Okay so, let’s talk Rose’s fountain for a moment.

According to Pearl, the fountain somehow contains Rose’s “essence”. This is pretty weird if we consider that outside of the gem itself, which cannot be compromised without massive health concerns and/or death, there doesn’t seem to be anything we know of that gems could leave behind. Rose couldn’t pluck a strand of her hair for example- it’d just dissolve into light as soon as it separated from her body.

But on the other hand- it makes sense that the fountain is somehow using Rose’s power. After all if Gem technology can do the same as Rose’s power, then Eyeball would not have reacted to it like she just witnessed Steven turning water into wine (or something with comparable theological significance)

Like- seriously. Eyeball was absolutely floored. Not even just that this was Rose’s “legendary” power but that it was even possible and not a legend.

Getting back to the fountain, though… so how is it doing that?

We have yet to see the pipes and inner workings of the fountain, because Pearl and Garnet go off to do something there in An Indirect Kiss, leaving Steven with Amethyst.

However, the major thing that the fountain features is a massive statue of Rose.

I have to wonder if that’s the key component here- and the piping and such only really maintains a reservoir and filters water up to the statue.

After all, there’s obvious crystals around the base of the statue.

We’ve seen a statue with some crystalline components used as a power source before:

That being the Moon Goddess Statue from Cheeseburger Backpack.

A much smaller statue, seemingly- but not the only power source of the Spire, as something else- perhaps another statue- maintained the maelstrom that kept the spire dry.

This would seem to suggest, somehow, it is possible to evoke the powers of a certain Gem via an idol of that Gem. This would explain why the plants around Rose’s fountain behave unnaturally, even though Rose is not present, and neither she nor Steven are controlling them- because arguably the fountain, rife with Rose’s essence, is giving rise to them, but not really commanding them. It’s designed to manage them, but only mechanically, and with the waters stopped, the fountain had no sentience to do that.

But there’s got to be some limits here. Homeworld could super easily get hold of healing technology just by invoking Rose- possibly even her own powers against her during the war. And that’s not what Eyeball’s reaction suggests.

So maybe the person has to personally establish a connection with their idol- bless it, in a sense. The real Moon Goddess had to breathe her essence into that statue before it could do anything for the Sea Spire.

And the other thought I had was… what if not every Gem can be invoked in this way?

Factoring in the Rose Diamond theory and the Blue Fusion theory- what if it’s only the Diamonds?

What if the Diamonds aren’t just tall people who act like they’re sort of divine- but, actually, gods of a kind- albeit still flawed and troubled people, as would fit the logic and framework of the show?

And like any god, they can be invoked.

If that’s the case, then that thing that only Diamonds can be invoked would be obfuscated- by the Moon Goddess Statue which doesn’t appear to depict a Diamond, and then, moreso, because, if they can invoke Rose, she can’t be divine. And yet we don’t see an abundance of statues invoking various Gems in Homeworld.

But I don’t think these are normal Gems here. Rose’s fountain depicts her as larger than life- the smaller statues around the base, her actual size in life, and the one towering above it is rather obviously Diamond-sized.

This infamous and baffling mural would also seem to show Rose as the same size as, or larger, than the Diamond she’s combating, which… I really wonder about, honestly. It seems awfully respectful for Homeworld, that despises her so much.

But this also suggests any carving or statue of the Diamonds is suspicious, going forwards- that they might have distinct powers.

This structure, that Crewniverse specifically avoided repairing, for example- might be a lot more than ornamental.

And you know what’s even more suspicious? The idea that the Diamonds’ individual ships come together into a single larger whole. Basically, a statue, or an idol.