All I wanna do

Is see you turn into

A giant woman

This episode introduces us to one of the more interesting and unique concepts in the show: Fusion.

Amethyst: Oh, it’s the two of us, mashed together.

Pearl: Is water just hydrogen and oxygen “mashed together”?

Steven: Uh…

Pearl: Analogy wasted. Look here, Steven. When we synchronize our forms, we can combine into a powerful fusion Gem named Opal.

Once Steven hears that Pearl and Amethyst can combine to form a “giant woman”, he won’t rest until he can see it for himself.

Unfortunately, they’re being more argumentative than usual – the episode literally opens with Steven acting as a referee between the two.  Evidently “forming Opal” is something of a sore spot for both of them, each blaming the other for not trying hard enough.  If this sounds like a metaphor for their relationship in general, that’s precisely what it is! Well, not precisely, but we’ll flesh out the fusion metaphor further in later episodes.

Anyhow, there is a mission this episode, and Garnet mixes things up by having Pearl, Amethyst, and Steven all go together.

Garnet: You’ll find the Heaven Beetle at the top of the Sky Spire. It’s safer.

Amethyst: You mean boringer…

Pearl: You mean “more boring”.

Amethyst: So you agree with me.

Pearl: Come on you two, let’s go.

Garnet: Steven. Be sure to keep the harmony.

I mean, there are some great faces this episode.  Also a goat.

Steven: So…when you fuse, do you turn into a giant giant woman, or just a regular size giant woman? Does one of you control the right arm and the other control the left arm?

Pearl: Come on, Steven.

Steven: Wait! These are extremely important questions!

Although he does try his best to help them get along, he also keeps pestering them to turn into Opal, first arguing that it would make the mission easier and then, when Pearl claims they only do it under “dangerous” circumstances, looking out for any potentially dangerous situation.

Then he starts singing a little song!

Oh, I know it’ll be great
And I just can’t wait
To see the person you are together
If you give it a chance
You can do a huge dance
Because you are a giant woman

You might even like being together
And if you don’t, it won’t be forever
But if it were me
I’d really wanna be
A giant woman

Pestering is so much more tolerable when you do it in song!  But the only time they manage to work together is when Steven is in legitimate danger…

Then they arrive at the top only to discover that the Heaven Beetle isn’t there, and of course Pearl and Amethyst start fighting again.

Then this thing shows up and they finally agree that the situation calls for Opal…but when they actually try to fuse, they still fail.

Amethyst: So you wanna try that again? With less hitting me in the face this time?

Pearl: Well, it would have worked if your movements weren’t so erratic and formless!

Amethyst: So it was all my fault? You totally weren’t even trying to sync with my dancing! You should know how I dance by now!

Steven: Stop! Come on guys, please stop fighting! If you can’t get along with each other, I might never get to see your awesome fusion power! And I might get eaten by a giant bird!

Then he gets eaten by a giant bird.

Fortunately, it’s some sort of magical gem monster, so it just swallows him and he discovers the Heaven Beetle which it had also eaten (still alive and mostly well).  And then something just reaches in and rescues him, disintegrating the “bird” in the process.

That is a fantastic character design.

Opal defeats the monster(s) quite handily (heh), but Steven is still a bit shy of her.

Steven: Uh…do you…know who I am?

Opal: “All you wanna do is see me turn into…”

Steven: A giant woman!

Pearl and Amethyst managed to find common ground in their desire to protect Steven and it is adorable.

Steven: I’ve got the beetle!

Garnet: Good job, Steven. I see you also helped your teammates fuse.

Steven: And all I had to do was get eaten by a giant bird!

Garnet: Nice work. You’ll be great at fusing one day.

Steven: Yeah…wait, I can do that, too?

Garnet’s begun to recognize Steven’s talents – even if he can’t defend himself yet, he’s a natural at mediating conflict.

Until next time…