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The Gem Homeworld, or simply Homeworld, is the home planet of the Gem race and presumed capital of the Gems' intergalactic empire. It was initially mentioned in "Mirror Gem", and officially debuted in "The Trial".
Description
Little is known about the Gem Homeworld and its accurate history, culture, and society. What is known, however, is that Homeworld is a totalitarian, oligarchical society governed by the Great Diamond Authority. According to Bismuth, there are Gem "Elites", who are a superior class below the Diamonds and the lower classes work for them. Homeworld is a planet in a distant galaxy which maintains an extensive empire of colony worlds and constantly seeks to expand, as seen in "It Could've Been Great". Once suitable planets are located, they are exploited through facilities like the Kindergartens and terraformed to be made fit for Gem settlements, which would include eliminating any pre-existing life on the planet due to the drastic terraformation created by Gems.
In "Log Date 7 15 2", Garnet mentioned that the Gem Homeworld is not located in the Milky Way galaxy, where Earth resides, but in a separate galaxy still visible from Earth.
A strict caste system exists based on the Gem's gemstone, thus predetermining every Gem's role within their society. Deviation from the given social norms is harshly punished; for instance, when Ruby accidentally fused with Sapphire to create Garnet, she was sentenced to be shattered by Blue Diamond in "The Answer". Aside from the caste system, Gems on Homeworld are also divided into factions based on which Diamond they serve under.
Homeworld is also technologically advanced, achieving intergalactic travel thousands of years before the beginning of the events of the series. According to Lapis Lazuli, it had become even more advanced since the Rebellion to the point of being unrecognizable when compared with the time that Lapis left, now possessing further technological achievements such as the Gem Warship and Gem Destabilizers. This advanced technology greatly contrasts the old and decrepit Gem technology left on Earth, which Peridot considers to be archaic.
Not much of Homeworld's atmosphere or surface is shown, but it appears to contain oxygen and have gravity similar to Earth's. Although hardly any of the upper surface is seen, the architecture features tall obelisks running along the upper surface with inverted pyramids placed above the under-structures. The taller structures have vein-like tubes protruding out of them into other buildings and down below the upper surface. In the distance from the court-sphere is a large structure of what appears to be a Gem. The large structures continue into the depths of Homeworld and to the actual surface.
The actual surface of Homeworld is dead, wasted, and abandoned, presumably from the Kindergartens draining the planet's natural nutrients. Dotted around the planet's surface are abandoned Gem structures. Some of the abandoned structures include ancient obelisks resembling the newer ones placed on the upper levels. The old broken statues left behind appear to be fusions, implying that when the original surface began to die Homeworld Gems began to expand upwards, leaving old buildings and some aspects of their culture behind.
Homeworld's authoritarian, imperialistic and exploitative society indicates they are possibly a warlike, inhumane society bent on wiping out organic life. Another possibility is that they simply do not care about non-Gem life forms, seeing them as inferior. The Gems primarily came to Earth for the reasons of building a colony and later destroying it after the Rebellion.
Locations
- Main article: Gem Homeworld/Locations
History
"Mirror Gem"/"Ocean Gem"
Lapis Lazuli desired to return "home", referring to the Gem Homeworld. It can be seen that the Gem Homeworld is within a great distance from Earth and that Lapis Lazuli leaves Earth and travels in the direction of these stars to the Gem Homeworld. The stars are similar to what may be a map on the Galaxy Warp.
"Space Race"
Pearl mentions that the Galaxy Warp once served as a method of transport directly between Homeworld and Earth via the now inactive Homeworld Warp Pad.
"Warp Tour"
The Gem Homeworld is mentioned by name, and Peridot warps to Earth from there. The Homeworld Warp Pad is repaired by her Flask Robonoids for Peridot to perform a maintenance check. Upon her departure, Garnet destroys the Warp Pad with her gauntlets, once again preventing travel to and from Homeworld.
"On the Run"
Amethyst reveals that the Homeworld Gems created other Gems in a facility known as a Kindergarten. Amethyst, among many other Gems, is one of these creations.
"Marble Madness"
According to Peridot, Homeworld has records containing information. These records state that Gems were wiped out on Earth, which is what Homeworld presumed when the Corrupting Light went off.
"The Message"
Lapis Lazuli states that Homeworld is much more advanced, and she does not understand any of it. She contacted the Gems with technology that could communicate with the Wailing Stone, but only with help from Greg.
"The Return"/"Jail Break"
The Gem Warship, transporting Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis Lazuli, is dispatched to Earth from Homeworld. It is supposed to return to Homeworld, but it crashes back to Earth.
