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SilentColossus (Don’t ask)
#50826: Jun 19th 2017 at 7:50:47 AM

It'd put social mobility for Homeworld as a flat "impossible." If we're comparing it to real societies, the caste system of India would probably be the closest.

Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#50827: Jun 19th 2017 at 7:51:40 AM

[up][up]Considering what we've seen of homeworld life, with strictly defined roles for gems of a given "caste", and very little patience for those who are different, I'd take a guess and say that social mobility is effectively zero.

I mean, even a straight-up hero and supposedly "perfect" Jasper seemed pretty low on the totempole, all things considered.

EDIT:[up]Oh, hey, someone with surprisingly similar thoughts.

edited 19th Jun '17 7:52:11 AM by Kayeka

32_Footsteps Think of the mooks! from Just north of Arkham Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: THIS CONCEPT OF 'WUV' CONFUSES AND INFURIATES US!
Think of the mooks!
#50828: Jun 19th 2017 at 8:22:38 AM

I did briefly think about that, yes, but it occurs to me that we mostly get to see the social structures of Homeworld almost solely through the prism of the victims of it. I did hit a snag, though, when I remembered Peridot pre-Heel–Face Turn discussing the prospect of being given her own Pearl due to what she did on Earth (not to mention, of course, trying to lay claim to Crystal Gem Pearl - not Peri's best moment). Beyond, of course, re-establishing that Pearls in general are among the lowest classes, I did wonder if being able to have a Pearl meant that there was some degree of social mobility for some gems. Admittedly, from what we've seen, guessing towards very limited levels of mobility is a pretty safe guess (which would be a bit far from the Roman Empire - it was much more reasonable for someone who started as a slave to rise out of that status there than in other empires). But I could see a potential curveball being thrown in there. Maybe something akin to the English empire - limited social mobility, and you have to have started at a certain baseline to begin with to be eligible.

Reminder: Offscreen Villainy does not count towards Complete Monster.
Kayeka (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#50829: Jun 19th 2017 at 8:34:56 AM

You can probably rise to a certain degree of status within your caste, but never be considered on equal footing with someone of another, with the highest-ranked Peridot still being considered lower on the pecking order than the lowest ranked Quartz.

RhymeBeat True colors from Eastern Standard Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: In Lesbians with you
True colors
#50830: Jun 19th 2017 at 8:53:03 AM

Peridot never had a goal to get a Pearl. That was Eyeball.

The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.
thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#50831: Jun 19th 2017 at 9:15:48 AM

The way Peridot spoke of the idea of having a Pearl ("A peridot with a pearl, what would they say back home?"), it's hard to tell if just found the idea unlikely or outright impossible.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#50832: Jun 19th 2017 at 2:16:13 PM

I am curious why we haven't seen any new Pearl's belonging to any Gem aside from the Diamonds. Peridot did say there were supposed to be hundreds on Homeworld. If they're only for Gems who are exemplary for their specific caste and high-ranking Gems overall, you'd think that Sapphire and Jasper would have one.

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#50833: Jun 19th 2017 at 2:35:22 PM

Sapphire might have had one and left them on Homeworld when she went to the cloud arena.Jasper being in the warrior caste may mean she's not entitled to one.

Well that or the writers haven't made up their minds over who precisely can have a pearl aside from the Diamonds

edited 19th Jun '17 2:58:06 PM by Ultimatum

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LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#50834: Jun 19th 2017 at 3:01:01 PM

Quartzs don't really seem that high up in the hierarchy. Other soldiers may look up to them, but really high-class Gems seem to just seem them as the muscle not good for much else, or at least that's the impression I've gotten.

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#50835: Jun 19th 2017 at 3:09:38 PM

I am curious why we haven't seen any new Pearl's belonging to any Gem aside from the Diamonds.
Rhondonite is made from a Pearl and Ruby who both used to work for a gem called "Morganite".

As to why we haven't see any others, Aquamarine is the only other known Homeworld gem who'd probably have a Pearl, and if she does she definitely wouldn't bring her to Earth. I can't see Jasper wanting a handmaid (she probably finds their frailty disgusting), whereas Holly Blue implies being sent to the Zoo means she's in the doghouse.

SilentColossus (Don’t ask)
#50836: Jun 19th 2017 at 3:29:15 PM

Jasper, despite being a war hero among lower class warriors, still seems to be rather low. A quartz is just a quartz in the end.

