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PSA @smallestflowtree (got stickers!)/ sorry for @femmeidiot / just start @bismuth-209 / I hope that @evignonita / meme made by anon and posted og on here / god grant me @leclercenjoyer / get weird @mildmayfoxe (they got stickers!) / every time @racketghost / twitter user ChimaAmlaDing / but if @criminalizegolf

Aimé Césaire, from “Lagoonal Calender”; tr. by Clayton Eshleman and Annette J. Smith

TAWOG characters as humans

character cheat sheet:

page 1: Principal Brown, Mr. Small, Miss Simian, and Rocky

a magical girl anime

HERE IT IS: THE LONG AWAITED PEARL CATALOGUE!!

Laboriously designed and created just for you, a spectrum of 42 different pearls to stand around and hold your stuff for you. Which one’s your favorite?

Also a bonus renegade

Yellow Diamond herself came across as a cold, cavalier, and hard-to-please boss. She carries herself with the calm, sophisticated, no-nonsense air of a powerful business CEO. Everyone under her is a number, an easily replaceable and disposable resource. Despite that fact, she expects promptness, loyalty, and efficiency from her underlings. When she asks them to perform a task, she expects it to be done to the letter as she requested. Or rather, that the end result is exactly what she wants. There’s no room for discussion, questions, or debate. Only results. Quantitative results.

What does it mean to be a member of Yellow Diamond’s court?

There’s some speculations that can be drawn from looking at and analyzing how Jasper, Peridot, and to a lesser extent, Yellow Pearl, hold and conduct themselves.

Jasper

Jasper is very self-assured and self-confident. When she barks out an insult, it carries weight and malice. It’s intentional; a means to scare and intimidate her opponents or a tool to establish her psychological, as well as physical, superiority. She resonates with authoritarian force. She doesn’t intervene in a situation unless someone especially powerful catches her interest or she absolutely has to since her cohorts aren’t strong enough to handle things alone. Jasper’s strong sense of self-importance and pride stems partly from her long-standing history as a war veteran and her rank as a Quartz warrior. To her, she has a solid, set-in-stone spot in Homeworld’s hierarchy. So, it’s in her best interests, if not programming, to obey Yellow Diamond to the letter. The other part of her pride is planted in her abilities, her tenacity, and her resilience. She does whatever it takes to get a job done, no matter what the given stakes, consequences, or time needed. In short, Jasper is a powerful Quartz warrior with a stellar track record, chutzpah, and the skills needed to back up her title and arrogance.

Very few stand on “her level.” If you’re not on her level, she’ll tolerate you, but otherwise brush you off with snarky, belittling, noncommittal gestures and comments. Note how she brushes off Peridot when she initially tries to get Jasper to confront the Crystal Gems. That’s her polite response. To anyone else, she looks condescendingly down her nose at them and makes snide, insulting comments such as “lost, defective pearl.” Catch Jasper’s interest and her eyes light up with fierce intensity, coupled with a big smirk. She gets excited and invested; she relishes the opportunity to fight a strong and capable opponent, hence why she holds a begrudging respect for Rose Quartz. Such an opportunity breathes vigor and purpose into her role as a warrior. It also further reflects just how tightly her role as a warrior fits into her overall sense of self and identity. It’s all she knows, if not the epitome of her hopes, dreams, and the foundation for her opinions. Where there’s some hollow ring to Peridot’s insults, Jasper is mired in her biases.

Look at her fight with Garnet over the course of “Jail Break.” She cherishes the idea of thoroughly pummeling Garnet into rubble, if only because of how much she derides fusion. Seeing a fused Gem gladly flaunt herself bothers Jasper on a deeper level. It’s an active rejection and dismissal of the value and belief system that she’s so engrained into. As a result, It’s easy for Garnet to play on Jasper’s pride; just the right gesture or snerk lights Jasper’s short fuse. A fusion, a taboo weakling, is holding her own as well as wiping the floor with an elite Quartz.

This tidbit adds substantial weight to just how desperate Jasper was when she resorted to fusing with Lapis Lazuli. She’ll resort to any length, no matter how questionable or underhanded, if it means victory. Yellow Diamond mandates results as king. So, participating in taboo fusion but stopping the Crystal Gems is far preferable than returning to Yellow with empty hands and bad news. It may be a tug of war between refusing to disappoint Yellow as well as just how many proverbial pegs Jasper’s ego has dropped. The only way to re-assert her dominance and status is to defeat the Crystal Gems. 

