Malachite & Her Symbolism Explained! | Steven Universe

alright space cowboy space cowgirls and space folks y'all ask for more gem analysis and I'm here to deliver according to the guide to the crystal gems this Fusion is formed through extortion and deception and held together out of revenge so this will be fun as always we'll be talking about her appearance personality powers and how the real world gem may have influenced her design what's up guys I'm Kris Kaur and today I'm talking to you about malachite from Steven universe Before we jump in I want to give a big shout out to our sponsors on patreon especially our super nerd sponsors of the day Ares and Axl thanks to these absolute gems I get to keep talking tunes with y'all so thank you so so so much song Brett Whitney and I really appreciate your generosity if you want to pitch in head on over to our patreon page and see if a donation tier works for you well thank you a shout outs patches and behind-the-scenes looks if you'd rather just buy yourself a cozy tea to snuggle up in then click that link Tootie public in this video's description they have amazing Steven universe shirts if you'd like to learn more in depth about malachite components lapis and Jasper be sure to check out my video spotlighting them individually alright let's get started on malachite as I just mentioned malachite is a fusion of lapis and Jasper and makes her debut in the episode jailbreak this Fusion has green tinge skin marked with swirls and stripes pointy things for eyes with the top two serving his eyebrows and wild hair her two torsos are brought together by six arms four of which serve as legs let's discuss those eyes though now I'll have to keep reviewing the footage over and over again I've got the time to do that but it seems like the eye switch in shape depending on which gym is talking more or is more in control they go cat eyed for Jasper and wider and rounder for lapis mimicking their eyes let me know if this little animation trick holds water throughout their appearances or if I'm just losing it it's been like 50 days of isolation people and all I do is watch Steven universe malachite is a humongous fusion especially considering she's only composed of two gems I think there's two reasons for this one to physically show how this combination is monstrous and - because she's comprised of two of the strongest individuals we see in the series magura lapis who we ever worked time and time again about what a powerhouse she is and Jasper who as peridot put it is essentially the ultimate quartz their powers combined could explain malachite scouring physique nailing down Malik aids personality is a little tricky since a homogeneous stable one never really emerges she seems to either be Jasper or lapis but typically either way she angry malachite is a lot like alexandrite and that a solitary personality doesn't emerge and that the individuals are fighting for control however Alexandra is relatively stable and has her own voice malachite instead has her two gem components talking at the same time whichever gem happens to be dominant has their voice raised over the others malachite seems to have Jasper's pure hatred for the crystal gems no that's not to say lapis didn't have her own issues with them I mean she was treated like a war criminal by accident imprisoned in solitude for years doesn't necessarily make you feel all warm and fuzzy towards a group right but in Jasper's case she had a hard line of the crystal gems being the enemy in a traditional military sense lapis gains control over Jasper again an indication of her strength and traps malachite in the ocean we learned later that keeping malachite and consequently Jasper imprisoned in this fusion is incredibly mentally taxing if lapis looses even for a moment Jasper could take hold as this episode unfolds and lapis is mental exhaustion really begins to weigh heavily on her the two do seem to blend together more but not in a synchronistic way it's more reminiscent of venom we are malachite this loss of personal identity is much like what pearl feared of amethyst and garnet fusing for too long as sugilite the fusion malachite has been accepted by the fandom as a metaphor for a toxic abusive relationship and it's not exactly subtle the creative team did not hold back when discussing the nuance to nature of how components of a toxic relationship can harm one another and grow to be codependent becoming addicted to that feeling of being controlled being dominated or hurting each other I've seen some posts about how this fusion can also represent BDSM relations this theory comes in part due to Jasper groveling to form malachite again physically taking on a more submissive pose and pleading now I am here to can't shame anyone I really really want to firmly disagree with this stance maybe you think there's some truth to it and feel free to let me know in the comments how you can see it but this perspective seems like a very 50 shades of grey take BDSM relationships involved consent control and restraint the relationship we're talking about was only focused on control and the consequent power struggle between these two gems that's not healthy that's not safe and anyone who tries to convince you otherwise is incredibly uncool and also let me be clear both parties are abusers in this situation yes Jasper manipulated and coerced lapis but lab is also freely admitted to enjoying harming Jasper and retaliation this dynamic is an excellent example of reciprocal abuse in many cases of domestic and intimate partner abuse both parties engaged in physically violent acts and/or mentally