| This article is about the episode. You may be looking for the object or the merchandise. |
| “ |
Cheeseburger Backpack! |
” |
| —Amethyst | ||
"Cheeseburger Backpack" is the 3rd episode of the first season of Steven Universe, and the 3rd episode overall.
Official Synopsis[]
A mission to the Lunar Sea Spire takes a treacherous turn, but Steven has packed his totally amazing Cheeseburger Backpack with anything they could ever need![2]
Plot[]
The episode begins with Steven sitting on top of his mailbox, singing his Hey Mr. Postman song. Jamie, the postman arrives and after he takes numerous objects out of his bag, Jamie finds Steven's package from a company called Wacky Sacks Supply Company. Steven explains that what’s in the package is a valuable piece of equipment that will help him save the world when he sees a flash of light erupt from his house, meaning the Crystal Gems have returned from their latest mission.
Steven eagerly runs into the house and is greeted by Garnet, who is covered in feathers. Amethyst is trying to get a large egg into the fridge while Pearl is discouraging her, doubting it will fit. Amethyst fits the egg in the fridge (more or less) and Pearl tells Steven they fought a giant bird and that they are only in for a minute because they have another mission awaiting them. She explains they need to put the Moon Goddess Statue at the top of the Lunar Sea Spire before midnight or the whole place will collapse beyond repair. She goes on to talk about how beautiful of a place it was in its day and how it was an oasis for Gems on Earth, but is currently abandoned. When Steven realizes they need to carry the statue there, he finds this a suiting time to debut his newest piece of gear; his Cheeseburger Backpack. Steven explains he ordered this novelty backpack so that he could come on missions and serve other essential purposes to the gems until he masters his gem powers. Pearl is against the idea of Steven, or his backpack, coming along since it could be dangerous for him, but Amethyst wants to bring him along under the pretext of education. The other Gems agree and decide it would be a good educational trip for him. With that, Pearl hands Steven the statue and Steven decides to pack extra supplies for their mission.
Presenting: CHEESEBURGER BACKPACK!
After packing as many things as he can fit in the backpack, Steven and the Gems take the warp pad in the living room to the Lunar Sea Spire. They witness the Spire falling apart at the seams, with Pearl stating that "it wasn't like this 100 years ago". When Steven almost falls victim to the structural instability, Pearl decides the mission is over for him. However, she makes him promise to take the stakes of their mission seriously and Garnet insists they keep going. Their first obstacle is getting into the Spire, which across a gap. Garnet says they can’t jump across because the magic sustaining the spire’s whirlpool generates an inescapable gravitational force pulling down towards the ocean. Steven goes into his backpack and pulls out the first of his odd items he brought along with him: sweaters. He ties them together and throws them towards the Spire, using them as a rope swing to walk up the wall when he gets across. After he succeeds, Amethyst pulls out her whip and brings her and the rest of the Gems over. Shocked, Pearl angrily tells Steven never to do it again but claims it was a pretty good idea.
They continue to the top where the statue needs to be placed, and Pearl is distressed at the sight of all the crumbling statues and walls. Pearl tells Steven the possibility that the place will all be repaired once the Moon Goddess Statue is placed, but they suddenly come face to face with an infestation of Crystal Shrimp. Steven wonders if he can just squish them, but Pearl stops him, saying that their shards are deadly. Pearl comes up with a complex plan and starts to explain it, but Steven simply throws two bagel sandwiches from his backpack into opposite ends of the room, attracting the shrimp in two different directions and clearing the path. The Gems are so impressed with his ingenuity that when a ravine forms in front of them and fills with water, they immediately look to him for a plan. Steven reaches into the backpack and pulls out the first sensible item he packed: a raft. Unfortunately, as soon as he tosses it into the water, it is carried down a waterfall. Garnet bridges the water flow by smashing over a column, but says that Steven had a nice idea despite things.
They pass over the bridge that Garnet had made for them and begin to trek up to the top of the spire. Once they are at the summit, they see a beautiful view of the night sky and with the moon almost overhead, they still have time to place the statue and save this historic landmark. Garnet asks Steven for the statue from his bag. He begins to rummage through it and looks more nervous with every second. Disappointed, he tells the Gems he does not have the statue, claiming he must’ve left it on his bed. The situation looks grim as Pearl looks up at the moon, realizing there’s no time to go back for it. However, Steven has an alternative and pulls out Mr. Queasy, a plush doll he got in his room when packing for the adventure.
The Gems say it is worth a shot and Steven puts Mr. Queasy where the Moon Goddess Statue was supposed to go. A beam of light goes from Mr. Queasy directly to the moon. The doll begins to levitate for a moment, and it seems as if it is going to work, only for the doll to vibrate and then totally explode. With the substitute for the moon goddess statue a failure, the whirlpool collapses around the Lunar Sea Spire and it collapses, drowning the ocean piece by piece. Surviving the fall, the Gems one by one pop up from underwater.
