lapis does have a diamond I thought? it's just split up bc she's wearing a crop top and a skirt instead of a continuous piece of clothing :O like, the dark blue upside-down triangle at the top of her skirt is the bottom half of the diamond (this is how I've always seen it at least!) (I also seem to remember her talking abt blue diamond at some point but I could be totally wrong)
HELLO I AM HERE AND I AM EXCITED I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE MENTIONED THIS YET BUT THIS EPISODE KIND OF BLOWS THE THEORY THAT DIAMONDS ARE FUSIONS RIGHT OUT OF THE WATER ALSO THAT LEAVES ME WITH THE QUESTION OF WHY BISMUTH IS BUBBLED IN LION AND NOT WITH THE OTHER GEMS IN THE BASEMENT OKAY I'LL CALM DOWN NOW
This isn't related to the most recent episode, but the backstory we've been getting in general. It seems to me that Gem society highly values form following function, which makes sense for shapeshifters. Servants are small, warriors are bulky, powerful warriors are BIG and bulky, the Diamonds we've seen (Yellow Diamond from opening, Blue Diamond from The Answer) SEEM to be balanced and graceful, as befits leaders who probably delegate a lot, etc. So Pearl being skinny to the point of absurdity actually makes a lot of sense... because it makes Pearls look graceful, but weak and delicate, which befits ornaments.
OH ALSO. Lapis Lazuli was in the episode! Shown as a background character in the same solid-color treatment, so I can't be sure, but the shape, gem shape, gem placement, and color is all spot on. I'm interested in the fact that she was standing near but apart from some gems with similar shades and teardrop gem shapes. If they were all Lazulis, it would confirm that some gem types are allowed to diversify more. But it's also interesting to get confirmation she was in Blue Diamond's court!
I love love love that Pearl was "terrifying" to Homeworld. Because a society that has a slave caste rarely fears anything more strongly than it does them. Also, this was like every fluff-fic trope ever. The bodyguardshipping. The sheltering in a cave together. The "o-oh, that was your first time? I'm sorry, I didn't know" "DON'T BE, IT WAS GREAT" "I've done it lots but this was different" conversation. I was giggling and flailing in happiness pretty much the entire time. Also also, my friend had some thoughts on Rose's political/strategic thinking in this episode!
@BPD anon I've also seen the theory that the big triangle in the Homeworld symbol represents a fusion of all three Diamonds. That wouldn't explain the circle though.
@BPD anon I read that mark on her clothing as a diamond, but if she WAS in Blue Diamond's court... hmm. It's a diamond, but it's split, and Gem forms follow mental state. Maybe she's not too happy with Blue Diamond either?
Gayest and Deepest Lore, my fave. I think the darkness is kinda tempered by the fact that poofing gems doesn't cause them any permanent damage, though.
This is true, but it still seems an odd thing to do with that degree of enjoyment--especially since it leaves gems incredibly vulnerable to being broken.
ONE LAST THING. We've seen that Garnet's power of foresight - and thus, logically, Sapphire's - rely on her OWN choices. Or the choices of the person using the power. That might actually explain Sapphire's attitude. Everything she saw was inevitable - if SHE remained passive and only made certain choices. This gave her a sense of security, but also made the bad things inescapable. But maybe, also, she'd been using her power that way for so long - to get accurate results for others? To keep herself from being overwhelmed by potential futures? - that maybe it just... got really easy to be more passive?
