastic]] Death Ray of Dastardly Destruction.
18	* AlternateUniverse: Uncle Grandpa's world, which Steven briefly visits, compared to Steven's own.
19	* AnAesop: You shouldn't just attack people you don't understand. Although considering how deliberately exaggerated the characters are in order for said conflict to arise, it's more directed at [[TakeThatAudience the non-fans of]] ''[[TakeThatAudience Uncle Grandpa]]'' who [[ComplainingAboutShowsYouDontWatch needlessly harp on it]]. It's also a parody of the typical ''Steven Universe'' episode Aesop.
20	* AprilFoolsDay: The excuse Uncle Grandpa gives for the CanonDiscontinuity of the episode, since it originally aired on April 2.
21	* ArtShift:
22	** Steven ends up shown in the style of Uncle Grandpa's animation when they escape through the PlotHole.
23	** Tiger appears next to Lion near the end of the episode, really highlighting the difference between the art styles.
24	* AscendedMeme: Mr. Gus calls his OriginalCharacter a "Gemsona", which is the fandom term for any OC Gems.
25	* AsideGlance: Uncle Grandpa talks to Steven and suddenly faces the audience as he declares CanonDiscontinuity:
26	-->'''Uncle Grandpa:''' Don't worry, bro, none of this is canon.
27	* AudienceSurrogate: The older gems (until the end) represent Uncle Grandpa's haters.
28	* BaitAndSwitch: In the beginning of the episode, it looks like Steven's late mother Rose Quartz is going to appear to him with much fanfare. But it turns out to be Uncle Grandpa dressed as her.
29	* BeeBeeGun: Uncle Grandpa has a quad-barrel bazooka which fires giant wasps, which he uses on Steven twice.
30	* BigBallOfViolence: The Crystal Gems eventually catch up to Uncle Granpda, and kick up a cloud of sand/dust giving him quite a beating.
31	* BlackComedy:
32	** After assuring the audience that none of this is canon, Uncle Grandpa [[VisualPun sinks Lars and Sadie's ship with a (head) cannon]].
33	** Amethyst ''[[BlackComedyCannibalism eats]]'' Pizza Steve after he dresses up like Steven, then pulls his sunglasses out of her mouth, puts them on, and stands there giving a thumbs-up. She later says that she hopes Steven didn't care about him.
34	* {{Bowdlerise}}: Versions shown on Cartoon Network's Arabia channel cuts the part where Uncle Grandpa is dressed as Rose Quartz.
35	* BreakingTheFourthWall:
36	** Uncle Granpda directly tells the audience "None of this is canon".
37	** Uncle Grandpa remembers Steven trying to activate his shield in the first episode, "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E1GemGlow Gem Glow]]"... because he was watching from a CommercialPopUp for his own show. Steven [[AudienceWhatAudience doesn't remember this at all]].
38	** At one point Garnet says that she's ready for this episode to end, then literally breaks the fourth wall by stomping on the ground, breaking the plot hole they were trapped in.
39	** At the episode's end, we see Uncle Grandpa's list of people to visit. Apparently, he's visited [[WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory Dexter, Dee Dee,]] [[Franchise/ThePowerpuffGirls Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup,]] [[WesternAnimation/EdEddNEddy Ed, Edd, Eddy,]] [[WesternAnimation/TheGrimAdventuresOfBillyAndMandy Billy, Mandy,]] [[WesternAnimation/FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends Mac,]] [[WesternAnimation/TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee Juniper,]] the WesternAnimation/SWATKats, [[WesternAnimation/TheMarvelousMisadventuresOfFlapjack Flapjack,]] [[WesternAnimation/AdventureTime Finn,]] and, of course, Steven. He plans to visit WesternAnimation/{{Clarence}} next.
40	* BroadStrokes: The episode isn't canon, but Steven ''did'' become more proficient in summoning his shield at will in subsequent episodes, so ''something'' happened...
41	* BrokenAesop: The moral that you can't attack someone just because you don't understand them might carry just a little more weight if the Gems hadn't walked in on [[NotHelpingYourCase Uncle Grandpa firing snakes, bees, and a giant death ray at Steven]]. Although considering just how jokey this episode is, [[MST3KMantra the moral probably wasn't the main concern anyway]].
