I believe it's much simpler. As Peridot stated in "Too short to ride", Homeworld ran out of resources to make new gems. They might just shatter "defective" gems and use the shards as material for second generation gems. Like a morbid version of recycling.
In the episode where peridot calls yellow diamond a clod, she says that it is a bad idea to sacrifice an entire world for one "geoweapon" so that makes me think that homeworld is using the cluster as a geoweapon for destroying multiple planets, that they would create it under the earth, wait for it to form, then use it to destroy any worlds that, in peridots words, are no longer viable colonies. Also, I do believe the theory that "harvest" means they would shatter peridot, and use those shards to make forced fusions, since that is probably what they do on homeworld
Seems logical. But I wonder what is military might of Homeworld. Seems to be a waste of colony if they destroy the earth. We know galaxy wrap is destroyed. But why doesn't Homeworld simply send other army to earth. I mean they sent Jasper and a ship.
They might have lost too many of their quartz to the rebellion. I think that the Earth would have produced many quartz gems, like Amethyst and Jasper, who were born on Earth.
I thought "harvesting" for Gems would mean shattering their Gem, then burying the shards to grow new Gems with help from the Kindergarten Injectors to replenish their population. But it could also refer to other Cluster experiments.
The term "harvest" is also used to describe the extraction of tissue and organs from the deceased for medical purposes. I would add Lapis Lazuli's experience...poofed, her gem set in a mirror and apparently deliberately cracked in order to function as a recording device; possibly this could be Desert Glass's story as well. Pearl related how gem shards were used (rather unsuccessfully) to create automaton soldiers. As we've witnessed the unscrupulousness of Yellow Diamond in the formation of the Cluster, we should also expect that the enemies (real or perceived) of the Diamonds would be subject to execution and harvesting of shards, or the gemstones themselves used to power various forms of technology--in effect sentenced to hard labor for however long a Diamond wished.
I think that the "harvesting" relates to the usage of gems as tools, lapis would have been "harvested" to become a knowledge giving mirror, peridot who was lapis's interrogator might have asked why she returned to earth so many 1000s of years later. Lapis explaining she was made into a tool (my theory is that either rose or garnet or some other crystal gem put her in there or more likely a home world gem) (also we see other gems used as tools EVeRY WHERE in gem structures such as the laser shooting things in the old home world ship (peridots DIE DIE DIE scene) ) peridot could be scared ( if it WAS a crystal gem that put lapis in the mirror) that she would have to suffer a similar fate and maybe homeworld gems that were poofed during the war were the used as weapons as we see in the mural in serious Steven rose is holding a pink diamond using it as a weapon
I always liked the the theory that the clusters were being made to combat a separate but similar sentient race in the universe; the most prevalent one being a race of sentient metals, which is what Bismuth is. Though, after seeing how petty Yellow Diamond is, it's harder to believe it. "I want my cluster and I want that planet to die."
I agree with this a lot. I always wondered about the harvest thing but I never thought this far. I theorized that when you harvest gems, that you poof the gem and use their gemstone as a power source to power things on Homeworld. Like how Lapis power the mirror. I always thought of that being the punishment, I never thought of them being shattered as a punishment. nice theory! also, I live the Game Theory reference.
I wouldn't exactly say "execute people for nothing", since different gem-type fusion is a taboo to Gemkind. If anything, they weeding out anything that would lead to any form of "free will".
I think now we can conclude that homeworld was trying to conserve what was left of PD's gem making water stuff. Its crazy to think a little harder on it and realize that the loss of a single diamond makes creating more gems harder. Especially if having certain kinds or amounts of gems was important to the order/mythology of their society, and thus hindering that while also losing a diamond would give them a cultural horror.
If "harvesting" isn't a gem thing (which it probably is), maybe it's a human thing?? From the Gem Harvest sneak peak we see Steven brutally disfigure a pumpkin with no qualms, while the little sentient pumpkin dog (pupkin??) watches on in horror. Foreshadowing?? Maybe so... If there's one thing Steven Universe is full of (aside from great animation, songs, characters, and representation of minority groups), it's metaphors and symbolism (see Ronaldo's "sneeple", crying breakfast friends, cookie cat, etc.) I wouldn't be too surprised if that scene turned out to mean a little more than it might seem at face value. First off, what does the pumpkin represent, and what does Steven? Although he's half gem, it's probable Steven represents a human, or even all of mankind. Well, what are the pumpkins? Let's think. They were planted by the gems (Lapis and Peridot) with the intention of becoming sentient entities. One did, thanks to Steven, but the rest... not so much. What are things planted (or seeded) in the earth by gems with the intention of them becoming sentient? Other gems, of course! That much is obvious. But what could Steven (the symbol of humanity) finding a docile/"defective" pumpkin (gem) and carving it up to be a decorative item, in this case a jack-o'-lantern, represent?? A human finding a gem that isn't quite yet mature, taking it out of the ground, and carving it into something a little more interesting... you catch my cold? Jewelry. Maybe, maybe, harvesting refers to gem mining. Humans finding kindergartens with maturing gems or gem shards, carving them up, and essentially wearing bits of corpses of fallen or infant gems on their bodies as decoration, with seemingly no mercy or regard for gem life?? What gem WOULDN'T be scared of something like that??? Again, this is just speculation, but Steven Universe has tackled macabre subjects before, so would this be too much of a stretch? If I'm totally wrong, I still want to know about jewelry and natural non-sentient gems on earth...
I think the idea is that Gems are So easily made. Their social structure is more based off of need then personal growth. If a recent gem was destroyed in some way they just replace them with another that is been created. Need an army mass produced gems are then made. The easier a gem is made the lower on the rung of its social ladder it is. So they do not care about the quality of their lives very much which in turn makes their out look on other life out there just as bad.
I've been wanting to hear more about harvesting for a long time now. Thanks for delving in. You're awesome, AJ! And it seems others agree with you. You're already getting a lot of attention just 5 minutes after posting!
you have said in some of your other theories that gems are like computers in the sense that their gems contain information that makes up who the gem is. Maybe harvesting means if a gem becomes defective they erase the data and re write another gem to the gemstone. In a sense its sort of like formatting a usb or an sd card.
Love you, AJ. You create the best SU content on the tubes, and I can't wait to see what you have to say about the upcoming episodes next month. They're gunna be awesome!!
I do agree with your reasoning and I feel like the 3rd option is the most likely: namely that the diamond authority is always being challenged by rebellion from outside sources from other colonies. Think about it, Rose's rebellion worked. Why? It should not have worked considering how vastly outnumbered they were but Garnet said that there were a lot more Crystal Gems than there are now, so it is possible that not all gems see right by the decisions of the diamonds and even challenge it. But with how powerful the gems already are even though they are more than 5000 years old, you can bet that with the advance in technology, new rebellions are even harder to stop than old ones. Also, as much as the diamonds tried to keep their humiliation a secret in their society, some gems, like Jasper, still remember losing Earth to Rose Quartz, so it is possible that Rose's rebellion was a spark to other worlds and other gems that have suffered through the dictatorship of the Diamonds that they rebelled too. It's also very possible that the diamonds could have lost much more worlds than we are led to believe. So the diamond's only other option is doing exactly what they know what to do since ever: make more powerful weapons to control their Empire and I believe this is what the Cluster is. Also consider that if Rose's rebellion was a spark, then wouldn't it be just ironic that the most powerful weapons the Diamonds could make is made on Earth itself and that its first victim would be the exact place where it all started: Earth, where Rose Quartz won. It would send a huge message to all colonies that the Diamonds don't forget rebellion and that everyone pays in the end, like the Earth, the shattered gems that were lost on Earth and Rose Quartz and her Gems. It would wipe the slate clean for their tyranny to continue and a much more frightened people to rule.
