Garnet To Malachite. Malachite is a fusion born of hate and desperation, while Garnet is a fusion born of love and compassion.
Even more, knowing the circumstances behind Garnet's creation as of "The Answer". Both she and Malachite were created by a snap decision. However, whereas Malachite was born out of Jasper's scorn and desire for vengeance, Garnet was born from Ruby's need to protect Sapphire.
Pearl and Amethyst play off each other by being opposites in every respect. Pearl is well-mannered, dainty, hard-working, and protective; Amethyst is a slob, ill-mannered, lazy, fun-loving, and irresponsible. Physically, Pearl is skinny while Amethyst is fat. Pearl's weapon is rigid and pierces while Amethyst's is flexible and crushes. Their differences can even be seen in the way they sit◊.
Steven: Where did you get these? I thought they stopped making them! Pearl: Well, we heard that too, and since they're your favorite... Amethyst: We went out and stole a bunch! Pearl:[annoyed grunt] I went back and paid for them.
Amethyst revealed toward the end of Season 3 to also be this to Jasper. Amethyst was the last and smallest Gem to come from Earth's primary Kindergarten, which was otherwise planned and executed as an ideal facility, but still came out as "an overcooked runt" according to Jasper. Jasper was from the Beta Kindergarten (which was brought online during the War with the sole purpose of producing Cannon Fodder), but is, in Peridot's own words, "the ultimate Quartz".
Amethyst also one to Steven. Both are fun-loving and jokey and generally considered the most childish of the Crystal Gems, but whereas Steven is positive and optimistic Amethyst does it out of her insecurities and self-loathing.
Pearl to Steven, as two gems that are arguably the closest to Rose. Steven barely knows his own mother since by definition his birth means that she cannot exist at the same time, but comes to be genuinely inspired by Rose's ideals and love for everyone. Pearl loved Rose and believed herself to be the gem that knew her the most, but mainly fought out of a blindly obsessive loyalty towards Rose rather than necessarily believing in the same ideals (at first, at least).
Pearl to Blue Diamond. Both are mourning someone, the same person in fact. While Pearl seemed to be obsessed with Rose at first, she eventually grew out of it and moved on. Blue, on the other hand, still heavily mourns Pink Diamond to this day, and is basically what would have happened if Pearl didn't let go of her obsession.
Rose Quartz To her son, Steven Universe. Both are friendly, charismatic Quartz Gems who try to see the best in everyone, serve as an emotional support to the other Crystal Gems, have an Interspecies Romance with an insecure human, and have the same powers. However, as more secrets are revealed about Rose, it turns that unlike Steven who is a Badass Pacifist, Rose was a deconstruction of Martial Pacifist with her actions eventually bringing trouble for her son. Also, while Rose had trouble handling people's feelings and had an (initial) paternalistic attitude towards humans, Steven is surprisingly emotionally mature for his age and even when he's Innocently Insensitive, he will (mostly) know when he stepped out of line and apologize; plus, he doesn't see humans as inferior species since he did grow up with them. Additionally, Steven Cannot Tell a Lie, yet Rose has kept a lie for millennia (and even then she never intended for the truth to be known). Also, Steven has never doubted the Gems' love for him, whereas Rose, who was Pink Diamond, believed the Diamonds never cared for her at all; and on that note, Steven even forgave the other Diamonds themselves, something Rose would clearly never do.
Connie Maheswaran to Steven Universe. As one of the people around Steven's age and his closest friend, she functions as one to him (also doubling as The Lancer). In contrast to Steven's control-free, magical-filled upbringing, Connie grew up in a very restrictive household and had a normal life. In terms of personality, Steven is energetic, not good at lying, nonviolent in every way, and has a healthy amount of confidence; Connie has proven to be an efficient Consummate Liar, is usually mellow in comparison to Steven, likes action and adventure more than Steven, and (initially) has low self-confidence.
Connie Maheswaran to Pearl. Both are the Insecure Love Interests to someone who is a Quartz Gem or, rather, a Diamond. (Pearl with Rose, Connie with Steven), with said relationships starting because the Quartz Gem showed some form of kindness to them. Other similarities include a Dark and Troubled Past with control playing a factor in it (Pearl's "role" in Homeworld, Connie having overly restrictive parents), having a desire to be special, being knights to the Quartz Gem, skilled in swordsmanship, Badass Bookworms/Cultured Badasses, they learn to develop more confidence over time. However, while Pearl hides her insecurities with arrogance, Connie is more open about them. And while Pearl thought of Rose as a goddess-like figure and is only coming to terms that Rose wasn't perfect, Connie is aware of Steven's positive and negative qualities right from the start. And on a more subtle note, Pearl teaches Steven about Gem culture but Connie introduces him to human culture.
