Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-26289669-20150408020948/@comment-25365147-20150417043209

The stretching could've been shapeshifting, though it could also be a power. No way to know for sure yet.

As for strength and weakness, well, it does seem that some Gems are physically stronger than others, while others might rely more on special abilities or powers. We never see Lapis partake in feats of physical strength, yet her hydrokinesis is extremely powerful. We've mostly seen Peridot use advanced technology, and it's implied that she wasn't able to put up much of a fight against Amethyst.