From what you said about Peridot in Back To The Kindergarten, could this mean that Lapis is like the Kindergarten, being a wasteland that cannot be healed or fixed and there is nothing Peridot or Steven can do to help her at all or only in that moment?

(Referring to this post)

Hi there! I’d say that’s a bit of an extreme conclusion. The main point of the post was that things just couldn’t go back to exactly the way they were or be the way we want them to be Because as careful as we are about how we handle our actions, there is always a bigger situation and context we can’t control.

Lapis is like the Kindergarten. She’s had experiences that have made it difficult for her to trust people easily, and immediately go on the defensive and avoid getting tangled up in more conflict to survive. In the same way the Kindergarten has been drained of its minerals, Lapis is tired. She’s tired of fighting, tired of running, tired of always feeling unsafe.

She took really well to farm life because it was consistent and quiet. In that environment and on her own terms, she was able to develop her relationships, enough that by her next flight, she was willing to take Peridot, Pumpkin, and the barn with her. This is the same Peridot whom she hated at first. That sense of relationship, or even just plain attachment to other individuals and the memories they made with her, even after a bad start, would have been much more difficult for the Lapis we saw in Ocean Gem.

The Kindergarten can never go back to the green, earthy space that it was before the Gems arrived. The same minerals that allow for organic life to thrive were absorbed by the gems who were growing there. It does not mean that nothing good can ever happen in the Kindergarten. It could be repurposed in so many ways. One personal headcanon of mine is that eventually, the Kindergarten becomes a new place to live, filled with life that was largely absent from it. Though at present, it cannot be considered a place where things are born, it can still serve other purposes and be other things, when its context is taken into account.

In short, things change and we can’t expect them to be the same as they used to be, but it doesn’t mean they lose all potential to change again.

poetofthepiano

talkoverfrenchfries asked:

Hello again. I know I already asked some questions but I don't know how many times you're okay with a single person asking you stuff. Sure you do this for a lot of people but still. So I have some more questions obviously and I'll get to it. I've been reading your posts about Emerald and Lars. You said you didn't like the idea of someone changing for the better just because of a single person they become close to. Also, I think you said in posts about Jasper that she needed to like herself (con)

chibiluci24 said: before others could like her. Though I’m not exactly sure and I couldn’t find after several minutes of searching posts about Jasper. So do you think it’s better if someone started to change because of a single person then it expands from there? I think that’s what happened when Peridot and Lapis started to change. You’d probably disagree with the word ‘change’ but I don’t know a better word. It’s just that I personally thought that, when you don’t like yourself, you need someone who likes you

Hi there! I don’t mind receiving asks at all. Now that I think of it, it’s more a matter of “how long you’re willing to wait for me to get to it” :))

I think it’s the way I worded it that makes it kind hard to accept when taken literally. I tend to shorten statements for brevity when I double down on what I’m writing because I have a tendency to go into really long sentences. To “change for one person,” refers to one’s taking on certain traits or behaviours only for the approval of someone else. In that regard, when the stimuli of the other person’s affirmation is taken away, the new behaviours, however good, cease as well. The concept of peer pressure means that it applies to a larger group too, although I’m certain that isn’t what you’re trying to say.

In the case of Jasper in particular, I was talking about how she needed to value herself for who she was, and not the Perfect Quartz everyone wanted her to be. Because people did like her and reward her when she acted consistently with that image. She’s much more than that, though; in the same way we’re all much more than how anyone can try to describe us.

There’s a difference between this and growing with someone, and changing with someone. If someone inspires you to be better and do better, because when you see them, you also see that you could be more than what you are now, then it’s very different. In this case, the initiative comes from yourself. At the same time, the person, who motivates the change, isn’t a static figure either, but listens and grows as well.

In metaphor, self-improvement shouldn’t just be answering a test and submitting it to a teacher for evaluation. It’s about learning the most relevant information from the class and making that knowledge your own by applying it to your life. A relationship between two people that inspires personal growth and change is wonderful if it’s not motivated by the fear that not changing or not changing in a particular way will lead to the loss of the relationship.

A good recent example for me, would be Sadie’s decision to quit her day job for singing in Sadie Killer. While her friends played a large role in motivating her, ultimately no one forced her to do what she did. Steven and the Cool Kids were always understanding about her missing out on practice and even performing. It was her own evaluation of the situation that led her to believe it would be better for her to tour with them instead of work at the Big Donut.

I hope this clarifies things!

#steven universe #su #lars #emerald #jasper #change #personal growth #self improvement #relationships #sadie miller #sadie killer #lars barriga #steven #ask #affirmation #cool kids

poetofthepiano

Personal Thoughts on Death

Just a personal thought on the ending of Off Colors: When I look at this scene, Rose’s affinity for Lions comes to mind. Because the concept of death looks so different for gems, and because at one point Rose might not have known what her powers could do for organic creatures, she might have tried bringing him back the way she would a cracked gemstone.

Her surprise at his transformation would have also made her conflicted about ever doing it again. I think there’s a reason we don’t see a lot of pink-coloured human beings and animals walking around Beach City and other parts of the world.

Rose may have thought that part of what made life precious was death. I’ll say now that it’s a personal viewpoint and that might be tingeing the read on her decision not to have more Lions running around.

The idea that we are finite creatures is beautiful. It gives meaning to the concept of time and the unjustness of taking another’s life. Rose saw Earth and talked about potential and change and growth. Finitude is an incentive for change.

Moreover, that we are finite but able to embody continuity in future generations is, to me, very beautiful. We have the capacity for empathy ingrained within us, by the very nature of our being mortal. Because of it, we have the desire to care about what happens to the people after we die because the legacy of our existence depends on it.

