Original airdate: March 10th, 2017
Production code: 1040-125
As sunset falls on Beach City, Garnet spots a falling star and is about to make a wish on it. Steven is disappointed he didn't get the chance to wish on it, so Garnet spends her wish to request another star for Steven to wish on. Lo and behold, another shooting star falls from the sky. Only this one is ... screaming all the way down.
Despite it being a crash landing, the falling star lands on the beach in front of the temple. When the smoke clears, it is discovered to be one of the Ruby Squad.
The Ruby shakes off the disorientation of fiery re-entry and crashing hard enough to make a crater. She immediately seems delighted to see Steven and Garnet. Garnet is a little weirded out since Steven told the story that one of the Ruby Squad thinks he is Rose and tried to kill him. Steven clarifies that was a different Ruby, the one he called Eyeball. The one with them now is the one Steven calls "Navy" because she has her gem in the same place he has his.
Steven is happy to see her as well, but asks her with concern if she doesn't hold a grudge against them. Navy asks why she would, and Steven reminds her that the Gems tricked the Rubies into a game of baseball. Steven wonders that Navy doesn't seem upset that Amethyst pretended to be the Jasper they admired so much, but Navy rationalizes that it made sense for them to do at the time. Steven asks if Navy isn't upset that he blasted them out the airlock and into space. Navy contends again that they were fighting. Three times asked, three times answered, Steven considers it good enough and welcomes her to Earth.
Since she's a Homeworld Gem, Steven takes her out to the barn that Lapis Lazuli and Peridot share. Peridot is enthusiastic about welcoming Navy. Lapis is dubious and suspicious about the new Gem's presence, especially when she greets every Earth experience as a delightful opportunity to learn something new and exciting. Lapis grows more and more distrustful as everything they show Ruby, she takes to and excels at pretty much instantly. Finally Lapis gets frustrated and explains that she thinks it's weird and troubling to her that Navy has caught on to Earth and made herself at home so quickly.
Navy finally decides that she's ready to join the earthbound former Homeworld Gems, but laments that their Roaming Eye spaceship isn't around since it's her Security Blanket. Steven points out that it's there, and says how cool it will be to have a pilot. Navy invites them all aboard to see the ship go through its paces.
Once they're pretty high in the air and over the sea, Navy asks Steven to press a button for her so she can show him something cool. He does, only to have a forcefield descend around Navy and the pilot seat, and the ship's airlock to open up, blowing Steven, Lapis, Peridot and Pumpkin to dangle outside the ship.
Surprised and confused, Steven calls out to Navy, asking if there's something wrong.
- Navy: The only thing that's wrong is that you're...still...holding...on!
The ruse is revealed. Navy never truly wanted to come to Earth and stay, becoming another Crystal Gem. She simply wanted her ship back and revenge on Steven for blasting her and her squad into space. She executes a maneuver that drops the hangers-on into the sea, and puts the ship in hyperdrive. It immediately vanishes from the sky as it speeds away.
In the water below, Lapis Lazuli is laughing with relief that Navy wasn't such an Earth assimilation prodigy after all, but rather a liar who wanted her property back.
As they return to shore, Garnet pops the "Welcome to the Party!" balloon she had been waiting to give to Navy, and instead presents Steven with the "Sorry for your loss" one.
The group glances skyward, envisioning the smiling Navy.
Tropes:
- Acoustic License: When Steven and Lapis are hanging off the ship's door while being sucked out, they have no problem conversing with Navy. Per the Rule of Funny, Peridot can't hear them at all and thinks Navy is just trying to show them the ocean.
- Always Someone Better: Navy gets used to Earth pretty quickly, which Lapis finds unbelievable given how long it took — and is still taking — her. It turns out to be an act, and Lapis gloats about being right.
- Ambiguous Situation: It's uncertain just when Navy decided to betray the group and whether or not she was completely against joining them. The main reason for this is that Garnet brings two balloons, one positive and congratulating and the other negative and consoling, implying there was indeed a probable future where Navy made a Heel–Face Turn.
- The Bad Guy Wins: Navy successfully tricks the Crystal Gems to get her ship back, and she presumably flies off to rescue her squad and/or head back to Homeworld.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: Garnet wishes for another shooting star for Steven. One appears, but it turns out to be Navy.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Navy has always come across as rather sweet and clueless in past appearances. Steven even notes in this episode that she always seemed to be quite nice. But she's a Homeworld Gem and part of the Ruby Squad sent to Earth for a reason and this episode shows why.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Navy turns out to have been deceiving Steven the entire time, lying about forgiving the Crystal Gems and pretending to like Earth so she could get her ship back.
- Comically Missing the Point: When Navy betrays the others and tries throwing them out of the ship, Peridot can't hear anything she's saying and thinks that she's just trying to show them a view of the ocean.
- Continuity Nod:
- Steven mentions their past events with the Rubies.
- Garnet mentions how one of the Rubies tried to stab Steven.
- Steven says a Ruby falling from the sky to discover Earth reminds him of the story Garnet told him in "The Answer".
- Peridot and Lapis end up watching the sun rise, an activity Peridot suggested in "Barn Mates".
