Hessonite

"Ah, the Earth. Did you miss me?"

Hessonite is the main antagonist and final boss in Save the Light. She is the original wielder of the Light Prism and returns to Earth in order to retrieve it.

Appearance
Hessonite is one of the tallest single Gems known in Save the Light, standing about a head higher than Garnet. She has a light orange complexion and pale yellow hair in a large curly afro drawn back to a widow's peak. She has a dark burgundy unibrow and a light yellow marking in the shape of the Prism over her left, vermilion eye. She wears a sparkly, high-collared cape over an orange-red jumpsuit, thigh-high white boots with jaffa-colored soles, and white elbow-length gloves. Hessonite's gemstone is located in the center of her chest and is a rounded rectangle with a rectangular facet.

Personality
"Very tall, commanding. She had fluffy hair and a lot of, um, bravado?"

According to Rebecca Sugar, Hessonite is a pompous Homeworld commander who shows to also be vicious and aggressive when she is opposed.

During her introduction at the beginning of the game, Hessonite is shown to have a high sense of self. Often looking down at others as just things beneath her. True to her title, Hessonite is very commanding of those whom she deems her inferiors, and is not opposed to treating them as tools she uses to achieve her goals. She is also very quick to anger when things don't go her way, and is reactive to doing anything that removes her opposition.

After her defeat at the end of the game, Hessonite admits that she is imperfect, so far as to even call herself "defective" because of her weaknesses. She admits that she wanted to be perfect, as everyone had told her she had to be, but she needed the Prism in order to live up to Homeworld's expectations. This reveals that for all of her imperious demeanor, Hessonite is deeply insecure, and may even feel trapped by the high standards that have been set for her.

Of further note is her reaction when she surrenders the Prism to Steve, only for him to encourage it to make its own decisions. Both surprised and touched by what she describes as Steven's wisdom, she agrees to let it be. From this exchange, it's proven that Hessonite isn't above developing respect for those who've proven their worth to her, and that she's come to view the Prism as something more than just a tool.

Ultimately, Hessonite begins to question whether she's the perfect warrior that everyone on Homeworld insists she is, or something else entirely; and she teleports away after resolving that now she has the chance to find out. With no indication that she intends to report this matter to her superiors at Homeworld, it seems likely that she may be subtly breaking away from Homeworld's rigid beliefs to discover her own path.

Save the Light
Hessonite first appears emerging from her inverted pyramid ship after it lands on (and destroys) It's a Wash. She rhetorically asks if the Earth "missed her." She finds the Light Steven and commands it to come with her after stating she is the rightful owner of the item. When Steven protests, Hessonite seems mildly bemused by the presence of humans and orders the Prism to attack, only to be frustrated when the Prism only produces some minor monsters to threaten Steven with.

Throughout the game, Hessonite takes the Prism to the sites of old battlegrounds from the rebellion in an attempt to restore it to its default mindset. The lack of progress frustrates her, as does the Prism's tendency to keep forming the Light Steven avatar (thus implying that it belongs to Steven, and not her). However, upon encountering the Crystal Gems, Hessonite concludes that they attempted to take control of the Prism and inadvertently caused it to malfunction. Deeming them an obstacle, she begins attacking them directly, and it's revealed that she had personally fought both Rose Quartz and Pearl back during the Rebellion.

In a series of flashbacks provided by the Prism, it's further revealed that Hessonite first received it as a reward from Yellow Diamond, to the praise and admiration of her peers. However, the Prism was more than simply a symbol of status, as Hessonite would go on to use its powers to devastating effect during the Rebellion - when weaker opponents challenged her, she would simply order the Prism to use its light constructs to vanquish her enemies for her. However, Hessonite ultimately met her match in Rose Quartz, who struck the Prism out of her hand with a decisive blow from her sword. In the end, Hessonite was forced to flee Earth without the Prism, as the Diamond Authority was preparing to use its final weapon of last resort to wipe out the Crystal Gems.

As the game's events near their climax, Hessonite discovers Bismuth's old forge, and decides to use it to "improve" the Prism. By the time Steven and the Crystal Gems arrive, the Homeworld commander has already completed her work and leaves in her ship - which, it turns out, is actually a modular component that attaches to a much larger vessel in Earth's orbit. However, the Crystal Gems use Lion to take off into space after her, ultimately boarding her warship and seeking her out for a final confrontation.

When the Crystal Gems fight their way to the bridge of Hessonite's flagship, they find her waiting for them. Taking the opportunity to reflect on how she was forced to leave the Prism behind when Homeworld's forces fled the Earth, Hessonite expresses her frustration at having to abandon it, only for the Crystal Gems to allegedly "steal it." Steven attempts to explain that the Prism doesn't serve him that way, but Hessonite refuses to listen. Angrily insisting that the Crystal Gems are nothing but thieves who stole her most valuable weapon, then damaged it through misuse, Hessonite reveals that she used Bismuth's Forge to modify the Prism back into an obedient servant. With grave satisfaction, Hessionite orders the Prism to attack, watching from her command chair as it forms a powerful Light Warrior to engage the Crystal Gems.