and emotionally damaging acts against each other a fusion that days is unstable bound together by anger and mistrust if that one steps that angle will take over forming malachite was wrong with both Jasper and lapis a while lapis works to improve herself and avoid these sorts of power dynamics Jasper really struggles and sings moving from lapis after she refuses her to forcing a corrupted gem to fuse with her Jasper will continue to struggle with her views on power all the way through Steven universe future and even though her story arc fizzles out in the end in my opinion she appears to be on a healthier path seeing this is powerful not only does it show a two-sided abuse dynamic that we rarely see in media it also shows the process of change for both parties and how growth and recovery is totally possible okay having talked about power struggle dynamics let's move on to Malik Heights literal powers as always we can assume that malachite has the standard-issue abilities of a gem like shape-shifting and further fusing she definitely has enhanced durability and has a tremendous amount of strength thanks to lapis malachite can manipulate nearby water and even turn it to ice a skill that makes her an incredibly formidable opponent malachite can also summon Jasper's helmet and use it as either a weapon or his armor she can headbutt opponents or shield herself from harm also much like Jasper she can do the sword a spindash ball role to attack her foes in real life malachite is a green copper carbonate hydroxide mineral that forms within the earth and the oxidizing zone above copper deposits the stones name is derived from greek meaning mallow green stone due to its resemblance to the leaves of the mallow plant and suddenly Pokemon Sun and Moon makes so much more sense to me I was today years old when I learned that that was a plant so pretty smart Malick hates most striking physical trait is its green color all malachite ranges from pastel green to bright green to a dark almost black green often seen swirled or swiped across it this definitely is a direct influence on malachite the fusions physical design malachite is often found as stalactites and caves I could be stretching here I mean I always do right but I like to think that the hanging stalactite structure influenced malachite fangs and then that general tone and vibe you get thinking of these dark caves is that something monstrous could be lurking within malachite was extensively mined in the UK about 4000 years ago as the mineral was mindin smelted to obtain copper ore archaeological evidence indicates that mining ceased around 600 BCE when other mining practices to obtain copper became much more convenient malachite ended up being used for decorative purses like in bosses or is a paint pigment while this practice has been replaced with a synthetic form to make green paints artists who follow historically accurate painting practices can still obtain and work with malachite pigment in 17th century Spain it was believed that malachite could help children sleep and keep evil spirits at bay this clearly starkly contrasts the malachite we know as lapis must be mentally awake and sharp at all times to control the beastly fusion and this combination isn't a pleasant spirit at all ancient Egyptians associated the color green with death and believed that the afterlife contained an eternal paradise no one is the field of mallet a place where the dead lived on but without pain or suffering like they had in life again pain and suffering seemed to be the name of the game with our fusion from a spiritual standpoint malachite is said to remove emotional blockages and serve as the guardian of the heart helping heal emotional wounds and opened up the wearer to new love Wow Wow that is so very not the case as we've seen time and time again in this gem series the character gem seems to be an opposition of their real-world counterparts from a superstitious energy healing place however the chemical components of this rock worked great for our story real-life malachite becomes toxic and water and will release deadly fumes according to the Steven universe podcast Rebecca sugar wasn't aware of this fact when first planning the lapis Jasper fusion talk about some fortuitous symbolism now of course these are just the things that stand out with me when I think of malachite question is what do you guys think of this fusion hit me with your hot takes in the comments below and definitely be sure to say which Jimmy would like us to feature next as always you guys I want to check in and see how you're doing let us know how you're staying safe and sane and if you're having trouble with that same part let us know how we can help let us know the content you want us to be making right now to entertain you comments thanks once again thanks to everyone on patreon especially our two new dudes Ares and Axel Tootie public and all of you amazing Steven universe fans who tuned in if you like what you heard be sure to hit that subscribe button and the bell so we can keep the conversation going for more videos just click to the left thanks so much for watching y'all see a space cowboy you

Channel: NerdWire

Views: 136,641

Keywords: malachite, steven universe, steven universe future, malachite explained, lapis jasper fusion, lapis, jasper, lapis jasper relationship, malachite symbolism, malachite meaning, what is malachite?, who is malachite?, malachite fight, malachite power, steven universe malachite, steven universe malachite explained

Id: LbP2GAFO4M4

Length: 10min 45sec (645 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 29 2020