"Isn't it remarkable, Steven? This world is full of so many possibilities. Each living thing has an entirely unique experience. The sights they see, the sounds they hear. The lives they live are so complicated... a-and so simple. I can't wait for you to join them. Steven, we can't both exist. I'm going to become half of you. And I need you to know that every moment you love being yourself, that's me, loving you and loving being you. Because you're going to be something extraordinary. You're going to be a human being. "
- Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz, formerly known as Pink Diamond, is the mother of Steven and the founder and former leader of the Crystal Gems. She was also the Gem who according to Blue Diamond, Yellow Diamond and Eyebal shattered Pink Diamond, unaware that she actually is Pink Diamond. According to Greg, she has given her physical form up in order to give birth to Steven, while passing her gem onto Steven as well. Rose's appearance dominates the fusion Gem carved into the Crystal Temple.
Appearance
Rose Quartz had very long, and curly pink hair styled in thick, tube-like ringlets. She also had defined lips with a pale pink color, bright-peach skin, and a taller and heavier build than the other Crystal Gems, due to being a quartz. In "Story for Steven", she was shown to be similar in height to Garnet and stood at eight feet. In "Lion 3: Straight to Video", she was shown to have had black eyes. Rose wore a strapless, floor-length, lilac and snow trimmed, tiered white and in some appearances a white and pink dress that had multiple layers which resembled the petals of a rose and had a star-shaped cutout in the navel area showing her gem. She was also barefoot.
Personality
A natural leader, Rose Quartz is indicated to have had a caring and loving personality. According to Bismuth, Rose was an atypical kind of Gem; rather than living in accordance to her Gem caste's values, Rose chose to be different and encouraged other Gems to be, too. Her doctrine was that Gems can take control of their own identities and that her race's limited display of individuality is a conviction forced upon them. In the same manner, Rose had shown displeasure towards the Gems' traditions and natures; in "Greg the Babysitter", she got somber when reflecting on Gems' static existences, and in "Story for Steven" she admitted that she never missed her home. This discontent sparked her interest in humans, who are always changing and redefining themselves.
In "An Indirect Kiss", she is described as feeling great sorrow when her loved ones were hurt. Her capacity for empathy led her to establish the Rebellion and the Crystal Gems, and extended even to her enemies; as documented in "Bismuth", Rose values her enemies' lives just as much as her allies'. She is also said to see beauty in everything "no matter how gross", showing that she treats everyone as equals. In "The Return", it is revealed by Jasper that Rose Quartz was a masterful tactician, a crucial skill that earned her renown. Despite her role, in "Story for Steven", she was seen to have (at least to the knowledge of the Crystal Gems and Greg) a personality greatly resembling that of her son. Rose showed some ambivalence toward her role in the war; when Greg says he knew little about her, she described this as "a good thing." She is described by Pearl and Greg as someone who "always did what she wanted".
"Mom saw the beauty in everything! She really loved humans and all human stuff, and also plants and animals and everything on Earth, I think. And she really loved music, and she really loved Dad."
- Steven, Guide to the Crystal Gems (Steven Universe)
Rose did not fully comprehend the depths of human love in the early stages of her relationship with Greg, seeing that she was very confused when Greg tried to explain the concept of genuine affection. This led Pearl to believe initially that there was not much between Greg and Rose, confronting him with the idea that their "love" was only a phase, and that Greg's novelty would soon wear off. Seeing Rainbow Quartz gave Greg the idea to fuse with Rose, which he had hoped would help them understand each other. When Greg's fusion attempt failed, Rose started laughing at the thought in a way that he considered to be emotionally distant. When asked to talk like a real person, Rose was quick to admit that her sense of love was a facade, and she had no idea how human love worked. Greg and Rose began to talk, deepening their relationship. After their talk, it can be assumed that she had learned from Greg how to be more 'human', in a sense.
