>>95208953Amethyst is supposed to play the role of team kid so she's supposed to seem out of place. She's basically an orphan who lost mommy before she got to grow up so ends up an eternal child acting out yet trying to find a way to fit in, while also dealing with not living up to rxpectations for her gem type. She's redundant with steven in this role but provides a somewhat more experienced perspective and they mutually bond over the similar roles, as made obvious by that freakishly ugly fusion they made. Her character arc is somewhat weak but I suspect it isn't over.
Pearl's instability is the point of her character. She's supposed to be a servant/slave but was too dysfunctional to serve that role, yet was accepted by a fat pink rock and became neurotically attached to it, what with literally being made to serve. Without said pink rock she's rudderless and clings to anyone moderately competent like garnet. Her character arc has been a (painfully) slow arc of her getting over her attachment and growing more independent/confident. Both of these have been displayed numerous times, like in the repeated steven murder attempts, "strong in the real way", her "date" with the pink dyke, her relationship with greg, etc. She's grown significantly more stable over the seasons though still isn't totally fine, as shown in the fusion rape thing among others.
As for her character difficulties playing into the main plot, they don't really. That's a weakness in the writing overall; they just don't give a shit about the main plot to play very much of anything into it. Though her refusal to disclose details about Rose's actions in the rebellion may be some weak attempt at it.
Pearl's probably the best written character in the show. Not high praise given the generally meh writing, but it's something.
