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thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57001: Oct 6th 2018 at 9:40:44 AM

Despite all the advanced technology, it seems like magic really does exist in this show's universe. But I'm curious if there's any that isn't caused by gems.

Even on Earth, those crystal shrimps, the crystal lizard things Lion eats, and whatever giant bird laid that egg in "Cheeseburger Backpack" are most likely not (corrupted) gems. But considering stuff like Frybo and the Watermelon Steven, maybe even those were caused by gem powers somehow.

xanderiskander Since: Mar, 2012
#57002: Oct 6th 2018 at 9:49:49 AM

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

I've assumed calling it magic is partly them joking with Steven when he asks questions too. Some parents do that.

Edited by xanderiskander on Oct 6th 2018 at 12:59:07 PM

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57003: Oct 6th 2018 at 9:36:38 PM

I don't think Garnet's advice to "link your mind with the energy of all existing matter" was a joking oversimplification of technology.

Plus, gems' personal abilities are pretty separate from their technology, with the latter having limited ability to replicate the former (i.e. gem destabilizers still aren't as good as Yellow Diamond's lightning).


Steven has only use his psychic abilities while unconscious, but I wonder if he absolutely needs to be asleep. Maybe he could achieve the same results by meditating?

On a related note, one wonders if Pink Diamond always had Steven's telepathic/dreamwalking power (though the dream part wouldn't be discovered until she found lifeforms that sleep), discovered it after learning to sleep, or really never had it as far as she knew.

xanderiskander Since: Mar, 2012
#57004: Oct 7th 2018 at 1:03:36 PM

[up]I don't think Garnet called that magic. Only Pearl does. I was thinking about the scene where Steven asks Garnet how they get the washer and dryer to work, and she teasingly says "magic".

And I wasn't really connecting those thoughts. I don't think gem powers are literally 1 to 1 the same as gem technology. But "magic" is still probably just an easy way of explaining "gem powers" to a child, while also handwaving questions about how they work that they don't have a complete answer for.

I don't think there's anything to suggest magic exists in the setting outside of gem context. Maybe it was something they thought about at one point that just didn't end up making it in though.

Edited by xanderiskander on Oct 7th 2018 at 4:30:52 AM

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57005: Oct 7th 2018 at 5:27:31 PM

I don't think Garnet called that magic.
It (i.e. Garnet's advise on summoning a gem weapon) definitely sounds supernatural, even if she doesn't call it "magic".

I don't think Garnet called that magic. Only Pearl does.
It's most often Pearl, but Garnet has straight up used the word "magic" (in a non-metaphorical sense) several times besides the really tongue-in-cheek line about the clothes washer.

But "magic" is still probably just an easy way of explaining "gem powers" to a child, while also handwaving questions about how they work that they don't have a complete answer for.
For the hell of it, I've decided to look through transcripts for times when full gems actually used the word "magic" in an apparently literal sense.
    Dialogue 
Pearl: With hard work and dedication, you can master the magical properties of your gem and perform your own dance!
Garnet: The magic that sustains the whirlpool creates a vortex that will pull us below.
Pearl: Steven! What have we told you about touching magical things?
Pearl: Opal is an amalgam of our combined magical and physical attributes fused into a single entity.
Pearl: This way, we don't even have to use magic.
Pearl: Then, why haven't you found my magic axe?
Amethyst: You're magic, I'm sure you can figure out how to use it.
Garnet: We inhabit the inner sanctums, only accessible through magical extra dimensional doors.
Garnet: Fusion is serious magic, not a trick for dinner parties.
Amethyst: Are people catching on fire when they put on the magic shirts?
Pearl: Listen, Frybo, magic beings are indeed drawn to us, but we were here long before Beach City even existed.
A few of those could be using "magic" as a simplified explanation for (part) humans, but most couldn't. Especially Pearl's line about her ax, because she was talking to Amethyst.

If we're going into Clarke's Third Law, can't that be applied to the gems' perspective? Maybe their non-machine-based abilities are technological/scientific from an objective view, but gems themselves seem to sincerely consider them magic and have little idea of how they work. If freaking gems can't recognize this stuff is technology, that's gotta be like double magic.

Edited by thatother1dude on Oct 7th 2018 at 7:27:07 AM

WillKeaton from Alberta, Canada Since: Jun, 2010
#57006: Oct 7th 2018 at 5:39:43 PM

Most of those examples come from early in the show's run. I think all first season. So either they phased out the use of the word magic, Gem powers/tech no longer uses magic, or the word magic rarely comes up anymore because they got all the explaining of basic Gem stuff out of the way in the first season.

Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#57007: Oct 7th 2018 at 5:51:57 PM

[up] The last one is from Season 2, but yeah, all of those instances were early in the show's run.

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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.
#57008: Oct 7th 2018 at 10:03:06 PM

I mean, just because something is magical doesn't mean it's not scientific. I don't think Gem powers are necessarily the same as Gem science since they seem to be something inherent to each Gem with no external influence. That doesn't mean that Gem powers can't be explained, maybe magic is just a normal thing among gems.

I don't like it when people talk about magic like it's some nebulous thing beyond the comprehension of science and logic. Any good series with magic also has rules to that magic, and anything with rules is inherently something that can be broken down and studied from a scientific perspective.

