Steven Universe: Your Mother and Mine
March 28, 2018 3:18 PM - Season 5, Episode 13 - Subscribe

Steven introduces Garnet to the Off-Colors, and Garnet tells them all a story about Rose Quartz.

Yay story time!

So now we have a better description of how and why Rose rose up (sorry not sorry) against Pink Diamond. I guess they needed to show Pink Diamond in the previous episode so the simplified style in the story could be appreciated.

I felt so bad that the off-colors didn't know what a compliment is... but Garnet gushing over each of them was the best.

And Padparadscha's power actually helped! Hooray!

I do wonder if our Rose Quartz is more connected to the diamonds than we've been shown, that Steven is having visions from each diamond's perspective. And I doubt Garnet really knows, and is only guessing at Steven's "empathy power".
posted by numaner (18 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
I watched this on the CN app. It's possibly the worst app you have to use to watch a thing, but I managed to get it to work with some patience, because I did not want to wait any longer for new Steven Universe.

Also, more posts incoming 'cause I'm watching them all right nooooow!

posted by numaner at 3:19 PM on March 28, 2018 [6 favorites]


The art style of the flash back reminded me strongly of Revolutionary Girl Utena, one of my favourite anime series!

more posts appreciated !!
posted by Pendragon at 3:25 PM on March 28, 2018 [6 favorites]


"Captain's Log. Star date, uh...Thursday"
posted by numaner at 4:19 PM on March 28, 2018


Padparadscha and I agree on one thing: I don't believe it.

It's nice to see Rose's early days, but there's plenty here that doesn't fit the facts, not least of which is once again the idea that Rose shattered Pink Diamond with her sword, which Bismuth (who would know) said could not shatter gems. I also don't believe for a minute that Pearl was always ownerless, as Garnet's story implies. Pink is also depicted here as being sized more appropriately for a Diamond, when the evidence indicates she was pretty puny. I wouldn't trust much beyond the basic jist of the story, most of which we've already seen.

It seems Garnet was a relative latecomer to the rebellion, most of this information is secondhand. Since Garnet wasn't there when Pink was shattered and Sapphire and Ruby were both Blue court gems it's pretty likely that Garnet has never seen Pink, or most of the events of this story, in person.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 4:45 PM on March 28, 2018 [3 favorites]


I'm not sure if Ruby was a Blue-court gem; Blue Diamond explicitly accused her of fusing with a member of her court, I seem to remember, implying that Ruby hadn't been. But I think Mr. Encyclopedia's mostly on the money, there's things about the story that don't add up.
posted by JHarris at 1:41 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


I don't think were supposed to believe everything Garnet is telling, that's why it's so stylized in stark colors.
posted by Pendragon at 2:39 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


I think this is Garnet's version of events, as she learned, but yes Pearl would probably have more accurate details. The simplified version was meant to hook the off-colors, and I did notice a lot of little details were left out, but on the whole how Rose Quartz turned against Pink Diamond was given more of a emphasis rather than just one or two lines recap like in previous episodes.
posted by numaner at 8:27 AM on March 29, 2018


another strike against the "white diamond is a fusion" theory, right?
posted by rebent at 11:06 AM on March 29, 2018 [2 favorites]


I still like my idea that Rose and Pink actually opened a dialog and were close to compromising on a planet where Gems and Humans can both live, which prompted Yellow to have her shattered and blame it on Rose Quartz. Garnet's version of events obviously contradicts that, but as we've established her story is probably not accurate. Why would Pink have a human zoo that she cared about if she was unwilling to listen to Rose's pleas?

Also, it occurs to me that it's a definite possibility that rose quartz did shatter Pink Diamond, but not our Rose. Someone could have taken a rose from the bubbled roses at the zoo and instructed her to shapeshift into Crystal Gem Rose and shatter Pink Diamond with a replica sword. Could Yellow compel a Pink Court gem to do such a thing? Who knows? Also, this is the episode where Steven officially throws out the idea that Pink isn't shattered at all and is still alive somewhere, which can't be discounted. Maybe our Rose did do it, but she merely poofed Pink Diamond and bubbled her away before anyone realized what happened.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 12:40 PM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]


My favorite moment of the whole bomb has to be when Captain Lars is told, of obtaining the Flotanium deposits from one of Yellow Diamond's asteroid mines,that it'll be dangerous: he takes his cape, pulls it over his face, and says: "SO ARE WE." Lars has gotten a lot more confident!
posted by JHarris at 2:49 PM on March 29, 2018 [7 favorites]


Maybe our Rose did do it, but she merely poofed Pink Diamond and bubbled her away before anyone realized what happened.

