We Need to Talk

"Humans can't fuse! Fusion is the ultimate connection between Gems. And you... are not... a Gem!"

"We Need to Talk" is the 12th episode of the second season in Steven Universe, and the 61st episode overall.

Synopsis
Greg tells Steven and Connie the story of how he learned about Gem fusion.

Plot
Steven and Connie are helping Greg organize his old albums. Then Connie mentions that she has never listened that kind of music. After that Greg puts one album on, Steven and Connie start dancing, resulting in them fusing into Stevonnie. They promptly unfuse. Greg shows surprise at realizing that Steven can fuse and decides to tell Steven and Connie about how he learned about Gem fusion.

After the two sit down in the van, he puts in an old VCR which shows him singing a duet with Rose Quartz. Amethyst plays the drums and Garnet plays the keytar, but Pearl, instead of playing, is behind the stage, acting jealous of Greg. Greg and Rose continue singing until Pearl suddenly whispers something in Rose's ear. They start dancing and fuse into Rainbow Quartz, who dances for a bit and unfuses. Pearl then drops the mic, resulting in the song ending. Rose tells an amazed Greg that Pearl told her to fuse so his video featured a little something extra. She then says she has something to do and leaves, but promises she'll see him later.

After Rose leaves, Pearl tells Greg that he is just a phase and that Rose only likes him because he is a human. When Greg says that he's more than that, she explains that because he isn't a Gem, he can't fuse, and since fusion is the ultimate connection between gems, they will never be more than friends. Greg asks how she knows humans can't fuse, and when she can't reply, he vows to fuse with Rose.

Greg practices dancing like Pearl did, using the video he took, but Garnet and Amethyst interrupt. He asks them for help. Garnet explains to him that, in order to really fuse, he would have to have a gem at the center of his being, a body made of light, and a partner he's willing to trust with that light. When Greg says sadly that Pearl was right, and he'll never be a gem because he can't fuse, Garnet throws a stick into the ocean to force Amethyst to give them some privacy. She tells him that she thinks he can do it, but he has to dance his own dance, not like Pearl.

Greg waits for Rose by his van, noticeably nervous. When she arrives, they start dancing. They continue dancing until Greg steps up to her height using various boxes and kisses her. He then exclaims dejectedly that they didn't fuse and Rose starts laughing, telling him that he can't fuse because he's human. He replies that that's the problem, and he's enjoyed the past few months, but he's worried about the future. He then asks if she respects him, which she laughs off. Greg gets angry and asks her to talk to him like a real person. She grows silent and says she's not a real person, and that she thought he understood that. He starts laughing and crying then, the fact that she really is an alien finally hitting him.

Rose then asks why he's laughing, and then why he's crying, to which he replies that he's wondering how this is going to work, and that they're really, really, different. Rose asks what they should do, and Greg says he just wants to talk. They converse about humans and their feelings. Greg asks Rose if she's ever loved other humans, to which she says yes. He then asks if she's ever been in love, and she replies that she doesn't know. He tells her that love feels like torture. When she asks if what they're doing feels like torture, he tells her yes, and she apologizes. Greg says she shouldn't apologize, which confuses Rose. She laughs and says that at least they have one thing in common: they're both confused.

They continue dancing, much to the dismay of Pearl, who's hiding along with Garnet and Amethyst behind a large, hand-shaped rock, spying on Rose and Greg. She asks Garnet and Amethyst why they're still dancing, since the fusion isn't working, but Garnet tells her that it is. Amethyst says that Greg is her favorite one so far. Pearl says sadly that she thinks Greg is Rose's favorite too, which ends the flashback.

Back in the van, Connie asks Greg if they were ever able to fuse, and he says no, but that it was more important that they talk to each other. He then says interaction between humans and gems is still new, and that Steven and Connie will have to work with it. He also tells Connie that if she needs another human to talk to, he's there. They high five while saying "Human beings", as Steven clutches his gem and whispers the same thing.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Greg
 * Connie
 * Stevonnie
 * Pearl (flashback, on video)
 * Garnet (flashback, on video)
 * Rose Quartz (flashback, on video)
 * Rainbow Quartz (debut, flashback, on video)
 * Amethyst (flashback, on video)

Objects

 * Greg's Van
 * Pop-Pop

Locations

 * Beach City
 * It's A Wash
 * Crystal Temple

Song(s)

 * What Can I Do For You?

