Log Date 7 15 2

"Log Date 7 14 2. I have attempted fusion with the fusion, Garnet. I had hoped to gain a better understanding of fusion. Instead I gained a better understanding of Garnet."

"Log Date 7 15 2" is the 26th episode of the second season of Steven Universe and the 78th episode overall.

Synopsis
Steven sneaks a listen to a friend's audio diary.

Plot
Peridot is inside the barn, beginning a log with her tape recorder. She documents her own shock in her disobeying Yellow Diamond and calling her a clod, but when she stops recording, she plays back "a traitorous clod" numerous times. She excitedly celebrates the fact that she insulted Yellow Diamond but quickly falls back into hysterics. Steven asks her if she'll be okay, to which Peridot enthusiastically says "no". Peridot explains that she used to follow every order but now she has befriended a team that is devoted to protecting the planet she sought to destroy. She still has a hard time coping with the fact that she is now a Crystal Gem. Peridot tries to throw away the tape recorder, exclaiming it to chronicle her descent into madness, and Garnet gives the recorder to Steven. Garnet takes Peridot outside the barn to talk privately, while Peridot questions if she would have to add a star to her outfit.

Steven wonders why Garnet and Peridot seem to get along well, considering their hostile relationship early on, so he begins to seek his answer through Peridot's tape recorder. He starts with the very first log, the day Steven gives her the recorder. She initially declines to call Steven by his name, but after he mentions that it's rude, she accepts his request. In the next log, Peridot takes note of insects and their poor choice of habitation and their capability of flight. She climbs up the roof of the barn where Greg is working to fix the roof. She shoves him down and Garnet catches him below. Garnet chastises Peridot for her ignorance in assuming all organic life on Earth can fly. Peridot ends the log by saying "the permafusion, Garnet, is the worst".

Her next log details her experience when assigned to clean the barn. She stumbles upon a chest of clothing and is excited to try on "appearance modifiers that aren't melded to [her] body". Garnet spots her and approves of her look, but Peridot is quickly embarrassed and rips up the shorts. In the next log, Peridot notes that today is the 30th day she's stuck on Earth with the Gems. Steven celebrates the occasion by teaching her about gifting and gives her two decorated paint cans for her to use as stilts. She chases Steven off, but during the night she tries them on, thinking of how she will appear to the Gems in a positive light. The log ends with her losing control by running backwards and stumbling into a rock. During the following log, she attempts to learn humor and fails to understand it because she didn't know what a chicken was. Later, Steven tries to introduce Peridot to human entertainment via television shows, specifically the show Camp Pining Hearts. She is disgusted by the romantic scene, but in the next 78 hours she continuously rewatches the same episode with great attachment. Steven notices her watching the same episode and notices that she made a chart detailing the best romantic connections between specific partners and her scientific explanation as to why. This launches her into a very long explanation of her proving why Percy and Pierre "are objectively the best for each other". Garnet shows her approval.

Peridot starts the next log by mentioning that the Cluster drill is coming along well but notes the work ethic of Amethyst, just as she distracts Peridot as a shapeshifted Lion. Peridot is bewildered as to why Amethyst wastes energy shapeshifting, to which Amethyst replies to by shapeshifting into Peridot and perfectly mimicking her. Peridot is interested in Amethyst's shapeshifting and tells her to change into a chicken. She finally exclaims that she understood the joke she read earlier, prompting Pearl to make a lion pun. Peridot notes that Pearl tries to be a good partner and Amethyst is fun to be around, but is still confused towards Garnet and her elusive nature. Garnet shows her approval. During the night, Amethyst and Pearl put the drill head on supports by fusing into Opal successfully and lifting it. This shocks Peridot, and Garnet calls everyone off for a break. Peridot approaches Garnet and explains her confusion as to why Garnet is constantly fused, considering she never uses her powers for any specific, constructive purpose. Garnet tries to talk to her and says that she appreciates their differences. She offers to fuse with Peridot to help her understand fusion, and she hesitantly accepts. They try a fusion dance, but Peridot changes her mind at the last second. Garnet appreciates her effort to fuse and to understand fusion. Peridot says she still doesn't understand why Garnet remains fused, to which she replies "I'm Percy and Pierre", which she understands.