"Friend Ship"
An Ancient Gem Colony Ship is visited by the Crystal Gems during their pursuit of Peridot. Such ships were the fastest way to travel between Earth and Homeworld before the building of the Warp Pads.
"Catch and Release"
Peridot had attempted to repair the Homeworld Warp again, successfully collecting all the pieces of the Warp Pad. Unfortunately, without her Flask Robonoids, she was unable to repair it completely. Peridot is then defeated and temporarily bubbled by the Crystal Gems until Steven unbubbles her in an attempt to find out more about Peridot's real mission on Earth. It is later revealed by Peridot that she was sent on a mission from Homeward to Earth to report progress on the emergence of the Cluster.
"When It Rains"
Peridot reveals that it does not rain on the Gem Homeworld. According to her, Homeworld eventually no longer saw the Earth as a viable colony and decided to use it for experimentation, apparently several centuries ago. One such experiment is the Cluster, composed of millions of Gem Shards. At this point, it is currently incubating in the Earth's core, but when it emerges, it will be big enough to destroy the planet. The only way to survive would be to destroy the Cluster before it hatches or to escape the planet.
"Back to the Barn"
Peridot mentions Homeworld when she explains that Pearls such as Pearl herself are servants there.
"The Answer"
Garnet mentions that Homeworld sent numerous diplomats to Earth, and it is revealed that there is another authority figure called Blue Diamond.
"It Could've Been Great"
While on the moon retrieving vital information on the Cluster, Peridot explains that Gem physiology is designed for the express purpose of aiding Homeworld's interstellar conquering. Later, she reveals Homeworld's original plan for terraforming the Earth.
"Message Received"
Peridot manages to contact Homeworld through a Diamond Communicator from the Gem Moon Base, and Yellow Diamond's base, presumably somewhere on or near Homeworld, is seen during her conversation with Peridot about sparing the Earth from the Cluster.
"Log Date 7 15 2"
Garnet points out Homeworld in the night sky and reveals that it is in another galaxy of its own, instead of the Milky Way.
"Same Old World"
Lapis Lazuli tells Steven about how she was caught in the middle of the Rebellion. She was poofed, picked up by a Homeworld soldier, and mistaken for a Crystal Gem. Homeworld forces placed Lapis into a mirror and asked her where the Crystal Gems' base and their leader was, but Lapis did not have the answers. When the Rebellion could not be stopped, Homeworld fled Earth and left Lapis behind on Earth.
"Barn Mates"
A Roaming Eye ship is sent to Earth from Homeworld with five Ruby soldiers inside.
"Hit the Diamond"
The Rubies sent to Earth from Homeworld reveal that they were sent by Yellow Diamond to find Jasper (who is the head of the "failed" Earth mission to escort Peridot).
"Too Short to Ride"
Peridot tells Steven and Amethyst that Homeworld's resources are depleting and newer generation (Era 2) Peridots lack basic powers and abilities. This may or may not limit newer generation Gems to have weapons or even fuse.
"Monster Reunion"
It is revealed that Centipeetle was the captain of a squadron sent from Homeworld to Earth during the Rebellion in an Ancient Gem Colony Ship, alongside her crew, by an unknown Gem commander.
"Bismuth"
Garnet tells Bismuth that the Gems on Homeworld outnumber the Crystal Gems by a huge amount. Bismuth reveals to Steven that Homeworld used Bismuths to "erect spires and temples for the Gem elites to enjoy". She also tells Steven that Bismuths were used to build arenas and spires were used for philosophers to think in.
"Beta"
Peridot reveals to Steven and Amethyst that Homeworld struggled to generate extra soldiers to compete with Rose's army halfway during the Rebellion, so they created the Beta Kindergarten: a rushed Kindergarten used to get soldiers on the ground quickly.
"Earthlings"
Jasper tells a Corrupted Gem that her weakness is what embarrasses Homeworld. She also tells Steven, Peridot, and Amethyst that every Gem is made to serve the Great Diamond Authority. Those who do not serve the Diamonds are to be shattered and is considered a disgraceful act.
"Back to the Moon"
The Rubies reveal that Homeworld Gems have to write up reports after completing missions, hinted at by Peridot when she had her Limb Enhancers.
"Bubbled"
Eyeball tells Steven that she heard rumors that there could still be Crystal Gems (including Rose Quartz) on Earth. These rumors could have possibly originated on Homeworld.
"Kindergarten Kid"
Peridot reveals that there are no Corrupted Gems on Homeworld.
"Stuck Together"
Aquamarine, Topaz, Steven, and Lars arrive on Homeworld via Aquamarine's Ship. They land in a green docking area, where the Topazes take Steven and Lars to different areas.