Yellow Pearl

It’s implied that Pearls sit on the lowest rung of Homeworld’s hierarchy.

Enter Yellow Pearl. She stands tall and folds her arms behind her back, taking pride and satisfaction in her role as Yellow Diamond’s switchboard operator. She holds some prestige in the fact that she’s the first face anyone sees before even getting to see Yellow Diamond. And, considering how busy Yellow Diamond could get at a given time, Yellow Pearl has some decisive power in whose call gets fielded, the perceived importance and relevance of their call, etc. That little ounce of power is more than what a laundry-folding and cleaning servant Pearl would get otherwise.

Over the course of Peridot’s call with Yellow Diamond in “Message Received,” Yellow Pearl shows her true colors. She’s sassy, smug, and arrogant; reveling in that, even for just a moment, she holds higher rank than other Gems she wouldn’t otherwise. It feeds her ego to see Peridot squirm and writhe; perhaps, it’s schadenfreude. At least it’s not her at the receiving end of Yellow Diamond’s subzero glare and cool tone.

When she has even an ounce of Yellow Diamond’s attention, though, Yellow Pearl is nothing but meek and brown-nosing. Even Peridot expresses similar meekness and trepidation at first. Given this stark contrast in behavior, Yellow Diamond’s court could be full of vies for power. Court members of all shapes, sizes, and rank tout themselves with a grand sense of self-importance, but then turn around and prostrate themselves in front of someone more powerful, either out of fear or in the hopes she’ll gain her favor. There may be a few other radical cases like Yellow Pearl: Low ranking Gems that hit just the right level of performing well, right-place-right-time scenario, and butt-kissing that they were granted exceptional favors.

Perhaps, Yellow Diamond’s court is a dog eat dog scenario: Lower Gems are in constant survival mode where higher-ranked Gems are merciless with cutthroat ambition. Just look at how timid Yellow Pearl gets when addressed by Yellow Diamond and compare this with how gravely determined Jasper gets when she resorts to fusing with Lapis. Both yellow Gems are chained to whatever it takes to protect and feed their respective egos. It’s just a different set of circumstances for each Gem since one seeks to climb up the hierarchical ladder and the other intends to keep her spot locked in.

That’s a comparison of radical extremes, though. How about a Gem that sits somewhere in-between ranks?

Peridot

Peridot picks up on how powerful and assertive a figure like Jasper is. But, she could never quite achieve the same effects. Because of her given rank, height, and size, she feigns being self-assured and self-confident. Even her limb enhancers add to this facade; considering they make her appear taller, give her an array of potent weaponry, and easily accessible records or tools. While the enhancers are generally useful, they’re also a metaphorical equivalent to a mask. It’s easier for Peridot to come across as the smooth operator she wants to be when she appears taller and more competent. When she’s first introduced, she comes across as cold, logical, and efficient; she sells it! But, as she gets more flustered and frustrated, it cracks. Note how much more scared and overall emotional she gets when she loses her enhancers altogether. She’s still ornery and obnoxious, but carries far less gusto than before. 

In regards to how she carries herself, she’s always on the defensive and quick to lash out both verbally and physically. She throws out insults, lewd gestures, and taunts to the point it’s overzealous. Her reasoning: If she belittles others, then shouldn’t that make her bigger, more powerful, and important? Though, her tough front peels more easily than a potato skin: If she has the option, she’ll hide behind the bigger, stronger Gem. Of course she won’t admit to her shortcomings and faults unless she absolutely has to. It chalks up to stubborn pride; she has to be self-reliant and self-sufficient. Admitting to her shortcomings is admitting defeat and weakness. A Gem like Jasper is a model citizen in Yellow Diamond’s court. Especially in the respects of blind obedience and guaranteed results. 

In Peridot’s case, she’s been trained to pinpoint the most straightforward, logical solution. She’s the problem solver. Yellow Diamond presents her with a task, she figures out how to achieve the desired effect, and that’s as far as the transaction goes. In some respects, Peridot is the IT guy left to her own devices. She can use creative thinking or try something different, but only if it falls in line with meeting Yellow Diamond’s overall order. Fighting the Crystal Gems or checking on certain conditions in kindergartens falls in line. Ideas about how to use Earth’s organic life and properties are a dramatic and unwanted deviation. Yellow Diamond is the queen cat mama. She’s the only one allowed to make decisions a big, grander scale. Even if Peridot has helpful ideas, ones that could lead to increases in production and efficiency, Yellow refuses to hear her out because of how prideful she is. The ego maniac tendencies and deficiencies in Yellow’s court reflect her greatest, most glaring flaw. 

