Keep Beach City Weird (episode)


 * This article is about the episode. For the blog on Tumblr, see Keep Beach City Weird (blog).

"Keep Beach City Weird" is the 31st episode of the first season of Steven Universe, and the 31st overall episode of the series.

Synopsis
Steven gets caught up in Ronaldo's paranormal theories about the strange occurrences in Beach City.

Plot
Pearl rushes out one morning in response to Steven's cries only to find out that Steven was playing Steven Tag with Garnet and Amethyst. Garnet wins this round by throwing Amethyst up in the air and knocking her down to the sand meteorically.

Steven, while walking along the beach, is stopped by Ronaldo investigating "paranormal" activity (which is really just the holes from the drill parasites). Steven, intrigued by Ronaldo's activities, joins him on his quest. When they find rocks from the red eye and flowers from Rose's moss, Ronaldo points to paranormal explanations. Ronaldo reveals that Peedee isn't into paranormal e

vents, which is why Ronaldo puts his trust in Steven, taking him at the top of the lighthouse and telling him his theories are about snake people (or "Sneople") taking over the world.

Steven rushes back home to tell the Gems about Ronaldo's theories. Pearl and Amethyst point out that all of the strange occurrences are actually the fault of the Crystal Gems. Steven, cognizant of the real origins of the "paranormal" events, tells Ronaldo the truth: that Steven and the Gems are the source of all of Ronaldo's theories. Ronaldo firmly rejects Steven's explanation, saying one should not to listening to minor facts and instead should making their own truths. When Ronaldo finds that the cast from the crater on the beach is shaped like Steven, his heart is crushed. Ronaldo then walks away disillusioned with life. Steven, upon searching Ronaldo's blog, finds that it is soon to be deleted. When Steven seeks her counsel, Pearl candidly tells Steven that people create conspiracy theories because they live a boring lives and have nothing better to do.

Steven attempts to revitalize Ronaldo by pretending to be a snake person to sc

are Peedee and Ronaldo, but Ronaldo knocks Steven out with a potato. Steven wakes up in the lighthouse tied up by a maniacal Ronaldo with an unnerved Peedee at his side. When the incensed Gems come to rescue Steven, Ronaldo reveals his golden armor and attacks them, but quickly loses the battle to his formidable adversaries. Steven frees himself from the rope and stops the fight admitting to Ronaldo that the "snake person" he captured was him in a costume. He tells the Gems that he was trying to inspire Ronaldo. Peedee, in an attempt to mollify his brother, improvises, giving his brother a new theory. Ronaldo takes the bait and comes up with new theories dangerously close to the truth of the Crystal Gems. He laughs overcome with joy. Peedee, Steven, and the Crystal Gems leave the lighthouse together while Ronaldo happily says that the truth will be known.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Ronaldo
 * Peedee Fryman
 * Garnet
 * Amethyst
 * Pearl
 * Jenny (Non-Speaking Cameo)
 * Mr. Fryman (Mentioned)

Songs
TBA

Cultural References

 * Between images of Ronaldo are:
 * The White House and logo o.n.u
 * Spock, Star Trek character
 * an image of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster


 * The dollar-sneople theory is a reference to the conspiracy theories of the eye in the pyramid (known as the Eye of Providence) on the dollar bill being a hint to a secret society (the Illuminati) manipulating the government, or being it basis.

Continuity

 * Remnants of past gem battles are seen strewn across Beach City. These include:
 * Holes made by the Drill Parasites (Arcade Mania)
 * Fragments of the Red Eye (Laser Light Cannon)
 * Flowers from Rose's Moss (Lars and The Cool Kids)

Trivia

 * This episode's title is the third longest in the show. The first is "Steven the Sword Fighter" and the second is "Steven and the Stevens"
 * In a preview of this episode, Garnet is seen shapeshifted in the form of Steven chasing Amethyst, who is also in the form of Steven.
 * This will be the first time in the series that Garnet morphs her whole body and the third time overall she morphs, the first time being in Steven and the Stevens and the second time being in Secret Team. She keeps her sunglasses when morphing her body.
 * This is Ronaldo's first major role.
 * This is the first and only episode where a human attempts to attack the gems.
 * This is the first and only episode that Ronaldo hurts Steven, using a potato to smack his head.
 * When Ronaldo punches the palm of Pearl's hand he hurts it which could mean gems have tough skin or at least on their hands.
 * This happened on So Many Birthdays too when Amethyst hit Garnet with a bat and Garnet did not feel it.
 * It is shown that Gems aren't afraid of hurting humans for the safety of one of their own.
 * "Sneople" is a play on the term "sheeple", a term used by conspiracy theorists when regarding the public whom they view as ignorant and sheep-like in obedience to higher powers.

Transcript
Click here to view the transcript.

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