Death is indeed poignant. We grieve; we are in pain when someone else passes. It hurts. But living on in the presence of death in the world is the ultimate show of our adaptability and our capacity to grow as well.

poetofthepiano

Room Analysis: Rose Quartz

Anonymous said: What is the point of Rose Quartz's room? Not as a narrative device, which it functions wonderfully as a reflective and therefore revealing mirror, but in universe, what was its purpose? Why would Rose Quartz have her room be able to form simulations?

I think this is a good question. When we look at the rooms of the gems, they are their rooms in every sense of the word. Not only do the Crystal Gems own these spaces, but as we’ve seen from Barn Mates, all gems want to feel as though they have a space of their own.

What I think is that it isn’t necessarily having a physical space itself that really makes the room compelling. Rather, it’s the idea that in a world that is still foreign, sometimes hostile, and always uncontrollable, a room is a space in which freedom and control can be exercised at the same time.

This is more prominently observed in some Gems’ rooms over others. But it’s a recurring thing that is evident enough to warrant further analysis.

Because the space is so personal, we get to see something of the characters that at times, aren’t even revealed to the characters themselves. With that, let’s kick off this new series with Rose’s room.

1. The Imagery of Pink Clouds

When we look at Rose’s room in particular, it does indeed appear consistent with her character, by the sheer colour scheme alone already tells us how much of Rose’s the room is.

And I think this contrasts with the way the other Gems’ rooms are presented. Characters who maintain a physical presence in the show, like the other Crystal Gems and the Homeworld “defectors” have a more subtle sign that a room is theirs. For instance, Pearl does have the whitish blues in her room, but it could also be mistaken for a room in the Sea Spire without proper context. Amethyst’s room in the temple has piles of purple but the dominant background colours also involve blue. And the Burning Room, which is Garnet’s space, is largely devoid of the colours in her aesthetic. The same can be said for the Barn, Peridot, and Lapis.

On the other hand, Rose doesn’t have her own presence in the show. Her influence in events and the way characters interact is in no part facilitated by present actions. Instead, reminders of her exert a strong influence on the cast. And it would then make sense that each reminder is very prominent and very apparent.

Part of this presentation involves how the clouds are the same pink as her hair, and her gemstone. I would say that thematically, the overtness of colour indicates a reinforcement of Rose’s identity. While the other Gems are more comfortable with the subtlety of their identity being revealed in their space, Rose needed to be reminded of it every time she entered her comfort zone.

Rose went through a lot of changes in her life. From leaving her rank on Homeworld, to initiating the Rebellion, to remaining on Earth, to meeting Greg, to deciding to have Steven, her roles continually changed.

That the other main motif is clouds reinforces this. Clouds are transient. They form through condensation and they dissipate. They are moved around by external forces such as the temperature and wind.

In that, it would make sense that Rose had nothing in her room. It shows that her person was not beyond just letting things go, and letting the forces around her show her what her next step would be.

We know that’s just the surface though. We know that Rose did struggle with the things she did, that she wanted to make things right but really didn’t know how. Rose wanted to be able to let go. And to some extent she was successful. She didn’t rock the boat she was on too much and was able to leave a lot of loose ends untouched. Chief among them was her own friend and comrade.

Nonetheless, she couldn’t completely shut off how she felt about the past. Her many attempts at healing the corrupted gems show that her past did weigh on her. Trying to heal them may have been a way to assuage herself of the guilt, dragging everyone into the war she started.

On their own, the absence of anything in the room may have served the purpose of centring Rose. The quiet of her room may have helped her cope with the clutter in her mind. There were so many things that she didn’t say and didn't try to say.

The room is a sharp break from who she was as a character: Complicated. Even when the weather in the room becomes tumultuous, there is still nothing there. Nothing to get whipped by the wind or tossed around by the draft. But it does show us who Rose wanted to be, or at least what she was trying to become.

2. Projections, Fabrications, and Simulations

poetofthepiano

Anonymous asked:

A thought regarding the nature of Amethyst's weapon, and Bismuth's testimony that a whip is unusual for a quartz: perhaps the whip, along with Amethyst's shapeshifting virtuosity, expresses a flexibility and adaptability discouraged by Homeworld? (Whether the latter is a standard ability of amethysts remains to be seen--I've heard rumors that we're going to be meeting some more, but I'm waiting until the WInter '17 Bomb's legitimate airing.) Hope you're feeling better, by the way.

That’s a good point! In fact, Bismuth’s actual line is “Not every Quartz can make a whip like this,” which implies that other Quartzes can make whips, it’s just, they have fundamental differences from Amethyst’s that a skilled blacksmith can tell just by looking.

And flexibility is a pretty good way to put it. In this post I talked about how Amethyst’s other abilities, weapon aside, are all comparatively more flexible than those of other gems. The spin dash attacks that we see both her and Jasper do several times differ between the two of them.

Amethyst is able to manoeuvre more efficiently at the cost of overall power while Jasper has a lot of raw strength but it’s essentially a linear charge. And when we look at how Amethyst has always felt the need to change herself to adapt to the standards of the senior Crystal Gems and life on Earth, we get to see why flexibility is such an important trait for her. That’s why it’s not a huge surprise that Ame really likes to shape shift.

When pushed very hard though, that versatility makes it difficult for her to pinpoint exactly who she is, which was the conflict central to On The Run, and never fully resolved.

As to whether Homeworld is against adaptability, I would say they’re not openly against it and annihilating gems who happen to be more versatile than are others. But Homeworld implicitly finds comfort in predictability and patterns. They are averse to change, perhaps because they don’t have a lot of extra padding if that change causes them to mess up. Recall that they are in a resource crisis. It’s likely that they’d rather tough it out with systems that might not be as efficient as they could be than change because of the risk of failure.

And it’s interesting that you mention it: There’s also a possibility that gems grown on Earth may, in line with the symbolical implications of Earth, be more adaptable. That everything on Earth supposedly grows and changes and has the opportunity to do so, may mean there’s something in the water, or in this case, soil, that makes it more conducive for gems to want to change things up.

poetofthepiano

Some Thoughts on the Progression of Star’s Character

So before the hiatus ends and SVTFOE resumes on air I just want to talk a little about how I found the first season and a half, particularly where I think Star is going with all of the things she’s learned.

