Steven's Birthday

"Don't worry, Steven, it doesn't matter to me what age it seems like you are, I wanna hang out with you no matter what. Your dad still has to run his car wash, and the Gems have to do Gem stuff, so I'll watch you when they're not around. I can come see you after I'm done training with Pearl too. Doesn't that sound fun?"

"Steven's Birthday" is the 23rd episode of the second season of Steven Universe, the 75th episode overall and the second episode in the fourth StevenBomb.

Official Synopsis
Steven has a birthday party out at the barn, and decides he has some growing up to do.

Plot
The Gems are setting up a party for Steven outside of the barn, inflating balloons and fitting them with ribbons. Steven is concerned if it's alright if they stop working on the drill for this occasion, and Pearl says that Peridot should keep things in check. Amethyst teases a passing Peridot about the party, failing to amuse her. Garnet reasons that they should celebrate Steven's progress and that he has grown and learned a lot the past year. Connie arrives in Greg's van and celebrates Steven's birthday. Connie explains that it was hard to convince her parents to let her stay in Steven's barn for the weekend, refusing to let her go without an array of safety equipment, including a defibrillator.

Greg runs up to hug Steven and celebrate his birthday. He is astonished that Steven grew up so fast, seemingly from a baby just yesterday to being fourteen now. Connie is surprised to learn Steven's age and that he's older than her, being only twelve and three quarters. Greg shows Connie a photo album of Steven's birthdays, showing that he grew normally between the ages of one and eight, but from that point his growth had stunted. After excusing Steven to talk to Greg in the van privately, Connie expresses concern for Steven's growth. Greg isn't sure himself why this is happening and how it'll resolve, considering Gems don't age at all, but since Steven is half human as well his properties are unpredictable. Steven overhears the conversation as Greg finishes by saying that they should wait and see how Steven grows.

At the entrance to the barn, Steven tries to hang a birthday banner but couldn't do it because the mouth is too high. Amethyst approaches him and advises him that if he could stretch his limbs, he would be able to hang the banner. Greg comes up to Steven and gives him his birthday crown and cape, putting him in the barn and closing it to give Steven a surprise later. In the barn, Steven contemplates on whether or not he should shape-shift himself so that he looks older. Everyone outside yells for Steven to open the door for the surprise and are immediately shocked at Steven's sudden change of physique. Garnet compliments his appearance but Connie expresses her disbelief and skepticism over his sudden "growth spurt". Later, Connie gives Steven a gift box, revealing it to be a pink shirt. He tries it on but it doesn't fit perfectly well. Pearl, Amethyst, Steven, and Connie play badminton, and Amethyst shoots the racket far away into a tree. Connie tries to retrieve it but Steven pulls down the branch using his height. After Connie leaves, his arm shape-shifts into its original form, but Steven forces it back.

In the evening, Steven, Connie and the Gems are dancing. Garnet changes the song to fit the mood for Steven and Connie to dance alone together. Connie makes joking remarks about Steven's age and new height, and tells him that it's funny in a good way that she has to literally look up to him. Steven becomes too uneasy and nervous, excusing himself to take a break. He runs behind the barn out of sight to shape-shift back into his original form. Amethyst and Greg witness Steven's shape-shifting and are in shock. Steven shifts back as they both question him. He explains that he needs to stay this way so he can keep a mature appearance towards Connie. Amethyst warns him that he could greatly harm himself if he keeps stretching his form, but Steven dismisses her warning under the excuse that he's half human so they know nothing about his possible properties. Connie and Steven sit under the stars, pointing towards self-made constellations. Connie expresses her happiness in the prospect of growing up with Steven, when the stress on his body makes him shape-shift into an infant form and he cries.

Connie shows Steven to Greg and the Gems as they all share the same feeling of shock. Garnet tries to calm him down but he keeps crying. Greg takes responsibility for his safekeeping and care as a child, as he is the only human parent and takes Steven for a short drive with Connie to calm Steven from crying. On the road, Greg is surprised that driving didn't calm Steven down as it did before. Greg wants to drop off Connie to her house, but she insists on staying, offering her assistance as the Gems always go on missions and Greg is usually busy at the car wash. She wants to stay by Steven's side no matter what happens, which seems to calm him down. The following morning, Connie wakes up to see only Steven's shirt on the floor of the tent, assuming Steven has reverted into a zygote, but goes outside and sees Steven is back to his original form. He reveals how he was aware of what happened when he was an infant and apologizes to her, explaining that he wanted to look and feel older for Connie, but she simply tells him that it's perfectly fine if Steven stays the way he is. She notices that Steven has a facial hair. She shows Greg and the Gems his new discovery and impressing them, as the iris star closes on Connie's face, happy and relieved.