As revealed in "Greg the Babysitter" Rose had not just a misunderstanding of human love, but a misunderstanding of humans in general, going so far to think babies and adults were separate species altogether. Upon learning this, she became fascinated with the fact that humans grow, change, and chose what they become, where Gems are pre-destined to be whom they are. It could also be seen that she treats babies and adults the same motherly way, ironic given that she originally believed them to be separate species.
There is another unexplored side of Rose's personality - the legends surrounding her paint her as a ruthlessly efficient warrior and leader of the Crystal Gems who not only commands her fellow Gems in the rebellion but also participates in the fighting and who shattered Pink Diamond. This side of her personality seems at odds with the all-loving, motherly side of her; reflecting perhaps how the beauty of Earth and its lifeforms greatly affected the stern Gem warrior. It is worth noting that it is her compassion that leads her to rebel to protect others, so this behavior is not entirely out of the realm of possibility. In "The Answer", Rose is shown fighting alongside Pearl. She cracks a cocky smile before destroying a Ruby fusion. This would suggest an aggressive side to Rose's personality, which makes sense in light of her Gem type, a quartz. As implied in "Bismuth" however, Rose's nature as a warrior during the war was tempered by a strong sense of righteousness, as she refuses to go to the extent of needlessly killing Gems to win the war against the Gem Homeworld, proving her love for life was stronger than her warrior instincts.
"Bismuth" highlights both her compassionate nature and her capacity for deception in the form of Bismuth. Rose poofed and bubbled Bismuth and did not tell Pearl and Garnet the truth about what happened to her but did it due to Bismuth's development of the Breaking Point and her intentions to use the weapon mercilessly against their enemies during the war.
Abilities
Rose possessed standard Gem abilities, including shapeshifting, weapon-summoning, fusion, bubbling, regeneration, and superhuman strength/durability. As a Quartz Gem, she was created to be a soldier, albeit one with abilities that focused on defense. Noticeably, she was able to effortlessly defeat a fusion of three Rubies in an instant. She was proficient in both combat as well as military command and strategy, being able to lead the Crystal Gems from the front-lines in a successful rebellion against their Homeworld.
Fusions
- When fused with Pearl, they form Rainbow Quartz.
- When fused with Amethyst (via Steven), they form Smoky Quartz.
Unique Abilities
The original bearer of the rose quartz gemstone, which is currently in possession of her son/successor, Rose Quartz would have been able to use all the abilities Steven has - and perhaps even more.
- Healing: Rose manifested her ability to heal through her tears. Her tears could heal broken Gems/gemstones, and heal other creatures of general injuries. In "Bubbled", Eyeball mentions that she heard rumors about how during the Rebellion, Rose used her healing power to keep her Crystal Gem soldiers in contention with Homeworld's superior forces.
- Resurrection: In "Lars' Head", it is implied that Rose could also resurrect organic beings, giving them special powers in the process, the most notable example being Lion.
- Phytokinesis: Rose had the ability to grow sentient flora that act as her guardians.
- Shield Proficiency: Rose had the ability to summon her shield to protect loved ones.
- Electrical Interference: In "We Need to Talk", Rose appeared to be able to control Greg's radio based upon her emotion. For instance, when she is shocked, the music stopped. However, like her son, it is unknown if she possessed it or if this was for dramatic effect.
- Speed of Descent Regulation: In "Steven Floats", it is revealed that Rose was able to alter her gravity, allowing her to control the speed of her ascent and descent. She was briefly seen using this power in "Story for Steven". She also used it several times in "Greg the Babysitter".
- Enhanced Strength: Being a Quartz, Rose had strength fit for a soldier. In "Greg the Babysitter", she destroyed the control panel to a Ferris wheel with a single punch. She was then able to stop the malfunctioning Ferris wheel, and ripped off one of the seats with her bare hands.
Weaponry
- Rose's Sword: Rose possessed a great sword that she has used during battle and is currently wielded by Connie Maheswaran as of "Nightmare Hospital". As stated in "Bismuth", the sword was designed by Bismuth for a fair fight, to cut through a Gem's physical form, destroying the body but never the gem. Bismuth calls it her "finest piece of work." It also has its own scabbard.