There’s been a lot of speculation that either Star or Marco is going to go evil and what’s cited as evidence is that she used dark magic from the Magic Instruction Book. I think though, rather than going in one direction, the point of Star’s narrative is that she’s allowed to pick and choose who she can be.

That there’s an entire book with different kinds of spells from different members of the Butterfly family means that as succeeding generations receive the book, they are given more options.

1. Star’s character has always been more than one-dimensional

This idea makes more sense when we look at Star as a character and her aesthetic. She dresses in bunny outfits and adorns her room with hearts and stuffed animals, but she wears devil horns and has dinosaur teeth on her shoes. I think what it’s trying to convey is that she’s precisely the type of character who refuses to be boxed in.

What’s more, when we look at the setting of the show, Earth, we see that it’s a planet that, by multi-dimension standards, never plays by the rules.

The other dimensions we’ve seen so far seem to follow very dystopian-like rules. Even Mewni has a highly stratified social structure in which nobles lead rich and opulent lifestyles while peasants are practically starving.

On the other hand, Earth, and the people on it, have continuously baffled characters of other dimensions. Our main characters in particular have done things out of the box, which I think further emphasises this theme. It’s the type of place where a student is the one teaching his sensei how to get a red belt, where ordinary human beings try to match up against monster henchmen who’ve trained for years, and manage to beat them, where things are made to appear so unpredictable that even magical girls are viewed without batting an eye.

2. The importance of Earth

Earth is the kind of place that’s meant to represent choices and change. And I think that’s why it’s the place Star was assigned to “train.”

Everything touched by the influence of Earth, and from what we’re mostly able to see, Marco, changes. And Marco is a very good example. He doesn’t have magical powers; most of the time, he doesn’t even have the context for what’s going on, but he makes a difference where he goes because he is the way he is.

And it’s not to discount the merits of Star’s achievements. In fact, what I’d like to point out about Star is that she’s still finding out who she is in the first place.

She came to Earth very certain of her identity. But it could very well be that within the borders of Mewni, she saw herself an individual. Upon coming to Earth, that’s when she realised there was a lot about herself that she didn’t yet know or settle on.

Take Star at the beginning of the series. Star Comes to Earth opens with Star narrating her own life. And I think this illustrates my point. Back on Mewni, she was “rebellious” and “reckless” and what defined her was training unicorns and fighting monsters. But that might be because the confines of what she was allowed to be was much narrower back on Mewni. Not only because she’s a princess but also because there don’t seem to be a lot of activities on Mewni.

Coming to Earth changes things and also puts things in perspective for her. That’s why Mewnipendence Day was an important episode. For certain it’s never explicitly brought up again, but we do see Star’s change in the way she treats all monsters. Now she’s a little more discerning and a little more willing to ask questions first and shoot later. That’s how she was able to collaborate with Buff Frog and eventually save Marco in Storm the Castle. And it’s nice to know that it wasn’t all pretence in the face of an emergency. That he’s willing to let her babysit and she cares about their well-being in her own way means that her attitude towards monsters has changed.

And like other changes to Star’s character, it’s a subtle one. To consider the ourselves and people we know in real life, people aren’t marked by huge shifts in personality like Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. It happens but not often. Character is built up by small decisions, everyday choices that end up defining who we are. We don’t make sweeping exclamations of “I’ve changed!” daily.

3. Former Queens have set precedents

I do like how it all ties in with the Magic Instruction Book. Each former queen of Mewni has added something subversive, something that was likely previously frowned upon or thought impossible to achieve.

And that gives future generations choices.

This is something that I think happens very early on. Like how Solaria is a clear warrior but her aesthetic is hearts. It’s not conventional, but it paves the way for its being more acceptable for all her descendants.

Dark magic became an option because of Eclipsa, and we don’t have to look very far to see the effect of all of these past queens.

Because Moon, despite seeming like a monolith in comparison to Star, does borrow a little from each and every one of the “Grandmas” we saw in the “Grandma Room” of Into the Wand, while in the end becoming a character of her own.

Moon, like Celena, keeps a lot of secrets, many from Star herself. And Moon has shown she can be a warrior while at the same time maintaining the regal aesthetic she’s chosen, something Solaria set a precedent for. Moon has also used dark magic, we see her use it to fight Toffee. And it didn’t change who she was at her core.

What I’m trying to say is that there doesn’t seem to be a definitive path for Star to follow because that would make her turn into one of her ancestors. And for a show that makes personal growth and identity central themes, rehashing someone from the past just doesn’t seem likely.

What’s more, when we look at the representation of Star’s tapestry, it’s unfinished.

SVTFOE does a lot of foreshadowing, but I feel that the message of this is rather clear. Given the narwhals, hearts, and her dinosaur boot in the tapestry, the person Star is going to be is by and large the same person we see now. She’ll probably be a little more mature, as ever loss and every time she’s run up against a wall helps her realise something she took for granted or underestimated, but she’s not going to fundamentally change.

4. On Star’s “becoming evil”

And that’s an important thing, because I interpreted Page Turner in a very particular way. Star opened up Eclipsa’s section and was unfazed by it. It’s likely because Star already knows darkness. She’s capable of deep jealousy and anger and a lot of dark emotions.

But that’s not all she is. At her core, Star is a good person, and I think too that there’s a difference between being dark and being evil, but that’s something for another post. So once in a while when she’s feeling dark emotions, it might prompt her to use that kind of magic, as in Bon Bon the Birthday Clown. But that doesn’t mean it has no consequences, and that’s something Star is learning.

Narratively speaking, to have an episode like Sleep Over tell us that people can change their minds and hearts as quickly as the wind changes direction and then have the series end by having its main character go down a one-dimensional path just doesn’t seem likely.

