Steven Universe: The Movie - Characters & Cast

Initially, his motivation is to restore the status quo and get back to his peaceful life. However, as he learns about Spinel's past, his motivation shifts to genuinely helping her heal from the trauma his mother inflicted, all while trying to save his friends and the world.

Steven begins the film believing his work is done and he can finally rest. His arc is about dismantling this naive belief in a "happily ever after." After Spinel resets his friends, he is forced to revisit their pasts and facilitate their growth all over again. In doing so, he confronts his own resistance to change. His powers fully return only when he accepts that life is a continuous process of growth and challenges, and his role as a healer and leader is never truly over.

Her primary motivation is revenge against the legacy of Pink Diamond. She wants to destroy the Earth, the planet Pink chose over her, and hurt Steven, Pink's son. This is driven by 6,000 years of unresolved grief, loneliness, and a feeling of being discarded.

Spinel's arc is one of confronting trauma. Introduced as a maniacal villain bent on destruction, her backstory reveals her to be a victim of profound abandonment. After being reset, she is playful and innocent, but as her memories return, so does her pain. Her journey is volatile; she wavers between wanting friendship and lashing out in rage. Her arc concludes not with a simple defeat, but with an acknowledgment of her pain and a chance for a new beginning with the Diamonds, who understand loss and the desire for companionship.

In her reset state, her motivation is simply to obey and serve Greg Universe. Her underlying journey, however, is to rediscover her identity as a self-possessed individual and a Crystal Gem.

When reset by the Rejuvenator, Pearl reverts to her default state: a servant completely devoted to her owner, who she assumes is Greg. Her arc in the movie is a condensed version of her series-long journey toward independence. She only regains her memory and sense of self when Steven and Greg fuse into Steg, whose music inspires her to remember her rebellious spirit and her fight for her own freedom, separate from her devotion to a single figure.

Garnet's motivation is to protect Steven and the Earth. When split apart, Ruby and Sapphire are motivated by their base instincts (passion and precognition, respectively) until they are driven to find each other again and restore their balanced, loving relationship.

As Garnet is a fusion of Ruby and Sapphire, the Rejuvenator separates them and erases their memories of each other. Her arc is about rediscovering the love that is her very foundation. Separately, Ruby is filled with unfocused rage and Sapphire is coldly logical. Only when they are reminded of their connection and the strength they find in each other do they fuse back into Garnet, remembering that their love is their identity.