Stevonnie

Character

Fusion in Steven Universe is a process where two or more Gem characters merge into a larger, stronger being, used as a metaphor for intimacy and relationships. In "Alone Together", Steven and Connie fuse for the first time while dancing. Steven identifies as male and Connie as female, though some interpret Steven as genderfluid; Stevonnie's gender is difficult to describe. Rebecca Sugar stated that "Stevonnie is an experience! The living relationship between Steven and Connie," and described the character as a metaphor for "terrifying firsts in a first relationship," puberty, and objectification. Ian Jones Quartey also called Stevonnie an experience. Stevonnie is referred to with they/them pronouns, and both male and female characters are physically attracted to them. A 2019 Dove-sponsored PSA showed Stevonnie's Instagram profile describing them as intersex and non-binary.

Appearances

Stevonnie appears occasionally in Steven Universe episodes. In "Alone Together", they fuse for the first time, enjoy their new body, then have an anxiety attack at a party and fend off advances from Kevin. In "Beach City Drift", they race Kevin; in "Mindful Education", Garnet teaches them mindfulness meditation; and in "Jungle Moon", they are stranded on an alien planet. They also appear in two fifth-season episodes. A March 2017 comic has Stevonnie attending prom with Kiki Pizza, where they have another anxiety attack. Stevonnie is a playable character in Steven Universe: Save the Light and Brawlhalla, appears in the Steven Universe Future episode "Bismuth Casual", and appears in a 2020 comic by Cartoon Network and the National Black Justice Coalition about respecting gender pronouns.

Impact

Meredith Woerner of io9 called Stevonnie a "big game changer character" that drew strong fan reactions. Charles Pulliam-Moore wrote that Stevonnie deepened understanding of core characters. Carli Velocci of Polygon described Stevonnie as a positive metaphor for consent in a non-sexual context. Greta Christina of AlterNet noted that Steven and Connie check in with each other during their first fusion, calling it an example of ongoing active consent.

Vrai Kaiser of The Mary Sue praised the show for acknowledging negative emotions as part of life. Stevonnie's appearance is part of a trend toward greater LGBTQ visibility in animated television since 2010, encouraging openness about gender. In a 2020 interview, Sugar said her goal was to create a "great" nonbinary character whose existence is not a joke, and that because the show is from Steven's point of view, Stevonnie becomes the main character when they exist, letting viewers experience the point of view of a nonbinary main character.