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hi tweeps let's go down my favorite Steven Universe rabbit hole: astral projection and the "psychic ghost" thing. AKA Mindscape Deeplore 2020 Many images ahead. SPOILERS for all of SU-SUF.
This thread is the lore, the second is the ghost story. (I promise it makes sense)
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This thread is the lore, the second is the ghost story. (I promise it makes sense)
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This is so long to connect a lot of lore dots to get there, so plz bear with me, but it adds an interesting read to the SU experience. It breaks into roughly these sections:
-Astral projection (Steven & Rose)
-Lion & Story w/ghosts
-alternate read on "Rose Buds"
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-Astral projection (Steven & Rose)
-Lion & Story w/ghosts
-alternate read on "Rose Buds"
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& I think this is why the Steven/Rose story is left somewhat unresolved on the surface despite being brought up so heavily in Future, you'll see the train of thought in the thread.
But right now we're giving the characters privacy, so believe what you want!
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But right now we're giving the characters privacy, so believe what you want!
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AP/astral projection, mindscape or "psychic ghost" (Steven's words) all refer to a specific moveset of Steven's:
-perceiving the "astral plane"
-leaving his body
-taking over other people's bodies
-lucid dreaming and projection into others' dream
aka that scene in Reunited
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-perceiving the "astral plane"
-leaving his body
-taking over other people's bodies
-lucid dreaming and projection into others' dream
aka that scene in Reunited
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There's a background style often applied to the astral plane. It looks a lot like space. Sometimes more subtle.
Fusion mindscape may fall under this too, ex. butterflies
A couple of times you also see a color/transparency effect applied to folks who aren't APing.
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Fusion mindscape may fall under this too, ex. butterflies
A couple of times you also see a color/transparency effect applied to folks who aren't APing.
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Examples of Steven's psychic ghost AP powers: Finding Lapis in Chille Tid, using Watermelon Stevens & Lars' bodies, visiting Kiki's dream, trying to reach Nephrite in Legs, projecting his dreams to the TV in In Dreams
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Steven's body sleeps when he APs, he's not in it, like New Lars. Homeworld Bound implies there's a relationship between the physical world and psychic ghost world with the columns, but Steven also has the ability to travel quickly bx Earth/Homeworld in Escapism
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Re: Reunited, there's interesting imagery of bodies/"ghosts" - ghost vanishes when physical form dissipates, gem still shows, diamonds have "aura"
Steven's body is hidden from view, but we're shown 2 small Stevens on top of Connie's head.
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Steven's body is hidden from view, but we're shown 2 small Stevens on top of Connie's head.
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Steven can also read people's thoughts when he passes through their "ghost", and they hear when he talks to them. (transcripts from SU wiki - https://steven-universe.fandom.com/wiki/Reunited/Transcript)
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This is also how Steven communicated w/ the Cluster in "Gem Drill", which provides a little more information:
-shattered gems still have personality, and a sense of their own incompleteness
-bubbles exist in both physical and astral plane (hypothesis: how they teleport?)
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-shattered gems still have personality, and a sense of their own incompleteness
-bubbles exist in both physical and astral plane (hypothesis: how they teleport?)
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On gem death:
Fragments & Homeworld Bound established, shattered gems can be brought back when repaired and retain personality and memories.
In Steven Universe: The Movie, a Gem can be factory reset with an era 1 tool, but memories/personality rush back when triggered.
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Fragments & Homeworld Bound established, shattered gems can be brought back when repaired and retain personality and memories.
In Steven Universe: The Movie, a Gem can be factory reset with an era 1 tool, but memories/personality rush back when triggered.
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So, (digs up horse) let's question Rose giving up her physical form to make Steven again.
She didn't shatter, the Pink Diamond gem is part of Steven.
She didn't just use the same process as the rejuvenator, Steven has had the odd memory but nothing like the movie
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She didn't shatter, the Pink Diamond gem is part of Steven.
She didn't just use the same process as the rejuvenator, Steven has had the odd memory but nothing like the movie
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She told everyone she would have to go away for Steven to exist. The language used is usually "gave up her physical form".
Hypothesis: Rose gave up her physical form, alright - she bequeathed her gem to Steven, but her personality/ghost wasn't destroyed, is still around
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Hypothesis: Rose gave up her physical form, alright - she bequeathed her gem to Steven, but her personality/ghost wasn't destroyed, is still around
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This explains the ambiguous Rose stuff, without any question of whether her gemstone could re-emerge as her, or whether Steven is partially her since she's an agent - I'm going to tell a story in the second thread that I think makes sense with the lore but you can decide.
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1: Rose could also AP, like Steven's other powers. among other Escapism implications (More later) CYM opens w/ a Pink Diamond memory waking curled on her side, not the position Steven is sleeping in IRL.
Locked in the tower, Rose learned to fantasize herself elsewhere?
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Locked in the tower, Rose learned to fantasize herself elsewhere?
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2: Before Rose had Steven, she was really down on herself. In Greg's stories, she discourages his attention, wistful about humans changing and is horrified to learn that she can "torture" people by being loved. (see also: Pearl) She never felt like she "got" it.
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3. Rose faked her death and assumed another identity once before, when it seemed like the answer to problems that she felt she caused
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4. We learn in Volleyball that Rose hurt Volleyball, and afterwards Rose changed and unlocked reverse Diamond abilities. Pearl & Volley described two completely different people. She changed behavior earlier than we thought and not just as part of the RQ fantasy.
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(Sidenote:
Destructive powers -> healing is in response to hurting Volley
Can't keep a secret -> keeps too many secrets, so I'm assuming there's one other event we don't know of where Rose caused harm by telling the truth
perhaps when Volley was taken by WD? Moving on)
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Destructive powers -> healing is in response to hurting Volley
Can't keep a secret -> keeps too many secrets, so I'm assuming there's one other event we don't know of where Rose caused harm by telling the truth
perhaps when Volley was taken by WD? Moving on)
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5. In Mr. Universe, we learn that Greg overcorrected for his parents' controlling behavior by going to the other extreme with Steven, giving him complete freedom of impulse; we learn Greg and PD backstories are very similar, also mirrors how Rose raised Amethyst.
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Consider "disappearing into their relationship" and Steven. (Cap content: the podcast and an interview here: https://io9.gizmodo.com/rebecca-sugar-opens-up-about-how-healing-from-trauma-sh-1842334789, but source on that specific cap is this incredible compilation of Rose/PD characterization I'll reference more https://loomborn.tumblr.com/post/190047678210/mapping-rosepds-personality-and-life)
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6. In add to self hate/guilt complex, Rose was TERRIFIED of WD, and angry with her and the other Diamonds, I'm sure. She never wanted to go back home. Just think about how White treated "Pink" when Steven came to Homeworld. Isolated, friends vulnerable, horrifying.
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All that is relevant to characterize /why/ Rose would possibly do this and not tell anyone, and not even tell Steven: a mix of both love and hope, fear and self-loathing, a desire for him to live his own life etc (though he ends up with a lot of baggage from hers)
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If you accept Rose /might/ be able to AP, have changed her behavior to be noticeably different from Rose Quartz, not want to interfere in Steven's choices, and still be afraid to come clean, every inconsistency in Lion's behavior makes sense as Rose. (see ghost story)
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If you accept /Lion/ might be Rose what's stopping her from having been other characters as well, and sending Steven useful dreams when he needs them?
Ghost story thread with Lion lore coming next (I'll reply)
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Ghost story thread with Lion lore coming next (I'll reply)
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