Of course, there’s more to see from the show and while that’s how I feel the gist of it will go, the details are what make it worth watching.

poetofthepiano

On Gems and Colour

(i hope it’s ok to ask through submission, because i’d have to split it up into several asks)

I’m not sure it can be called a theory, but i’ve been thinking about how much gems can and cannot influence the color pallet of their pysical forms.

Tbh i don’t remember if you were the one making a post about this, but i remember someone pointing out the fact that there seems to be a difference in color shades and/or intensity depending on the age of the gems. I’ve been looking through your Ruby posts again and you said that in Hit the Diamond it was Leggy’s first mission, so she’s probably the youngest. Leggy is the darkest of the Ruby squad. Then there’s Eyeball who is the oldest (if i remember correctly) and her colors are the most faded. So, this is something they probably don’t have any control over. Then there’s the thing that gems are usually similar colored to their Diamond or share a color in some variation with them. (eg: Peridot – YD, Sapphire – BD, Rose - PD) My theory (kind of) is that Pearls are the only ones (maybe Bismuths too) that can change their colors according to their Diamond (or whoever their respective owner is). Real life pearls do shimmer in all kinds of colors after all. This would explain why our Pearl looks so different from Blue and Yellow Pearl, who stick strictly to the color of their respective Diamond. Could it be that our Pearl changed her color pallet to show that she doesn’t belong to anyone? I think this might be another way to show her struggle of understanding change (as seen in Three gems and a baby) and her willingness to try for Rose. We’ve seen Amethyst change the color of her clothes multiple times, but her color pallet always stays the same. Pearl on the other hand is the only one who uses very different colors. Looking at her everyday outfits from before Steven was born up until now, she seems to move further away from pink everytime, and her current outfit even has quite a lot of yellow in it. She is basically a mix of the colors of Y, B and PD.

So, to conlude, I think Pearls can change their colors more drastically than other gems (and even if all gems can, none do it except Pearls)

Can I get your thoughts on this? Did I miss something here?

Hi there! Of course you can send in submissions, and thank you for your comprehensive submission here :D

If I could summarise your main points, it’s that:

Gems’ colours fade as they age and they can’t control it
Gems’ colours reflect their diamond and faction
Except Pearls, who may be able to control their palette after regeneration

I think these are really interesting ideas! :D

1. Fading Colours

So far our only glimpse at gems of the same type is the Ruby Squad and our own Ruby. And you’re right in pointing out Eyeball has a lighter colours compared to the other Rubies. Leggy is the Newbie and has the darkest, almost purplish coloration. Navy, whom we’re assuming is young as well, has a lighter purple to her, while Doc, Army, and our Ruby have similar colours.

I like this idea because it shows that even if gems don’t physically, there are still signs of their years passed. And you’re right in saying gems can’t seem to control that. When gems regenerate, they maintain their colour palette and can’t change things like the colour of their skin.

I feel this can be broken down into two ideas. First, not all gems of the same type come out exactly the same. There will be little differences. Just like how some of the Rubies are more on the orange-red end of the spectrum while others are on the violet-red of the spectrum.

When we talk about intensity of colour though, that’s interesting too. In fact, Eyeball supports this statement in Bubbled. When she and Steven are careening through an asteroid field, Eyeball is still outside the bubble and she’s running, jumping, and dodging asteroids for her life.

At one point, she gets tired and pants: I think I'm losing my lustre...

Which is said in the context and tone of most people going, “I’m getting too old for this!”

So gems do have a concept of ageing in the form of losing their lustre. And it may be true that after facing a lot of battles or just being exposed to the elements a lot, a gem can have a lot of very small scratches, that make it appear dull, unlike the scratches on a phone screen after a lot of use.

But it’s very subtle, because gems, in reality, don’t actually age. They do feel time passing and the weight of the years on them though, and it would be interesting if it manifests in their physical appearance as well.

2. Reflecting their Factions

This is a topic that I’ve covered on the blog before, but it’s worth discussing again! Gem colours reflect the colour of their factions. It makes sense that in The Answer, Sapphire and the other gems aligned with Blue Diamond are different shades of Blue, even in their silhouettes.

One new thing to bring up is that we see some gems who are a definite mix of two Diamonds’ colours. I will be the first to say that Quartzes come in all colours, and that the gem colours in the show are definitely partly based off the kind of material the gem incubated in.

Nonetheless, it’s interesting that, say, the Kindergarten Control Room and Hand Ship are green, even though they’re areas for Yellow Diamond. That Peridot, the embodiment of technological development under YD’s faction, is green means that there might be room for collaboration between diamond factions in post-war Homeworld, particularly between Yellow and Blue Diamond.

3. Pearls’ Colours

This is something I also agree with! That Pearls cut across factions (gems of any faction seem to be able to own Pearls, who are given as merit awards) means that they might not be made with a particular colour in mind. When we see Pearl in The Answer, her colour is stylised as a light blue-green. And we get hints of that now when she blushes. But you’re absolutely right in saying that she has yellows, greens, and even pinks in her colour palette and these are things that she adds on as she regenerates. There was even a time Pearl had purple leggings in her leg warmers phase.

And it would mean that Pearls may come from the white faction. They’re malleable and sort of start out with a template, much like the White Diamond is a template or the archetypal diamond. As such, they’d be given the ability to change colours more easily than do other gems.

It’s also worth noting that Pearls are created through organic means, so they aren’t like other gems. That could be the key to making them able to change colours.

Submitted by gelbekritzelei

poetofthepiano

Anonymous asked:

one thing that kind of bothered me about jasper's redemption arc is if we'd go through episodes where jasper unlearns homeworld's indoctrination and prejudices, since we already got those with peridot when she bonded with the crystal gems. do you have any ideas for how they could handle it differently?

