Escapism (episode)

"Escapism" is the 28th episode of the fifth season of Steven Universe, the 156th episode overall, and the fourth episode in the Diamond Days event.

Official Synopsis
Steven uses his psychic powers to find help.

Plot
The episode begins with Stevonnie trying to break out of the Prison tower, but this fails, and they defuse. Connie gives some snacks to Steven, but he says that they never should have come to Homeworld, as only bad things have come of them being there. Steven then realizes that he might be able to reach Bismuth with his psychic powers, and he falls asleep and enters a psychic plane.

He finds Earth, and manages to be transported into one of the Watermelon Stevens on Mask Island. Steven goes into their village, but leaves after seeing they are doing a ritual. He jumps off a cliff into the sea, but is washed up on the island and collects sticks to make a boat. The watermelon Stevens take him back to a village, but it appears to be a different tribe, as they worship a statue of Steven when he led them into fighting Malachite. The tribe that worships baby melon arrives and the two fight. Steven leaves, and once again tries assembling a raft. The two sides stop fighting and help him build it and he leaves he eventually gets attacked by a watermelon shark, losing a foot in the process, but he tames it and swims away clinging to a piece of driftwood.

Eventually, Lion finds him floating in the ocean and takes him to Greg, who takes him to Bismuth. Steven attempts to act out what was happening on Homeworld, then attempts to draw a picture, but they only understand him when he writes a message asking for help. Greg gives him a thumbs-up, indicating that they’ll help, and Steven wakes up in his real body as the episode ends.

Characters

 * Steven Universe
 * Connie Maheswaran
 * Stevonnie
 * Lion
 * Garnet (mentioned; drawn/pictured)
 * Amethyst (mentioned; drawn/pictured)
 * Pearl (mentioned; drawn/pictured)
 * Greg Universe (non-speaking)
 * Bismuth (non-speaking)
 * Watermelon Stevens
 * Melon Mutt
 * Watermelon Shark (debut)
 * Watermelon Parrot (debut)
 * White Diamond (mentioned; drawn/pictured)
 * Yellow Diamond (drawn/pictured)
 * Blue Diamond (drawn/pictured)
 * Pebbles (drawn/pictured)

Objects

 * Diamond Ships
 * White Diamond's Ship
 * Greg's Van

Locations

 * Gem Homeworld
 * Unknown City
 * Prison Tower
 * Earth
 * Mask Island
 * Beach City
 * Beach House

Songs

 * "Escapism"

Instrumental Songs

 * Watermelon Steven

Trivia

 * This is the first episode to air in 2019.
 * This episode shares its title with the song "Escapism".
 * The song "Escapism" was first sung by Rebecca Sugar on The Steven Universe Podcast in September 2017.

Cultural References

 * The promo art done by Joe Johnston is a reference to the mobile game Monument Valley.
 * The two Watermelon Steven tribes are a reference the titular characters from the Dr. Seuss story The Sneetches, in which the tribe that has stars discriminates against the tribe that does not have them and vice versa.
 * The Watermelon Shark scene pays homage to the 1975 film Jaws.

Continuity

 * This episode continues from "Together Alone".
 * This episode marks the return of Mask Island and the Watermelon Stevens from "Super Watermelon Island".
 * Mask Island is ripped in half due to the outcome of the fight against Malachite, as well as the attempted formation of The Cluster in "Super Watermelon Island".
 * Bismuth is fixing the house, which is what she said she would do after it was previously destroyed by Blue Diamond's ship in "Reunited".
 * After Steven fails to convey his message to Bismuth and Greg with pictures, he resorts to writing it out. This mirrors a moment in "Bubble Buddies" when Steven tried and failed to get Onion to use a harpoon gun through pictures, only for Connie to succeed by simply writing out the words "harpoon gun".
 * The ending shot of Greg, Bismuth, and Lion standing above Steven as he leaves the Watermelon Steven's body is similar to the ending shot of "Super Watermelon Island".

Errors

 * While it seems the warrior melon tribe identifies its members with camouflage markings in opposition to the yellow star that the baby melon tribe uses, the three warrior melons that guard their city bear both symbols.
 * This could also indicate this guards were previously "attacked"  by the rival tribe, who paints the star on their opponents while fighting as shown on the battle that took place in the episode.