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This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the titular character or the Gem type.

You didn't even tell 'em. You bubbled me away and didn't ever tell your friends — my friends.

Bismuth


"Bismuth" is a 22-minute special episode. It takes up the production slots of the 20th and 21st episodes of the third season of Steven Universe, and the 98th and 99th episodes overall.

Official Synopsis[]

Steven discovers something the Gems thought was lost to the past inside of Lion's mane.[2]

Plot[]

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Steven is playing a video game while the Gems watch and encourage him. They are interrupted by Lion chewing on one of Steven's shirts. Steven retrieves the shirt from Lion's mouth, and puts it on his drawers, stating about his memories in Funland's Thunder Bird Coaster. Lion starts becoming persistent and continues stealing and chewing the shirt. Steven reaches a decision to put the shirt in Lion's mane so that he can no longer chew it. He puts the shirt on one of the branches of the tree in Lion's dimension, believing it will be safe hanging on the stable tree. Suddenly, the branch breaks and Steven accidentally pops a bubble containing a gemstone and falls out of Lion's mane.

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In an attempt to fix the situation, Steven re-enters Lion's mane to try and bubble the gem, but before he gets the chance to, the Gem reforms, recedes in fear like she is in a battle, and sees that there is no one there except Steven. They stare at each other for some time before Steven gets out of Lion's mane. Steven reports to Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl that there is another Gem inside of Lion's mane. Steven explains her appearance until Garnet requests he bring her out. When Steven enters Lion's mane one last time, the giant Gem appears and tells Steven that they are both alone in someplace and that he must help her find a way out. Steven holds out his hand and brings the Gem out.

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The Gems look at her and Amethyst says "Wow, a total stranger!" Pearl suddenly cries and runs towards the Gem yelling "Bismuth!", Bismuth (if that's her name) hugs Pearl and says that the Pearl she knew would never come for a hug. She asks whether someone lost one and asks her to whom she belongs to in a friendly yet sarcastic way, and Pearl responds "Nobody!" in a way that suggests it is a friendly dialog they used to share. Garnet reveals to Steven and Amethyst that her name is Bismuth and that she was one of the original Crystal Gems. Bismuth acts very friendly with Garnet and Pearl because she knew them during the war. She greets Amethyst and is surprised to learn that Rose has become Steven. Bismuth points out several things about their new base, such as it being made with wood. Bismuth asks where the other Crystal Gems are and her question is answered shortly in the Strawberry Battlefield.

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Garnet and Pearl explain the outcome of the Rebellion to her, prompting her to cry when she realizes many of the Gems she fought beside are gone. She releases her anger and throws an ax towards the ground, believing that she could have stopped the Homeworld Gems if she was around. The others reveal to her that Homeworld Gems still want to take Earth, and Bismuth relishes the opportunity to fight them again. Bismuth decides to take them to the Forge.

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The Crystal Gems warp near an active volcano and Bismuth leads them to the entrance of the forge. They go inside where Bismuth begins forging a sword. As Steven watches, Bismuth explains to him that she made all of the material weapons for the Crystal Gems here. She then gives enhancements to Garnet's and Pearl's weapons. As Bismuth talks with them, Amethyst expresses her suspicions to Steven, wondering why the other Gems had never mentioned Bismuth to her before. Bismuth approaches them, asking what weapon Amethyst uses. She gives Bismuth her whip, who upgrades it with an enhancement before handing it back to a surprised and delighted Amethyst.

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Later, Bismuth, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl are seen sparring on the beach while Steven watches. Bismuth asks Steven to join in, explaining to him that it is a ritual of the Crystal Gems to spar before a battle. Steven replies by saying that it is too intense for him, and he then shows Bismuth some of his rituals. The Crystal Gems play badminton, cards, make and eat pizza, and watch a Lonely Blade movie.

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At night, Steven tells Bismuth she can sleep in the Beach House if she wants to. Bismuth tells him she is glad to have another chance and asks him if he will show her his combat skills tomorrow. Steven admits that most of his weapons are for defense except for Rose's sword, which he pulls out of Lion's mane. He hands the sword to Bismuth who reveals to him that she had made it. She explains to him how Rose had changed her life, and Steven responds by expressing his concern that he will never be able to measure up to his mom. Bismuth comforts him by telling him that he is different, which makes her consider giving him a weapon of his own.

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Later, Bismuth takes Steven back to the Forge to show him the Breaking Point, a weapon that shatters Gems on impact. Steven finds out that Bismuth was bubbled inside Lion because she was going to try to shatter Homeworld Gems with the Breaking Point. It is revealed that Rose did not think it was right, and she had ended up bubbling Bismuth and lying to the other Crystal Gems that she had gone missing in battle. Steven shows the same point of view, and this angers Bismuth, who thinks that he lied about being a different person from Rose. A showdown ensues between Steven and Bismuth. She accuses Rose of valuing her enemies' gems more than her own army. Bismuth claims that she could have ended Homeworld's tyranny, shattered the Diamonds with the Breaking Point, and liberated everyone.