After seeing "Same Old World" I think it's entirely possible that Lapis Lazuli was "harvested" and put in the mirror, it fits since she was put in the mirror for the homeworld's consumption for information on the rebellion. I think "harvesting" isn't just limited to forced gem fusions but it's also an term to describe being trapped in a object as a power source and other gem-imprisoning/gem-necromantic acts
but as we saw, Lapis' gem wasn't purposely broken but an accident. it was then placed in the mirror because the homeworld gems didn't know that the mirror had anyone inside it but that the mirror knew information. but when homeworld left, Lapis was left behind in the mirror that Pearl found at the galaxy warp and took back to the temple.
+Joseph Kent No, they absolutely knew a gem was inside the mirror because they mistook Lapis Lazuli for a Crystal Gem rebel, she was interrogated about rebels. She was left on Earth in a panic. If they believed she was rebel they wouldn't care for her life or well being.
but if they did think that she was a crystal gem, they would have been more careful about not leaving her. we know that home world took with them the shards of other rebellious gems to use in experiments.
7:56 god, I'm so glad that game theory has such an internet presence nowadays. I had started watching their videos a while a go, and I started watching them again recently and I love MatPat's channels.
I don't think the threat of the possibility of another rebellion would cause such a large amount of focus to be put on such a massive weapon. I think that it makes more sense if there's an ongoing war still being raged, possibly by Pink Diamond. What we do know is that before the rebellion, Pink Diamond was part of the Diamond Authority, since her symbol is still part of the four diamonds symbol, but new gem-tech, like the handship, only has blue, yellow and white. I think it's possible that Pink is still leading an ongoing conflict with the other three Diamonds, which would explain the sudden expansion of technology, especially weapons against other gems, since war tends to cause leaps in technology. I kind of always thought Homeworld wanted the Cluster to strike a final, killing blow against its enemies.
zachanikwano It just makes more sense to me if there's an actual war, instead of just the threat of one. During WW2 we invented radar, new planes and tanks, bomb technology, weapons technologies and rockets. During the "Cold War" we made bigger nukes. That's it. Active combat forces both sides to rapidly advance in technology to stay level, or possibly ahead of their enemies, and why would you need a planet-buster weapon unless you have a planet in mind to bust with it?
Really liked this theory! Been trying to map my brain around what harvesting could mean and this really brings it all together. So awesome! And I really liked your bit at the end parodying MatPat from game theory. Our guy who started up a theory section on our channel finds a lot of inspiration in Game theory and he'll be glad to see another one of his favorite theory people does too!
So if the crystal gems aren't harvesting gems, what are they doing? Why are all bubbles items sent to that room, even Stevens first bubble automatically went there. It can't simply be for storage as they would probably store such dangerous items away from the crystal heart not under it. It could be that the heart uses them for power but I would think that the heart could do that on its own, not to mention there was probably a time when no gems were bubbled and that would mean no power. Clearly there must be a reason that the bubbled gems are stored in the burning room and if your definition of harvesting is true then what is the purpose of them being stored there?
+AJ Universe why store them so close to the crystal heart, there are some cases where some bubbles aren't strong enough to hold a gem. They could escape and damage the heart. Remember when Peridot escaped the crystal gems assumed she had escaped by herself, but the crystal heart is something that the crystal gems really don't want damaged. So why keep them in such close proximity to the heart?
***** They aren't anywhere near the Crystal Heart. And no Gem has ever escaped a bubble on their own. It's physically impossible for them to do so, as their cognitive processes are put into stasis inside the bubble.
+AJ Universe I know they bubble them so they don't have to hurt them but why put them there, I was saying that they could be harvesting them under the assumption that your harvesting theory could be wrong and that what is happening to the bubbled gems was that they were being harvested, whatever that is.
***** We already know why they bubble Gems. It isn't something that we need to guess at. It is canon that they bubble Gems so that they don't have to kill them. The Gems that they fight are corrupted. They aren't in control of their actions. Killing them wouldn't be fair. So they bubble them and store them in the Temple, a place where humans can't get the them and accidentally let them free. It is even hinted that they hope the bubbles might help the corrupted Gems to heal. None of that, in any way, could be related to whatever harvest is.
AJ Universe, I believe there is something you missed. Everything seems to be powered by gems and if you can recall the episode Mirror Gem, they can also be used to power artefacts like the mirror. So this could also mean Peridot was fearful that she would be used to power something or be turned into a mere object to be used at the disposal of the Crystal Gems.
I kind of assumed it was propagandized history about the rebel gems. Old war propaganda made fact in history by the diamonds, lies about their brutality and violent ways.
I like this theory alot! It's very detailed and makes perfect sense. Although it is a pretty dark thing, I wouldn't doubt that homeworld would be doing it.
I hope we get more insight when the "Gem Harvest" episode airs. It's somewhat close to airing in the lineup but it may change. I think the possibilities that you mentioned are all plausible at this point and now that Peridot is a bigger part of the show, I imagine more of what Homeworld is like will be revealed to Steven.
Aj Universe, if you really believe your bubbling theory, how only the crystal gems learned this, then why did you completely destroy it in your "What did Peridot mean by Harvest" theory video? You are a pretty smart guy, I'm sure you must've caught that.
yes but in that video you said that the diamond would have a plan, to poof gems and put them in bubbles for the next cluster, if they messed up, or diddnt follow orders, and messed up very badly
i prefer the idea that harvested gems are used for purposes like lapis' mirror or the gem in the pyramid temple. gems that step out of line could have their physical form destroyed to become just power sources. its not as if lapis could do anything while in the mirror, but was seemingly aware of her surroundings, so using gems that misbehave for these purposes could be a good punishment for their enemies? after all, if peridot thought they were going to harvest her for the cluster experiments, that implies that she thinks that the gems are also collecting gem shards for their own purposes, which doesnt make much sense because by this point she should know that theyre not interested in planet destruction
I think the symptoms of physical abuse are from the crystal gems constantly mistreating her up until that point, where if she hadn't experienced any fighting until that point, would probably scare her more than a bit.
+AJ Universe Do you know when the hiatus ends? I thought it was June 12 but I wasn't sure. It said in a commercial it's a two week special beginning on a Thursday on June something
marie likes pie It's ending May 12th now, with a four week special event, beginning with two back to back episodes the first week, and then one new episode a week over the next three. The event overall is called In Too Deep, and will resolve the Cluster storyline. Then the Summer of Steven will continue, with new episodes until August.
Tere's what I think the first step in harvesting a gem is bubbling it then they grind the gem itself into powder and mix it into their kindergartens in a matter similar to smelting outdated or broken machines to make new ones. As a certified kindergartner peridot would know these things obviously and that would explain why she's horrified when she saw those bubbled gems. She thinks they are going to shatter her into powder and use her to feed their kindergartens. Maybe era 2 injectors can harvest the properties of gems to strengthen the next gem
I think Harvesting could be something about Lapis being put in the mirror- a gem cracked so badly it cannot serve it's full function, being given a new more useful function as a tool for other gems. But I like your theory as well, either way it's scary haha.
