Season 5 is the final season of the main Steven Universe series.[1] There are 32 episodes in the season that started airing on May 29, 2017 with the episode "Stuck Together" as part of the "Wanted" event.
The season began airing on May 29, 2017, with the episode "Stuck Together" as a part of the "Wanted" event. It was announced on October 30, 2017, that six episodes would be released on the Cartoon Network app on November 10, 2017. A special event aired on January 5, 2018, titled "Stranded" which aired two new episodes.[2]
On March 26, 2018, 4 episodes were pre-released in the Cartoon Network app and would be followed by a half-hour special comprising of 2 episodes on May 7, 2018.[3] After the airing of the two episodes on May 7, a promo announced that new episodes would be released in the summer.[4] On June 8, 2018, it was stated that a return date for the show would be announced in two weeks.[5]
On June 18, 2018, Cartoon Network's YouTube channel released a trailer for the next five-episode arc, "Heart of the Crystal Gems," with confirmation that it would begin airing on July 2, 2018.[6] On July 21, 2018, during the Steven Universe panel at San Diego Comic-Con, the episode "Legs From Here to Homeworld" was shown early in full to panel attendees, and was released on the Cartoon Network app the next day.
On November 19, 2018, the Cartoon Network twitter announced a special event titled Diamond Days that would begin airing on December 17, 2018, with new episodes premiering weekly starting with the TV broadcast of "Legs From Here to Homeworld".[7] The season ended on January 21, 2019, with the 44-minute special, "Change Your Mind".
Summary
Friendships are tested as the saga continues in this Emmy-nominated series, created by Rebecca Sugar. The show returns with new adventurous story arcs and specials, in which fans will meet more Gems, spend time with the Diamonds and gain insight into the ever-mysterious Gem Homeworld while the series' titular hero Steven Universe will grow as a leader.[8]
"Off Colors": While Steven and Lars escape, they meet a group of defective Gems hiding from Homeworld.
"Lars' Head": Lars is brought back to life, and Steven discovers a new power with amazing results.
"Dewey Wins": Steven falls out with Connie over his surrender to Homeworld, and helps Mayor Dewey run for re-election as Mayor of Beach City against Nanefua Pizza.
"Gemcation": As Steven struggles to deal with his and Connie's estrangement, Greg and the Gems, thinking that Steven is upset about what happened in space, take him on a vacation to cheer him up.
"Raising the Barn": After finding out that Steven faced the Diamonds, Lapis Lazuli flees from the Earth and takes the Barn with her to avoid another war. Meanwhile, Steven and Peridot search for Pumpkin, who goes missing.
"Back to the Kindergarten": Steven and Amethyst try to spruce up the Prime Kindergarten and cheer up Peridot by planting a garden there.
"Sadie Killer": Sadie joins a band with Steven, Jenny, Buck Dewey, and Sour Cream and makes some spooky tunes.
"Kevin Party": Kevin throws a party, hoping that he can be seen hanging out with Stevonnie. As such, he invites Steven and Connie, allowing them to reunite and reconcile.
"Lars of the Stars": Steven and Connie travel to visit Lars only to find he's now captain of the Off Colors and is fighting his way to Earth. In an attempt to help, they fuse into Stevonnie and fly Lars' custom-built starfighter, only to be shot down.
"Jungle Moon": Stevonnie crashes on to a jungle moon where they fight for survival and uncover new secrets about Pink Diamond.
"Your Mother and Mine": Garnet is introduced to the Off Colors and tells them the full story of Rose Quartz and the Gem War.
"The Big Show": Sadie Killer and the Suspects perform their first big gig in Empire City, documented by Steven.
"Pool Hopping": Garnet tries random activities to cope with her faltering ability to predict the future.
"Letters to Lars": Steven sends Lars a letter updating him about the latest changes in Beach City; one of the changes involves Bill Dewey looking for a new purpose, culminating in him ultimately running the Big Donut in Lars and Sadie's absence.
"Can't Go Back": Steven finds Lapis on the moon and finds out that she has been watching the Crystal Gems from a viewing device, previously used by the Diamonds, in the Moon Base. Just as he is about to convince her to return to Earth, Steven has a vision of the Diamonds, causing Lapis to flee the moon and leave again in a panic.
"A Single Pale Rose": Pearl sends Steven into her gemstone to find her cell phone, which she misplaced inside. In doing so, Steven witnesses Pearl's repressed memories and learns the truth about what really happened to Pink Diamond.
