Garnet (Steven Universe)

Garnet
Steven Universe character
Garnet's appearance from "Jail Break" onward
First appearance	"Gem Glow" (2013)
Created by	Rebecca Sugar
Voiced by	Estelle
Voice of Ruby	Charlyne Yi
Voice of Sapphire	Erica Luttrell
Information
Species	Gem
Gender	N/A (female pronouns used)

Garnet is a fictional character from the animated series Steven Universe, created by Rebecca Sugar. She is a "Gem," a fictional alien being that exists as a magical gemstone projecting a holographic body. Garnet is a "fusion" formed by two Gems, Ruby and Sapphire; the two gemstones choose to live as one shared holographic body.

Garnet is voiced by Estelle, a performance that has seen a positive reception. Furthermore, Garnet is frequently praised for a being a depiction of a positive queer relationship.

Leader of the Crystal Gems, the group of Gems that protect humanity and the Earth from danger, in light of the absence of protagonist Steven's mother Rose Quartz, Garnet is initially presented as stoic and unfeeling but pragmatic and capable. The show's writers have described Garnet as characterized by great self-confidence; they represent this in their writing of the character through the fact that she never asks questions. Eric Thurm of The A.V. Club described Garnet as "initially the most reticent, distant, and simply alien" of the Crystal Gems. Garnet took on the role of this group's de facto leader, appearing relatively distant as she rarely speaks out. As the story of Steven Universe progresses, however, she becomes more relatable. Writing for Minnesota Daily, Cecilia Mazumdar Stanger pointed out that Garnet is far from a perfect leader and can make mistakes.

Garnet is capable of using a skill known as "future vision", which allows her to predict future events accurately. Eric Thurm noted that scenes in which Garnet uses her future vision are among the show's best visual accomplishments.

The first time viewers see Garnet's "fusion" become undone is in the episode "The Return", the succeeding episode "Jail Break" marking the first appearance of the two Gems that make up Garnet: Ruby and Sapphire. Her design also changed in that episode. According to Sugar, Garnet was intended to be a fusion since the pilot episode, though the characters of Ruby and Sapphire came into focus while Sugar was writing for Garnet. Sugar described the process as "reverse engineering" the two personalities based on what the production team brought to the show. Garnet being a fusion of two Gems was a popular fan theory before it was revealed to be true in "Jail Break", as the writers included minor hints in various episodes. Neither character was given real depth in "Jail Break", but their presence explain how Garnet's two parts blend into one character. Ruby is characterized as feisty and aggressive, while Sapphire is stoic and contemplative, resulting in a complex dynamic when Garnet is fused together. Garnet's stable relationship while fused is used as a metaphor in the series, as Ruby and Sapphire together are stronger than any one Gem on their own.