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Steven manages to subdue her for a moment by throwing a statue at her and tells her that this has to stop. Bismuth yells at him to just shatter her, but Steven refuses. He states that even if they do not agree, no one deserves to be shattered. Bismuth takes the Breaking Point from him and raises it, but Steven is quick to grab his sword and jab it through Bismuth. Bismuth tells Steven (Rose) that she should have shattered her before so that she would not have to know how little she mattered to her. Steven promises to tell the others about what happened to her, and Bismuth bitterly laughs, acknowledging him as Steven by stating that he "really [is] better than her," before poofing.

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Steven bubbles Bismuth's gem and pushes the Breaking Point into the lava, destroying it. After Steven tells them everything, the Crystal Gems put Bismuth's bubble in the Burning Room. They meet Steven outside on the deck, and the episode ends.

Features[]

Characters[]

Objects[]

Locations[]

Music[]

Instrumental Songs[]

Trivia[]

  • This is the first official half-hour special of the series; previous "half-hour special events" were two-part episodes combined and aired together (i.e. "Mirror Gem"/"Ocean Gem", "The Return"/"Jail Break", "Super Watermelon Island"/"Gem Drill, "Beta/Earthlings"). Because of this, the episode has a unique title card. The episode begins immediately after the opening theme, and the title and credits are not displayed on a separate card, but instead are superimposed over the action.
  • Cartoon Network marks this episode as the 100th episode, which is the 98th and 99th episode overall. According to Matt Burnett, it is considered the 99th and 100th episode overall. The real 100th episode was "Beta".
  • This is the first time Steven has poofed a non-corrupted Gem.
  • This is the first time Steven used Rose's Sword to poof a gem.
  • Steven is able to hear Bismuth inside Lion's mane. This, along with the events of "Bubbled", implies that Gems are somehow able to transmit sound through airless environments or vacuums.
    • However, the breeze inside Lion's dimension suggests there is air, just not breathable for humans.
  • Bismuth claims that Rose was made on Earth. However, this is contradictory to Rose's statement (voiced by Pearl) that refers to Homeworld as her home in "Rose's Scabbard".
    • This foreshadows Rose's true nature revealed in "A Single Pale Rose". Both statements are true; Homeworld being the home of Pink Diamond, yet her having become Rose Quartz on Earth.
  • The 2010 Cartoon Network Studios logo appears on a mug.
  • This episode was banned in the United Kingdom after a single airing for unknown reasons.

Cultural References[]

  • Steven's drink during the Gems' sparring sequence looks very similar to an old-fashioned glass bottle of Coca-Cola.
  • When Lonely Blade discovers the demonic sword in the film, he mentions that it was forged by Muramasa. In Japanese legend, Muramasa was the bloodthirsty counterpart to honorable swordsmith Masamune. This parallels the nature of Rose's sword to that of the Breaking Point, for it was said that when both were placed in a stream, a Masamune sword would repel leaves on the water's surface while Muramasa's would draw the leaves to it so that it might cut them on its blade.
  • Following each commercial break is an eye-catcher signaling the return to the show. They feature chibi versions of the Crystal Gems using a Warp Pad and are similar to the style of eye-catchers used in anime, such as Sailor Moon R and Yu Yu Hakusho.
  • When Amethyst criticizes Bismuth for using the same joke twice, Steven replies that the joke will be really funny if she tells it a third time. This is a reference to the rule of three in writing, where a joke or situation is at its funniest when it is delivered three times. The element of dark comedy at the center of this is that when Bismuth tells the joke a third time, after revealing the Breaking Point, Steven is far from laughing.
  • Based on the size and the characters on the blade, the large sword blade seen on the wall of the forge may be a reference to Omnimon's Transcendent Sword from Digimon.
  • The Breaking Point has a similar appearance and function to the Big O's piston punch from the anime The Big O.
  • Steven throwing Bismuth's weapon into the lava is very similar to the scene in which John Connor throws the Terminator endoskeleton arm into molten steel in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
  • The sword Bismuth made reflected in Steven's pupils is possibly referencing the symbol of the Super Smash Bros. series. It could even foreshadow the later *brawl* between the two.

Continuity[]

  • The unknown bubbled object that was first seen in "Lion 3: Straight to Video" is revealed to be Bismuth.
  • The Lonely Blade movie from "Steven the Sword Fighter" returns.
  • Pearl now understands that movies do not have to make sense since "Steven the Sword Fighter".
  • The Corrupting Light is indirectly mentioned by Garnet as Homeworld's "final attack".
    • Pearl mentions Rose protecting her and Garnet from the attack, something first mentioned by Greg in "The Return".
  • Steven indirectly mentions Peridot's redemption (and arguably Nephrite's and Lapis' respective arcs) when he says that most Gems he meets always try to kill him, and it takes forever before he becomes friends with them.

Errors[]

Note: Time is displayed in [mm:ss]; [00:00] refers to the point after the opening theme song is played and before the episode's start.