Connie Maheswaran to Greg Universe. Both are the human allies of the Crystal Gems, have an Interspecies Romance with one of them (Greg with Rose, Connie with Steven), and are insecure about the place they have in a magical world. However, while Greg prefers to not get involved in magic Gem business (unless if the situation calls for it), Connie jumped at the chance to go on magical adventures. Also, while the Crystal Gems took a long time to come to respect and actually be nice to Greg (especially Pearl), it didn't take as long with Connie (Pearl was even happy to be her teacher).
Peridot to Jasper. Jasper was The Brute to Peridot's Evil Genius. Their methods as villains were diametric opposites and their eventual fates were likewise opposite: Peridot ends up going native and slowly grows to love living on Earth. Jasper's hatred meanwhile leads her to choose corruption instead.
Peridot to Amethyst. The exact same action — naming their identification code — has the complete opposite meaning for these characters. For Peridot, it’s a sudden sharp reminder that to Homeworld, she isn’t special; she’s one of thousands or millions of Peridots, and her individuality is meaningless. Her time with the Crystal Gems has made her feel unique and welcome, but that won’t last if she goes back to her home planet. She’s not just Peridot, she’s a Peridot. For Amethyst, it’s an exciting revelation that she has a place, an identity, in this world and family that she never had the chance to know. Even as a member of the Crystal Gems she’s always felt like an outcast and a misfit, but know she knows EXACTLY where she came from. She’s not just Amethyst, she’s this Amethyst.
Lapis Lazuli to Steven Universe. Lapis is cynical and becomes sullen around others, particularly Peridot and the Crystal Gems, whom she carries grudges against. Steven is friendly, optimistic and forgiving. Since he is the only one she's been shown to be willing to open up around, this stark difference in personality is primarily what is driving Lapis to open up and accept others around her.
Lapis Lazuli to Peridot. The former was forced into the gem conflict through bad luck, the latter was purposefully created just to be a part of it. The former started out innocent but becomes more cynical and dangerous due to everything that happens to her throughout the series, whereas the latter is extremely cynical and dangerous to begin with, but ends up losing those qualities and becoming a better person through the Crystal Gems, her former enemies. Also, Peridot comes to Yellow Diamond, her boss, and flat out rejects the idea of doing what she wants her to do, whilst Jasper comes to Lapis in an attempt to make her do what they were doing before, and Lapis isn't as strong in rejecting her.
Ruby with Sapphire. Ruby is hot-headed and emotional, and it's implied that she constantly hurts herself trying to get out of her cell in "Jail Break". Sapphire is calm and collected and simply sings to calm Ruby down. They're also red and blue respectively. "Keystone Motel" further exemplifies this; both are angry enough with Pearl that they're suffering from Power Incontinence, but Sapphire is already prepared to forgive Pearl for tricking them, while Ruby is literally fuming with rage over it. The reason being that Ruby gets so emotional that she's essentially stuck in the present, only thinking about how mad she is rather than any actual solutions. Sapphire on the other hand focuses too much on the future where the problem has already been solved and didn't notice the emotional strain that exists before the actual resolution. It's practically taken up to eleven with the reveal that Ruby and Sapphire appear to have fire and ice themed powers, respectively. Even their designed places in the Gem caste system are opposites, Ruby is a Red Shirt, Sapphire is a Blue Blood.
Greg Universe to Marty. Their personalities are completely opposed. Greg was faithful and genuinely loving to his girlfriend, a Good Parent to his son who he's supportive of, and an over all content and genuinely good person. Marty Really Gets Around, left the woman he got pregnant, is a thoroughly terrible parent to his son who he only uses as a means to get ahead, and is ultimately an awful, greedy person. Greg, despite not being wealthy at all, is content with his life while Marty, despite being rich, is still greedy for more money. It's even reflected in their character designs: Greg is Big Fun while Marty is Lean and Mean.
Greg Universe to Rose Quartz. For all Rose's personal power and legendary ability, it's Greg's empathy and compassion that makes there son Steven a hero.
Smoky Quartz's laid-back attitude also contrasts with Sardonyx's over-the-top personality.
Malachite is more or less the opposite of Garnet's truly loving, genuine fusion, instead being born purely out of desperation and savagery, and ultimately used with apathy towards the other party on one side and an intention to defeat the other on the other side. Garnet even points out how bad the two sides are for each other. This even carries over to their designs, as while Garnet is by far the most humanoid fusion of them all, to the point that it's not immediately apparent she is a fusion, Malachite is barely humanoid at all. She doesn't even have her own voice actor, with her two components' voice actors talking over each other instead, to emphasize how unstable she is. And while like Garnet, her components wanted to remain being her, it was for completely selfish reasons rather than genuinely loving each other.