42	* TheBurlesqueOfVenus: Uncle Grandpa appears dressed like [[Characters/StevenUniverseRoseQuartz Rose Quartz]] in a giant, pink clam, surrounded by seagulls and dolphins added for fan-fare.
43	* CallBack: Uncle Grandpa watches a scene from "Gem Glow"... [[BreakingTheFourthWall from an advertisement for his show.]]
44	* CallingYourAttacks: Steven tries to do this when summoning his shield, but ends up summoning his bubble instead.
45	* CanonDiscontinuity: When Steven exclaims that he [[NotHyperbole literally can't believe]] that Uncle Grandpa is here, UG says that none of this is canon, [[VisualPun then pulls out a cannon]] and fires his head away, with the contrail saying AprilFoolsDay.
46	* {{Foreshadowing}}: Despite the episode being [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]], it still manages to predict several future plot beats:
47	** Steven gets much better at summoning his shield after this.
48	** [[spoiler:The visual gag cannon is used to [[Recap/StevenUniverseFutureS1E9LittleGraduation sink Lars and Sadie's ship]] -- they eventually [[ShipSinking break up]] altogether.]]
49	** [[spoiler:After examining Steven's gem, Uncle Grandpa advises him to have his gem cleaned regularly, [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E18ASinglePaleRose which is good advice for a diamond!]]]]
50	** [[spoiler:Uncle Grandpa hears a strange sound from Steven's gem, [[Recap/StevenUniverseFutureS1E14GrowingPains which later turns out to not be a good thing]].]]
51	* CaptainErsatz: Keep Beach City Weird gives us [[http://keepbeachcityweird.tumblr.com/post/115346333966/why-is-nobody-talking-about-the-crying-breakfast Inter-dimensional Family Friend]], which apparently crossed over with ''[[ShowWithinAShow Crying Breakfast Friends]]'' in the show's universe.
52	* ContinuityNod: The BeeBeeGun fires the wasps from Steven's ImagineSpot in "Future Vision".
53	* CharacterTitle: The "uncle" of Uncle Grandpa.
54	* ChaseScene: The Crystal Gems chase Uncle Grandpa (who Steven follows) that goes through an entire white space segment.
55	* ComicallyMissingThePoint: Steven expresses reservations about the safety of Uncle Grandpa aiming a rocket launcher at him. Uncle Grandpa has a less than reassuring response:
56	-->'''Uncle Grandpa:''' Don't worry, kid, I'm wearing a helmet.
57	* {{Crossover}}: With ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa''.
58	** An InUniverse one occurred between Crying Breakfast Friends and Inter-dimensional Family-Friend (who even resembles Uncle Grandpa). Ronaldo gives a review of the crossover on his [[http://keepbeachcityweird.tumblr.com/post/115346333966/why-is-nobody-talking-about-the-crying-breakfast blog]].
59	* CrossoverCouple: Lion and Giant Realistic Flying Tiger.
60	* CrossoverPunchline: The episode ends with Uncle Grandpa reading a piece of paper listing characters from many other Cartoon Network shows.
61	* DefenceMechanismSuperpower: Outside of the crossover, this episode is about Steven's continual inability to use Rose Quartz's shield at will, only being able to use it when he is in danger. Uncle Grandpa tries putting him in various dangerous situations to try to trigger his powers, to no avail. By the end of the episode, the shield comes out to defend Uncle Grandpa [[{{Irony}} from the Crystal Gems]].
62	* DenserAndWackier: The comedy is a lot more cartoony and reality-breaking than the usual ''Steven Universe'' episodes.
63	* EarAche: The Crystal Gems' beating of Uncle Grandpa results in his ear plopping off as Steven keeps them from doing more.
64	* EarlyBirdCameo: During "gemsona week" on Tumblr (which happened before this episode aired), Mr. Gus used [[http://mister-gus.tumblr.com/post/115312507488/so-after-all-this-time-i-never-finished-my his own blog]] to show his gemsona.
65	* EccentricMentor: Uncle Grandpa uses odd methods to help Steven with his powers.