I think that Homeworld not only wants to use gem shard for more clusters, but they already executed numerous gems to power their technology. We saw some older gem buildings, and saw what looked like gemstones, like in "Friend Ship" the mechanism, same in the Pyramid temple in "Serious Steven". Not to forget that Lapis was powering a mirror. What you said is a future plan from Homeworld, but they executed gems for a long time now (shown in "The Answer"). So maybe Peridot meant by "harvesting", to use her energy to power something.
Love the series! Honestly, the only thing I would change if I was making this, would be removing the funny clip art that doesn't add anything, like the "meh" picture you've used a bit. I love the series!
sorry if i've been spamming your vids, they're just really good! and they get me thinking about this show in different ways. this is a very good theory, and honestly parts of it are probably correct. what i always ALWAYS assumed she meant was that "harvest" just meant trapping her in her gem and using her as an object or "harvested" for energy. We know that gems can be trapped and used, i mean look at lapis. and every single goddamn gem ANYTHING we've seen, from weapons to the core of peridot's ship, has SOMETHING resembling a gem in it. EVERYTHING. i have long theorized that gems actively use other gems to power their society, even going so far as to breed gems specifically to provide energy for the rest. it's entirely possible that that's what peridot meant.
A real world analogy for the use of executed prisoners as resources - Victorian gallows memorabilia, which as well as resulting in hangman's rope being sold for profit following the execution, also resulted in goods such as purses made out of human leather. It might be for devices such as the Mirror (Peridot's had time to chat with Lapis, afterall, so does know that the Crystal Gems are willing to use Homeworld devices powered by Cracked Gems), it might be for more Fusion Experiments, but harvesting being 'using broken and/or shattered gems as a resource' seems likely to be what Peridot meant in general seems a safe assumption. And presumably that means that the Crystal Gems are using the same sort of housing for bubbled gems while waiting for them to work out how to help them as Homeworld does for gems waiting to be harvested, for the instant recognition. I'm not sure we can really take Peridot's word at face value that the Diamond's decision making is based on rationality, Message Received was pretty clear that while she viewed the Diamonds as being rational, and Yellow Diamond specifically as The Most Rational, and part of how quickly she went from adoration to open rebellion in the space of one conversation was how irrational Yellow Diamond was acting when given her new information about Earth as a potential resource - that conversation seemingly broke Peridot's entire world view of the Diamonds, and by extension Gem Society, that it was based on rational, logical, decision making by a class of beings More Qualified to make those decisions than herself.
Or she could mean "harvest" as in being used as a power source to fuel something, like with the moon base, the spinning temple, or the mirror that Lapis was trapped in. Gems are used constantly as a means of fueling structures and objects on the show, and it was shown that most, if not all, are conscious, and free thinking. Or to a point. Maybe that was the fate of some prisoners, and the method for making them into reactors like that wore them out so much that they can no longer assume their original form.
Sentient Gems aren't usually used as power sources. The Moon Goddess Statue gem wasn't a living Gem. There's evidence that the Pyramid Temple Gem was powering the temple. The Crystal Gems had no idea that Lapis was conscious, which tells us that history mirrors don't usually contain sentient Gems, just gem batteries of some kind.
I at first thought it meant turning her into a power source for some structure (like lapis in the mirror, or the white gem in the temple, etc) but this idea makes more sense in the long run
This theory kind of gives me the idea that the corrupted gems the gems bubble were actually gems from the war who had gotten damage while fighting against the rebellion, while not being fully damaged but not also fully stable they transformed into the forms they take now.
I think harvesting a gem is when a gem is poofed or shattered and then used to power something, such as the mirror lapis was in, the shards that brought clothes to life, and the gem powering the bismuth temple.
I agree with most of this theory, but with the addition that maybe the purpose of the cluster was not just to destroy a planet, but to use as a weapon once it is formed. Yellow Diamond did seem to want the finished product at her disposal
I really feel like maybe the diamonds are fighting against other gems still, but we just don't know it. Possible pink diamonds forces, or other various rebellious groups. If you think about it, if there are thousands of Gem controlled planets, there's bound to be a few rebellious groups. Especially with the way their society seems to be run, with all its strict rules and social injustices. I think, maybe, the earth rebellion could have sparked other rebellions. The cluster would be a great way to end those rebellions.
I think to harvest is to use any sentient gem in a fashion such as a tool. So both the shards in the cluster and lapis while she was in the mirror could both be seen as harvested gems being used in just different fashions.
I think "harvesting" is how the gem powered machines are made, they can bubble a gem then strip it's previous data from the gem and replace it with instructions on how to run things like the mirror (if lapis hadn't been in it plus that's why they didn't realize she was alive) and maybe even buildings like the glass of the desert and the underwater temple
I sort of assume that "harvest" is when Gems are used as a tool or a simple power source. Like, how Lapis Lazuli was bound to that mirror. Pearl called it a "Gem-powered mirror". Also, it's clear that Lapis was unable to free herself from her role as a tool and needed Steven to "free her". Perhaps there is a way to shut off a Gem's ability to reform and instead use them as a power source (like the white "diamond" gem that seemed to be powering the inverted pyramid). Or maybe when Gems are damaged to a certain point they are as good as "dead" (so corrupted/unable to form into humanoid form) that they are used as a power source. This last "dead" Gem theory makes the Crystal Gems seem less culpable in the whole "imprisoning Lapis Lazuli" in a mirror thing, and would explain why they were SO AMAZED that she was in there. Pearl said it was "impossible" for the mirror to be talking to him. This could be either because Gems that are "harvested" are supposed to be incapable of reverting back to humanoid form once they have gone through the whole "harvesting" process OR because they are assumed to be as good as dead. (which would also explain why Lapis asked them in the PAST TENSE if they ever wondered who she "USED to be")
I thought the same thing too, but I kinda thought of it in a sense that they would be shattered purposely or as a punishment and that their gem shard remains would be repurposed for something else, just based off that fact that gem shards do take physical forms themselves and can be used for other things than what they were intended for originally as a whole gem, but great theory!
Great Theory! I think that maybe it could be more broad than that. Its like saying, your a problem in our society or don't work to standard, we will find a different use of the power in your gemstone. You get bubbled and put into storage until someone desires to place you in a mirror or shatter you and put you in a cluster. Seems like its so ingrained into their culture that even the crystal gems are numb to the fate of gems that get forced into powering gem powered mechanisms. Maybe as Steven learns more about it, he will help the others realize how wrong it is.
I think that the crystal gems know a way to bring the gems that are in their corrupted form to their human holograms that have mass. I think that they want to finish was rose started. also I think the reason why rose put lapis lazuli in the mirror because rose felt that she was a corrupted gem. by the way she was acting when she was set free she literally wanted to drown the crystal gems. the crystal gems must have put her in the mirror before they found amythest because she looked shocked as to why a gem was in the mirror. so do any of you guys agree with my theory
I agree in the sense that the term is used when talking about ''reusing'' shattered gems. But I think the meaning is that they use the remainings of a shattered gem for kindergartening.
