The Cluster & Their Symbolism Explained | Steven Universe 

One thing about the cluster that I really want to point out: It is a collective. And it represents something specific in relation to Steven. There are 8 different types of love that are represented in Steven and everyone present when he was being healed. The cluster is Agape, which is self-less love or the love we naturally feel towards all other beings. This is emphasized by the idea that the Cluster is many as one, the cooperative effort of humanity for identity and progress and collective unconsciousness. Agape is also considered the most powerful form of love as it is love given without expecting a reward or return. Steven caring for the Cluster and vice versa is the epitome of that idea in my opinion (though technically either or saves the other from suffering, both act on instinct to care and do what they can).

i find it kinda creepy that the cluster looks like human muscles

*[The Cluster still scares me to this day... even though they're bubbled]*

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that thinks The Cluster looks like a titan arm lol

Personally I think it would be kind of cool for the cluster to have accepted its situation, and developed a personality that is made of the fragments of its form. It would be the largest gem in existence. It would also be a sort of guardian of earth.

Ok so it’s basically accepted Yellow Diamond had an arm wrestling match with the Cluster. But imagine what they look like while driving the ship, lmao. Since Steven used his legs to control PD’s part of the mech I would assume Yellow and Blue would have to use their arms.

Sometimes I think of the Cluster like gems that were forced into acts against their will like war criminals and abuse victims, and the cluster in the form of an arm could be either of those two working together against their common enemy that forced them into the situation, like their own rebellion

I'm curious how Yellow Diamond thinks she's gonna reconstruct the gems in the cluster? Each gem has specific parts that go to it that makes it a whole, unique being. Unless she's just throwing random gem shards of the same type of gem together, I don't see that working.

Please do some of these next! : MORE HOMEWORLD GEMS: - The other jades - The pebbles MENTIONED GEMS: - Mica (by yellow Diamond) - Kyanite (by blue diamond) OTHERS: - Pumpkin - Watermelon steven (Like or comment if you want them to talk about any of these gems)

I don’t think it’s too off base to compare the cluster to a bio-weapon. Steven called the diamonds dictators on a couple of occasions. It’s fair to assume there are some WW2 allusions in there.

since rebecca sugar said they were going to give the characters a break if the show ever comes back in any way i wonder if there would be a time skip again and things like the cluster and the shattered gems would be healed

*[The Cluster was really strong! Especially it really helped us holding off Steven which he was a monster buying us some time to think a way to calm him down]*

I cried when the cluster came to help comfort Steven! It really did come full circle!

Did anyone else think the Cluster became a sort of protector of the earth? Also always thought the muscle arm was because at the core without our skin our muscles all look the same, They are a collective so if they want a form to be compatible with all of them, then it has to be true to all of them

I love how the Cluster battles Yellow Diamond's ship, by arm wrestling!

I loved when the cluster showed up in Future. Just the fact that these gems, how ever many of them there were, came together to HELP Steven. They clearly knew he wasn't in the right place, and rather then fight him, they only held him back.

Nice idea. It makes a lot of sense. The cluster was helped by Steven. Now the cluster helps Steven.

I feel like the cluster was more about PTSD of all people who suffer through war. Many pretend that everything was fine, but they suffer in much greater ways for what they’ve been through, silently waiting feeling alone (unformed), just wishing things were back to normal (forming), letting all their feelings build up in dangerous self-destructive ways that can harm everyone around them and all they need is someone to show they care and be there for them (Steven) and also showing they are still people who can be there for you and help you, but they will only be for people who helped them, not for the ones who caused them so much pain

i dont even watch steven universe but i like how your breakdowns

Peridot's Cluster-drill is shown to be tremendously destructive to earth and individual gems, but it cannot shatter the Cluster. If that is the case, the it represents the Cluster being a collection of crystal that does not fracture easily--like a quartz--which makes sense since the majority of the shards leftover from Earth's rebellion were quartzes.

Hiiiiii. I’m so exited to watch this!!!

