I theorized over the last couple days about the Gems having known Lapis was trapped in that mirror, but having watched both Mirror Gem and Ocean Gem and had some time to think, it just keeps getting darker, because I’ve come to the tentative conclusion that while Amethyst and Garnet knew, Pearl didn’t.
Think about how the three reacted to the news that Steven had woken up the gem in the mirror.
Garnet reacted with shock initially:
Then wariness:
Then she tries to take control of the situation and lies to Steven:
And, finally, rage, overpowering her love for Steven:
Then, take Amethyst. Initially, shock:
Then, most tellingly of the gems’ reactions, guilt:
Then the same wariness as Garnet:
Then rage herself, to a degree that freaks Steven out:
Now, Amethyst’s lack of a poker face combined with the extreme reactions she and Garnet have made me think that the pair knew who Lapis was (or at least that there was a dangerous gem sealed in the mirror) but it didn’t seem to add up. Why react that strongly to a prisoner? It may have been a justified imprisonment, to be fair, but they wouldn’t react this strongly unless they were the ones doing the imprisoning.
Now, that’s all fair enough. We’ve seen how dangerous Lapis was, and if Amethyst and Garnet had to imprison her, they had to imprison her. What is disturbing is that Pearl genuinely doesn’t seem to be aware that there’s an intelligent gem involved at all.
Initial reaction: shock.
Then, unlike Garnet and Amethyst, who immediately recover and act like they know what’s going on, confusion:
Then, dawning realization turning to horror:
And then the real kicker happens–this line right here:
“Garnet!” Amethyst hisses, “Do something!”
Who are they looking at in that shot? Are they looking at the mirror, the dangerous Gem they’re so afraid of? Are they looking at Steven, their innocent son, who’s the one in danger/ready to free Lapis right now?
No.
They’re looking at Pearl…
…because she’s putting the pieces together.
Look at the symbolism of the entire scene. Garnet and Amethyst are watching Pearl play out one of her neuroses, alternating between teasing her and trolling her. They are separate from Pearl in almost every shot in this room; together, they are watching Pearl act exactly as they expect, and doing nothing to correct the situation.
Here’s what I think happened: I think Garnet and Amethyst, with or without Rose, were involved in the imprisonment of Lapis. I’m not casting judgment on that; I don’t have enough information to conclude whether it was justified or not. Then–and this is what I am judging–then they gave the mirror to Pearl for safekeeping, knowing that she wouldn’t think enough of the mirror to try to talk to it, thinking it was just a device, something to use and store away as she saw fit. They gave it to Pearl because they knew she’d never think to free Lapis. They made Pearl her jailor without her knowledge or consent.
And that’s gonna make me leery of these two for a long time to come.