"The Trial"
Through the whole episode, Steven is put on trial by the Diamonds for the crimes of Rose Quartz, when the defending Zircon discovers that the rumors of Pink Diamond's shattering do not make much sense or match with the crime, she accuses the Diamonds as potential suspects. After Yellow and Blue Diamond start arguing when the former poofed both Zircons, Steven and Lars escape by stealing Blue Diamond's palanquin.
"Off Colors"
Lars and Steven flee from a Shattering Robonoid until they encounter the Rutile Twins, who helps them find their way through the Homeworld Kindergarten and meet the other Off Colors: Padparadscha, Rhodonite, and Fluorite. The group explains that defective Gems are not accepted in Homeworld society and consequently shattered. After Lars dies defending the Off Colors from some Shattering Robonoids, he is revived by Steven's healing powers.
"Lars' Head"
After bringing Lars back to life, Steven discovers that Lars' hair now works as a portal to Earth by virtue of being connected to Lion's Dimension. When Lars proposes Steven and the Off Colors go to Earth while he stays behind, the Off Colors refuse because they do not want to leave Lars alone. Lars insists Steven return, however, eventually convincing him to reluctantly go back home to Earth.
"Dewey Wins"
Steven tells Connie about his experience on Homeworld, such as being put on trial and chased alongside Lars by robonoids.
"Gemcation"
Greg assumes that what is upsetting Steven is something that happened on Homeworld that Greg would not understand, so he convinces Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl to talk to Steven and try to make him feel better.
"Raising the Barn"
Steven tells Peridot and Lapis about his trip to Homeworld. When he mentions that he fled the Diamonds, Lapis panics and prepares to leave Earth.
"Lars of the Stars"
Lars tells Steven how he and the rest of the Off Colors escaped from the planet.
Caste System
Homeworld maintains a strict caste system, with each type of gemstone having a predetermined role and place in the social pyramid, each with their privileges and ordained purposes. Any Gem who, in any way, digresses from their role, be it intentional or not, would be considered defective. Since the penalties for such actions are severe, most disgruntled Homeworld Gems either keep their dissension to themselves or are forced to go into hiding. Because there are so many of one type of Gem, the Homeworld Gems — except the Diamonds — distinguish themselves via coded serial numbers. So far the known castes are:
Diamonds
Diamonds are the highest caste, similar to royalty and referred to as the "matriarchs" of Gem society; they make up The Great Diamond Authority. All Homeworld Gems are fanatically loyal to the Diamonds, seeing as Peridot formerly adored Yellow Diamond. Gems also appear to be categorized under their respective Diamonds, as Blue Diamond referred to Sapphire as being "of her court" and Peridot saying she was "made" for Yellow Diamond. They are also of a massive size, towering over the other types of Gems seen, even some fusions. Any form of infidelity displayed towards the Diamonds is considered punishable by death. Their honorific (from their subordinates) is "my Diamond".
Sapphires
Sapphires are of the nobility class, described as being rare aristocratic gems and part of the "Elite". They can see into the future using their "future vision". So far, Sapphires are the only non-fusion gem type shown with this ability. However, defective Sapphires, an example being Padparadscha, are only able to have visions of events slightly in the past. Their honorific is "your clarity".
Emeralds
While their exact roles are unknown, Emeralds are high-ranking Gems with authority. In the Steven Universe Podcast, Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey emphasize the fact that Emeralds (specifically the one seen in "Lars of the Stars") are very elite Gems, known to be in charge of fleets. The only Emerald shown owns three ships (her own personal shuttle, the Sun Incinerator, and the Destiny Destroyer) and is in charge of an unspecified amount of Gems.
Hessonites
Hessonites' roles are commanders; they are known to be in charge of lower-ranking Gems during their operations. The only Hessonite seen was the one who traveled back to Earth to retrieve the lost Light Prism and transform it back into a powerful weapon.
Morganites
While the exact role of a Morganite is unknown, they are known to be in charge of lower-ranking Gems. One Morganite is mentioned by Rhodonite to have, at some point, replaced and outcasted Rhodonite's components after discovering they liked to fuse.
Aquamarines
According to Pearl (as well as Aquamarine's own gloating), Aquamarines seem to have a high rank in Homeworld's hierarchy. Rebecca Sugar says that Aquamarines are one of the very high-ranked blue Gems on Homeworld.[1]
The only Aquamarine seen was the one sent to Earth by the Diamonds to retrieve different "variations" of humans for Pink Diamond's Zoo. Aquamarine is the smallest non-Corrupted Gem seen so far.
