Too Far

We’re back in this long-running story arc. If you squish them all together I’d bet you’d get Peridot: The Movie.

Ok, so this episode starts off different than most others- new title card. Gone is the extended hand of the temple statue. Instead we have a quaint pastoral view. Oddly Steven’s clean laundry is featured in both.

On to the actual episode. We open with Peridot creating a new series of logs with an old-fashioned tape recorder. We immediately see that this is not just a catharsis, Peridot actually relies on tech for memory recall. Rather than delve into antagonizing Pearl she reminds herself that she begrudgingly respects Pearl’s aptitudes. Garnet walks in stating that she’s chased away the cows, straw-in-teeth. Yee-Haw! So now they can all get to work.

Peridot just has one request of Garnet. She’d like Garnet to un-fuse as it makes her INCREDIBLY uncomfortable. This is further evidence that fusion is more intimate (i.e. sexual) than humans interpret. So Garnet calmly straps Peridot into a baby harness and latches her to a fence-post. Someone just got put in time-out.

When Steven asks if that was necessary, Garnet quips that Peridot having free reign of the place made her “INCREDIBLY uncomfortable”. Snap!

Steven and Amethyst fail at retrieving Tungsten for Pearl, so they go check in on Peridot. We are again shown that without her advanced tech and screens, Peridot is very ignorant of the world around her, calling a screw-driver a “Leverage Optimizer”. Drawing inspiration, Amethyst decides to test Peridot’s understanding of anatomy with rapid-fire questions. So here is the body according to Peridot. Nose = Scent Sponge. Eye = Vision Sphere. Fingers = Touch Stumps. Feet = Gravity Connectors. And the coup de grâce when Amethyst points to her hind-quarters…

I guess some things are just universal. Peridot’s hyper-literal mind doesn’t quite get the humor. When Pearl mentions that the only major component missing is a drill head, Peridot suggests repurposing an injector drill-head from one of the kindergarten’s defunct phage machines. Garnet insists she go with a chaperone. Peridot insists that Garnet must be joking. Once again, Garnet is cool as ice and says…

Since Amethyst and Steven are currently amused by the diminutive green gem, they volunteer. At the kindergarten Peridot continues her logs, where we learn the drills there are considered “Era 1”. Apparently the newer ones have a nicer finish… which means the gems are still colonizing other worlds. Amethyst begins ribbing Peridot which compels the green gem to create a log about it rather than confront Amethyst. Amethyst overhears Peridot call Garnet a “Perma-Fusion”. The two gems share a laugh over this. Steven is confused as to why this is humorous. Peridot gets a little flustered as to how to explain the weirdness of it by making an all too familiar gesture.

Yup, fusion is pretty much the gem version of doing the nasty, which means Garnet is essentially just walking sex (Giggity). So Amethyst is of course in hysterics and encourages Peridot to “analyze” Steven. Being a well-adjusted kid, he takes it in stride. The exchange also gives us this combination of faces.

Steven suggests changing the subject after Peridot points out some absurdity about the human “expelling” ritual (she means pooping). Sensing Amethyst’s amusement, and enjoying the camaraderie, Peridot shifts her sharp tongue to Amethyst herself. Oooh, miscalculation there Peri. Peridot says that Amethyst should be in charge, not Steven, Pearl or Garnet; since Steven is a hybrid, Pearl is a servile class gem, and Garnet is a salacious perma-fusion. This kinda makes Amethyst uncomfortable. Then we learn where the episode’s title comes from. Peridot says Amethyst should be the leader, despite the fact that she’s defective. Too far Peridot.

Peridot informs Amethyst that being a quartz-class gem, she is about half the size she should be. Peridot points out that Amethyst’s exit hole in the kindergarten is too low and too new compared to the other’s, signaling a defect. Steven tries to warn Peridot that she’s crossing a line. If you remember the season 1 episode “On the Run” Amethyst can be violently touchy about the circumstances of her creation. Peridot unintentionally goads her even more, and asks the “soldier” to sever the drill from the overall mechanism.

And that’s exactly what she does. Amethyst has really grown. Season one Amethyst would have poofed Peridot for her insults. Season two Amethyst is able to restrain her emotions and refrain from violent outbursts. Steven asks if Amethyst is ok, and she asks him not to worry about it.

