| "Clarence's Universe" | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
|
Episode no. |
Season 4 |
|
Directed by |
Spencer Rothbell (supervising director) |
|
Written by |
Tony Infante |
|
Original air date |
March 11, 2024 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
|
|
Zach Callison as Steven Universe, Onion |
"Clarence's Universe" is the first episode of the fourth season of the American animated television series Clarence, which is also the first episode of the revival and the 131th episode of the series overall. It is a 22-minute crossover with Steven Universe, and is written by Tony Infante and directed by Spencer Rothbell. It aired in the United States on March 11, 2024, on Cartoon Network. In the episode, the Wendles and company stay with the Crystal Gems after their car had run out of gas outside Beach City.
Six cast members of Steven Universe voice their characters in the episode. The episode also indicates that the episode takes place after the events of the Steven Universe episode "Mr. Greg", whereas Steven mentions his father's riches; and before the events of the episode "Crack the Whip"; showing Amethyst in her regenerated form, introduced in "Reformed".
The television even features the return of Amy Gillis, explaining her return to Aberdale after her appearance in Clarence's Big Break.
Plot[]
Chad and the family pack to go to a resort and spa at Kingsville, Texas. Sumo, Jeff, and Amy (who had moved back as she missed Clarence) later tag along with the trip as they had gotten their parents' permission. The gang pulls over, having to find the car out of fuel, after Chad had not stopped at a gas station. They find themselves outside a town called Beach City. As they enter the Big Donut, they meet Greg Universe.
Greg later brings them to the beach house, where they meet the Crystal Gems. Steven shows Clarence his mother's room and shares his adventures with the Gems. Sadie brings Amy to her home and they talk about themselves. As time passes, Clarence and Steven become best friends later on. With Jeff, he gets information from Garnet about their history for "personal reasons". With Sumo, Amethyst takes him on a mission. Both Chad and Greg return back with a gas canister for the car, having to find the engine killed after all that driving.
Meanwhile with Sadie, she had told Amy about all her old activities from being ballerina and as a softball player. Amy begins telling Sadie about her rough time after moving away from Aberdale, to which Sadie becomes concern. Pearl and Mary return from seeing a matinee, but Mary was less than pleased. Amethyst and Sumo return from their mission, and Sumo brings back a living Centipeetle, but it gets loose around the town after showing Clarence and Jeff. Fortunately, they catch it in time and destroy it.
Unfortunately, the Centipeetle had destroyed half the town, leading them to return to Aberdale after being banned. Sadie gives Amy her "Haven't You Noticed (I'm A Star)" CD as to remember her. After Steven and Clarence say their goodbyes, he shows him his face plastered on every photo covering everyone but Steven, including portrait with his face drawn on it. Steven, weirded out from Clarence's "memento", ends their friendship. Before he got into the car later apologizes to Clarence for ending their friendship, but Clarence doesn't except his apology after he hurt his feelings. They later sit at the beach and talk about their differences. After their conversation, they respect their opinions and agree to remember each other. After returning home, Jeff had gotten a B- on his report, and Clarence pretends that he is still mad and over Steven, but secretly misses him.
Production[]
Development[]
Promotional poster introduced at San Diego Comic-Con with original release.
A long time fan of Clarence, Xavier Shaquille, had the idea since late 2014. The first draft was with Clarence showing a newspaper with the headline of the Crystal Gems to Jeff and Sumo, followed by suggesting they go to Beach City; and the boys travel there on a handmade boat, despite his mother Mary declining his wish. The second draft was with the story opening with Clarence reviving his farting cactus comic; which was introduced in the Season 2 episode "Freedom Cactus"; only for him to end it afterwards. Arriving back home, Clarence is annoyed in living in a mundane life despite his imagination, in which Jeff decides that they go somewhere my themselves, to which Mary refuses until being talked into agreeing with it. Also, in the draft, Amy had returned to see Clarence again right before the boys take off. He would pitch the idea to the writers and producers of the show.
Zach Callison, Estelle, Michaela Dietz, Deedee Magno-Hall, Tom Scharpling and Kate Micucci are brought in to voice their Steven Universe characters. As Callison was currently unable to make his Steven's voice akin to the original series, he spoke in the voice he had done for the character in Steven Universe: The Movie and Steven Universe Future (both 2019) his dialogue, while the pitch was altered at match the character's voice from the original series via production editing.
For the episode's animation, and rest of the revival as a whole, the animation was provided by Sunmin Image Pictures; the same animation company responsible for animating The Powerpuff Girls (2016) and Steven Universe: The Movie (2019). Color stylists Tiffany Ford and Juliana Park were in charge of giving the Wendles and their friends the color motifs of the Steven Universe franchise when entering Beach City.
Announcement and promotion[]
The crossover was announced at San Diego Comic-Con. A sneak peek shows a scene of the Wendles, Jeff, Sumo, and Amy walking in Beach City, followed by going into the Big Donut.