Pearl Character Discussion!

Sooooooo I'm gonna start off a thread for Pearl

I'm so in love with her character! Her flaws are relatable, her crush on Rose to me is absolutely adorable and heart wrenching, and she just tries to hard to be a good surrogate mother for Steven even if she's worrisome and over bearing. You can tell that even though seeing Steven pains her, she really truely cares about him and thats just so admirable to me <3

What do you guys love about her?

Everything about Pearl is awesome! I agree with what you say about her flaws; they make her relatable and also extremely fascinating as a character. I just love her attitude, and how some things on Earth fascinate her and how other things repulse her. Also I'm intrigued to know more about her backstory.

Ah yes her flaws and her obvious crush on Rose. Love those. I also love how she acts like she doesn't really understand humans but she acts pretty damn human - more than Garnet and Amethyst. Pearl is, I think, the more relateable gem.

I too want to know more on her backstory, especially with the whole "defective Pearl" comment Jasper made. I've seen some interesting stuff floating around tumblr, such as her oblong pearl on her forehead being tied in (you want a perfectly round pearl, not oblong), etc. Plus, I also feel like Peridot is the upgraded version of Pearls.

Rose Quartz wrote:

Plus, I also feel like Peridot is the upgraded version of Pearls.

*SCREAMS INTERNALLY INTO OBLIVION*

*HEAVY HYPERVENTILATING*

*DEAD*

I like how enthusiastic she was about building a spaceship I wanna see her super happy like she was while she was working on it more often because happy Pearl makes me happy

Ah the spaceship episode. She was ready to toss everything away just to get out into space. I can only imagine how she feels - she was so used to travelling around space and now she's confined on Earth.

It's nice to see a happy Pearl <3

Agreed. Even if a little manic in her happiness, it was still nice to see her that way. Very relatable to feel homesickness and then manic joy when teased with the possibility of going home again.

You know, I feel like Ruby, what we know of her so far, is similar to Pearl. I mean, Ruby puts Sapphire and her well-being above all else. She's a bit reckless and whatnot when she was separated from Sapphire, frantic to find her. The only thing that's really different between Ruby and Pearl at the moment is that we know Sapphire reciprocates and thus we consider it cute, sweet, and romantic that Ruby is like this for Sapphire.

Pearl does idolize Pearl but you could argue that so does Ruby, then.

Rose Quartz wrote:

I too want to know more on her backstory, especially with the whole "defective Pearl" comment Jasper made. I've seen some interesting stuff floating around tumblr, such as her oblong pearl on her forehead being tied in (you want a perfectly round pearl, not oblong), etc. Plus, I also feel like Peridot is the upgraded version of Pearls.

I have two theories.

1) Pearls aren't meant to be warriors. Pearls were basic servant Gems, meant for basic tasks and possibly labor. When our Pearl was assigned to Rose as a servant, Rose Quartz didn't treat her like one. She treated her like she actually had worth. Thus, Pearl decided to take up arms with Rose when the uprising against Homeworld began, and since becoming a warrior wasn't what she was meant to do, others thought that she was defective. This is supported in the song "Do It For Her/Him" when Pearl sings, "deep down you know you weren't meant for fighting". On the surface we think she's talking to and about Connie, but later we learn that she's just projecting herself onto Connie; so maybe she's acknowledging the fact that she originally wasn't made for combat, but she's gonna damn well do it anyways.

2) It may just mean that Pearl defected from the Homeworld army to join Rose's. Simple as that, I guess.

But I love the idea that it may have to do with her gem being misshapen! That would be a great twist.

I'm definitely into theory one.

I'm seeing some Pearl hate over Sworn to the Sword saying she's abusive and this and that. Yes, what she was doing in that episode was not good, but that helps build for an interesting, complex character. Not to mention a relateable one. Pearl messed up, she's messed up before, and she will probably mess up again. It's good character building. Who wants a Mary Sue in a story?

What Pearl did was not okay by any means. It was wrong, and harmful, and could've ended up getting Connie into real trouble. But we know that Pearl has a lot of issues. Issues that she eventually realizes aren't healthy and apologizes for and corrects. Each of the Gems - well, all the characters, actually - have problems. There is no character that is 100% good or evil; that's what makes them such great characters.

It's really crap that people are hating on Pearl right now because of Sworn to the Sword and We Need to Talk. Yes Pearl has messed up with Steven and yes, she's been salty. But, that's what makes her a good, relateable character - because she's not black nor white. She's not perfect; she's flawed. When she was salty with Rose alive, she was young. She's grown up since then. But though she's grown up, she's still going to make mistakes (like Sworn in the Sword). The way she felt for Rose runs deep and wasn't healthy. Something like that running deep isn't a quick, nor easy fix.

Seeing people whine about Pearl though and how she is with Rose - yes it's unhealthy but damn does it give her character and is teaching us all good lessons about love and relationships. I don't get how you could hate that or a character with so much...dynamic and the most seemingly human of the Crystal Gems (sans Steven).

I completely agree. The hate towards Pearl (while kind of justified) is completely irrational. People complain that they want more queer representation in the media and they get Pearl and they complain. Like yes ok it's not a healthy queer realtionship but you HAVE a healthy queer relationship in the same show and she seems to have fallen to the way-side in favor of hating on Pearl. Also, not all queer relationships are happy and healthy and perfect like Garnet. Just like hetero relationships, there can be unhealthy ones and I like that they show that. They don't show any bias in the this show because they have show healthy and unhealthy hetero relationships, and healthy and unhealthy queer relationships. But people get a stick up their ass about it anyway because "omg media can't portray healthy queers because it's wrong neh" even though THIS SHOW DOES HAVE ONE ALREADY YOU IDIOTS.

Sorry. Bull-headed people make me mad.

literally half of tumblr wrote:

Oh no! A character did things out of jealousy! We must hate that character forever and ever!

In all seriousness, while I can see (but don't completely agree with) the hate of Pearl following Sworn to the Sword, as she did some really janked-up things, I feel that the hatred she got from her actions in today's episode were totally baseless.

Her relationship with Rose was (and actually, still is) unhealthy. She did some stupid things and some really bad things in the name of love.

The fact that Pearl is, at the end of the day, a complex character, is a thing I love about her. This, mixed with the fact that I can relate to her, makes her one of my favourite characters.

Yes! And you know, that's what I love about Steven Universe - it's so relateable and well written! Including Pearl. Not every relationship is healthy. This isn't a made up idea with Pearl to over-idealise and worship the woman she's in love with. People have done it in real life - especially kids (teens). And Pearl when Rose was alive can be seen as a kid. She can boast about being thousands of years old all she wants - she was still a kid during this time. She's grown up a LOT since then, but not all of the immaturity and child-like qualities have left her.

Yes yes, she totally messed up in Sworn to the Sword. She didn't realise it though until later. But ya know, that's what makes her great. Who wants a perfect Pearl?

I've seen a theory floating around that our "defective" Pearl falls for Gems in a position of authority. Rose was authority, we all know that. Pearl was also Rose's. Now we have Garnet as the leader and there may be a bit of infatuation for Garnet from Pearl.

Thoughts? Do you think Pearl has a tendency to fall for Gems in a leadership position?

Dunno. I guess since she feels she can't function without someone to rely on, I think maybe she just latches onto Gems who are stronger than she, or at least those who bother to give her the time of day.

Nah, Pearl is clearly attracted to January Birthstones.

All kidding aside, I seriously think that Pearls need people to rely on, being an implied slave race and all, but our Pearl's defect is her tendency towards romantic attraction. This turns what would be normal subservience into the lovely monster known as thirst love, and the lack of logic that coincides with it.