66	* FakeCrossover: Because of the [[WeirdCrossover significantly stylistic differences]], it's not canon for ''Steven Universe'' and, given Pizza Steve is dead by the episode's end, probably not for ''Uncle Grandpa'' either (as much as anything is canon; Pizza Steve had also been eaten at one point on his own show). Heck, it's even lampshaded:
67	-->'''Uncle Grandpa:''' Don't worry, bro, none of this is canon.
68	* {{Flanderization}}: PlayedForLaughs.
69	** Pearl goes from uptight and authoritative to a complete nervous wreck who's [[SanitySlippage prone to hysterics]] and crying fits due to Uncle Grandpa's constant RealityWarping.
70	** Steven himself actually [[LampshadeHanging notices this]] when the gems [[MurderIsTheBestSolution decide to kill Uncle Grandpa]].
71	--->'''Steven''': I'm sorry, [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness they're not usually like this!]]
72	* FreakOut:
73	** The Gems after their heads reattach to their bodies, especially Pearl, who faints out due to overwhelming shock, and Amethyst, who has her HeadTurnedBackwards.
74	** Pearl has another one when she and the other Gems get caught in a VoidBetweenTheWorlds, and when she encounters Pizza Steve.
75	** The Crystal Gems' reaction when they see [[RealityWarper what Uncle Grandpa can do?]] They ''freak the heck out''.
76	* FreezeFrameBonus:
77	** The globe everyone's heads float show some [[NeverWasThisUniverse distinct differences]] between Earth in real life and Earth in the show: Florida is not part of mainland North America (which was also shown in "Jail Break") and there seems to be a large landmass off the coast of Brazil.
78	** When Uncle Grandpa is leaving, he pulls out a clipboard full of other Creator/CartoonNetwork characters, all checked off, with WesternAnimation/{{Clarence}} being next on the list.
79	** When Pearl tries to talk to Uncle Grandpa, he and Steven play a ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''-style fighting game with Hopper from "Garnet's Universe" and Uncle Grandpa's robot friend Tiny Miracle as the fighters.
80	* FryingPanOfDoom: The magical weapon of Mr. Gus's gemsona is a frying pan.
81	* HeadTurnedBackwards: Amethyst lands her head backwards on her body.
82	* HereWeGoAgain: After helping Steven, Uncle Grandpa checks off his name on a list of other Cartoon Network characters (and some Creator/HannaBarbera [[WesternAnimation/SwatKats characters]]). The next one on the list is WesternAnimation/{{Clarence}}.
83	* HowDoIShotWeb: Steven is having trouble summoning his shield and not his bubble. He finally manages it at the end when trying to stop the Gems from attacking Uncle Grandpa.
84	* HuddleShot: Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst huddle together, worrying that Uncle Grandpa is a threat to the fabric of space, only for him and Steven to cut them off.
85	* HypocriticalHumor: The Crystal Gems call Uncle Grandpa a monster... while both Pearl and Amethyst have pointed teeth and the latter is hissing.
86	* ImagineSpot: At first it looks like Pizza Steve is making a really dramatic entrance, but it turns out that it's just his thought bubble.
87	* InMemoriam: {{Parodied\|Trope}} with the episode being dedicated "in loving memory" to Pizza Steve. [[invoked]]
88	* IResembleThatRemark:
89	-->'''Garnet:''' Pearl, you're overreacting.\
90	'''Pearl:''' I'M NOT OVERREACTING AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
91	* JawDrop: GRFT's jaw drops when Steven summons his shield. Lion just looks on.
92	* LargeHam: Deedee Hall (Pearl), Michaela Dietz (Amethyst) and Estelle (Garnet) all are noticeably far hammier than usual, and launch into histrionics at the slightest provocation. Amusingly, Zach Callison (Steven) gives a rather subdued performance, since he ends up acting as the straight man to all of Uncle Grandpa's insanity.
93	* LosingYourHead: When Belly Bag explains who Uncle Grandpa is, it makes Steven's and the Gems' heads float off their bodies and orbit the Earth. Pearl is understandably [[FreakOut freaked out]] by this, she feels to make sure her head is back on her body where it belongs and then proceeds to FaintInShock; Amethyst [[FreakOut freaks out]] because her head reattaches backwards, and Garnet [[FreakOut visibly shudders after being frozen in an uncomfortable expression]]. Steven takes it a lot better, giving Uncle Grandpa a fist bump when they come back.