COUGHtreasurechestCOUGH
posted by duffell at 5:50 PM on March 29, 2018 [3 favorites]


I think Pink could be sympathetic to Earth and still have an off-Earth zoo. That's how we deal with animals after all.
posted by tofu_crouton at 3:40 AM on March 30, 2018 [2 favorites]


Okay, theory:
1. The beginning is how Garnet describes it. One of Pink Diamond's Rose Quartzes discovers the wonders of the Earth and tells Pink Diamond about it. She dismisses it and Rose is dragged away.
2. But... secretly, Pink Diamond looks into it, or maybe she already had suspicions. She discovers that the Earth is actually something special. This could be either entirely subjective, or there could actually be something about Earth that's healthy for gems.
3. What can she do in her position? She's already made a big fuss about getting a colony in front of Yellow. (Maybe she was actually responsible, directly or indirectly, for the failure of that colony we saw in Jungle Moon?) But not just with Yellow: Pink actually has a good relationship with Blue, who would feel betrayed if Pink decided to side with organics.
4. Anyway, PD begins to live kind of a double life. In public she's fighting the rebellion like a good Diamond would. In private, she's diverting resources to it, leaving important supplies and weapons unguarded and encouraging the rebellion. I'm not sure if Rose Quartz realizes this, but probably does, which is another reason why she doesn't shatter gems; this kind of play rebellion stops being play once lives are lost. Pink considers organic life to be curious and valuable here, but not on the same level as gem life, hence the zoo.
5. This continues for quite some time. They settle into a pattern of this happening. But the rebellion stops being so small, it starts looking like it's actually viable. Its message of gem emancipation and freedom extends beyond the organic life of Earth, and draws countless new gems into it.
6. Eventually, matters reach a head. The other Diamonds and their courts come to help put down the rebellion. Rose and Pearl attack one of their bases to try to drive them off (resulting in Garnet) but it's ineffective. The other Diamonds' actions are pretty much meddling in Pink's affairs, she either told them she doesn't want help or pretends it was wanted, but they see it as helping their little sister with her first colony.
7. This is the part that doesn't quite fit because at the trial they mention that PD's shattering happened in public. What I think might have happened was, the shattering was a private affair. The reason is this: *Rose Quartz* got shattered at that fight. It reached a point where PD and Rose had to fight, but neither's hearts were in it. The shattering is partly accidental.
8. Afterward, PD feels remorse for what she's done, a feeling formerly alien to Diamonds. Maybe the Earth has affected her too? Also, what will become of the rebellion now? So, she shapeshifts and starts pretending to be Rose Quartz, running the rebellion herself. Yet the other Diamonds would be heartbroken to find out their sister was working against them, or outright angry, and she fears their wrath as much as anyone now. She simulates Rose's powers, but also has strange and unique abilities as a Diamond. Further, as with Peridot discovering she has metal powers, Pink Diamond discovers new things about herself from being on Earth. She has an affinity with plant life and can heal living creatures, not just organic life but gems too. This is a profound ability, and a game-changer for the rebellion. Cracked gems coming off the front lines can be restored.
9. Soon, she's being Rose Quartz more often than Pink Diamond, and she's not unhappy about that. She's much happier as Rose. It's not hard to believe that PD was the one who got shattered. This is around the time that Bizmuth gets poofed; Bizmuth wants to take the rebellion to the next level, but the new Rose Quartz still doesn't want to harm her sisters.
10. The Battle of the Strawberry Field occurs. Garnet sees it as a desperate fight, but Pearl as a glorious victory. At the end though the Diamonds perform their attack, which is meant to wipe out gem life but instead, perhaps through the influence of PD/Rose's shield, corrupts Earth life instead. (None of the homeworld gems seem to know anything about corruption.) Then they leave.
11. PD remains on Earth and accepts her role. Eventually, she may even forget that she was ever Pink Diamond, although this is a kind of thinking that gems are not generally prone too. (They don't seem to forget things like that over decades.) Pearl may know ("I was the one who knew everything!"), but has done something to herself to prevent her from saying.
12. In the present day, Rose decides to have Steven. Part of her motivation for giving herself up is to finally erase the legacy of Pink Diamond once and for all, but instead, she basically puts all of her powers, plus strange new ones that are the result of mixing gem and organic life, into the hands of a being driven to get to the bottom of things.

