Changes: Growing Pains

Latest revision as of 01:41, 27 March 2024

“	Not wrong! It's that adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma can have a lasting impact on how your body responds to stress. This can affect your social, emotional, and physical development.	”
—Priyanka Maheswaran

Growing Pains

Season	Episode
Future	14

Broadcast Information

Airdate

March 13, 2020

Production Code

TBA

Viewers

0.572 ^[1]

Credits

Written and Storyboarded by

Paul Villeco

Drew Green

Directed by

Ki-Yong Bae & Park Jinhui (animation)
Liz Artinian (art)
Kat Morris & Alonso Ramirez Ramos (directors)

Episode Guide
Previous	Next
"Together Forever"	"Mr. Universe"

"Growing Pains" is the 14^th episode of Steven Universe Future.

Official Synopsis

Steven sees a doctor for the first time.^[2]

Plot

The episode begins with an emotionally hungover Steven, who is eating ice cream, watching a preview of a Dogcopter movie (which is ironically about Dogcopter getting married), where he laments how everyone is getting married except him and glows pink in frustration. He calls the Gems on his phone but cannot reach them due to them doing a field trip for Little Homeschool. He skips calling Connie and calls Greg, who manages to answer to Steven's delight, but Greg is managing Sadie on tour and reveals that the tour has been extended, before losing the call when they go through a tunnel.

While going to the fridge, Steven notices Connie's glow bracelet and glows pink again and his body suddenly swells up, causing him to accidentally rip the freezer door off. As Connie calls him, Steven at first decides to let her message go to voicemail, but his hand suddenly swells up so big that he accidentally accepts her call. On video, Connie expresses her worry for him as she sees his face and body begin to swell up, but Steven responds to her concern about it not being a big deal. She suggests he go to see her mother at the hospital for a checkup. Steven remains reluctant, not wanting to waste Connie's mother's time, but eventually agrees on Connie's insistance that he see a medical professional for his glowing and swelling.

As it turns out, Dr. Priyanka Maheswaran had a cancellation, and agrees to see Steven and figure out what is going on. Connie assures Steven everything will be alright, and she exits the room while on the phone. Dr. Maheswaran checks his temperature and then his heartbeat after he turns pink, getting a sound from his gem. As she takes his blood pressure, his right arm swells and breaks the cuff, concluding his blood pressure is high. She asks about his general practitioner, and Steven states that he never went to the doctor until now. Her surprise accidentally provokes him to glow and swell up, and she manages to calm him before running more tests.

After taking an x-ray, Dr. Maheswaran first shows Steven a human skeleton on an x-ray as an example, then shows Steven the x-rays of the other Gems (revealing only their gemstone shows up on the scan except for Amethyst whose x-ray also shows food in her stomach) but, since Steven has a human body, his x-ray does reveal a human skeleton albeit with the gem visible on the navel. His x-ray, however, shows numerous unusual fractures on his bones across his body. Despite "miraculous recoveries", she wonders if he has suffered emotional trauma in addition to the physical trauma his body has survived.

Steven recalls past events such as his favorite ice cream being canceled, being attacked by a corrupted Gem, nearly drowning with Connie, nearly turning into a lump of cats, aging quickly, Amethyst's near-death and Pearl's first poofing, Garnet being destabilized, and being captured as a prisoner, but he considers those as the "early parts". Dr. Maheswaran shows surprise and concludes despite everything he's been through during his childhood, his body is responding to minor threats as major ones from the incredible stress he has dealt with through his life, and every threat is being reacted to by his body as if his life was in danger. As Steven recalls more past stressful events throughout his life, he expresses concern as to why his body is reacting like it is now. Dr. Maheswaran suggests a couple of possibilities, such as him losing his personal relationships, particularly those in his support system; however, she notes that Steven particularly has reacted when an experience didn't go so well for him and asks if anything like that has happened recently. As he thinks about his proposal to Connie backfiring, Steven starts to glow pink again and grow exponentially.

As Connie comes into the room, she witnesses Steven's glowing pink and growing out of control and her mother demands to know what is going on. When Connie realizes that Steven's rejected proposal the other day was the doing of this and that their presence is making Steven's condition worse, Steven continues to grow more and becomes even more stressed when he learns Connie never told her mother about what happened (in "Together Forever"), and persuades them to leave when shouting, "I... Can't... BE AROUND YOU RIGHT NOW!" The entire room is damaged as Greg arrives at the last second.