That must be awful. To want nothing more to be whole, to find yourself amongst the chaos and other screaming voices, of knowing what you were without knowing how to get back to it. To just cry out, yet not make a sound while your cries just get lost on the endless screaming that is your new body. No wonder they felt the need to form. They were in pain, they were confused, they felt alone despite being surrounded by others like them. Steven was so kind in giving her closure, she really deserved it after everything. I hope Yellow really follows through with her promise to fix all shattered gems, one shard piece at a time

I like the cluster came back in I Am My Monster to help Steven, I thought it was really sweet ☺️

Maybe some of the shards in the cluster were removed already, and fixed while other shards just kept vibing around the core

What I wanna know is how, when the Diamonds attacked and Stevenzilla went nuts, the Cluster came out, but when Spinel's giant injector NEARLY DESTROYED THE EARTH, they ignored the whole situation.

I love Kris. Watching these videos always feels like I'm talking with a close friend about something we both love.

Wow the cluster is the only gem shard that I know that could control her self but the other ones can’t it’s like if the cluster is the dimond to the gem shards

I don’t know why but the cluster’s arm is giving off akira vibes.

This thing was the thing that got me into this series in the first place. The first thing that I watched of this series was a theory on this thing back before its physical form made an appearance. It also makes me wonder what is going to happen to it now that Yellow Diamond is actually working to fix the gems that she had shattered. Is she going to extract this thing from the Earth and repair the gems that its made out of or is she going to leave most of it alone and let it do its own thing? That's a question that I really want to know the answer to.

I think it's so cool how they developed the cluster from a mindless weapon to a gargantuan guardian it's made up of millions of shattered minds giving it a high level of intelligence compared to any of the other gem experiments and it was able to gain control of it's form so it can now just pop out of the earth's surface wherever it sees fit the gems are fighting on the beach? no sweat how about in tokyo? no problem. honestly the cluster probably could of just yoinked spinel's injector of the the ground but they didn't do that because it would kind of defeat the whole purpose of the movie

why do both of us call "corrupted" steven stevenzilla

[I regret the fact we made those shards suffer for so long]

*[The cluster is kinda scary…Well…a lot of gems in one hand…Hmmm]*

I love Nerdwires Steven Universe vids and I can't wait for the next one

As always, so well written and researched! Good work, Kris!!

This episode in particular felt so introspective and well researched! Keep up the phenomenal work!

I love ya Kris! Just so you know I really appreciate the way you analyze things, it makes me think of things from another perspective and find deeper meaning!

It’s worth pointing out that both The Cluster and Angel Aura Quartz are both artificially made.

I love this gem series. It gives you more insight than you would have thought!

See now, the cluster is why the diamonds (yellow and white especially) shouldnt have been forgiven. How can anyone who sanctions (and is strongly suggested to have had a direct hand in) such experiments, especially under the excuse of "this planet makes me sad 😥" be forgiven by anyone, least of all a pacifist? Regardless on how they claim to be making reparations, they do not deserve forgiveness, how can they possibly undo all the suffering they inflicted? Great video as always btw x

I love the gem mutant hand

I'd say that the spiritual meanings actually reflect on the Clusters development quite well...they literally managed to achieve _inner peace_ through harmonious cooperation, despite being forced together artificially-

The concept of the cluster/gem experiments always really disturbed me... I got some real last king of Scotland vibes... DONT LOOK UP LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, KIDS! ITS DEFINITELY NOOOT KID FRIENDLY!!!!😅

Cluster is such a bro.

The Cluster should get its own show with the crystal gems. In that show they should go on adventures and make The Cluster a part of the crystal gems.

the cluster fits with the theory that the gems in the show take on the emotions or feelings they are said to ease or free a person of in crystal healing. as if they have absorbed these feelings for gems that are said to remove negative feelings or absorb the opposite for gems said to promote positive feelings.

I want to see the diamonds making the cluster i want to see them shatter them and who they were before they were shatterd i want to see it put in the earth i also wish they would find all the pices and put them back together but I want them to stay together as friends after cause they were together for so long oh also were the gems made for the cluster or did they shatter the ones they don't think are perfect i would think they would not want defective gems part of anything they built

I feel like if the gems were separated, the gems would all be friends still

When you think of what the cluster is, it’s terrifying. It’s an amalgamation of gems that were shattered, but then put together with different gems. You’re no longer you, but you are still part of the clump.