They all return to the barn and Pearl is pleasantly pleased by the drill. Peridot is entirely unaware of her offenses and tries to get a laugh out of Amethyst by calling a hammer a “rhythmic pulverizer”. Amethyst icily dismisses Peridot, which perplexes the latter. It is left to Steven to explain to Peridot that she really hurt Amethyst’s feelings earlier. Peridot isn’t sold and when she catches Amethyst’s eye, attempts to gain attention.

When Amethyst rebukes her again, it starts sinking in for Peridot that she hurt the other gem. This sends Peridot into a full-blown temper tantrum as she cannot quite work out all these new feelings. You know, I’m starting to get a vibe from Peridot and I hope it is correct. She has difficulty interpreting other people’s emotions, she has high aptitudes in specific areas while seems lacking in some more general areas, she attempts interpersonal interactions in a subjectively awkward manner, and when incapable of processing certain information due to her limitations she can occasionally vent her frustrations in loud and disruptive ways. These are all behavioral symptoms of someone with Asperger’s Syndrome. While people with Asperger’s don’t all behave like Peridot, there are many similarities. Add Peridot’s reliance on cathartic exercises like her tape logs to communicate and balance her, and I’d say the case is pretty strong. I really hope this aspect of her is fleshed out. There are many kids on the Autism spectrum and many with Asperger’s. It’d be awesome if they had a character they could identify with. I hope the writers can play it respectfully, and I hope I’m not just projecting.

Back to the drill, Peridot is trying to interface with the systems but accidentally starts the thing up. Steven tries to get to the control panel up top, but the drill starts spinning so fast that it’s all he can do just to hold on. The drill starts heading towards an unsuspecting Amethyst, eliciting a pained and worried cry of “AMETHYST!” from Peridot. Peridot breaks free of her harness and push Amethyst out of the way at the last moment. Meanwhile Steven finally manages to stop the drill by removing the control panel. Peridot’s heroics however, have created something of a compromising situation for her and Amethyst…

Pearl freaks out in a manner resembling old school anime; minimal animation cells, star burst background, etc. Garnet of course, blames the cows. Oh writers, please give Estelle more absurd lines to say as Garnet. It’s like candy for my ears. As they all clean up, Peridot goes to talk to a still miffed Amethyst. Rather than trip over her own words, Peridot holds her tape recorder out and plays Amethyst her most recent log. In it she opines Earth’s backwardness. Peridot complains of the crystal gems’ defectiveness, but continues that she is no better. She expresses her frustration that she can’t even get “working together” right. She never wanted to hurt Amethyst, and explains that it was a mistake and that she is still learning. “I hope you understand, I want to understand… I’m sorry”.

Steven is sufficiently moved by this emotional display from the green gem. Side note, Peridot signed off her log as “Facet 5” which is clearly a gem delineation, hmmmm. Anyway, before Peridot can brush off Steven, Amethyst interrupts. She succinctly and warmly says a simple “thanks… but you’re still a nerd”. Now back on playful teasing terms, Steven asks Peridot how she feels. The small gem simply replies “big”.

Final Score Time

Additions to the Lore: We gained more evidence that gem fusion is regarded as more socially intimate than we might’ve suspected. We also learned that Amethyst is technically a defective gem. The drills at the kindergarten are “Era 1” class, signifying that there are newer models out there colonizing planets. Peridot's personalized designation is Facet 5.

Geek References: Pearl harkened back to the tight budgeted animations of Speed Racer-era anime with her freak out. Also, Peridot’s tape recorder logs a tried-and-true trope of scifi/fantasy like Star Trek and Twin Peaks.

Queer References: 2 actually. Peridot compared fusing outside of battle to bumping uglies, complete with hand gestures. Also, Peridot and Amethyst shared a moment that included meaningful gazes in each other’s eyes and Peridot accidentally mounting Amethyst.

Final thought: What a wonderful episode! As with all the best episodes, the characters’ flaws are what drew us in; Peridot’s social awkwardness and Amethyst’s love of teasing. I feel Peridot is finally a 3 dimensional character, showing compassion and the willingness to change. There was tension, real emotion and a sprinkling of new gem lore. The only thing we were missing was a song. This was just an overall exceptional episode, and since we had an episode devoted to Peridot’s interactions with Steven, one with Pearl and one with Amethyst, I cannot wait for her Garnet episode. For giving us a look into the inner mind of Peridot and finding her a friend in Amethyst, this episode gets 5 gems out of 5.

Next Episode: ???

Cartoon Network will likely be on their usual hiatus which means we may not get more Steven Universe until 2016, but that is just conjecture.

Please feel free to add things I missed, your reactions, theories, and whatever else you’d like in the comments!