Line #39 Recap/StevenUniverseS5E11LarsOfTheStars


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lars_of_the_stars.png]]
2
3	'''Original airdate:''' January 5th, 2018
4
5	'''Production code:''' 1053-141
6
7	----
8
9	Lars rises to the occasion.
10	----
11	!!Tropes:
12	* AceCustom: The Star Skipper is a SpaceFighter custom-made for Lars. Unlike most devices derived from Gem technology, it can apparently be operated by humans, and the cockpit is modeled after the driver's seat of a car.
13	* AdjectiveNounFred: All the Off Colors, their CoolStarship, and Stevonnie are reintroduced with subtitled freeze-frames. Only '''The Star Skipper''' doesn't have a subtitle.
14	-->'''''Lars of the Stars:''' [[CameBackStrong Reanimated]] Off-Color SpacePirate\
15	'''Padparadscha:''' Technical Advisor With [[ThisLooksLikeAJobForAquaman the Power to Predict the Past]]\
16	'''The Sun Incinerator:''' Stolen from the Heart of Homeworld\
17	'''Fluorite:''' Chief Engineer, [[MellowFellow Leisurely]] Fusion of Six\
18	'''The Rutile Twins:''' [[ConjoinedTwins Two Pilots. One Gem.]] [[NervesOfSteel Zero Fear]]\
19	'''Rhodonite:''' Head of Strategic Operations, Body of a [[StarCrossedLovers Star Crossed Fusion]]\
20	'''Stevonnie:''' [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E37AloneTogether An Experience]]''
21	* AnAesop: Even if someone misses you while you're gone, you shouldn't be insulted if they can get along without you.
22	* AesopAmnesia: After learning that the rest of Beach City have carried on without him as if he hasn't been stranded out in space, Lars briefly relapses into his previous self-loathing state. A pep talk from Connie and Steven quickly gets him to snap out of it.
23	* AlliterativeName: The '''Star Skipper''', and the '''Destiny Destroyer'''.
24	* ArmorPiercingQuestion: When Lars thinks Sadie is enjoying herself in his absence to spite him, Steven and Connie convince him otherwise by asking him if ''he'' is getting along without ''her'' out of spite.
25	* ArmorPiercingResponse:
26	-->'''Lars:''' ''No!'' I'm doing this because I have to! I'd never do this to hurt Sadie, because...\
27	'''Steven:''' Because!\
28	'''Connie:''' Because!\
29	'''Both:''' ''[as they Fuse]'' Because you're best friends!\
30	'''Stevonnie:''' And best friends wouldn't do anything to hurt each other!
31	* BadassBoast: Lars gives one to Emerald, saying that she will never take him and the other Off-Colors alive.
32	* BatmanGambit: Two in short succession. First, Emerald manages to follow and corner the Off Colors with her much larger flagship, reveals that their engines have a traceable signature, and gives them an ultimatum of surrender or be destroyed. Lars, however, scoffs and calls her bluff, even ordering their shields lowered — forcing Emerald to admit she doesn't want to destroy the ship they're on.
33	* BerserkButton: Lars and the Off-Colors to Emerald, especially for stealing her ship.
34	* BigNo: Uttered by Lars when Stevonnie's ship gets hit.
35	* CallBack:
36	** Stevonnie is labeled as "an experience", which is how Garnet described the fusion back in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E37AloneTogether "Alone Together"]].
37	** Lars is able to bypass most Gem security on account of not having one, just like how the drones back in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E3OffColors "Off Colors"]] couldn't detect him.
38	** We learn the name of Steven, Sadie and the Cool Kids' band: [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E9SadieKiller Sadie Killer]] and the Suspects.
39	** Stevonnie says that if piloting a ship is like [[Recap/StevenUniverseS3E11BeachCityDrift driving a car]], they'll be able to do it.
40	* CaptainSpaceDefenderOfEarth: While commanding the ship, Lars puts on the mannerisms of this trope, such as heroically gesturing when making crazy, but heroic, decisions.
41	* CharacterTitle: Lars Barriga has become "Lars of the Stars", a badass SpacePirate.