Flaws:
1. The shattering was public. How to explain that?
2. Gems don't generally forget who they are. Maybe there's some magical effect to explain it though?
3. Amethyst is the best shapeshifter of the Crystal Gems, but can't hold a form indefinitely. How could PD hold up such a deception for thousands of years? Frequent bathroom breaks?
posted by JHarris at 10:25 AM on March 30, 2018 [4 favorites]


Ah, sorry for the long theory speculation. That's just the kind of show this is for me.
posted by JHarris at 8:03 PM on March 30, 2018 [3 favorites]


Who all is behind Rose’s shield when the diamonds use their weapon on earth?
Unless Pink Diamond is already bubbled and inside Lion, then if unshattered she would have been corrupted.

So maybe Steven needs to figure out how to heal corruption before PD can be revived.

Also argh who is WD argh.
posted by nat at 1:22 AM on April 9, 2018


It seems that any pre-war Gem can shapeshift to resemble another. See Peridot's admission in Too Short to Ride that she can't shapeshift because "Era 2" Gems have fewer powers than their Era 1 forebears. Garnet's Steven cosplay in this episode seems to be here specifically to remind us of the fact that shapeshifting impersonation is possible. If so, then presumably any gem could have shattered Pink Diamond in public in the form of Rose Quartz. So, whodunnit?

1. Pearl knows much more than she can/will say about the Diamonds and Pink Diamond's shattering.
2. Whose Pearl was she, once upon a time? Her forehead gem placement indicates that she was White court (just as the Blue and Yellow Pearls have chest gems to match their respective courts).
3. I'm calling it now: I think White Diamond shattered Pink Diamond and pinned it on Rose Quartz (a most expedient target, since vilifying Rose quashed the rebellion and solidified the Diamond Authority's power base).

JHarris, that's just the kind of show it is for me, too.
posted by ourobouros at 1:29 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]


Why would Pink have a human zoo that she cared about if she was unwilling to listen to Rose's pleas?

Pink had a tank of sea monkies that she liked to play with. It's not a particularly rich or nuanced replication of humanity, and if anything it shows a sort of infantilization. If the Zoo is anything to go by, humanity is a big bunch of stupid monkies who need a little voice in their ear to do basic shit like eat and sleep and far as Pinkie was concerned. Rose had a lot of flaws, but she at least she tried to accept people on our level.

See also: Animal hoarders, dudes with pet tigers in apartments, the British colonization of India.

2. Whose Pearl was she, once upon a time? Her forehead gem placement indicates that she was White court (just as the Blue and Yellow Pearls have chest gems to match their respective courts).

Dude, Pearl was Pink's. No contest. Gem placement means nothing in relation to court - Peridot has a forehead gem and she was Yellow's, and Sapphy was Blue Court and has an eye for a gem, for heavens' sake.

You wear your court's diamond on your clothes. Peridot and Jasper both have a yellow diamond on their jumpsuits, and Peri even has another two on her knees. Lapis has a blue one on her belly, one half on the top and the other on her skirt. Even the Rubies manage to wedge a yellow diamond on their uniforms somewhere.

Now, Pearl has been seen with a pink diamond on her person twice - once in Space Race when she, Greg and Steven build a rocket and in Back to the Barn, the one with the battle robots. Both episodes have her in this slick jumpsuit - with a pink diamond on the breast. Her colouring is also very heavy on pinks - pink hair, pink tint to her skin. I do love her coloured clothes, though - it's almost her way of further declaring her independence.

This is basically why she knows about the Zoo despite the fact that the Gems never had the tech to get there during the war - she was part of Pinkie's entourage.

JHarris: Rose Quartz fused with all of the CG. We saw Rainbow Quartz, and Smokey said they felt like Amethyst should know them - presumably because of a prior fusion with RQ. And it's been confirmed that the temple is based off all the CG fusing together. In a fusion you can't hide something as big as total identity fraud.

I still maintain Pearl killed Pink while shape shifted to look like Rose. Pearl has never shape shifted on the show, ever, despite telling Steven that she can. It's being saved for something big, and I bet it's because she had shifted to look like Rose during the assassination. When Ame shifts she can shift her form but not her colour palette; a pink Pearl and a RQ are close enough in colouring to be able to pass, and Pearl's gem would be hidden under RQ's bangs, with just the forged belly gem showing. Pinkie's own Pearl would be as invisible as any servant, though I'm not sure why she'd had shifted - maybe she and RQ had a plan that we'll find out about.

I'm looking forward to the new episodes. I think we might just find out, judging by the promo stuff that's around.
posted by Jilder at 5:07 AM on April 25, 2018 [1 favorite]


Nat: Bubbling would have protected any gem inside Lion the same way being inside Pearl protected Lapis. While I don't agree at all that Pink is in the chest, it's possible to have been on Earth and not be damaged by the Corrupting Song.
posted by Jilder at 5:08 AM on April 25, 2018


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