- Laser Light Cannon: Rose once owned a cannon that shot a very powerful beam that could destroy an object such as the Red Eye that the Crystal Gems could not destroy on their own. The weapon activates by reciting Greg Universe's favorite catchphrase, "If every porkchop were perfect, we would not have hotdogs." It is currently in the possession of the Gems after retrieving it from Greg's storage unit in the episode "Laser Light Cannon".
- Rose's Secret Armory: Rose had an armory full of weapons and armor that she keeps secret from the rest of the Crystal Gems, except Pearl. For unknown reasons, Lion knows about the armory and brings Steven and Connie there in "Lion 2: The Movie".
Legacy
Statues and wall paintings of Rose can occasionally be found in Gem ruins, indicating she was looked upon respectfully by Gems at one point. This may indicate that she had a high status among her race.
The Crystal Gems often reminisce about Rose, and express their gratitude for her actions; Greg often laments over her departure with seemingly similar reasons. A portrait of Rose hangs over the doorway to the beach house where Steven lives.
While pregnant with Steven, knowing that she could never meet him personally, Rose made a video with the intent of posthumously expressing her love for him.
At one point about 5,000 years prior to the events of the series, Rose leads the Crystal Gems in a rebellious war against the Homeworld Gems on the Gem Battlefield and wins. It is stated by Jasper that although they fought on different sides, she respects the military tactics that Rose used during the war.
As seen in "Story for Steven", the Crystal Gems (excluding Rose) did not wear stars on their outfits at the time that Rose met Greg. This implies that the symbol may have been adopted as a sign of respect and grief for Rose after she gave up her physical form.
Relationship
Steven Universe
"And I need you to know that every moment you love being yourself, that's me, loving you and loving being you.
"
- Rose on a video tape in "Lion 3: Straight to Video"Steven is Rose's son, whom she gave up her physical form for. While she never got to meet her son, Rose cherished Steven even before his birth, showing nothing but pride and happiness for the kind of person he would become, and trusted him to carry on her mission of protecting the Earth after her passing. Even when she knew it would mean the end of her existence to create Steven, she showed no fear and could not wait for him to join them. She also assured Steven in a video she left behind that when he loves being himself, it is really Rose loving Steven and loving being a part of him. According to Garnet, Steven is a "fusion of love". "Bismuth" shows Rose in a different way to Steven after finding out that she had poofed and bubbled Bismuth without telling Pearl and Garnet. As a result, he shows his respect to her by promising to tell everyone what happened, giving her closure before poofing unlike Rose. "Back to the Moon" and "Bubbled" causes Steven to doubt more on what he thinks about Rose after learning about the fact she shattered Pink Diamond during the Rebellion, first mentioned by Eyeball, then confirmed by Garnet. In "Mindful Education", one of Stevonnie's hallucinations is the giant head of Rose Quartz staring down menacingly at them, further highlighting Steven's doubts on what he should think of his mother. In "Storm in the Room", Steven conceives his mother using her room. They are able to bond through various activities a normal parent and child would do such as football. When Steven was going to take a picture of him and Rose together, he quickly realizes that the Rose with him is merely an incarnation of what Steven knows of her. He breaks down into tears because he believes Rose is a liar so she can paint herself in a saintly light and only created Steven to get away from the problems she has caused for everyone involved. Rose denies this, however, saying she wanted to have Steven out of love. Assuming good faith towards his mother, he hugs her as she is blown away as a cloud. Steven is unsure what to think about his mother anymore.
Members of the Crystal Gems
"Huh? Oh, them? Those are three long stories."