Soundtrack(s)

 * TBA

Trivia

 * This is the second episode where Connie and Steven fused into Stevonnie, the first being "Alone Together".
 * This episode also marks the first time that Greg sees Stevonnie.
 * The episode was released early on Amazon and iTunes in a bundle with "Keeping It Together ."
 * It's revealed that Greg still kept his stage equipment, as he had the light panel even after he broke up his partnership with Marty.
 * This is the fourth episode to air in the second StevenBomb.
 * This episode was hinted in the promo art with Greg's head.
 * This is the first time we have seen Rose Quartz fuse.
 * This is the third time we have seen Pearl fuse, the first being with Amethyst forming Opal and the second being with Garnet and Amethyst to form Alexandrite.


 * This is the third time we see Rose outside of paintings or holograms.
 * This is the first time an actual fusion is shown with a deceased gem.
 * This is the second episode revolving around Greg telling a story about his and Rose Quartz's past, the first being "Story for Steven".
 * One of the albums Greg was holding is titled "Q U A D R I N O M E T R Y - THE SECRET OF THE WAVE LIES IN C R E A T I O N".
 * It is heard in Greg's van in "Ocean Gem", where he said that it was one of Rose's favorites.
 * The album cover closely resembles the Red Eye in the episode "Laser Light Cannon"
 * This episode reveals that full humans can't fuse with full gems.
 * This is also the first time that a full human has tried to fuse with a full gem.
 * It is shown that Pearl was not fond of Greg in the past, evident by her unkind behavior towards him in the episode.
 * This is the first time we hear Rose sing.
 * This is the first time Connie hears a story from Greg.
 * It is shown that Amethyst learned to play the drums with Greg.
 * This is the second time Amethyst played the drums, the first being in "Steven and the Stevens."
 * It is shown that Greg was not the first human that Rose loved, but possibly the first one she's ever been in love with.
 * The episode revealed that Rose Quartz did not take humans seriously.

Cultural References

 * A poster with a picture of K.K. Slider from the Animal Crossing series can be seen when Greg puts the tape in the VCR.
 * One of the albums Greg owns is an Orange Magic Orchestra album, which is a reference to the Japanese group Yellow Magic Orchestra's album titled "Naughty Boys".
 * The T.V. in Greg's van has the label "SUMY" above he controls, referring to SONY Electronics.
 * Rainbow Quartz's last dance step resembles a voguing dip from the vogue dance.
 * When Greg calls Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl: Harpo, Groucho, and Chico, he was referencing the Marx Brothers.

Continuity

 * The hand statue that Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl hide behind to watch Greg and Rose dance is the same one that was destroyed by the Centipeetle Mother in "Gem Glow", obviously unmelted due to that event not happening yet.
 * Rose's description of her fusion, "Pretty cool, right?", is the same one used by Stevonnie in "Alone Together" in regards to their own fusion.
 * Amethyst and Garnet are playing the same musical instruments they played at the end of Steven and the Stevens.
 * Rose indirectly mentioned Garnet's future vision when Greg said he was worried about the future.

Errors

 * In the flashback when Garnet is telling Greg that if he wants to fuse, he can't dance like Pearl, her hair is shown without any lines to define its shape. Then they suddenly appear, but disappear in the next shot.
 * While Greg has his guitar solo and the sound comes out of the speaker next to Pearl, her right pupil is going left to right, instead of up and down.
 * Pearl's shoes disappear right as she fuses with Rose, although this can be intentional, as Rainbow Quartz does not wear shoes.
 * Connie's dress strap isn't with the rest of her stuff after she fuses and it isn't in her dress when Stevonnie unfuses.

Transcript
View the episode's transcript here.