Steven Universe Review: “Gem Drill” (Season 3, Episode 2)

Are you ready to drill down into the planet to depths never before reached by your species to stop the Cluster before it forms and save your world? – Peridot. Ma’am, might I direct you to Jules Verne’s 1864 classic?

Airdate: May 12th, 2016.

Written By: Raven Molisee and Paul Villeco.

Plot: With the Earth about ready to explode in a Cluster-related disaster, Steven and Peridot decide to drill to the center of the planet. It’s their one shot, and Peridot will be damned if she can’t wipe them all out. However, as the Gem Shards attack the drill, Steven begins to experience a massive disquiet with the idea.

Review:

Ah, a big one here.

For all that the Steven Universe fandom has been critical of the episodes swinging between Big Ones and “Townies”, let it be known that – at least for me – the big ones are a big reason why so many of us keep up with the show. Because the Big Episodes are generally sublime, universally considered amongst the show’s best. In short, it shows that the Crewniverse are doing something right.

“Gem Drill”, however, might be the most controversial of the Big Ones, apart from maybe “Bismuth”. But while “Bismuth” generated some political controversy, “Gem Drill” found fans debating over whether or not it satisfied the development of the plot well enough – or more specifically, brought a major plot thread to an adequate conclusion.

If I’m honest, the Cluster Arc in Steven Universe was executed in a rather… peculiar way. What was meant to be the Ultimate Destruction of the Earth As We Know It (TM) was actually wrapped up in a rather interesting fashion… not only did the end of the arc not come at the end of a season, it came as the second episode of Season 3. In a show that has at least five seasons.

Many fans have called this a moment of wasted potential for Steven Universe. And in that regard, I can’t totally disagree.

Yes. I do think that the Cluster Arc was somewhat rushed. Not horribly so, and plots later this season aren’t necessarily bad (far from it), but this lingering threat of a super weapon that could eliminate Earth is pacified in a somewhat rapid way. That alone results in some points being deducted. Many potential plotlines involving the Diamond Authority and the cluster are shuffled off like that. I can’t fault the Crewniverse if this was part of their plan, but it does feel like a bit of an unfortunate twist.

However, I have to say that I do like this episode. In fact, I really like it! Why is that?

I present two big bullet points that alleviate the issue I have with this plot – character interaction and morality scenarios. This episode improves drastically if you focus on those two aspects.

Character, to me, is what really carries Steven Universe over the finish line. The Crewniverse has been able to craft such brilliantly relatable characters, giving them equal amounts of pathos and ethos, and tying them all up with some moments of impressive action sequences. This relates to both protagonist and antagonist alike, particularly with the Gems.

This ability to balance character development can be seen in Steven and Peridot’s conversation in this episode. If it wasn’t for the Cluster, the Gem Shards met en route, and the last minute of the episode, this would be a Zach Callison/Shelby Rabara two-hander. Even more impressive is that, while Connie and Steven are largely on the same wavelength, Steven and Peridot could not be more anymore different at the start of their character arcs.

In a way, they wind up intersecting eventually… by which, I mean this season.

Steven was the eternal optimist, one that had a life full of levity and a positive id many kilometers wide. His daily activities were geared to childlike pleasures, and even his early adventures had a sort of levity to them, at least at first glance. It was a romantic story, early Steven Universe, one with just these ideas of the Guardians of Humanity, these aliens who made it their task to defend Earth. Steven always thought that was all, and that one day, he would be a grand defender. As the years have gone on, though, he’s gotten a glimpse at the gravitas within the Crystal Gem brand. He’s seen his allies and friends at emotional troughs, seen Homeworld at its most cynical, and is dealing with the inexorable march of time with regard to Connie. What hasn’t changed is his boundless optimism, but even then, the season’s just gotten started.

Contrast with Peridot. Stoic in her first appearance, she was devoted to her nation, her leadership, and all that entailed. It was mission first, damn others. Every single instance of her thereafter has exposed a more tragicomic character, starting with a genuine mental breakdown as the Crystal Gems began to evade her capture, then being stripped of contact with Homeworld forced her to ally with her former enemies. As she realized the faults in Homeworld’s logic and execution, she also came to realize that the undemocratic nature of Homeworld was illogical. All this, while she was starting to interject more id in her personal behavior. Slowly, slowly, she’s become a more tolerant Gem, even if a lot of concepts confound her personally.

Take, for example, her fear when she suspects that her world is about to end. She breaks down and confesses that she is apologetic that she can’t save Steven nor the rest of the planet, on the verge of tears. Even further, when Steven confides his admiration of her, she finally gives in. “Wow. Thanks.” Those two words, used for comic effect in “Log Date 7 15 2” to indicate Peridot’s insolence and sobriety, now reflect a more emotional, grateful character.

But that still doesn’t mean that she’s on Steven’s level – not quite yet. There’s still that rather callous aspect to her, even if it’s framed as more reluctant than anything. And even turning Benedict Arnold on Yellow Diamond didn’t make her fully reject the past that she once occupied, as she has to blink back tears stemming from her past…

I know I can never go back to Homeworld, but it’s hard. Not to have some feelings for where you came from.