What if the cluster is meant to be used as a weapon against enemies of the Gems in general? There was reference made in the past to Gem fragments being used to bring to life suits of armour as automatons (possibly something else that gems might be harvested for), and the very existence of warrior-class Gems suggests that the Gems have had to fight other advanced aliens in the past prior to the rebellion.
Something I feel like I need to point out.... It seems pretty clear to me why they would want to create planet-sized super gems under their command. Since the revolution, technology and warfare has gotten to the point where more and more powerful gems could be created. So in order to keep themselves from being defenseless against other planet-sized gems they need similarly powerful gems to keep up or to keep other colonies or groups in line.
Okay, so I have a theory that(not really an important one, but you know a theory is a theory) Amethyst, being "over cooked" doesn't take long to regenerate when she's poofed because she doesn't want to be over cooked again. Also, pearl takes her time to regenerate. And we've also seen that she has a more a oval shape to her face and gem when most pearls are more circular in face and gem shape. So I think she was under cooked when she was made and so she now takes more time to regenerate when she poofs to maybe perfect herself.
Theory: Blue Diamond does not have knowledge the Lapis returned to homeworld. Yellow Diamond, when Lapis appeared, seized her, pumped her for information on Earth, and never informed Blue Diamond one of her Court (assuming Lapis is part of her Court,) had returned.
I don't believe they think of it as killing or execution. in homeworld society every gem is just a piece of a whole that plays its part so when a gem no longer performs its task they are harvested/shattered so that they can be used to further the race as a whole bia experiments like the cluster. and perhaps others we have not yet seen. the anti rebellion aspect you talk about makes sense. so cluster are practically nukes you don't need to use it the fact that you can is all that matters so earths cluster is hiroshima a show of force
This makes me wonder. Is it possible that they could utilize broken gem shards another way? Perhaps the smaller forced fusions could be trained and used as mindless expendable soldiers. There'd be some cruel irony there considering that any gems that attempt rebellion would be broken and then forced to fight their own comrades.
+AJ Universe Then if they are interested in the success of the cluster as a weapon. Then they' ll probably want to speed up that process as fast as they can in future trial runs. That is the cluster's only weakness at this point, if it had gone critical even a year before the start of the series...that would've been it.
I think there are TONS of rebellion's many fighting for reason's you mentioned. Remember: a rebellion would be a huge issue for homeworld. Halting precious progress and shattering thousand's of allied gem's. Kinda ties into reason 3, but gem's clearly have messed with rebellions in the past. (look at jasper's guarding diamond's in garnet's vision).
I think harvested gems might be used to power gem technology like Lapis' mirror, the desert glass, the inverted pyramid from "Serous Steven," or the gem shards from "Frybo." Geoweapons like the Cluster are probably just one of many potential uses.
Considering that gem shards are also used to power living armor and the like, it may be that disobedient gems are shattered and used to power a lot of the various technologies on the gem world, not just another cluster.
Makes more sense that Harvesting means harvesting their gem for multiplication. They shatter a gem into dust, then put it in one of those kindergarten injectors. That way they destroy, say one peridot and can get thousands out of it each with around the same skillset, instincts, and thought process of the original. Variants being a side effect of the shattering, causing things like the rubies which had different personalities, and possibly gem locations.
I always figured that being 'Harvested' was when they removed the life force of a gem to make more gems. You know, that stuff inside the injectors that would create new gems? It would make a little more sense because the Crystal Gems wouldn't want to make more clustered gems, but they WOULD like to make more allies. What better way to do that, then by harvesting?
another gr8 theory AJ love this one wantd to mention, wen u mentioned Homeworld Gems destroying a planet to mine extra resources may be flawed in that as we see in "It Could Have Been Great" The HWG plans 4 Earth would essentially hollow out the planet to its core. in short efficient planetary resource acquisition is already a HWG thing. gr8 video though
perhaps broken/disobedient gems are used as seeds to grow future gems, or the energy inside the gems is harvested for later use. I think the fact the there is lava in the room indicates the reshaping and manipulation of gems/shards allowing one of my suggestions above to be done. the seeding theory make the most sense to me due to the fact the in the right conditions usually hot and pressurized crystals will grow.
I believe it's much simpler. As Peridot stated in "Too short to ride", Homeworld ran out of resources to make new gems. They might just shatter "defective" gems and use the shards as material for second generation gems. Like a morbid version of recycling.
In the episode where peridot calls yellow diamond a clod, she says that it is a bad idea to sacrifice an entire world for one "geoweapon" so that makes me think that homeworld is using the cluster as a geoweapon for destroying multiple planets, that they would create it under the earth, wait for it to form, then use it to destroy any worlds that, in peridots words, are no longer viable colonies.
Also, I do believe the theory that "harvest" means they would shatter peridot, and use those shards to make forced fusions, since that is probably what they do on homeworld
Seems logical. But I wonder what is military might of Homeworld. Seems to be a waste of colony if they destroy the earth. We know galaxy wrap is destroyed. But why doesn't Homeworld simply send other army to earth. I mean they sent Jasper and a ship.
They might have lost too many of their quartz to the rebellion. I think that the Earth would have produced many quartz gems, like Amethyst and Jasper, who were born on Earth.
I was wondering how long it would take for someone to cover this...
Right?
it has been to long
Lol already covered this
some other youtubers and other sites have delved into this but his is very well structured and worth a listen
Same, it's always bugged me.
I thought "harvesting" for Gems would mean shattering their Gem, then burying the shards to grow new Gems with help from the Kindergarten Injectors to replenish their population. But it could also refer to other Cluster experiments.
thats dark
The term "harvest" is also used to describe the extraction of tissue and organs from the deceased for medical purposes.
I would add Lapis Lazuli's experience...poofed, her gem set in a mirror and apparently deliberately cracked in order to function as a recording device; possibly this could be Desert Glass's story as well. Pearl related how gem shards were used (rather unsuccessfully) to create automaton soldiers. As we've witnessed the unscrupulousness of Yellow Diamond in the formation of the Cluster, we should also expect that the enemies (real or perceived) of the Diamonds would be subject to execution and harvesting of shards, or the gemstones themselves used to power various forms of technology--in effect sentenced to hard labor for however long a Diamond wished.
I think that the "harvesting" relates to the usage of gems as tools, lapis would have been "harvested" to become a knowledge giving mirror, peridot who was lapis's interrogator might have asked why she returned to earth so many 1000s of years later. Lapis explaining she was made into a tool (my theory is that either rose or garnet or some other crystal gem put her in there or more likely a home world gem) (also we see other gems used as tools EVeRY WHERE in gem structures such as the laser shooting things in the old home world ship (peridots DIE DIE DIE scene) ) peridot could be scared ( if it WAS a crystal gem that put lapis in the mirror) that she would have to suffer a similar fate and maybe homeworld gems that were poofed during the war were the used as weapons as we see in the mural in serious Steven rose is holding a pink diamond using it as a weapon
you know, that is a really good theory!
Angry Space Rock thank you!
+Malachite hi malachite
xXThePorygonXx sup!
I always liked the the theory that the clusters were being made to combat a separate but similar sentient race in the universe; the most prevalent one being a race of sentient metals, which is what Bismuth is.
Though, after seeing how petty Yellow Diamond is, it's harder to believe it. "I want my cluster and I want that planet to die."
That's just a theory, a GEM theory. Thanks for watching!