Something I talked about early in Peridot’s redemption arc, and even now, is the idea that Peridot hasn’t changed who she is. Her number one standard for decisions has always been whether they were logical. Peridot’s values are whether things are rational. Each time she’s brought up a problem or solution, it’s always been in full assessment of all the information available.

1. Peridot holds logic above all else

The thing is, when she was on Homeworld, not all that information was available, for instance, records about Earth that would have led her to come up with the solution she mentioned in Message Received. Homeworld is facing a resource crisis because by nature, gems cannot thrive and reproduce without draining the resources of a planet and leaving an empty shell of Swiss cheese in their wake.

In Message Received, Peridot told Yellow Diamond she had a solution that would allow gems to coexist with organic life. That would have been a complete game-changer.

The reason Peridot even felt the need to call Yellow Diamond in the first place was something she herself said. The gems’ goal was to protect Earth, and from Peridot’s perspective, they were doing a shoddy job of it. The Cluster was a huge threat and technology on the planet was primitive. The most logical thing for someone with no background on the gem war to suggest was that Homeworld work together with Earth but preserve its organic life.

The hard part was how that would come to pass. But Peridot was able to come up with that solution. And she was so certain that the paragon of logic, the Yellow Diamond, would understand exactly what she meant. This means that along the line in her Homeworld life, Peridot knew that logic would be rewarded, the rationality was heard out and respected.

We know from the events of the episode that wasn’t how things went down. While YD did get at what Peridot was saying, she dismissed it. And it wasn’t because Peridot wasn’t logical. It wasn’t because YD was looking down on a Peridot.

“Are you questioning my authority?”“No, I’m questioning your objectivity.”

That exchange about sums up what happened. Peridot realised that YD, the most logical, rational, practical decider or Homeworld wasn’t completely objective. YD had her personal reasons for not wanting anything to do with Earth. Peridot was never “indoctrinated” into believing certain things about her leaders. She lived under their rule and felt the effects of whatever civil and foreign policies they were enacting and enforcing. She felt YD was logical not because she was deluded by propaganda, but because that was how she herself saw things. There is a system. There is a protocol. There is a way of doing things that benefits all of us. And in a way it was a system that was benefitting her. It gave her assistive technology to do things Era 1 Peridots could do. It gave her a log of information that helped her on missions.

2. Peridot wants to learn

Peridot’s reform arc really kicked off in When It Rains, and at the heart of that episode, she was learning.

Because to Peridot, knowledge is power. The more she knew about Earth, the more she could make an informed decision about where she could stay. And as she herself mentioned, if she had to choose between a place in which things were provided for her but she was limited in her mobility, or a place where she could make choices freely, she would choose the latter because she was beginning to live.

In the same way when overcoming prejudice, Peridot was learning about each of the gems. Log Date 7 15 2 is noted as the montage her of reform arc. Throughout that episode, she was picking up bits of information about life on Earth. More importantly, she was trying to learn about others, Garnet in particular.

Back home, the information she had was about the functions, roles, and abilities of each gem. Nothing quite prepares you for the humanising experience of talking to someone else and realising that under the coded data, there is an individual with hopes and aspirations, regrets and a past.

With Garnet especially, Peridot was confused because on Homeworld, gems fused only to fight. So she interpreted Garnet’s permanent fusion as a show of hostility. Only when it was finally explained in a way she understood that Garnet was “Percy and Pierre” that Peridot stopped seeing fusion as solely for combat.

When she faced off against Pearl in the Robo-lympics and lost, she realised that proving oneself with achievement wasn’t the only way she could earn respect.

But here’s the thing. Peridot has always wanted to learn. She still judges people by how much they’re worth, except now her standard for value are a little wider.

3. Jasper’s redemption arc will be about strength and identity

I mentioned before how I believed Jasper’s reform arc will go. It’s due for an update but the gist is the same. The anchor of Jasper’s values is strength. It’s a huge part of her identity. But now that she’s been on Earth, defeated, and corrupted, that identity is called into question.

For both these characters, unlearning prejudice is a product of first reaching them. That means overcoming prejudice is an effect of addressing something else. Like Peridot, Jasper believes that the system on Homeworld rewards gems like her, instead of for logic, it’s for being strong. But now Jasper doesn’t know how to be strong or she doesn’t think she’s as strong as she was.

On Earth, Jasper will make little choices and over time, she’s going to realise those choices make her who she is. She’s going to find herself and then realise that strength is in others too. That’s how she’ll eventually see others as worthy of respect.

#steven universe #su #ask #peridot #jasper #analysis #message received #change #character development #reform arc #logic #rationality #strength #strong #yellow diamond #homeworld #earth #system #prejudice

poetofthepiano

Anonymous asked:

Hi, I hope it's okay to just drop by and say this, it's not a theory or anything but. Andy really hit home for me this ep. My grandma tends to spout a lot of the same kind of racist/derogatory comments, she did it a LOT when I was younger. However, like Andy, at one point she realized she needed to change, or at least, look at her inner values and standings. Pt. 1

Pt.2 She changed, and for the better. However, her beliefs didn’t entirely change, so, sometimes I am still stuck awkwardly insulted and exasperated at once at an odd comment that she doesn’t realize is offensive. But, she is a good person, I admire her a lot she has done SO many good things for herself and others /especially/ after decided to reevaluate herself. It just, felt really nice to not feel bad for loving someone who can seem behind the times or rude because of stagnation

Pt.3 this is mostly to say that I’ve seen a number of Andy bashing posts and I don’t really… Know how to handle it? I know a person who is very precious to me exactly like Andy, but I handle it like the gems and Steven did and it didn’t always work so I wish fandom would give him a chance. His rude comments may not stop completely after this ep, but I don’t have any doubt that he cares for his family or is willing to try at least for their sake. Sorry if this was weird, thank you for reading

Pt.4 This isn’t to say that I’m okay with my grandmother’s views or am not working to change it. But both my grandma and Andy are the same, I can give her my opinion and new facts. But changing their mind (like on gay couples or alien hippies living in your barn) it’s up to them to decide, but it doesn’t necessarily make them a bad person before that change happens. You could just tell that Andy was really overwhelmed and I kind of REALLY felt for him. Sorry that this got off track

Hello! Of course it’s fine to share personal experiences like these. I’m not an SU-analysis robot who only close-reads, I promise. :)

Thank you for sharing your perspective and your experiences, especially if it wasn’t too easy to write out like that.

