Steven Universe Wiki

Spoilers will be present! Please browse at your own risk.

READ MORE

Steven Universe Wiki
Steven Universe Wiki
Advertisement

But you, you're supposed to change. You're never the same even moment to moment — you're allowed and expected to invent who you are. What an incredible power — the ability to "grow up."

Rose Quartz


"Greg the Babysitter" is the 16th episode of the third season of Steven Universe and the 94th episode overall.

Official Synopsis[]

Steven learns the tale of how Greg came to work at the car wash.[3]

Plot[]

Greg The Babysitter 014

The episode begins with Steven and Greg working at the car wash. Greg is surprised they already had two customers that day and says that the car wash has not been that busy since 15 years ago when a 'mud-nado' struck. Steven is surprised that Greg had this job longer than he has been alive, and asks how Greg got the job in the first place. Greg starts to tell him but Steven interrupts him, gets the guitar, and tells Greg to sing him the story. Greg makes a remark about how all his stories have always begun with a song but begins to sing anyway, cueing a flashback.

Greg The Babysitter 080

A flashback compilation of Greg and Rose having fun is seen until Greg realizes that he needs money. The song ends with him sitting on a road, singing for money. Seeing that he did not get much money, he goes to Vidalia's house. She lets him in and she is seen trying to feed her baby, Sour Cream, mushed-up carrots. Greg comes in and eats cereal. After some small talk with Vidalia, he goes into the living room and starts watching TV. He watches one of the first commercials of Li'l Butler on TV which makes him laugh so hard that he spills all the milk on his clothes and Vidalia's couch. The scene cuts to Vidalia and Greg in the washing room and Vidalia offering Greg to wash his shirt. Greg notices the shirt she is wearing, to which Vidalia responds that it is her uniform for her new job at the T-Shirt Shop, which starts today. Shortly after that, the telephone rings and Vidalia answers it. After the phone call is over she tells Greg that the babysitter who was supposed to look after Sour Cream canceled due to the death of a pet hamster and asks him if he could do it to which he agrees. Later, Vidalia goes to work and tells Greg that she will destroy him if something happens to Sour Cream.

Greg the Babysitter 136

Greg takes baby Sour Cream to the beach, putting sunscreen and sunglasses on him. Suddenly, Rose comes floating by and is pleasantly surprised by the baby. She asks where the "mini-human" came from and if Greg made it. Greg introduces Sour Cream to Rose and the two show him how to have fun at the beach. Later, the three are lying at the beach and Rose tells Greg that it took her a long time for her to figure out that human infants and adults are the same species. She says that she admires humans for their ability to grow up and invent their own personality. She contrasts them to Gems, who are made for a reason, know what they are supposed to be when they are created, and stay the way they are forever. Greg, inspired by her words, wants to write them down for a new song and asks Rose if she could watch over Sour Cream for a while.

Greg the Babysitter 197

When he comes back, he notices that Rose and Sour Cream are gone and begins to panic. He runs through Beach City searching for them with no results. Eventually, he runs into Beach City Funland and finds Rose. He then notices that Sour Cream is not with her and says to Rose that he thought she was going to watch him. She then replies to him that she watched Sour Cream climb to the top of a Ferris Wheel. Greg panics and hurries to climb the wheel as fast as he can. When he reaches Sour Cream, he notices how high he is, starts getting dizzy, and asks Rose if she could set the wheel in motion in order for the two to get down.

Greg the Babysitter 212

She pulls a lever that sets the wheel in motion but Greg says it is too fast for him. Rose tries slowing down the Ferris Wheel but breaks the lever which makes the wheel spin even faster. She then angrily smashes the control panel which makes the wheel spin incredibly fast. Rose then tries to hold on to the wheel manually, thereby stopping the Ferris Wheel and sending Greg and Sour Cream flying into the air. Rose rips off one of the gondolas, jumps into the sky, and catches them. Greg checks to make sure Sour Cream is alright before asking Rose why she had let him climb the Ferris Wheel. She responds that he wanted to, and Greg tells her that she should not let Sour Cream do anything he wants. Rose then replies that Greg does what he wants and he is fine. Greg explains that he is not a baby and does not need someone to help him. He then notices that he does need someone to help him and admits that he is a "baby".

Greg the Babysitter 243

In the evening, Greg returns Sour Cream to Vidalia and thanks her for her support. He then strolls through Beach City, humming the melody of "Let Me Drive My Van (Into Your Heart)". He eventually notices that It's a Wash is searching for new employees. The next day, Greg is seen starting his new job at the car wash, singing a slightly modified version of the aforementioned song. The flashback ends and Greg tells Steven that growing up is something you have to decide to do. Steven then asks what happened to Baby Sour Cream to which Greg replies "No one knows." Sour Cream then walks by, from behind, and the iris closes on his face. 

Features[]

Characters[]

Objects[]

Locations[]

Music[]

Songs[]

Instrumental Songs[]

Trivia[]

  • This episode's name was first revealed in the episode listing on the Cartoon Network website.[4]
  • This is the first of two episodes in the series where Steven's name goes unsaid (The other being Buddy's Book).
  • During the time this episode takes place, Greg sings "Let Me Drive My Van (Into Your Wash)" which he would later rename to "Let Me Drive My Van (Into Your Heart)".
  • In this episode Rose's power to resurrect is hinted by Vidalia, as she said: "if anything bad happens to [her] kid, [he] better pray his space goddess' magic can bring people back from the dead", foreshadowing her power.

Cultural References[]

  • When Greg shouts, "Rose! Get me off this crazy thing!" he is referencing a catchphrase from The Jetsons, a 1962 American animated sitcom. In both the original source and this episode's shoutout, a future father is stuck on an out-of-control contraption that outputs rotational force and pleads for his future wife to come to the rescue.
  • Sour Cream's face throughout the whole episode resembled the internet-famous Lenny face.
  • At one point, Greg is playing a game called Potato Bros, which is most likely a reference to the famous Mario Bros. games.
  • At the last part of a song “I Think I Need a Little (Change)”, a figure with a similar green striped shirt and beige pants and brown shoes resembled Steve from the original Blues Clues series.

Continuity[]

  • Greg's comment about being unable to tell Steven a story of his past "without working in a song" is a nod to the episodes "Story for Steven" and "We Need to Talk", both of which were flashback episodes, and both of which included a musical number.
  • Greg sees the first commercial for Li'l Butler on Vidalia's TV, starting his commitment to the show seen previously in "Maximum Capacity" after he found it instantly hilarious.
  • Rose and Greg are seen reading Passions of Xanxor together, a book first shown in "Maximum Capacity".
  • Greg plays an album of The Philosophy Majors for Rose at the beginning of the flashback, an album first seen in "We Need to Talk".
  • Greg picks up Fry Bits from the trashcan during "I Think I Need A Little (Change)", which later become Steven's favorite fast food.

Errors[]

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

Plot[]

  • [05:28] In the shot after Greg and Rose walk into the ocean, they appear to be completely dry.

Animation[]

  • [8:49] During the shot where Greg and baby Sour Cream are flying through the air, there is a stray red spot located above the two characters.

Transcript

View the episode's transcript here.

Gallery

New Gallery

Click to view the gallery for Greg the Babysitter.

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
Advertisement