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Amethyst (Steven Universe)

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Amethyst
Steven Universe character
Amethyst as she appears in "Change Your Mind"
First appearance"The Time Thing" (2013)
Last appearance"The Future" (2020)
Created byRebecca Sugar
Voiced byMichaela Dietz
In-universe information
SpeciesGem
GenderSexless[1][2] / woman[3] (she/her pronouns used)
WeaponWhip

Amethyst is a fictional character from the animated television series Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar. She is voiced by Michaela Dietz.

Based on the gemstone amethyst, she is a Gem, a fictional alien being that exists as a magical gemstone projecting a holographic body, and one of the four "Crystal Gems", a group of Gems who defend Earth.[4][5] Her story arcs throughout the series mostly focus on overcoming her low self-esteem, mostly caused by her feeling inferior to other Gems.

Development and casting

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Amethyst is voiced by Michaela Dietz.

Amethyst's look was redesigned between the pilot episode of Steven Universe and the first regular episode. Because of the characters' personalities, Amethyst's Gem is a sphere, while Garnet's Gem is square, and Pearl's Gem is a cone, with all of these designs also inspired by Bauhaus Theory.[6][7] In a July 2014 interview, Dietz said she was excited to have a panel on the show, to see "the fans of the show and hear their thoughts," and praised the show's cast and crew.[8] In August 2014 interview, she noted that Amethyst was her "first experience voicing a cartoon character" and said that she was "having such a blast" voicing Amethyst.[9]

Sugar said, in a 2014 AmA that Amethyst's room in the Crystal Temple is closest to her "actual lifestyle."[10] In the same AmA, Sugar also stated that Amethyst's dance style is "freeform," a mix of club dancing and dancehall styles, saying the show's crew is "pretty loose with it" and that Amethyst does "whatever feels right."[11]

In a January 2016 interview with the show's composers, Aivi Tran and Steven "Surrashu" Velema, the latter who did music for Amethyst, it was noted that the instruments she plays are a representation of her personality, like other Gems in the series. As such, she is shown with "loose and wild" drums, [x] while Amethyst was represented in the show's music as an "eclectic drum kit, with electric bass and some...synths" and that when she fused with Pearl becoming Opal, both characters are "distinguishable in the music."[12] Reviewer Caroline Framke also described Amethyst's drums as "spastic."[13]

Character

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She is one of the three Crystal Gems (with Pearl and Garnet), who, along with the titular Steven Universe, form the main characters of the series.[14][15] She is more hedonistic and carefree than the other Gems, and behaves as more of an older sister figure to Steven.[16][17] She often encourages Steven to enjoy himself and is the only Gem to engage in eating for fun, as Gems do not require food to survive.[18][19] From the gemstone in her chest, she can summon a purple whip. Although most Gems possess the ability to shapeshift,[20] Amethyst uses it to her advantage the most, especially when pulling pranks.

Unlike Pearl and Garnet, who were allies of Steven's mother Rose Quartz in the ancient Gem war, Amethyst joined the Crystal Gems after the war ended.[21] She was created on Earth[13] to be one of many Amethyst soldiers in the Gem empire's army. However, she was created smaller and weaker than other Amethysts, and emerged long after the others had departed, leaving her isolated for many years before being taken in by Rose Quartz.[22][23] Michaela Dietz has spoken about how her experience as an adoptee informs her performance of Amethyst in this respect.[24][25] She also was Greg's friend, but after Rose left, she blamed him, messed with him, and ended up ruining the friendship between them.[26][27]

Her character arc centers on coming to accept the burden of responsibility and overcoming her poor self-image arising from her smaller stature and "defective" creation.[16][28][29] As the series moves forward, she becomes more self-confident.[30] During the fourth season, she meets the other Amethyst soldiers who were created alongside her, and their support and affection for her become a source of emotional validation.[31] In Steven Universe Future, Amethyst runs the Gem Human Excellence Mentorship (GHEM) as an educator in Little Homeworld and remains Steven's friend, even as he tries to deal with his trauma.[32][33][34]

