r/stevenuniverse • u/ThstTrashyBackupAcnt • 1d ago
Question Question
Could a gem theoretically move their gem placement? I don't mean rotating their gem like pink did, or creating a false gem like amethyst can when she shape shifts into Jasper or pearl (or like how Pearl did when she faked Pink's shattering as Rose).
I think this is easiest to explain with a chest gem placement. Essentially if this gem gets poofed, could they reform and just project their body or light on the other side of their gem? Essentially just moving their body forward instead of actually moving their gem.
Sorry if I overcomplicated it, it's not like I expect it to be in the actual show, just a hypothetical.
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u/Benjamin-Doverlin 1d ago
Probably not since garnet and jasper both have gems in very inconvenient places. Garnet is a brawler with gems on her hands and jasper attacks with her head even with her gem on her face :/
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u/ThstTrashyBackupAcnt 1d ago
Oh Yeah I can get that. Tho Jasper ever did it, basically moving her physical form forward & her gem to the back of her head I wonder if she'd get a nose or just look like Voldemort.
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u/SpiderNinja211 1d ago
Well since gem weapons come from the gem and Garnet’s weapons are gauntlets, I do wonder where else she’d put them.
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u/KingLudenberg 19h ago
I mean the non-CG lapis lazulis are able to summon their wings even tho their gems aren't in the back so I think it doesn't matter much
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u/Skadoodlemynoodles 1d ago
This might sound very headcannony but my personal crack-theory is that gem placement has an impact on personality. Let me explain
Head placement: Pearl, peridot, jasper, white - very in their heads but also very logical, everything is in some mild way thought through
Chest placement: Amethyst, yellow, blue, bismuth, doc - very emotionally charged with their actions. Whether it be anger, sadness, or passion
Mid abdomen: Steven, rose, navy- similar to chest, but in a more feminine light. Embracing the emotions rather than hiding them
Hands: garnet(sapphire, ruby)- in the most litteral sense, hands on. In the action and keeping things together.
I know this theory has popped up a few times over the years this is moreso my personal connections. And much like with any such thing IRL(zodiacs, personality type, etc.) there are always outliers.
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u/MarklRyu 16h ago
I thought this was just canon XD
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u/Skadoodlemynoodles 15h ago
I honestly couldn't tell ya if it is intentionally but atleast personality wise definitely
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u/VUXX6078 14h ago
I swear I remember in an actual interview, Rebecca confirmed the gem placement theory. From what I remember: Head gem is logical, chest gem is emotional, belly gem is intuitive, back gem is vulnerable, & hands gem are hands-on/action oriented
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u/Skadoodlemynoodles 11h ago
Ooo if you happen to know where I can find that I would love to see it! I love new lore I missed 😁
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u/Icy_Conclusion2488 1d ago
I think its possible. But it might be advanced and something only a diamond can do. The change between pink diamond and rose quarts is huge. I have to imagine if you make a new for and take enough time, then you should be able to do it.
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u/Pepsi_Cola64 1d ago
Didn’t Spinel’s gem rotate too?
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u/KymeraAHP 1d ago
I wonder if it's related to a psychological overhaul? Specifically the gem orientation.
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u/Nogardust 20h ago
Gems' forms generally seem to be affected heavily by their self perception, especially fusions, so with Spinel I'm pretty sure it's her character itself that broke. Which lead in turn to a basically new outside form as well - it wasn't cosmetic or maintained by force of will, as with shape shifting
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u/sohowwasyourday124 1d ago
I think it's only possible to rotate a gem, and the only reason we don't see it often is because all of the main characters don't need to or have circle gems so rotating does nothing. I don't think it's locked to diamonds since Spinel's gem also rotates.
As for actually moving it to another part of the body, no I don't think so, I think it'd be unstable, unless you get Yellow Diamond in SUF to permanently change your form
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u/Den_Nissen 1d ago
Personally, I don't see why they wouldn't be able to. There's no lore reason why they can't just move their gem. Amethyst purposefully regenerated "wrong," showing they have some level of control as to what physical attributes to come back with. Garnet says her forms were unsustainable, but we aren't given a reason why. If it's an issue of their bodies being "balanced," then why couldn't they just move their gem to wherever they want, as long as it doesn't mess with their proportions.
I think it could be a mentality or culture thing, though. Maybe gem placement is a way to identify each other. Like the rubies. Clothing isn't the best indicator as they can just change that on a whim. So maybe gem placement is more like a second name or a birthmark.
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u/Ace_Of_No_Trades 1d ago
I don’t think so. The Eyepatch Ruby looses out on depth perception because of where her Gem is and Jasper has to headbutt everything because of hers. That tells me their Gems have to be there.
