“Steven Universe,” the hit Cartoon Network series created by Rebecca Sugar, is multifaceted (Right out of the gate with the gem puns!). Part sci-fi adventure, part buddy comedy, part coming-of-age tale… the show isn’t any one thing; like its title character, it’s a hybrid. And just as Steven and his friends effortlessly warp from here to there in seconds flat, the show bounces between its various genres with ease. One minute, we’re sitting on the edges of our seats during an epic gem battle, and the next, we’re laughing at Steven’s goofy antics and his obsession with fry “bits.”

But perhaps the show’s most memorable moments are those rare, emotion-filled scenes that tug gently at our heartstrings. Or should I say… yank violently at our heartstrings? Seriously, I can’t be the only fully grown adult who bawls like a baby while watching this children’s cartoon. I’ve compiled a list of the show’s most heart-rending, gut-wrenching scenes so far, just in case you’re in need of a good cry. Here are the top seven moments from “Steven Universe” that had us all sobbing like a bunch of Crying Breakfast Friends:

1. “You’re not a monster anymore!”

One of the things that makes “Steven Universe” noteworthy among action/adventure shows is Steven’s preference for solving problems in a nonviolent way. He’s a total softie. So when he accidentally unbubbles the centipeetle in “Monster Buddies,” it’s not surprising that, rather than fight the monster, he wants to tame her and keep her as a pet. The Crystal Gems are wary at first, but Steven insists that she’s not “like the other monsters,” but “just scared and confused.”

Steven’s attempts to tame the centipeetle (mostly by bribing her with Chaaaaps) are nothing short of adorable. A friendship forms between the pair, and everything appears to be going well until the sight of Garnet’s gauntlets sends the monster into a frenzy and she begins to spit acid everywhere. The Crystal Gems respond by attacking, and the fight that ensues is absolutely heartbreaking; like Steven, we know that the centipeetle is just scared and confused.

Steven eventually intervenes, successfully calming the monster, and, as they share a hug, we’re led to believe there may be a happy ending for the two friends. Alas, a giant falling icicle interrupts their heartwarming embrace. In a final act of love, the centipeetle sacrifices her physical form to protect Steven. It’s a classic story of a boy and his… one-eyed insectoid alien beast. Many of us know what it’s like to lose a pet, and we can’t help but cry along with Steven as the weight of the centipeetle’s selfless act sinks in. Oh, centipeetle, we hardly knew ye.

2. “Every moment you love being yourself, that’s me…”



Rose’s video message to Steven in “Lion 3: Straight to Video” gives me all kinds of feels every time I see it. We learn later in the series that Steven’s mom is… a controversial figure, to say the least, but in this episode, she’s portrayed as someone who has simply fallen in love with planet Earth and wants to share that love with someone entirely new. She wants to help create life, even if it means giving up her own life. “We can’t both exist,” she tells her future son. Perhaps that’s even part of the appeal for her. Gems are immortal beings, but on Earth, nothing lasts forever. Rose sees beauty in that.

Even through the static and tracking lines of the VHS tape, Rose’s love for her child is crystal clear (Again with the gem puns!). “Every moment you love being yourself,” she says into the camera, “that’s me, loving you and loving being you.” The weirdness of Steven being his own mom aside, that’s a really touching sentiment. Until this point in the series, Steven, who never got to meet his mother, has a hard time conjuring up any type of feeling for her. After watching the video tape she left for him, he seems to feel a deeper sense of connection to her. As the video ends, you can bet Steven and Sadie aren’t the only ones with tears in their eyes.

3. “We don’t know what he needs.”



In “The Test,” Steven learns that even the powerful Crystal Gems have their doubts and insecurities. On his way to confront them about the test they prepared for him, which turned out to be fail-proof, he overhears them having a heated argument about their abilities as parents. The Gems, ancient alien beings, fear they might be incapable of raising a half-human child. “We’re bad at this,” says Amethyst. Even the usually stoic Garnet worries aloud, “We don’t know what he needs.”

It’s an important moment for Steven. He suddenly realizes that the Gems are flawed beings who sometimes feel afraid, even if they hide it well. They designed a fail-proof test in order to boost Steven’s confidence, but, as it turns out, they’re the ones in need of a confidence boost.

It can be difficult to see your heroes in distress, but Steven takes it in stride. In a surprising show of maturity, he swallows his pride and lets the Crystal Gems believe that their test had its intended effect on him. He goes on and on about how he overcame great odds to complete their obstacle course, because he knows it’s what they need to hear. This gesture of love is pretty moving, and it’s hard not to get a little choked up about it.

4. “You’re the one good thing that came out of this mess.”

