While Steven (Zach Callison), Garnet (Estelle), Amethyst (Michaela Dietz) and Pearl (Deedee Magno Hall) are watching the fictional Japanese movie Lonely Blade, Pearl critiques the film's sword fighting techniques and offers to give Steven a proper demonstration.

Although Steven is distraught, Garnet and Amethyst assure him that Pearl has simply retreated into her gem and will return, projecting a new body, once she has healed.

[5] In addition, several promotional pieces were published by him, Rebecca Sugar and color stylist Tiffany Ford, encouraging followers to watch.

[10][11] Gergo Vas from Kotaku observed various video game references during Pearl's lecture on swordfighting, including Pokémon, Final Fantasy VII, Gitaroo Man and Sonic the Hedgehog.

In addition, he identified an homage to Revolutionary Girl Utena upon looking at GIFs of Pearl's sword-fighting scene with her hologram clone.

[14] Beltran highlighted elements of horror in the episode, noting it to come "in small spurts toward the end", while writing about the "eerie tone of the rainy night matched with the sword-wielding psychopath hologram.

She concluded her review stating that while "not much for characterization," Amethyst and Garnet's acts of "sitcom comedy" were "the source of laughter this time around" for the series.

Finally, he contrasted Steven's childishness and refusal to completely learn lessons to Adventure Time and Regular Show, where the protagonists of each have taken steps toward maturity.