Rhodonite to Garnet, despite both of them being love-based perma-fusions. Garnet is The Stoic because her components are Ruby and Sapphire, so they cancel each other out. Rhodonite is a nervous wreck because her component Pearl and Ruby personalities enable each other's negative traits and are magnified by fusing.
Fluorite to Garnet. Both are love-based permafusions whose component Gems are equal in number, but Garnet (two Gems) is fairly exclusive ("Three's a crowd.") while Fluorite's components (six Gems) are in an open relationship that gladly accepts other compatible Gems.
Similar to Malachite, Bluebird Azurite is one to Garnet. Bluebird is a fusion between a Ruby and a refined and small blue gem, but is built entirely on hate rather than love. She's a mishmash of her components' colors, which don't blend on any part of her, and she loses an eye instead of gaining another one.
The Diamond Authority contrast with the remaining Crystal Gems in several ways:
They both come from opposing social classes and sides of the war. The ruling Diamonds are the oppressors, while the Crystal Gems are the La Résistance whose members are Homeworld outcasts (a taboo fusion between different Gems, a defective Quartz, and a renegade Pearl).
Both groups invoke the Four Is Death trope in different ways — Pink Diamond was allegedly murdered, while Rose willingly died to create a life (Steven). Interestingly, in the case of the Crystal Gems, the Four Is Death didn't come about until after the Rebellion and the Diamonds' superweapon corrupted all but four of the Crystal Gems, the main characters.
They're both dealing with grief over a loved one, but the difference is that the Diamonds didn't have someone to help them understand and cope with their feelings, leading to them dealing with it in rather unhealthy ways. Blue Diamond would be if Pearl never got over her obsession with Rose, and Yellow Diamond would be if Amethyst decided to apply her denial in externally destructive ways. To further push the point, they're grieving over the same person. The song "Familiar" further emphasizes this, as Steven compares the Diamond Authority to the way the Crystal Gems acted at the start of season one.
From a design standpoint, Pink Diamond is a deliberate contrast to her matriarch, White Diamond. Her hair is poofy with gentle curls against White's spikey Anime Hair, her clothes are a childish blend of a doll's outfit and a ballerina against White's Art Deco aesthetic and vampish fashion sense, and even her gem is the opposite of White — they are the same cut of gem, but Pink's sits on her belly facing downwards while White's sits on her forehead facing the sky.
Yellow Diamond to her "sister", Pink Diamond. Pink was a spoiled little brat demanding for her own colony, whereas Yellow was a serious matriarch who colonized multiple planets. Pink was unaware of the damage she was doing to her colony, whereas Yellow wanted organic life to be destroyed. It's reflected best in the ideals Pink expressed as Rose Quartz. Rose sincerely valued all life and sought to protect it, while Yellow Diamond utterly hates all organic life, not just humans, and wishes it to be permanently annihilated. Rose loved and cared for each Gem under her command, while Yellow Diamond sees them as mere drones who are rather replaceable. Even their names are similar and both are voiced by Broadway actresses. However, Pink constantly fails to take her fellow Diamonds' feelings into consideration, whereas Yellow is always looking out for them.
Also, Yellow Diamond to her other "sister", Blue Diamond. Aside from their masculine/feminine personalities, Yellow Diamond copes with the death of Pink Diamond by completely repressing her own emotions, destroying everything that reminds her of her grief, and sees grief itself as useless feelings.
Unlike Yellow, who constantly looks irritated and ready to snap at a moment's notice, White has enough self-control to act calm and loving even when angry, which makes the experience of bearing her wrath even more terrifying.
Jasper to Peridot. Peridot is an Era 2 Gem, made without any of the powers Jasper was born with or the amazing constitution Jasper boasts. While they're both incredibly durable, Peridot's physical toughness is played for laughs while Jasper's is always played dead serious. Building on this, Jasper is a Knight of Cerebus to Peridot's often laughably evil nature and own innate goofiness. Most importantly, Peridot was a Gem born on Homeworld that came to Earth and grew to love it dearly. Jasper was an Earth-made Gem that hated Earth with a passion, was fiercely loyal to Homeworld.
Jasper to Amethyst. Both were born to be soldiers, but Amethyst was grown in the Prime Kindergarten, which was properly planned and had all the right ingredients, yet she came out late, small, and underpowered. Jasper was bred in the Beta Kindergarten, which was a poorly planned rush job by Homeworld, and yet she still came out a perfect super soldier. Where Amethyst is laid back and friendly, Jasper is abusive and hateful.
