Super Watermelon Island

"You two should spend some time apart."

"Super Watermelon Island" is the 1st episode of the third season of Steven Universe and the 79th episode overall.

Synopsis
Steven finds out what happened to all of the sentient watermelons he created.

Plot
A Watermelon Steven wakes up on Mask Island and is surprised to see itself and all of its surroundings. A watermelon dog appears and guides the Watermelon Steven to a village. It is surprised to see how so many Watermelon Stevens managed to relocate to and colonize a remote island where they managed to build an entire village, complete with its own culture. A tremor urges the village to gather around a large statue and choose someone to perform a ritual, which ends up being the "new" Watermelon Steven. They decorate them, carry them to the edge of a cliff, and have them gaze off into the scenic ocean, when Malachite suddenly appears. She recognizes the Watermelon Steven as Steven himself and eats it as a sacrifice, abruptly waking up the real Steven.

Steven is with the Crystal Gems outside of the barn. Peridot panics from the recent tremors, claiming the cause is from The Cluster emerging to gain its physical form. She explains the process of the Cluster's growth: slight tremors and noticeable shaking of the ground, which eventually become full-scale earthquakes. After that, the Cluster will form and destroy the planet from the inside. She urges everyone to start drilling, but Steven states that it was not the Cluster, but rather Malachite resurfacing, surprising the Gems. He explains that he was in control of a Watermelon Steven and witnessed Malachite as if he were there. Garnet notes that Lapis must be losing control over the fusion. Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet herself decide to go to the island while Peridot and Steven stay behind, as it is too dangerous for them to fight.

Steven fills Peridot in about Malachite and how Jasper was constantly struggling to control the fusion against Lapis. Peridot says that she had a tough time with Jasper back in the Gem Warship. Steven wants to help, and Peridot suggests that he should because of being a rebel, he must help them out in some way. Steven gets an idea which is to fall back asleep and assume direct control of another Watermelon Steven to help out in the fight. A Watermelon Steven on Mask Island falls over and is now being controlled by Steven. The Crystal Gems arrive on the island and fuse together to form Alexandrite. Malachite breaks free from Lapis' water chains and Jasper expresses surprise over Lapis perseverance in keeping her trapped at the bottom of the ocean. She notices Alexandrite and convinces Lapis to help her fight, stating that Lapis has thrown away so much potential, but if they team up, they will be unstoppable.

Malachite and Alexandrite begin to battle with the former maintaining dominance after a short period. Steven sees the fight and attempts to recruit support. He rushes to a cave where all the Watermelon Stevens are hiding out in terror. Steven attempts to build up their morale and successfully convinces them to take up arms and help fight Malachite. As the battle rages on, Malachite gives a speech to Alexandrite on what she believes fusion really is. She now understands a fusion's capabilities and sees power and dominance in a fusion, and therefore, no longer denounces it as a cheap war tactic. She encases Alexandrite in ice and almost forces her to unfuse, but an army of Watermelon Stevens, armed with spears, artillery, and gliders attack Malachite, distracting her long enough for Alexandrite to break free and continue the battle.

She manages to pull Malachite in towards herself and launch her up in the air with Sardonyx's hammer, finishing her off with Opal's bow. The force of the arrow pierces through Malachite, causing her to unfuse into Lapis and Jasper, and they both fall into Alexandrite's hands. Alexandrite being exhausted, she unfuses. Steven runs towards Pearl and gives her a hug, she figures out that the Watermelon Steven is Steven himself, and the Gems thank him and the other Watermelon Stevens for their help. Suddenly, there was an earthquake and everyone braces themselves as parts of the island crack apart. Amethyst grabs Lapis in time, but the fault tilts the island just enough to cause Jasper to slide down and fall into it. Garnet notes that the earthquake must mean the Cluster is finally beginning to take form and urges Steven to get in the drill with Peridot and destroy the Cluster on their own, seeing as how the warp pad was destroyed and they won't make it back in time. As he slowly wakes up, the Gems cheer him on and wish him the best.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Watermelon Stevens
 * Garnet
 * Amethyst
 * Pearl
 * Peridot
 * Malachite (antagonist)
 * Alexandrite
 * Lapis Lazuli (cameo/unconscious)
 * Jasper (cameo/unconscious)
 * The Cluster (mentioned)
 * Watermelon Dog
 * Watermelon Horses
 * Watermelon Chickens

Objects

 * Gem Drill
 * Chalkboard

Locations

 * Mask Island
 * The Barn

Songs

 * None

Instrumental Songs

 * Watermelon Steven
 * Collaboration / Malachite VS Alexandrite: Part 1
 * Malachite VS Alexandrite: Part 2

Trivia

 * This episode's name was first revealed in the episode listing on the Cartoon Network website.
 * In this episode, it is revealed that Alexandrite can breathe fire. This most likely stems from Ruby's fire abilities. She is also able to use the weapons of the other fusions, such as the bow and arrow of Opal, the flail of Sugilite, and the hammer of Sardonyx. It is currently unknown if she has access to Sapphire's ice abilities and future vision, or if she has a specific combination weapon herself.
 * This is the first time Alexandrite's fusion dance is shown.
 * This episode reveals that there are more species of watermelon. There are now horses, chickens, and dogs.
 * The Watermelon Stevens have matured into civil beings and only fight when necessary.
 * Jasper clenched her fist right after she fell off the ground meaning she could've regained consciousness, or it might be an animation error.