However, as the Crystal Gems are able to hold their own against the Light Warrior, Steven appeals to the Prism directly, asking it if it really wants to fight. When the Prism expresses hesitation and regret, Hessonite is infuriated that it still has some form of attachment to Steven, and resolves to deal with the Crystal Gems herself. Descending from her command chair, the Homeworld commander draws her sword and engages the heroes directly. Her formidable speed, swordplay, and ability to generate triangular shockwaves of light by stabbing the ground make her a deadly adversary, but the resolve and teamwork of the Crystal Gems ultimately overwhelm her.

Driven to one knee, Hessonite breaks down as she admits that it's not the Prism that's been defective all this time, but herself. While her peers on Homeworld insisted that she was perfect - that she was made to be that way - Hessonite reveals that she never believed it herself, and that she needed the Prism in order to live up to her intended role. Bitterly concluding that she's no longer worthy of owning the Prism at all after losing the battle for it, she urges Steven to take it for himself.

However, Steven surprises her by refusing to accept ownership of the Prism, insisting that it's no one's property and asking it what it wants. From here, the outcome depends on the Prism's choice. Should it decide to go with Hessonite, the Homeworld commander vows to use its power to conquer worlds. If it wants to stay on Earth, Hessonite is moved by Steven's wisdom, and agrees to let it stay. When Garnet voices her concerns about releasing such a high-ranking commander in Homeworld's army, Hessonite admits she's beginning to have doubts about her role in life - the perfect warrior Homeworld claims she is, or something else altogether. Resolving to find out, she departs without further incident, or indication that she intends to report the matter to Homeworld.

Abilities
Hessonite presumably possesses standard Gem abilities, including bubbling, regeneration, and superhuman durability.

Skillset

 * Teleportation: Hessonite can seemingly relocate herself to a nearby point she chooses. When using her teleportation ability, the visuals shown are similar to that of a warp pad's visuals when in use.
 * Super Speed: Hessonite can move at an immense speed.
 * Sword Proficiency: Her summoned weapon is a pink-bladed sword with a teal edge, similar in appearance to Rose's Sword, but with a more slender blade and a golden hand-guard.

Save the Light

 * Sword Strike: Hessonite rushes towards her target and attacks them with a blockable strike with her sword.
 * Sword Slash: Before performing this attack on her turn, Hessonite will change her stance and will face the target she is about to attack. She then rushes towards her target slashing them with her sword at blinding speeds dealing massive damage before teleporting back to her original position. The attack can easily knockout/poof allies (as well as de-fuse fusions) unprepared for the attack.
 * Light Shatter: During the attack, Hessonite will draw her sword with both of her hands in front of her, pointing it downwards. The room then darkens and light triangles will appear beneath Hessonite and all of her opponents. She then thrusts the sword to the light triangle beneath her, shattering it. The light triangles beneath her opponents shatter as well, dealing damage to them.

Trivia

 * She bears resemblance to the commander drawn by Centipeetle and perhaps might be the commander depicted.
 * She was a commander of Homeworld Gems during the war on Earth, and was forced to leave in a hurry at "the Diamonds' retaliation." This seems to indicate that she was, in fact, Centipeetle's commander.
 * She was given the Light Prism by Yellow Diamond.
 * She fought against Rose and Pearl one on one in the war.
 * She has several similarities to Garnet, possibly a reference to how hessonite is a type of garnet in real life.
 * She has a similar build and hairstyle to Garnet's.
 * She also has complete heterochromia iridum, like Garnet, although she does not hide hers with a visor.
 * Additionally, she is shown to have super speed, an ability Garnet also has.
 * She also has several similarities (and differences) to Jasper:
 * She arrived in a starship that landed near a key landmark in Beach City.
 * She has a Peridot under her direct command.
 * Her colors are primarily yellow and orange, and she reports to Yellow Diamond.
 * Both wore capes in their debut. Hessonite, however, continues to wear hers.
 * She develops a grudge against Steven. Unlike Jasper, though, Hessonite recognizes Steven as his own individual, rather than Rose in a new form.
 * She develops an obsession with something that gives her power. Where Jasper was undone by her obsession with Fusion, however, Hessonite ultimately lets go of her desire for the Prism.
 * She is the second Gem whose gemstone type is a variety of garnet to be revealed in the show.
 * She is the only sword-wielding Gem so far whose sword is a summoned weapon, rather than a physical one like the ones owned by Rose and Pearl.
 * Hessonite is the first new Gem type to be revealed somewhere other than the show.
 * Hessonite has the largest sized gem in relation to body size than any other gem shown so far.
 * Her design was inspired heavily by Ziggy Stardust, including the different eye colors and the facial marking.

Gemology
Gemstone Information
 * Hessonite is a type of grossular garnet.
 * It is also called the "cinnamon stone" due to its distinct color.
 * Hessonites have a chemical formula of Ca3Al2Si3O12.
 * The name "hessonite" comes from the Ancient Greek word "ἣσσων (hēssōn)" meaning "inferior". This is because hessonites exhibit a considerably lower density and hardness than most garnet species.
 * Hessonite rates a 7 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, similar to that of quartzes, while most other garnet species rate nearer to 7.5.
 * Hessonite has been confused with Jacinth/Hyacinth, an orange-red variety of zircon.
 * The orange color is brought about by the iron and manganese within the stone.
 * The stone often represents virtue and confidence.

Gallery
Hessonite