Get to know the Crystal Gems of the ‘Steven Universe’

For any “Steven Universe” fan, even long after its limited epilogue series “Steven Universe: Future” has come to an end this past March, their favorite characters outside of the core cast are called the Crystal Gems. One of the most beloved of these side characters that have become a fan favorite among many is Peridot, the Homeworld Gem who made her debut in season one, episode thirty-six titled “Warp Tour”, in which she was checking in on a geo-weapon that is due to emerge from the Earth’s core. Until the episode ‘Catch and Release’, season two, episode eighteen, she was considered a villain until the titular character, Steven, decided to give her a chance and tried to acclimate her to living on Earth.

This rehabilitation process would last until the second episode of season three, titled ‘Gem Drill’, in which she and Steven have engineered a drill to reach the Cluster, the geo-weapon’s name that Steven somewhat affectionately gives to them since it is comprised of millions of gem shards pieced together, and compromise with them to not destroy the planet. To get to this point, Peridot had to unlearn the ways of Homeworld, where most of the Gems originate, by working alongside a fusion of two gems because of the rules that state fusion is only for fighting, and an ownerless Pearl, because on Homeworld the Pearls are considered to be servants instead of free thinkers; through the twenty-sixth episode of season two, titled “Log Date 7.15.2”, the audience gets to see Peridot learn to see eye-to-eye with the permafusion mentioned earlier, named Garnet, which helps her along the track of accepting the Crystal Gems for who they are.

Throughout season three, we see Peridot slowly become friends with another Homeworld Gem called Lapis Lazuli, after having to share a barn together, which directs her character development from a neutral standing after the events with the Cluster to a more positive one. From this moment on to the series limited epilogue, she has self-identified as a fellow Crystal Gem and defends the Earth that she has now fully accepted as her new home rather than try and return to Homeworld. To some, this transition to a ‘good’ character poses problems because she has only been used since as a comedic relief even in an episode that explores her self-worth issues in Gem society. When she was first stripped of her antagonist role, Peridot was shown to be unfamiliar with Earth technology and would come up with different words to describe these things rather than try to learn what they are actually called; misunderstandings and language barriers aside, this was played off for jokes by Steven and another character named Amethyst, throughout season two. And when she was not used for comedic effect, her character was hardly ever utilized until the ending of the original series and the epilogue. Granted, it is a children’s cartoon that does have comedic elements, but this show is also reputable for tackling tough subjects such as war, so while the joking at Peridot’s expense lines up with the subgenre of the show, many fans think that it was not timely placed since it happened right after her redemption arc.

Peridot, in herself, is a terrific character that demonstrates in an easily digestible manner how socialization plays a part in interactions such as this gem having preconceived notions about how these rebellious, renegade Crystal Gem members should be acting as decided by Homeworld. These stereotypes ingrained in her from the time she emerged in Homeworld’s society she was able to unlearn these assumptions and learn to accept that the Crystal Gems are their own people, loosely speaking since they are not human. Her character was a delight to the show once she was introduced, but from a narrative standpoint, there could have been more of a balance between seriousness and hilariousness.

Written by Mordecai Russell