I swear to gay god, Steven Universe will be the death of me. Reunited, while it had me extremely proud, it also got me thinking about how incredibly awesome Garnet really is. She is not only one of the best well-developed characters in the show, but also has cemented herself as a staple in LGBT representation. And because of that, you know what? She deserves her own damn video.
To do that, I'll be taking a look at the whole series, so there will definitely be spoilers ahead. Let's take a look at why Garnet is the most important character in Steven Universe. You know, besides Steven of course.
Believe in Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, and Steven! We can't talk about Garnet and her place in this cartoon without talking about the themes of Steven Universe. The most central theme of this show is relationships.
How people treat each other, how a person is seen by their peers, and how they see themselves in the eyes of everyone else. It is so much about those connections that relationships have a literal, physical manifestation in the form of fusion. In order for two gems to fuse, they have to synchronize their bodies, their minds, and emotions, and we usually see this in the form of a dance.
Combining your whole self with someone else is something that's based on trust, and therefore is an intimate experience. If gems are not in sync, they will fall apart. That is why Alexandrite is so unstable. There are four very different minds trying to come together, so it's extremely difficult to harmonize in an efficient way.
That reflects relationships in real life. The more people you have working together, the harder it is to come to a full consensus. And just like there are all different types of relationships, there are different types of fusions. Depending on the type of relationship that's making the gems come together determines the undertone of the fusion. There are fusions based on working relationships, there are those based on friendship, there are fusions based on romantic and even sexual aspects as well.
We all can see that, right? On numerous occasions, we have the gems flirting, and also Pearl covers Steven's eyes like a parent shielding their kid from a sex scene in a movie before the little purple person jumps into a giant black woman's vagina. Please don't at me on this.
Paralleling real-life relationships, there are toxic fusions as well. We have been shown two ways so far how fusion can be forced upon another gem. There's artificial fusion, an outside component putting two or a- billion gems together without their knowledge or consent. which we've seen in the form of the Cluster and these little walking nightmares. The other version of forceful fusion comes in the form of deception, where one of the parties involved is tricked into fusion while the other benefits from it.
And we've seen that with Sardonyx at least at first and Malachite. Both Pearl and Emo Smurfette both decide to deceive Garnet and Jasper as to their intentions before fusing with them. Garnet believed they were fusing to stop Peridot from being able to communicate with Homeworld, and Jasper asked Lapis to fuse with her to beat the Crystal Gems.
While those were not the real intentions at all, at all. Pearl's faking peridot was putting them in danger and Lapis wanted to chain Jasper at the bottom of the ocean because she's an edgelord. Because fusions represent relationships, these deceptions can be seen as abuse, whether it's emotional, physical, mental, or yes, even sexual.
If it wasn't that severe, Jasper wouldn't have had Stockholm Syndrome after being chained against her will and then punched in the face off the side of a boat. Can Jasper please have a redemption arc? If Lapis can, Jasper definitely can have it. have one too.
In all seriousness, Rebecca Sugar has created a way to talk about the complexities of relationships in a way that children can understand, and giving kids a way to recognize that they should be treated with respect is an incredible thing to have on a children's program. It can help them grow up with these tools to treat people with value and like decent human beings. With those dark aspects of relationships present, it's important to have at least one in the show that people can point to as an example of what a good healthy relationship is, and Garnet is the pinnacle of a good healthy relationship.
Let's go back in her timeline and take a look at her journey on how she became just that. So does this mean we're going back to the beginning? Oh no, no, we're going way back to before the beginning. Garnet is the fusion of the two little lesbian space rocks Ruby and Sapphire.
From the first time they fuse, their minds are already synchronized within seconds, which is rare. We've seen no other gems be able to do this, which means they're on a whole nother level when it comes to their communication and ability to understand each other. Albeit it only happens for a second, and then they unfuse because of the disgust and discrimination from the other homeworld gems. Otherwise it seems they could have stayed that way, and that's proven to be true when they both decide that they would like to fuse again.
After getting to know, love, and respect each other on Earth, they were able to stay Garnet for thousands of years. Garnet explains how it is to be herself for such a long time. You forget you were ever alone. You know when you fuse, you don't feel like two people.
You feel like one being. And your old names might as well be names for your left arm and your right. When you split up, is it like you disappear?
I embody my, I mean, Ruby and Sapphire's love. I'll always exist in them, even if I split apart. But the strength of that love keeps me together, so I can stay garnet for a very long time. Ruby and Sapphire coming together does make them physically strong, but more important, it makes them emotionally and mentally stronger as well. When they become Garnet, it's as if they're seeing the best in each other, and that translates into how Garnet feels about herself.
Garnet loves herself. She knows she's fine as hell and can snatch any wig she wants. Hell, she even snatches her own, that's how awesome she is.
And it's not in a narcissistic way, but in a way that gives you the confidence to be who you are and like what you stand for. With this security and her self-worth, it's easy for Garnet to want to spread positivity and want people to be as happy as she is. so much so that she tries to give people the chance to look at themselves in a more positive way. On multiple occasions, she allows Steven to be more independent. She lets him have the chance to make his own decisions, and giving him full encouragement to be himself while obviously protecting him in the process.
By giving him this love and respect, it helps Steven be able to grow into the person he is right now. To the point where Garnet says, I have to change the way I think about you. What?
I've been looking into probable futures where you act like a child. I keep expecting you to run from responsibility and to turn to me for help. But you don't do that anymore.
Those futures aren't probable at all. There's nothing wrong with this timeline or my future vision. I just need to factor in that you've grown up.