94	* MagicIsEvil: The Crystal Gems when they see [[RealityWarper what Uncle Grandpa is capable of]]. Instead of being mystified and whimsical about it, they're downright terrified, and quickly decide that he's a threat to not only Steven but also the world. Indeed, Pearl in particular seems to slowly GoMadFromTheRevelation.
95	* MetaGuy:
96	** Unlike the more serious ''Steven Universe'' characters, Uncle Grandpa is able to break the fourth wall.
97	** Mr. Gus knows all about Steven and the Gems, and even has his own [[OriginalCharacter Gem]][[AscendedMeme sona]].
98	* TheMultiverse: Mr. Gus has "a comprehensive knowledge of all magical denizens of the multiverse", which is how he knows about Steven.
99	* MurderIsTheBestSolution: Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl perceive Uncle Grandpa as a threat to the stability of the universe. Their immediate solution? ''Kill him.''
100	* MyOwnGrandpa: When Uncle Grandpa's name is explained to the gems, they try to puzzle this out:
101	-->'''Pearl:''' So that would make him Greg's brother... and father?\
102	'''Garnet:''' That would [[RoyallyScrewedUp explain a lot]].
103	* NervousWreck: Pearl spends the episode constantly having [[FreakOut freak outs]] and crying.
104	* NeverSayDie:
105	-->'''Pearl:''' [Uncle Granpda], we have decided--\
106	'''Garnet:''' That you are a danger to Steven and the planet Earth, and we MUST destroy you!
107	* OcularGushers: Pearl cries excessively after Steven delivers his Aesop.
108	* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Besides being a giant nod to many beloved CN shows, Uncle Grandpa's list will make you wish to see what some of his visits must have been like.
109	* OhCrap: When the gems declare Uncle Grandpa to be too dangerous:
110	-->'''Garnet:''' That you're a danger to Steven and the planet Earth, and we must destroy you!\
111	'''Steven:''' What?\
112	'''Uncle Grandpa:''' [[SubvertedCatchPhrase Bad morning!]]
113	* OriginalCharacter: In-universe, Mr. Gus created his own Gem, even using the fan term "gemsona".
114	* PaintingTheMedium: Amethyst trips over the 'y' in "run away" that appears when Steven and UG flee the Gems.
115	-->'''Amethyst:''' [[FunWithHomophones Why?!]]
116	* PaperThinDisguise: Pizza Steve tries to pass himself as Steven to the Gems. Not only do they not fall for it, Pearl is ''very'' disturbed, and he gets eaten by Amethyst.
117	* PlotHole: Belly Bag summons a PocketDimension called the "Plot Hole" to escape the Crystal Gems. It's basically the giant white void where the intermissions happen in WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa.
118	* PsychoactivePowers: Mr. Gus begins to explain how Steven's powers are triggered by a specific emotion, but gets cut off before he can finish. We can infer, however, that what he was going for was "[[ThePowerOfLove love]]" or "protectiveness"
119	* RealityWarping: Pearl directly describe Uncle Grandpa as a "reality-warping entity".
120	* RecklessGunUsage: Uncle Grandpa trains a rocket launcher on Steven to help his summon his shield. Luckily the projectile is tiny and only explodes harmlessly after hitting Steven.
121	-->'''Steven:''' [[LampshadeHanging Uhh... Uncle Grandpa, this doesn't seem safe.]]\
122	'''Uncle Grandpa:''' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint Don't worry, kid, I'm wearing a helmet.]]
123	* RecycledAnimation: When the Crystal Gems summon their weapons to attack Uncle Grandpa, the [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/a/ad/SummonthineWeapons.gif/ animation]] is identical to a [[https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/4/48/Both_hydro_and_weapons.gif/ scene]] in "[[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E26OceanGem Ocean Gem]]".
124	* RuleOfSymbolism: Uncle Grandpa tells Steven (and thereby the viewer) that "none of this is canon". He then produces a real cannon, puts his ''head'' in it, and fires it at Lars and Sadie's ship. So [[DontExplainTheJoke a headcanon]] sank the fandom ship.
