Space Race

"Space Race" is the 28th episode of the first season of Steven Universe, and the 28th overall episode of the series.

Synopsis
Steven attempts to build a spaceship to let Pearl revisit the wonders of the cosmos.

Plot
The Crystal Gems and Steven arrive at a location covered with several damaged warp pads. With each Gem stepping on a Warp, they all say they are inactive. Steven asks Pearl where all the Warp pads lead to, Pearl explains that they used to be used for inter-dimensional space travel. All of them unfortunately have been deemed inactive for the past 1000 years. Pearl as she explains this, seems to lament the fact that she's stuck on earth forever, but is comforted that she's there with Steven.

The next day, Steven watches "Crying Breakfast Friends! " with his father. Realizing that Pearl really misses space, Steven convinces his dad to help him build a spaceship for Pearl. To help him out, Greg shows Steven his Aunt and Uncle's shed, as the couple were fairly invested in flight, and the fact that they kept every single one of their belongings in the shed. Using the things in the shed, Greg and Steven are able to build a small, measly, car-looking "space ship". Before testing it out, Greg tells Steven that it's alright to bail, and that there's no shame in knowing when to bail. The ship then fails to actually launch once they've shown it to Pearl. Disappointed, Pearl lectures the two on proper aerodynamics of space shuttles and ends up inspiring herself into building one of her own.

Through several montages, the trio uses leftover parts from the shed to build a prototype out of an upgraded engine and a hang-glider. Once Steven tests it out and lands it (and it purposefully falls apart), Greg discovers that Pearl really is serious about taking Steven up into space. Refusing to let him go, Greg claims that he's "grounding" Steven, "grounding" as in he's not able to leave earth. Angry, Pearl decides that she'll just do it herself, and disgruntledly shuts herself into the shed.

While Steven and Greg are sleeping, Pearl wakes Steven up to show him the ship. Amazed, Steven climbs up into the ship while Pearl asks him to do an engine test with her. Agreeing, Pearl and Steven excitedly start up the ship and launch into the sky. Greg, who awoke due to the sound and blast of the engine, tries to convince Pearl to land. Pearl tells Greg not to worry, as she's only going to take Steven to the nearest star system and return him in 50 years, surprising Greg and Steven alike.

Up in the Earth's atmosphere, Steven witnesses continual damage to the ship, and realizes that if they continue flying, the ship will be destroyed. Ignorant and yearning to visit space again, Pearl continues to push the limits of the ship, and doesn't realize their fate until Steven releases the emergency hatch on the window. Steven tries to convince Pearl to abandon the ship, but as Pearl won't listen, he grabs her head, and says "Sometimes, you just gotta know when to bail." Finally listening, Pearl ejects the two of them out of the ship last minute, and sadly watches it explode. Greg, overwhelmed with relief, curls up into a fetal position. Apologizing, Pearl regrets nearly killing Steven, but Steven reassures Pearl that she'll get back into space one day. Pearl, shaken by the expeirence, says she would rather stay on Earth. Steven says "With me" and Pearl replies "Yeah, with you", as the star shaped iris closes in on them.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Greg
 * Pearl
 * Amethyst
 * Garnet
 * Greg's uncle (pictured and mentioned)
 * Greg's aunt (pictured and mentioned)

Songs

 * After These Messages
 * UUU Fanfare / Let's Build a Spaceship: Part 1
 * Blast Off!
 * Let's Build A Spaceship: Part 2
 * Almost There

Cultural References

 * The title is an allusion to the competition between USA and Russia to launch a functioning space craft into outer space.

Continuity

 * This is the first episode that the Galaxy Warp is shown, it was first mentioned in "Mirror Gem".

Trivia

 * The Crystal Gems annually test a defunct warp pad station in hopes of them working again.
 * The reason why the Crystal Gems are unable to get off planet is because the warp pads used for space travel have been inactive for thousands of years.
 * This episode marks the second time Steven gets "grounded", but this time by Greg. The first time was in the episode "Ocean Gem", the third was "Fusion Cuisine".
 * Though, Greg's version of "grounding" was different, meaning that Steven was not allowed to leave earth.
 * This marks the second time that Steven had been put in mortal danger by a gem, Pearl, the first being when Lapis Lazuli tried to drown him and Connie in the episode "Ocean Gem".
 * Though Pearl didn't mean to put him in danger like she did.
 * This is the first episode in which more of Steven's relatives are mentioned, besides his Father and Mother.
 * It's pointed out that the Universe family might have a hoarding problem.
 * It's revealed that there's a Gem homeworld, and the Gems aren't only based on Earth. They are however stuck there with no way off for the time being.
 * This the fourth episode we see Pearl cry. The first was "So Many Birthdays" and the second was "Coach Steven" and the third being "An Indirect Kiss."
 * This the first episode in a while that ended in a star shaped iris.
 * This is the third episode where Pearl is seen in a different outfit.
 * This is the second episode of Steven Universe that the title card is not similar like usual. The first was the episode "Ocean Gem".
 * It is revealed that Greg used to like cartoons when he was young.
 * When Steven and Pearl bailed out in the atmosphere, they broke a major law of physics. They should have frozen or burned up at that altitude.
 * This is the second time we have seen Gems in space the first time was with Steven and Lapis in "Ocean Gem".
 * Pearl is shown to miss traveling the cosmos even more than Amethyst and Garnet, so much so that she risks her and Steven's lives, but only due to space insanity, and she understands that she did go a little crazy.
 * Greg's hair gets frazzled when he worries about Steven.
 * You can hear the Cookie Cat theme playing on the TV after Steven asks Greg to help him build a space ship.
 * The reference sheet on Pearl's tears are named "Ghibli Tears", an allusion to how the characters cry in Studio Ghibli animations.
 * This episode hints that Pearl does not like living on Earth, much like Lapis Lazuli.
 * This is the second episode where Steven nearly dies, with the first being "So Many Birthdays".

Transcript
Click here for the transcript.

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