Topazes
Topazes' roles seem to be that of soldiers, obeying orders and acting as bodyguards for their assigned Gem. A fusion of two Topazes was sent to Earth by the Diamonds to retrieve different "variations" of humans for Pink Diamond's Zoo. These two Topazes are incredibly efficient at trapping and engulfing victims within their fusion. Rebecca Sugar says that Topazes are high-ranking yellow Gems.[2] However, they are not as highly ranked as Aquamarines.
Agates
So far, Holly Blue Agate is the only Agate shown in the show. She is in charge of a group of Quartz soldiers and manages Pink Diamond's Zoo. Quartzes of her type seem to have a higher ranking than standard "made-for-battle" ones. Their purpose seems to be administrative in nature. Yellow Diamond states in "What's the Use of Feeling (Blue)?" that they are meant to be terrifying figures that intimidate Gems under them into obedience. In "The Trial", it is revealed that they can also be bodyguards for high-ranking Gems, such as a Diamond. It can be assumed that, based on the way Holly Blue Agate acts around Sapphire, that Agates, while having some authority, are not very high ranking Gems, or at least not as high-ranked as Sapphires.
Lapis Lazulis
Lapis Lazulis are made to terraform, as stated by Yellow Diamond. Peridot states that Lapis Lazulis are typically partial to water and flying. It is unclear how high they rank in the caste system, though they seem at least equal to or higher than Peridots.
Lapis Lazulis' use of terraforming planets likely explains Lapis Lazuli's ability to manipulate massive bodies of water with ease (and possibly explaining her enjoying farming).
Bismuths
Bismuths are a building caste, in charge of constructing temples, spires, arenas and other structures for the aristocratic members of Gem society on both Homeworld and Gem colonies. As such, they possess a broad stature for intensive physical labor, above average resistance to heat and damage, and hands capable of fluidly changing form, without the need for typical Gem shapeshifting, to fit a wide variety of purposes.
Nephrites
Nephrites are in charge of piloting Homeworld Dropships to begin colonizing other planets, and may also serve as pilots for various other types of ships. Their rank in the caste system is never clearly stated, but it appears to be high considering they captain their own ships and Yellow Diamond was shown to contact a Nephrite captain directly in "Jungle Moon", something she would not do with a lower ranking gem.
Peridots
Peridots serve mainly as technicians and Kindergarteners, sometimes performing field assignments on other planets, such as the Peridot who befriends Steven. Their exact role is currently unknown; however, they are higher than Pearls (but not high enough to own a Pearl of their own). Era 2 Peridots are given Limb Enhancers to compensate for their lack of abilities older Gems have, due to the depletion of resources on Homeworld. One Peridot, so far, has been shown to have telekinetic capabilities over metallic objects.
Quartzes
Quartzes are a soldier caste. Made to fit the role of an elite warrior, Quartzes have incredible height, broad shoulders, and an intimidating muscular build. Rose Quartz and Jasper both fit this description. Amethyst is also a Quartz, although she does not fit the description because she "stayed in the ground too long", and was, therefore, overcooked. Some Quartzes are used as bodyguards and escorts, as shown by Jasper. They appear to be less numerous than Rubies. According to Ian Jones-Quartey, some have defensive powers as well (like Rose's) since "they can't all be tanks". Quartzes are described to be "huge, loyal soldiers". Jasper states that Quartzes are made to fight and that Jaspers, specifically, always get what they want. Some Quartzes also act as guards at Homeworld outposts, such as Pink Diamond's Zoo. They were commonly made on Earth. Quartz is the most diverse known Gem type, with Gems including Amethysts, Carnelians, Jaspers, and Rose Quartzes.
Other Quartz types include Agates, who rank higher than most Quartzes and seem to be administrative in nature, and Citrines, who seem to be an elite caste of guards (including Emerald's sixty-seven elite Citrine guards and Hessonite's Citrine guards in Save the Light).
Rubies
Rubies are another type of soldier caste. Garnet describes them as "common", seeing as they are all originally identical to one another. They appear to be used as personal escorts and bodyguards for high-ranking Gems. Seeing as they are so numerous, inferred from Ruby's comment of there being "tons" of her, Rubies are considered somewhat unimportant and highly expendable grunts, though they compensate by fusing together into bigger constructs of themselves. Rubies are also sent to different planets to seek out specific Gems. As Rubies are merely common soldiers, they are not very intelligent, being easily fooled by Steven's claims that Jasper is on Neptune and Amethyst's obvious disguise as Jasper, and according to Holly Blue Agate, they are seen as being incompetent or irresponsible. In the Steven Universe Podcast, Rebecca says Rubies' main strength on Homeworld is their ability to combine, as an individual Ruby would never be sent alone to do anything. Rubies aren't supposed to have different personalities, the fact that they do "flies under the radar" because they act serious around higher-ranking Gems.[3]
Zircons
Zircons act as lawyers for the courts of the Gem Homeworld. Presumably, they have no choice over what cases they prosecute for or defend (as revealed in "The Trial") and they are assigned cases instead. In the Steven Universe Podcast, Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey say they have a sort of medium rank on Homeworld, serving the upper class but really having no individual power.
