The Question (Steven Universe)
Ruby proposes to Sapphire in a landmark same-sex marriage proposal.
"The Question," the 21st episode of Steven Universe's fifth season, debuted on Cartoon Network on July 4, 2018. It made headlines as the first Western children's cartoon to show a same-sex marriage proposal.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Steven Universe
- Season
- 5
- Episode
- 21
- Director
- Ki-Young Bae (animation)
- Eun-Ok Choi (animation)
- Joe Johnston (supervising)
- Liz Artinian (art)
- Writer
- Miki Brewster; Jeff Liu
- Air date
- 4 July 2018
- Length
- 11 minutes
- Guests
- Erica Luttrell as Sapphire; Lo Mutuc as Ruby
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Steven and Amethyst track down Ruby, who is hanging out with Greg, eating pizza and reading comics. Ruby tells them this is the first time she’s been truly independent, able to make her own choices. Steven gets upset, worried that means Ruby and Sapphire will never fuse into Garnet again, but Greg points out that Ruby has to decide for herself. Inspired by a western comic, Ruby decides to play a lone cowboy, and Amethyst turns into a horse to join in. With Steven, Greg, and Amethyst, Ruby rides across the open plains, enjoying the freedom to make risky decisions. She sings “Ruby Rider,” a country tune about being alone. That night, Steven apologizes for pushing her to go back to Sapphire. Ruby admits she loves the adventure but really misses Sapphire and feels lonely. Steven tells her choosing for herself doesn’t mean they have to be apart, but Ruby insists they need to get back together by their own choice, not for Rose Quartz. Steven shows her the last page of the comic, and she gets excited. The next morning, Steven sends Sapphire to the beach, where Ruby is waiting. Sapphire apologizes for doubting them. Ruby kneels and proposes, saying that being Garnet will now be their decision. Sapphire says yes, and they hug and dance. The episode ends on the comic’s final panel, showing the cowboy marrying his love.
Production and music
The episode's script and storyboards were handled by Miki Brewster and Jeff Liu, with Liz Artinian serving as art director and Joe Johnston as supervising director. Rebecca Sugar, the series' creator, noted that the storyline of Ruby and Sapphire's engagement had been planned for a long time. She emphasized to Entertainment Weekly that this moment was the result of extensive work and that it was crucial to show LGBTQ+ children they are loved and belong. The episode includes the song "Ruby Rider," performed by Lo Mutac as Ruby. Jeff Liu and Stemage composed the music, with lyrics by Liu, and it was made available as a digital single when the episode aired.
Broadcast and reception
"The Question" premiered July 4, 2018 on Cartoon Network, with a Nielsen household rating of 0.15. Critics reviewed it favorably. Eric Thurm of The A.V. Club gave a B+ rating, praising Yi's performance of "Ruby Rider" and the exploration of Ruby's character, though he felt the resolution was "a bit of a cop-out" but the proposal was "sweet and thrilling." Vrai Kaiser of The Mary Sue also praised Yi's singing and noted parallels to the earlier episode "The Answer," as well as the episode's normalization of queer relationships. Teen Vogue reported that fans enthusiastically received the proposal on social media. The episode attracted media attention for purportedly featuring the first same-sex marriage proposal in Western animation. Petrana Radulovic of Polygon called it "a pivotal moment in inclusive messaging in pop entertainment" and "a defining moment both within the show and in animated television at large." Entertainment Weekly noted it as one of many instances of Steven Universe supporting more inclusive storytelling.
More in LGBTQ-related Animated Television Episodes
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