42	* {{Cliffhanger}}: The episode ends with Stevonnie's fighter jet crash-landing on a nearby planet.
43	* CompanionCube: Emerald [[ThePreciousPreciousCar values the Sun Incinerator so highly]] she refuses to heavily damage it even when it's hijacked, and apparently agrees with Lars' assessment that it's her "best friend".
44	* ContinuityNod:
45	** Lars's care package includes the skull gauges he wore in [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E41HorrorClub "Horror Club"]] and [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E18TigerPhilanthropist "Tiger Philanthropist"]], which fortuitously [[DressedToPlunder match]] his SpacePirate getup.
46	** One of the things Lars mentions is waiting for him at home is his [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E21JokingVictim trampoline]].
47	* CoolStarship:
48	** The Sun Incinerator, Emerald's fastest ship, stolen by the Off Colors.
49	** The Destiny Destroyer, evidently Emerald's flagship.
50	* CutenessProximity: Steven and Connie get distracted from their mission when Lion flips over and show them his belly.
51	* DelayedReaction: As usual, Padparadscha says information moments after it already occurred. This gets played with when she "predicts" Emerald is about to fire but will miss on purpose — [[BatmanGambit just as Lars predicted]], but to which the rest of the crew were unaware.
52	* DrivingStick: The ship Stevonnie pilots has one, with its interior looking very similar to a car. Justified, since Lars had it built for himself to fly.
53	* EurekaMoment: Lars admits Sadie wouldn't enjoy herself to spite him because she cares about him too much. This makes him realize Emerald cares about the Sun Incinerator too much to destroy ''it''.
54	* ExactWords: Emerald admits that Lars is correct that she won't destroy her own stolen ship, but she is perfectly fine with disabling it so the Off Colors can't escape in it.
55	* FallingIntoTheCockpit: Stevonnie takes up the wheel of Lars' SpaceFighter so he can stay in command on the Sun Incinerator. They succeed, apparently because of its [[UniversalDriversLicense similarity to an Earth car]].
56	* FreezeFrameBonus: The target is labeled "Bingo Bongo" on the ship.
57	* GrandTheftPrototype: The Off Colors escaped Homeworld by stealing the [[CoolStarship Sun Incinerator]]. They apparently didn't bother being discreet about it, as Lars taunts Emerald by asking how she's going to catch up with her ''fastest'' ship.
58	* GrinOfAudacity: Lars is grinning in confidence for most of the video call with Emerald.
59	* TheGuardsMustBeCrazy: Lars managed to steal the Sun Incinerator from right under the noses of ''67 highly trained guards''. Admittedly, he can bypass most security checks due to lacking a gem, but that's still a significant failure of security if that many guards failed to notice until he was literally flying away with it.
60	* GuileHero: Lars, as captain of the Sun Incinerator, is content to outrun and out-maneuver their opponents rather than fight them. Even when cornered and outgunned by Emerald's flagship, he orders their shields lowered and tanks superficial damage, [[BatmanGambit surmising correctly]] that Emerald doesn't want to destroy their ship. The other Off-Colours state that most of their plans involve Lars making risky {{Indy Ploy}}s due to him being able to sneak past Homeworld security.
61	* HamToHamCombat: Half the episode is Lars and Emerald smack-talking each other and pulling smug facial expressions. Lars is probably the winner by calling Emerald's bluff and outwitting her with a surprise starfighter attack.
62	* HeroicBSOD: Lars is paralyzed when he sees Sadie having a good time in his absence, and assumes she's somehow getting back at him. Steven and Connie snap him out of it.
63	* HeroicRROD: It seems as if Lars had shaken off his insecurities after being resurrected, but hearing that Sadie moved on reveals that he still has self-confidence and dependency issues. It takes Connie and Steven to snap him out of it in the middle of the dogfight and move on at the moment.
64	* HeroOfAnotherStory: To the extent that in the time since Steven last saw them, Lars and the other Off Colors have come to live as main characters in a sci-fi anime seemingly independent of ''Steven Universe'', complete with title cards and established early-mid-series character and plot dynamics.
