History StevenUniverse / TropesSToZ

** In "Jail Break" [[spoiler: an imprisoned Sapphire seems to be doing this at first, singing her and Ruby's romantic letimotif after they are separated for the first time in years. However, it's also implied she knows Ruby will escape, and is singing to help Ruby fight her.]]

** Rose Quartz was presented as femininity incarnate; she was empathetic, [[FriendToAllLivingThings compassionate to all forms of life]], graceful, beautiful, wore a long white dress and huge [[RoseHairedSweetie pink]] RegalRinglets, and had a [[PinkMeansFeminine pink rose motif]] in all her weapons, powers and artifacts. In a particularly dark example, she has a villainous foil with a [[ItsPersonal personal grudge]] appear as [[TomboyishName Jasper]], a [[RatedMForManly tough, muscular, ruthless and aggressive]] [[TheBrute brute]] with a disdain for Earth and [[TheSocialDarwinist Social Darwinist]] views, who has an obsession with, in her words, "beating [Rose Quartz] into the ground." Jasper is also the tomboy to the girly Lapis Lazuli, a [[MysteriousWaif waifish]] BrokenBird with [[MakingASplash water powers]] who wears a long skirt, and can grow [[WingedHumanoid water wings]] like an angel or fairy. For a while, they get stuck together after Jasper coerces Lapis into fusion, only for Lapis to hijack the fusion and drag them both into the ocean, intending to keep her trapped.

* SurpriseCreepy:
** The show is usually a lighthearted comedy, which makes the occasional foray into terrifying BodyHorror [[MoodWhiplash all the more effective.]]
** Steven's dream in "Chille Tid" starts off as a 50's sitcom parody... until he opens the door to reveal Lapis Lazuli, with water pouring from her eyes and mouth.
** Any time Onion appears, expect something creepy and messed up to happen.

* SeriousBusiness: Gem Fusion may seem like a a simple power boost for many, but Garnet treats this as a sacred right, and won't forgive anyone for abusing it or taking it lightly. [[spoiler: Pearl learned this the hard way.]]

** This is what ''would'' have happened to the Earth, had [[spoiler: the Cluster been allowed to reform fully]].

** [[spoiler: A much darker case appears later in the series: Rose Quartz, [[IDidWhatIHadToDo deciding there was no other way to protect the Earth and her fellow Crystal Gems]], appears to have shattered Pink Diamond, her own leader and [[AGodAmI a member of the Diamond Authority]].]] [[spoiler: Though it's not that simple, either...]]

** The ''Lonely Blade'' movies are samurai movies among Steven's favorites. They seem to show up to foreshadow upcoming events. The first time, we see in the movie Lonely Blade discovering his "father" is an impostor. Steven comes to terms with the idea that Hologram!Pearl is not the real Pearl. The second time the franchise shows up, the gems watch a Lonely Blade movie in which he finds an evil, unbeatable sword. [[spoiler: In that episode, Bismuth is introduced, and shows Steven a weapon that she made to shatter gems.]]

* SignificantDoubleCasting: All Gems of the same type, except for the Diamonds, share a voice actress (all Pearls are Deedee Magno-Hall [[spoiler:except White Pearl, who instead uses the same actress as White Diamond]], all Amethysts are Michaela Dietz, all Rubies are Charlene Yi, Sapphire and Padparadscha are both Erica Luttrell, Jaspers are Kimberly Brooks, Peridot and Squaridot are Shelby Rabara, Topazes are Martha Higareda, and Zircons are Amy Seldaris.) All beings created by Steven's GreenThumb powers share his voice actor, even though so far none can speak English. The tiny whale Steven creates while in Rose's room speaks in Rose's voice. [[spoiler: As does Pink Diamond.]]

** [[https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/e/e6/TheDiamondAuthorityMurals.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180308174947 The Diamond Authority.]] White is the distant leader figure, who even the other Diamond's fear as the head of the entire Gem society. Yellow is the boisterous one, who is a more direct and intimidating military leader. Blue is her emotionally manipulative cool-headed counterpart, that's often absorbed in her own feelings as well. Pink was EveryonesBabySister, as the smallest, most impetuous Diamond with only one colony to her name. However she was also the one that kept them together as a family, after her apparent death they all became more reclusive. [[spoiler: Steven again becomes TheHeart hereafter they learn he's inherited Pink Diamond's Gem, and he helps them change their mind about the rigidity of their society.]]

