A Single Pale Rose
| "A Single Pale Rose" | |
|---|---|
| Steven Universe episode | |
 Rose Quartz becomes Pink Diamond, revealing that they are the same Gem. | |
| Episode no. | Season 5 Episode 18 |
| Directed by | Ki-Young Bae (animation) Jin-Hee Park (animation) Kat Morris (supervising) Liz Artinian (art) |
| Written by | Danny Cragg Hilary Florido |
| Story by | Matt Burnett Ben Levin Rebecca Sugar Kat Morris Joe Johnston |
| Produced by | Jackie Buscarino |
| Original air date | May 7, 2018 |
| Running time | 11 minutes |
| Guest appearance | |
| |
"A Single Pale Rose" is the eighteenth episode of the fifth season of the American animated television series Steven Universe. It first aired on May 7, 2018 on Cartoon Network as the second half of a two-part special with the preceding episode "Can't Go Back". It was directed by Kat Morris and Liz Artinian and written and storyboarded by Danny Cragg and Hilary Florido from a story by Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Kat Morris, Joe Johnston, and series creator Rebecca Sugar.
Sugar described it and "Can't Go Back" as "huge episodes that we’ve been building to for a very long time" that would have major implications for the rest of the series, and change viewers' interpretations of the events of previous episodes.[1]
The episode focuses on Steven Universe confronting Pearl with questions about the supposed assassination of Pink Diamond millennia ago, and builds to a major plot twist for the series: the revelation that Steven's mother Rose Quartz was actually Pink Diamond herself, who faked her death with Pearl's assistance.
This episode received critical acclaim for Deedee Magno Hall's performance as Pearl, the quality of the artwork, and the structure of the episode's story, as well the significance of the plot twist for the broader narrative of the series.
Plot[]
Steven (Zach Callison) is contemplating the conflicting information he has received about Pink Diamond's shattering, and anxiously waits while Amethyst (Michaela Dietz) teaches Pearl (Deedee Magno Hall) how to use her new cell phone. After Amethyst leaves, Steven confronts Pearl and asks her if she was the one who shattered Pink Diamond. Pearl doesn't answer, seemingly shocked. When Amethyst returns, Pearl immediately changes the subject and stores her phone in her gem, leaving Steven confused.
Later, Steven receives a text message from Pearl: "I want to tell you but I can't.