Joy Ride

"Joy Ride" is the 3rd episode in season two of Steven Universe, and the 52nd episode overall.

Synopsis
The Cool Kids help Steven put some fun back in his life.

Plot
Steven and the Gems are cleaning up the destroyed spaceship when Buck Dewey, Sour Cream, and Jenny ask Steven if he wants to hang out. Steven replies no since he's busy and the kids leave.

At night, Buck Dewey and Sour Cream appear outside his window and throw pizza slices at him to get his attention. They convince Steven to go out for an evening ride for fun. During the ride, Steven learns about the kid's problems with their families; Sour Cream doesn't like that his dad wants him to be a fisherman instead of a DJ, Buck Dewey doesn't like that his dad is constantly telling him how to behave so as to protect his public image, Jenny dislikes that her sister wants her to be a nice person like her. Steven tells them about the problems he has with his "family" and the kids sympathize with him before noticing a green glow.

The group investigates the glow to find Peridot's crashed escape pod. There, Steven tries in vain to get them to leave it alone and return it to the Crystal Gems. Jenny convinces Steven to take selfies with her and the others. After a few pictures, Jenny tells Steven to get inside the pod for a picture, which he does. Inside, the screen encases him within and gives him manual control. Steven tells the other kids that they need to return it to the Crystal Gems but they convince him to stay inside and have fun with it. Convinced, Steven uses the pod to give the kids rides on top, drag race and stunt. Before he tries to return it, Steven punches the ceiling which causes the pod to flood, shoot out a distress flare and shoot lasers at random. The Crystal Gems notice the flare and run to the field to stop what they believe is Peridot attacking the kids.

Garnet orders the gems to attack the pod with everything they have and almost kill Steven in the process. Before Garnet can land the final blow on the pod, Jenny stops her and explains that Steven is inside. Garnet, upon closer look, sees Steven's silhouette and breaks the pod open. The gems become worried and flustered over Steven and Garnet states that she's disappointed in him. The cool kids come to his aid by telling him that Steven has been through a lot and needed a break. The gems agree with them, Garnet ungrounds Steven from watching television, and the gems and the kids take selfies together.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Garnet
 * Amethyst
 * Pearl
 * Buck Dewey
 * Jenny
 * Sour Cream
 * Yellowtail (mentioned)
 * Peridot (mentioned)
 * Mr.Smiley (mentioned)
 * Rose Quartz (mentioned)

Locations

 * Crystal Temple
 * Beach House

Objects

 * Peridot's Escape Pod
 * Jenny's Car

Songs

 * TBA

Trivia

 * It is confirmed that Peridot had made it to Earth, but it's still unknown where she is. \
 * It is further implied that she is somewhere in or near Beach City.
 * Sour Cream talks about his step-dad, who seems to be Yellowtail.
 * This would make Sour Cream and Onion either step-brothers or half-brothers.
 * It was hinted by Rebecca Sugar prior to the episode that Sour Cream and Onion were somehow related.
 * Peridot, Lapis, and Amethyst can be seen in the background for the promo art along with Steven and the cool kids.

Cultural References

 * The way Steven reacted to the escape pod as it was filled with a breathable liquid is very similar to a scene from Mission to Mars, a film from 2000, as well as the character Shinji Ikari's reaction in the 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion.
 * When Buck Dewey tells Steven he only wanted to see him "laughing in the pizza rain" it was a reference to the artist Prince's popular song, "Purple Rain".
 * Buck Dewey tells Steven "We were about to chill at the parking lot and freak out some squares", as in the 1960s a "square" referred to someone who clung to repressive, traditional, stereotypical, one-sided, or "in the box" ways of thinking. The term was used by hipsters in the 1940s, going along with the fact that the Cool Kids are very open to freedom, and thinking openly.
 * In the overhead view of Steven and Jenny's race, a crop circle can be seen of a pattern similar to the flare, Steven accidentally sets off, which crop circles are commonly associated in the real world with alien visitation and UFOs.

Continuity

 * Steven is seen digging up shards of the Gem Warship from the events of "The Return" and "Jail Break".
 * Wreckage of the Gem Warship is seen in the title card, a pattern begun in "Full Disclosure ".
 * Steven still keeps in touch with the "cool kids."
 * Steven's black eye, caused by Jasper in "The Return" and first seen in "Jail Break", has fully healed.
 * Peridot's Escape Pod from "Jail Break" was found, yet Peridot herself is nowhere to be seen.
 * Steven was un-grounded from his punishment from "Fusion Cuisine".
 * Steven's belief that the Gems blame him for the loss of Rose Quartz was likely caused by Pearl's behavior towards him in "Rose's Scabbard".

Errors

 * In one scene, Buck Dewey's shirt can be seen through Steven's hair.
 * When Steven races Jenny's car while in the escape pod, he starts the race on Jenny's right side but the overhead view of the race shows that Steven is on Jenny's left side.

Transcript
View the episode's transcript here.