Audience-Alienating Premise: Most of Amethyst's runs after her original maxi-series tend to fall into this, but special mention must be given to the Sword of Sorcery run of 2012. The character had gained some popularity from her DC Nation shorts, which were Lighter and Softer than the original horror-based ongoing. DC instead chose to go Darker and Edgier with Body Horror and adult content. The end result was that they not only alienated people who liked the shorts but also were unable to bring in any new readers, who dismissed the series as a "girly comic".
Complete Monster: Dark Opal is the Big Bad of the first series. Overthrowing the House of Amethyst, massacring their men and killing the ruling family, Dark Opal seeks to extend his rule over all he can. Obsessed with having an heir, he forces women to bear his children, but when the results are malformed creatures, he exiles them to the Abyss to languish forever. When his children return to stop his evil, Dark Opal savagely murders them all himself. Caring nothing for his allies, he forces his right-hand man Sardonyx to sign a deal with creatures known as Emissaries of Varn with the knowledge Sardonyx will be taken to eternal torment should the contract fall through as Dark Opal can't be bothered to save him. Gleefully attempting to massacre his enemies, Dark Opal also tortures the kind old Lord Topaz to death before raising him as a twisted monster to trick Prince Topaz into marrying a woman of Dark Opal's choice for political gain. Obsessed with his own power and thinking nothing of destroying whatever is in his way, Dark Opal remains Amethyst's most monstrous foe.
First Installment Wins: The original maxi-series is really the only time Amethyst has had any success in comics.
Uncertain Audience: DC has never really known what to do with Amethyst as a character, despite trying several times to publish series with her. The original ongoing had writers who had no idea what to do with the character, so they ended up making it a full-on horror title that proved wildly unpopular and was quickly cancelled. After the success of the animated shorts, the relaunched Sword Of Sorcery comic went in the completely opposite direction of the shorts, with adult-focused stories, Body Horror, and eventually the presence of Eclipso when sales fell. The 2020 relaunch also went out of its way to avoid any of the tropes associated with the Magical Girl Warrior in favor of complex and often boring political struggles that failed to resonate with fans. If fans of the Magical Girl Warrior genre came to Amethyst, they wouldn't find anything enjoyable, fans of horror and political intrigue were unlikely to buy a book about a princess Trapped in Another World, and fans of the shorts would be completely lost with an Amy that is virtually nothing like her animated counterpart. Much of the issue is that Amethyst as a character is extremely well-designed to appeal to young female audiences, but few creators working at DC want to write a story meant to appeal to young female audiences.
Vindicated by History: The original comic book series failed to make Amethyst known in the public eye, but her shorts on DC Nation have made her a fan favorite, and most appraisals of the original run tend to be very positive.
Bizarro Episode: The appropriately named "Level 3: A Random Encounter" in the DC Nation shorts.
Cult Classic: The shorts themselves. Many believe the shorts should become their own show as opposed to the Teen Titans shorts becoming Teen Titans Go!.
Moe: Amethyst's appearance◊ in the DC Nation shorts is adorable.
Unnecessary Makeover: Some people prefer Topaz as a skeleton than as a prince. Mostly because the skeleton is much more expressive and unique looking, while Prince Topaz looks like a bland Prince Charming.
◊ in the DC Nation shorts is adorable.