PushoverMediaCritic I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out. from the Italy of America Since: Jul, 2015 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
I'm sorry Tien, but I must go all out.
#50837: Jun 19th 2017 at 4:42:29 PM

Jasper was also described as the 'perfect Quartz', a living legend, and Eyeball seemed to be under the impression that she would be given a Pearl if she shattered Rose Quartz. If a common Ruby could have a Pearl, why not the perfect Quartz?

xanderiskander Since: Mar, 2012
#50838: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:05:56 PM

[up]Yeah, but that would be a very exceptional situation, and I think what they're saying is that they think it's not normal for a Jasper to have a Pearl. And also that she wouldn't want one because to Jasper Pearls are "weak".

edited 19th Jun '17 5:06:50 PM by xanderiskander

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50839: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:17:53 PM

Has there been any speculation about what a Morganite would be like in terms of rank?

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#50840: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:19:50 PM

Nope

But based off who it's named after it's probably a very high ranking gem

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xanderiskander Since: Mar, 2012
#50841: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:19:52 PM

[up][up]Well, Morganite is a Beryl, like Aquamarine.

edited 19th Jun '17 5:20:07 PM by xanderiskander

Blueeyedrat Since: Oct, 2010
#50842: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:20:12 PM

[nja] It's been theorized that she's in a similar rank as Aquamarine, since they're both beryl gems. (Presumably, if an Emerald or a Heliodor were ever introduced, they'd be in the same category.)

edited 19th Jun '17 5:20:27 PM by Blueeyedrat

Austin Since: Jan, 2001
#50843: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:21:05 PM

Jasper strikes me as someone who'd live a Spartan livestyle, with no use for froo-froo things like servants.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50844: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:29:41 PM

Ah, so a Morganite would most likely be in the same caste as Aquamarine.

So, what about Rutile? I'm assuming Rutile would probably be around the same caste as a Ruby or something.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
RhymeBeat True colors from Eastern Standard Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: In Lesbians with you
True colors
#50845: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:41:28 PM

Rutile is a mineral unrelated to any other Gems currently introduced.

The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#50846: Jun 19th 2017 at 5:43:59 PM

Hmm,so Morganite is named after a wealthy banker,and in this show it's possible for gems to be owned like slaves..

Maybe gem wealth is based off how many gems they personally own?

[up] [up] I think Rutiles and Rubies are from different castes,rubies are in the warrior caste but Rutiles are even further down and are treated like untouchables

edited 19th Jun '17 5:58:35 PM by Ultimatum

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#50847: Jun 19th 2017 at 6:04:40 PM

So essentially like Pearls? Or, well, perhaps a bit higher or lower.

edited 19th Jun '17 6:05:03 PM by AdricDePsycho

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#50848: Jun 19th 2017 at 6:28:55 PM

Rutiles are even further down and are treated like untouchables
There's no indication of that. All we know about the normal Rutiles is that they ran away from the twins.

SilentColossus (Don’t ask)
#50849: Jun 19th 2017 at 6:30:09 PM

Even if Jasper (or Eyeball) could get Pearls, I doubt that would have any legal effects on their ranks in society. It may show how accomplished they are, but it wouldn't place them among the aristocratic gems. They'd have the same (Agate?) supervisor.

A cashier can get employee of the month but that doesn't make them outrank the manager, if you want a recognizable but perhaps superficial example.

But gem society is caste based; you can never go beyond your caste. Ever. Indeed, this could provide even more depth to Jasper's frustrations. No matter what she did or how powerful she was, she was just a Jasper. Topaz, a fusion class, outranks her. Always and forever. Simply because one is a Jasper, and the other is a Topaz. There are countless gems, of the warrior class no doubt, that Jasper could defeat. But if they tell Jasper to jump, she best ask how high. Because Jasper is just a Jasper, from Earth. From the bad Kindergarten.

Peridot knew Jasper was tough, but still found her origins positively hilarious until she found out just how tough she was. But it is notable that Peridot had no idea who Jasper was beyond the fact she came from the Beta Kindergarten.

edited 19th Jun '17 6:47:03 PM by SilentColossus

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#50850: Jun 19th 2017 at 6:49:05 PM

I don't think Jasper would look at it that way. She valued strength, but she also valued the Gem Hierarchy and every Gems place in it, that would include herself.


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