Obviously, Gems can do some weird stuff that doesn't make any sense to us, and if they say it's magic, I believe that it totally is magic. It's not like magic suddenly changes the entire story. Doesn't really matter whether they explain it as magic or technology because they might as well be the same thing.

LSBK Since: Sep, 2014
#57009: Oct 7th 2018 at 10:17:26 PM

[up]I think that sums things up pretty well.

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57010: Oct 7th 2018 at 10:19:54 PM

Oh wait, I forgot one more line: Sardonyx said her “show” was “experiencing magical difficulties”.

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#57011: Oct 7th 2018 at 10:26:40 PM

The jokes, dude.

What other reasons would exist?

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#57012: Oct 8th 2018 at 2:11:06 AM

Anyway...

OK K.O.'s "Crossover Nexus" special is airing tonight at 6:30 pm. Garnet's gonna be in it.

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Pichu-kun ... Since: Jan, 2001
...
#57013: Oct 8th 2018 at 1:46:31 PM

I know certain holidays don't exist in the series but has it ever been mentioned which don't?

RhymeBeat True colors from Eastern Standard Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: In Lesbians with you
True colors
#57014: Oct 8th 2018 at 2:03:22 PM

All of them pretty much. It's only New Years. No Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas.

The Crystal Caverns A bird's gotta sing.
FerrousMaelstom Since: Apr, 2016 Relationship Status: Drift compatible
#57015: Oct 8th 2018 at 2:20:27 PM

Though we have had several episodes that were basically holiday ones without the holiday in question actually existing in-univese.

J79 Since: Jan, 2015
#57016: Oct 8th 2018 at 3:01:05 PM

[up][up] I wonder if that's due to the writers not wanting to be "forced" to write episodes revolving around those Holidays (though a Halloween episode of SU would be fun, if anything they can just do a Treehouse of Horror/Terror Tales from the Park type episode where the gems take turns telling scary stories).

Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#57017: Oct 8th 2018 at 3:11:46 PM

> though a Halloween episode of SU would be fun

They kinda already did with light house gem episode "Horror Club"

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
Pichu-kun ... Since: Jan, 2001
...
#57018: Oct 8th 2018 at 4:28:03 PM

[up][up] I wonder if there's a plot-related reason but I can't imagine an America without some holidays. Maybe not Halloween, Valentines Day, etc but they have to celebrate somethings. The calender can't just be blank except for New Years. Why not create some fictional holidays then?

It's a shame that several holidays don't exist, though. I'd be cute to see Steven trick-or-treating, making a big deal out of Valentine's Day, or getting hyped for Christmas/Hannukah.

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57019: Oct 8th 2018 at 4:29:05 PM

Plenty of shows do Halloween Episodes without actually setting them on Halloween. "Horror Club was one" and "Nightmare Hospital" was arguably another, even if neither ended up airing at Halloween.

[up]Well, they've shown some local festivals and parade, even if they weren't for holidays.

Edited by thatother1dude on Oct 8th 2018 at 6:29:07 AM

Crossover-Enthusiast from an abaondoned mall (Lucky 7) Relationship Status: Chocolate!
#57020: Oct 8th 2018 at 4:35:23 PM

They could still have Valentine's Day. I don't think they ever deconfirmed that one.

Jawbreakers on sale for 99¢
TargetmasterJoe from Velocitron Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: I like big bots and I can not lie
#57021: Oct 8th 2018 at 7:42:01 PM

So! I've been catching up with the show, if at a slow rate.

Was surprised to hear Carl from Aqua Teen Hunger Force as Uncle Andy.

And Blue Diamond's first episode. Geez, it's so easy to forget how much this show likes its mood whiplashes, right? Because when she showed up, the crap REALLY hit the fan... (Worse yet, I recognize her voice actress as the mom from Song of the Sea, so how's that for Playing Against Type? But then again, I guess it's only gonna get worse, eh...?)

thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57022: Oct 8th 2018 at 8:16:12 PM

[up]Season four? Yeah, you should super avoid this thread until you're caught up. Our spoiler policy is "don't bother with spoiler marks one page past when an episode airs".

randomness4 Ghost '11 from The Land of Inconvenience Since: Sep, 2011
Ghost '11
#57023: Oct 8th 2018 at 9:28:14 PM

That's really screwy when the episode airs and there's only 5 post left until a new page...

Rules of the Internet 45. Rule 45 is a lie. Check out my art if you notice.
thatother1dude from Land of the Ill, Annoyin' Since: Jan, 2001
#57024: Oct 8th 2018 at 9:40:32 PM

Spoiler marks in a forum are so someone doesn't accidentally read past when the new release came out. If they turned a page after a bunch of posts full of white, what were they expecting?

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.
#57025: Oct 9th 2018 at 3:42:30 AM

Treehouse of Horror/Terror Tales from the Park type episode where the gems take turns telling scary stories

I'm having fun imagining such an episode. Would Pearl's story be a super tame and sanitized story meant for little kids, or a super dark and uncomfortable war story? Maybe both, she starts it as the former but accidentally trails off into the latter.


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