- Rose in We Need to Talk"
Rose Quartz was previously the leader of the Crystal Gems before she brought Steven into existence. The group seems to hold her in high esteem. In the episode "Laser Light Cannon" for instance, Amethyst is quoted as saying, "If Rose were here, this would be so easy!" The members of the group seem to mourn her disappearance from the world after she gave up her physical form to create Steven, though they do not hold Steven accountable for the loss.
In an in-character interview with Newsarama, Pearl seems to confirm that Rose Quartz was a leader of the Crystal Gems, noting, "Brilliant leaders do brilliant things, that is why you look to them for answers, answers no one else could have, that is why you trust them, even when you can not understand why they chose… Greg".
Pearl
"My Pearl. You're wonderful.."
- Rose's hologram in "Rose's Scabbard"Pearl was Rose's second-in-command and confidant in the war against Homeworld. Matt Burnett has described their relationship as "complicated".[1] After the episode "We Need To Talk", it was confirmed that Pearl's feelings for Rose were of the romantic kind.[2]Rebecca Sugar also stated that Rose requited those feelings. Nevertheless, Rose did care deeply for Pearl, and Pearl claims that she was closer to Rose than the other Gems were, and as such, Rose trusted her with information she did not tell Garnet and Amethyst. Pearl seems to value this connection highly, as she became very angry with realizing that there was information that Rose kept even from her in "Rose's Scabbard". In "Sworn to the Sword", it is stated by Pearl that Rose made her "feel like [she] was everything". It is explained by Garnet that, during the war, Pearl was extremely protective of Rose to the point of ignoring all logic and reason, and was willing to repeatedly risk her own life to ensure Rose's safety.[3] It is implied that this recklessness sparked heated arguments between the two of them.[4]
Greg Universe
"Oh, you're hilarious, Mr. Universe."
- Rose in "We Need to Talk"
Rose Quartz with Greg Universe in an old photo.
Greg Universe was the romantic partner of Rose Quartz until she brought Steven into the world. Greg and Rose seemed to have had a very good relationship, but most of what is known is from Greg's point of view. The two of them met at one of his one-man band concerts in Beach City, where she was the lone attendee. He said that they became inseparable, yet he had no idea "what a magical lady like her ever saw in a plain old dope like [him]." Rose used Greg's catchphrase as the activation words for her Light Cannon, reflecting her feelings towards him. Rose's relationship with Greg started out rocky because Rose did not really understand how human relationships worked, but things got better over time, and they ended up "fusing" into an entirely new being, Steven.
Lion
It was shown in the episode "Lion 3: Straight to Video" that Lion had some deep connection to Rose. Lion has belongings of Rose stored inside his mane such as a VHS tape from Rose, a Mr. Universe T-shirt, her battle flag, sword, a chest, and Bismuth's gem bubbled. In the episode "Buddy's Book", Rose is seen surrounded by lions, meaning that she must have some sort of connection or fascination with lions. This connection was further explored in "Rose's Scabbard". Though his connection to Rose is obvious, why he is connected remains shrouded in mystery.
Bismuth
Bismuth is a Crystal Gem and one of Rose's most loyal friends and followers. However, Rose did not accept Bismuth's ideas for winning the Rebellion and bubbled her away in Lion's mane after an argument and fight over the use of the Breaking Point to shatter Gems.
Pink Diamond
In the episode "A Single Pale Rose" it was revealed that Rose Quartz was, in fact, Pink Diamond. Not much is known about what Rose did as Pink Diamond.
Gallery
Gemstone
- Rose quartz is a gemstone that has an association with healing, confidence, friendship, love, peace, compassion, empathy, beauty and heart, which perfectly describes Rose's personality.
- Rose quartz is a rosy pink variety of quartz.
- Its color is usually soft, ranging from very light pink to medium pink in intensity.
- Rose quartz is a cheap and abundant stone and is frequently used for jewelry, often appearing in the shape of hearts and roses.
- It is often called "Love Stone".
- Rose quartz is said to balance emotions, and bring a sense of calmness and peace.
- Rose quartz's chemical formula is SiO2::Ti, where the titanium impurities make them have a pinkish-red coloration.
