How it went down
In the past, I feel I’ve made it abundantly clear that I do not like it when people speculate that Rose Quartz was pink diamond.
It’s not that it’s impossible: because really it isn’t. We know for a fact that as an extension of Steven’s empath abilities, he can swap bodies with other gems, as well as humans and even watermelons. The mechanic exists for Rose and PD to swap bodies, and seems to have been introduced for the sole purpose of giving us a hint
It isn’t a lack of foreshadowing that spoils it for me either. All the foreshadowing that existed before it became obvious that Rose had the body of a quartz still stands, both for Rose and for Lion. For fuck’s sake. I can see why Pearl would might still have a pink diamond on her uniforms, but Garnet, Sardonyx and Baby Steven have no excuse!
No, what pisses me off about these theorists is that I have yet to see a variation that does NOT make Rose/PD look like a sociopathic idiot. See, the core flaw with these theories is and always has been that Pink Diamond stole a Rose Quartz’s body then killed her for reasons that make no sense.
If she had wanted to protect earth, she could have easily done more easily as herself, and wouldn’t have to murder a bunch of other gems in cold blood to do so. She would have had the political power, the control over the planet, and she wouldn’t be hunted for regicide!
Of course, all these wrinkles iron out if we change one tiny thing; Body swapping wasn’t Pink Diamond’s Ability, It was Rose’s!
See, if we assume it was Rose Quartz –the original Rose Quartz – who stole PD’s body, suddenly everything falls into place.
First, we have the motivation: There is no reason why Pink Diamond would have wanted to be a quartz, but there is every reason why a Rose Quartz would want to be a Pink Diamond. All this Rose had to do is mind swap with PD, and once that’s done it’s her power. Pinkie would be unable to switch back!
Second, we have a reason to believe mind-swapping was always Rose’s power. It’s never been more clear than in the past few episodes that Steven is not simply empathetic in the mundane sense, he’s actually an Empath, a type of telepath who can feel other’s emotions through a psychic connection rather than mere sympathy. This power is vital to a Rose Quartz, who needs to be able to physically feel a patient’s pain to cry healing tears. Since Empaths are a form of Telepath, mind-connection powers like dreamwalking and body snatching are actually part of the package deal!
Third, it’s a situation that morally and strategically justifies Pink Diamond’s actions. If Pink Diamond wanted to protect earth she could do more easily as the planet’s ruler than as a soldier who just committed regicide, and she wouldn’t need to switch bodies with an innocent rose quartz and then murder her in cold blood to do so. Even if the Rose consented, it would still be completely unjustified, but if it was her body that was stolen Pink would be absolved of all responsibility.
Now usurped, trapped in a new form and possibly hunted by the soldier who stole her body, Pink Diamond had no choice left but to rebel, and this would give Rose every justification she would need to implement part two
Never forget, Quartzes are soldiers, military tacticians. If this Rose stole the body of a diamond, then any other one could as well. Rose Quartz couldn’t have that happening, so she had her sisters poofed and imprisoned in bubbles, leaving them trapped in stasis and unable to do the same to her.
Now Rose was in a tough situation. Pink Diamond, – who we knew up until this point as Rose – Was fascinated by earth. If their sister suddenly lost her love for humans, the other diamonds would become suspicious. Rose Quartz would have to play the part. Thus, the human zoo was born.
As for Pink Diamond, she would was now leading a rebellion, but nobody would believe her if she claimed to be the real Diamond authority. Hell, many of her followers may have been like Bismuth: resentful of their former leaders and hungry for shards. No, the only people Pink Diamond could trust were her closest followers. Pearl and Garnet and possibly a few more. Only they knew they were really doing the duty of a queen, and that’s why even millennia after the war ended they and their fusions still bore pink diamonds on their shirts shoes and pants.
In the end, Pink Diamond was never able to take back her body, but she couldn’t let Rose use her body for tyranny anymore. The die was cast, a diamond fell, and a quartz and her pearl watched the miracle of a new beginning.
Pink took her body, her usurper and shards, a remnant of the life she hand long left behind. These would later be fed to the lions who followed her, creating a pet left for Steven when he needed it most.
All theories are true on this one, they all fit into place. I’m just glad I was finally able to make order out of these disparate parts