- Peridot lifts herself up by levitating a trashcan lid she's standing on, something mentioned in her Twitter posts. (Given
Production Lead Time, the post was probably written after the scene in this episode was scripted.) - Peridot explains to Navy that plants are sessile and nonsentient, specifically saying not to bother talking to the corn, something she and Lapis did not know in "Gem Harvest".
- Cute and Psycho: Navy keeps her happy and soft-spoken demeanor even while describing her glee at Steven's expression when he was betrayed and dumping him, Peridot, Lapis, and Pumpkin into the ocean.
- A Day in the Limelight: For Navy, Lapis, and Peridot.
- Defeat Equals Friendship: Subverted. Navy takes advantage of Steven's belief that she would join the Crystal Gems after her defeat in order to betray him and reclaim her ship.
- Didn't See That Coming: Averted. Going by her balloons, a red one saying "Welcome to the Party!" and a blue one saying "Sorry for your Loss", Garnet did see Navy possibly betraying Steven, and also saw a future where Navy really was sincere about wanting to live on Earth.
- Dislikes the New Guy: Lapis is very distrustful of Navy for seemingly adapting to Earth extremely rapidly and being so forgiving. Those feelings are not without merit.
- The Dissenter Is Always Right: Lapis is the only Gem who distrusts Navy, and turns out to be right when Navy betrays the Gems. This is a reversal of her previous situation in "Barn Mates" where she was distrustful of Peridot but portrayed as wrong and bitter.
- Dissonant Laughter: After the initial shock of Navy's betrayal, Lapis starts laughing uncontrollably as she realizes she was right about her.
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Lapis is jealous that Navy loves everything unconditionally the second she sees it while she, herself, continues struggling to let go of her misery, going as far as to take her frustration out on Navy. This is a common attitude of people with depression, who are often angry with how easily happiness comes to those without it. And like Lapis, most are willing to admit that, in the end, it's their problem.
- Downer Ending: Steven is betrayed by Navy, who now has the Roaming Eye back and is possibly going back to Homeworld to inform them of the Crystal Gems. None of the appearing Crystal Gems really take it that badly though.
- Easily Forgiven: Navy is very forgiving of Steven and Garnet for their previous encounters: she says the baseball game was actually fun, Amethyst pretending to be Jasper was pretty clever, and that getting launched into space was understandable as a result of a battle. Subverted, as it turns out Navy was lying to get her ship back.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Averted. Pumpkin doesn't sense anything wrong with Navy, and even licks her face.
- Fantastic Racism: We get the impression that Gems have difficulty mentally separating Gems of the same type. Despite being part Ruby, Garnet is concerned about Navy's trustworthiness as a result of Eyeball's behavior.
- The Farmer and the Viper: Steven spends the entire episode helping Navy get used to life on Earth and welcomes her with open arms, with Peridot and eventually Lapis joining in... at which point Navy stabs them in the back.
- Foreshadowing:
- Just before Navy jumps at Steven and Garnet, in a blink and you'll miss it moment, she gives them a very angry look.
- Back in "Adventures in Light Distortion", right before she hits the ship, Navy looks directly at it with an angry expression, showing that she knows the Crystal Gems have taken their ship.
- Navy says she wants to join the Crystal Gems because her teammates were mean to her. Based on Navy's previous screentime showing her getting along with them just fine, it hints that this was just a lie.
- Garnet confuses Navy for Eyeball as the Ruby who betrayed Steven's trust and tried to stab him while they were in space. By the end of the episode, Navy betrays Steven's trust and arguably gets back at Steven by throwing him out of the ship.
- When Steven takes Navy to the barn, there is a shot of the ship nearby, which becomes important later in the episode.
- When Lapis demonstrates rain to Navy, she gleefully compares it to the sky crying.
- Forgot About Her Powers: Lapis hangs off the ship long enough for Steven and Navy to have a short conversation, but she doesn't even try to fly back in until she's flung off the ship and it's too far away to catch up to.
- For the Evulz: Ruby agrees with Steven that it would have been quicker and easier to just steal the ship. She went to the trouble of convincing Steven and the Crystal Gems that she had switched sides, then bringing them along on the flight, solely so she could betray them and see the shocked looks on their faces.
- Grey-and-Gray Morality: Yes, Navy's betrayal is portrayed as a cruel act towards the Crystal Gems, and she's probably going to rescue her crew and report everything that happened to Homeworld, but the Crystal Gems have not only lied to her and her crew three times, but also threw them out into space (albeit in self-defense) and stole her ship, and never made a move to rescue them afterward.
- Hope Spot: Steven eagerly exclaims the Crystal Gems got a new pilot in Navy. She then tricks him into pushing himself, Lapis, Peridot, and Pumpkin out of the ship to escape with it.
- I Lied: Navy lied about her changing sides to get her ship back. Whether she wants to use it to get back to Homeworld or find the other Rubies is currently unknown.
- In-Series Nickname: Steven continues to use the names he gave the Rubies to differentiate them, and he has to point out to Garnet that Navy's nickname is based on her gem placement.
