'Steven Universe': 10 of the Crystal Gem's Best Moments (So Far)...

I'm obsessed with Steven Universe.

I know, I know, I'm late to the party. The show launched to rave reviews in 2013, and was wildly popular for its first few seasons. How I managed to go so long without even knowing about the Crystal Gems is beyond me.

It wasn't until a few months ago, when I noticed a couple of my friends making posts about the show, that I really started paying attention... and I was instantly hooked. I binged all fifty-two episodes of Season One in 24 hours (which is not hard to do, considering that most episodes are only 10-13 minutes long).

Since then I've had the show playing on a constant loop in my home. I've seen every episode a dozen or more times. I've watched YouTube videos, read the comics, indulged in fan fiction, and looked for clues and hints for what's to come in Season 6. When the movie poster was released, I watched fan theories. I've got SU stickers all over my laptop. I'm planning a group Halloween costume. True story: It is playing right now, in my office, as I type this article.

Whether you're brand new to the show or a self-proclaimed Honorary Crystal Temp, I hope you'll enjoy these 10 of the Crystal Gem's best moments (so far)...

A Quick Note Before We Start...

Unfortunately, the phrase "all our favs are problematic" is more than just a catchy meme. We live in a world where racism and ignorance permeate into everything, especially entertainment. And it exists in Steven Universe as well.

A writer for Medium using the tag "Riley H" (pronouns: they/them) has detailed the issues in a thorough and exquisitely-written article available here. I strongly recommend reading it, and then sending the author some cash as thanks for the education. (They are $rileyatdtwps on Cash App.)

Ok. Now we're gonna move forward with our Top 10!

10. Body Diversity

To start our list, we're not going to look at a specific scene, song, or episode, but rather at the characters as a whole cast. Without question, Steven Universe has one of the most diverse casts of characters.

Every single character in the show is unique... even Kiki and Jenny, who are identical twins, have their own styles and personalities. There are folks of every height, weight, skin color, and culture.

Nanafua Pizza, the matriarch of the Pizza family (and Kiki and Jenny's grandmother), is based on a real-life woman named Theodosia Okoh, who died in 2015. Okoh designed Ghana's national flag (and her grandson Ian Jones-Quartey happens to be the Creative Director over at Steven Universe!).

Steven's best friend Connie is of Indian and Sri Lankan descent, as are her parents Doug and Priyanka Maheshwaran. And one of the most developed secondary characters in the show, Sadie, represents body positivity and self-love!

But it's not just the humans who are diverse. Gems also have awesome individuality. Each type of gem has a basic shape, but individual gems have autonomy over their physical form, and can choose how to style and accessorize themselves every time they regenerate.

Friendships and love interests all develop without a mention of anyone's physical appearance. Strength is shown by size in some regards, but even petite characters, like Pearl, are considered to be strong and powerful. Multiple characters are regarded as beautiful or attractive even though they don't fit into normal beauty molds.

Jamie the mailman falls in love with tall, curvy Garnet, and attempts to win her affection. Mayor Dewey calls Pearl, who is very thin and petite, "the hot one" when talking to Steven about his family. Rose is a PAWG and Greg fell head over heels in love with her.

Normal tropes about body size and stature are only discussed as problematic, like when Peridot loses her Limb Enhancers, and has to come to grips with her small stature and how it relates to her overall power and value.

For gems, the concept of body love goes even deeper, as a gem's physical form is only temporary. When a gem gets hurt, they abandon their physical form, and retreat into their stone to repair. Once healed and ready, they reform in whatever style they choose. Because of this, the characters are able to consistently reinvent themselves as they age, and no body feels like a trap.

In short, it does everything about diversity and body positivity differently from other shows, and it feels SO good to watch.

9. Steven Respects Lars' Privacy

Steven really enjoys poking his nose in the romantic relationships of his friends, but it goes to a whole new level in "The New Lars" when Steven actually possesses Lars' body for a day and confuses the whole town.