Steven takes blame for missing the chance to save the Sea Spire, but Pearl and Amethyst cheer him up, saying that Steven performed marvelously under pressure despite the dire circumstances of the already crumbling spire and that half of his ideas worked. The raft that went over the edge of the waterfall earlier pops up, and Steven cheers knowing that they now have a way of getting home. Amethyst and Pearl start chanting "cheeseburger backpack" over and over again. However Garnet mentions that it is going to be a three-hour paddle to get home. The episode ends with Steven asking the others "Anyone want a wet bagel?" which is his next idea to help get them back home.
Features[]
Characters[]
- Steven Universe
- Pearl
- Garnet
- Amethyst
- Jamie (debut)
- Crystal Shrimp (debut)
- Barbara Miller (mentioned)
- Holo-Pearl (debut)
Objects[]
- Cheeseburger Backpack (debut)
- Moon Goddess Statue (debut)
- Mr. Queasy (debut)
- Bagel Sandwich (debut)
- Inflatable Raft (debut)
Locations[]
- Delmarva
- Between Newfoundland and tip of South Greenland (debut)
- Lunar Sea Spire (debut)
Music[]
Songs[]
Instrumental Songs[]
Trivia[]
- This is the first episode where the main setting is not Beach City, as most of the episode took place at the Lunar Sea Spire.
- This episode marks the first and only time Garnet asks a question after the events shown in "The Answer" in which she decided to never ask questions again.
- Garnet has been shown to ask a question in "The Answer" (prior to making the decision) and in a lyric in "Stronger Than You" which was a rhetorical question.
- In The Steven Universe Podcast, Rebecca Sugar stated that every instance of Garnet asking a question (that takes place after her joining the Crystal Gems) is not canon. That could mean that this episode is either not canon or this was simply an oversight.
- Garnet has been shown to ask a question in "The Answer" (prior to making the decision) and in a lyric in "Stronger Than You" which was a rhetorical question.
- Steven’s final line in this episode is the exact same line from the Steven Universe announcement commercial, where only his silhouette and gem are visible.
Cultural References[]
- Several references to the sitcom Full House were made. Jamie bears a striking resemblance to Danny Tanner. Later on at the Lunar Sea Spire, Steven winks and says "You got it, dude!" which is a popular refrain of Michelle Tanner.
- Steven has what appears to be a Nintendo 64 plugged up to the TV in his room.
- The name on the jury summons, R. J. Finkle, may be a reference to Ray Finkle, fictional former Miami Dolphins kicker and the main antagonist of the film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.
- The Mr. Queasy plush toy has several aspects reminiscent of certain Sesame Street characters and paraphernalia. His voice resembles that of Cookie Monster, while the doll itself is a parody of the Tickle Me Elmo toys.
- Steven's "Hey, Mr. Postman" can be considered a reference to "Please Mr. Postman", a song by The Marvelettes and The Beatles.
Continuity[]
- Pearl states that the Spire "didn't look like this 100 years ago", implying that the Crystal Gems must be very old. We then learn in the episode "So Many Birthdays" that Crystal Gems are thousands of years old and are biologically immortal.
- Steven's trip to the Spire was actually a test, as revealed in "The Test".
- The Moon Goddess Statue is later found inside Steven’s wardrobe in “The Test”. Steven places it on the shelf above his bed, as seen from Steven Universe: The Movie onwards.
Errors[]
Plot[]
[04:53] When Steven swung the T-shirts around the building, he was not wearing his backpack, but when he used it to swing across, he is wearing it again.
[11:24] Gems are seen floating in the sea, when it's later stated that they can't since they automatically adjust their density given where they are.
Design[]
[01:11] Garnet's star colors are inverted.
[04:37] Sapphire's gemstone is in both of Garnet's hands.
[04:38] Garnet's middle finger is the same color as the other ones, instead of black.
[04:39] Sapphire's gemstone is upside down in Garnet's palm.
[09:26] Garnet's star colors are inverted.
[09:30] After Mr. Queasy explodes, Garnet's lips disappear.
[09:59] When Steven surfaces after the Sea Spire sinks, and the camera cuts back to Steven after cutting to the Gems surfacing when Steven says "I broke it", the backpack is missing, and it only returns when the camera pans up to show the raft surface.
Transcript
View the episode's transcript here.
Gallery
Videos[]
References
- ↑ The Futon Critic staff (2013-11-12). Monday's Cable Ratings & Broadcast Finals: DWTS, MNF Lead Viewers, Demos. Ratings. The Futon Critic. Retrieved on 2013 November 13.
- ↑ http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/video/steven-universe/the-steven-way-clip.html