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@ princesskimochi - But was Jasper going to “demolish” the gems? Her ship was destroyed, she was injured, on her knees, and she seemed to know she was finished on her own. “Don’t think you’ve won. You only beat me because you’re a fusion.” I took that as a general statement of “don’t think you’ve won against Yellow Diamond”, not “I’m gonna get up off the ground any minute now and kick your ass.” Garnet was no longer there “just one on two”, the other Crystal Gems were there as well, all of them on their feet, outnumbering her. The Gems were the ones with the actual advantage in that scene, not Jasper. The only way Jasper had the potential to be a real threat was if she fused and she knew it.
So why did Lapis not simply refuse? The Crewniverse has confirmed fusions can’t be forced. Where she was trying to escape to before Jasper asked her to fuse was also confusing. She wasn’t heading toward Steven and the Gems. Her direction seemed to imply she was trying to get away from the scene altogether. We probably won’t know her true motives for a while yet, but even though she was grateful to Steven for helping her in the Ocean Gem/Mirror Gem arc, it doesn’t seem like Steven was at the forefront of her mind here. When she had the chance to help him on the ship, she refused, even though she’s particularly strong and things may have gone a lot differently if she had. She had tried to cover for him, but it failed. In taking Jasper prisoner, she was containing the only Homeworld Gem that knew Lapis had survived the crash. Was she doing it to try to avoid the “Diamond Authority” when they inevitably returned to Earth, counting Steven as a lost cause? We’ll have to wait and see, but “protecting him” doesn’t make sense under the circumstances.
@ hermesnitram: Is impatiently pulling Lapis to the forefront for information, or grabbing her when she was trying to escape really equal to striking someone in the face in a relationship? Jasper is hamfisted as hell, but I don’t think the references to Utena fit in this situation. Lapis wasn’t a personal object to Jasper. Lapis was a fugitive from a world the Homeworld armies were apparently driven from, and she seemed to have some knowledge of “Rose Quartz” that she was suspiciously withholding. Anger management issues? Jasper did not go out of her way to harm her, or even talk to her much. She called her a “brat” at the end, that’s not remotely comparable to even the one example of Saionji Kyoichi’s verbal abuse you provided. Hell, she fought when challenged, but otherwise, “you don’t need me for this.” I’m not trying to claim Jasper is a beautiful cinnamon roll too pure for this world, she’s an asshole, but I really think some are seriously misrepresenting her failings.
Nor did Lapis not “call her out” in those two instances: in the first, the moment she was pulled forward, she yanked angrily away, and in the second, she overpowered Jasper in the fusion. I really think too many people underestimate Lapis, too. Lapis has a power level in her abilities that is pretty scary when you think about it. Want to get home? Suck up the ocean, even with a cracked gem, and fight the ones who trapped you! Injured from a spaceship crash? Agree to a fusion and completely overwhelm the one you fused with, even keeping them from breaking the fusion! She is perfectly willing to fight when she thinks she can win. What she believes she can’t win against is the “Diamond Authority”.
@ susiron: While I agee with you that Lapis’ motivation was ultimately to take control of the situation for herself, Jasper’s speech to her was a sales pitch, presenting a personal advantage Lapis would find in allying with her. No guilt-tripping for potential treason or “hey, do this and we’ll go easy on you”, or even “do this or we WON’T go easy on you”, just pointing out the Crystal Gems held her prisoner for all that time, she could avenge herself on them as a fusion.. “Lapis, listen! Fuse with me!” There was no demand, she couldn’t demand.
Why the Crystal Gems apparently just stood there and watched the deal go down is anyone’s guess, but Lapis was the one in the place of power there. If the fusion hadn’t happened, Jasper would have been subdued another way. This was not endgame. That’s why Malachite seemed like overkill to me. And again, even fused, Lapis was so strong she was able to hold a Gem in fusion against their will. Lapis is not helpless by any stretch of the imagination.
@ gemkio: See all the above. I’m not looking to absolve Jasper of anything she actually did, just point out where I believe her problems are being framed as something they aren’t and why I believe that.
TL;DR: Tagging noncon sexual fanart as D/s or BDSM
is incorrect, which is the statement that began all this in the first
place.
