"Reunited" | |
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Steven Universe episodes | |
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Episode nos. | Season 5 Episodes 23 & 24 |
Directed by | Joe Johnston (supervising) Liz Artinian (art) |
Written by | Miki Brewster Jeff Liu Katie Mitroff Paul Villeco |
Story by | Matt Burnett Ben Levin Rebecca Sugar Kat Morris Joe Johnston Tom Herpich |
Produced by | Jackie Buscarino |
Editing by | Paul Douglas |
Original air date | July 6, 2018 |
Running time | 22 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
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"Reunited" is the 23rd and 24th episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Steven Universe , and the 151st and 152nd episode of the series overall. A 22-minute double-length special episode, it was directed by Joe Johnston and Liz Artinian, and written and storyboarded by Miki Brewster, Jeff Liu, Katie Mitroff and Paul Villeco from a story by Johnston, Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Kat Morris, Tom Herpich and series creator Rebecca Sugar. [1] It first aired on July 6, 2018 as the final part of the seventh "StevenBomb", a series of six episodes aired between July 2 and 6.
"Reunited" features the wedding of Ruby and Sapphire, but the celebrations are cut short when Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond attack the Earth to avenge Pink Diamond's death. The episode merges many storylines developed previously in the series: the true nature of Pink Diamond's death, revealed in "A Single Pale Rose"; the crisis in Ruby and Sapphire's relationship in the aftermath of that revelation; Lapis Lazuli's departure in "Raising the Barn" earlier in the season; and the Cluster, last seen in the season three episode "Gem Drill". It was viewed by 0.974 million people [2] and received critical acclaim. The episode was nominated for a 2019 Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program; it lost to Love, Death & Robots .
It is the wedding day of Ruby (Charlyne Yi) and Sapphire (Erica Luttrell), the Crystal Gems that fuse to form Garnet (Estelle). Steven (Zach Callison) helps everyone prepare for the ceremony, singing the song "Let's Only Think About Love", in which he uses the wedding to distract everyone, including himself, from recent traumatic events and revelations. At the wedding, with Steven's friends in attendance, Ruby and Sapphire say their vows: Ruby says Sapphire allows her to see value in herself, and Sapphire explains how Ruby saved her from her destiny and opened up new possibilities. They kiss and fuse back into Garnet.
During the reception, the Gem rulers Blue and Yellow Diamond arrive in their giant arm-shaped spaceships in order to awaken the Cluster, a massive geo-weapon at the planet's core consisting of thousands of Gem shards. Despite Steven's efforts, the Cluster is awakened, manifesting as a giant arm. However, it remains in control of itself and fights Yellow's ship by arm-wrestling it.
Meanwhile, Blue Diamond (Lisa Hannigan) lands on the beach, intending to avenge Pink Diamond's shattering. She ignores Steven's attempt to explain to her that Pink Diamond was never shattered and subdues Steven and the other Gems with her grief-inducing aura. Connie (Grace Rolek) attacks with Rose Quartz's sword, but Blue Diamond stops her and shatters the blade. Garnet is able to distract Blue Diamond long enough for Lapis Lazuli (Jennifer Paz), returning from space, to drop her barn on Blue Diamond, declaring her allegiance to the Crystal Gems. Working together, the Crystal Gems overwhelm Blue Diamond, while the Cluster disables both ships and retreats to rest.
The Diamonds regroup, as Yellow Diamond (Patti LuPone) assists Blue Diamond out of the wreckage and destabilizes Peridot (Shelby Rabara)'s body, reducing her to her gemstone. When Steven tries to step forward to explain that he has Pink Diamond's gemstone, Yellow Diamond steps on him with fury, knocking him unconscious.
Steven awakens outside his body in an abstract psychic plane, where he watches as Lapis is also destabilized. He discovers that, disembodied, he can interact with people's thoughts, and encourages his friends before attempting to speak to the Diamonds. At first, he is unable to get past their auras, but eventually causes them to sense his presence. They proceed to attack him, but his own aura intensifies, and they stop attacking when they recognize the aura to be that of Pink Diamond. Steven reawakens with the Crystal Gems, Greg and the Diamonds standing over him in surprise, as Blue Diamond tearfully says, "It's you. Pink!"
This episode was written and storyboarded by Miki Brewster, Jeff Liu, Katie Mitroff, and Paul Villeco. [1] The art was directed by Liz Artinian, with Joe Johnston as supervising director.
