It seems that Peridot is just as eager to get the plot moving again as I am!

We finally start getting to know our “villain”, with promising results (not least because it portends some forward motion for the plot).  Peridot somehow heard about how Steven healed Lapis’ Gem (which doesn’t make much sense considering that she did her best to pretend Steven was an ordinary human, but whatever gets the plot moving I guess), so she kidnaps him in a last-ditch effort to escape the planet, asking/ordering him to fix the Homeworld warp.  Of course it doesn’t work (I suspect his healing spit only actually works on living things), leaving the two of them to chat while they wait for the Crystal Gems to discover his absence and come after them.

Steven: I’m really sorry.

Peridot: This was it. This was my last shot. I’m gonna die here!

Steven: Hey, hey, come on! Earth isn’t that bad.

Peridot: It doesn’t matter what Earth is like – it’s not gonna be like anything soon!

Steven: What do you mean?

Naturally, that’s when the others show up.

And they finally trounce her.

Peridot: Wait! Wait – you need me! I’m the only one who knows about the-

They’re naturally not inclined to listen to her after all the trouble she’s caused (even if a lot of it wasn’t her fault) – all except Steven, of course.  But she’s already been poofed and bubbled, so talking to her again would prove difficult.

Steven: Why were you so scared? What were you going to say? Now you’re deep in the Temple in a bubble and I’ll never know. If I could just talk to you for one more second…

This wish conveniently opens up Rose’s Room, from which he’s able to access the Basement, where the bubbled Gems are kept.

She’s not nearly as intimidating without her “limb enhancers”.

Steven: Aw, you’re like an angry little slice of pie!

With no actual weapons at her disposal, she eventually resorts to slapping Steven furiously.

Peridot: You smashed me into a limbless cloud! You trapped me in your bubble dungeon! AND you called me cute!

Steven: I didn’t poof you! I freed you.

Steven: Back at the warp pad, what were you trying to say? Why do we need you? What do you know?

Peridot: Everything there is to know about the Cluster, you pebble!

Steven: Cluster? […]

Peridot: My mission. The reason why I’m on this sad rock in the first place. I was to check progress on the Cluster. Just in and out, before it hatches. I wasn’t supposed to get stuck here! But now, it’s going to emerge, and nothing can stop it, and we’ll all be shattered!

Peridot doesn’t seem to have much actual animosity toward the Earth and its inhabitants (besides the Crystal Gems), or at least not much more than the typical irritation of a frustrating project…plus, y’know, fear about apparent Impending Doom.

But that’s all that she divulges before she attempts to escape.

Peridot: Freedom is mine!

The others aren’t nearly as understanding.  And far more willing to use violence.  So she eventually locks herself in the bathroom.

Garnet seems about ready to bust the door down and poof Peridot again, but Steven explains that she seems to have very important information about a planet-destroying weapon/force, so they realize that she’s worth a lot more when she’s able to talk, even if it means risking her escape, too.

Steven: Wait, so we’re just gonna let her live in my bathroom?

Pearl: Well, yes. What other option do we have, keep her outside on a leash?

Steven: But, I need to use the bathroom!

The bathroom situation appears to be a stalemate until the next morning, when Steven offers her the foot they’d gotten from her earlier and she subsequently permits him to enter her new domain.

She assumes that everything is a weapon and is generally very suspicious of Steven…and honestly, considering how the other Crystal Gems treat her, it’s not hard to see why.  She’s essentially an engineer, and without her metal limbs, she’s basically defenseless on what she perceives to be a hostile planet.

Steven: Look, I know you’re scared, but I’m not going to hurt you. And whatever’s going on, whatever the Cluster is, I want to help.

Peridot: I doubt you can help me, but I…appreciate the offer.

Until next time…