That made me so happy omg. I
I WAS CHECKING THE COMMENTS AND I WAS LIKE FREAKING OUT THAT NOBODY WAS COMMENTING ABOUT IT
It's just a theory
A game theory
I FOUND MY FELLOW THEORISTS!!!
Yes
yes!
Yus
This was basically what I thought the first time I saw that episode.
That she thought she was goin to be shattered and use for experiments.
Don't worry about doing a "lighter subject", all of your videos are really interesting. Just keep doing what you're doing.
I agree with this a lot. I always wondered about the harvest thing but I never thought this far. I theorized that when you harvest gems, that you poof the gem and use their gemstone as a power source to power things on Homeworld. Like how Lapis power the mirror. I always thought of that being the punishment, I never thought of them being shattered as a punishment. nice theory!
also, I live the Game Theory reference.
I wouldn't exactly say "execute people for nothing", since different gem-type fusion is a taboo to Gemkind.
If anything, they weeding out anything that would lead to any form of "free will".
What about the theory that Gemkind is fighting a losing war with the Sneeple
+Dreadlord Bedrock It's stupid. The Sneople are, and have always been, a joke. They don't exist.
Ronaldo is always right.
ALWAYS
Dreadlord Bedrock Ronaldo is a parody character. He is only ever right if it's funny.
So far, aside from key factors, all his theory's have been right.
I think now we can conclude that homeworld was trying to conserve what was left of PD's gem making water stuff. Its crazy to think a little harder on it and realize that the loss of a single diamond makes creating more gems harder. Especially if having certain kinds or amounts of gems was important to the order/mythology of their society, and thus hindering that while also losing a diamond would give them a cultural horror.
If "harvesting" isn't a gem thing (which it probably is), maybe it's a human thing?? From the Gem Harvest sneak peak we see Steven brutally disfigure a pumpkin with no qualms, while the little sentient pumpkin dog (pupkin??) watches on in horror. Foreshadowing?? Maybe so...
If there's one thing Steven Universe is full of (aside from great animation, songs, characters, and representation of minority groups), it's metaphors and symbolism (see Ronaldo's "sneeple", crying breakfast friends, cookie cat, etc.) I wouldn't be too surprised if that scene turned out to mean a little more than it might seem at face value.
First off, what does the pumpkin represent, and what does Steven? Although he's half gem, it's probable Steven represents a human, or even all of mankind. Well, what are the pumpkins? Let's think. They were planted by the gems (Lapis and Peridot) with the intention of becoming sentient entities. One did, thanks to Steven, but the rest... not so much. What are things planted (or seeded) in the earth by gems with the intention of them becoming sentient? Other gems, of course! That much is obvious. But what could Steven (the symbol of humanity) finding a docile/"defective" pumpkin (gem) and carving it up to be a decorative item, in this case a jack-o'-lantern, represent?? A human finding a gem that isn't quite yet mature, taking it out of the ground, and carving it into something a little more interesting... you catch my cold?
Jewelry. Maybe, maybe, harvesting refers to gem mining. Humans finding kindergartens with maturing gems or gem shards, carving them up, and essentially wearing bits of corpses of fallen or infant gems on their bodies as decoration, with seemingly no mercy or regard for gem life?? What gem WOULDN'T be scared of something like that???
Again, this is just speculation, but Steven Universe has tackled macabre subjects before, so would this be too much of a stretch? If I'm totally wrong, I still want to know about jewelry and natural non-sentient gems on earth...
Anyway, I'm pretty proud of this theory (or speculation I guess??) If you agree, maybe leave a like or start a discussion!
I think the idea is that Gems are So easily made. Their social structure is more based off of need then personal growth. If a recent gem was destroyed in some way they just replace them with another that is been created. Need an army mass produced gems are then made. The easier a gem is made the lower on the rung of its social ladder it is. So they do not care about the quality of their lives very much which in turn makes their out look on other life out there just as bad.
...though I thought Harvest meant like what happened to Lapis lazuli
I've been wanting to hear more about harvesting for a long time now. Thanks for delving in. You're awesome, AJ! And it seems others agree with you. You're already getting a lot of attention just 5 minutes after posting!
I always thought she just feared being used as a power source for a piece of technology
It’s been two years. We still have no idea what she meant.
there is an episode in the future named gem harvest...
Then we shall find out!
+Scifi for all! I think by harvest they mean harvesting for the cluster
I swear this guy's theories are usually fairly close, or at least in the circle. I bet we're going to see more on what Peridot meant of "harvest"
+Da TemmieNation Yup. Next thursday's episode is called Gem Harvest.
You guys probably already know this, but that was just a Thanksgiving episode.
I just wanna say I really really love your theories and a analyses and your "game theory" joke made me laugh much harder than I should've
you have said in some of your other theories that gems are like computers in the sense that their gems contain information that makes up who the gem is. Maybe harvesting means if a gem becomes defective they erase the data and re write another gem to the gemstone. In a sense its sort of like formatting a usb or an sd card.
That is a very interesting theory
Love you, AJ. You create the best SU content on the tubes, and I can't wait to see what you have to say about the upcoming episodes next month. They're gunna be awesome!!
theres an umpcomming episode called "Gem Harvest"
+Geox Mineur source?
+DisneyfanBeckers Wikia
Geox Mineur
Is it the Steven Universe Wiki?
+Umaru Doma when will it be aired
+Umaru Doma to be announced
ive been waiting forever for that gem theory joke. all in all i agree with the last use. it seems more plausible. nice vidya! thanks.
+Caleb mccleery Thank you.
I do agree with your reasoning and I feel like the 3rd option is the most likely: namely that the diamond authority is always being challenged by rebellion from outside sources from other colonies.
Think about it, Rose's rebellion worked. Why? It should not have worked considering how vastly outnumbered they were but Garnet said that there were a lot more Crystal Gems than there are now, so it is possible that not all gems see right by the decisions of the diamonds and even challenge it. But with how powerful the gems already are even though they are more than 5000 years old, you can bet that with the advance in technology, new rebellions are even harder to stop than old ones.
Also, as much as the diamonds tried to keep their humiliation a secret in their society, some gems, like Jasper, still remember losing Earth to Rose Quartz, so it is possible that Rose's rebellion was a spark to other worlds and other gems that have suffered through the dictatorship of the Diamonds that they rebelled too. It's also very possible that the diamonds could have lost much more worlds than we are led to believe.
So the diamond's only other option is doing exactly what they know what to do since ever: make more powerful weapons to control their Empire and I believe this is what the Cluster is.
Also consider that if Rose's rebellion was a spark, then wouldn't it be just ironic that the most powerful weapons the Diamonds could make is made on Earth itself and that its first victim would be the exact place where it all started: Earth, where Rose Quartz won. It would send a huge message to all colonies that the Diamonds don't forget rebellion and that everyone pays in the end, like the Earth, the shattered gems that were lost on Earth and Rose Quartz and her Gems. It would wipe the slate clean for their tyranny to continue and a much more frightened people to rule.
this is one of the best theories i heard in a while but it kinda ruins my hope of the sneople theory :(
Finally someone talks about this! Yet another great vid man, keep it up!!
