I agree that it's pretty unclear what kind of immediate threats the Crystal Gems will encounter on an episode-to-episode basis. Overall, the way they're building the Cluster arc so far seems similar to the second half of last season, where information was doled out sporadically and led up to an action-heavy…

Maybe it's possible for a gem to keep their appearance after being poofed. Or maybe Peridot was too focused on coming back out quickly (or maybe lacked the imagination) to choose a different form.

I actually thought the intervening episodes did a good job of telling generally unrelated stories (except for Keystone Motel) over the backdrop of internal Crystal Gem strife. We got a closer look at Ruby and Sapphire's relationship, some nice character backstory/development for Amethyst/Vidalia/Onion, and a…

From the militaristic vibe we've gotten from Homeworld up to now, I'm expecting it to be some sort of giant weapon that Homeworld expects to be able to control easily. But a Kaiju gem battle would be sick to watch.

I wouldn't be surprised if Homeworld deliberately made tech Gems like Peridot smaller and dependent on accessory technology so that they wouldn't be able to rebel against the leaders.

Yeah, I actually think the impact of Pearl's betrayal of and eventual reconciliation with Garnet would have been greater if we'd seen it over several weeks instead of during a single week as a Stevenbomb. I think the certainty that it would be resolved by the end of the week (esp. because of Friend Ship's title) took…

I was thinking more if all his preparation (e.g. his lecture at Beachapalooza) will pay off down the line by saving Beach City residents or something. Something with a real positive effect, rather than the comic relief/bad influence he's been so far.

Plus she scarfed that pizza, box and all, so they could chase Peridot when she ran out of the bubble room.

I don't think the Crewniverse has ever presented Peridot as really sinister, more of a tech drone frustrated by not being allowed to do her job. The 'sinister villain' path is one way they could have taken her character, but I think the begrudging alliance they seem to be building to is less formulaic, since if she…

Except a possum doesn't kidnap you/slap-fight with you/try to flush itself down the toilet. But in all other respects, exactly the same.

I keep wondering if the Crewniverse is going to have Ronaldo's almost-right conspiracy theorizing pay off in some way, or if it's meant just to be an ongoing joke.

Little Peridot is so adorable! I was definitely not expecting the show to neutralize her as an ongoing 'threat' so soon, but this was a great way of kicking off a new arc before Peridot's on-the-run appearances became overused. I was kind of hoping they'd reveal more about the 'Cluster' in this episode, but I guess…

I also think Barb's presence exacerbated Steven's enthusiasm. I thought partway through that Steven was being less observant than usual about Sadie's discomfort, but with Barb there reinforcing all of his ideas, I can see why he didn't notice. (At least all that work helped Steven put on an awesome and adorable…

I wonder if this episode will end up fitting into a larger arc of Sadie developing into a more assertive character, with a future episode focusing on her actually pursuing something she's passionate about, without her mom taking over as she did here. And I felt the episode fits in well with the recent parental…

I don't think I could really rank them, but I think it's worth considering that StevenBombs 1 and 3 were both pretty arc-heavy, with the Homeworld visit in 1 and the Sardonyx arc in 3. As such, I think 2 had the chance to cover some more diverse material, what with flashbacks, dream states, 'documentaries', etc. I…

Yeah, that expiration date talk is pretty worrisome. I wonder if she's referring to vengeance from higher Homeworld authorities like Yellow Diamond, or something else.

I hadn't heard that but it definitely seems possible. Especially since Ruby made her gauntlet on the hand opposite her gem, if I recall correctly. And if Sapphire has a different weapon, I'm excited to find out what it is.

And Steven's irrepressible niceness to Peridot continues! "Have a nice weekend!"

I think she first did that in On the Run when fighting Pearl. Very useful!

Yeah, I think it's stayed believable so far. Especially since Peridot's revealed new abilities almost every time she appears. Like that shocking ability from Keeping it Together - related to her energy ball this time, I guess.