65	* HumansAreLeaders: The Off-Colors have existed for a long time, skulking around Homeworld. Lars joins them. In less than a month, he's their leader, and they've gone from trying to avoid detection by the Diamonds to becoming space pirates, directly engaging enemy fleets and raiding Homeworld's outposts.
66	* HyperspeedAmbush: Emerald's Destiny Destroyer is able to catch up to and cut off the Sun Incinerator's escape.
67	* HyperspeedEscape: The Sun Incinerator activates its warp engine to flee Emerald, to her futile protests. It doesn't last long, as the ship leaves a unique energy signature Emerald can track.
68	* InstantlyProvenWrong: Connie claims she's "ready for anything" before taking the trip through Lion's mane. Once she's through, she is ''very'' surprised.
69	* InternalReveal: Though he doesn't comment on it other than a brief look of shock, Lars learns that Steven and Connie are Stevonnie.
70	* ItsPersonal: Emerald took the Sun Incinerator theft personally, likely because it was ''her'' ship.
71	* TheKnightsWhoSaySquee: Steven and Connie are ''really'' excited when they hear that Lars has become a captain.
72	* LikeADuckTakesToWater: A short while after being stuck in space, Lars isn't just surviving, but tremendously more confident than he was back on Earth. In fact, his confidence only wavers ''when'' he thinks back to Earth.
73	* ListOfTransgressions: Emerald [[NoodleIncident gives us some insight into the Off Colors' adventures]] by recounting their deeds against her (the second of which the Rutile Twins and Rhodonite laugh at).
74	-->'''Emerald:''' It was a minor inconvenience when you stole my personal shuttle and crashed it on Upsilon-9. It was an ''insult'' when you impersonated imperial officers during a cosmic jubilee. But to steal my Sun Incinerator is '''unacceptable!'''
75	* MathematiciansAnswer:
76	-->'''Steven:''' Lars, I have so many questions! Where'd you get this ship? And more importantly, where'd you get that cape?\
77	'''Lars:''' ''[chuckles]'' [[BadassBoast Stole 'em.]]
78	* MeaningfulEcho: Lars repeats his "bingo bongo" line and hand gesture from [[Recap/StevenUniverseS4E22TheGoodLars "The Good Lars"]], but while that was a very poor attempt at acting cool, this time he's ''genuinely'' confident and doing it to taunt Emerald. It also serves as the "target locked" phrase in his experimental fighter.
79	* MotifMerger: The console on the Star Skipper has the Crystal Gems' star logo behind what is presumably Lars' personal logo (a skull with a vertical dash on the eye).
80	* NeverSayDie: Notably averted; while dialogue has previously avoided directly saying Lars came BackFromTheDead, in this episode he bluntly says "Does [Sadie] even know I died out here?"
81	* NoblewomansLaugh: After Lars correctly guesses that Emerald wouldn't destroy the Sun Incinerator, he taunts her with a high-pitched giggle while holding his palm out under his mouth.
82	-->'''Stevonnie:''' Wow, Lars, I missed you.
83	* NoHarmRequirement: [[ExploitedTrope Exploited by Lars.]] When Emerald has the gang cornered, he cleverly realizes that Emerald won't use any lethal force on them because she doesn't want to [[WeaksauceWeakness hurt her ship]]. He calls her on her bluff and uses this to escape.
84	* NoodleIncident: The Off-Colors' ListOfTransgressions comes off as this. Apparently, they've stolen Emerald's personal shuttle, crashed it shortly after, impersonated officers at a "cosmic jubilee", and stole Emerald's beloved star ship (despite it being guarded by "67 elite Citrines"). The details behind these incidents are sadly not disclosed (but based on the reactions of Rhodonite and the Rutiles, they're ''very'' entertaining).
85	* NotSoAboveItAll: Lars comes off as completely unflappable as the Off Colors' captain, then has an incredibly petty fit when he finds out how well Sadie is doing in his absence, only snapping out of it thanks to Steven and Connie's help.
86	-->'''Lars:''' How is she having such a good time without ''me''?!