In other media

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Amethyst appeared in many video games based on the series. This included the 2015 game Steven Universe: Attack the Light, 2017 game the Steven Universe: Save the Light, and the 2019 game Steven Universe: Unleash the Light.[35][36] Additionally, in December 2019, Amethyst was one of the Steven Universe characters, as did Pearl, Garnet, and Stevonnie, who appeared in Brawlhalla, free-to-play 2D platformer fighting game.[37]

In February 2021, Amethyst appeared in an anti-racist PSA released by Cartoon Network, by Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey. In the PSA, Amethyst sings with kids that "It doesn't matter if you're White, Black, or Purple" and stops the production, saying that her purple color matters because she is an alien, and says it is "messed up" that she is being compared to people being different races, telling the kids "adding purple people into a lesson about human racism makes no sense."[38] [39]

In September 2019, Amethyst appeared in Steven Universe: The Movie, film that is an offshoot from the series, with Steven working to restore her memories, and that of the other Crystal Gems, while she later helps Steven try and restore Pearl's memories.[22][40][20]

Amethyst also appeared in a 2015 crossover episode with Uncle Grandpa titled "Say Uncle" and a 2018 crossover episode with OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes titled "Crossover Nexus".[41]

Reception and influence

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Amethyst was received positively. In 2015 and 2017, Dietz was nominated for Best Female Lead Vocal Performance in a Television Series – Comedy/Musical at the Behind the Voice Actor Awards, along with other members of the show's voice cast.[42][43] Eric Thurm of Polygon described Amethyst as "chaotic"[44] while Charles Pulliam-Moore of Gizmodo argued that Amethyst is exploring her identity throughout the show.[45] On the other hand, Thurm praised the voice acting of Dietz.[46] Others, like Brandon Zachary of CBR pointed to her "outward goofiness,"[47] with S.E. Fleenor of SYFY saying this manifested itself in her fusion with Steven, Smokey Quartz.[48] Others described her personality as rambunctious and spontaneous[21] and arguing that she grew to be more of the show's most emotionally mature characters.[49][50]

Nicole Clark, a culture writer, related Amethyst, and the other Crystal Gems, to her own multiracial upbringings.[51] Hannah Collins of CBR said Amethyst's fusions with other Gems, along with other Gem fusions, illustrated the issues with toxic relationships.[52] Although ComicsAlliance and Paste reviewers praised her familial relations with Steven, calling it "heartwarming quasi-siblinghood,"[49][53] Thurm of The A.V. Club described her as the "angsty teen" of the Crystal Gems.[54] Robert Lloyd of LA Times compared Amethyst to Bubbles in The Powerpuff Girls, another Cartoon Network show.[55] Anna Swartz of Mic said that, in their view, Amethyst is "brash and messy,"[56] which Vrai Kaiser of The Mary Sue echoed, describing Amethyst as having "initial childishness" coupled with "usual brusque."[57] Laura B. of The Geekiary described Amethyst as a self-critical Gem who is meant to fit into the "troublemaker" archetype, hostile to those around her, due to "lots of internalized self hatred," but she later grows in self-confidence as the series progresses, in their view.[31]

