Ep 27. Back to the Moon

After two seasons of Diamond authority looming, Steven Universe season 3 draws to a climax with the 27th episode, Back to the Moon. As a Lunar Base is established, the Crystal Gems hatch a plan for infiltrating it; one which could finally lead to the capture of the elusive Emerald, a Homeworld Gem.

As Steven, Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst head towards the Moon Base as allies, they must act quickly to retrieve the Ruby that homeworld has messed up in their ranks. Blue Diamond has ordered a retrieval party since she misses her beloved Ruby. Exploring the wonders of space, the Gems gathered alternative options to infiltrate the base, which range from bashing through the door to teleporting in.

Once landed on the Moon Base, the team split up to cover more ground. Steven and Amethyst lead the charge with their clever disguises and charm. Simultaneously, Pearl and Garnet achieve exploits around the base. The exploration is still not enough for their mission. The vastness of the base and the objective proved to be a challenge for the Crystal Gems. Steven, being Steven, saw it best to impersonate Jasper as it may aid him to get access to the rest of the site.

Several challenges await them in the Moon Base, including locating who they need, avoiding the surveillance a la James Bond, and collecting all the crucial data they need to take back to the Earth. Clever tactics, quick thinking, and teamwork are crucial to their success as they work diligently to reach their goal.

As the Moon Base was infiltrated, Pearl discovers something extraordinary about the base's architecture that even our stealth team did not suspect. They discover the great hall is actually empty, with no visible gems; they soon realize this hall is actually a constructed theatre for Pink Diamond. The Gems become suspicious about the truth about Pink Diamond's shattering. Upon discovering the dark secret, the Gems set their sights on breaking into the core room.

As concern heightens, Steven becomes torn between the ultimate goal of capturing the elusive Emerald and revealing the truth about Pink Diamond's shattering. Meanwhile, the Gems continue their exploits further into the Homeworld Leadership and potentially overstepping their boundaries by challenging the Homeworld Story. The dynamic and narrative ebb and flow of Back to the Moon, with the characters playing off and complementing each other while the plot thickens.

The episode drags on to create a pivotal moment in Steven Universe lore while making significant strides in character development. Not only is the episode insightful about where Steven is now on his journey, but it also sets up plot points for further seasons.

Back to the Future is a well-produced and well-placed episode in Steven Universe, creating excellent payoff for several story arcs. The team's efforts come to a magnificent conclusion in the Moon Base, creating a wave of new questions and potential directions for the future. This episode marks an explosive end to an arc while paving the path for newer questions and explorations.