87	* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: In their time since Steven last saw them, Lars and the Off Colors have gone from [[RagtagBunchOfMisfits forgotten dregs of society]] hiding from [[AttackDrone Shattering Robonoids]] to a BadassCrew outfoxing Homeworld's entire fleet. Just the mentioned things they did include hijacking one ship, impersonating officers, and then stealing ''another'' ship guarded by dozens of soldiers.
88	* {{Planetville}}: Discussed; [[HumansThroughAlienEyes the Rutiles think]] that Beach City is a ''[[SingleBiomePlanet planet]]'' of sand and water.
89	* ThePreciousPreciousCar: Lars realizes that Emerald cares too much about the Sun Incinerator to destroy it, even if it means that the Off Colors can steal it, and even makes the comparison of it being her best friend, which she does not deny.
90	* RookieRedRanger: Lars, the newest member of the Off Colors, is now their captain and gives them each several orders as he pilots their stolen ship and taunts Emerald.
91	* RuleOfThree: When Lars announces the Star Skipper:
92	-->'''Rhodonite:''' That?\
93	'''Fluorite:''' Not... that.\
94	'''Stevonnie:''' [[FlatWhat Whuzzat?]]
95	* SayMyName: It seems to be a recurring thing off-screen that Emerald bellows out an enraged "OFF-COLOOOORS!" after they thumb their nose at her in some way, such as stealing the Sun Incinerator or flaunting how they did it.
96	* ShoutOut:
97	** The arrival of the Destiny Destroyer is heralded by sirens, large 'WARNING' notifications popping up, and Rhodonite calling "a huge battleship is approaching fast" — exactly how ''Videogame/{{Darius}}'' [[BossWarningSiren announced]] its bosses.
98	** Lars is wearing the same cape as Anime/{{Captain Harlock}}.
99	* SkewedPriorities: Lars lets himself get distracted thinking about Sadie ''while captaining a ship mid-battle''.
100	* SpaceFighter: Stevonnie pilots a one-man fighter ship called the Star Skipper in the battle against Emerald's ship. Lars designed it himself.
101	* SpaceX: Lars says the Off Colors got so far to Earth by committing "a couple of space crimes" against Homeworld.
102	* SuddenDownerEnding: After Stevonnie destroys all of Emerald's weapon systems, they get shot down, and the episode ends as they fall to an unknown planet.
103	* TemptingFate: Played with; Lars says that Emerald will never catch up with her ship, since it's the fastest, but even when she does, she can't bring herself to destroy it.
104	* TimeSkip: {{Implied}}: Sadie Killer and the Suspects now have a name and fans, and Connie's hair has grown from the haircut she had last episode, meaning that there was a gap between this episode and [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E10KevinParty "Kevin Party"]].
105	* TookALevelInBadass: The Off Colors have taken ''several'' levels since we last saw them. Lars in particular has gone from a timid teen to a Anime/CaptainHarlock-esque SpacePirate.
106	* TookALevelInKindness: Zigzagged. Lars is much warmer with Steven and cares more about his parents than previously shown. But finding out Sadie has flourished without him briefly reduces him to [[HeroicBSOD his insecure selfishness]] — thanks to an ArmorPiercingQuestion from Connie, however, he gets over himself in time to bluff Emerald into attacking them.
107	* VillainOfAnotherStory: Emerald is Lars and the Off Color's BigBad and according to WordOfGod has been in charge of everything they've been fighting since we last saw him.
108	* VillainousBreakdown: Emerald sends a furious communication to the Off Colors, and sounds anything but confident underneath the bluster.
109	* WhatTheHellHero: Steven and Connie call Lars out on his InUniverse {{Wangst}} over believing Sadie is living her life just to spite him, telling him that she's been worried sick and misses him greatly but she simply has to live her life regardless.
110	* TheXOfY: "Lars '''of''' the Stars".
111	* YouWouldntShootMe: Lars deduces that Emerald is too fond of the Sun Incinerator to destroy it. However, that doesn't mean she won't disable it to keep the Off Colors from stealing it.
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Context Recap / StevenUniverseS5E11LarsOfTheStars