I guess I have. But it's only because I'm trying to be more like you. You always know what to do. Not always. Okay, most of the time.
Another example being Peridot. She didn't even like Garnet in the beginning of their relationship, but Garnet gave Peridot the space to self-reflect on her bigoted ways and did so without judgment. Garnet slowly let Peridot get to know her for who she is and not for what she is, and eventually Peridot actually wanted to try fusion to understand Garnet more. Though she doesn't go through with it, Garnet respectfully doesn't push her to.
She states that she's proud of Peridot for trying to see her in a new way, and that sets them on the path to become friends. She even randomly helped Jamie after rejecting his date. Garner tells Jamie that his dreams are worth it, and that he shouldn't quit acting and still pursue it, which he does in later episodes.
She allows for people to learn and grow on their own. She's parental, but not overbearing. And because of this, she is the obvious default leader of the Crystal Gems.
The rest look up to her, and they don't want to disappoint her. In the episode's secret team, they all fuck up. And instead of asking for help, they try to fix it on their own so they don't look bad in her eyes. And when Steven told her what was going on, she wasn't angry. She sets up a plan to let them work together, to see that they're all one team.
The Crystal Gems! We can go as far as to say the rest of the team wants to be like her, at least in the qualities that she has. Steven has said he's always looked up to Garnet. Both Amethyst and Pearl have admitted to wanting to fuse with Garnet to feel how she does. You know, we're so much weaker than you.
Fusing with you is like our one chance to feel stronger! When we fuse, I can feel what it's like to be you. Confident and secure and complete. You're perfect.
You're the perfect relationship. When they fuse with Garnet, the love that she feels for herself radiates onto them for the moments that they're together. That combined with Pearl's low self-esteem is what causes her to concoct these fake situations with Garnet to allow her access to these feelings.
forced fusion is something that shakes garnet to her core. in keeping it together she has a visceral reaction of fear. it was scary for her to think that something that she finds such joy and comfort from causes others pain from not being able to consent to it. she says at the end of that episode what homeworld did taking the shattered parts of fallen gems and combining them those gems weren't art's permission.
fusion is a choice. those gems weren't given a choice. it isn't right.
it isn't fusion. Pearl took something that was based on trust and love and turned it into something selfish, just like Homeworld did. This abuse of their friendship and diffusion made Garnet split up, which is understandable. This is an extremely difficult circumstance, and it threw Ruby and Sapphire out of sync, because they didn't know how to handle it on their own, let alone together. They both saw it from their own very extreme points of view, rather than rationalizing it together as they normally do.
But after taking some time apart, and with Steven's help almost at the sacrifice of him growing emotionally, They came back together. All relationships take work and good communication. And eventually they were able to tell Pearl just how much she hurt them.
Even in a hurt state, Garnet took the time to tell Pearl there were instances where she looked up to her and gave Pearl some much needed affirmation of self. Finally, Garnet was able to forgive Pearl. These two are rock solid. Their relationship is ridiculously strong.
Which is why this particular breakup in the reunion arc doesn't quite make much sense from a story. storytelling standpoint. Rose lying to them about being Pink Diamond has nothing to do with their relationship. In the answer, Garnet says, Why am I so sure that I'd rather be this than everything I was supposed to be, and that I'd rather do this than everything I was supposed to do?
Welcome to Earth. Which means she already knew that she wanted to stay Garnet even before Rose had said anything. Rose just told her to stop asking questions and to live her best life, which they did for 5,750 years. Why Rose's lie caused them such distress in this way doesn't make much sense character-wise.
But in any case, they still did break up. This time apart was more about them seeing themselves as singular and what that meant. They looked at what they wanted for themselves as individuals.
And what was their conclusion? They wanted to be together. Duh! It really seemed like the powers that be just wanted them to split up so that they could have this wedding. And you know what?
I'm completely fine with that. I will always have my pandering with an extra side of gay. But Steven Universe did that shit. The first lesbian kiss in a children's TV show. And it was such a great way to close Garnet's arc thus far.
Garnet embodies the very core of Steven Universe. She radiates positivity on so many different levels, and is a relationship that we all could strive for, no matter which kind it is, one based on trust, respect, and communication. There is no question that Steven Universe has made it to legendary status, not only in the LGBT community, but also on the world stage as it continues to make history by being unapologetically inclusive. Kids watching this show know that no matter who we are or who we want to be with, we are all made of love.
And to those that hate and don't care to understand us at all, Garnet has taught us that we are stronger than you. That's my TED talk. Thank you so much for viewing this video. I just wanted to say I've worked with Rebecca Sugar on a couple different occasions after being an intern at Cartoon Network.
She took the time to talk with me, just a lowly intern. turn. I was so nervous that I never got to tell her thank you.
Thank you for your kindness and this wonderful piece of art that you've made and that brings just so much light and positivity into people's lives. This show means a lot to me and I know it means so much to a lot of people. Let's get back to the rest of the outro.
Alex Laffler is the winner of our Black Panther giveaway. You'll be receiving the special edition Black Panther DVD, Blu-ray, and all that other good stuff that's in there. Email me at pryberry at gmail.com with your info and I'll send that right over to you. A new round of the giveaway is starting now. I'm giving away a $10 Visa gift card along with these Steven Universe Pop Figure Keychains.
All you have to do to enter is to be a subscriber and to comment on this video below. And I'll announce the winner in my next video. Hit that bell so you don't miss out on that.
Thanks again for watching and until next time, I'm Jess. See ya later.