125	* SanitySlippage: Pearl (whose character traits are heavily exaggerated in this episode) can't handle the zaniness brought upon by Uncle Grandpa and has multiple breakdowns.
126	* SelfParody: The episode is very much aware that this crossover can't be taken seriously, and makes several meta gags and BreakingTheFourthWall jokes.
127	* ShipSinking: Parodied in universe when UG's cannon sinks a ship that has Lars and Sadie on it.
128	* ShoutOut:
129	** Immediately after a quick shot of UG and Steven playing a ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''-like video game, the Gems summon their weapons, with "CRYSTAL GEMS" written out on screen and announced in the same over-the-top voice and fashion as the announcer from the game series itself.
130	** The promo seen above has a matching style to the eyecatches of ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'', as well as a similar color pallete to [[Anime/JapanAnimatorExpo SEX and VIOLENCE with MACHSPEED]].
131	** Uncle Granpda uses a bow that fires snakes was, which was also used to kill the LoveInterest in ''Film/ConanTheBarbarian1982''.
132	** At the end of the episode, Uncle Grandpa goes through a list of people he has to visit, all of them being characters of other Cartoon Network shows.
133	* SignificantNameOverlap: Pizza Steve meets Steven and complains about the presence of someone with a similar name, immediately assuming he's being replaced. So Pizza Steve tries to take Steven's place and gets himself eaten by Amethyst.
134	* SpitOutAShoe: Amethyst pulls Pizza Steve's glasses out of her mouth after she eats him. For an added bonus, she puts them on.
135	* SpoofAesop: Uncle Grandpa teaches "Don't be afraid of being super weird".
136	* StatusQuoIsGod: Mr. Gus nearly explains to Steven exactly how his powers work (his explanation more or less mirroring what fans had already figured out), only for Pizza Steve to interrupt by showing that he's vandalized Mr. Gus's OC drawing.
137	* StealthPun:
138	** The abbreviation for "Say Uncle" is... SU.
139	** Uncle Grandpa fires his [[HeadCanon head out of a cannon]].
140	* StylisticSelfParody: When Amethyst's head gets turned backward, she has to explain this out loud, because her body looks almost the same from the front as from the back, the main difference being her missing gem.
141	* SuperDeformed: Steven, when he goes to stop the Gems from hurting Uncle Grandpa.
142	* TakeThat: When Pearl puzzles out that an "Uncle Grandpa" would be Steven's father's brother AND father, Garnet notes that it explains a lot.
143	* TakeThatAudience: The episode's {{Aesop}} seems to be directly inspired by the negative reaction within the SU fanbase to the announcement that there was going to be a UG - SU crossover, as well as the {{Hatedom}} ''WesternAnimation/UncleGrandpa'' itself has received since its announcement. Given ProductionLeadTime, the message is scarily clairvoyant... though the crew's declaration that the episode was going to be the best thing ever and totally canon (as an elaborate April Fool's Day prank) ''did'' stir the pot quite a bit.
144	* TooPowerfulToLive: The Crystal Gems deem Uncle Grandpa too dangerous to exist and try to kill him.
145	* TrainingFromHell: Using live ordinance to help Steven train would qualify. He later uses a death ray.
146	* VisualPun:
147	** UG literally [[ShipSinking sinks Lars and Sadie's ship]] [[ArmedWithCanon with a cannon]] and [[HeadCanon his head as the cannonball]], after [[CanonDiscontinuity saying that nothing going on is canon]].
148	** Amethyst trips over a giant 'y' and [[BigWhy yells "Why?"]].
149	* VoidBetweenTheWorlds: Belly Bag's PlotHole takes the form of this.
150	* WingdingEyes: Pearl's eyes become two Xs when she faints after her head gets back on her body.
151	* WrapAround: While stuck inside the white voids where the ''Uncle Grandpa'' interstitials take place, the Crystal Gems' running always takes them off screen and back from the opposite side.
152	* WrongContextMagic: Uncle Grandpa's RealityWarping abilities freak the Gems out.

Context Recap / StevenUniverseS2E4SayUncle