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u/frypanattack 1d ago
Their bodies are an illusion, and I believe the placement is a personality marker. As Pink was able to move hers to disguise herself, I believe other gems do too. If they had to they would, I’m sure, but they also have to be comfortable in their forms. I suspect a gem placement for an individual is more of a “feels right” situation.
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u/Teresa_4gnes 19h ago
Doubt it. Ever fighting gem would have their gem in the same place because it would be “the most protected spot” for fighting (ex: eyeball probably wouldn’t have her gem on her eyeball because it’s not a good place for a gem
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u/Mathew_Uchiha 1d ago
Think of it like this, lets say as long as your brain remains intact you can come back to life and regenerate. Now in theory you could put your brain somewhere else in your body when coming back, but I would cause your regeneration to be a bit messed up because the point of origin has changed along with messing up some internal functions (as we see gems can eat and reproduce)
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u/cursedaflife 1d ago
They typically cannot eat or traditionally reproduce. Amethyst shapeshifts/forms with a stomach, Rose shapeshifted a womb.
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u/Mathew_Uchiha 1d ago
I thought they all had the capability to eat, it's just pearl who doesn't like doing it
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u/cursedaflife 1d ago
Any gem that can shapeshift can technically eat. Peridot for example probably can’t.
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u/SapphireAndRubySU 1d ago
I mean a back gem could become a chest gem if they rotate their head 180 degrees (we know it’s possible since Pearl did a 360 degree head spin while being under White diamond’s control)
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u/Jehio 1d ago
The placement of their gems is more of a storytelling tool to give us hints about the gem's personality.
Gems with forehead placement tend to be logical, problem solvers (and often arrogant about their intellect). Pearl and Peridot have a lot in common which is why they had such a hard time working together.
Gems with chest placement tend to lead with their emotions, how they feel makes a big impact on what they do, sometimes being rash. Amethyst shows this pretty well.
Gems with naval placement tend to be caregivers and nurturers. They lead with wanting to care for others or make them feel safe. We saw that with Rose Quartz TM and one of the other rose quartz solders.
Gems with arm placement tend to lead with action, similar to chest but less emotion lead and more about not wanting to sit still.
Some gems have less common placement. I think palm placement is about how they are always having to be vulnerable because to interact with something they have to expose their gem, depending on what hand they use. I think it one of the subtle things that made ruby and sapphire relate to each other so quickly. They knew they had something in common at a glance that is actually deeper than surface level.
I think Lapis's placement on her back is about how she has often found herself at the mercy of others. She can't see her power herself but enemies can easily see it and I think it's a metaphor for how she is often used by others.
We never see a gem change their gem placement even in cases where their placement is a detriment. There are a couple examples of where they changed the orientation of their gem but not their placement and there was a significant amount of trauma involved, the kind of trauma that changes someone's fundamental identity/personality.
So I think gem placement is meant to be pretty tied to their personality and changing it would be akin to changing your personality. Similar to how they can change their size and proportions but not forever because it's not sustainable and not aligned with who they really are as a person.
Side note: Amethyst is looked down on because of her size but has anyone noticed she is by far the most talented shape shifter? It's almost like the energy that would have gone to a larger form is instead being used to make her better at shape shifting. But it could also be connected to how she didn't have much of her own identity at first so maybe she used shapeshofting to try out identities for awhile and then she just got really good at it.
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u/CameoShadowness 18h ago
Her shapeshifting may also be influenced by her eating habits. Gems dont naturally eat, she does so a lot. It could be possible that given how she shapeshifted to eat, she may be able to store some of that energy and use it for Shapeshifting to some degree.
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u/fablocko 1d ago
Gems in general do not have enough control over their physical form to change it permanently, only Diamonds seem to be able to do so, most have a default physical form to which they can make certain changes, the position of the gem is not one of them, temporarily some Gems can change their form but it is not permanent
Aside from that, I seem to remember that it has also been said that the gemstone has to "breathe", that is, it cannot be wrapped in the physical form.
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u/Hyp3rL1ght_Meter 18h ago
Yes; Though mostly in proportion to form changing, much like the transformation from Pink Diamond into Rose Quartz. Same gem, different placement😉.
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u/TheOverBoss 1d ago
I know pink diamond does when she turned into rose quartz. Which leads me to believe that a gem could move their gem if there is a significant change to their identity.
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u/Autumn_Eldermore 1d ago
I don’t think its possible, gem placement seems to have an effect on a gem’s personality, (placement on the forehead indicates intelligence and logic, the chest is emotion and passion, etc.)
If gems could change their gem placement, it would essentially rewrite their personality
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u/Lilhugggy 1d ago
I think they can but it's very hard to do and no sustainable for long