Plot summary
Garnet (Estelle) awakens Steven (Zach Callison) at midnight on his birthday to tell him the tale of how Ruby (Lo Mutuc) and Sapphire (Erica Luttrell) first met and fused to become Garnet.
5,750 years in the past, the Gem Homeworld is in the process of colonizing Earth, but a group of rebels is halting progress. A team of diplomats is sent to Earth to investigate, among them being Sapphire and three Ruby bodyguards. Sapphire reports her vision of the future to Blue Diamond, the leader of the mission: in the upcoming battle, the rebels will defeat seven Gems, including Sapphire herself and two Rubies, but will be captured, ending the rebellion.
The rebels—Rose Quartz (Susan Egan) and Pearl (Deedee Magno Hall)—attack the Sky Arena. The battle proceeds as Sapphire had foreseen, and once two of the Rubies have been defeated, Sapphire thanks the remaining Ruby for her efforts and prepares for the inevitable. Ruby refuses to accept this outcome and leaps towards Sapphire, saving her but unintentionally fusing with her and forming Garnet for the first time. The crowd of diplomats stares in surprise and disgust at the confused Garnet, and Rose and Pearl flee during the distraction.
Garnet immediately unfuses, and Ruby takes the blame for the failure of Sapphire's prediction and the illicit fusion. Blue Diamond sentences Ruby to be shattered, but Sapphire grabs her and escapes, jumping down to Earth's surface. On the ground, Ruby and Sapphire find shelter and discuss their feelings about the unexpected fusion. Over a montage of the two of them exploring Earth and getting to know each other better, they sing the song "Something Entirely New", trying to understand what it means to have become Garnet. They end with a fusion dance, fusing into Garnet once more.
Having difficulty getting used to her body, Garnet tumbles down a hill into Pearl and Rose. Rose welcomes Garnet and encourages her to talk about how she feels. Garnet peppers Rose with questions about Ruby, Sapphire, and their fusion, but Rose tells Garnet that she already is "the answer" she seeks to all her questions.
In the present, as Garnet finishes her story, Steven asks her what the answer was. She tells him: "love".
Credits
Adapted from Wikipedia contributors, The Answer (Steven Universe). Paragraphs and formatting adjusted; illustrations, reference markers, block quotations and non-story material omitted.