#gem caste system

[cumkinspicelatte]

Homestuck referenced in the Steven Universe Wiki

[blenderbender1811]

A Thing about Homeworld

I was thinking about the Homeworld caste system for some upcoming theory/meta/fanfic thing about it and I remembered Peridot’s call with Yellow Diamond. In it, Yellow Diamond makes a point about addressing Earth’s life as organic life, very disdainfully. Clearly Homeworld does not think much of organic life. 

And then I realized something - pearls are organic gemstones. 

Guys, what if one of the things that makes pearls ‘inferior’ and therefore ‘deserving’ of their low rank on the caste system is that they’re organic and thus not ‘proper’ or ‘true’ Gems? 

And if we accept that premise, what does that mean for other organic gemstones like amber or coral? What about things that aren’t often used as gemstones but are important in the gem trade, like jet or ivory? Do they all have a correspondingly low rank? Are they ‘outdated’? What about things like rhinestones? Where do they rank?

UGH I need to know more about the Gem caste system! If the Crewniverse ever released a book about it, that’d be my jam. 

[lookatmyhammies]

I just keep thinking about strength -Steven's strength, Garnets, Lapis'- and how love and passion are the core behind it. And I look at Peridot, and see what compiles the retaliation after Rose's revolution succeeds on Home World. The caste system was there since before the war, but relationships were a possibility. Ruby and Sapphire met and fell in love, Pearls affection for and dedication to Rose had to be founded on something. Peridot truly seems like she's never really had anything in her life before. Just her things, her precious tools, her job, her purpose. There's always the possibility that that was how it was before the revolution, but... Quartz', Peridot said, are suppose to be unbelievably loyal as well as huge, strong. Rose Quartz could quite have been the biggest betrayer of all, she saw earth as more valuable than her relationship (whether that was with whoever she fused with to form Pink Diamond or the other Diamonds). She wins, above everything, and suddenly morality and love are bigger than fusions, bigger than homeworld, and stronger than any previous relationship. The remaining Diamond authority can't allow this to happen ever again. So Peridot, who was born after Homeworld started terraforming earth, who was born after the war, who never saw the possibility of a fusion like the Crystal Gems were fighting for, was given even less. She was not allowed any form of affection. But then Amethyst laughed. She wasn't doing it for power or to mock her, she genuinely thought Peri was funny, silly. Steven had been kind, but he was some sort of quartz, so he has to be that way. But Amethyst? Amethyst had no reason to treat her such way. Amethyst was above her, Amethyst had little to no point in spending time with her. And truly, that passion is what the Diamonds truly fear. Because Peridot, who has been unequivocally weak compared to the other gems without her gadgets, broke from her binds to reach Amethyst. She had been loved with laughter and for the first time in possibly ever she had more than a something. She has found a some gem, a someone, and there is a possibility of that becoming a group of many someones. (And we have seen an ocean take down a mountain with only the love given to her by a young child, seen her drag a beast into the sea because she couldn't imagine having anyone taking the same freedom that had been taken from her from that same boy. We have seen the same molten loyalty and compassionate blizzard form a fist as strong as the bond that holds them. We have seen romance in difference and kindness in communication. I can't wait to see what Peridot can do. I can't wait to see what Pearl can do, what Amethyst can do. I can't wait to see the wonder that is Steven.)