** [[spoiler: In "Escapism", after Stevonnie is thrown into jail for fusion dancing, Stevonnie unfuses into Steven and Connie. Steven decides to go into a sleep trance and out-of-body experience to seek help back on Earth; he lands on Watermelon Island inside one of the Watermelon Stevens, and he builds a raft back to Beach City, where he draws messages out on the sand, with Greg and Bismuth preparing for action. When he wakes up back on Homeworld, Connie had fallen asleep and unconsciously wrapped her arms around Steven, apparently unaware that she hugged him as she fell asleep waiting for him.]]

** The Ruby Squad are pretty dangerous to the Crystal Gems, but don't want to hurt them if they don't get in the Rubies' mission, are SuperGullible enough that it's easy to get them to go away, [[spoiler: and even the fusion of all of them is no match for Sardonyx]]. [[spoiler: in ''Bubbled'', Eyeball is plenty dangerous to Steven- but only because he's [[AloneWithThePsycho stuck in a bubble with her]].]]

** And then there's her reaction to [[spoiler: Steven and Amethyst]] fusing. She squees for 20 seconds straight.

* SquishTheCheeks: In "Jailbreak", Jasper Grabs and forces [[spoiler: Lapis]] to look at her by grabbing her cheek and squeezing it.

** Gems are not born. Gems are ''grown.'' Homeworld's colonies include massive "Kindergartens" where massive machines inject the earth with incomplete Gems so that they can grow by [[spoiler: leeching on the planet's life energy. Entire planets can be made barren and lifeless by growing Gems on them]]. When they grow enough, they burst out of the ground completely formed and with full knowledge of their purpose. It's unclear if there was originally a way for Gems to form naturally before they automatized the whole process, or if Gemkind is entirely artificial.
** Gems exist in an extremely strict FantasticCasteSystem, with the Diamonds at the top, followed by the aristocratic Sapphires, the high-ranking warrior-caste Quartzes, and then the other lower castes such as the Ruby grunts, the Peridot technicians, and the [[spoiler: living plaything]] Pearls. With the possible exception of the Diamonds, all Gems are ready-made for their purpose and are expected to fulfill it for their whole immortal existence.

** "Alone at Sea" begins an arc about [[spoiler: the return of Jasper]]. It continues in "Gem Hunt", "Crack the Whip" and "Steven vs Amethyst" before concluding in "Beta" and "Earthlings"...which themselves lead into the season finale of "Back 2 The Moon" and "Bubbled". The first season 4 episodes, "The Kindergarten Kid" and "Know Your Fusion" act as an epilogue to this arc. Also, "Monster Reunion" can be thought of as a prologue to the arc [[spoiler: as both deal with the nature of corrupted Gems.]]

** "Doug Out" and "The Good Lars" hint at a plot that culminates in the two-part Season 4 finale of "Are You My Dad?" and "I Am My Mom". This then leads into Season 5 which is almost a continuous story arc; episodes are either about major events or characters dealing with these events and making new choices. Even before the season ends, NothingIsTheSameAnymore. The actual season finale [[spoiler: resolves almost the entire Myth Arc]].
** ''Earthlings'' begins the Pink Diamond Murder Mystery arc (though it had been hinted at before by background details, this is the first episode where a character directly mentions Pink Diamond), which focuses on discovering who Pink Diamond was, her role in the Gem War, and her ultimate fate. [[spoiler: ''A Single Pale Rose'' concludes this arc when Pearl reveals what happened: Pink Diamond faked her own death, becoming her Rose Quartz SecretIdentity full time.]]

* StrangeSalute: Gems loyal to Homeworld salute to their Diamonds by crossing their arms over their chest, hands bent back to form a partial diamond shape. Apparently, the salute has remained the same for thousands of years, since [[spoiler:the partially-uncorrupted Centipeetle recognizes it]] when Steven attempts to make the gesture, [[spoiler: and makes it herself when fully uncorrupted.]]