- Inventional Wisdom: A single, prominent button in the Roaming Eye opens the doors mid-flight and projects a force field to protect the pilot—but not the one who presses the button. Either the ship has some bizarre design functions, or Navy reprogrammed the controls to mess with Steven.
- It Amused Me: Navy admits to spending the entire time gaining Steven's trust just so she could watch his face after she revealed her true intentions.
- Laser-Guided Karma:
- Though the Crystal Gems deceived the Rubies and threw them in space to protect themselves, their inaction towards rescuing them and their gullibility not only costs the Crystal Gems a working ship, but potentially compromises their existence to Homeworld.
- In "Back to the Moon", Steven got rid of the Rubies by throwing them out of the airlock. In this episode, Navy tricks Steven into pressing a button that opens the ship's door, throwing him, Lapis, Peridot, and Pumpkin out.
- Late to the Punchline: Garnet only just got the reason for Navy's nickname.
- Like a Duck Takes to Water: Navy appears to adapt to Earth far more quickly than Lapis did, leading the latter to resent her.
- Mistaken Identity: Before Steven clarifies, Garnet briefly thinks Navy was the one who tried to stab Steven in space instead of Eyeball.
- Never Trust a Trailer: The episode's description was "Steven's Gem family continues to grow," implying that Navy would join the Crystal Gems. This makes her betrayal even more surprising.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Steven convinces Garnet to give Navy a chance by reminding her of another Ruby that wanted to escape from the cruelty of Homeworld to freedom on Earth.
- Overly Long Scream: It doesn't matter if it was part of the plan or not, falling from orbit without a spaceship is not the kind of thing people do silently and stoically. You can hear Navy screaming in terror the whole way down.
- Precision Crash: Navy randomly falls from space right in front of the Beach House.
- Really Fond of Sleeping: Lapis is revealed by Peridot to love sleeping.
- Rocketless Reentry: Navy returns to Earth by crashing into the ground in front of the Temple.
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Peridot imitates Lapis' snoring by literally saying the word "Snore!" out loud, causing the latter to blush angrily.
- Security Blanket: Once Navy is trusted by everyone, including Lapis, she claims she needs her ship to feel secure. Subverted in that it was a ruse, and she was planning on reclaiming her ship the whole time.
- Selfless Wish: Garnet's shooting star wish was for another so Steven could make a wish.
- Shout-Out: The way Navy is found lying down on her small crater disturbingly resembles the same position of a dead Yamcha.
- Sixth Ranger Traitor: Steven gets Navy to join Lapis and Peridot at the barn, but she was just playing them to steal back her ship and take revenge on them.
- Skewed Priorities: Instead of flying towards the ship to catch Navy, Lapis breaks into a mad laugh about being right about her suspicions towards her.
- Sky Face: Navy appears in the sky at the end of the episode, and the Iris Out focuses on her.
- The Sleepless: Sleep is specified as not only unnecessary for Gems, but also a foreign concept, with Lapis mentioning it was hard to figure out. Of course, Navy falls asleep immediately after her explanation.
- Smarter Than You Look: After all her previous appearances as a ditzy Minion with an F in Evil, Navy reveals she can be quite clever, playing on Steven's good nature to get her ship back.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: Even after revealing her true nature, Navy speaks in the same airy, hushed tone.
- Subverted Suspicion Aesop: Lapis' suspicions towards Navy easily forgiving them for all the mess they put her and the Rubies through turn out to be right.
- Sugary Malice: Navy still maintains her sweet personality, even after it's revealed that she's still on Homeworld's side.
- Tall Poppy Syndrome: Lapis resents Navy (seemingly) adjusting to life on Earth much faster than she has.
- Thrown Out the Airlock: Navy, claiming she's going to show Steven a trick in piloting the Roaming Eye, tells him to press a yellow button on another console. This causes a barrier to surround Navy, followed by a hatch on the back opening to suck the others out. She does this while they're still in the atmosphere, though, so it just results in them being flung into the ocean.
- Too Good to Be True: And the reasons why were actually laid out from the get-go, just not taken seriously at the time. Steven couldn't see Navy wanting to join the Crystal Gems and live on Earth after their past encounters, but it was Played for Laughs. Lapis doubted that Navy could immediately adjust to life on Earth with no problems, especially when Lapis still getting used to Earth is a major theme of the story. Both Steven and Lapis are shown to be right. Navy's betrayal wasn't a Foregone Conclusion, though: Garnet allowed Steven, Peridot, and Lapis to try befriending her, and based on the two balloons Garnet had, her future vision showed her a solid possibility that Navy would change sides for real.
- Villain Has a Point: While Navy's betrayal of Steven is heartbreaking and involved her acting needlessly cruel, she can't reasonably be expected to forgive the Crystal Gems for doing the same thing by repeatedly lying to her and getting her team stuck in space.
- Wham Line:Navy: The only thing wrong, is that. You're. Still holding on. (Dissonant laughter)
- Wham Shot: After Steven presses a button Navy told him to press, the Roaming Eye's room goes red, a tube suddenly drops around Navy, and the ship's door opens, throwing everyone but her out.
