Sapphire (Steven Universe)

Sapphire is a Crystal Gem introduced in the Cartoon Network series, Steven Universe. She is one of the Gems that can fuse into Garnet along with her love interest Ruby.
She is voiced by Erica Luttrell. In the Japanese dub from the series, she is voiced by Saeko Zogo.
==Appearance==
Sapphire has blue skin and pale blue, wavy hair with bangs that cover the top half of her face. She is slightly taller than Ruby. Her prominent lips and facial structure resemble Garnet's. When her bangs are moved to the side, they reveal a large eye with a dodger blue iris and visible pupil in the center of her face.
Sapphire wears a floor-length gown with white, rounded, puffy sleeves, a navy top, and a blue skirt. Her dress has a blue pinafore over the top. The skirt has several frilly layers in several shades of blue which resemble an open geode. She also wears white elbow-length evening gloves. Sapphire has feet that are usually hidden by her dress. Her gemstone is in the palm of her right hand and has a triangular facet.
Before her regeneration in "Jail Break", Sapphire's dress had navy blue sleeves and a dark-blue vest, and it did not have a pinafore like it does now.
In "The Answer", which flashes back to the Rebellion and shows Sapphire when she was part of Blue Diamond's court, Sapphire's dress has a white top with the Blue Diamond insignia and a navy blue vest with a frilly bottom.
After her regeneration in "Change Your Mind", Sapphire wears the same gown from her previous form, but now her puffy sleeves are pointer and she now wears a white top with a light blue vest with navy trimmings, but retains her opera gloves.
==Personality==
Sapphire is very compassionate, fair and level-headed as well as patient. She balances out Ruby's much more impulsive personality when they are fused as Garnet. She is shown to be quick to understand a puzzle or situation, as she came to the conclusion of Steven's immunity to the energy field almost immediately. This trait is also shown in "Gem Heist" when Sapphire is able to quickly come up with a plan to enter Pink Diamond's Zoo undetected.
Sapphire usually appears cold and distant to others, a trait that is mostly reflected by Garnet. This is because she possesses precognition and can see the resolution of events before they have happened. As shown in "Keystone Motel", she just wants to do what she believes is right, which is to face problems by acting as though they have already been resolved, as she sees them in the future. Because of this, she has trouble letting out her emotions in the present, because she already sees the futures where these emotions have been resolved, opposite to Ruby, who lives in the moment and is more open about her emotions. Sapphire's blasé attitude to the present can make her appear somewhat passive-aggressive as well. But between Ruby and Sapphire, she is also shown to be more social, willing to start a conversation with Ruby about her thoughts about the Earth (shown in "The Answer"). When in a confusing and distressing situation, she lets out more emotion contrasted to Ruby, as Garnet's left eye begins crying in the episode: "So Many Birthdays".
In "Hit the Diamond", she is shown to have a more violent side to her. When the leader of the Rubies threw the baseball hard, Sapphire managed to hit it by freezing the bat, while screaming with determination. She also shows a light, flirty side around Ruby that distracts her from the baseball game.
==History==
Over 5,750 years ago, Sapphire lived on Homeworld, as an aristocratic Gem and part of Blue Diamond's court. She was part of the diplomatic team sent to stop Rose's Rebellion on Earth, along with 3 Rubies assigned to guard her. Sapphire saw a future where the rebels were indeed caught and stopped; however, seven Gems, herself included, were poofed in the process.
Just as she finished reporting her premonition to Blue Diamond, Rose Quartz and Pearl attack, as Sapphire predicted, and destroy six Gems, including two of Sapphire's Rubies. However, before Sapphire was struck down, her remaining Ruby jumped forward and pushed her out of the way of Pearl's sword, accidentally fusing with her and forming Garnet for the first time, the first ever fusion of two different Gems, confusing the rebels and preventing them from poofing Sapphire. Rose and Pearl left while the other Gems were preoccupied with Garnet. Blue Diamond was not pleased that the prophecy had not been followed through, threatening to shatter Ruby for fusing with a member of her court. However, Sapphire grabbed Ruby by the hand and ran off the edge of the cloud arena, floating down to Earth below. Sapphire was "frozen," because her future vision was wrong for the first time, due to Ruby's impulsive nature. They found shelter in a cave, where Sapphire revealed her eye to Ruby and the two talked about their feelings when they were Garnet.