And I think yours is a nuanced example of what it’s like coming from a family with much older, sometimes conservative members. A lot of the things they do that we find uncomfortable or even offensive sometimes were considered acceptable at the time. And as you’ve said, it’s not to say that it’s right they do these things. Because these days we’re starting to lend an ear and listen to people who’s opinions we didn’t deem important or worth hearing before. That context makes a big difference.

One thing I noted in the analysis was how Andy might also be coming from a place of resisting change, so everything that’s present is alien to him. He’s afraid of everything he’s losing because of changes he can’t control. He’s afraid because he’s not gaining anything so he’s determined to keep what he has and what he’s known. And one thing I tried to consider were my own feelings in my context and why that didn’t sit well with me. So believe me when I say I get where you’re coming from, Anon. I have people I care about who have said a thing or two that I hoped the people outside our home would never hear.

But to engage the “even if,” that even if it were an expression of bigotry, we have to ask ourselves how we want to deal with it. Definitely, it shouldn’t be tolerated. Does that mean calling them dumb and ignorant and backwards? Because in many situations, it’s someone you care about. Someone you love, and you want them to see your side. And I think that’s why it came from Andy and not some random individual. That’s when we do what Steven and the gems did, try to talk to him, try to change his mind not only with words but also by how we live every day.

Believe me when I say there are times that polite conversation turns ugly. There are times when you fight and nothing is resolved. But there are also times when they make little concessions and realise something and change. It is those moments I live for.

Just as Andy had a small change of heart when he saw Steven summon his shield, realising he was a gem too, the people we love have the capacity to change as well. It is often said that prejudice is learned, but that means love can be learned too.

I hope for the best with your and your grandmother and I’d say she’s very lucky to have a grandchild like you. :)

#su spoilers #gem harvest #steven universe #su #andy #uncle andy #steven #family #prejudice #bigotry #experience #thank you for sharing #love #love is learned #change #ask #submission

poetofthepiano

Anonymous asked:

Usually with Lars, I often hear the complaint that he never learns his lesson or becomes any nicer even after episodes like Lars and the Cool Kids, Horror Club, Island Adventure, etc. What is your view on this?

I’ve actually met people who act like Lars, without ever knowing of this character. They complain about everything, are much sweeter on good days (and in private), and find there’s no place that accepts them (only there is but they can’t see it). As a result, they come off as emotionally draining people to be with, especially if you’re one of the people who care about them, as Steven and Sadie have witnessed.

And because they’re usually very preoccupied with what doesn’t work in their lives, it’s difficult for them to change because of external stimuli. I do think though that there is a difference in Lars. Comparing his first appearance with his subsequent appearances, things have changed for the better.

Anonymous said:I wonder if Lars ever looks back at that time when Rose's garden wanted to eat the cool kids, where he blames Steven's mom and then Steven lashed out "what did you know about my mom?! I DIDNT EVEN KNOW MY MOM!" I wonder if Lars ever thinks back and wants to help Steven but is unsure how

I’ll just respond to this ask as well because I find it relevant to the example I’m bringing up. In that episode, Steven outright calls Lars a jerk, doesn't take a moment to wait for his reply and continues on helping the Cool Kids.

Prior to this episode, Lars tried to openly embarrass Steven (Bubble Buddies), and mock Steven’s magical heritage (Gem Glow), among other things. Afterwards though, there is a shift. He still tells Steven that the latter’s presence is still “uncool,” but he goes along with the training in Coach Steven. His insults are less heavy-handed as well.

And perhaps it’s because in season 1, he features in almost every episode, and hasn't had many major roles since, with The New Lars being one of those few instances. He’s still in the background though, and it’s there we can see development. But in Future Boy Zoltron, we see that Lars has changed his attitudes towards Sadie a little as well.

Lars: Sadie, come on! It`s like all you wanna do is work! Let's go watch a movie at your place or something! Nobody will even notice we're gone.

Sadie: Somebody will notice. You know, when they need a donut or something.

Source: SU Wiki

Lars used to be much ruder to Sadie, recall his faking an injury in Joking Victim. There’s a difference now. He’s showing concern masked as his usual laziness. It’s not to say he doesn’t have some more improvement ahead of him, and a lot of introspection. But as a character he’s changing, and we’ve yet to see where it’s going.

#ask #steven universe #su #lars #character #sadie #steven #lars and the cool kids #joking victim #coach steven #gem glow #development #change

poetofthepiano

New Steven Universe Song at NYCC

Sung by Rebecca Sugar and Tom Scharpling at New York Comic Con.

www.youtube.com

I’m really late to the party, but I really wanted to give my two-cents on the latest song Rebecca Sugar and Tom Scharpling sang at NYCC. (It’s the same song that Cartoon Network’s Tumblr uploaded a few weeks ago)

@peri-space-dorito said: What do you think of the new SU song Rebecca sang that CN’s Tumblr uploaded?

Lyrics: “I could never be, I could never be, I could never be ready for this. I could never be, I could never be, I could never be ready. Things start and things end, and isn’t it lovely in theory? But-- I could never be, I could never be, I could never be ready.”

Given the lyrics, the singer, Greg, is talking about an event that’s been planned for a while now, and yet, nothing could really fully prepare him for it. The line that stands out is the third: Things start and things end. I find this line very interesting because something new is coming but something else is simultaneously ending.