Jasper to Eyeball. Both served Pink Diamond and mourn her, and both also tried to kill Steven. The difference is that Jasper stood down when the Diamonds ordered her not to attack Steven, and she was reasonable enough to hear the full explanation of what happened. What's more, she seems to understand that Steven was not to blame for what happened between them, finally sees that he's not his mother, and will help him with his problems even if she's not good at expressing her complicated feelings. Eyeball, in contrast, tried to murder Steven the minute she realized he was Rose Quartz reincarnated and has rebelled against Era 3 to get revenge on Steven. She left behind her Ruby Squad and probably most of her common sense. The one thing that can be said is that Jasper doesn't try to murder Steven off the bat and is finally willing to talk to him.
Whereas Defense Zircon is nervous, hard at work, and ultimately willing to realize that one of her leaders have likely used Rose as a scapegoat, Prosecuting Zircon is smug, doesn't even bother to put any real work into condemning "Rose", and attempts to flatter the Diamonds to make her case.
The contrast in the "Famethyst" is striking between different Jaspers. Whereas "ultimate Quartz" Jasper is hulking, loud and belligerent, Skinny is slim, laid-back and friendly.
Spinel to Pearl. Both were abandoned by Pink Diamond and were deeply hurt by her actions. However, while Pearl had her friends to help her move on from the pain of that loss, Spinel had no one else and was left completely alone. Not only that, but the last order their Diamond ever gave them caused them nothing but grief, Pearl's order to never tell anyone the truth of Rose's identity caused her to watch Steven flounder about trying to comprehend the magnitude of his mother's actions and unable to do anything about it, while Spinel was told to stay where she was and literally did so for 6,000 years. Also, both were noncombatant Gems who figured out ways to use their abilities effectively in combat, with Pearl adapting her natural grace and agility from dancing into her fighting style while Spinel uses her cartoonish physiology to confuse and evade her opponents.
Andy DeMayo to Greg Universe. While Greg is open-minded, even-tempered, forgiving, makes no big deal of change for the most part, and is usually willing to compromise with others, Andy is the exact opposite — judgmental, hot-tempered, willing to hold onto a grudge, staunchly traditionalist, and stubborn-minded.
Lars Barriga to Steven Universe. They both try their hardest to be accepted into a group of three people (Cool Kids and Crystal Gems, respectively). Both also have their own share of insecurities. However, Lars is a grumpy jerk with hardly anyone really liking him, but does have a kind side. Steven is a Cheerful Child who is well-liked by nearly everyone, but is just as flawed as everyone else. This is confirmed in a podcast:
Rebecca: Steven and Lars have always been.. counter to each other. Even in the pilot. As the show has gone on, it's become even and even more true. They are so opposed to each other; Lars is someone who just can't accept help and Steven just wants to help everyone. That's what makes them... have such a problem with each other. Lars is really putting on a façade all the time, and Steven is incapable of putting on a façade. That opposition that they have to each other is one of the oldest things in the show.
This extends to Lars Barriga and Steven Universe relationships with their best friends/implied love interests. Lars' friendship with Sadie is turbulent and dysfunctional in part because he's too selfish and insecure to open up to her. Conversely, Steven's friendship with Connie is strong and healthy largely because he's (usually) open and honest about his feelings, allowing Connie to support him the way Sadie wants to support Lars. Though ironically, they both end up abandoning their closest friends at the climax of Season 4; with Lars abandoning Sadie out of fear and Steven abandoning Connie in a guilt-inducedHeroic Sacrifice.
Peedee Fryman to Steven Universe. He's the first child around Steven's age introduced, they both come from families where a lot of responsibility is placed on them, and they both have Missing Moms. However, Peedee's cynical world-weariness exactly mirrors Steven's boundless energy and optimism.
Ronaldo Fryman to Lars Barriga. Both slackers with a certain degree of egotism, but have otherwise opposite personalities and character flaws. Lars is unpleasant but more or less functional and so obsessed with being seen as cool that he ends up hurting the people he's closest to. Ronaldo is more friendly but mentally unstable and cares so little about what people think that he's a social outcast. Years ago they were friends, but their different priorities ended up putting an end to that.
Onion to Steven Universe. Both are given a lot of freedom for their age, they're the youngest of their families, and their fathers have some absence in their lives (moreso with Onion than Steven); they even share the same voice actor (their fathers also have the same VA as well). However, Steven is often seen helping out the citizens of Beach City and is very well-behaved; Onion commits numerous illegal activities during his free time and has a weird set of morals. While Steven is a major Nice Guy, Onion is a jerk with a very-well Hidden Heart of Gold.
Kevin has the same color scheme as Stevonnie (clothes, hair, and skin), encouraging the viewer to compare them directly. Even his name echoes Stevonnie's: it sounds like the first part of "Connie" and the second part of "Steven", instead of vice versa. However, while Stevonnie is the embodiment of respecting boundaries and is a component of two nice people, Kevin doesn't care about someone's space if he likes them and is a complete jerk.
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