Now I should clarify, this is just an episode idea. From me. Not a writer. And woo boy, it got a bit longer than I expected. Hopefully it’s not too thick to chew man! Now this is a multi-part episode concept, and its about PTSD and how to heal.

Steven is playing in a field when he trips over something, its a hatch overgrown with vines and moss and little wildflowers. He opens it up and goes down an old ladder, its some kinda old army bunker, there’s a bunch of bones and rusted out chairs and lockers, the whole place seems spooky and abandoned. The real spooky thing is there’s a pile of cracked gems. Steven gets close to em but UH OH there’s the sound of a laser powering up near him, right next to his noggin!

It’s a gem! A Peridot, and they look very nervous, their visor is cracked and for some reason static is all that’s visible over their visor. They keep shouting their gem and facet number and tell him to get away from their team. Steven of course isn’t an dummy so he backs away and talks them down, acts like a friend. The Peridot notices Steven’s gem and then its like a switch clicks for her, her attitude goes from nervous and defensive to nervous but relieved. “Oh thank the Diamonds! You’re the rescue team! Hahaha! I’ve been broadcasting for so long, so long!” And there’s a broken gem piece of equipment with some earth equipment rigged up to it in the corner, clearly *barely* functioning. The gem thinks Steven is part of Homeworld, so they tell them how they’ve been holding out this whole time, they followed their orders, they held their position! They’ve been a loyal Gem, but they really want to go home now, if that is possible.

This gem is clearly suffering from Traumatic Stress Disorder, and is not seeing clearly. This is further illustrated by you know, the field of black and white static filling their visor, blocking their eyes. She’s very patchwork, looks ragged, and is actually wearing faded human uniforms, from the humans that probably passed on before or after she got there. So she’s got kind of a military punk style going; green patched coat, peaked cap, random medals pinned all over. Cool stuff. But she’s certainly injured. Steven tries healing her but even though she thinks he’s Homeworld, she doesn’t trust him enough to be touched yet. She says she’ll get healed once she’s back on Homeworld, can’t let her guard down.

So Steven of course RESPECTS this, and gives the episode’s military veteran character space to heal as he takes her around Beach City and helps her to relax and actually come out of the bunker she’s been defending for who knows how long. So the bunker is both literal and a metaphor. Some things in the town trigger flashbacks BUT Steven isn’t a dumb jerk, so he does what he can to ground her in the Now. Basically they bond, and she starts being less shaky. She gives him a chance to heal her gem and he does. And she’s exuberant! Her limb enhancers are still glitched up, but her visor is clear, and she can finally see! In fact, maybe he can heal her teammates! Her friends!

Now this is where the Crystal Gems get involved, so you know this is where the good turns bad fast as a flash flood. Steven thinks its a good idea to bring the healed Peridot to see his friends because she’s mentioned going back to Homeworld, so they can let her use the Warp Pad. Steven thinks if given a chance to explain things, they’ll let her walk, since she says her mission is complete, she has no reason to come back. This is said earlier while they were relaxing on the beach, right before the healing. At first she’s apprehensive to the idea when he says they are rebels, but she trusts him enough to go along with the idea. He’s a good kid. He helped her. But soon as she walks through that screen door BOOM. THE CRYSTAL GEMS REACT. This makes the Peridot panic, and Steven holds her hand. He tries telling them stop, this is a friend, she doesn’t mean any harm, but Pearl says something along the lines of “you can’t trust a Homeworld gem they never change blah blah” and this sends our veteran gem smack back in the past. OH BOY WAR FLASH BACKS LADS.

We see it how she sees it, holding out with her squad, Rebels closing in, she dives off the porch, firing her defective blaster, grabbing Steven and running for the hills. Its dark, red sky, smoke everywhere, gems from the past fighting all around as her past squad is following her, and a Ruby of Steven’s size is along for the ride. Of course they all chase her despite Steven’s protests. Did i mention this was a Peridot? A technician. Not even a soldier. She’s trying to carry him to safety, she’s not grounded at all now and keeps referring to him by one of the cracked gem’s facet numbers (the Ruby). She jumps down the open hatch and gathers up the cracked gems, telling Steven they need to move again, the location is not secure. Then the crystal gems show up. So it gets even WORSE.

STEVEN FORMS A SHIELD TO TRY AND PROTECT HIS NEW FRIEND. He tries grounding her, she’s shaking, she’s hurt, the gems gathered up in her other arm are bouncing around. The crystal gems say “She’s dangerous Steven, get away!!!” The Peridot turns to Steven after glancing back, and says she has a plan. She hasn’t let her friends down yet! Tears in her eyes, she pulls Steven back as his shield dissolves and FIRES AT THE BUNKER CEILING. CONCRETE CHUNKS AND SOIL FALL DOWN, SEPARATING STEPHEN, THE NEW PERIDOT AND HER CRACKED GEM COLLECTION FROM THE CRYSTAL GEMS. And she grabs his hand and pulls him along “Don’t worry Ruby, I scouted this place out yesterday, there’s an exit tunnel not far ahead.” And it leaves off with Steven trying to help this poor gem get off the planet, and the crystal gems worrying over Steven even though its ALL THEIR FAULT.