Steven Universe lore can be a little weird sometimes. So basically, gems can never truly die, but they can become injured. We can see shards forming into limbs in season 1. I bet you could truly kill a gem if you ground up its gemstone into powder. Especially if you sprinkle it throughout the earth. I would be completely unable to form and it’s consciousness would basically be gone. Good luck fixing it. I guess the cluster is special because even though it’s shards, unlike the cluster experiments that will attack any gem it sees and has no control or sense of self because it’s full consciousness isn’t there and it’s spread throughout many different places and other experimental fusions. However many complete gemstones, although shattered, were contained in the cluster which mean that they were a lot smarter because they had a hive mind. I’m guessing to create the cluster, they just picked up every piece they could find, often picking up all the pieces of the same gem, and threw it into the earth to be naturally fused when minerals started developing around the gemstones connecting them. This lead to them retaining their memories and purpose and having self awareness. That’s why unlike the others they are not aggressive, except towards their enemies.

The history and depth of all of the Steven Universe videos definitely keeps me coming back to this page. Thank you so much!❤

The gem, the myth, the sort of legend, The Cluster.

Steven Universe is LOVE

no mention of geological weapons? figured that could be part of the allegory

i would like to see a video about the famithyst if that’s ok

Cluster Cluster CLUSTER cluster THE CLUSTER

The Cluster is awesome!!!

Y know this is some thing wrong i feel like ive seen that gem ohhh i get it in the forced to fuse we see the same thing in the steven where the song independent their is that one gem that looks like p---PEARL! but i saw that gem like when the cluster emerges to the ground .When Yellow digs the cluster to form.Thats all i know if im right like 👇

0:25 I'll leave when I'm good and ready.

Ok here's what I'm wondering: everybody said the cluster was gonna be bigger than the earth when it forms. So why is it only the size of a diamond ship? That's definitely not bigger than the earth! Unless that's just a piece of it?

My theory is that in a future that Yellow Diamond can successfully heal all the gems in the cluster, each one of them decide individually to become a autossufient society, neighboring the New Homeworld Village. I think it's a good out come to take. :)

Yes.

I love your videos I always can't wait to see any new ones please continue on the shera princess of power videos but I do have a hope for the cluster from Steven universe and that is if it does have a final form it be kinda be like the giant diamond mech of the four diamond ships together

Chaos on the surface........ The Cluster: It'is time to shine

The inspiration for the cluster actually lines up in my eyes. Though this... Gem(?) is the definition of a clusterfuck.

NerdWire is getting so close to 400k! That’s awesome!!!

I have this theory that Steven could both hear his friends and the Cluster in Stevenzilla mode, all the shards trying to help Steven

Steven Universe is probably one of the darkest kids shows along with The Owl House imo

the cluster is great :3

The cluster was made of dead crystal gems of course it would fight with the surviving crystal gems.

I think the cluster due to all of those gems with shapeshifting abilities I think it can take lots of different forms like maybe a replica of corrupted steven

You should do a video about the sentient plants like pumpkin, watermelon Steven, etc!

I love watching this stuff because I love steven universe so pls still continue making this😍😍

Please do a explanation and history of catra and Double Trouble

Just finished Steven Universe Future. Im loving these videos

Imagine an entire cartoon multiverse religion based off Earth gems being relic's of this parable. Where you have young fans inspired into magic gem worship and witchcraft. Summoning the cluster against evil forces of power with the resolve and heartwinning power of Steven Universe. This young generation is going to be alright. 😎

Ah yes, the Cluster. A forced fusion reformed into a heroic, loving hive-mind

Can you please do a video on the corrupted gems I wanna learn more about them

final episode is gonna be the main character the pebbles:nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

When the world ends i think the cluster will finally break free poor giant baby floating in space u_u

It symbolizes a clusterfuck!

I want to see the cluster gems back to normal.

Earth-Chan in this situation?

The finale of the cluster arc is a lot like the end of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Lol

YYYES A NEW VIDEO

PLEASE DO PERIDOT!!

Omg love all ur videos ❤️ ❤️

Ben Thenyswon Expleynd

Angel aura quarts

For an avatar video do an analysis on Azula

I be scared if one human become a gem hybrid in a mad scientist type of way.

Interesting, I only thought that the cluster was an allegory for...sexual assault but I think seeing it as a representation of bio war weapons is a better take.

When are you going to do the two most important things in Steven Universe? Cookie Cat and the Hamburger Backpack.

What about ranaldos blog keep beach city weird in steven universe future

Thanks cluster, old pal.

The Cluster: The arm of Gia

The cluster do be buff tho 0-0

The cluster knows what its like ti become or almost become a monster it will always be there uwu

Please do one of these for the off colors!!!!

Who’s excited at watch this? Have a good day 😀!