#classpect stuff

Steven

I stand by what I’ve said about Steven as Heir of Heart. He ‘inherited’ his power and his mother’s ‘Self’, his abilities tend to show up based on emotion and necessity (like how John never alchemized a helping item and kind of stumbles into things). He’s got the Heir journey of feeling a bit out of the loop at times, and he certainly spreads his influence through communication, which seems to be a big Heir thing - although Equius and Mituna void out/negate and confuse/destabilize communication respectively thanks to their particular Aspects and circumstances. And his whole thing about love and relationships and helping people become their best selves because everyone is really good deep down - that’s one of the most positive ways to interpret Heart. 

Rose

I’m going to stick with what I said about Rose as well. Now that we’ve seen a bit more of alt!Calliope, she seems like a fairly tough, warlike figure, so I think Muse can work even for pre-death Rose. And she certainly serves as an inspiration/rallying point even in death.

Pearl

I continue to like Maid of Light for Pearl. Maid evokes ‘made’, and “Back to the Barn” emphasizes how Pearl was ‘made for’ one role and then had to remake herself anew. There’s the implication of servitude, which fits her caste status and devotion to Rose. She’s got the Light player combo of arrogance and insecurity that often leads them to try to show off and ‘prove their worth’ to combat worries that they are, in fact, not that great after all.

Amethyst

I’m still kinda eeeeeeh about Amethyst. Thief or Rogue of Void both might work, but I’m not entirely happy with it, and I’d like to see more from her. She’s definitely got the ‘cover up major insecurities with brash exterior’ Thief thing going for her. 

Garnet

I’m actually going to shift from Mage of Time to Mage of Mind here. Both allow for peering into the future, and Garnet’s ability to see various possible futures based on choices rather than one alpha/inevitable result fits Mind better. Also, Mind is associated with spectacle and senses. Her abilities are tied to vision, she’s got the extra eye, arcade games apparently mesmerize her, and in “Jailbreak” she puts on a hell of a show. Plus, the Mages we’ve seen have a few different ‘personalities’. I think the comic says Sollux is bipolar? And of course Meulin has her regular persona plus her chucklevoodoo self, even if this isn’t a perfect fit because it’s beyond her control. The point is that Mages sometimes have an element of contrast, and Ruby and Sapphire can represent that. As I mention in the original post, Mages represent balance, loss, and a struggle to avoid becoming overpowered by themselves. Garnet has to stay strong for everyone, her personality can become overpowering and addictive to others (Sugilite, Sardonyx), and she is created through Ruby and Sapphire exchanging their individuality for a fused existence. 

Connie

I think I mentioned this somewhere but never elaborated on it, but I’d give Connie Page of Light. She likes reading and sometimes provides Steven with information about or insight into the ‘normal’ world (Light as information). She’s frequently involved when Steven discovers a new ability (Light as illumination, Pages provide). They even first meet when Steven is trying to return her glowstick!

Pages have a slow development and start out feeling useless. Connie is insecure that Steven has a cool mystical destiny while she’s a normal person. Now, however, she’s kicking ass with a sword. Also, Pages often struggle under the thumb of some hostile force. Connie’s parents aren’t intentionally malevolent, but Connie’s feelings of being constrained and hemmed in (to the extent that she lies to them and at one point tries to run away) point to issues with their relationship that “Nightmare Hospital” began to address more directly. 

Lapis

I gave Lapis Witch of Breath and that can still work. However, I think you could also interpret her as a Bard of Breath. Bards often have a ‘message’ or worldview. Lapis’s appearance forces Steven to learn more about gem stuff, and she later sends him a message from Homeworld as a warning. They invite destruction, and Lapis doesn’t have a weapon beyond her wings. Instead, she uses water to attack people. Her stealing the ocean, while not intentionally a hostile act, also obviously invites catastrophe. When she fuses with Jasper as Malachite and drags them to the bottom of the ocean, she’s inviting the destruction of both her freedom and Jasper’s freedom. Calliope says Bards are capricious and often cause a session’s failure or success - sometimes both. Lapis ends up getting the crystal gems in trouble, but she also helps get them out of it. 

Peridot

I haven’t ever tried giving Peridot a title before, but it’s about time, isn’t it? I’m going to give Peridot Doom. At the most basic of levels, she shows up with some fairly nasty news for the crystal gems and Earth as a whole. Doom is also about law, structure, and rules. It is frequently associated with computers, code, or gaming. Peridot is a technician who is fully indoctrinated into Homeworld culture and systems. She likes the rules and in “Back to the Barn” cannot understand why no one is celebrating her when according to ‘the rules’ she won.