*** The biggest winner is probably Rose Quartz, who had ComboPlatterPowers- SuperStrength and SuperToughness even by gem standards, a powerful GreenThumb, LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe, astral projection (not displayed by her, but Steven has them so she probably did), healing (she could even repair cracked gems, which is otherwise impossible), and PowerFloats. [[spoiler: It's actually {{Foreshadowing}} that she's Pink Diamond, since she doesn't have the powers of a regular Quartz gem (she's never been seen to use a RollingAttack, for instance) and no Quartz gem has the variety of powers that she does.]]

*** Peridot, whose superpowers come from technology and who [[spoiler: doesn't even have most normal Gem abilities, as she's an Era 2 gem. Her ExtraOreDinary powers are pretty neat, but she doesn't have full control over them yet.]]

** Homeworld Gems all wear diamonds, with the color of the Diamond representing who they work for. Pearl's space suit and Sardonyx's shoes have diamonds on them, likely as a nod to Pearl's origins [[spoiler: as Pink Diamond's Pearl.]]

** [[spoiler: Lars]] is definitely becoming this as of season 5. In "Off Colors", he not only [[spoiler: destroys most of the Robonoids single handedly]], but he [[spoiler: [[DisneyDeath temporarily]] [[HeroicSacrifice gives up his life in doing so]]]], and now that he's got [[spoiler: the powers of Lion]], he seems to be very involved in the main plot of the narrative. By "Lars of the Stars", [[spoiler: he's become a space pirate leading a fearsome pack of rebels, capable of stealing one of Homeworld's best ships -protected by 67 highly trained guards- and embarrassing an Emerald, a top commander of the Homeworld forces, several times. Not only that, but his crew idolize him as their fearless leader.]]

** More meta examples: on February 26, 2016, Cartoon Network UK put up two SpoileredRotten clips from two upcoming episodes [[spoiler: that involved Watermelon Stevens, the return of Alexandrite and Malachite, and Lapis as herself]] on their website. They eventually took the clips off, but the damage had been done. [[FromBadToWorse And then, in April 2016, the clips were put back up!]]

** Aimed to be [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] with the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqwW5TIYiME promo]] for the Summer Of Steven's final week, which covers up key objects/characters...[[DoubleSubverted but it still plainly shows]] [[spoiler: [[TheBusCameBack the return of Sardonyx.]]]]

* TransformationExhilaration: Many [[FusionDance fusion transformations]] in the show result in this, since the fusion dance is a reflection of the characters' relationship. Stevonnie occurs when Connie and Steven are just laughing together, and Ruby and Sapphire's fusions [[spoiler: into Garnet]] are generally a joyful reunion between two lovers. Pearl and Amethyst both express joy at fusing with Garnet because of the confidence boost being part of Garnet gives them.

* TravelingAtTheSpeedOfPlot: Space travel works this way in the show. Lapis is apparently able to achieve intergalactic travel within months (or even weeks) using nothing but her water wings. After Peridot discovered the crystal gems, it took months for her to show up on Earth, but later Steven is shown to travel to homeworld within what appeared to be days at most (traveling via warpdrive in the ship of a high ranking gem). Despite this, [[spoiler: Lars and the off colors]] spend season 5 traveling through space on a stolen ship while trying to make it from Homeworld to Earth.

* UnknownCharacter: Lapis has ''three'' in her backstory once it's revealed; [[spoiler: whoever attacked her when she was caught up in the rebellion while visiting Earth (eventually revealed to be Bismuth), whoever mistook her for a Crystal Gem and placed her in a mirror to be interrogated, and the random Homeworld Gem that trampled (and cracked) her as they were all fleeing.]]

** The BigBadDuumvirate, the Diamond Authority, stand out as the biggest example of this. Though we've only seen [[spoiler: three]] of them, it's clear they're the worst of Gemkind. Beyond being responsible for overseering Homeworld's atrocities, on their own record, they are ''incredibly'' petty and willing to murder anyone they perceive as insulting them. Yellow Diamond in particular is engineering the Cluster - the aforementioned superweapon - not out of any pragmatic purpose, but instead to obliterate Earth out of spite for not being able to conquer it.