Plot[]

  • [01:01] When Steven first pops the bubble Bismuth is trapped in, the gem is facing towards him with the notch on the top left. In the next frame with Bismuth's gem, the notch is on the bottom left. When Steven goes back into Lion's mane, Bismuth's gem is facing away from him with the notch on the bottom right.

Design[]

  • In all the scenes with Lion's tree, Rose's Mr. Universe shirt is missing.
  • [01:47] When Steven was describing Bismuth to the Gems, Garnet's middle finger was the same color as her skin color.
  • [03:08] When Pearl says "Or worse, shattered," Bismuth's pants are missing.
  • [04:30] When Bismuth tears a part of the floorboards of the beach house, two of her dreadlocks switch colors, returning to normal in the next scene.
  • [07:44] When the entrance to the Forge is completely created, Bismuth's right thumb appears square-shaped.
  • [10:50] When Bismuth blocks Pearl's attack, her pants are missing.
  • [14:52] When Bismuth takes Steven down to the basement level of the Forge to show him the Breaking Point, a few of her dreadlocks change colors.
  • [20:00] Before being poofed, in a few shots, Bismuth's headband turns into a dreadlock.
  • [21:30] When the Gems stare at Bismuth's bubbled gem, the bottom half of Garnet's bodysuit is reversed.
  • [21:38] When Garnet is standing by Steven outside at night, one of the stars on her suit and the heels of her shoes are white.

Transcript

View the episode's transcript here.

Gallery

New Gallery

Click to view the gallery for Bismuth (episode).

Videos[]

References

ve Episode List
Pilot Pilot
Season 1 A: Gem GlowLaser Light CannonCheeseburger BackpackTogether BreakfastFryboCat FingersBubble BuddiesSerious StevenTiger MillionaireSteven's LionArcade ManiaGiant WomanSo Many BirthdaysLars and the Cool KidsOnion TradeSteven the Sword FighterLion 2: The MovieBeach PartyRose's RoomCoach StevenJoking VictimSteven and the StevensMonster BuddiesAn Indirect KissMirror Gem/Ocean Gem

B: House GuestSpace RaceSecret TeamIsland AdventureKeep Beach City WeirdFusion CuisineGarnet's UniverseWatermelon StevenLion 3: Straight to VideoWarp TourAlone TogetherThe TestFuture VisionOn the RunHorror ClubWinter ForecastMaximum CapacityMarble MadnessRose's ScabbardOpen BookShirt ClubStory for StevenThe MessagePolitical PowerThe Return/Jail Break

Season 2 Full DisclosureJoy RideSay UncleLove LettersReformedSworn to the SwordRising Tides, Crashing SkiesKeeping It TogetherWe Need to TalkChille TidCry for HelpKeystone MotelOnion FriendHistorical FrictionFriend ShipNightmare HospitalSadie's SongCatch and ReleaseWhen It RainsBack to the BarnToo FarThe AnswerSteven's BirthdayIt Could've Been Great/Message ReceivedLog Date 7 15 2
Season 3 Super Watermelon Island/Gem DrillSame Old WorldBarn MatesHit the DiamondSteven FloatsDrop Beat DadMr. GregToo Short to RideThe New LarsBeach City DriftRestaurant WarsKiki's Pizza Delivery ServiceMonster ReunionAlone at SeaGreg the BabysitterGem HuntCrack the WhipSteven vs. AmethystBismuthBetaEarthlingsBack to the MoonBubbled
Season 4 Kindergarten KidKnow Your FusionBuddy's BookMindful EducationFuture Boy ZoltronLast One Out of Beach CityOnion GangGem HarvestThree Gems and a BabySteven's DreamAdventures in Light DistortionGem HeistThe ZooThat Will Be AllThe New Crystal GemsStorm in the RoomRocknaldoTiger PhilanthropistRoom for RubyLion 4: Alternate EndingDoug OutThe Good LarsAre You My Dad?I Am My Mom
Season 5 Stuck TogetherThe TrialOff ColorsLars' HeadDewey WinsGemcationRaising the BarnBack to the KindergartenSadie KillerKevin PartyLars of the StarsJungle MoonYour Mother and MineThe Big ShowPool HoppingLetters to LarsCan't Go BackA Single Pale RoseNow We're Only Falling ApartWhat's Your Problem?The QuestionMade of HonorReunitedLegs From Here to HomeworldFamiliarTogether AloneEscapismChange Your Mind
Film Steven Universe: The Movie
Steven Universe Future Little HomeschoolGuidanceRose BudsVolleyballBluebirdA Very Special EpisodeSnow DayWhy So Blue?Little GraduationPrickly PairIn DreamsBismuth CasualTogether ForeverGrowing PainsMr. UniverseFragmentsHomeworld BoundEverything's FineI Am My MonsterThe Future
Shorts Lion Loves to Fit in a BoxThe Classroom Gems: What Are Gems?We Are the Crystal GemsThe Classroom Gems: How Are Gems Made?UnboxingThe Classroom Gems: FusionCooking with LionGem KaraokeSteven ReactsVideo ChatSteven's Song Time
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