It was directed by Kat Morris, Alonso Ramirez Ramos and Liz Artinian and written and storyboarded by Lamar Abrams and Miki Brewster.

During training, she makes him climb a mountain while carrying boulders and then try to shatter them, sleep outside, run very fast, and pick up fish directly in a pond.

Distressed, Steven, now back to normal, quickly returns home and goes into the bathroom, ignoring the concerned Crystal Gems.

[1] The episode was favorably received by critics, who praised Zach Callison’s voice performance and the darkness of Steven's transformation from a happy-go-lucky kid to the scarily powerful being.

Shamus Kelly of Den of Geek praised the episode's darkness and Steven's arc leading him to a full breakdown.