After seeing "Same Old World" I think it's entirely possible that Lapis Lazuli was "harvested" and put in the mirror, it fits since she was put in the mirror for the homeworld's consumption for information on the rebellion. I think "harvesting" isn't just limited to forced gem fusions but it's also an term to describe being trapped in a object as a power source and other gem-imprisoning/gem-necromantic acts
+nearthe2nd That's interesting, but the term harvest suggests a large scale.
but as we saw, Lapis' gem wasn't purposely broken but an accident. it was then placed in the mirror because the homeworld gems didn't know that the mirror had anyone inside it but that the mirror knew information. but when homeworld left, Lapis was left behind in the mirror that Pearl found at the galaxy warp and took back to the temple.
+Joseph Kent No, they absolutely knew a gem was inside the mirror because they mistook Lapis Lazuli for a Crystal Gem rebel, she was interrogated about rebels. She was left on Earth in a panic. If they believed she was rebel they wouldn't care for her life or well being.
but if they did think that she was a crystal gem, they would have been more careful about not leaving her. we know that home world took with them the shards of other rebellious gems to use in experiments.
Joseph Kent That's never been stated anywhere. In fact, evidence in the show suggests that all shattered rebel Gems were put into the Cluster.
7:56
god, I'm so glad that game theory has such an internet presence nowadays. I had started watching their videos a while a go, and I started watching them again recently and I love MatPat's channels.
I don't think the threat of the possibility of another rebellion would cause such a large amount of focus to be put on such a massive weapon. I think that it makes more sense if there's an ongoing war still being raged, possibly by Pink Diamond. What we do know is that before the rebellion, Pink Diamond was part of the Diamond Authority, since her symbol is still part of the four diamonds symbol, but new gem-tech, like the handship, only has blue, yellow and white. I think it's possible that Pink is still leading an ongoing conflict with the other three Diamonds, which would explain the sudden expansion of technology, especially weapons against other gems, since war tends to cause leaps in technology. I kind of always thought Homeworld wanted the Cluster to strike a final, killing blow against its enemies.
+Connor Tyler
So, there's a war being raged lightyears away between the Diamonds?
zachanikwano It just makes more sense to me if there's an actual war, instead of just the threat of one. During WW2 we invented radar, new planes and tanks, bomb technology, weapons technologies and rockets. During the "Cold War" we made bigger nukes. That's it. Active combat forces both sides to rapidly advance in technology to stay level, or possibly ahead of their enemies, and why would you need a planet-buster weapon unless you have a planet in mind to bust with it?
Really liked this theory! Been trying to map my brain around what harvesting could mean and this really brings it all together. So awesome! And I really liked your bit at the end parodying MatPat from game theory. Our guy who started up a theory section on our channel finds a lot of inspiration in Game theory and he'll be glad to see another one of his favorite theory people does too!
So if the crystal gems aren't harvesting gems, what are they doing? Why are all bubbles items sent to that room, even Stevens first bubble automatically went there. It can't simply be for storage as they would probably store such dangerous items away from the crystal heart not under it. It could be that the heart uses them for power but I would think that the heart could do that on its own, not to mention there was probably a time when no gems were bubbled and that would mean no power. Clearly there must be a reason that the bubbled gems are stored in the burning room and if your definition of harvesting is true then what is the purpose of them being stored there?
+Zed Jay The Crystal Gems aren't harvesting anyone. They bubble Corrupted Gems so that they don't have to kill them.
+AJ Universe why store them so close to the crystal heart, there are some cases where some bubbles aren't strong enough to hold a gem. They could escape and damage the heart. Remember when Peridot escaped the crystal gems assumed she had escaped by herself, but the crystal heart is something that the crystal gems really don't want damaged. So why keep them in such close proximity to the heart?
***** They aren't anywhere near the Crystal Heart. And no Gem has ever escaped a bubble on their own. It's physically impossible for them to do so, as their cognitive processes are put into stasis inside the bubble.
+AJ Universe I know they bubble them so they don't have to hurt them but why put them there, I was saying that they could be harvesting them under the assumption that your harvesting theory could be wrong and that what is happening to the bubbled gems was that they were being harvested, whatever that is.
***** We already know why they bubble Gems. It isn't something that we need to guess at. It is canon that they bubble Gems so that they don't have to kill them. The Gems that they fight are corrupted. They aren't in control of their actions. Killing them wouldn't be fair. So they bubble them and store them in the Temple, a place where humans can't get the them and accidentally let them free. It is even hinted that they hope the bubbles might help the corrupted Gems to heal. None of that, in any way, could be related to whatever harvest is.
I see you making that ending reference and I, for one, approve.
I like your theory
thank you for your wonderful review
Thank you for the "a gem theory" outro bit. Fucking love it!
Have you already seen the new steven universe promo called to deep?!?!
#WhatWeReallyAre
It is called "In Too Deep" not "to deep"
+Arthur Do Carmo Lima thats what she said
I have oml!
+Arthur Do Carmo Lima omg cant wait till the next ep (yes i saw it when it aired on Cartoon Network)
AJ Universe, I believe there is something you missed. Everything seems to be powered by gems and if you can recall the episode Mirror Gem, they can also be used to power artefacts like the mirror. So this could also mean Peridot was fearful that she would be used to power something or be turned into a mere object to be used at the disposal of the Crystal Gems.
cool theory AJ
I was wondering when someone would FINALLY make a decent theory on this...
I kind of assumed it was propagandized history about the rebel gems. Old war propaganda made fact in history by the diamonds, lies about their brutality and violent ways.
+Wild Kat Heh, I like this. They went native and cannibalistic.
ClumzorZ :) *high five*
I like this theory alot! It's very detailed and makes perfect sense. Although it is a pretty dark thing, I wouldn't doubt that homeworld would be doing it.
In the bubble scene, who else saw Centipedle's chips?
Refference to the episode, to keep the episodes canon.
chiaaaps
I LOVE THE REFERENCE TO GAME THEORY AT THE END!
season 3 premering may 12 ^_^ I'm so exsited
Isn't it still season 2?
+Jermaine Dela Cruz Nope. Season two ended with Log Date.
Jermaine Dela Cruz no season 3
Jermaine Dela Cruz if it waseaon 2 season one woukdhave had 78 episodes lol
I hope we get more insight when the "Gem Harvest" episode airs. It's somewhat close to airing in the lineup but it may change. I think the possibilities that you mentioned are all plausible at this point and now that Peridot is a bigger part of the show, I imagine more of what Homeworld is like will be revealed to Steven.
Don't we all just like game theory jokes?
+Ivetta B Well, I've nearly fallen off the chair when I heard/saw this joke. And then proceeded to laugh like crazy for a minute or so.
Dat gem joke made my day man. Thank you.
Aj Universe, if you really believe your bubbling theory, how only the
crystal gems learned this, then why did you completely destroy it in
your "What did Peridot mean by Harvest" theory video? You are a pretty
smart guy, I'm sure you must've caught that.
The two don't contradict at all. Peridot was reacting to seeing so many poofed Gems in one place, not the fact that they were bubbled.
yes but in that video you said that the diamond would have a plan, to poof gems and put them in bubbles for the next cluster, if they messed up, or diddnt follow orders, and messed up very badly
wait...
one moment
im rewatcghing the video
how else would they keep the poofed gems from reforming? And Peridot wasnt alarmed, or didnt look like she didnt recognize the bubbles.
i prefer the idea that harvested gems are used for purposes like lapis' mirror or the gem in the pyramid temple. gems that step out of line could have their physical form destroyed to become just power sources. its not as if lapis could do anything while in the mirror, but was seemingly aware of her surroundings, so using gems that misbehave for these purposes could be a good punishment for their enemies?
after all, if peridot thought they were going to harvest her for the cluster experiments, that implies that she thinks that the gems are also collecting gem shards for their own purposes, which doesnt make much sense because by this point she should know that theyre not interested in planet destruction
I don't intend to be mean, but his voice is very difficult to pay attention to. It has no energy in it.