The most recent log begins with Peridot saying that she is starting to learn more about fusion. Garnet interrupts her and directly talks to Steven during the log recording, stating that its best that Steven shouldn't have listened to Peridot's logs, but she doesn't mind his curiosity. She ends the log by telling him to give back the recorder to Peridot, a statement that confused Peridot at the time. She and Garnet come back to the barn with Steven and he returns the recorder to her. Garnet and Steven both give their approval to Peridot.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Garnet
 * Peridot
 * Pearl (flashback)
 * Amethyst (flashback)
 * Greg (flashback)
 * Opal (flashback) (non-speaking cameo)
 * Yellow Diamond (mentioned)
 * Lion (shapeshifted by Amethyst) (Flashback)
 * Purple Puma (cameo) (flashback)

Objects

 * Peridot's Voice Recorder
 * Chaaaaps (mentioned)
 * Buckets (Stilts) (Flashback)
 * Peribot (Flashback)
 * Gem Drill (Flashback)
 * Escape Pod (Disassembled) (Flashback)

Locations

 * Greg's Storage Shed

Songs

 * TBA

Instrumental Songs

 * Amalgam
 * Little Peridot

Trivia

 * This is the fifth and last episode of the fourth StevenBomb.
 * Peridot states that all "clothes" are a part of a Gem's form. While not outright stated, in previous episodes Gems like Pearl have explained that Gem bodies are actually holographic hard-light projections, and their default costumes have changed after extended regeneration.
 * This episode shows that Peridot seems to be interested in learning more about Earth and its culture, but uses risky experiments for her studies.
 * The Gem Homeworld is revealed to be in a different galaxy from the Milky Way.
 * Peridot attempts fusion for the first time.
 * This the first time Opal has been successfully formed onscreen.
 * Camp Pining Hearts depicts a flag pretty similar to Canada's one, but with green color instead of red. It also shows a maple syrup bottle again with a green maple leaf.
 * On Camp Pining Hearts, Paulette has a hat with a blue, diamond-shaped symbol, and her scarf has a water drop pattern resembling Lapis Lazuli's Gemstone, and a hairstyle similar to Rose Quartz. Percy's hat and jacket have diamond-shaped yellow symbols, and Percy's necklace has a triangular pendant resembling Peridot's Gemstone.
 * The shipping chart Peridot makes of the Pining Hearts series is titled "CPH: RN RNRLRSYS", which may denote that Peridot has problems writing English in human script, as she mixes "A" and "R" and tries to write "ANALASYS" instead of "ANALYSIS."

Cultural References

 * Lauren Zuke's signature "alien face" doodle appears as a pattern on the shorts Peridot finds.
 * After watching Pining Hearts, Peridot has made a character shipping chart, common among fan bases.
 * Camp Pining Hearts may be a reference to Percy Jackson, due to the camp-like setting and Percy as one of the characters.
 * It may also be a reference to Gravity Falls. The main characters are members of the Pines family, and the production company logo resembles the comet / star & rainbow symbol on one of Mabel's sweaters.
 * It may also be a reference to Total Drama, a Canadian cartoon parodying reality shows with one of the same name, that typically takes place in a wilderness camp, and divides contestants into two opposing color-coded teams, and often featuring relationship drama.
 * The joke Peridot reads out "Why did the chicken cross the road?" is a common riddle anti-joke that gives a simple answer instead of a funny punchline.
 * Peridot using a mop upside down may reference a brief joke from an early episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, seen here.

Continuity

 * The title references to Peridot's "log dates" that she records in her audio diary.
 * This episode takes place immediately after "Message Received", with Peridot still processing the fact that she not only defied her former leader Yellow Diamond's order to let Earth be destroyed and retrieve the Cluster, but also insulted her in the process.
 * The log dates in this episode are:
 * 7 11 2 - Too Far, first tape recorder log
 * 7 12 2 - One month anniversary of capture
 * 7 13 2 - Amethyst transforms and everybody puns
 * 7 14 2 - Attempts to fuse with Garnet, Garnet leaves message
 * 7 15 2 - Beginning of episode, also latest log for this episode

Errors

 * When Peridot rips her chart in half, the arrows that connect the characters disappear off of both pieces.
 * When Peridot comments on Pearl's attempt at bonding with her, the truck and other items inside the barn are missing.
 * When Peridot asks if there were more than one episodes of Camp Pining Hearts, the diamond symbol of her clothing was on the back of her collar.
 * When Steven returns the tape recorder to Peridot, the underside of her socks are all yellow rather than half yellow and half green.