Pearl Shattered Pink Diamond
So after the episode The Trial, I think it’s pretty clear who actually killed Pink Diamond. The Crewniverse is all about foreshadowing. Things have been foreshadowed or hinted at or left loose ended for sometimes anywhere between 50 to over 100 episodes.
Now, the show has been dropping hints literally since the series began that Pearl might have actually been the one to do the deed. But, I think that Zircon finally puts all the pieces together that were needed to confirm that it was Pearl.
“All Gems have shapeshifting powers, Steven.” - Pearl, Cat Fingers (S1E6)
Well, that’s really interesting Pearl. Really interesting that we’ve seen Amethyst and Garnet and even Steven shapeshift, but never you. Do you have a traumatizing incident you’ve been covering up for 5,000 years that might have something to do with that?
“Well, if you ever want to see a demonstration of proper sword techniques, I’d be happy to show you.“ - Pearl, Steven the Sword Fighter
We’ve known for a LONG time that Pearl is a master with swords. And what shattered Pink Diamond? A sword.
“Who cares about her shield? Her huge sword is what I remember.” - Eyeball, Bubbled
“It was a sword! You…shattered her…with a sword!” - Blue Diamond, The Trial
It’s been mentioned a few times. Now, we ASSUME that it was Rose Quartz’s giant pink sword that Steven pulled from Lion’s mane. But, nobody has ever actually described it as such that was a witness. All that has been said is that it was a (huge) sword. That would be just the kind of thing the crew would use to try to throw us off the trail. Rose Quartz isn’t even shown using a sword in The Answer, but Pearl wields two. She has been working with swords for seemingly far longer than Rose.
That’s an nice looking insignia you have on your uniform there, Pearl. Say, aren’t you heading to Homeworld? Isn’t it the proper thing to do there to show off your loyalty to your Diamond? Look at that Pink Diamond on your chest there.
“I was there. I saw it with my own eye.” - Eyeball, Back to the Moon
Now, at this VERY MOMENT that this line is stated, Eyeball is currently being duped into thinking Amethyst is Jasper, just because she shapeshifted into someone that looks like Jasper. She’s purple. Jasper is orange. Added to the baseball game the Rubies were also duped into playing, Rubies can be EASILY fooled. Even when it comes to the shapeshifting department.
Now, Pearl’s expression here could mean much the same as Garnet’s. Garnet didn’t plan for Steven to find out like this. Neither did Pearl. But is Pearl, perhaps, much more worried that Steven will find out the REAL truth of who shattered Pink Diamond? Her reaction is just so much more dramatic, like her reaction is based on a different set of feelings than Garnet’s. Maybe this one is reaching a little bit, but let’s move on.
“Does this have anything to do with Pink Diamond? I already know mom shattered her, so what is it about this that you can’t tell me?” - Steven, Steven’s Dream
“Please, you’re making Pearl very upset.” - Garnet, Steven’s Dream
Why would Pearl be so upset about Pink Diamond’s palanquin? Or about Pink Diamond being shattered? Sure, it was an awful event. But it was helpful to the rebels. And Rose Quartz did it, anyway, so why would Pearl have reason to feel bad or be overly upset about? I mean, it could be because she used to belong to Pink Diamond and betrayed her and shattered her, but you know, that’s just a theory.
But you know, it would be really bad if Steven and the other Crystal Gems found out that not only did Pearl lie to them, but Rose Quartz as well. By the way Steven, your mom wasn’t quite as horrible as you were told. By the way, that gem you’ve been looking up to as the most mom like is the real shatterer.
“Because at the time that Pink was shattered, Rose Quartz had been a recognized threat for several hundred years. There were no Rose Quartz soldiers in her entourage and none in her guard. So how did a Rose Quartz, with no business being anywhere near Pink Diamond, get so close to her in the first place? Where were Pink Diamond’s attendants, Her Agates, Her Sapphires? And where was her Pearl?” - Zircon, The Trial
It seems VERY significant that the crew would have that question be at the very end of Zircon’s line. Almost like they were trying to make it stand out on purpose.
But, much much more than that, Zircon stated that Pink Diamond had Sapphires on her court. Those who could see the future. Who would be looking into it for when and where Rose Quartz would strike next. Their focus would be on her. Their focus would be on looking towards outside threats to their Diamond.
Where would their focus not be? On the most trusted member of Pink Diamond’s court. The gem who was closer to her than any other gem, even a Diamond. Her Pearl.
Why would Homeworld even consider that a Pearl could think for herself? That a Pearl had the ability to shapeshift? They wouldn’t know. And when the dust settled and all that remained was a shocked Pearl and no Rose Quartz… who would be called as the MAIN witness to the crime? The gem who would have been RIGHT be her side during the whole ordeal. Her Pearl. A gem known to be able to holographicly replay and recreate events. Someone who was already a record keeper.
“Even if she did, wouldn’t her Pearl have cried out in her alarm, “Watch out, My Diamond!“” - Zircon, The Trial
Zircon is absolutely correct. Why would her Pearl have not been able to warn her? Even if all her guards and all her future seeking Sapphires somehow missed all of Rose Quartz’s planning and her sneaking up on them, why would the gem closest to her not give out any warning? But the line goes on to provide far more evidence.
“No, whoever did this was already close to Pink Diamond. Someone her guards would allow to get near her, someone she would listen to when asked to stop her palanquin, and step outside, and someone with the authority to cover it up afterward!” - Zircon, The Trial
The only thing Zircon got wrong was the part about authority. A Pearl would have been a record keeper. Able to, as previously stated, replay the event of Pink Diamond being shattered in its entirety, from her own point of view. Able to muddle the details of the event, seeming as if she was watching it all happen in shocked horror, while quickly committing the crime herself, instead. Someone the Diamonds would have trusted to be truthful, because why would she lie about the oh so tragic death of her Diamond?
All eyes would have been on Rose Quartz. Nobody would have been paying attention to her Pearl. Nobody would ever pay attention to a simple Pearl. They are, after all, just Pearls.
Yet, who would have been closer but the Pearl traveling WITH her INSIDE her palanquin? Who might have suggested they stop, and who might Pink Diamond have listened to? Who would the Sapphires never have their future vision turned towards? And who could have flubbed the story to cover it up after?
“I want to hear what she has to say.” - Blue Diamond, The Trial
“How? How did you do it?” - Blue Diamond, The Trial
“How did you shatter Pink Diamond?” - Blue Diamond, The Trial
“But the question no one seems to be asking is, “how?"” - Zircon, The Trial
"I’ve been asking that question.” - Blue Diamond, The Trial
THIS is why Blue Diamond is so adamant about knowing HOW Rose Quartz did it. Being able to slip past future vision and slip past guards was not built into the genetic make up of the Rose Quartz gems. How, then, did Rose come to possess such powers?! That is what is driving Blue Diamond crazy. But you know what? Rose Quartz didn’t possess those powers. Because Rose Quartz didn’t do it. Homeworld, the Diamonds, and even all the rebel forces on Rose Quartz’s side, were only meant to believe that she did.
Consider that we know NOTHING of Pearl’s backstory. NOTHING. We do not know who owned her on Homeworld. We do not know when she rebelled.
We’ve gotten origin stories for Garnet and Amethyst, but Pearl remains shrouded in mystery despite us being 132 episodes into the series.
Why would it be such a secret if it wasn’t a big deal? Her backstory has remained scarce, been dodged around, and avoided. Something very important to the series is hidden in her backstory, in her history. Something that I think is going to be revealed very soon.