Greg rushes into the room and explains Connie called him about Steven's condition. Before Connie and Priyanka leave to give Steven the space he needs, he thanks Connie softly; Connie acknowledges this and promises to be there for Steven when he's ready to talk to her again. Greg apologizes for not knowing what Steven has been through, but Steven assures him that it wasn't his fault. Steven reveals his failed proposal to Connie to Greg, and he begins weeping as he doesn't know how to deal with all of this stress. Greg assures him that he'll be there when he needs him and is able to calm him down and get him back to normal size.

Back at the house, Steven and Greg talk about how making mistakes is okay and normal to most people, which makes Steven realize that his future is for him to decide. Steven begins to show concern for pulling his father away from his tour, however Greg waves off the concern. He suggests Steven gets some rest and tells him to take care of his problems one at a time, putting Steven a bit more at ease.

Features

Characters

Steven Universe
Greg Universe
Connie Maheswaran
Priyanka Maheswaran
Dogcopter
Lion (flashback)
Peridot (flashback)
Yellow Diamond (flashback)
Cluster Gems (flashback)
The Cluster (flashback)
Blue Diamond (flashback)
Nephrite (flashback)
Holo-Pearl (flashback)
White Diamond (flashback)
Rose Quartz/Pink Diamond (imagined/flashback)
Lars Barriga (flashback)
Stevonnie (flashback)
Ronaldo Fryman (flashback)
Lighthouse Gem Monster (flashback)
Malachite (flashback)
Jasper (flashback)
Ocean Jasper (flashback)
Bismuth (flashback)
"Eyeball" (flashback)
Topaz (flashback)
Obsidian (flashback)
Ruby (gemstone; flashback)
Sapphire (gemstone; flashback)
Buck Dewey (pictured)
Sadie Miller (mentioned)
Shep (mentioned)
Garnet (mentioned; flashback)
Amethyst (mentioned; flashback)
Pearl (mentioned; flashback)

Objects

Steven's Phone
Connie's Glow Bracelet
Cookie Cat (mentioned)
Pearl's Swords (flashback)
Gem Destabilizer (indirectly mentioned)
Gem Warship (flashback)
The Universe Mach 3 (flashback)
The Lighthouse (flashback)
Escape Pod (flashback)
Limb Enhancers (flashback)
Gem Drill (flashback)
Rose's Sword (flashback)
Roaming Eye (flashback)
Star Skipper (flashback)
Diamond Ships (flashback)
Corrupting Light (flashback)

Locations

Beach City
- Crystal Temple
  - Rose's Room (flashback)
  - Beach House
    - Steven's Room
- It's a Wash (flashback, mentioned)
- U-Stor (flashback)
- Beach City Woods (flashback)
Hospital
Maheswaran Residence
Rose's Fountain (flashback)
Pearl's Arena (flashback)
Sea Shrine (flashback)
Ancient Gem Colony Ship (flashback)
The Great North (flashback)
Beta Kindergarten (flashback)
Ancient Sky Arena (flashback)
Gem Homeworld (flashback)
- Unnamed Capital City (flashback)
- Homeworld Kindergarten (flashback)
Jungle Moon (flashback)
- Jungle Moon Base (flashback)

Music

Instrumental Songs

Trivia

When the Gems are given x-rays, only their gemstones are seen. This is due to the fact that their bodies are made of light being projected by their gemstone (the only permanently-physical part of their body.)
In the Dogcopter 6 trailer, Drew's name might be a nod to Drew Green, who also storyboarded on this episode.

Growing Pains 100 — Steven's medical chart.

Steven's birthday being on August 15th is finally shown in the show on Steven's hospital chart.
- His birthday on August 15th, while not mentioned or shown on-screen until this episode, has been mentioned by the Crewniverse before, and Steven shares a birthday with Rebecca Sugar's brother Steven Sugar (the namesake and inspiration for the character).
- The chart also lists Steven's height as 5 feet 6 inches, and his weight as 145 pounds.