Many folks have drawn parallels between Peridot and Yellow Diamond. Compare Peridot’s initial introduction with how Yellow Diamond appears and conducts herself. For all intents and purposes, reformed Peridot is talking to her former self when she confronts Yellow Diamond. When Yellow Diamond shoots down Peridot’s ideas and rebukes, Peridot realizes just how narrow-minded she used to be. When the Crystal Gems introduced new ideas and different perspectives to her, she started looking at the world with wider eyes. There’s a wider range of possibilities for her inventing and analyzing prowess. There’s reasons to interact with others beyond higher rank or collaborating on a project. She even feels wanted and needed; an irreplaceable individual rather than a numbered worker drone. And, ultimately, it’s okay to be wrong and it’s okay to fail sometimes.

In Conclusion

If a Gem is a member of Yellow Diamond’s court, she’s definitely prideful. If she has a high rank, she has the skills and record to back up how arrogant she is. If she’s a lower-ranked Gem, she suffers from low self-esteem, an inferiority complex, or even a Napoleon Complex. She fakes self-confidence and self-assurance and it’s all she can do to go for the self-preserving move. Or, she shamelessly brown-noses to cultivate her insatiable ambition. 

I think one of my favourite things about “Steven Universe”, and one of the things I find most touching and personally affirming, is the relationship between Rose Quartz and Greg.

I mean, here’s Rose, who’s represented as this powerful, intelligent, charismatic, beautiful woman, respected as both a warrior and a leader.  She travels to Earth and decides to spend her life there, and in 6000 years, the human she decides is most interesting, most engaging, most beautiful…is Greg.  

Greg is a doofus.  He’s bald.  He’s fat.  He’s a slob with no sense of style or grooming.  He’s practically homeless.  He’s a failed rock and roll star whose dreams of fame and fortune ended with him running a small town car wash and living in the back of an ancient van. In any other show, he would be the loser of the cast, the fuck-up, the somewhat lovable, helpless goofball who can’t be counted on for anything.

But Rose thought he was beautiful.

It’s something of a sitcom parody; the dimwitted, ugly, slovenly husband with the beautiful, intelligent wife.  Fred and Wilma, Archie and Edith, Peter and Lois, Homer and Marge.  But Rose and Greg’s relationship isn’t like that.  Even in my favourite of those relationships, that of Marge and Homer, Homer is presented as more than a bit of a jerk.  Oh, he’s a fundamentally decent man who genuinely loves his family and treasures his wife, but he’s also selfish, thoughtless, more than occasionally neglectful, lazy, and self-centered.  And more than that, in those shows, the husband is really the main character.  Most of the wife’s role is reacting to his antics.  But that’s not Rose and Greg’s story.

Greg is a good man.  Not just a decent guy under the jerky exterior, but a truly and fundamentally good man.  He stands up to his misogynist buddy.  He adores and encourages his son in every way.  He is kind and giving to everyone he meets.  He works hard, even though it’s a job that he never wanted and that has taken the place of his dream.  Speaking of that, even though he’s never seen even a lick of the stardom he dreamed of, Greg has never lost sight of his ambitions.  He still plays music, still sings, still performs, still writes albums.  Greg may never make it as a rock star, but he will never stop trying.  This is what Rose saw.  This is what Rose, one of the most powerful and respected warriors and generals of her people, came to love.

In a world where success and worth are measured primarily in material gains and career-based achievements, Greg is a reminder of what’s truly important.  In the show, his failed music career, his chubby build, his sloppy clothes, his poverty…they don’t matter.  What’s emphasised is the true, human beauty of Greg; the warmth, the kindness, the courage, the imagination, the dedication to art and devotion to family.  It’s a reminder to all of us who have been pushed to be “successful”, been hassled about when we were “going to get serious”…that even if we are living in poverty, even if we have no real career, even if we’re not conventionally attractive or haven’t achieved all we’ve wanted to…we still have value.  We still have beauty.  And we are still loved.

🍂 ‘When death’ll close my eyelids

And my race on earth is run,