Ruby and Sapphire grew closer and eventually decided to fuse again. Garnet was found by Pearl and Rose shortly after forming. Upon being met with acceptance and not revulsion, she began to bombard Rose with questions about the events and circumstances that allowed her to become Garnet, as well as her own feelings about existing as a fusion. Rose told her to "never question this," and said that she was already the answer to all her questions—love. This would be the beginning of Sapphire's existence as part of Garnet for the next thousand years, fighting Homeworld with the Crystal Gems to protect Earth.
Sapphire along with Ruby make their debuts in the episode "Jail Break". In the previous episode "The Return", Garnet (their fusion) is severly injured and retreats into their two gems. Sapphire and Ruby are later imprisoned by Jasper at the ship. When Sapphire starts to sing, Jasper yells at her to stop singing and stomps off to find Steven. After losing Ruby, Steven later finds Sapphire and frees her from the prison. Sapphire later hears Ruby calling out for her and dashes off to find her with Steven in hand. Sapphire and Ruby are eventually reunited and twirl around, happily fusing back into Garnet and thanking Steven.
In "Keystone Motel", Garnet unfuses into Sapphire and Ruby after Pearl lied to them. Sapphire tries to convince Ruby to forgive Pearl, but the latter refuses and stomps out of the motel. Sapphire is later shown to have frozen the motel room and instantly knows what Steven is going to say before he says it (Mainly because of her future vision). Later at "The Best Diner in the World", Ruby causes a commotion and argues with Sapphire. As they are doing so, Steven has had enough and stomps out of the restaurant. Sapphire and Ruby apologise for ruining Steven's evening with his dad. Sapphire cries as a result and Ruby comforts her, revealing that she is a cyclops gem in the process. After this, Ruby and Sapphire make ammends and fuse back into Garnet.
== Abilities ==
Sapphire possesses the standard abilities a Gem would normally have, such as, but not limited to, take refuge into her gemstone after being wounded to heal, shapeshift, adapt to the gravity of any extraterrestrial environment, and fuse.
=== Fusions ===
* When fused with Ruby, they form Garnet.
* When fused with Ruby and Amethyst, they form Sugilite.
* When fused with Ruby and Pearl, they form Sardonyx.
* When fused with Ruby, Amethyst and Pearl, they form Alexandrite.
* When fused with Ruby and Steven, they form Sunstone.
* When fused with Ruby, Amethyst, Pearl and Steven, they form Obsidian.
=== Unique Abilities ===
* Future Vision: Sapphire can see the future to some extent. This is hinted when she was able to find Ruby in a matter of seconds in "Jail Break", and then confirmed in "Keystone Motel". Unlike Garnet, she seems to be much more open with using this power; whereas Garnet only reveals future events to others when it is needed, Sapphire uses it to the point where she almost completely shuts out the events around her. According to Garnet, this ability is rare among Gems, enough so to place the rare Sapphire in Blue Diamond's court.
** Sapphire's future vision is different from Garnet's future vision. [1] Due to her passive personality, Sapphire can only see one future where she does not intervene. Garnet can see multiple futures due to Ruby's impulsive influence, and they do intervene and change the future.
* Cryokinesis: Sapphire can drastically lower the temperature of her surroundings, even forming ice on the walls and freezing water. Sapphire is also able to freeze objects into solid ice, as seen in "Hit the Diamond" when Sapphire freezes a baseball bat. This ability contrasts to Ruby's ability to raise the temperature. When fused as Garnet, Sapphire's cryokinesis can fuse with Ruby's pyrokinesis and form Garnet's electrokinesis.
* Levitation: Sapphire shows that she can hover in the air at will when she hovers onto the bed in "Keystone Motel" and when she can land herself and Ruby gently onto the ground in "The Answer".
* Enhanced Speed: Sapphire has proven to be able to travel great distances in a short time, possibly due to floating and not walking on legs, which is an ability that is not yet seen in any other Gem.