It’s a song about Greg’s coming to terms with fatherhood. He’s going to gain a son but lose Rose. And there are many reasons he’s not ready. In theory, raising a son boils down to a series of actions that add up as “parenting,” but when do you be stern? When do you let your child have his way? How do you begin explaining the concept of alien space gems? How to you talk about a mother’s passing to her son? How does one raise a child from a sentient lump of flesh to someone who knows his own name, can talk, walk, and function independently and then have him be a great person with a good heart? It’s an amazing thing.

At the same time, Greg knows Rose is never coming back. He knows that this is her choice as much as it was his but she’s never going to get to enjoy having a son the way he is. Poetically speaking, it’s beautiful. Something starts and something ends. But that’s looking at it from a detached, almost spectator’s perspective. Actually feeling the collision of contradictory emotions is something else entirely. that’s precisely what Greg is going through. The joy of welcoming Steven and the sorrow of losing Rose are crashing together. And Greg knew for a long time it was happening, but nothing could prepare him for how it actually would be.

What I find significant too, is that Rebecca is singing with Tom. This implies a second singer, Rose. Rose had planned Steven, made the science happened, and now it was all coming to fruition. More than anyone, she should be physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared for all that was to come, but at the precipice, she realises she isn’t, that there was no real way to completely prepare herself for this.

And I like that this song answers the question, “Did Rose just completely give herself to bringing Steven to the world, without a second thought at her own future?” No. It humanises Rose so much that she had, not necessarily regrets, but fears. And it shows how it wasn’t just Rose calling the shots in the relationship. They were doing this together, feeling uncertain together, and that togetherness gave them the strength to push forward into the unknown.

That’s beautiful too.

poetofthepiano

Anonymous asked:

I am reading your post about fusions and it just came to mind the having Steven around made Pearl and Amethyst change more than probably thousands of years could ever have. I think it also had an effect on Garnet but I see it less on her I think. Peridot changed too. I wonder if it's because of his human size or something that's just part or Steven's personality. And thinking back on The Answer, I wonder if Rose had that too or not

That’s an interesting thought. Steven does seem to have an effect on people (though I’d say he still had a substantial effect on Garnet, as much as anyone else). But I think to compare Steven and Rose in that regard, we have to first qualify what “that regard” is. What exactly the effect we’re talking about is.

In sum, we’re seeing Steven foster better communication. And that’s something I think is causing the changes in relationships. Drawing from a recent episode, Mr. Greg, we see that Greg and Pearl have had years of animosity and later, awkwardness. The reason for that is simply that they thought they hated one another; they thought they still blamed one another for Rose’s passing after all this time, when in reality that was never the case.

In earlier episodes, we see this too. Amethyst and Pearl in Secret Team, and Amethyst in Tiger Millionaire, clearly felt that they were being held up to a higher standard by Garnet, and even the Crystal Gem name. The pressure was causing them to sometimes recklessly blow off steam or explore their identities and the fear caused them to do those things surreptitiously. And it turns out that those issues could have been resolved by talking things out and understanding one another. Each and every time. Even problems as big as the Cluster were put to rest by talking about it.

Steven is the first to ask questions like, “Does she even know that this is happening to you?” (Kiki’s Pizza Delivery Service) or “Does he even know that he’s making you sad?” (Future Boy Zoltron), because sometimes we assume feelings are personal. They aren’t. How we feel relates to and is a response to our interactions and relationships with others. That’s something that Steven emphasises in his problem-solving.

Rose on the other hand had a lot of barriers when it came to communicating. That was largely a product of her context and her past. She did have an “Effect” on people though. She got them to feel like they could be individuals. She inspired them to break out of the mould. Pearl, Bismuth, Garnet, Amethyst. We saw how Rose convinced them they could be more than what they thought they were. These are very individual things. And that’s good. Because you need to have an individual, a self, an identity, before you can begin to meaningfully interact with others.

In that regard, Rose seems to have laid the foundation for Steven. Because the next step after finding yourself would be to engage others. I don’t think it would have been possible without the work she’s done, but as we’ve seen in the show, it’s not enough on its own.

#steven universe #su #communication #steven #rose #rose quartz #kiki's pizza delivery service #future boy zoltron #mr. greg #greg #pearl #amethyst #garnet #secret team #tiger millionaire #ask #change #development

poetofthepiano

Anonymous asked:

1) You know, one of the things I've noticed next to no one talking about is how abuse victims themselves do the whole 'I can change' thing Jasper did. I'm not saying the abuse in her situation wasn't mutual, but her reaction just reminded me of some things that my abusive ex tried to do to me. I have an anxiety disorder/depression/ptsd (diagnosed now), and my ex turned to me when I was low and sad and desperately needed someone and told me to call him when I got my head examined.

Anonymous said:2) And he was always trying to get me to change into the person he wanted. He basically wanted me to go and just come back when I was a complete sex goddess who always smiled and was never ever sad and dressed the way he wanted rather than how I wanted and who liked everything he did. I just hate how this fandom seems to think that 'I can change' is a sign of an evil abusive ex because it isn't always so. A lot of the time, the victim thinks they have to change, too. Just like Jasper.

Thank you for sharing this. To me, there is no one, defining experience of abuse, and your story shows that. It happens differently for different people in different relationships. Its effects manifest in different ways as well. But I do hope that the themes brought out by the show, the general emotions, and character dynamics help people identify how a relationship like that might feel, suffocating, depressing, hurtful even. And that it makes it easier to recognise what’s happening. So thanks.

#ask #steven universe #su #alone at sea #abuse #abusive relationship #jasper #lapis #experience #change

poetofthepiano

Some Thoughts on the future of Jasper and her relationship with Lapis

Anonymous said: Thanks so much for your alone at sea analysis. I'm sick and tired of people trying to reframe the Lapis/Jasper dynamic in favor of one side and then demonising the other. It's a huge mess with a lot of grey areas.