** "Steven's Dream" has a few: [[spoiler: Steven seeing Pink Diamond's palanquin in a dream, Steven and Greg finding ''Blue Diamond's'' palanquin before seeing Blue herself, and Blue grabbing Greg.]]
** "Off Colors" has two: [[spoiler: Lars slamming against a stone wall, definitely unconscious at best]] and [[spoiler: Steven cradling Lars' dead body in his arms.]]
** "Jungle Moon" has one, immediately following after Yellow Diamond's scorning of Stevonnie [[spoiler:(in actuality, it's them remembering Pink Diamond's memories)]], they angrily walk over to a window and punch it, [[spoiler: but it's not Stevonnie's reflection, it's '''Pink Diamond's''', finally revealed after a season, whose appearance could previously only be speculated from a simplified mural.]]
** "A Single Pale Rose" has THREE in rapid succession: [[spoiler: We see Rose Quartz shatter Pink Diamond, only to suddenly see that "Rose Quartz" has Pearl's eyes and gem.]], then [[spoiler:Pearl-as-Rose-Quartz]] holds out her hand to reveal [[spoiler:an intact Pink Diamond gemstone]], then [[spoiler: we go back a few minutes, and see Rose Quartz talking to Pearl. And then Rose Quartz shapeshifts, rotating her Gem to reveal herself as ''Pink Diamond''.]]

** Many in and out of universe are starting to have this reaction to Rose Quartz after [[spoiler: the reveal that she was actually Pink Diamond the whole time, and has been lying to her closest companions and own family for thousands of years.]] [[NotSoStoic Sapphire]] in particular seems to have taken this pretty seriously, for understandable reasons.

* TransformationExhilaration: Many [[FusionDance fusion transformations]] in the show result in this, since the fusion dance is a reflection of the characters' relationship. Stevonnie occurs when Connie and Steven are just laughing together, and Ruby and Sapphire's fusions [[spoiler: into Garnet]] are generally a joyful reunion between two lovers. Pearl and Amethyst both express joy at fusing with Garnet because of the confidence boost being part of Garnet gives them.
* TravelingAtTheSpeedOfPlot: Space travel works this way in the show. Lapis is apparently able to achieve intergalactic travel within months (or even weeks) using nothing but her water wings. After Peridot discovered the crystal gems, it took months for her to show up on Earth, but later Steven is shown to travel to homeworld within what appeared to be days at most (traveling via warpdrive in the ship of a high ranking gem). Despite this, [[spoiler: Lars and the off colors]] spend season 5 traveling through space on a stolen ship while trying to make it from Homeworld to Earth.

--> '''Pearl''': [[Recap/StevenUniverseS1E45RosesScabbard We were right here, over 5,000 years ago.]]
--> '''Yellow Diamond''': [[Recap/StevenUniverseS5E24LegsFromHereToHomeworld When we show up in this ship, it will be irrefutable that the last 6,000 years are now the biggest galactic embarrassment that's ever happened.]]

-->'''Steven''': Oh my gosh, Uncle Grandpa! You're really here, I can't believe it! I mean, I literally can't believe it. How is this even possible?\\

--> '''Amethyst''': Turn it clockwise! No, your other clockwise! ... Yeah, lift it backwards. ... Not up, ''backwards''!
--> '''Garnet:''' You mean ''pull''?

** In general, averted. Although there is the lingering truth that Rose would be here if not for Steven, none of the Gems, or Greg, treat him this way, instead looking at him as the continuation of Rose.