References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Sugar, Rebecca (August 21, 2014). "I am Rebecca Sugar, creator of Steven Universe, and former Adventure Time storyboarder, AMA!--There's a 50 50 chance to use some pronoun on Earth..." Reddit.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2015. There's a 50 50 chance to use some pronoun on Earth, so why not feminine ones-- it's as convenient as it is arbitrary!
  2. ^ Jones-Quartey, Ian (March 16, 2015). "IAN JQ — I know that the Gems are sexless agendered, etc..." Tumblr.com. Archived from the original on April 12, 2016.
  3. ^ Necessary, Terra (July 18, 2018). "Rebecca Sugar Opens Up About Being Non-binary". Pride.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2021. Sugar: [...] the Gems are all non-binary women...They're coded female [...] [T]hey appear to be female, but they're a little more representative of nonbinary women. They wouldn't think of themselves as women, but they're fine with being interpreted that way amongst humans.
  4. ^ Brown, Tracy (March 25, 2020). "'Steven Universe' changed TV forever. For its creator, its queer themes were personal". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 26, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  5. ^ Thurm, Eric (July 3, 2018). "Steven gets in Amethyst's head on a melancholy, funny Steven Universe". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021.
  6. ^ McDonnell 2017, p. 80
  7. ^ Whitbrook, James; Pulliam-Moore, Charles (July 19, 2017). "The Coolest Details From Steven Universe's Gorgeous New Art Book". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  8. ^ Sims, Chris (July 30, 2014). "No, You're The Joke: The Cast Of 'Steven Universe' At Comic-Con 2014 [Interview]". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on July 18, 2015.
  9. ^ Del Castillo, Chris (August 7, 2014). "SDCC 2014: Regular Show and Steven Universe cast and crew interviews". Nerd Reactor. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015.
  10. ^ Sugar, Rebecca (August 21, 2014). "I am Rebecca Sugar, creator of Steven Universe, and former Adventure Time storyboarder, AMA!--Amethyst's ...is the closest to my actual lifestyle". r/IAmA. Reddit.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021.
  11. ^ Sugar, Rebecca (August 21, 2014). "I am Rebecca Sugar, creator of Steven Universe, and former Adventure Time storyboarder, AMA!--YES!". r/IAmA. Reddit.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2017. Amethyst's [dancing] is dancehall and club dancing, pretty freeform, we're pretty loose with it! She does whatever feels right!
  12. ^ Tran, Aivi; Velema, Steven "Surrashu" (January 15, 2016). "Dropping Gems: An Interview with the Composers of the Score for 'Steven Universe'". Vice.com (Interview). Interviewed by Eric Thurm. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  13. ^ a b Framke, Caroline (June 2, 2017). "How Steven Universe, a joyous cartoon about love and aliens, used music to evolve". Vox. Archived from the original on October 2, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  14. ^ Thurm, Eric (January 22, 2019). "The mega-sized Steven Universe finale was full of references and payoffs". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 7, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Binstock, Rae (May 8, 2017). "Steven Universe Is "Purple Lesbians From Space." It's Also Love, Pain, Support, and Struggle". Slate. Archived from the original on October 11, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  16. ^ a b Stanichar, Joseph (July 2, 2020). "How Steven Universe Taught Me to Embrace My Neurodivergent Identity". Paste. Archived from the original on July 14, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  17. ^ Kaiser, Vrai (August 4, 2016). "Steven Universe Recap: "Steven vs. Amethyst"". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  18. ^ Opam, Kwame (February 1, 2017). "Steven Universe is a defining example of artistic resistance in our time". The Verge. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  19. ^ Charity, Justin (August 3, 2016). "Steven Universe Cures Superhero Pessimism". The Ringer. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  20. ^ a b Pulliam-Moore, Charles (September 6, 2019). "Steven Universe: The Movie's New Fusion Is Remixed Storytelling at Its Best". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  21. ^ a b Blumfield, Zach (July 30, 2016). "Did We Really Witness a BDSM Storyline on Steven Universe's Summer Adventures?". Paste. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  22. ^ a b Lanning, Courtney (September 13, 2019). "Steven Universe brings the color, music and joy". Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021.
  23. ^ Jaworski, Michelle (May 26, 2021). "Everything you didn't know about 'Steven Universe'". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  24. ^ Mackenzie Atwood (1 February 2018). "The Steven Universe Podcast: Amethyst" (Podcast). Cartoon Network.
  25. ^ McDonnell 2017, p. 157