Rutiles
Not much is known about Rutiles, though they seem to have piloting capabilities.
Pearls
Pearls are servants in the caste. Described by Peridot as being "someone's shiny toy", Pearls serve as domestics and ladies-in-waiting to their owners. They are expected only to serve and be submissive and obedient. Their work consists of domestic tasks such as cleaning or holding their owners' things. Pearls are also status symbols on Homeworld reserved for higher castes, as Peridot comments that the idea of a Peridot owning a Pearl is a ridiculous notion. Pearls may also be earned by committing an act of heroism towards the Diamonds, as Eyeball states in "Bubbled". As seen in "Gem Heist", Pearls also serve the function of footmen, opening doors for their masters; they are expected to consistently exhibit subservience by remaining silent unless spoken to and remaining a few paces behind their superior when walking with them. They also provide simple luxuries like singing, as seen in "That Will Be All". Physically, all Pearls appear to have a slender form and a beak-like nose. They can also be "customized" to resemble their owners in color, appearance, and gem placement, (as seen from Yellow and Blue Pearl). However, this is not always the case, as Pearl successfully passed off being Sapphire's Pearl despite sharing no resemblance to her "owner", and also Pearl was the servant of Pink Diamond, even though her gem was on the head, while Pink Diamond's was on her navel. As can be observed in "Back to the Barn" and "That Will Be All", Pearls are normally dismissed with the phrase "That will be all", generally followed by the owner clapping her hands twice, when they are no longer needed.
Fusion Gems
Fusions (or specifically Same-Gem Fusions) are used as weapons in the caste. They are used in times of war, seen as objects rather than their own beings. A fusion outside of battle is considered highly inappropriate and extremely unorthodox, being regarded as disgusting, embarrassing or discomforting to behold (as inferred from Jasper and Peridot's reactions towards Garnet). However, the existence of Topaz reveals that, despite Peridot and Jasper's prejudice, fusion outside of battle is indeed legal on Homeworld providing the fusion is same-gem and may only be allowed for certain Gem castes (e.g. soldiers).
To a further extent, only fusions of the same type are seen as acceptable (such as a fusion consisting of several Rubies or several Topazes). Fusion between Gems of different varieties is considered more of an abnormality in Gem society, as the Gem diplomats of Blue Diamond's Court in "The Answer" refer to Garnet's fusion as "disgusting" and "unheard of". As another example, Rhodonite and Fluorite, two "off color" fusions of different Gem types, were cast out from Homeworld's society and forced to hide to avoid being shattered. Rhodonite's components were replaced by her commander, Morganite, after she found out that they liked to fuse. The reasoning for the prejudice against different Gem fusions is because they create an entirely new Gem, which disrupts Homeworld's caste system; the new Gem has no place in the caste system, and thus holds no job that will benefit the Gem empire.
Rose Quartzes
Sometime between the start of Rose Quartz's rebellion and Pink Diamond's shattering, every Rose Quartz in existence was bubbled. They currently all reside in the Rose Quartz Bubble Room in Pink Diamond's Zoo. While Blue Diamond only wishes to keep the Rose Quartzes around for the sake of preserving Pink Diamond's legacy, Yellow Diamond wishes that every Rose Quartz be shattered, as they currently believe that one of them was responsible for the start of the Rebellion and the shattering of Pink Diamond, although this is not the actual truth. While being Quartz soldiers, Rose Quartzes are known for their defensive powers rather than the average offensive abilities Quartzes have. This is perhaps part of why it was not seen as being out of the ordinary for Rose Quartz to have the healing abilities she had, when she was actually Pink Diamond in disguise.
Defective Gems
Gems that are defective (also referred to as "off color") serve no use to the Gem empire and are outcasted from society. If caught, these Gems are shattered. The only known exceptions to this are the Quartz soldiers stationed at Pink Diamond's Zoo, who were kept in service by Blue Diamond due to previously belonging to Pink Diamond.