* WeaponBasedCharacterization: The Gems all have a different magical weapon that they summon through their gems.
** Garnet has a pair of [[PowerFist gauntlets]] that are projected out of the gems embedded in her hands.
** Amethyst uses [[WhipItGood a whip]].
** Pearl gets [[BladeOnAStick a spear]] and has a collection of swords in her room.
** The titular character Steven has [[LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe a shield]] that he inherited from his mother. His mother also used [[CoolSword a sword]] that is not projected out of a gem, but is instead summoned out of Lion.
** Lapis Lazuli does not have a weapon. Instead, she has the power to [[MakingASplash control water]]. Her official summoned weapon appears to be her [[PowerGivesYouWings fluid wings]].
** Jasper summons a CoolHelmet.
** It's also worth noting that when two Gems [[FusionDance fuse]], their weapons combine into a new one too:
*** Opal turns Pearl's spear and Amethyst's whip into the limbs and string of an EnergyBow.
*** Sugilite combines Garnet's gauntlets into a giant [[EpicFlail meteor hammer]] with Amethyst's whip as the chain.
*** Sardonyx combines Garnet's gauntlets and Pearl's spear into a large, cartoonish [[DropTheHammer war hammer]].
*** Smoky Quartz uses Amethyst's whip and Steven's shield to form the string and end of a KillerYoYo.
*** Rainbow Quartz turns Pearl's spear and Steven's shield into the stick and canopy of a ParasolOfPain.
*** Sunstone uses Garnet's gauntlets and Steven's shield to form [[ImprobableWeaponUser suction cup gloves]].
*** Obsidian combines Garnet's gauntlets, Amethyst's whip, Pearl's spear, and Steven's shield into an [[{{BFS}} enormous]] FlamingSword.
*** Alexandrite, Malachite, and Stevonnie don't have their own personal weapons. Instead, they use [[AllYourPowersCombined all of their constituent members' weapons]] interchangeably.
*** In "Keystone Motel", we see Ruby summon just one of Garnet's gauntlets. Sapphire can be assumed to have the other.
*** Left Topaz and Right Topaz wield identical maces that combine into a two-headed version- a sort of pugil stick- when fused.
** Connie always showed a tendency towards sword-fighting, and eventually trained to become an expert with it.
** Peridot's "[[ArtificialLimbs limb enhancers]]" aren't her Gem weapon, but they're her main, and seemingly ''only'', offensive weapon. With them, she can WallRun, use a TractorBeam built into her palm, [[InstantFlightJustAddSpinning use her]] FloatingLimbs fingers to fly like a helicopter, and fire a HandCannon. Without them, she can only WimpFight with Steven.
** Aquamarine has a powerful magic wand capable of immobilizing victims, but it's ambiguous if it's a summoned gem weapon or an artifact of Homeworld technology.

