Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26061718-20150322195340/@comment-26205636-20150325212120

Toyloli wrote: I like the autistic theory (like as in think it's plausible) but I also think we have to question something. Pearl was once a respected general in Rose's army. This would indicate she was once a competant leeder, capable of keeping her head in extreme situations. After thousands of years of life and goodness knows how long a war in the defence of Earth we have to think though that Some of that had a tole.

We know that Pearl was (most probably) in love with Rose. We know that she resents Greg, and thinks of and treets Steven as though she is her own. As though she and Rose are Stevens parents and greg is just incidental. They way she talks about Greg seams to pull through (at least in the early half of the season) that she doesn't 'think' of Greg as one of Steven's parents - at least not in the way of being responsible for him.

And then we see the extreme panic attacks whenever anyone talks about the war and the battle. Like just thinking about it borders her on freaking out.

Basically (edit: like +Aclysmic) I think she's suffering from Shell Shock. Post traumatic stress disorder from the war, and has never gotten over it. In some place in the back of her mind the war is still going on (and may still be from the perspective of the homeworld gems). And on top of this she is raising the child of her beloved. A child carrying the Gem of her beloved who is clearly unable to properly defend her... sorry Him-self! (Pearl: seriously rose what did you DO) --- And every slightest thing around her is dangerous, and if everything ISN'T IN PERFECT ORDER THE ENTIRE WORLD IS GOING TO FALL APART!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pearl starts hyperventaliting]

Now I'm not saying that there couldn't be other underlying symptoms. Autism or some form of OCD. But I think the majority of her behaviour is untreated PTS which nobody seams to really be helping her with. Notice her behaviour is most anomalys before and after missions. I think spending time with Steven is literally the only time she stops thinking about the 'dangers all around us'. It has not been said yet if Pearl was a general, she only pledged her loyality to Rose Quartz as a soldier. I like this theory because it gives depth to Pearl's personality. I also like the theory based on Rose's Scabbard that Pearl bares some contempt for Steven based on the fact that if he was not here, Rose would still be. Pearl feels that without Rose, she lost the one who gave her purpose and now she is clinging to Steven, trying to teach him like Rose taught her but she starts to unravel if Steven becomes independent and learn without her.