Cultural References

 * Before the Gems warp to Mask Island, Garnet tells Pearl and Amethyst to go "to the nearest Warp Pad" and then warp somewhere vaguely off-screen. This is a slight gag towards how convenient travel within cartoons is.
 * On Mask Island, the Watermelon Steven's have a statue parodying the "Christ the Redeemer" statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
 * Steven spawns inside a Watermelon Steven, similar to how Agent Smith spawned inside people in The Matrix films.
 * Steven falling asleep to gain control of a watermelon avatar which looks like him, then giving a speech to a primitive tribe to inspire them to fight back against an alien enemy may be a plot reference to James Cameron's Avatar.
 * The method that the Watermelon Stevens used to select 'Steven' greatly resembles the game "Nose Goes".
 * The Watermelon Stevens marching to war is a possible reference to 300.
 * The Watermelon Stevens attack Malachite like the Lilliputians from Gulliver's Travels.
 * Alexandrite opening her second mouth after breaking out of Malachite's ice hands is a possible reference to Eva Unit 01 going on berserk mode from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.
 * The shot of Alexandrite stepping into the water resembles a shot from Neon Genesis Evangelion of Evangelion Unit-02 stepping on a bridge, also causing water to splash up.
 * The scene when Steven is running away from the battle while Malachite attacks Alexandrite with her helmet may be a possible reference to the opening of the first episode of Gundam Seed Destiny.
 * Malachite's defeat with Opal's bow resembles Zelda's Final Smash from "Super Smash Bros." by Nintendo.
 * The shot in which Malachite tells Alexandrite that the latter is out of their depth is similar to a shot of Rubirules during his fight with Alpha from the fifteenth episode of TOME: Terrain of Magical Expertise, “Truth. Tears. Ambition.”. Their poses are identical, they are both speaking to their opponents, and they both have elements behind them, with water for Malachite and fire for Rubirules.

Continuity

 * The Watermelon Stevens from "Watermelon Steven" return.
 * This is the first appearance of Alexandrite since "Fusion Cuisine".
 * Malachite returns since her cameo in "Chille Tid".
 * The Mask Island from "Island Adventure" is visited again.
 * The Mask Island warp pad is destroyed during the fight between Malachite and Alexandrite. At the end of Gem Drill, they can be seen arriving at the barn warp pad, and when the earthquakes start, Garnet mentions that they will not be able to make it back in time. While it is not explicitly stated, it can be assumed that they used another warp pad several hours away from Mask Island.
 * The statue the Watermelon Village is built around seems to be based on Baby Melon, who sacrificed himself for the Crystal Gems. In fact, this seems to be the reason why the Watermelon Steven's community makes frequent sacrifices, in a similar manner to Baby Melon: with their arms open wide.

Errors

 * At the beginning of the episode, Steven is standing on a cliff facing Malachite, however in the next shot, where Malachite yells, he is nowhere to be found. He appears on the cliff once again before Malachite eats the Watermelon Steven he was possessing.
 * At the beginning of the episode, when Steven was looking at his reflection in the stream, there were small rocks in the stream. When he stops looking, the rocks disappear.
 * When Steven wakes up and Peridot asks "Did you feel that?", the chalkboard at the barn is displaying the "Cluster Emerges / Bye Bye Earth" side. In the next shot, the chalkboard is displaying the reverse side.
 * When Steven is watching the gems fuse, he is standing on sand, but in the next shot, he is standing on grass.


 * Alexandrite's neck is miscolored in some close-ups.
 * Alexandrite's second mouth is colored the same as the rest of her skin in multiple scenes.
 * However, this may or may not have been intentional in some of the shots.
 * When Alexandrite lands on the water after freeing herself from Malachite's water hand, in a frame, Pearl's gem is missing on her forehead.
 * When Malachite rises from the water after Alexandrite uses her fire breath, Malachite raises ten water droplets. However, when she freezes the droplets and sends it to Alexandrite, there were only nine.
 * When Alexandrite targets and fires nine arrows using Opal's bow, Malachite erects a frozen wall to protect herself. However, when the arrows hit the wall, there were only seven arrows.
 * When Malachite charges onto Alexandrite, the patterns on her left lower arms are missing.
 * When Alexandrite pulls Malachite towards her using Sugilite's flail, the mace of the flail is gone.
 * When Malachite is knocked into the air by Sardonyx's war hammer, the scene zooms out to Alexandrite preparing to fire an arrow at her with Opal's bow. From here, it cuts to Alexandrite saying, "You two should spend some time apart", and then cuts back to the same scene as before. However, Malachite is no longer visible in the sky during this portion.
 * When Alexandrite defuses Sapphire's gemstone drifts to the right of Amethyst's and Ruby's drifts to the left but in the next shot they are right next to each other forming Garnet.
 * In one scene, after Malachite has been defused, Lapis and Jasper are passed out to the left and right of where the Crystal Gems stand. In another shot, moments later, as the Crystal Gems laugh at the Watermelon Stevens for blushing, Jasper and Lapis do not appear in the shot, and then in the next shot, they reappear.
 * When Malachite first de-fuses and Lapis and Jasper are falling, the colors of Jasper's right arm are reversed.SWI error.png
 * When Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl were looking at Malachite struggle in her chains from a distance, her patterns on her back are missing. Immediately after Garnet says, "Let's put an end to this", when the camera zooms on Lapis Lazuli's gem, the patterns reappear.
 * When Malachite rises into the air from behind the ice wall she created, the skin color of her middle section changes.
 * In a frame, when Alexandrite holds malachite, her tiger line on the face is gone along with her two other eyes.
 * When Malachite throws Alexandrite to the ocean, her upper hands have no patterns.

Videos
Super Watermelon Island Super Watermelon Island Super Watermelon Island pt-br:Super Watermelon Island