== Relationships ==
=== Ruby ===
Sapphire and Ruby have a romantic relationship. The romantic nature of their relationship has been confirmed by both Joe Johnston and Ian Jones-Quartey.[2][3][4] The first time they are seen on the show, she kisses Ruby, who is crying tears of relief after discovering she is safe. Garnet's dialogue in "Love Letters" reveals that their relationship developed over a period of time. In "Keystone Motel", because they were mad at Pearl for lying, they temporarily split up to calm down and come to terms with each other's feelings toward Pearl's actions. She is shown to be the calmer member of the relationship (as she said she was filled with rage but looked as calm as she was), sometimes to the point of seeming aloof, which infuriates Ruby further. "Keystone Motel" also reveals that their relationship can be strained at times due to Sapphire's precognition, causing her to be preoccupied with the outcome of events, instead of the events as they happen. This caused them some degree of conflict throughout the episode, as Ruby was angry that Sapphire was so willing to forgive Pearl after manipulating them and that Sapphire seemed to dismiss her feelings. They share a great concern for Steven, which ultimately leads them to talk about and resolve their conflict at the end of the episode, and they form Garnet once more.
In "Hit the Diamond", they unfused to play baseball against the team of Rubies. Sapphire disguised as a human named Sophie, and Ruby posed as one of the Rubies in the search squad. During the game, the two flirt continuously, which almost causes them to lose the game. At the end of the game, Ruby encourages Sapphire enough to be able to hit the ball. While running the home run, the two excitedly jump into each other's arms and accidentally fuse in front of the other Rubies, exposing their true identities in the process.
It is shown in "That Will Be All" that Ruby can easily calm down Sapphire when she is nervous by simply holding her hand.
=== Steven Universe ===
Sapphire made less of an intent to hide her identity from Steven than Ruby, but still did not tell him she was part of Garnet, as her and Ruby's intent was to properly introduce themselves to Steven on his birthday. She, along with Ruby, cares for Steven greatly, and when Steven asked if he made a good first impression, Garnet assured him that both Ruby and Sapphire already loved him. She even cried over him, along with Ruby, as they saved him from suffocating in space in "Bubbled". She can seem somewhat cold towards him when under stress, as she shot down his idea to talk things over with Ruby in "Keystone Motel" without even hearing him out. Despite this, she was still willing to watch TV with him, even using her future vision to see what channel he would like. After realizing that Steven felt like it was all his fault that Garnet and Pearl were fighting, Sapphire felt incredibly guilty.
=== Crystal Gems ===
Pearl and Amethyst have been aware of Garnet being a fusion for at least several thousand years. Pearl first met Sapphire at the cloud arena when she was trying to attack Sapphire. However, due to Ruby interfering it caused them to fuse, and Pearl saw Garnet for the first time. Amethyst's relationship with Sapphire is unknown so far, but it can be assumed that it was a positive one.
=== Cluster Gems ===
Sapphire and Ruby were both disturbed to the point of almost unfusing. While Ruby reacted with verbal anger and outrage at what Homeworld had done to their fallen friends, Sapphire reacted with deep sadness and guilt, due to her sense of responsibility for events that occur because she believes she could have seen them with her future vision. From their comments, it can be assumed that they knew the individual members of that particular Cluster.
=== Blue Diamond ===
Sapphire was once a subordinate of Blue Diamond, as well as an aristocrat in her court. Blue Diamond valued Sapphire highly due to her unique power to see into the future. After accidentally fusing with Ruby into Garnet, Sapphire rebelled against her superior to save Ruby and formally defected to the side of the Crystal Gems. As seen in "Steven's Dream", Sapphire is afraid to face her former superior again, fearful she would recognize her. In "That Will Be All", Blue Diamond does not seem to recognize her in the bubbled room. However when Blue Diamond tells the group that she never sent a Sapphire to Earth, Sapphire freezes up, reigniting her fear until Ruby holds her hand for comfort.
==Gallery==
===Images===
NewSapphireGem2.png|Sapphire's gemstone
Sapphire-0.png|Sapphire hearing Ruby call out to her.
Ruby and Sapphire.png|Sapphire and Ruby reunite with each other.
Steven helping Sapphire.png|Steven helping Sapphire
Sapphire singing in her cell.png
Keystone_Motel_133.jpg|Sapphire's thermoregulation
SapphireEye.png|Sapphire's one eye.
Keystone Motel Sapphire PDA.png|Ruby and Sapphire making amends with each other.
Sapphire floating.png
Sapphire upset.png
Sapphire.png
Ruby and Sapphire 7.png
Ruby and Sapphire 2.png
Ruby and Sapphire 13.png
Ruby and Sapphire 10.png
SapphireRedone.png
Sapphirecheeb.png|Chibi Sapphire
Sapphire Debut Regeneration.png|Sapphire's previous regeneration.