Homeworld will always be her homeworld (obviously). Nothing will change that, not even realizing the government of the society is hideously corrupt, rife with hypocrisies within. It’s not particularly hard to deduce that she and the rest of the Crystal Gems want to return to Homeworld… it’s just that they’ve written off any possibility of that happening, particularly with the status quo being so entrenched.

“Gem Drill” puts the two together to demonstrate how they can interfere with one another, can be used in tandem in a crisis situation. And it uses these characterizations to analyze how they approach issues of moral conscience.

Now, the morality scenario comes into focus if you consider my argument that Steven Universe is, in many ways, a spiritual successor to Star Trek. Star Trek, in essence, is a franchise that is not lacking in morality plays, particularly in the earlier episodes. Characters face a dilemma, and the suggested solution causes the protagonist in question a moral disquiet, driving him to try and find an alternate solution. Said alternate solution is almost always framed to be for the greater good, while the more cynical episodes tended to be more tragic (as in “Let This Be Your Last Battlefield”). Star Trek has been, in many ways, a franchise about social ethics, why we should follow them, and the tragic consequences if we refuse to reform our behavior on a grand scale.

Likewise, Steven Universe seasons 1B and 2 had a rather high quotient of “morality play”-esque scripts. Episodes such as “Political Power”, “Back to the Barn”, “Too Far”, and “Keeping It Together” presented some forms of social commentary within, be it the rather sobering nature of politics, the concept of meritocracy over misogyny, not insulting people based off their eccentricities or because they don’t fit societal size rules (although that episode was slightly muddled), or not being a jackass towards gay people because they are gay, respectively.

This time, the moral question posed is rather heavy… is the cluster damned permanently, and should it be destroyed for society’s greater good? In effect, it poses the question – is evil irreversible? Are people doomed to destruction and damnation based off of their origin, their backstories?

Alright, we can probably guess what path Steven Universe is going to take here, at least within this particular episode. It’s an educated guess at this point. But to use an old turn of phrase, one that borders on cliche, it’s not the destination as much as it is the journey there.

And this journey is absolutely well-directed. We find out Peridot’s genesis, which she describes as thus… “I didn’t exist. Then, I did.” Simple, right? Well, that’s the thing – if Peridot is to be believed, Gems are constructed as they are. Their lives are fuelled by predestination theory – that what they have become was intended from birth, a theory that we’ll expand on later in this season. Rather Calvinist, if you want to compare it to a religious ideology.

Thus, her belief is that the Gem Shards and the Cluster are inherently damned. There is no hope for their salvation, and even if there was, they’re too far gone. The best thing to do is to wipe them out and destroy them before all hell breaks loose.

The irony of this being delivered by Peridot can’t be overstated. She, thus far, has seemingly had one of the most dramatic character shifts in the show. The facade of stoicism and unwavering support for the rigid social structure has given way to a more inquisitive character, one more willing to embrace her more emotional side. Even here, her desire to wipe it all out even at the cost of god knows how many gems, it’s framed in a somewhat more reluctant sort of way. As if to say that, she’s studied this all before.

Especially haunting is the way she frames what the Gem Shards are going through…

The beings who used to be in those shards are so shattered, they don’t know who they are or what’s happening around them. They just seek out other gems, looking for the missing pieces of themselves, trying to make themselves whole.

I have to say, it’s impressive how the writers can take one of the most haunting episodes of the show and add a whole new level of hell onto it, simply by giving the horror a sense of humanity, all as the speaker is trying to argue that they should be written off. Impressive, Molisee and Villeco.

Anyway, this episode conveys the difference. Steven is perturbed by the destruction of these Gem Shards via the cannon installed. To say nothing of the idea of destroying the cluster. Just preparing to attack it gives him significant physical and emotional distress. Actually attacking it utterly traumatizes him, and eventually causes him to completely blackout…

…leaving him alone. With the cluster.

All with a one-track mind.

Now, this episode (I would suspect) might mark the second consecutive appearance of Steven’s telepathic abilities. Or, more likely, it was a knockout-related dream. Probably a combination of both. I do wonder what space he occupied to talk to the Cluster, if this conversation wasn’t a figment of his imagination.

Either way, it showcases an emotional connection that Steven has with his fellow Gems, as well as a possible superpower that Rose Quartz had (hint, hint). He hears their calls of agony – calling out for anything, anything to give them some form of life. Forming, to these shards, is an attempt to aid despair. They don’t seek to destroy – they seek to gain some sort of hope in a world that had destroyed them.

Something to give them some semblance of community, of completeness…

…anything.

Steven gets this. Besides his rather empathetic nature, Steven also has a weirdly similar path as the Gem Shards. Imagine this – he’s a kid caught between two worlds, and while he’s immersed in both, it’s certainly not without seams. He’s questioning his own humanity, yet it took him so long to really get to know the Crystal Gems. His predicament is not even close to as severe as that of these Gem Shards, of course, but there is that semblance within.