"Now We're Only Falling Apart": Devastated over the truth between Rose and Pink, Garnet unfuses and Sapphire runs away, feeling betrayed, so Pearl helps her understand Rose's true intentions.
"What's Your Problem": Steven and Amethyst search for Ruby after she runs away from home, while also trying to sort out their new feelings about Rose.
"The Question": After her argument with Sapphire causes her to question her existence as Garnet, Ruby decides to become more independent and strike out as a lonesome cowboy.
"Made of Honor": In preparation for Ruby and Sapphire's wedding and reunion as Garnet, Steven releases Bismuth to attend as a surprise guest, and to let her know the real reason behind her and Rose's falling out.
"Reunited": The citizens of Beach City come together to celebrate Garnet's wedding when Yellow and Blue Diamond crash the reception to complete their unfinished business with Rose and the Earth; however, the Crystal Gems must take their stand while Steven tries to convince the two about Pink Diamond's true fate.
"Legs From Here to Homeworld": After finally getting through to Blue and Yellow Diamond, Steven shows them the consequences of their final attack on the Earth at the end of the Gem War. He then accompanies them, with Connie and the Crystal Gems in tow, to Homeworld to convince White Diamond to help save the Corrupted Gems.
"Familiar": When Steven gets completely ignored by White Diamond, and Yellow and Blue Diamond prove to be too busy to help, he realizes that he and Pink Diamond have more in common than he thought.
"Together Alone": Steven throws a royal ball for the chance to speak to White Diamond. However, he and the Crystal Gems must follow the strict regulations of Homeworld. When White fails to attend, Steven steps out of bounds by dancing and fusing with Connie in front of the entire court, outraging his fellow Diamonds.
"Escapism": After he and Connie are imprisoned and the Crystal Gems are poofed, Steven uses his psychic powers to contact their friends on Earth for help, which is complicated when he ends up in the body of a Watermelon Steven.
"Change Your Mind": Blue Diamond breaks Steven and Connie out of the prison tower, but runs into trouble with Yellow. After the fight, Yellow changes her mind and helps them escape with the bubbled Crystal Gems. White Diamond intercepts them and begins to fight. Bismuth, Peridot, and Lapis Lazuli come to the rescue and help in the fight by using the repaired Diamond Ships as Steven finally confronts White Diamond.
Trivia
It was originally formatted as part of a single 52-episode season and was going to be called "Season 3B", but this was changed for unknown reasons by Cartoon Network who split the original third season into Season 4 and Season 5.
In a spring 2017 interview, Rebecca Sugar confirmed that she had big plans for Season 5 and would be "shooting for the moon" for it, claiming that she would write the show "into a serious corner".[16]
Season 5 marks the official debut of the Gem Homeworld in its second episode, "The Trial".
According to Rebecca Sugar in a summer 2017 interview, Season 5's story arc would be a "murder mystery" around uncovering the one responsible for Pink Diamond's death.[17][18]
At San Diego Comic-Con 2017, Rebecca Sugar has stated that the following plot threads will deal with the aftermath of the "Wanted" arc.[19]
At New York Comic-Con 2017, "Dewey Wins" was confirmed by the Steven Universe panel to be the next new episode after "Lars' Head". It was uploaded to the Cartoon Network app on November 10, 2017, along with 5 other episodes.[20] According to Cartoon Network, the episodes will air on the channel "beginning in December".[21] It was confirmed on October 18, 2017, that the official airdate is December 15, 2017.[22]
It was confirmed on March 10, 2018, that Steven Universe would be returning in 2018 with three all-new, action-packed story arcs, with the first arc premiering on April 9, 2018.[23] The second arc, dubbed 'Heart of the Crystal Gems' premiered July 2, 2018[24] and the third and final arc, dubbed 'Diamond Days' premiered December 17, 2018[25]
At San Diego Comic-Con 2018, attendees were shown an early preview of the first episode of the final arc of the season, Legs from Here to Homeworld. This episode was then released 2 days later on the Cartoon Network App.
At Argentina Comic-Con, Rebecca Sugar stated that the following episodes would be about Steven's self-discovering journey.
Season 5 is the longest-running season of Steven Universe, running for one year, seven months, and twenty-three days.
Gallery
Season 5 promotional poster for San Diego Comic-Con 2017
↑ToonZone News: "Callison asked what was on everyone’s mind to Sugar: “What comes next?” Sugar said in lieu of the huge events of the recent episodes, subsequent plot threads will deal with the fallout and huge consequences from everything that’s happened, and that the rollercoaster of events just rockets forward from there."