- Rose quartz is the Zodiacal sign for Aries, Taurus, and to an extent, Libra.
Trivia
- Rose's symbol repeatedly appears throughout the series, such as when the door appears to her room, in the middle of Steven's shield, in the handle of her sword, and the Crystal Gem's war flag back when they fought for the Earth.
- The blast emitted by the Laser Light Cannon and Quartizine Trio assumes a shape loosely resembling her.[5]
- Rose's gemstone was located where a human navel is - as such, Steven's gemstone is located on his stomach where his navel should be.
- In "Rose's Room", when Steven is falling through space in Rose's room, a Tiny Floating Whale speaks to him in Rose's voice saying, "What do you want, Steven?"
- The Gem depicted on the Crystal Temple has many similarities to Rose including the ringlet-curled hair, though also has multiple overlapping faces and multiple arms much like Alexandrite. Based on the gem locations depicted in this carving, it is clearly meant to represent a fusion of Rose, Amethyst, Pearl, Ruby, and Sapphire: the same five gems who also have points dedicated to them in the pentastar icon on the temple door.
- In "Monster Buddies", Garnet tells Steven that Rose tried to use her powers to save corrupted Gems, although she was never able to heal them. Joe Johnston has confirmed this.[6]
- As revealed in "An Indirect Kiss", Rose had a spring filled with her magical healing tears.
- Ian Jones-Quartey confirmed that Rose's skin color is based on a peachy light pink color, like some kinds of rose quartz stones.[7]
- Ian Jones-Quartey stated that Rose shape-shifted a womb for Steven to be born from.[8]
- It was confirmed by Ian Jones-Quartey that Rose is indeed a quartz Gem. He also explained that the reason why her abilities are defensive-orientated, as opposed to being offensive (Like Jasper and Amethyst) "They [The Quartzes] can't all be tankers".
- In "Ocean Gem", Greg has stated that Rose enjoyed hard rock and roll, fitting in with her ability to "Find beauty in everything".
- As of "Greg the Babysitter", it has been revealed that Rose knew Sour Cream for a short while, though only while he was a baby.
- When asked how she decided to "kill off" Rose, Rebecca Sugar cryptically replied, "Is she dead?"[9]
- This statement was most likely referring to the fact that Rose gave up her physical form to give birth to Steven, thus making her "still alive", albeit in a "limbo" like state, being in Steven's gemstone.
- Rose admitted to having loved other humans before loving Greg.
- However, she later admitted to not understanding human love, casting doubt on this claim.
- In "Mr. Greg", Pearl passively mentions that Rose met with various men throughout her stay on Earth, but Greg was the first that she ever had a romantic relationship with.
- She also had a fascination with humans, describing them as "funny" and "adorable."
- Before Steven's birth, the Crystal Gems had a fence that blocked humans from trespassing. They also did not talk to humans, but Rose loved humans, and she would always go out and explore Beach City, because of her love and fascination for them.
- In "Too Far", Peridot mentions how Quartz-type Gems, like Amethyst, Jasper, and Rose, are created to be soldiers and are designed with large bodies and broad shoulders as a way of intimidating their enemies.
- Rose's style of dancing when fusing was similar to Waltz.
- It is revealed that Rose's Diamond, along with Jasper's, was Pink Diamond.
- Rose had never been seen without her signature dress, indicating that she had not ever been forced to regenerate before giving birth to Steven or that if she did regenerate, she regenerated with the same dress, similar to Lapis' and Peridot's regenerations.
- Whenever Rose had been seen wearing other types of clothing, she just wears it over the top of her dress.
- Rose gave up her physical form on August 15, the date Steven was born.
- According to Eyeball's statements in "Bubbled", it is possible that Rose was the only existing gem with healing powers.
- To date, all fusions involving Rose Quartz (or by extension Steven) have been Quartz-types as well.
- Rose admitted to having loved other humans before loving Greg.