Characters

 * Steven
 * Garnet
 * Amethyst
 * Pearl
 * Peridot (non-speaking cameo)
 * Connie
 * Greg
 * Lion
 * Dogcopter (constellation)

Objects

 * Durian Juice
 * Steven's Birthday Suit
 * Greg's Van
 * Peribot

Locations

 * The Barn

Songs

 * "Let Me Drive My Van (into Your Heart)"

Instrumental Songs

 * "Connie"

Trivia

 * In CN Asia, this episode was included in the "Turn It Up Loud" Promo where they waited to air the episode a day before Steven's actual birthday, Aug 14 (since the promo only affects weekends.)
 * For Steven's birthday, the Gems made him a Cookie Cat-shaped chocolate and vanilla birthday cake, with a red "1" candle and a blue "4" candle resembling how Garnet was going to tell Steven how Ruby and Sapphire became Crystal Gems.
 * It is revealed Connie is 12¾ years old.
 * Steven's voice when he increases his height is the normal voice of his voice actor, same like in Garnet's Universe.
 * Greg's first meeting with the Crystal Gems occurred when he was 22.
 * It is revealed shape-shifting for too long can damage a Gem's body.
 * This is foreshadowed by Amethyst when she is helping Steven hang his banner and says, "I can't hold this forever."
 * Shortly before this when Amethyst says, "Dude, it would be easier if you stretch," and Steven responding with, "Oh yeah..." foreshadows his plans for the episode.
 * Greg's photo album shows that Steven hasn't aged properly since he was 8.
 * "So Many Birthdays" reveals that his physical age is tied to his mental age and/or maturity; when he felt old his body responded in kind. Simply put, Steven's body is only as old as he feels.
 * It is canonically confirmed that Greg raised Steven, previously stated in an in-character interview.
 * At San Diego Comic-Con 2016's Steven Universe panel, Rebecca Sugar confirmed that Steven's birthday is August 15, the same day Steven Sugar, the inspiration for Steven, was born.

Cultural References

 * The album Greg pulled out of the box had the same album cover of Estelle's Shine with the artist instead being named "Stella", momentarily breaking the fourth wall.
 * One of the posters inside Greg's van is titled "Pet Rock" with what appears to be a dog playing a guitar that bears a striking resemblance to K.K. Slider from the Animal Crossing franchise.
 * When Steven offers Connie Durian Juice, he pulls the juice boxes from the "hammerspace", a fairly common occurrence in cartoons, comics and games where characters are pulling all sorts of things—guns, disguises, matches, bombs, anvils, mallets—from behind their backs or just offscreen.

Continuity

 * The Durian Juice from "An Indirect Kiss" is seen again.
 * Steven's Birthday Suit from "So Many Birthdays" is seen again.
 * Steven is shown to use his age manipulation powers again. Once again, it was a disaster as in "So Many Birthdays". Except it works in reverse this time, so instead of aging him so old he nearly dies, it ages him backwards until he is an infant. He is also shown to have more control over his shape-shifting powers.
 * When baby Steven, Connie, and Greg are in the van, the song "Let Me Drive My Van (into Your Heart)" can be heard, as Steven started to like it in "Laser Light Cannon".
 * Connie is still training with Pearl, as she was in "Sworn to the Sword".
 * Greg and Connie do their "human beings" high five as they did in "We Need to Talk".
 * The Peribot can be seen in the background of the barn, foreshadowing the events of "Message Received".

Errors

 * When Greg shows Connie Steven's birthday pictures a continuity error occurs; Greg never lost his hair until Steven's third birthday, yet in his picture with Rose he is already bald. Matt Burnett explained this error by saying Greg used Rogain during the first 3 years of Steven's life.
 * At one point when Pearl is tying the large pink bow, her hand is visible while her arm is missing behind the bow.
 * When Steven is showing Connie the barn, Greg is still believed to be inside Steven's Birthday 00107.png van. In the next scene, he is shown to be loading the defibrillator out of the back of the van, despite the next scene being only a few frames later.
 * In one shot where Greg, Connie, Baby Steven and Amethyst are in the van, Baby Steven is larger than normal.

Videos
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