Lapis Lazuli (Canon)

"I'm Lapis Lazuli, and you can't keep me trapped here anymore!"

"Lapis Lazuli" is a former Homeworld Gem that made her debut in "Mirror Gem".

Lapis was imprisoned for a long time in a mirror with projecting capabilities, but she eventually convinced Steven to free her from the mirror. She is currently active as the unstable fusion, Malachite, as part of her plan to trap Jasper at the bottom of the ocean for as long as possible.

Appearance
Before Steven healed her, she had grayish-blue skin and reflective eyes without pupils. After her gemstone was healed by Steven, her color palette changed its tone. The color of her skin changed to sky blue, her dress and hair became lighter, and Lapis was found to have dark blue eyes and a beautiful smile on her face.

Lapis Lazuli has a slim figure, light blue skin, and dark blue chin-length hair, arranged in almost the same as that of Pearl, although her bangs are slightly longer, with a fringe that covers her entire forehead. She wears a flowing, dark blue skirt, which is knee-length with a downward-facing dark blue triangle. She also wears a backless, dull and dark blue halter crop top with an upward-facing dark blue triangle that ties into a blue sash ribbon on the back of her shoulders. She has a blue lapis lazuli gemstone embedded in her back, in the form of a water droplet, from which she is able to summon and remove wings created out of water at will. Her outfit includes no footwear.

Mirror
"Did you even wonder who I used to be?!"

Being imprisoned in the mirror, which used her gem to power it. Lapis was an object that recorded all Gem history and culture witnessed in the reflective side, spending a long period in solitary confinement during her imprisonment in the mirror. Eventually, the mirror was found by the Crystal Gems at the Galaxy Warp, and was handed over to Steven by Pearl in "Mirror Gem" so he could learn about Gem culture. When Pearl was not able to activate it, she assumed that it was broken. However, when away from Pearl, Lapis Lazuli revealed herself to Steven by talking to him through the mirror's recordings. Lapis was then able to communicate with Steven, persuading him to free her. Steven released her physical form and individual consciousness by removing the gemstone from the back, shattering the mirror.

Gem
Not much is known about the history of Lapis Lazuli, except that she was trapped in the mirror. She is firmly convinced that the Crystal Gems had something to do with it. Lapis' gem was apparently damaged after she was trapped, which impaired her abilities. However, it was healed by Steven's saliva. While fighting the Crystal Gems, she furiously asked them if they even wondered who she was, accusing them of not helping her even though they knew someone was trapped in the mirror.

In "The Message", Lapis sent a video message via the Wailing Stone warning Steven that Peridot was coming to Earth with another Gem. Lapis urged Steven and the Crystal Gems not to put up a fight, as Gem technology had advanced since she had last been to the Homeworld, and a fight would only lead to devastation.

In "The Return", she was brought to Earth by Peridot and Jasper aboard the Gem Warship against her will. This is evidenced by the way Jasper manhandled her after the Gem Warship crashed, as well as the fact that she was kept in a prison cell while on board. Later, after the ship was destroyed, she was seemingly persuaded by Jasper to fuse with her. She did so, but revealed that she fused with Jasper into Malachite so she could trap both of them at the bottom of the sea.

In "Love Letters", Garnet mentions that she has been searching the ocean floor for Lapis and Jasper, but thus far hasn't found any trace of them.

In "Chille Tid", Lapis is shown to be able to communicate with Steven through his dreams. Lapis states that she does not want Steven and the other Crystal Gems to find her because she is committed wholeheartedly to staying fused as Malachite in order to prevent Jasper from escaping or gaining control of Malachite.

In "Cry for Help", it is revealed that she was sent to Earth with Peridot as an informant, considering Peridot's lack of knowledge regarding Earth.

Personality
While she is playful and friendly with Steven Universe, Lapis Lazuli is bitter, vindictive, and mistrusting towards the Crystal Gems, believing they care more about the Earth than their own kind, likely due to their being unaware for so many years about her captivity.

When confronted with an enemy more powerful than herself, she displays a defeatist and worried approach. She believes that putting up a struggle can only make the situation worse. In "The Message", she delivers a frantic message to Steven about the approaching invasion, begging him to submit to the Homeworld should they cross paths. In "Jail Break", she gives similar advice when Steven stumbled across her, mentioning Homeworld might go easy on them if they follow orders. However, Lapis can change into an aggressive being if necessary.