This episode features the wedding of Ruby and Sapphire, their engagement in the episode "The Question" reportedly being the first same-sex engagement in a cartoon. [3] The wedding storyline had been conceived early in the series' history, during the production of Ruby and Sapphire's first appearance in "Jail Break" and at a time before same-sex marriage had been legalized in the United States. After "Reunited" aired, series creator Rebecca Sugar explained that the two characters were designed to be "wholesome" in response to pushback about their relationship, so that "there could only be one reason you could not show this to kids"; their relationship was also intentionally depicted in a way that would receive as little censorship as possible internationally. [4]
Some viewers noted that Ruby and Sapphire's gendered attire was reversed for their wedding; [1] [5] the more traditionally masculine Ruby wears a dress while Sapphire, who is usually seen with a dress, wears a suit. Concept art for these designs has existed since 2016. [6] Sugar based Ruby and Sapphire's relationship on the relationship between herself and her partner, Ian Jones-Quartey, and Sugar came out as non-binary days after the episode was released; [7] Sugar would later clarify that Ruby's dress was a reference to her own gender identity, commenting that "Ruby in a dress is how I feel when I'm in a dress". [4] A wave of Steven Universe merchandise was released following "Reunited", which prominently featured Ruby and Sapphire's wedding. [8] Sugar later noted that the outfits for Ruby and Sapphire were leaked before the episode aired because of a toy fair. [9]
Sugar has spoken about the influence of classic musical films in the episode's writing. The wedding reception interrupted by violence is a plot element borrowed from Fiddler on the Roof , while the barn being dropped on Blue Diamond is a reference to the farmhouse dropped on the Wicked Witch of the East in The Wizard of Oz . [10] Sugar noted that throughout the show's run, Cartoon Network pressured the crew to make Steven the leader of the Crystal Gems, but that they pushed back, with scene to this effect in "Made of Honor" and noted that in Reunited, Garnet becomes the leader of the Crystal Gems once more. [11]
This episode features the song "For Just One Day Let's Only Think About (Love)", sung by Zach Callison as Steven, along with the rest of the main cast. The song was composed by Rebecca Sugar with Aivi & Surasshu, [1] and was released digitally as a single alongside the episode's broadcast. [12] According to Sugar, the structure and style of the song were influenced by songs from musical films such as For Me and My Gal and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum . [10]
"Reunited" premiered on July 6, 2018 on Cartoon Network. Its initial American broadcast was viewed by approximately 0.974 million viewers. It received a Nielsen household rating of 0.28, meaning that it was seen by 0.28% of all households. [2] The special was the fifth and sixth episodes of the seventh StevenBomb event, where a new episode aired every weekday for a week.
This episode received critical acclaim upon release, particularly regarding the quantity of important events that occurred within a single episode, including Ruby and Sapphire's wedding, Lapis Lazuli's return to Earth and officially joining the Crystal Gems, and the battle between the Gems and the Diamonds. Eric Thurm of The A.V. Club praised the episode, giving it an A−. Thurm felt that the episode was executed in a great way. However, he felt that the first half of the episode was stronger than the second, stating that he enjoyed Garnet's wedding, particularly Sapphire's vows. He also claimed that although the fight scenes in the second half were slightly underwhelming, the episode set up a new era for the show. [13]
Palmer Haasch, reviewing the episode for Polygon , called it one of the show's "best episodes to date", praising its focus on Steven Universe's core themes of family, love, "and healing, wellness, and growth". [14] Also writing for Polygon, Lux Alptraum hailed the episode, and Ruby and Sapphire's relationship more broadly, as an important instantiation of visible queer representation on television. [15]
Entertainment Weekly rated it one of the five best episodes of any animated series of 2018. [16] At the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the episode was nominated for Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program. [17]
Steven Universe is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe, who lives with the Crystal Gems—magical, mineral-based aliens named Garnet (Estelle), Amethyst, and Pearl —in the fictional town of Beach City. Steven, who is half-Gem, has adventures with his friends and helps the Gems protect the world from their own kind. The pilot was first shown in May 2013, and the series ran for five seasons, from November 2013 to January 2019. The TV film Steven Universe: The Movie was released in September 2019, and an epilogue limited series, Steven Universe Future, ran from December 2019 to March 2020.
Steven Quartz Universe is the titular character and the main protagonist of the animated series Steven Universe and its epilogue series Steven Universe Future, created by Rebecca Sugar. Steven is a hybrid between a normal human being and a "Gem", a fictional race of alien beings that exist as magical gemstones projecting bodies of light. Voiced by Zach Callison, he debuted in the series' pilot episode and made his main series debut in the first episode, "Gem Glow".
"Jail Break" is the 49th episode of the first season of American animated television series Steven Universe, which premiered on March 12, 2015 on Cartoon Network. The episode was written and storyboarded by Joe Johnston, Jeff Liu, and series creator Rebecca Sugar. The episode acts as a continuation of the arc started in the previous episode, "The Return", and the two aired alongside each other as a two-part special. Both episodes were watched by 1.697 million viewers.
"The Answer" is the 22nd episode of the second season of American animated television series Steven Universe, which premiered on January 4, 2016 on Cartoon Network. It was written and storyboarded by Lamar Abrams and Katie Mitroff. The episode was viewed by 1.384 million viewers.