* WhamLine:
** Episode-specific cases:
*** "On the Run": "...and we shut this place down so the Earth would be safe from [[IAmAMonster parasites like ME!]]"
*** This exchange between Ronaldo and Lars in "Horror Club" casts their interactions through the episode in a new light:
---->'''Lars:''' Come on, man! {{We used to be friends}}!\\
'''Ronaldo:''' And you ''threw me away!''
*** "Sworn to the Sword": "''Why won't you just let me do this for you, [[WrongNameOutburst Rose?!]]''"
*** A line at the end of "Hit the Diamond" exposes [[spoiler:the episode's CouldHaveAvoidedThisPlot]]:
---->[[spoiler:'''Giant Ruby:''' ''Where is Jasper?!'']]
*** From "Bismuth", we have the revelation of [[spoiler:exactly what led to Bismuth being bubbled]]:
---->'''Bismuth''': [[spoiler:That's exactly what ''she'' said.]]
*** "Steven's Dream", immediately after [[spoiler: the WhamShot of Blue Diamond's palanquin]]:
---->[[spoiler: '''Blue Diamond''']]: [[spoiler: Poor Pink...]]
** Scenes with series-wide implications:
*** "Ocean Gem": "All those monsters we fight used to be [[WasOnceAMan just like us]]!"
*** This line from "Island Adventure" casts Lars and his actions (from both before and after this episode) in a very different light.
----> '''Lars:''' Sadie, do you ever get lonely... Even when you're around people?
*** The appearance of a Homeworld Gem in "Warp Tour" is treated with the gravity it deserves, but one specific line drives home how much of a Very Bad Thing it represents:
---->'''Pearl:''' They're coming back. I can't do this! Not again!
*** In "The Return", Greg hints at the Gems' [[MyGreatestFailure deepest regret]], and how they don't want Steven "thinking of them like that". Steven presses the issue further:
---->'''Steven:''' Like what? ...Dad, like what?\\
'''Greg:''' Like aliens, Steven! Aliens who invaded Earth!
*** "Chille Tid": "No! [[ThatManIsDead I'm not Lapis anymore]]. [[SplitPersonalityTakeover We're Malachite now.]]"
*** "Message Received" establishes exactly what, and ''who'', the Crystal Gems are dealing with:
---->'''Yellow Diamond:''' I want my Cluster, and I want [[InsignificantLittleBluePlanet that planet]] to ''die''. Just make that happen.
*** From the same episode, Peridot cements her HeelFaceTurn:
---->'''Yellow Diamond:''' What do YOU know about the Earth?!\\
'''Peridot:''' Apparently more than you, you '''[[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu CLOD!!]]'''
*** From "Alone at Sea", we have this line from Lapis during a discussion of Jasper:
---->'''Lapis:''' I miss her.
*** From "Earthlings":
---->[[spoiler:'''Jasper:''' I've been fighting from the second I broke from the Earth's crust, because of what ''you'' did to my COLONY! Because of what ''you'' did to my PLANET! Because of what ''you'' did to ''my Diamond''!!\\
'''Steven:''' Y...Yellow Diamond?\\
'''Jasper:''' Wha-?! '''''My''''' Diamond! '''''Your''''' Diamond! '''''PINK DIAMOND!!''''']]
*** From "Back To The Moon":
---->[[spoiler:'''Eyeball:''' I was there. I saw it with my own eye. I watched the leader of the Crystal Gems, Rose Quartz, shatter Pink Diamond!]]
*** From "Bubbled":
---->[[spoiler:'''Steven:''' But did mom really do it? Did she really shatter her?\\
'''Garnet:''' She had to. The Earth belonged to Pink Diamond. Destroying her was the only way to save the planet. For Amethyst to be herself, for Pearl to be free, for me to be together. For you to exist.]]
*** From "The Trial":
---->[[spoiler:'''Steven (about the weapon used to shatter Pink Diamond):''' I probably had to use the "Breaking Point" to do it.\\
'''Blue Diamond:''' IT WAS A SWORD!!! [[note]]Rose's sword is specifically made to always poof, never shatter. This is the first hint that there is way more to this story than it seems.[[/note]]]]
*** In the same episode, once [[spoiler: Defense Zircon realizes there are too many holes in the official story of Pink Diamond's death for it to make sense]].
---->[[spoiler:'''Defense Zircon:''' No, whoever did this was already close to Pink Diamond. [...] and someone with the authority to cover it up afterwards! Someone with supreme authority, someone...like one of '''you'''! (points the Diamonds)]]
*** From "Jungle Moon":
---->[[spoiler: '''Yellow Diamond:''' Then why don't you act like it, ''Pink?!'']]
*** From "A Single Pale Rose":
---->[[spoiler: '''Rose Quartz (actually Pink Diamond):''' I can't exactly shatter myself.]]
*** From "Change Your Mind", which is literally a wham line in how [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhsxqTJz23E forcefully]] the character says it, plus it bluntly puts to rest the question of Steven's true identity:
---->[[spoiler: '''White Diamond:''' What is this? Where is Pink?\\
'''Pink Steven/Half-of-Steven:''' ''[monotone]'' She's gone.\\
'''White Diamond:''' What did you say?! ''Answer me!!!''\\
'''Pink Steven:''' ''[[SuddenlyShouting [Suddenly Screaming] ]]'' ''SHE'S'' '''''GOOOOOOOONE!!!!!!'''''\\
(A crater forms in the floor, and the walls of White Diamond's Sanctum crack from the scream.)]]

** ''Crying Breakfast Friends[[ExcitedSeriesTitle !]]'', a cartoon [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin about crying]] [[AnthropomorphicFood breakfast foods]] that Steven loves but leaves Greg utterly baffled. "Reformed" essentially indicates ''Crying Breakfast Friends!'' is the ''Steven Universe'' [[FictionalCounterpart equivalent]] of ''[[SelfParody itself]]'', even having counterparts for each cast member. The show’s creator is even named Samantha Pepper

%% Please keep content about leaks off this page until the episodes have aired. Official promos are all right. However, you can edit an externally hosted roughdraft with the following link that will be copied to the actual page after the official airing.
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* SmurfettePrinciple: Inverted; Steven is the only male Gem (and largely plays the role of TheChick on the team).

* WeaponOfChoice: The Gems all have a different magical weapon that they summon through their gems.

* SpecialPersonNormalName: Steven, the first HalfHumanHybrid. However, his full name, [[AwesomeMcCoolname Steven Quartz Universe]], averts this.