That's pretty interesting, and probably true! I also think it's worth noting that Sapphire (and Garnet, by extension) sees all the potential futures for a thing, even if there's a very low chance of them happening. In Future Vision, for instance, Garnet mentions seeing one potential future where Lars gives Steven a high-five, and two where Steven ends up doused in hot coffee--both futures were possible, but the latter was twice as likely. And if I had a power along those lines, I think I'd probably discard really improbable potential futures as not worth thinking about. Realistically, what happened with Ruby would have been an extremely unlikely outcome. She might've seen it as a potential future, but viewed it as so absurd and improbable that it wasn't even worth paying any mind. I actually think Sapphire and Garnet's future vision is a really interesting play on the precognition thing, and it's the kind of thing I'd love to see explored further. (And to see a lot of meta about. :3)
As a slightly related aside, pure rubies are also fairly rare; they've basically all been mined out now. But lab created rubies (and, in fact, quartz) are a thing. Consider also cultured versus natural pearls. what is bismuth's deal, man, i really wanna know resident lapis player steps in - Consider her line from Ocean Gem - "But I never believed in this place." That "but" creates an implication that there's some reason to think that Lapis WOULD be on the side of Earth - which in itself would imply a break with Blue Diamond/homeworld. Alternatively, Blue Diamond may be dead. It's certainly interesting that she was in charge of Earth during the time leading up to the war, but it's Yellow Diamond in charge of affairs now. Logically, you'd think that if Blue Diamond was still around, it would be her people investigating this problem popping up again, not Yellow's. And we know that Rose and company did win the war and drive off the Homeworlders - successfully killing the Diamond leading them would probably be plenty to make Homeworld think twice about the whole idea. In that case, the split diamond could be a gesture of respect for the fallen. Alternatively alternatively, BD's court seems more elegant and refined, and Sapphire was noted to have been sent on a diplomatic mission. YD's people all seem really militaristic in design. Could be I'm reading too much into it and they have a simple division of duties.
OKAY SO I'M LATE TO THE GAME BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE SU ON ANY TV CHANNEL OR ANYTHING BUT OMG OMG OMG - I totally called it that either Ruby or Sapphire or both would be high ranked! IRL Gem value = SU Gem rank seems to be a slight crapshoot, but they do make up half of the Four Precious Stones, with emerald and diamond being the other two (we haven't seen any Emeralds yet, right?) (Apropos of nothing, I just remembered something interesting about the word Sapphire - the original word in ancient greek could refer to Lapis Lazuli, as well. Maybe there's a connection?) - Like others, I burst into tears when Sapphire started humming her 'love' refrain. Much hand-flapping and squealing as well :D (Who else had to immediately go listen to Stronger Than You again once the episode had ended? XDD) -And I am so STOKED that we just had an adorable love story like that and no great deal was made of the fact they're both female-identifying. Lastly, is it just me or did our Pearl seem... uh, even more intense than usual? Maybe it was seeing Blue Diamond's Pearl and remembering what she had once been. (I have so many feels about poor Pearl and the fact she might have literally been MADE to be devoted to Rose... urgh I don't even.) -rambleramble-
Spoiler: Rose theories If she was a standard quartz before the rebellion (as opposed to Pink Diamond), then it'd make sense for her to have a kind of warrior caste taking-pride-in-the-battle attitude. I'm starting to lean towards that theory more and more lately - we've seen two diamonds, and both of them seem to be much larger in scale than Rose. Physique-wise, she also has a much more sturdy "brawler" build, along the same line as the other quartz-types we've seen.
I'm reminded of the whole honor's paradox thing from the kencyrath series. If Pearl was made to be devoted to Rose, then it's proof that she's doing what she's meant to if she sticks with Rose above all else. But since Rose is a traitor to their society, this only makes her a traitor, too....but wouldn't she be seen as 'defective' or whatever even if she had abandoned Rose to stay with the gem society? I doubt that any gem would want a Pearl that had abandoned the gem she was made for. Hmm. @Morven i don't think you watch Steven Universe but do you have any thoughts on this?
I wonder, Pearl has been compared to both Knights and Samurai, both of which are warriors who have completely devoted themselves to their lord. This is only natural for her, because Pearls are most likely programmed for loyalty and obedience to their master since they are a slave caste. Pearl is obviously distraught over the loss of Rose, even with Steven around. So what would have happened to her if Rose just...died? What happens to any of the Pearls if their master dies? Do they commit gem seppuku or something? Because I don't think any sentient being would react well to their entire reason for existence shattering.
i say it is fairly obvious that sapphire ought to be a seer of some kind, potetially space, though i wouldn't ping her as such but what if ruby as a knight of space bc she a space rock knight
I WAS WONDERING ABOUT THAT. I literally just said 'what happens when you're a knight of space.' Sapphire is... seer of time?