It's a pretty funny episode, and it sets the stage for Lars' transition from a side character into a series regular. But the part that makes our list happens at the very beginning of Lars' possession.

Steven wakes up in Lars' body, and instantly realizes a very personal fact about Lars: he sleeps naked. A much-lankier-than-normal Steven/Lars fumbles out of bed and onto the floor where he takes a moment to collect himself.

"Oh, I'm Lars! And I'm naked! I must have jumped into Lars' mind. I guess while I'm in here, I better do my best to respect Lars' body... and his privacy." -Steven, in Lars' body

And just like that, Steven got dressed and went about his day. No jokes about Lars' body whatsoever. Instead, an acknowledgement that being in someone's space doesn't give you permission to invade their privacy if you can avoid it.

A wholesome message for adults and kids alike.

One of the largest plot elements in Steven Universe revolves around Garnet and the concept of "fusion". Throughout the show, fusion is used as a metaphor for friendship, romance, and love... but it can also represent war, rape, and hate. Many of our Top 10 moments revolve around this truly magical and powerful act.

Fusion happens when two gems combine to create a new, usually larger and more powerful gem. In the Steven Universe lore, fusion was primarily used by Homeworld (that's where gems come from originally) for military purposes.

Rubies, for instance, who are hot-blooded and angry, make good soldiers. Combine five Rubies into one GIANT Ruby, though, and you've got the ultimate fighting machine. (Although still easy to trick, since Rubies aren't known for their intelligence).

We also see fusion used in times of war by Homeworld during Season 4, when Aquamarine comes to Earth with her two Topaz soldiers, who work together as a weapon by grabbing humans, and then fusing together so that the human is stuck inside of their fused body.

But outside of Homeworld-approved situations, fusion is looked down upon greatly. Which brings us to the focus of our #8: Garnet.

Garnet is a fusion between a Ruby and a Sapphire. The two fused accidentally while visiting Earth on a mission from Homeworld. They fell in love and decided to stay fused permanently—which is virtually unheard of in Gem society, and usually leads to being shattered (killed).

When Garnet first became... Garnet, she decided to stay on Earth, and join the Rebellion where she could stay fused and live happily in love, rather than live lives of lies and secrecy. Every time the Crystal Gems have to go to battle against Homeworld, Garnet faces a new onslaught of jokes/insults/hatred about her form.

"Better Than You" is an empowerment song... it takes place in the Season one Finale during a fight between Garnet and Jasper, and it's really Ruby and Sapphire's way of saying that no amount of ridicule will tear them apart. This song is the first time that we realize how truly strong their bond to one another is.

Plus, it's a catchy tune!

"Oh, I just think that you're mad 'cause you're single..."

Another fusion that instantly gains our love and support is Stevonnie, who truly breaks all the rules. Stevonnie is a fusion between Steven (who is half gem/half human) and his friend Connie (who is 100 percent human). Their fusion is so unexpected and powerful that even the Crystal Gems are shocked to find out she exists in S1:E36 "Alone Together".

It's important to remember that fusion is used in Steven Universe to represent different kinds of relationships... for Garnet, fusion represents love and romance. The same is true for Stevonnie, which makes for an interesting and awkward moment introducing herself to the Gems.

Pearl, who is so lovable, as a total control freak, can't get past how awkward and uncomfortable she feels seeing Stevonnie. Garnet, of course, is absolutely smitten. Which brings us to what is, in my opinion, the single best sex talk ever:

"Stevonnie, listen to me. You are not two people, and you are not one person. You are an experience! Make sure you're a good experience. Now... GO. HAVE. FUN!" -Garnet

Besides being a fusion that is 3/4 human, Stevonnie is also canonically nonbinary and intersex, and the representation that their character brings to network TV is pretty revolutionary.

Nonbinary and intersex folk certainly don't get very much representation, especially not in children's programming. When we do get to see these characters, they're usually tropes that are fraught with emotional conflict, ostracized or bullied by peers, and unfortunately often portrayed as either hypersexualized, or with disgust and loathing... with little in between.

