In a recent interview with CBR, Rebecca Sugar, the creator of Steven Universe, "revealed" the hidden secret that all the gems are secretly solar-powered robots. However, this (potentially joking) "secret" wasn't all that hidden. The Gems' robotic nature has been obvious for a long time.

While this might seem absurd, throughout the series there are many hints that the Gems are sort of robots -- though some act more "robotic" than others. This begs a few questions: what counts as a robot and how are the Gems robotic? Let's dig a little deeper and find out what implications this revelation has on the world of Steven Universe.

Performing a Function

All gems are built with a particular function in mind. Pearls serve. Rubies protect. Spinel is a playmate. Gems are created in assembly lines -- the Kindergartens -- in order to further provide a systematic function in society. However, while Gems start off as far more robotic -- performing exclusively their robotic function -- they can evolve in a different manner.

Steven Universe is metaphorically about how people are shackled by society's expectations for them, and how by breaking free from those shackles, you might find true freedom to be yourself. Gem Society is robotic and static. The original series is all about breaking these systems of control. Steven Universe Future shows how breaking the system allowed Gems to form their own healthier society, one that is positive and constructive rather than oppressive.

Gems don't have a tangible form in the sense people do. Their physical appearances are projections of their soul -- again, much like how a machine can produce holograms or visuals. Gems' bodies being made out of light, and the specific need for their exposure to light to "breathe" as evidenced in the episode "Three Gems and a Baby," were the clearest hints of them specifically being solar-powered beings.

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Programming

Gems, much like robots and AI in the real world, have programming that can be forcibly manipulated. In Steven Universe: The Movie, Spinel's scythe -- the Gem Rejuvenator -- performs a forced factory reset on Gems, restoring them to their original state of mind without any memory. It reprograms Gems in order to make them easier to control.

Likewise, Gems can be taken over by an outside will. White Diamond takes over any and all Gems she comes in contact with, as seen most explicitly with her Pearl, Volleyball. In this sense, Gems can be manipulated and reprogrammed much like people can reprogram a robot's AI.

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Era 2 Peridot

Perhaps the most "robotic" of the Gems, at least initially, is the lovable villain-turned-hero Peridot. When Peridot's first introduced, she has a more robotic appearance with floating fingers and a great connection to technology. However, it's revealed Peridot's hands and limbs are actually augmentations added on to make her taller.

It turns out that Peridots, over time, have become less powerful, requiring the use of augmentations to function in gem society. Peridot is the most explicit half-robot in the entire series, requiring mechanics to even serve a purpose in society. To even function, they need cybernetic enhancements. It takes Peridot ages to learn how to function without her technology and limb enhancers. Ultimately, while she never gives up her ties to technology, she learns how to be special without it, thanks to her abilities to manipulate metal as well as embracing her inherent value as a Gem.

This is what makes the Gems shine: while they might be mechanical sunlight-powered creations, the Gems aren't shackled to their prescribed programming and can grow in healthy, "organic" ways.

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