Because I sort of left after I posted the Interaction Update between Jasper and Lapis, I got a lot of related asks I wasn’t able to answer, so I’ll answer them in this post. To all the kind words offered in these asks, I want to extend a deep thank you for stretching past the conventional abuse narrative. It’s not easy because it’s so entrenched in society, but people who have been through abuse will say that the conventional narrative isn’t the whole story, and it may even be the wrong story, or harmful to those involved.

In my analysis, I noted that the episode seemed to be a step forward for Lapis’ character arc, but not Jaspers, and I think that’s the reason majority of these asks, if not all of them, pertain to Jasper.

With that said, I’d like to answer these asks together, sort of to close the main discussion on this, but I’d be open to future asks as well and write as the episodes show more information.

I’d like to stress that Jasper and Lapis are unique characters. In the context of my analyses and theories, I look to them as individuals based on the story we have. Not all abusive relationships end with both parties changing and having a healthy relationship. There is reason to believe though, that theirs could be one of these instances.

1. On character

@robinasnyder said: You mentioned in your alone on the ocean meta that jasper is like pearl. The show seems to bring up themes multiple times. Pearl lied so she could be part of sardonyx again to feel strong. Do you think this was partly prep for Jasper's arc?

When I talked about the parallels between Jasper and Pearl, one of the big things I had in mind was indeed the events in Cry for Help. We have two individuals who present the war as some of the best moments in their lives, when we keep getting hints that it wasn’t.

Pearl appears to suffer from post-traumatic stress. When the robonoids appeared on Earth and we saw Peridot for the first time, Pearl visibly breaks down and says things to the effect of, “Not again, I can’t do this again!” It contrasts sharply with the Pearl who talks about the war as a huge victory for the gems, where everyone fought valiantly and there’s no mention of casualties.

And I’ve covered before that this comes from Pearl equating her worth to these abilities, these moments of “proving herself.” It comes from a long history of being socialised to think you’re worth nothing, that you’re just an object. That thinking, that she has to justify and prove why she deserves to be treated like an individual worthy of respect, is more damaging than she lets on.

Jasper is much the same. She talks about the war, about how she was there. And she brings up how badly she wanted to challenge Rose Quartz. But when Steven actually brings out Rose’s shield, Jasper is not only shocked but a little scared. She panics on the inside to the point that when Sapphire sings on the ship, Jasper, who has up until now used ship lasers and the destabiliser, all distanced weapons, just punches the wall because she can’t think straight.

And now Jasper has felt strength through fusing with Lapis. For someone who knows she’s not as strong as she wants to be, this is a huge deal. Lapis didn’t know it would have this effect on Jasper. But a while after they fused, she probably got the idea. Jasper needs to feel that strength again, and it’s so indicative of someone who’s been rendered powerless in a critical situation, who feels she has no agency to make calls or decisions.

I’m willing to bet those incidents were centred around the war. Because continuing off the Pearl parallel, Jasper would have been much younger then. She would see people she looked up to and cared about die or disappear. And she wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it, she wanted to be stronger.

War hurts everybody; that’s something SU drives home very hard.

Also, I do think that the concept of strength is definitely a theme in SU.

What is strength? Is it being able to lift up chunks of the ocean at will? Is it being able to fly? Is it being huge? The show tells us time and time again that those things are not the answer.

Physical strength, aggression, violence, those don’t make you strong. They cripple you because they prevent you from seeing a more peaceful solution. They are solutions that inherently cause pain and harm. You can’t use a fist as your solution without hurting someone in the process, even if it’s a deterrent. And I think that’s some very interesting logic there. Weapons, even if they aren’t being used, do cause psychological changes. They make you think that this is the only solution, an already escalated response.

In countries like England, law enforcement officers don’t have guns. They specifically train their officers to talk to people, and talk them down from whatever they’re about to do. Sometimes, seeing someone approach you with a weapon is already enough to make you uneasy, and that puts you on the defensive.

So strength is something that is more than just these abilities. Pearl sings about being strong in the real way, but the fact that she was comparing herself to the men in Rose’s life in “It’s Over” based on abilities, means that she’s not completely sold on the idea herself. It’s very much this way for Jasper.

To answer the last bit of your question, I would say that these are deliberate moves. I don’t think they’re here for us to draw clean-cut parallels, because SU emphasises individuality and choice. But I would say that when you see someone you really care about, someone already humanised to you, like Pearl, and see her plight and insecurity projected in someone foreign, scary, and different, that person is humanised in your eyes. And as I mentioned in my Mr. Greg analysis, once you see that part of them, it can’t be unseen.

2. On redemption

Anonymous said: So you think Jasper can be on a step toward healing if she were to wash up on a shore somewhere and spend time with those island/city inhabitants? Learning things from humans, seeing all types of relationships?

Anonymous said: Do you think after they've both done their healing, realizing their worth, that Jasper and Lapis can even be friends? Or jasper joining the team is even a possibility?

Anonymous said: do you think there's still a chance for jasper to get a redemption arc or has that ship set sail?

In the past, I’ve made known that I do believe Jasper can have a reform arc of her own. Now that we actually know what personal issues she’s facing, I believe this more strongly than I did before.

The thing about Jasper, though, is that it’s more than just being able to observe healthy relationships. She’s not a blank slate. In particular, she has a particular code she adheres to, her own standards. She’s already been socialised to think that strength is this or that other people are this or that relationships are this. And these preconceptions will take an active engagement to dispel.

Strength to her, is sheer ability, be it physical, or being able to fly. Other people must serve a particular purpose, and their worth is determined by that purpose. Relationships are based on utility.

If these sound familiar, it’s because it’s very reminiscent Homeworld doctrine. On one end of the spectrum, you could be someone like Peridot, who just follows orders and does her job and hold these values insidiously. Or you could be like Jasper who touts these beliefs and disagrees with anyone who thinks otherwise.