(Steven Universe) Are the Crystal Gems sociopaths?

[DudeistBelieve]

It's been sticking with me ever since that ocean gem said to Steven, warning him that the Gems weren't good people.

A lot of the show's humor and plot seems to be based on the Gem's not really understanding the human's they claim to protect or basic social cues. And it's consistent from the start, the first episode Pearl lovingly dotes on Steven was snapping a monster's neck. Later on, Steven and her build a spaceship and she thinks nothing of taking him into space away from his father for 50 years.

Hell the Gems themselves appear indifferent to hostile towards Steven's father, which is kinda unfair. Sure the guy is following a real Dudeist lifestyle, but he's not a bum and he's there for his kid.

One episode, Steven worries about his healing powers no longer working and that the Gem's may just kick him out of the group... And it really doesn't sound that farfetched that they wouldn't.

So what's the deal do you think? Because I tend to think the Gem's really are just heartless monsters that only appear to work for good because their current agenda aligns with the interests of Beach City's survival... And maybe Steven's role in the group is to be the moral compass they lack.

 

[GothmogII]

Well, they aren't human and the way they're portrayed in the show seems to indicate they have a slightly different sense of morality and ethics. You're right in saying that Stephen is their moral compass as they seem ambivalent at best to the destruction they cause, from their point of view "Hey, you aren't dead? Build a new house."

I kinda like that about them, I think it adds a bit of depth instead of just having them as just heroes.

As for the one about kicking Stephen out, that episode has Stephen telling that story and being an unreliable narrator, he is exaggerating the Gem's reactions if you notice for example Pearl is exceptionally high strung and jittery in it.

 

[Scarim Coral]

Yeah I do agreed that while they claim to protect the humans and yet they do not try to take part with them. I mean they didn't know what a birthday was, arcade games and etc. Ok a couple of time they may have exhibit some traits that they do partake with human society (mainly Amethyst since she liked to eat and she took part in pro wreatling).
I betting the only reason why they defend man kind is probably due to being Rose will/ desire and I also betting she was more down to Earth with them aswell.

Also I would like to bring up this image

Spoiler: In the Serious Steven episode

Basing from Lapis Lazuli cryptic message (I loved her! Why couldn't she be part of the Crystel Gem). I starting to believed that they weren't interested with with the humans in the first place except for Rose.

I also I find it strange how the government are not involved in this series but yet again it is a kid so and bring them would make it too serious.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Heartless monsters? No, I don't think so. Soldiers? Beings that aren't human and thus don't understand life from a human point of view? Yes to both. We know they're warriors based on what they do and the skill they do it with. "Mission comes first" attitude does not mean you are heartless. We've seen the Gems get very worried about Steven whenever they believe he is in real danger. We also saw that they care about Conney too, when they yanked them off of the bus and yelled at both of them. "How could you put Conney in danger like that?" They care, they're just not good at showing it.

And that ties into my other point. They aren't human. Death and time don't mean the same thing to them because they don't really die. As we saw, if they get really hurt, they just go into their gem and heal. Also, they've lived for a long time. Fifty years is just a blink to someone like them. It's like how an adult views five minutes as nothing, whereas a child in timeout will view the same five minutes as an eon. When Garnet said that Steven was grounded for one thousand (I think) years, she wasn't joking. Because to her, that's not that long because time is different to them.


That thing with Lapis said is interesting though, and it's supposed to be. It hints that there's more going on than Steven knows. Lapis says that she never cared about the humans. So, she was obviously punished by mistake. The question is, why does caring about the humans matter? Were the gems originally sent to Earth to conquer, and the Crystal Gems rebelled? In doing so, did they betray the gems that they came with--like Lapis--and trap them? That would explain why Lapis views them as evil. They imprisoned her without a second thought because they didn't want her to report back, even though she didn't care.

OR, it could mean that the Gems were originally meant to protect the humans, and Lapis didn't want to. She was injured in a fight--or even perhaps by a human who betrayed her--and rather than risk having her go wild, the Crystal Gems trapped her. Again, that would explain her attitude.