Eras
| “ |
Resources are dwindling on Homeworld. They can't make Gems like they used to. That's why they give Era 2 Peridots technological enhancements because we... don't have powers. |
” |
| —Peridot, "Too Short to Ride" | ||
Eras refer to different points in Homeworld history.
Era 1
Things labeled as "Era 1" were created before the shortage of resources on Homeworld. Some examples of Era 1 artifacts are the majority of the Gem structures on Earth, and the Ancient Gem Colony Ship. Era 1 Gems possess all standard Gem abilities. Joe also points out that Era 1 is based on art deco with Roman columns
Era 2
At a certain point in time after the Rebellion, Homeworld began running low on resources. To compensate, Homeworld Gems manufactured Gems with fewer abilities to continue Gem production on Homeworld. Some Era 2 Gems are given technological enhancements to make up for their inferior nature. Era 2 ships, such as the Roaming Eye, are known to be more advanced than Era 1 ships. Era 2 is more rigid, sleek, and controlled, with its postmodern aesthetic.
Occupations
There have been several occupations on Homeworld, most or all of which are filled by one or more types of Gems in accordance with the strict caste system. These occupations include but are not limited to:
- Aristocrats
- Builders
- Commanders
- Gladiators
- Guards
- Imperial Officers
- Kindergartners
- Lawyers
- Managers
- Mission Agent
- Philosophers
- Pilots
- Rulers
- Servants
- Soldiers
- Strategic Management
- Supervisors
- Technicians
- Terraformers
Technology
| “ |
Steven, Homeworld is not the way it used to be. Everything here is so advanced! I can't even understand it! There's no way anything on Earth can stand up to it! Please, don't put up a fight, it'll only lead to devastation! |
” |
| —Lapis Lazuli, "The Message" | ||
Over the past 5,000 years, the Homeworld Gems have developed advanced technology unfamiliar to the earthbound Crystal Gems. However, even 5,000 years prior, Gem technology was already considerably high-tech, already having invented things like space travel and holographic projection. In "Monster Reunion", it is revealed that some explosion or flash of light (inferred to be sound-related) used by the Diamonds, caused the corruption of Gems into monsters.
In contrast to earlier Gem technology, which is notably rock and light based, some recent Homeworld innovations have seemingly electrical and plastic components, such as destabilizers or robonoids.
- Anti-Gravity Technology
- Faster-Than-Light Communication Technology
- Diamond Communicators
- Wailing Stones (now obsolete)
- Zoomans' Earrings
- Destabilizer Weapons
- Escape Pods
- Hourglass of Time
- Limb Enhancers
- Red Eye sentries
- Replicator Wand
- Robonoids
- Tracking Vessels
- Tractor Beam Wands
- Transport Ships
- Aquamarine's Ship
- Diamond Ships and Palanquins
- Homeworld Dropships
- Warp Pads
- Warships (equipped with powerful beam weapons and destabilizer containment fields)
- Destiny Destroyer (imperial warship)
- Hand Ship
- Hessonite's Warship
Judicial Proceedings
Judicial courts in Homeworld use a system similar to a hybrid of the adversarial and inquisitorial court systems, the main amalgamations being an inquisitorial cast of impartial individuals with no jury and an adversarial court proceeding. The accused is assigned an attorney to convince the Diamonds of negating further charges or the charge entirely. The accusing party, called the plaintiff, assigns a prosecutor to present the case against the accused and convict the defendant.
The court also contains a court reporter that transcribes everything that occurs in the courtroom and a court sketch artist to depict proceedings inside the courtroom. After hearing both sides' cases, the judges decide whether the defendant is innocent or guilty and, if they are guilty, how and what will be the appropriate charge or sentence.
The only case seen so far was when Steven (posing as Rose Quartz) was tried in front of Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond, acting as both judges and plaintiffs, with a Zircon being Steven's defense lawyer and another Zircon as the prosecutor of the case. Both of the Diamond's Pearls are also present, Yellow Pearl acting as the court reporter and Blue Pearl as the court sketch artist.
Punishment
| “ |
Every Gem is made with a purpose: To serve the Order of the Diamonds. Those who cannot fit inside this order must be purged! To come out misshapen, to reshape yourself outside your purpose, and to defend this ruined, worthless planet is a disgrace! |
” |
| —Jasper, "Earthlings" | ||
Punishment is reserved for Gems who show any disloyalty or perform treason against the Great Diamond Authority.
- Execution (Shattering) – The most common punishment, which involves the shattering of the gemstone, eliminating the core of the Gem and the Gem themselves. Rose confided to Pearl that losing the war would end in them being shattered by the Diamonds. Ruby was sentenced to be broken by Blue Diamond for accidentally fusing with Sapphire, shortly before escaping to Earth with the other Gem, and Yellow Diamond proposed to shatter every Rose Quartz Gem because of the actions of Rose Quartz for shattering Pink Diamond.