Cultural References

Steven referring to his issues as "third-era problems" is a play on the phrase "first-world problems" with Era 3.

Continuity

Steven's ringtone from "Full Disclosure" plays before Connie videocalls Steven.
During Steven's medicinal examination 'Quartz Cutie-pie DeMayo Diamond' can be seen under Steven's middle name on Priyanka's clipboard. This name was mentioned by Steven in "Together Forever".
The mug that Steven drinks from at the end of the episode was seen previously in "Gem Hunt", where Connie also used it.
In explaining his mental trauma, Steven recalls the events of numerous past episodes, clips of which appear on-screen.
- Steven specifically mentions some events, and says that they're "only the early stuff" (referencing the fact that all these traumatic events took place in Season 1 of the series). These events include:
  - Cookie Cat ice cream being cancelled and being attacked by a corrupted Nephrite in "Gem Glow".
  - Getting trapped at the bottom of the ocean with Connie in a bubble in "Bubble Buddies".
  - Turning into a lump of cats in "Cat Fingers".
  - Almost dying by rapidly aging in "So Many Birthdays".
  - Amethyst's gem getting cracked in "An Indirect Kiss".
  - Pearl being poofed in "Steven the Sword Fighter".
  - Jasper destabilizing Garnet in "The Return".
  - Waking up on the Gem Warship in "Jail Break".
- Other events — not mentioned but still shown on-screen — include:
  - The alternate Stevens dying in "Steven and the Stevens".
  - The Universe Mach 3 falling apart in "Space Race".
  - Being kidnapped by Ronaldo in "Keep Beach City Weird".
  - Lars almost being sacrificed by Ronaldo in "Horror Club".
  - Amethyst shapeshifted into Rose Quartz in "Maximum Capacity".
  - Malachite being trapped in the ocean in "Jail Break".
  - Being attacked by the Crystal Gems while in Peridot's Escape Pod in "Joy Ride".
  - The formation of the Hand Cluster in "Keeping It Together".
  - Almost being attacked by Jasper in Malachite's Realm in "Chille Tid".
  - Being attacked by Peridot in "Friend Ship".
  - Being attacked by Cluster Gems in "Nightmare Hospital".
  - Being kidnapped by Peridot in "Catch and Release".
  - Confronting the Cluster in "Gem Drill".
  - Nearly being attacked by a corrupted Ocean Jasper in "Gem Hunt".
  - Fighting Bismuth in "Bismuth".
  - Witnessing Jasper's corruption in "Earthlings".
  - "Eyeball" about to take his gem in "Bubbled".
  - Stevonnie's anxiety attack in "Mindful Education".
  - The Roaming Eye going faster than the speed of light in "Adventures in Light Distortion".
  - Confronting the fake Rose that Steven made in "Storm in the Room".
  - Connie being kidnapped by Topaz in "Are You My Dad?"
  - Being interrogated by Blue Diamond in "The Trial".
  - Lars dying in "Off Colors".
  - Stevonnie crashing the Star Skipper in "Lars of the Stars".
  - Stevonnie's dream of Pink Diamond punching the glass in "Jungle Moon".
  - Yellow and Blue Diamond using their Diamond Auras on him in the mindscape in "Reunited".
  - Blue Diamond using her emotional powers on him in the tower in "Change Your Mind".
  - Being bashed into a wall by the Diamond Mech as Obsidian in "Change Your Mind".
  - Steven's nightmare where he throws up Rose's hair and being grabbed by Yellow Diamond as Stevonnie in "Together Alone".
  - Steven's nightmare of the Corrupting Light, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl being controlled by White Diamond and having his gem pulled out in "Change Your Mind".

Errors

When Steven is watching the Dogcopter commercial, Drew's headset changes its shape. In one shot, it is seen in his ear, but in the next shot, it is seen stretched around his head.
When Priyanka was listening to Steven's heartbeat his gem appeared to have a hexagonal facet instead of its usual pentagonal facet.
During Steven's traumatic flashbacks, some events in the episodes are not shown in the correct order they were released in.
- The events of "An Indirect Kiss" were shown before "Steven the Sword Fighter", and most of the events that occurred in "Change Your Mind" are shown before the events that occurred in "Together Alone".

Transcript

View the episode's transcript here.