In effect, he convinces them that they are already together, that they can communicate with one another, beyond their physical form. He suggests that as a viable alternative, and for a split second, it appears that he has pacified the situation…

…a pacification that is then cruelly subverted.

“Can’t stop! Going to form! Can’t stop! Going to form!“

At this point, it becomes clear that taking form is not just a desire – but a need. Be it incarnate to Gems as a whole, or a result of being trapped inside the center of the Earth for too damn long, there is no stopping this. It exposes Steven’s naivete to the situation as a whole – that he can’t just leave it be.

In a tragic bit of irony, given his attitude in “Monster Buddies” (and later this season in “Monster Reunion”), he comes to realize that to save them from a destructive formation, he must bubble them. All of them. Now, here’s where I do have a bit of an issue. Personally speaking, I feel like the writers could’ve done more to add a somewhat tragic film to this otherwise brilliant moment. I mean, the Gems within can’t quite be themselves, and Steven can’t resolve their trauma. It’s a high tragedy, and I feel like this episode presents it just a bit too heartwarmingly. It’s even weirder given that Molisee and Villeco helped add that touch of tragedy in “Rose’s Scabbard”, making that episode stand out.

That said, I could also read into it as Steven convincing the Gem Shards to think of one another. To try and use whatever energy they would use forming to bubble one another instead. If you look at it that way, it becomes somewhat noble, if not untragic – a bunch of Gems effectively keeping themselves imprisoned to save the world. They do have a conscience and are using it to their benefit. Still tragic, but framing it that way makes it slightly more optimistic.

As a result, we get an episode that does pose a moral question and answers it, but also gives it some nuance to suggest that it was not used in an optimal setting. Yes, just some fine-tuning directorially with regard to the ending would’ve turned this from great to sublime. But that’s small potatoes.

And yes, my slight disappointment with the ending aside, this episode is very well-directed and framed. The use of color really sets the dark tone through the episode, keeping the tension up well through the ending. The contrast of light and dark, meanwhile, is absolutely astonishing.

When I praise Molisee and Villeco, I really do praise them. They’ve certainly had their clunkers. But at their best, their episodes create the perfect balance of high drama and brilliant optimism that I expect out of Steven Universe. “Rose’s Scabbard”, “Keeping It Together”, and “Nightmare Hospital” showcased the show’s ability to strike a balance between horror (both psychological and classic) and pathos. And now those episodes have a stablemate.

“Gem Drill” is one of the most memorable episodes of Steven Universe. While it does suffer from a slightly awkward placement in the episodic lineup, an ending that could’ve been pitched slightly more differently, and a feeling that it serves more to wrap up the plot, it’s still quite a visually entertaining and vocally brilliant episode, continuing Steven Universe‘s legacy of… well, providing those elements.

Tidbits:

Before we get to the tidbits, oh, yes, one, uh, minor note here…

…the writers of Adventure Time made Bubbline canon in the finale. So, uh, may the wedding fanfictions be competently written and free of the script format that so disquiets me in fanfiction.

Also, it put a lump in my throat. The finale, not the shipping. That just made me say “called it” out loud. Come on, even with the specter of several countries likely editing the episode when it goes overseas, it was about as obvious as Manchester City winning the Premier League last year. The finale, though? A torch was indeed passed on Monday, and it was glorious.

Alright, now to actual tidbits!

• The Crystal Gems are largely relegated to the last three minutes of the episode… which is kind of intriguing. The review blog Steven, Universally also recently reviewed “Super Watermelon Island” and “Gem Drill”. While I do disagree with him for the most part on the level of enjoyment that I get from these episodes (although he certainly makes good points, such as the length of the ending), he does have an intriguing idea in hindsight – make the two episodes a two-parter, balancing an A-plot involving Steven and Peridot, and a B-Plot involving Alexandrite and Malachite.
• With the Cluster being a Gestalt entity, I do have to wonder… what would a fusion along those lines be like? I mean, assuming that the Gems would be complete, just what exactly would the end product be like? I would have to assume unstable, but large enough to trash part of the universe.
• I also like how the controller is reminiscent of a Nintendo 64 console controller. I’m assuming that these writers grew up fans of the Big N, what with the controller and Steven’s GameCube.
• The idea that Peridot stemmed from Peridotite definitely makes her character – and how she treats those on Earth – kind of ironic. As if to say that Gems, no matter their Genesis or their locale – all stem from the same building blocks. That, to me, is fascinatingly egalitarian, all while being rather subtle.

Wrap-Up:

Favorite Scene: The Gem Drill attacking the Cluster. So well-framed and so horrifying at the same time.

Best Character: No objections to Steven here?

Memorable Quote: “How on earth were you able to bubble that whole thing?” – Pearl. Kinda reflects most fans after this episode. In a good way.

Verdict: Gold. While very slightly disappointing compared to other “big ones”, it’s a well-directed and gripping finale to the Cluster Arc, in my opinion.

Ranking it, it comes in at #28, right behind “Nightmare Hospital” and just above “Coach Steven”.

So, we got the Peridot stuff out of the way. Who’s next?

Ah, Lapis. Welcome back…