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

You're like the cotton candy of the jungle!

Steven


"Steven's Lion" is the 10th episode of the first season of Steven Universe, and the 10th overall.

Official Synopsis[]

Steven makes friends with a magical lion, but can't quite tell why it likes him.[2]

Plot[]

Steven's Lion (013)

The episode opens with the Gems and Steven trekking through the desert, littered with large sandstone columns that erect and dissipate at random. Garnet explains that the "power in the structure has turned aimless" and thus, was raising stand-alone structures at random. Suddenly, a loud roar interrupts their conversation and the Gems run off to investigate, leaving an exhausted Steven behind. Shortly thereafter, a mystical pink lion with glowing eyes approaches Steven. Though initially startled, Steven quickly realizes the Lion means no harm and begins to pet and converse with it.

Steven's Lion (081)

Not too long after, however, a large explosion captures their attention. The Gems approach after defeating the monster which held the Gem powering the structure known as "the Desert Glass", a red velvet pillow encrusted with a large Green gem (which Amethyst claimed as hers since she delivered the killing blow). Pearl notes that she should take care of it as dropping it on sand would "rebuild everything". Upon seeing Steven with the Lion they quickly take up arms, only for Steven to assure them the Lion means no harm. Steven says his goodbyes as they exit the Desert and return to the Crystal Temple.

Steven's Lion (107)

Back at the Temple, Amethyst and Steven nap under a pillow fort, topped with the Desert Glass, when he hears scratching from the door. Much to his surprise, the pink lion appears at his doorstep. Steven then attempts to play games with the Lion, but to no avail, as the lion appears largely apathetic to all of his games. Slightly disheartened, Steven believes he knows of something the Lion "has gotta like". He then brings him to Fish Stew Pizza which Steven enters hoping to brag about his Lion. Inside, Onion and Ronaldo Fryman are eating while Kofi and Kiki work the counter. Steven lets them know of his lion, which excites Ronaldo while Kiki is very much reserved. Upon exiting the pizzeria, they find no such lion (though Ronaldo initially believed it to be invisible), which elicits a bad lion pun from Kiki and an unsettling death stare from Onion. Steven finds the lion back at his home, getting there just as he tears the door down and it becomes apparent that he is after the Desert Glass. This revelation angers and disheartens Steven, who becomes frustrated with the lion and subsequently throws the pillow off the balcony and onto the beach.

Steven's Lion (212)

The ground suddenly begins to quake and massive sandstone columns begin to erect around the gem. The Gems run outside and Pearl explains that the Desert Glass is attempting to "rebuild its castle". Meanwhile, the pillow engenders a massive sandstorm and wall which not even Garnet is able to penetrate. Steven, being caught inside, realizes that he must take it from atop the central tower. Upon almost reaching the top, the sand structure morphs and forces Steven to fall from a great height, only to be caught by the lion. Steven realizes the lion only wanted to protect them from the pillow, and the lion uses a magical roar to destroy the sand structures around them. They then burst through the top of the tower and retrieve the Gem and all the sand structures dissipate shortly thereafter. Pearl reprimands Amethyst for not "bubbling" the Desert Glass in the first place and Amethyst states that, in her defense, she forgot. Steven indirectly asks the Gems if he can keep the Lion, which they (specifically Garnet) indirectly agree to.

Features[]

Characters[]

Objects[]

Locations[]

Music[]

Instrumental Songs[]

Trivia[]

  • A three-week hiatus occurred after this episode.

Cultural References[]

  • When Steven told Ronaldo that the Lion was pink, he replied with "How can it be invisible and pink?", a reference to the Invisible Pink Unicorn.
  • The title is similar to the 1977 Disney film, Pete's Dragon.

Continuity[]

  • On Ronaldo's laptop, you can see the picture he took of Steven in "Cat Fingers", and it is also seen on Ronaldo's real Keep Beach City Weird Tumblr page.
  • It is shown that Onion hates to be lied to. This can be seen again in "Political Power" when he was about to assault Bill Dewey for lying about the power outage.
  • Garnet's ending line, "We kept Amethyst." besides applying to her comparatively wild behavior, indicates that Amethyst joined the Crystal Gems after the others, and she was revealed in "On the Run" to have been brought into the fold after the Rebellion, as a newly-formed Gem.

Errors[]

  • The scene where Garnet wipes the sweat off Steven, the middle finger part of her glove disappears when she curls her fingers, then reappears when she uncurls them.
  • There are many scenes in which Lion has normal eyes, but still contain the glow around them.
  • After Steven throws the Desert Glass onto the beach, he is not shown standing on the porch in the next scene, but rather is missing altogether. He then reappears in the next camera shot.
    • This could also be because of the distance between the Desert Glass and Steven's house. If drawn, he would be awfully small looking on the porch.
  • The window to the right side of the beach house appears to be missing once Pearl announces that the Desert Glass was rebuilding its castle.

Transcript

View the episode's transcript here.

Gallery

New Gallery

Click to view the gallery for Steven's Lion.

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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