Gallery

Video

A Very Pink Steven Steven Universe Future Cartoon Network

References

v • e Episode List
Pilot	Pilot
Season 1	A: Gem Glow • Laser Light Cannon • Cheeseburger Backpack • Together Breakfast • Frybo • Cat Fingers • Bubble Buddies • Serious Steven • Tiger Millionaire • Steven's Lion • Arcade Mania • Giant Woman • So Many Birthdays • Lars and the Cool Kids • Onion Trade • Steven the Sword Fighter • Lion 2: The Movie • Beach Party • Rose's Room • Coach Steven • Joking Victim • Steven and the Stevens • Monster Buddies • An Indirect Kiss • Mirror Gem/Ocean Gem B: House Guest • Space Race • Secret Team • Island Adventure • Keep Beach City Weird • Fusion Cuisine • Garnet's Universe • Watermelon Steven • Lion 3: Straight to Video • Warp Tour • Alone Together • The Test • Future Vision • On the Run • Horror Club • Winter Forecast • Maximum Capacity • Marble Madness • Rose's Scabbard • Open Book • Shirt Club • Story for Steven • The Message • Political Power • The Return/Jail Break
Season 2	Full Disclosure • Joy Ride • Say Uncle • Love Letters • Reformed • Sworn to the Sword • Rising Tides, Crashing Skies • Keeping It Together • We Need to Talk • Chille Tid • Cry for Help • Keystone Motel • Onion Friend • Historical Friction • Friend Ship • Nightmare Hospital • Sadie's Song • Catch and Release • When It Rains • Back to the Barn • Too Far • The Answer • Steven's Birthday • It Could've Been Great/Message Received • Log Date 7 15 2
Season 3	Super Watermelon Island/Gem Drill • Same Old World • Barn Mates • Hit the Diamond • Steven Floats • Drop Beat Dad • Mr. Greg • Too Short to Ride • The New Lars • Beach City Drift • Restaurant Wars • Kiki's Pizza Delivery Service • Monster Reunion • Alone at Sea • Greg the Babysitter • Gem Hunt • Crack the Whip • Steven vs. Amethyst • Bismuth • Beta • Earthlings • Back to the Moon • Bubbled
Season 4	Kindergarten Kid • Know Your Fusion • Buddy's Book • Mindful Education • Future Boy Zoltron • Last One Out of Beach City • Onion Gang • Gem Harvest • Three Gems and a Baby • Steven's Dream • Adventures in Light Distortion • Gem Heist • The Zoo • That Will Be All • The New Crystal Gems • Storm in the Room • Rocknaldo • Tiger Philanthropist • Room for Ruby • Lion 4: Alternate Ending • Doug Out • The Good Lars • Are You My Dad? • I Am My Mom
Season 5	Stuck Together • The Trial • Off Colors • Lars' Head • Dewey Wins • Gemcation • Raising the Barn • Back to the Kindergarten • Sadie Killer • Kevin Party • Lars of the Stars • Jungle Moon • Your Mother and Mine • The Big Show • Pool Hopping • Letters to Lars • Can't Go Back • A Single Pale Rose • Now We're Only Falling Apart • What's Your Problem? • The Question • Made of Honor • Reunited • Legs From Here to Homeworld • Familiar • Together Alone • Escapism • Change Your Mind
Film	Steven Universe: The Movie
Steven Universe Future	Little Homeschool • Guidance • Rose Buds • Volleyball • Bluebird • A Very Special Episode • Snow Day • Why So Blue? • Little Graduation • Prickly Pair • In Dreams • Bismuth Casual • Together Forever • Growing Pains • Mr. Universe • Fragments • Homeworld Bound • Everything's Fine • I Am My Monster • The Future
Shorts	Lion Loves to Fit in a Box • The Classroom Gems: What Are Gems? • We Are the Crystal Gems • The Classroom Gems: How Are Gems Made? • Unboxing • The Classroom Gems: Fusion • Cooking with Lion • Gem Karaoke • Steven Reacts • Video Chat • Steven's Song Time

[1] ttp://www.showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-top-150-friday-cable-originals-network-finals-3-13-2020.html

[2] ttps://twitter.com/CNschedules/status/1236022056724172801?s=20

[1]

[2]

Steven Universe Wiki