The Question (Steven Universe)

Steven (Zach Callison) and Amethyst (Michaela Dietz), searching for Ruby (Charlyne Yi), find her eating pizza and reading comic books with Steven's father, Greg (Tom Scharpling). Ruby tells Steven that her current separation from Sapphire is the first time she's really been on her own, free to choose her own path. Steven is distressed that this means Ruby and Sapphire may never fuse back into Garnet, but Greg reminds him that Ruby must make her own decisions about her relationships.

Inspired by a western comic book, Ruby decides to become a lonesome cowboy, "one with the wilderness... not needing nothing from nobody". Amethyst shapeshifts into a horse to help her play the part. Accompanied by Amethyst, Steven, and Greg, Ruby spends the day exploring the open plain, relishing the opportunity to make her own decisions, regardless of how dangerous they are. She sings the song "Ruby Rider", a country song celebrating life on her own.

That night, Steven apologizes to Ruby for pressuring her to return to Sapphire. But Ruby confesses that, as much as she is enjoying the cowboy adventure, she deeply misses Sapphire and is frustrated by her loneliness. Steven convinces Ruby that making her own choices doesn't mean that she and Sapphire need to be separate, but Ruby decides that this time they need to find a way to be together by their own choice, and not for Rose Quartz's sake. Steven, getting an idea, shows Ruby the last page from the western comic, to which she reacts enthusiastically.

When Steven, Amethyst and Ruby return to Steven's house the following morning, Steven sends Sapphire (Erica Luttrell) out to meet Ruby waiting for her on the beach. Sapphire runs down and apologizes to her for doubting their relationship. But Ruby tells her, "Someone else told us we were the answer, but I don't believe that anymore.... At least not until I hear it from you." Kneeling before her, Ruby asks Sapphire to marry her, explaining, "This time, being Garnet will be our decision." Sapphire happily accepts and the two embrace and dance on the beach. The last shot of the episode is the last page of the western comic, depicting the cowboy protagonist marrying his lover.

The episode was written and storyboarded by Miki Brewster and Jeff Liu.[1] Liz Artinian was the art director, with Joe Johnston as supervising director.

Series creator Rebecca Sugar described the plotline involving Ruby and Sapphire's engagement as "years in the making";[2] she told Entertainment Weekly that "years of tireless work... [led] up to this moment," stressing the importance of "tell[ing] LGBTQ+ children that they belong in this world and they deserve to be loved."[3]

This episode features the song "Ruby Rider", sung by Charlyne Yi as Ruby. The song was composed by Jeff Liu and Stemage, with lyrics by Liu,[1] and was released digitally as a single alongside the episode's broadcast.[4]