How does one think that Pearl reacted negatively to Stevonnie when they first appeared? She was more surprised with Steven fusing with another human.
I feel as though the asker felt asking them to unfuse was a sign she wasn’t comfortable with their fusing, or that she wasn’t being as supportive as Garnet was. And I’d say relative to how Garnet was, Pearl would be seen as espousing a more negative view.
It’s just, when Pearl is surprised or caught off-guard or upset, she tends to revert to what is familiar.
The entire “I WORE PANTS!” scene in Last One Out of Beach City was a nod to how when things were going wrong or were just being unpredictable, Pearl would rather perform a soft reset than jump into it.
Part of her character espouses a conservativeness; that’s why her joining the Rebellion is something she always brings up when being told she’s boring. It’s a big step for her, just like how LOOOBC was. So, just following a pattern in the show, Pearl’s big moments are marked by moments of uncertainty. We see it in Sworn to the Sword as well. She’s very surprised by seeing Steven there and it causes the smooth narrative in her head of how hers and Connie’s lives would play out to skip and she has trouble regaining her bearings, instead exploding.
In later episodes like Mr. Greg, it’s the same thing. When Greg didn’t shout or quip back after hearing “It’s Over,” Pearl was at a complete loss, and she wanted to default to the uneasy silent relationship they had prior to going on the trip.
But it’s not just when Pearl is a little shaken up that we see her grow the most. It’s when, after being shaken, she chooses to continue and face it. Then we see her grow and try to be a better version of herself.