Sunstone (Steven Universe)

Sunstone is a minor protagonist of Steven Universe episode Change Your Mind. she is a gem fusion of Garnet (and by extension Ruby and Sapphire) and Steven.

They're voiced by Shoniqua Shandai.

Appearance
Sunstone has a fire-shaped head, bright orange skin with normal orange patches, and two sets of arms: one bulky and muscular with the other slender. The smaller pair can often be seen displaying peace signs or shakas, demonstrating their laid-back nature.

They wear a pair of dark red shades, covering their eyes, Steven's t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up, Garnet's gloves at the lower arms, Steven's pants as shorts with a red pocket on the left leg and a blue pocket on the right leg, and sandals.

Personality
Sunstone displays a combination of Garnet's leadership, protective spirit, and effortless natural cool, mixed with Steven's sunny optimism and tendency for sentimentality, all of which combine into a being of earnest, almost cheesy positivity. In many ways, they resemble a 1980/90s after-school-special cartoon character; offering self-esteem-boosting platitudes and giving helpful advice to children. Overall, they have a hip, laid-back personality even in the heat of battle. Much like Sardonyx, they like to break the fourth wall, encouraging the kids at home not to fight when it can be avoided.

History
After landing and unfusing with Pearl, Steven attempted to draw Ruby and Sapphire out of their gemstones through fusion. Though seemingly interrupted by the Diamond Mech stomping on them with one of the feet of Pink's Ship, Sunstone managed to protect themself and the other Crystal Gems by pushing the foot away. They then continued to pick up both Amethyst and Pearl, attempting to climb up the mech to confront White Diamond. However, they are knocked off by one of the arms of the mech, defusing back into Steven and Garnet.

Powers and Abilities
Sunstone possesses standard Gem abilities and traits.

Fusions

 * When fused with Amethyst and Pearl, they form Obsidian.
 * Sunstone could also form Obsidian by fusing with Opal.

Skillset

 * Suction Cups Proficiency: By combining Steven's shield and Garnet's gauntlets, Sunstone can wield a pair of suction cups, allowing them to scale up certain objects.
 * Immense Physical Strength: Sunstone is one of the strongest fusions, able to throw the Diamond Mech off balance, and to hold the complete machine above their head.
 * Immense Durability: Sunstone was able to withstand the weight of the Diamond Mech, all on their own, with only a momentary struggle.
 * Immense Speed: Sunstone possess the ability to move at unmeasured, but high speeds, as seen as they created a gust by breaking into a run, while holding Amethyst and Pearl. This ability seems to come from Sapphire.
 * Fourth Wall Awareness: Sunstone has the ability to break the fourth wall, and speak to those watching the show.

Trivia

 * Along with Sapphires, Pebbles, Aquamarines, Jasper, Snowflake Obsidian and Rutile Twins, they appear to lack a nose.
 * They were confirmed to go by She/Her and They/Them pronouns on The Steven Universe Podcast.
 * Like Sardonyx (another fusion involving Garnet), Sunstone shows evidence of being aware of the "fourth wall", briefly turning to the screen and directly talking to the kids in the audience at home.
 * They resemble the classic logo of a sun with sunglasses.
 * They are based on educational mascots, PSAs and after-school-specials, specifically from the 1980s and 90s.
 * Sunstone has one blue and one red pocket, presumably a reference to Ruby and Sapphire.
 * Based on the fire-like lights surrounding their silhouette while forming, as well as their physiology and name, Sunstone is presumed to have some relation with the fire element.
 * Because Sunstone has some relation to fire, their skin is made to look like fire (their head being the center of the flame, thus the skin getting darker as you get farther away from the head)
 * However, because of their name, color scheme, and the shape of the flames, they may be more related to plasma rather than fire, just like the actual sun and perhaps a reference to Garnet's electrokinesis.
 * Sunstone is the smallest of all triple-fusion Gems.
 * Sunstone is the first of Ruby and Sapphire's fusions that was formed without them being fused as Garnet first.
 * Sunstone is Steven's fusion with the least amount of the other component's clothes on. The only part of Garnet's clothes on Sunstone is the gloves on her lower pair of hands and the sunglasses/visor from Garnet.
 * Sunstone is one of two fusions with an unknown number of eyes, the other being Alexandrite. In both cases this is because they inherited Garnet’s visor.
 * Sunstone's rolled-up sleeves may be a reference to the phrase "suns out, guns out," a phrase meant to refer to the act of wearing a tank top in warm weather, wherein "guns" refers to one's arms. This would also make the reference a visual pun, as Sunstone visually resembles a sun with large arms.