Not true with Stevonnie. Here are a few of my favorite things about the way this character has been portrayed:

1. There is no big talk about pronouns and how to be inclusive. This was a strategic decision, I'm guessing, made by Rebecca Sugar and the producers for this show. Instead of choosing an on-the-nose approach to the larger social conversation about pronouns and how to use them, the characters who interact with Stevonnie just... do it right without having to be asked or told. Every character who interacts with Stevonnie uses they/them pronouns. No big, long conversations about how to not be transphobic needed. It's honestly a breath of fresh air to see what it should look like, instead of what it often does look like, when folks come out as nonbinary.
2. Stevonnie is widely considered the most beautiful person in town... by men and women alike. When Stevonnie goes to The Big Donut, both Lars and Sadie are shocked by their beauty. Kevin, who is maybe the most egotistic and misogynist character in the whole show, considers Stevonnie the only potential partner worth his time. Every single Beach City character who interacts with Stevonnie thinks they are the absolute coolest.
3. Stevonnie deals with body stuff. Specifically... facial hair. And again, Rebecca Sugar and the Steven Universe team decided to depict this kind of life experience exactly the way it should be depicted... as normal and beautiful and powerful. Stevonnie's facial hair isn't just a few cute whisps... there's a whole five o'clock shadow growing on their face in S5:E13 "Jungle Moon"! Using Rose's sword, Stevonnie cuts the hairs to just a stubble-length... short enough to be manageable, but definitely still visible. Then they sit back, and admire their unbelievable beauty. There is no struggle... no internal debate about whether or not to conform to gender stereotypes. Stevonnie just styles their facial hair the way that makes them feel good, and that's the end of that. As it should be.
4. There is no talk about genitalia. None. As it should be.

#RepresentationMatters, so I ship Stevonnie hard... if you couldn't tell.

To say that Garnet and Stevonnie have a special relationship is an understatement. After all, Garnet basically represents the matriarch of open, honest, loving fusion relationships. There is nobody better suited to help Steven and Connie adjust to being Stevonnie.

We see the power of that relationship clearly in S4:E4 "Mindful Education". During their training sessions, Stevonnie struggles to stay fused as Steven and Connie deal with individual demons, on top of learning to exist together as a fusion.

Ruby and Sapphire unfuse, and help the two teens navigate their emotions in an incredible song, called "Here Comes A Thought". The song focuses on mindfulness, and teaches both characters how to feel emotions without letting those emotions become too powerful.

"Take a moment, remind yourself to take a moment and find yourself. Take a moment and ask yourself if this is how you fall apart. But it's not..."

The message is really amazing. I've used this song to help my daughter, who has anxiety and ADHD, navigate her big emotions... and, to be honest, I've used it to help work through some tough times, too! It's an incredible song with a message of health and self-love, and it's definitely worth a download, if you haven't already!

5. Chosen Family

Season Four introduced us to a whole slew of guest characters, and one of the most notable is definitely Greg's brother, Uncle Andy.

We meet Andy by surprise when he returns home to the family barn to find that it has been taken over. There are two things we learn quickly about this new human character... first we learn that he's a pilot who has been away for a long time, AND that he's very very very prejudiced.

Uncle Andy is the only character in the entire show who uses derogatory language toward other characters out of cruelty and ignorance. He seems to be racist, anti-immigrant, and sexist all in the matter of one twenty-two minute episode. He makes jokes at the expense of others, blames everyone else for his unhappiness, and seems to not have any positive relationships in his life at all.