"Cry for Help" is the eleventh episode of the second season of American animated television series Steven Universe. The episode was written and storyboarded by Joe Johnston and Jeff Liu; it premiered on July 13, 2015, on Cartoon Network and was watched by 1.714 million viewers.
Garnet is a character from the animated series Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar. She is a Gem, a fictional alien being that exists as a magical gemstone projecting a holographic body. Garnet is a fusion — i.e., two Gems combining personalities and appearances as one shared holographic body — formed by two Gems named Ruby and Sapphire, who choose to remain permanently fused out of love for each other.
"Super Watermelon Island" is the first episode of the third season of American animated television series Steven Universe, which premiered on May 12, 2016 on Cartoon Network. It was written and storyboarded by Joe Johnston and Jeff Liu. The episode was viewed by 1.693 million viewers.
"Bismuth" is the twentieth and twenty-first episode of the third season of American animated television series Steven Universe; it premiered on August 4, 2016 on Cartoon Network. A special double-length episode featuring guest star Uzo Aduba, it was advertised as the 100th episode of the series. It was written and storyboarded by Lamar Abrams, Colin Howard, Jeff Liu and Katie Mitroff. The episode was viewed by 2.153 million viewers.
Amethyst is a fictional character from the animated television series Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar. She is voiced by Michaela Dietz.
"Gem Harvest" is the eighth episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Steven Universe. A special double-length episode, it was written and storyboarded by Raven M. Molisee, Paul Villeco, Hilary Florido, and Lauren Zuke. The episode was first broadcast on Cartoon Network on November 17, 2016, and was viewed by 1.385 million viewers.
"Gem Drill" is the second episode of the third season of American animated television series Steven Universe, which premiered on May 12, 2016 on Cartoon Network. It was written and storyboarded by Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco. The episode was viewed by 1.693 million viewers.
"A Single Pale Rose" is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Steven Universe. It first aired on May 7, 2018 on Cartoon Network as the second half of a two-part special with the preceding episode "Can't Go Back". It was directed by Kat Morris and Liz Artinian and written and storyboarded by Danny Cragg and Hilary Florido from a story by Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Kat Morris, Joe Johnston, and series creator Rebecca Sugar.
Steven Universe: The Movie is a 2019 American animated musical television film based on the animated television series Steven Universe created by Rebecca Sugar. The film is directed by Sugar, alongside co-directors Joe Johnston and Kat Morris, and stars Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Magno Hall, and Sarah Stiles, alongside an ensemble cast reprising their roles from the television series. Steven Universe: The Movie takes place two years after the events of the series finale "Change Your Mind", and follows the Crystal Gems as they attempt to save all organic life on Earth from a deranged Gem with a history with Steven's mother Rose Quartz.
"Legs from Here to Homeworld" is the 25th episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Steven Universe, and the 153rd episode of the series overall. It was directed by Kat Morris and Liz Artinian and written and storyboarded by Amber Cragg, Hilary Florido, and Tom Herpich, from a story by Morris, Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Joe Johnston, and series creator and executive producer Rebecca Sugar. It premiered at the Steven Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con on July 21, 2018, before being released on the Cartoon Network app and website the following day; it was broadcast on television on December 17, 2018.
"The Question" is the 21st episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Steven Universe. It first aired on July 4, 2018, on Cartoon Network. It was directed by Joe Johnston and Liz Artinian and written and storyboarded by Miki Brewster and Jeff Liu. The episode attracted media attention after it aired because it featured the first same-sex marriage proposal in Western children's animation.
"Change Your Mind" is the series finale of the American animated television series Steven Universe; a 44-minute quadruple-length episode, it is counted as the 29th to 32nd episode of the series' fifth season and as the 157th to 160th episodes of the series overall. The only 44-minute episode of the series, it was directed by Joe Johnston and Kat Morris, with art direction by Liz Artinian, and written and storyboarded by Johnston, Morris, Lamar Abrams, Miki Brewster, Danny Cragg, Hilary Florido, Ian Jones-Quartey, Christine Liu, Jeff Liu, Katie Mitroff, Paul Villeco, and series creator and executive producer Rebecca Sugar.
Steven Universe Future is an American animated limited series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It serves as both an epilogue and the de facto sixth and final season of the 2013–2019 original series Steven Universe and its follow-up 2019 animated film Steven Universe: The Movie. It premiered on December 7, 2019, and concluded on March 27, 2020.
"The Future" is the 20th and final episode of the American animated limited series Steven Universe Future, which serves as an epilogue to the 2013–19 television series Steven Universe; it is therefore also the final episode of the Steven Universe franchise. It originally aired on Cartoon Network on March 27, 2020 as the fourth and final part of the series finale.
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