It's calm and makes the video suitable for those who are tired after a day.
sounds fine to me. Overly enthusiastic voices are less bearable than unenthusiastic voices.
I think the symptoms of physical abuse are from the crystal gems constantly mistreating her up until that point, where if she hadn't experienced any fighting until that point, would probably scare her more than a bit.
nerd
+Jessie McWilliams Yep.
Cool
+AJ Universe Do you know when the hiatus ends? I thought it was June 12 but I wasn't sure. It said in a commercial it's a two week special beginning on a Thursday on June something
marie likes pie It's ending May 12th now, with a four week special event, beginning with two back to back episodes the first week, and then one new episode a week over the next three. The event overall is called In Too Deep, and will resolve the Cluster storyline. Then the Summer of Steven will continue, with new episodes until August.
AJ Universe Sweet!! Thanks for responding! ^^
Tere's what I think
the first step in harvesting a gem is bubbling it
then they grind the gem itself into powder and mix it into their kindergartens in a matter similar to smelting outdated or broken machines to make new ones.
As a certified kindergartner peridot would know these things obviously and that would explain why she's horrified when she saw those bubbled gems. She thinks they are going to shatter her into powder and use her to feed their kindergartens. Maybe era 2 injectors can harvest the properties of gems to strengthen the next gem
Hello friends (☆^ー^☆) ѕтαяѕ fσя ѕтєνєи
○
Staya fsya stenei
I think Harvesting could be something about Lapis being put in the mirror- a gem cracked so badly it cannot serve it's full function, being given a new more useful function as a tool for other gems. But I like your theory as well, either way it's scary haha.
i am so glad you made that reference
"...but that's just a theory,
a GAME THEORY. Thanks for watching."
I think that Homeworld not only wants to use gem shard for more clusters, but they already executed numerous gems to power their technology. We saw some older gem buildings, and saw what looked like gemstones, like in "Friend Ship" the mechanism, same in the Pyramid temple in "Serious Steven". Not to forget that Lapis was powering a mirror. What you said is a future plan from Homeworld, but they executed gems for a long time now (shown in "The Answer"). So maybe Peridot meant by "harvesting", to use her energy to power something.
Love the series! Honestly, the only thing I would change if I was making this, would be removing the funny clip art that doesn't add anything, like the "meh" picture you've used a bit. I love the series!
sorry if i've been spamming your vids, they're just really good! and they get me thinking about this show in different ways. this is a very good theory, and honestly parts of it are probably correct. what i always ALWAYS assumed she meant was that "harvest" just meant trapping her in her gem and using her as an object or "harvested" for energy. We know that gems can be trapped and used, i mean look at lapis. and every single goddamn gem ANYTHING we've seen, from weapons to the core of peridot's ship, has SOMETHING resembling a gem in it. EVERYTHING. i have long theorized that gems actively use other gems to power their society, even going so far as to breed gems specifically to provide energy for the rest. it's entirely possible that that's what peridot meant.
A real world analogy for the use of executed prisoners as resources - Victorian gallows memorabilia, which as well as resulting in hangman's rope being sold for profit following the execution, also resulted in goods such as purses made out of human leather. It might be for devices such as the Mirror (Peridot's had time to chat with Lapis, afterall, so does know that the Crystal Gems are willing to use Homeworld devices powered by Cracked Gems), it might be for more Fusion Experiments, but harvesting being 'using broken and/or shattered gems as a resource' seems likely to be what Peridot meant in general seems a safe assumption. And presumably that means that the Crystal Gems are using the same sort of housing for bubbled gems while waiting for them to work out how to help them as Homeworld does for gems waiting to be harvested, for the instant recognition.
I'm not sure we can really take Peridot's word at face value that the Diamond's decision making is based on rationality, Message Received was pretty clear that while she viewed the Diamonds as being rational, and Yellow Diamond specifically as The Most Rational, and part of how quickly she went from adoration to open rebellion in the space of one conversation was how irrational Yellow Diamond was acting when given her new information about Earth as a potential resource - that conversation seemingly broke Peridot's entire world view of the Diamonds, and by extension Gem Society, that it was based on rational, logical, decision making by a class of beings More Qualified to make those decisions than herself.
I think harvesting is putting your gem to controll an item, like how lapis lazuli was trapped in that mirror and her gem was used to power it
+AcaciaLogs Sentient Gems are not used to power items. Lapis was an exception.
An example of my idea of harvesting is like lapis being used to powered the mirror or like the gems inside the engine hand craft from the return
Or she could mean "harvest" as in being used as a power source to fuel something, like with the moon base, the spinning temple, or the mirror that Lapis was trapped in. Gems are used constantly as a means of fueling structures and objects on the show, and it was shown that most, if not all, are conscious, and free thinking. Or to a point. Maybe that was the fate of some prisoners, and the method for making them into reactors like that wore them out so much that they can no longer assume their original form.
Sentient Gems aren't usually used as power sources. The Moon Goddess Statue gem wasn't a living Gem. There's evidence that the Pyramid Temple Gem was powering the temple. The Crystal Gems had no idea that Lapis was conscious, which tells us that history mirrors don't usually contain sentient Gems, just gem batteries of some kind.
AJ Universe why wont u just make a vedio of oink diamond
I at first thought it meant turning her into a power source for some structure (like lapis in the mirror, or the white gem in the temple, etc) but this idea makes more sense in the long run
We'll most likely KNOW in the episode "Gem Harvest"
This theory kind of gives me the idea that the corrupted gems the gems bubble were actually gems from the war who had gotten damage while fighting against the rebellion, while not being fully damaged but not also fully stable they transformed into the forms they take now.
I think harvesting a gem is when a gem is poofed or shattered and then used to power something, such as the mirror lapis was in, the shards that brought clothes to life, and the gem powering the bismuth temple.
I agree with most of this theory, but with the addition that maybe the purpose of the cluster was not just to destroy a planet, but to use as a weapon once it is formed. Yellow Diamond did seem to want the finished product at her disposal
I really feel like maybe the diamonds are fighting against other gems still, but we just don't know it. Possible pink diamonds forces, or other various rebellious groups. If you think about it, if there are thousands of Gem controlled planets, there's bound to be a few rebellious groups. Especially with the way their society seems to be run, with all its strict rules and social injustices. I think, maybe, the earth rebellion could have sparked other rebellions. The cluster would be a great way to end those rebellions.
I think to harvest is to use any sentient gem in a fashion such as a tool. So both the shards in the cluster and lapis while she was in the mirror could both be seen as harvested gems being used in just different fashions.