"I wanted everyone to stay the same, but they just didn't." -Uncle Andy

So why is this being discussed in a "best things" post? Because of the multitude of sweet, kind, and layered moments it allows us to experience. Let me highlight my favorite parts about this episode:

1. Steven gets some well-deserved human family. Basically the entire premise of this show is about this poor kid figuring out who he is supposed to be. Watching him grow is great, and we get to see him develop several important relationships... but besides Greg, he doesn't have any human family. He even comments about this to Uncle Andy, which really softens the old man's heart a lot.
2. Peridot and Lapis Lazuli really feel like they are a part of the team now. Not just Homeworld Gems who happen to live on Earth... this is the first time that they feel like a true part of the Crystal Gems. There is a scene where they're all sitting around the table, laughing about the realities of their combined existences, and it feels so relatable and so happy. It's a very human moment for a handful of nonhuman characters.
3. In the end, Uncle Andy isn't such a fucking tool anymore. Now sure... no real person with his belief sets will change their mind from one very odd family potluck... but there is a LOT of power in knowing a person, and Uncle Andy gets his first opportunity in this episode to actually MEET some of the people that he HATES so vehemently... and he figures out that they're, surprise, not all of the things he had been told about them.

I'm not sure that this would make anyone else's Top 10 list for Steven Universe. But as a Farm Girl Living In The Big City myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the way the episode played out. In the end, Uncle Andy changed and everyone is better off for it. And it teaches us that family isn't defined by our blood, but by our love, which is a message I can hella get on board with. <3

Season five brought with it some new characters, as most shows do after they get settled. Besides learning more about Rose and the Diamonds, we also met The Off-Colors. We were introduced to the concept of an off-color gem when Steven and the Crystal Gems traveled to the Human Zoo to save Greg. A few of these rare gems, considered "deformed" and "wrong" by Homeworld, were found useful despite their imperfections and put to work managing The Zoo.

The Off-Colors we meet in S5 are different, though. Homeworld found no value in them... they escaped into hiding to prevent being shattered. They live outside of society, stuck forever on a planet that hates them.

1. Rodonite—All that we know about Rodonite is that she is a fusion of a Ruby and a Pearl, but that's all we need to know to be interested! Rubies are generally combat soldiers, and Pearls exist as an aide/slave to Elite Gems only... so the story that brings us to Rodonite is bound to be a good one, and we hope we find out more soon!
2. The Rutile Twins—The gem equivalent of conjoined twins, these two gems share one physical gemstone. When Garnet says that she's never seen anything like them, they respond by saying "we were made this way," which is so intriguing. What do they mean? Did they form that way in the ground? Or were they made by someone... like a man-made gem? Or a... diamond-made gem, perhaps? (This is an interesting theory if you're following the speculation surrounding the upcoming Steven Universe movie plot... but I don't want to say too much about that and spoil any surprises!)
3. Flourite—Finally, a gem to represent polyamory! Flourite may look like a giant, elderly caterpillar, but she's actually a fusion of SIX different gems! And she's not opposed to adding more, she was sure to mention. With six different gems making up this one amazing character, it's no wonder she's regarded as wise and matriarchal... she certainly must be very very very wise with all those minds combined.
4. Padparadscha—An orange Sapphire (just like the real gem) who is always just a few seconds too late in her predictions, Padparadscha was discarded by Homeworld even though Sapphires are generally very high-ranking. Her predictions aren't the only thing that seems out of time... her behaviors are mostly tied to her visions, not to the events actually happening around her. Rodonite has taken on the role of protecting Padparadscha when danger comes, because she won't respond to the danger until after her vision has seen it. That suggests that both her physical vision and her cognitive abilities may be out of time as well.

Laramie "Lars" Barriga might be one of the most developed, most complex characters in the whole Steven Universe... universe. He has been a consistent side character since the very first episode, transforming from a lazy, entitled college student and donut slinger to the unexpected zombie leader of a Space Rebellion. True Story.

Nobody would have expected to see the co-dependent-yet-aloof Lars from The Big Donut become a hero. As a matter of fact, it was an act of pure cowardice that landed him on Homeworld to begin with... as a quick recap, a bunch of humans were kidnapped, and taken on a ship destined for Homeworld. Steven and the Crystal Gems teamed up again (really consolidating the story here) to save the humans, but Lars froze during the fight and didn't escape from the ship with the rest of the humans.

