There are many theories on "Steven Universe" and its long list of characters and events. People speculate whether or not Rose was Pink Diamond or whether or not Onion is Yellow Diamond. I wish to go beyond the theories strictly related to the show itself and go "outside of the box." The character I would like to focus on is Garnet. On the surface, she is a fusion, made up of 2 characters (Sapphire and Ruby) who are held together by the love they have for each other. I like to pick apart the dynamics of this relationship. It has been declared by the show that it is a romantic relationship. I know the characters are both female (although it can be argued that gems themselves are not either gender because they are just rocks...) That would make them a lesbian couple, which some may not agree with, especially for a children's show. I would like to go beyond the surface and propose a theory. Garnet is not just a fusion or a lesbian relationship. She is a metaphor. This metaphor can stand for many different things.
The first thing I think this can symbolize is an interracial relationship. The face that Sapphire is a rare, aristocratic gem means she is someone who has a higher place in the caste system that was constructed on Homeworld. Being a rare gem, she was more valuable. She also has the gift of future vision, which she used in Blue Diamond's court for military strategies. She was being protected by a group of rubies, which is where the other half of the fusion comes from. Ruby was a foot soldier assigned to protect Sapphire on their visit to Earth when Homeworld was attempting to establish a Gem Colony there. Her gem type is not rare, in fact there is an abundance of rubies on Homeworld. This meant that she was disposable. The two were on very different ends of the spectrum when it came to rank. After the Crystal Gems (at that time, just Rose and Pearl) attacked Blue Diamond's court, Ruby saved Sapphire from being poofed (or damaged and forced to retreat inside of her gem.) This was not foreseen in Sapphire's future vision she had told Blue Diamond. The result of her being rescued was their fusion (fusion happens when two or more gems are in sync with each other and they dance, fusing together to create a new being.) (All of this can be seen in the episode, "The Answer.") Because it was not the norm for gems of different types to fuse, they were scolded and Blue Diamond wanted Ruby to be broken for her crime (against nature.) I believe this is a symbol of interracial dating because many people today think that the races should not mix. Some people go so far as to threaten the safety of the people who choose to be in said relationships. (This is similar to how Blue Diamond and her court were appalled by Garnet's first appearance and why she threatened to destroy Ruby for breaking the social norm.)
The second thing Garnet symbolizes is the relationship between man and God. Fusion is not stable (although Garnet can stay together for a long period of time because of the love Ruby and Sapphire share) because of the connection between the being who are fused. Amethyst and Pearl, for example, do not have a stable fusion. This can be paralleled between man and God because our relationships with God should be stable, constant, and unbreakable. Yet, because we are human, we fall short. This means that our "fusion" with God will not always stay together. With God, we are stronger, smarter and overall, more put together. This is mirrored in the way Ruby and Sapphire are when they are separated. They have different personalities, and have flaws like the rest of us, but together, they can create a new being that is stronger, smarter and more efficient. I love this concept because it is interpreted from what some people think is just an insignificant, comical television series created solely for children's enjoyment. Looking closer at the way the characters interact, and how their development from the first episode until the most recent, we can dig deeper into the true meanings behind the stories they tell with each installment. This theory especially hits home for me. I was a " miracle baby" and my parents, who were told to give up on having children, "fused" with God to push (pray until something happens.) The result from their faith in God and what He could do for them was me. I wouldn't be alive today if my parents would have relied on man alone to solve their dilemma. I am grateful to Rebecca Sugar for giving me this character to connect with.
The wonderful thing about art is that it can be interpreted differently for different people. I love how diverse Steven Universe is as well as its cast. I love listening to theories by different people on Youtube as well. Go check out channels by AwesomeJohn22, The RoundTable, and Cartoon Universe and subscribe.
