The Answer (Steven Universe)

"The Answer"
Steven Universe episode
Cover image of the book adaptation
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 22
Directed by	Byung Ki Lee (animation) Jasmin Lai (art) Joe Johnston (supervising) Ian Jones-Quartey (co-excutive producer)
Written by	Lamar Abrams Katie Mitroff
Original air date	January 4, 2016
Running time	11 minutes
Episode chronology
← Previous "Too Far" Next → "Steven's Birthday"
List of Steven Universe episodes

"The Answer" is the twenty-second episode of the second season of American animated television series Steven Universe, which premiered on January 4, 2016 on Cartoon Network. It was written and storyboarded by Lamar Abrams and Katie Mitroff. The episode was viewed by 1.384 million viewers.

The episode takes place at midnight on Steven's birthday. During that time, Garnet tells him the story of how Ruby and Sapphire met each other, formed their romantic relationship, and eventually joined the Crystal Gems. The episode received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Short-format Animation, and was adapted as a best-selling children's book.

The episode begins with Steven (Zach Callison) sleeping on the back of a pickup truck in his family barn. Suddenly, Garnet (Estelle) appears and wakes Steven up because it is midnight, meaning his birthday has arrived. Garnet's plan of telling Steven that she is a fusion was ruined by the events of "Jail Break", but she instead offers to tell the tale of how Ruby (Charlyne Yi) and Sapphire (Erica Luttrell) first met and came to be Crystal Gems, which excites Steven.

Garnet introduces the setting as Earth, 5,750 years ago; Homeworld was in the process of colonizing the Earth, but a group of rebels were halting progress. As a result, a team of diplomats was sent to Earth to investigate, among them being Sapphire and three Rubies who were assigned to be her bodyguards. Sapphire was summoned by Blue Diamond, the leader of the mission, to give a report of the possible outcomes surrounding the rebellion in the future, and along the way, two of the Rubies, who accompany Sapphire, discuss how they will fight the rebels, punching each other in the process. The third Ruby is shoved into Sapphire and apologizes, but Sapphire excuses her, referring to her future vision. While her Rubies wait, Sapphire approaches Blue Diamond and informs her of the future – the rebels will attack the Cloud Arena, defeating seven Gems in the process, including Sapphire herself and two of the Rubies, but despite this, the rebels will be captured, ending the rebellion. Blue Diamond thanks her for telling this future, and Sapphire leaves and rejoins her Rubies.