Steven officiating wedding.gif
Rupphire kiss and Garnet returns.gif
Sapphire Steven Universe.png
Homeworld Spacesuuit Sapphire.png
===Videos===
Steven Universe The Question Cartoon Network
==Trivia==
* Before her introduction, she had a small cameo appearance in "Fusion Cuisine", when the Gems unfused from Alexandrite, but she and Ruby quickly fused to keep their existence a secret until Steven's birthday.
* Garnet's three eyes are a combination of one of Ruby's two eyes and Sapphire's one eye, with the third being mixed between the colors of both of their eyes.
* As seen in "Hit the Diamond", Sapphire has two legs like all singular Gems. This fact was disputed among fans prior to the episode, due to the long skirt of her standard outfit and her predilection for levitation.
** Before Hit the Diamond, Sapphire was drawn with legs in artwork by Rebecca Sugar[5] and Hilary Florido [6].
* Neither Sapphire nor Ruby have a star or a diamond on their outfits.
** However, when fused with Ruby, Garnet has a star on her chest.
* During times of great disharmony in opinion, she and Ruby can talk to each other individually through Garnet, as shown in "Keeping it Together" and "Keystone Motel".
* Sapphire and Ruby are both named after varieties of corundum (crystalline aluminum oxide, chemical formula Al2O3).
* In the extended theme song, Sapphire is gracefully holding her hands together, interlocking her fingers; this shows that she is calm, graceful and passionate while Ruby is shown to be cracking or holding her knuckles, a sign of toughness, or that she is ready to fight. On the other hand, Ruby seems calmer than expected from her, and Sapphire more upbeat than usual, indicating that being Garnet brings balance to both of their personalities.
* Sapphire's power is more of an emotional reaction rather than a conscious ability, as seen in "The Answer".
* Sapphire's cryokinesis - lowering the temperature directly opposes Ruby's pyrokinesis - raising the temperature, which could represent hers and Ruby's polar opposite reactions to stress.
** Sapphire's attitude in "Keystone Motel" could be a reference to her Thermo-Regulation powers, for instance, she "freezes Ruby out" (literally) and acts cold and distant towards Ruby and Steven.
* According to Garnet in "The Answer", Ruby and Sapphire met 5,750 years ago.
* Out of all the Crystal Gems, Sapphire has personally engaged in combat the least. This may be because sapphires are made to be fancy, rich diplomatic court members.
* Sapphire's instrument has been confirmed to be "a gentle synth pad." [7]
** In addition, her instrument was reverse-engineered from Garnet's to be shown in "Keystone Motel."
* In "Keystone Motel" and "The Answer", Sapphire's philosophy towards future vision seems to be based around Hard Determinism, the idea that fate is always in control and that free-will is just an illusion. This is deeply in contrast to Garnet's philosophy of Soft Determinism, the idea that fate grants options in the exercise of free-will.
* According to Matt Burnett, Sapphire probably does not have a weapon.[8]
* According to an interview with Rebecca Sugar, Sapphire did not always have one eye in her pre-show development.
* Her and Ruby's relationship are based around Ian Jones-Quartey and Rebecca Sugar's relationship.[9]
* She, along with Jasper, are the only Gems who lack a nose. However, she is the only Gem not to have anything replacing a nose.
* "I Am My Monster" is the last episode to feature Sapphire.
==External Links==
*Sapphire - Steven Universe Wiki
*Sapphire - Villains Wiki
==Navigation==
Category:Genderless
Category:Cartoon Heroes
Category:Steven Universe Heroes
Category:Humanoid
Category:In Love
Category:Cosmic Entity
Category:Elementals
Category:TV Show Heroes
Category:Servant of a Villain
Category:Philanthropists
Category:Fragmental
Category:Redeemed Villains
Category:Genius
Category:Aliens
Category:Mysterious
Category:Liars
Category:Poor
Category:Aristocrats
Category:Energy Beings
Category:Immortals
Category:Spouses
Category:Wise
Category:Science Fantasy Heroes
Category:Protectors
Category:Protectors of Innocence
Category:Friend of a Villain
Category:Movie Heroes
Category:Selfless
Category:Successful
Category:Possessed/Brainwashed
Category:Criminals
Category:Superorganisms
Category:Sophisticated
Category:Superheroes
Category:Warriors
Category:Comic Book Heroes
Category:Creations
Category:Amnesiac
Category:Wayward Heroes
Category:Fighters
Category:Self-Aware
Category:Book Heroes
Category:Lawful Good