There’s a lot going on in this episode. We learn that, unlike Garnet and Pearl, Amethyst was made on Earth; we’re introduced to the concept of kindergartens, where gems are made; and, for the first time, we see the darkness that lurks just below the surface in Amethyst. Up until this point in the series, Amethyst has been portrayed as fun-loving and lighthearted. In “On the Run,” we learn that she carries around a lot of shame in connection to her origin on Earth.

Gem colonies destroy planets, robbing them of all the natural resources they need to sustain life. Due to this fact, Garnet and Pearl regard Amethyst’s kindergarten with disdain. Amethyst, who has a hard time separating her sense of identity from her birthplace, believes that Garnet and Pearl must also hate her, on some level.

It’s pretty devastating to see the depth of the pain Amethyst has been keeping bottled up. “I’m bad and you shouldn’t be around me,” she tells Steven. Amethyst’s self-loathing comes as a surprise to Pearl, who hadn’t considered that her disparaging remarks about the kindergarten might be hurtful to her friend. “I just never thought of this,” she says, gesturing to the kindergarten around them, “as you.” The two friends make up and share a tearful embrace. I’m not crying, you’re crying. Okay, I’m crying.

5. “I think you’re pretty great.”

This episode will never not make me cry. In it, we’re shown, for the first time, the magnitude of Pearl’s undying love and devotion to Steven’s mother, Rose Quartz. When Steven reveals to Pearl that his mom hid her sword (among other things) inside Lion, Pearl is deeply hurt to learn that Rose kept such things from her. She thought of herself as Rose’s sole confidant, and truly believed there were no secrets between them.

Understandably upset, she says some regrettable things to her colleagues. “What do you know?” she snaps at young Steven. “You never even met her!” It’s a testament to Steven’s forgiving nature that, even after this incident, he goes to great lengths to comfort Pearl. He literally risks his life, jumping from one floating island to the next and almost falling to his death, just to be there for his hurting friend. Now that’s love. Come on.

Pearl tells Steven she feels lost without Rose. “Everything I ever did, I did for her,” she says. “Now she’s gone, but I’m still here.” Anyone who’s ever lost someone they love can relate. “What would she think of me now?” Steven can’t take his mother’s place, but he does his best to console his friend and guardian in his own, Steven-y way: with a hug. “Well,” he says, holding Pearl tightly, “I think you’re pretty great.”

6. “How are we gonna make this work?”



“We Need to Talk” explores Greg’s relationship with Rose and some of the difficulties they encounter due to their differences. After seeing Rose and Pearl fuse to become Rainbow Quartz, Greg is determined to learn how to fuse with Rose, to prove to Pearl (and to himself) that Rose truly loves him.

He plans an elaborate, romantic date night for Rose, but is crestfallen when his attempts to fuse with her fail. To make matters worse, upon learning of Greg’s intentions, Rose actually laughs in his face. She goes on to more or less confirm his fear that she sees him as an amusing diversion by saying, “I love humans. You’re all so funny.” It’s a crushing blow to Greg’s ego.

Love is a beautiful thing, but it can also cause a lot of pain. Anyone who’s ever been in love will immediately recognize the heartache in Greg’s face as he begins to question his relationship with Rose. “How are we gonna make this work?” he asks, tears streaming down his cheeks. “We’re really, really different.” The two lovers begin to talk through their differences, however, and end the night laughing and dancing in each other’s arms. It’s an emotional roller coaster for Greg… and the audience, too.

7. “Why can’t I move on?”



Pearl’s relationship with Greg has always been strained, because, in Pearl’s mind, Greg took Rose from her. In the musical episode “Mr. Greg,” Steven attempts to heal this relationship with a trip to Empire City. The events of the trip culminate in a musical number (“It’s Over, Isn’t It?”) in which Pearl waxes poetic about her heartbreak at the hands of Rose Quartz.

The song is spectacular for all sorts of reasons (melodically, lyrically…), but its success in capturing and conveying Pearl’s complex emotions toward Greg and Rose make it, in my humble opinion, one of the all-time best songs from the show (and there are a lot of songs in this show). It’s impossible not to feel the heartache as Pearl wonders aloud, “Why can’t I move on?”

Her enduring commitment to Rose really comes into focus with the line “Now I’ve got to be there for her son.” Even now that Rose is gone, Pearl expresses her love by taking care of her son. In previous episodes, Pearl has mentioned that Steven sometimes looks and sounds like Rose. It must be painful for Pearl to be reminded every day of the one she loved and lost, and yet she sticks around. She cares for Steven, even though it probably hurts. Love, man. It’s a doozy.

Well, there’s my list. Did you agree with my selections? Are there moments I left off that you would have included? Did I get something wrong? Let me know with a comment! I look forward to hearing which “Steven Universe” moments reduced you to a blubbering mess. See you soon with another blog post! Until then, it’s over… isn’t it?

Images: Cartoon Network