"Bingo, Bongo!" -Lars

Lars' experience on Homeworld really changed him. Faced with a situation where he had to decide quickly what kind of person he wanted to be, Lars chose to step up to the plate to protect the Off-Colors from being shattered. In the process, he died, and was revived by one of Steven's Healing Tears.

Lars' reanimation also came with a change to his physical form... his skin turned pink, and his hair is now a portal between worlds for Steven. This parallels how Lion works, and makes many fans believe that Rose must have once saved Lion's life the same way Steven saved Lars. I hope we find out more about that...

But I skipped over the most important part. Because Lars didn't just die... he died while saving the Off-Colors' lives. The same kid who used to avoid hanging out with Steven, because he was worried that the cool kids wouldn't like him... is now literally dying to save the lives of a bunch of discarded misfits.

Revived Lars is a badass Space Captain. I can get behind that.

2. Mr. Greg (the whole episode)

Steven Universe gets a lot of credit for being ground-breaking as queer representation, and it deserves every bit of that credit. What I don't see it getting enough applause for, however, is the way that it handles the difficulties of co-parenting. As a mom who's child has a complex parental structure, I relate so hard to the journey that Pearl and Greg take reconciling the fact that they were in love with the same woman.

So here's the quick back story (without too many spoilers): Rose and Pearl had been in a relationship for... a LONG time before they came to Earth. When they got here, Rose kinda had... flings... with human men. Pearl makes it seem like these were mostly just for fun and sex, nothing serious.

"I was fine with the men who would come into her life now and again. I was fine, 'cause I knew that they didn't really matter... until you." - Pearl

When Rose met Greg, however, something was different. They fell in love. Pearl felt immense jealousy, even attempting to sabotage their relationship and feeling bitter toward Steven after his birth. They managed to remain somewhat civil, although it was always clear that the two were uncomfortable around one another.

In the Season Four episode called "Mr. Greg", Steven and his dad decide to go on a vacation to Empire City... and Steven invites Pearl, who hesitantly agrees to come along.

Two of the best songs on the Sountrack come from this episode... first, "It's Over, Isn't It?" is Pearl's late-night lament as she comes to grips with the fact that it's time to move on from her anger. The lyrics tickled a warm spot in my heart where I once found peace after my own heartbreak.

Afterward, Greg confronts her and the two navigate the stages of grief together through shared memories of Rose. Meanwhile, Steven sings "Both of You" in the background, reminding the two of what really matters. The lyrics hit me twice: first as a former child-of-divorced-parents, and second as a parent-of-a-child-with-divorced-parents. The message is profound... which is why this episode is Number two on my list.

"You might not believe it but you've got a lot in common... you really do. You both love me and I love both of you." -Steven

1. Ruby and Sapphire's Wedding

"There's an awful lot of awful things we could be thinking of. But for just one day, let's only think about love!" -Steven

Season Five is easily the darkest season of Steven Universe so far, which is to be expected considering the plot. Try your damnedest, and it's still really hard to make genocide fun and lighthearted.

That's why moments of happiness need to pack a good punch... because they're gonna need to last a while.

S5:E23 provides us with a momentary reprieve from the darkness as we see Ruby and Sapphire get married and refuse to go back into Garnet! Yep, that's right! A lesbian wedding right smack dab in the middle of a kid's cartoon. And it was beautiful.

I don't want to try to explain it... it's just too good. Watch it for yourself and have a Kleenex box handy!

The moment ends far far far too soon, as Earth is suddenly faced with the worst threat it has ever seen... but I won't spoil the ending for you. For just this part, let's only talk about love. ;-)

This show is revolutionary... we know that to be true. It is a winner of both a Peabody Award (2019) and a GLAAD Media Award (2019), and is renewed on Cartoon Network for at least one more season, which is slated to begin airing sometime this year.

Luckily we don't have to wait that long!

Steven Universe The Movie arrives at Cartoon Network on September 2nd, 2019... which, at the time of this publication, is like... one week from now.

So I guess you should all stay tuned for a "10 of the Best Moments from Steven Universe The Movie" follow-up article!