Steven Universe Recap - S03E04 - "Barn Mates"


Throughout the show’s run Steven has faced many threats: monsters, clusters of varying sizes, fingers turned into cats, seagulls.  Now he has to deal with his biggest problem yet: two of his friends, one of who doesn’t particularly care for the other.




Peridot is a changed Gem. She saw the potential of Earth, she stood up to the menacing Yellow Diamond, she even gained an understanding of Garnet. She had her redemption arc and is now a Crystal Gem, a rebel stuck on Earth. Unfortunately, Lapis doesn’t know that. For her, Peridot is still the same Gem who dragged her back on Earth and, as we learn later, interrogated her. She has no reason to want to be anywhere near her – and she avoids her.

And Peridot (and Steven’s) constant attempts to change her mind certainly aren’t helping. To be honest, most of them  wouldn’t be considered a good idea. When Steven proposes making a greeting card and asks her to write Lapis something nice, the best she can come up with is that Lapis was a good source of information. When they decide a gift would be better, her first idea is a pool of water – despite the fact Lapis just spent months stuck in a constant struggle under the ocean.


Therefore it’s understandable that when Peridot continues to pester Lapis, she finally has enough. She crushes Peridot’s latest gift, her tape-recorder (Peridot’s most treasured possession), and tells her to leave her alone.

Lapis’ position is understandable – but so is Peridot’s. She changed – she’s actually a decent person now, and all Lapis sees is her former self. There’s also the fact that Peridot is pretty damn lonely now. She might’ve grown to understand and respect the Crystal Gems and she clearly treasures Steven’s friendship – but she’s still a lone Homeworld Gem stuck on a planet she didn’t choose. So when she sees someone in a similar situation, she hopes they could bond – and she wants to just make Lapis happier.


So Peridot is being sincere in her attempts to repair her relationship with Lapis. Lapis, however, doesn’t know that – and let’s be honest, as the abused party she is under no obligation to learn more about her abuser and forgive her. It’s to Peridot’s credit that she ends up recognizing that and takes Lapis’s wishes to leave her alone to heart.

And then she comes back, running back with a Roaming Eye (Yellow Diamond’s scoutship) on her tail. After a brief chase the three seem to be done for, until Lapis stands in front of the Eye and, after a brief look at Peridot...


Lapis is officially the most boss character on the show, after Yellow Diamond.

And, after the Crystal Gems arrive on the scene, she asks Peridot whether she’s okay. She didn’t forgive her, and probably won’t for a long time. But at least she’s willing to tolerate her for a while.


That’s when the Roaming Eye opens, revealing...


...a brand new Ruby.

What status quo change does she bring with her? We’ll find out next week – unless, of course, you live in France, and thus already saw the next two episodes last week, or if you watched them after they ended up on the Internet. In which case, please avoid spoilers for those who haven’t seen them yet.

Dominik Zine is a nerdy lad from northeastern Poland and is generally found in a comfy chair with a book in hand.