Steven Universe Season 5 Episode 12 Review: Jungle Moon

This Steven Universe review contains spoilers.

Steven Universe Season 5 Episode 12

I think the Steven Universe crew has gotten wise to Cartoon Network always posting two minute previews on their website. More and more any major developments are kept out of the opening minutes to prevent leaks. While it may keep the episode from getting started in some cases, here it perfectly works to set the atmosphere.

Anytime you let the Steven Universe artists go wild on an alien environment my heart sings. That planet was something to behold. But hey, you’re not here for me to gush about alien bugs or Stevonnie having to shave (although what an amazing little bit.) 

You’re here for discussion on THE DIAMONDS. 

First off, the whole sequence was handled beautifully. At first I thought this would be some kind of “Connie confronts her inner feelings about her parents” dream sequence but NOPE. Slowly but surely we figure out that Stevonnie is part of a memory. It only becomes apparent about two minutes into the sequence and you’re suddenly hit with what’s happening. It’s brilliantly paced.

Now what about the information presented within this memory, if that’s what it is? We learned that Pink Diamond wanted her own planet.. In fact she was a total brat about it! I guess we can assume she’s always been that tiny size in comparison to Yellow Diamond…

Wait a minute. Remember the console? White Diamond was on the top. Blue and Yellow were across from each other. Pink was below them. We’ve seen Blue and Yellow Diamond are the same size. If Pink Diamond is smaller… does that mean White Diamond is even bigger than Yellow and Blue Diamond? OH MANNNNNN is she planet sized?

And uh, is Pink Diamond Rose? She didn’t look like her but then how would Steven have her memories? Perhaps Pink Diamond and Rose had fused at some point? SO MANY QUESTIONS. 

And I wonder when exactly the dream shifted completely from Stevonnie thinking they are in Connie’s house to all Pink Diamonds memory. There’s a point where Stevonnie (or is it Pink Diamond?) refer to Yellow Diamond as “mom”. Is… Is Yellow Diamond the “mother” of Pink Diamond?

I didn’t think Gems had family structures like that but the Diamonds were the elites. Maybe those at the top were allowed such privileges. Or perhaps Pink Diamond is simply a younger sister to Yellow Diamond in a way. What if all the Diamonds are a family of sorts who can all FUSE TOGETHER?! Ohhhhhh my godddddddd. I mean, look at the console on the ship. All the Diamonds put together form a bigger diamond. It could be a thing!

More and more Steven Universe gives us a ton of questions and barely any answers. I’m sure this will be more satisfying once the series is all wrapped up and we can speed through these episodes although some of the great fun in Steven Universe is all the theorizing.

The moment we’re handed answers is the moment the fandom loses some of its magic. Still though, eventually it all has to come out. They can’t keep teasing us forever… cane they?

Extra Thoughts

– “But it’s so cute!” The greatest reason not to kill something

– “Goodnight, Stevonnie. Goodnight, Stevonnie.” I adore Stevonnie with all my heart. 

– In such a serious dump of information it’s great we got little touches like Yellow Pearl taking a selfie.

 Shamus Kelley thinks Pearls need more love. Follow him on Twitter!