I think "harvesting" is how the gem powered machines are made, they can bubble a gem then strip it's previous data from the gem and replace it with instructions on how to run things like the mirror (if lapis hadn't been in it plus that's why they didn't realize she was alive) and maybe even buildings like the glass of the desert and the underwater temple
I sort of assume that "harvest" is when Gems are used as a tool or a simple power source. Like, how Lapis Lazuli was bound to that mirror. Pearl called it a "Gem-powered mirror". Also, it's clear that Lapis was unable to free herself from her role as a tool and needed Steven to "free her". Perhaps there is a way to shut off a Gem's ability to reform and instead use them as a power source (like the white "diamond" gem that seemed to be powering the inverted pyramid). Or maybe when Gems are damaged to a certain point they are as good as "dead" (so corrupted/unable to form into humanoid form) that they are used as a power source. This last "dead" Gem theory makes the Crystal Gems seem less culpable in the whole "imprisoning Lapis Lazuli" in a mirror thing, and would explain why they were SO AMAZED that she was in there. Pearl said it was "impossible" for the mirror to be talking to him. This could be either because Gems that are "harvested" are supposed to be incapable of reverting back to humanoid form once they have gone through the whole "harvesting" process OR because they are assumed to be as good as dead. (which would also explain why Lapis asked them in the PAST TENSE if they ever wondered who she "USED to be")
I knew watching these videos one day you would make that joke. I was waiting for it. And yet when i saw it, it still surprised a giggle out of me. :P
I think this is likely. I personally believe that harvesting is a common practice(rather than a specific event), but the gist of it is the same.
This is something I was wondering since that episode!
I thought the same thing too, but I kinda thought of it in a sense that they would be shattered purposely or as a punishment and that their gem shard remains would be repurposed for something else, just based off that fact that gem shards do take physical forms themselves and can be used for other things than what they were intended for originally as a whole gem, but great theory!
Great Theory! I think that maybe it could be more broad than that. Its like saying, your a problem in our society or don't work to standard, we will find a different use of the power in your gemstone. You get bubbled and put into storage until someone desires to place you in a mirror or shatter you and put you in a cluster.
Seems like its so ingrained into their culture that even the crystal gems are numb to the fate of gems that get forced into powering gem powered mechanisms. Maybe as Steven learns more about it, he will help the others realize how wrong it is.
I think that the crystal gems know a way to bring the gems that are in their corrupted form to their human holograms that have mass. I think that they want to finish was rose started. also I think the reason why rose put lapis lazuli in the mirror because rose felt that she was a corrupted gem. by the way she was acting when she was set free she literally wanted to drown the crystal gems. the crystal gems must have put her in the mirror before they found amythest because she looked shocked as to why a gem was in the mirror. so do any of you guys agree with my theory
besides that I do love your videos and they all make great points I enjoy listening to
I agree in the sense that the term is used when talking about ''reusing'' shattered gems. But I think the meaning is that they use the remainings of a shattered gem for kindergartening.
What an interesting and somewhat dark theory. I didn't even think about this scene before now :o
What if the cluster is meant to be used as a weapon against enemies of the Gems in general? There was reference made in the past to Gem fragments being used to bring to life suits of armour as automatons (possibly something else that gems might be harvested for), and the very existence of warrior-class Gems suggests that the Gems have had to fight other advanced aliens in the past prior to the rebellion.
Something I feel like I need to point out.... It seems pretty clear to me why they would want to create planet-sized super gems under their command. Since the revolution, technology and warfare has gotten to the point where more and more powerful gems could be created. So in order to keep themselves from being defenseless against other planet-sized gems they need similarly powerful gems to keep up or to keep other colonies or groups in line.
Okay, so I have a theory that(not really an important one, but you know a theory is a theory)
Amethyst, being "over cooked" doesn't take long to regenerate when she's poofed because she doesn't want to be over cooked again.
Also, pearl takes her time to regenerate. And we've also seen that she has a more a oval shape to her face and gem when most pearls are more circular in face and gem shape. So I think she was under cooked when she was made and so she now takes more time to regenerate when she poofs to maybe perfect herself.
Following the logic of this theory. Do you think the Rose Quartz gems floating around in Pink's zoo could be utilised for a second cluster?
Hey AJ, keep up the good work! 😊😊
Theory: Blue Diamond does not have knowledge the Lapis returned to homeworld. Yellow Diamond, when Lapis appeared, seized her, pumped her for information on Earth, and never informed Blue Diamond one of her Court (assuming Lapis is part of her Court,) had returned.
I too agree with this
I don't believe they think of it as killing or execution. in homeworld society every gem is just a piece of a whole that plays its part so when a gem no longer performs its task they are harvested/shattered so that they can be used to further the race as a whole bia experiments like the cluster. and perhaps others we have not yet seen. the anti rebellion aspect you talk about makes sense. so cluster are practically nukes you don't need to use it the fact that you can is all that matters so earths cluster is hiroshima a show of force
This makes me wonder. Is it possible that they could utilize broken gem shards another way? Perhaps the smaller forced fusions could be trained and used as mindless expendable soldiers. There'd be some cruel irony there considering that any gems that attempt rebellion would be broken and then forced to fight their own comrades.
+Jared Hall Probably, but remember it takes 5000 years to make a batch forced Fusions. A larger scale payoff would just be more practical.
+AJ Universe Then if they are interested in the success of the cluster as a weapon. Then they' ll probably want to speed up that process as fast as they can in future trial runs. That is the cluster's only weakness at this point, if it had gone critical even a year before the start of the series...that would've been it.
I think there are TONS of rebellion's many fighting for reason's you mentioned. Remember: a rebellion would be a huge issue for homeworld. Halting precious progress and shattering thousand's of allied gem's. Kinda ties into reason 3, but gem's clearly have messed with rebellions in the past. (look at jasper's guarding diamond's in garnet's vision).
I think harvested gems might be used to power gem technology like Lapis' mirror, the desert glass, the inverted pyramid from "Serous Steven," or the gem shards from "Frybo." Geoweapons like the Cluster are probably just one of many potential uses.
Considering that gem shards are also used to power living armor and the like, it may be that disobedient gems are shattered and used to power a lot of the various technologies on the gem world, not just another cluster.
Makes more sense that Harvesting means harvesting their gem for multiplication. They shatter a gem into dust, then put it in one of those kindergarten injectors. That way they destroy, say one peridot and can get thousands out of it each with around the same skillset, instincts, and thought process of the original. Variants being a side effect of the shattering, causing things like the rubies which had different personalities, and possibly gem locations.
I always figured that being 'Harvested' was when they removed the life force of a gem to make more gems. You know, that stuff inside the injectors that would create new gems? It would make a little more sense because the Crystal Gems wouldn't want to make more clustered gems, but they WOULD like to make more allies. What better way to do that, then by harvesting?
Yes! I've been wondering about this! But I've been too lazy to look it up. Thanks +AJ Universe !
another gr8 theory AJ
love this one
wantd to mention, wen u mentioned Homeworld Gems destroying a planet to mine extra resources may be flawed in that as we see in "It Could Have Been Great" The HWG plans 4 Earth would essentially hollow out the planet to its core. in short efficient planetary resource acquisition is already a HWG thing.
gr8 video though
Good theory so far keep going and I like this video as will
perhaps broken/disobedient gems are used as seeds to grow future gems, or the energy inside the gems is harvested for later use. I think the fact the there is lava in the room indicates the reshaping and manipulation of gems/shards allowing one of my suggestions above to be done. the seeding theory make the most sense to me due to the fact the in the right conditions usually hot and pressurized crystals will grow.