- Corruption – As punishment for the Rebellion, the Diamonds corrupted most of the remaining Gems on Earth by unknown means.
- Forced Fusion – As theorized by Garnet, the Gem Mutants were created as a punishment to the fallen rebels for siding with Rose Quartz and the Crystal Gems during the war for Earth.
- Bubbling – The Diamonds have every Rose Quartz Gem bubbled and placed in Pink Diamond's Zoo indefinitely both in memory of Pink Diamond and for being the Gem type that Rose Quartz was, who allegedly assassinated Pink Diamond.
- Harvesting – This presumably involves the recovery and containment of the offender's gemstone to be used for some purpose. Peridot incorrectly assumed this would happen to her when she saw the Gem Bubbles in the Burning Room.
- Conscious incarceration – During the Rebellion, Homeworld forces recovered Lapis' gemstone and placed it in a mirror in an attempt to gather intelligence on the Crystal Gems from her.
Records
On numerous occasions, it has been stated that Homeworld has records cataloging different events in Gem history and facts about locations. It is unknown if reports that Gems must complete after missions are also cataloged in these records.
The records are known to contain hundreds of years of reports cataloging the Rebellion which Peridot has read up on. The Defending Zircon says that records state Pink Diamond was shattered by Rose Quartz in front of her entire entourage. In addition, the records state that Pink Diamond was shattered outside of her own palanquin. Witnesses stated that Pink Diamond stepped out of her palanquin when Rose suddenly attacked her from the front. The records also state that all Gems were wiped out on Earth, according to Peridot. During "The Trial", Yellow Pearl writes down every event that takes place and tells Steven to state his name for the records.
Inhabitants
- Main article: Homeworld Gems
- Homeworld Gems:
- Diamonds
- Emerald
- Aquamarine
- Topazes (left and right)
- Quartzes
- Zircons
- Zircon (Defense) (inactive)
- Zircon (Prosecuting) (inactive)
- Rubies
- Pearls
- Other Unknown Gems
Former Inhabitants
- Crystal Gems
- Pink Diamond / Rose Quartz
- Pearl
- Ruby
- Sapphire
- Peridot
- Bismuth
- Bismuth's friends
- "Crazy Lace"
- "Biggs"
- "Snowflake"
- Lapis Lazuli
- Corrupted Gems
- Off Colors
- Lars Barriga
Save the Light
Trivia
- Homeworld invaded Earth and established the Kindergarten about 6,000 years prior[4] to the events of the show, but was driven off by the Crystal Gems' war of rebellion 5,000 years ago. Based on the numbers given, they occupied Earth for at least a thousand years.
- It is unknown if the planet has an actual name, as up to this point it has only been referred to as "Homeworld".
- Pearl said that Earth was not a Gem-controlled planet, possibly inferring that some planets are under Gem occupation.
- Later, in "Cry for Help", Peridot states that Earth is a part of the "Crystal System", suggesting that Homeworld has incorporated its colonized worlds into a larger territorial body, and has categories for the star and solar systems.
- Interestingly, "Crystal Systems" are the classifications of gemstone structures, of which there are seven, each having characteristic shapes. The systems differ regarding the angles between faces and in some edges of equal length on each face.
- In "It Could've Been Great", Peridot reveals that Homeworld is an imperialistic society, with several planets under their control.
- Later, in "Cry for Help", Peridot states that Earth is a part of the "Crystal System", suggesting that Homeworld has incorporated its colonized worlds into a larger territorial body, and has categories for the star and solar systems.
- It is implied by Garnet in her verse of the extended theme that living as a fusion on Homeworld may be a practice that is looked down upon, which could be the reason why she willingly sided with the Crystal Gems in the Rebellion.
- This is supported by Jasper's comments on Garnet during both "The Return" and "Jail Break".
- Peridot also supported this theory by calling Garnet a "filthy war machine", implying that fusions on Homeworld are primarily used for war.
- It is proven true in "The Answer" by how the members of Blue Diamond's court reacted to Ruby and Sapphire fusing for the first time, finding the fusion between two different Gems abhorrent.
- This factor was again stated in "Off Colors" by Rhodonite when she was replaced by her unknown master, Morganite.
- It is revealed in "When It Rains" that it does not rain on Homeworld since Peridot was not familiar with the phenomenon. This, along with Gems' non-organic physiology, may be indicative that Homeworld does not have an atmosphere.
