Well, in the time it took him how to use his shield, Steven also learned how to turn his fingers into cats, how to create a race of sentient (and mildly homicidal) watermelon clones, and how to make giant pink hamster ball bubbles. And also that bubble/teleport/bweep thing with poofed gem monsters.

Something I can't help thinking about with regards to this episode…

No comment about the lesbian parents from the parade flashback in "Bubble Buddies" returning? Because they did. And I squeed.