PPearl
The Pebbles have been working all night. What do you think?
It almost feels like home.
[Later in the Diamond throne room…]
Yellow DiamondA ball? We haven't had a ball in 6,000 years.
We haven't had Pink in 6,000 years!
Yeah! When White Diamond shows up we can tell her why we need her help on Earth!
And, this can also mark the beginning of Era 3.
Yellow Diamond
You're right, it's brilliant.
Thank you, Yellow! Thank you, Blue!
If White is going to be there everything has to be perfect! Pink, can you manage this on your own? Our Pearls can help you get started.
At your service, Pink Diamond.
Yellow Diamond
Make sure you go through all of our customs with Pink, since she has so much trouble recalling her past here on Homeworld.
PPearl
Era 3! Steven, you're already changing the world!
Yeah! Come on, party Pearls!
YBYellow and Blue Pearl
We are at your command, Pink Diamond.
YBYellow and Blue Pearl
Whatever you command, Pink Diamond.
Balloons everywhere! Confetti cannons too!
Dibs on being the confetti cannon!
Cannons are forbidden inside palace walls. These "balloons" you're referring to, are unprecedented and therefore out of the question.
Everyone, behold! The daunting, beauty and elegance that is, Yellow Diamond!
Yellow Diamond
Not a bad turnout, Pink.
I appreciate your attendance, Yellow.
Ahem, everyone prepare yourselves emotionally for the overpowering elegance that is, Blue Diamond.
WPWhite Pearl
To those in attendance of the Era 3 ball, White Diamond... has more important things to attend to.
WPWhite Pearl
Therefore, I will be here to observe in her place. Welcome to Era 3.
Yellow Diamond
[through gritted teeth]] Pink, what are you doing?!
I was just dancing! [sees they have accidentally fused and everybody else looks in shock]
Pink, this is completely unacceptable! Unfuse or I'll make you!
[Ruby and Sapphire fuse and become Garnet]
You'll have to go through me!
(gasp) And me! (Runs over to Amethyst and fuses into Opal)
[two jades quickly fuse as well]
LJLemon Jade
And me! [Opal and Stevonnie look at Garnet, and she shrugs] I knew it! I knew I couldn't be the only one!
[Yellow Diamond strikes the Jade Fusion, Opal, and Garnet with her lightning powers, causing them all to poof]
Yellow Diamond
Pink, you've gone too far even for you. [picks up Stevonnie and throws them into a dark room] Stay in here and think about what you've done!
[Yellow Diamond closes the door, ends the episode]
[Steven, Connie, and Blue Diamond enter Yellow Diamond's bubble chamber, where the poofed gemstones of Ruby, Sapphire, Amethyst, and Pearl are being bubbled]
Yellow Diamond
[sitting in her throne] What... are you doing?
I'm taking back my friends!
Yellow Diamond
[closes her eyes as she looks up from Steven to readdress Blue; annoyed] What are you doing, Blue? Take Pink back to the tower.
She prefers to be called "Steven."
Yellow Diamond
[slams her hand so forcefully against her throne that it cracks, stands up and assumes an angered stance] What are you talking about?! You can't keep bending the rules for her, Blue! She has to set an example, and we have to set an example! If we bend the rules for her, we have to bend them for everyone!
Yellow Diamond
Take them back to the tower, now!
Yellow Diamond
Then I'll do it myself. [reaches down to pick up Steven and Connie, but Blue Diamond smacks her hand away; surprised in shock] Blue?!
Yellow Diamond
You'd hurt a fellow Diamond?!
Didn't we hurt Pink?! She was suffering in silence for ages -- just like our Gems -- just like me! And I know you're suffering in silence, too!
[Yellow Diamond claps her fist and uses her lightning power on Blue, causing her to begin to destabilize and scream]
Stop! [pulls out his shield and chucks it towards Yellow Diamond's hand, disrupting her concentration] You don't have to do this!
Yellow Diamond
Yes, I do! This is what White Diamond expects of all of us. From a thin flake of mica to the deepest, hardest stone, we all must make sacrifices for the sake of our perfect empire!
Does this look perfect to you?! My dad says if every pork chop were perfect, we wouldn't have hot dogs.
Yellow Diamond
And that means... what?
It means if you try and make this empire perfect -- if you just wipe away everything you see as flawed -- you lose all the things that make you happy -- like hot dogs.
Yellow Diamond
Uhh... [falls to the ground on her knees in an uncharacteristic emotional breakdown] Stop. Stop it, Blue. Stop using your power on me...!
I'm not. [walks to Yellow Diamond and comforts her as she sobs]
Steven, come on, grab the Gems. Let's get out of here.
Right. I hope they're okay. Amethyst would usually be back by now.
Yellow Diamond
[wiping a tear from her eye; composed] They'll be out for a good while. They took a direct hit from me.
Hey, White, I know I was in there with you for a second, but I barely got to talk to you at all. There are so many Gems that are hurting right now. Even Blue and Yellow are hurting. You should hear what they have to say. [to Blue and Yellow; whispers] This is it.
Yellow Diamond
[struggling] We… W-we… We need to talk! About us. I've conquered so many worlds for the sake of the empire. I do everything you ask, and I do it all perfectly. But your very high standards put us all under a lot of pressure. A Gem could crack under so much pressure. We Diamonds may be hard, but we're also brittle.
[steps forward] White, we used to be close. Don't you remember? When Pink would make us laugh -- all those silly things she did for no reason. There was a reason. She wanted us to be happy together. But we weren't, and we're still not. I know my purpose isn't to be happy, but I find it harder and harder to enforce your rules when they make me miserable. When they make us all miserable.
PPPink Pearl
[rubbing her cracked eye] Wh-What happened? Where am I?
[places his hand on her shoulder] Welcome back.
What is this? I feel... ridiculous. Yellow, Blue...
Yellow Diamond
[gasps] She's off-color...
This can't be happening. I can't have a flaw, I'm supposed to be flawless! If I'm not perfect then... who am I? If you're not Pink, then... who are you? Who is anyone?
You know, if you just let everyone be whoever they are, maybe you could let yourself be whoever you are too.
But I'm not supposed to be like this! I'm supposed to know better, I'm supposed to be better, I'm supposed to make everything better!
You can. But first, you're gonna have to leave your own head.
Steven Universe · 493 quotes
