>>119064032Part of the point of Lapis and Jasper Fusing is to expand on the different forms of Fusions, since Fusion is a metaphor for all relationships. It gets lost in the rape/abuse metaphor though.
There’s a reason in the same season we see Steven inside both Garnet and Malachite’s headspaces.
Inside Garnet we see Ruby and Sapphire, but they are not at Garnet’s “controls”. Garnet exists in her own head, and is the dominant personality. Ruby and Sapphire influence her and she is made from them, but Garnet is a person who isn’t dead when they aren’t Fused. Further evidence is how, in Sugar’s words, Pink “destroyed herself” (but said in another place that Pink is not dead, dunno how that works) but Rainbow Quartz 2.0 remembers their past self as Rainbow Quartz 1.0.
But inside Malachite there is no Malachite. Only Lapis and Jasper fighting for control of her. Because its an unhealthy relationship, Malachite not only doesn’t exist as a person but they cannot share control of her.
Contrast that again with Alexandrite who is not her own person either, but because the Crystal Gems do have a positive relationship they all share her controls and only have issues with things like Ruby influence blurting out thoughts without checking with the others or Amethyst trying to eat and Pearl freaking out about it.
Contrast once more with Sugulite, who is her own person but refuses to let Ruby, Sapphire, Amethyst, or Garnet have any say.
So you still need an unhappy Fusion.
If you get rid of the rape metaphor, you still need:
1) Unwilling participation so the one currently booted out of control can’t just unFuse.
2) Lapis not being a pure woobie and Jasper not being an unredeemable villain.
3) An awesome fight with Alexandrite.
4) Reinforcing Lapis loving Steven as the only person who has ever shown her concern or kindness and being loyal to him because of it.