  26. ^ Burnett, Matt [@mcburnett] (February 27, 2015). "@AkemiMadoka They were friends, but when Rose left, she blamed Greg and started messing with him, went too far and ruined their friendship" (Tweet). Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2021 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ Whitbrook, James; Pulliam-Moore, Charles (May 18, 2018). "All the Clues Steven Universe Dropped About Its Big Revelation You Never Realized". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  28. ^ Moreno, Nik (August 16, 2016). "Why Steven Universe's Smoky Quartz — Chubby, Brown, Disabled — is Important". Wear Your Voice Magazine. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  29. ^ Kramer, Josh (July 12, 2017). "The Hidden Message in the Architecture of Steven Universe". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  30. ^ Josie, Bailey Jo (December 4, 2020). "I Am My Mom: 10 Best Quotes From This Steven Universe Episode". CBR. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  31. ^ a b Laura B. (April 30, 2018). "Let's Talk About Amethyst". The Geekiary. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  32. ^ Searles, Jourdain (December 8, 2019). "Steven Universe Future sees Steven finally grappling with his darkness". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  33. ^ Robinson, Tasha (December 16, 2019). "Steven Universe Future is doing something TV shows just don't do". Polygon. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  34. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (March 16, 2020). "Rebecca Sugar Opens Up About How Healing from Trauma Shaped Steven Universe Future". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  35. ^ Fahey, Mike (December 6, 2019). "The Latest Paper Mario-Style Steven Universe Game Keeps It Simple". Kotaku. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  36. ^ Bernaschina, Michael (November 28, 2019). "Apple's New Steven Universe RPG Features New Story, Two New Characters". CBR. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  37. ^ Bishop, Rollin (December 4, 2019). "Brawlhalla Adds Steven Universe's Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Stevonnie". comicbook. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020.
  38. ^ Bell, Breanna (February 17, 2021). "'Steven Universe' Takes on Racism in New Cartoon Network PSA". popculture. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2021.
  39. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (December 22, 2020). "Steven Universe's Estelle Explains Why the Show's Anti-Racism PSAs Are So Important". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  40. ^ Armitage, Helen (October 12, 2020). "Steven Universe: The Movie's Ending Explained". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 17, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  41. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (April 1, 2015). "Uncle Grandpa and Steven Universe Crossover Premieres April 2". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  42. ^ "Behind the Voice Actors Award 2014". Behind the Voice Actors. Inyxception Enterprises, Inc. Archived from the original on July 3, 2015.
  43. ^ "2016 BTVA Voice Acting Awards". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on August 12, 2017.
  44. ^ Thurm, Eric (January 21, 2019). "Steven Universe's climactic showdown delivered a complicated lesson on childhood". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021.
  45. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (January 10, 2020). "Steven Universe Future Is Exploring What It Really Means to Be in Endgame Territory". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  46. ^ Thurm, Eric (December 1, 2016). "Greg and the Gems struggle with parenting (and complexity) on a Steven Universe holiday special". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on August 30, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  47. ^ Zachary, Brandon (December 11, 2019). "Steven Universe Future Radically Alters Beach City's Status Quo". CBR. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  48. ^ S.E. Fleenor (March 2, 2019). "The 5 queerest episodes of Steven Universe". SYFY. Archived from the original on October 6, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  49. ^ a b Collins, Erin (August 16, 2016). "'Steven Universe' Post-Show Analysis: Season 3, Episodes 19-21: 'Steven vs. Amethyst' and 'Bismuth'". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on June 16, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  50. ^ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (July 8, 2018). "Steven Universe Did Not Come to Play in Its Latest Stevenbomb". Gizmodo. Archived from the original on July 17, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  51. ^ Clark, Nicole (March 28, 2020). "The Healing Power of 'Steven Universe' [Opinion]". New York Times. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  52. ^ Collins, Hannah (September 13, 2019). "Steven Universe Handles Toxic Relationships Perfectly For Its Audience". CBR. Archived from the original on June 28, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  53. ^ Blumfield, Zach (March 3, 2017). "Steven Universe KOs Its Own Past in "Tiger Philanthropist"". Paste. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  54. ^ Thurm, Eric (April 30, 2015). "Steven Universe: "Reformed"". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  55. ^ Lloyd, Robert (November 4, 2013). "Review: 'Steven Universe' is a gem". LA Times. Archived from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  56. ^ Swartz, Anna (April 23, 2018). "'Steven Universe' creator Rebecca Sugar talks making feminist art and favorite songs from the show". Mic. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  57. ^ Kaiser, Vrai (July 5, 2018). "Steven Universe Recap: What's Your Problem". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 19, 2021.

Bibliography

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