- However, this may not be the case since Lars has no problem breathing in "The Trial" and "Off Colors".
- Peridot reveals in "Back to the Barn" that Homeworld is a caste society.
- A Peridot with a Pearl servant is unheard of on Homeworld since Pearls are considered a luxury for higher classes like the Diamonds, as seen in "The Answer".
- Peridot's lack of knowledge on the wheel hints that Homeworld's advancement has reached far enough that the wheel has become technologically obsolete and has passed out of use and general knowledge.
- In "Too Far", Peridot is unfamiliar with the 24-hour terrestrial day and refers to it as a "rotation". However, she is familiar with the concepts of years, centuries, and eras. The exact specifics of Homeworld chronology remain unclear.
- Gems refer to their designated Diamonds as "My Diamond".
- As seen in "Message Received", Gems salute their Diamonds and other superiors by crossing their arms and forming a diamond with their hands.
- Shown in "Message Received", "Back to the Moon", and "That Will Be All", Homeworld Gems distinguish themselves from others of their type via codes and serial numbers based on Facet and Cut. For instance, Peridot is identified as "Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG."
- Judging by Peridot's twitter account having the name "Peridot5XG", it can be assumed that the cut portion of a Gem's identification serves as their principal means of identification. The facet code is most likely the era in which the Gem was created (2 for Peridot), followed by the official name of the facet. Since Eyeball's identification code also contains an F in its facet portion, it is possible that the F is merely a placeholder for Facet and that the final numbers following indicate the Gem's respective facet.
- In "Log Date 7 15 2", it is shown that Homeworld's galaxy can be seen with the naked eye from Earth.
- Although color may be a factor, it is currently unknown how gems are specifically distributed between the courts of each Diamond.
- As Peridot was made on Homeworld, this proves that like Earth, Homeworld has Peridotite minerals. It is most likely that Homeworld has other similar minerals to Earth.
- Due to Lapis' reaction to them in "Same Old World", and the fact that it does not rain on Homeworld, it can be presumed there are no trees on Homeworld.
- In "Too Short to Ride", it is revealed that Homeworld is currently low on resources and, due to this, they are unable to create Gems with standard Gem abilities. However, the fact that Peridot is now known to possess ferrokinetic abilities suggests that resources are not as scarce as Peridot claims since the only standard Gem ability she is shown to lack is shapeshifting.
- In addition to disliking fusion, Homeworld also seems to have an unfavorable view towards shapeshifting. Peridot calls it "an insult to your intended form." Jasper calls it "reshaping yourself outside your purpose."
- However, similar to fusion, shapeshifting most likely does have a useful purpose for Homeworld for Era 1 Gems to be given this power in the first place.
- The Gems have their own written language, even though they speak English.
- Amethyst has never seen Homeworld.
- Bismuth's dialogue in "Bismuth" indicates that Homeworld itself was untouched by "the Rebellion".
- In "That Will Be All", it is revealed that the remaining Rose Quartzes are being held in bubbles, due to Blue Diamond not wanting to shatter them in keeping Pink Diamond's legacy.
- In "Lars' Head", it is revealed that all Gems with no contact with Earth are under the impression that it was destroyed when the Diamonds attacked it. This suggests that false propaganda meant to uphold the Diamonds' image of superiority is spread throughout Homeworld.
- As shown in "Off Colors", there appears to be water on Homeworld, seen dripping from the ceiling of the cave where Steven and Lars met the Rutile Twins.
- Homeworld's environment is similar to the sci-fi futuristic world of Studio Ghibli's animated music video "On Your Mark" that was released in 1995.
- Reflective surfaces appear to be extremely rare on Homeworld: when in "Catch and Release" Peridot glimpsed her reflection in a mirror, she was visibly surprised and regarded it with curiosity.
- Her "smiling" at her reflection is a common action for primates unfamiliar with mirrors: this gesture shows they possess a sense of self, and permits them to see a part of their body – their teeth – that is normally hidden from sight.
- The mirror Lapis was trapped in is an artifact from Era 1 which may have become obsolete by the time Peridot emerged (and, unlike Earth mirrors, it was not used as a looking-glass), or she may simply never had the chance to come across any such items.
- According to Joe Johnston, Pearls are specially made for their owners and they are "programed" to follow the orders of their masters.[5]
Gallery
References
- ↑ https://twitter.com/cartoonnetwork/status/863839112872198145
- ↑ https://twitter.com/cartoonnetwork/status/863839112872198145
- ↑ The Official Steven Universe Podcast, volume 2, episode 8.
- ↑ "Marble Madness"
- ↑ http://joethejohnston.tumblr.com/post/173721335248