She expresses an overwhelming desire to return home, going as far as to use one of the Earth's oceans to create a giant water construct for the purpose of using it as a lift in order to get closer. In doing so, she shows that she can be rather inconsiderate and indifferent, as she does not care about the human race or the Earth, with the exception of Steven. Overall, Lapis is a passionate Gem who doesn't hesitate to fight anyone who stands against her, but is grateful to Steven for releasing her and then healing her gem despite being pained at her hand. Lapis is also portrayed as being a martyr, loyal to Steven and willing to suffer if it means protecting him from Jasper or any danger in addition to Malachite.

However, she is also shown to be very stubborn and hesitant in cooperating or accepting help from others unless she has no other choice, seen in both "Jail Break", when she refuses to be set free by Steven, and "Chille Tid," where she is reluctant to give the Crystal Gems her location for them to find her and aid in the situation.

Abilities
Lapis possesses standard Gem abilities, bubbling, shape-shifting, fusion, regeneration, agelessness, and superhuman strength/durability. She is mentally strong, as she is able to overtake Jasper when they are fused.

Fusions

 * When fused with Jasper, they form Malachite.

Unique Abilities

 * Hydrokinesis: Lapis appears to have immense power over water and liquid material, demonstrated by her ability to divide a path through the sea and form the entire ocean into a space elevator.
 * Flight: When Lapis' gemstone was healed, it was shown that Lapis can fly using water-wings that extend from her gemstone. These particular water constructs can propel her at high velocities as an evasive maneuver or as a method of transportation. Her wings have the capability to get Lapis all the way to Homeworld in less than a year, possibly even a month. She can't summon her wings with a cracked gem, unlike her other abilities.
 * Water Generation: In addition to manipulating existing liquid, Lapis can generate a certain amount of water from her gem. However, it is unknown whether the water is somehow stored within her gemstone, or if, as an extension of her hydrokinesis, she simply condensed the water molecules in the air into a liquid form.
 * Water Constructs: Lapis is capable of forming water into various constructs that she can control. She has shown to form hands out of water that she can use to smite enemies or use as a platform. She is also able to form chains to entangle or trap enemies with.
 * Water-Walking: Lapis can walk on water, an ability she shares with Pearl, Opal and Lion.
 * Hydromimicry: Lapis can use her control over water to create flawless, powerful water clones of her enemies. The clones appear to possess the same fighting styles as the originals, as demonstrated by water Garnet's strength and water Amethyst's constant shape-shifting. They also have the ability to regenerate when damaged and even split to create new clones, making them effectively invincible against most attacks. The only thing that has been shown damaging them was a sound wave from Steven's shield. She showed her ability to imitate when she was trapped inside the mirror.

Steven
"Just let me do this for you!" Lapis Lazuli became friends with Steven in "Mirror Gem", when he was given the mirror, which was supposed to inform Steven of Gem history. Soon after, Lapis began to talk to Steven via the recordings of the mirror, and they became good friends. She wanted to get out of the mirror, and she told Steven how to help her out. After she was free, she warned Steven not to trust the Crystal Gems. However, in "Ocean Gem", her actions were driven by desperation and thirst for revenge for the years locked in the mirror. This caused her to act violently towards Steven and his acquaintances, nearly drowning him. Steven is greatly upset by her unwillingness to have a civil conversation about her predicament, and summons his shield for the second time ever, something he only does in extreme emotion. This conflict is solved when the two are able to talk, and Steven gets to see Lapis' side of the story. After getting a clear understanding of Lapis's dilemma, he heals her Gem with his saliva, therefore restoring her to her true form. She thanked Steven before she flew back to Homeworld. In "The Message", Lapis was shown to care for Steven enough to warn him of impending danger from Homeworld and, due to their advanced technology, advised him to not put up a fight, as they don't stand a chance against the Homeworld Gems. In "The Return", she tried to convince Jasper that Steven was just a human and had no connection with the Crystal Gems. When Jasper discovered that Steven has Rose Quartz's power, Lapis begged her not to hurt him, showing that she greatly cares for Steven's well-being. In the episode "Jail Break" Lapis chose to be imprisoned despite the attempts made by Steven to help her. Later, she fuses with Jasper despite Steven trying to convince her but only to double-cross Jasper to protect Steven by putting herself in the bottom of the ocean as Malachite. In "Chille Tid", she somehow connects to Steven via dreams. She rejects Steven's multiple offers for help before scaring him as Malachite. In that same episode, she revealed that the decision to imprison Jasper as Malachite was all done to keep Steven safe.

Greg
While the two never met face-to-face, Lapis left a deep impression on Greg. Being the first time he followed his son on a mission involving "magical Gem stuff", Greg was already apprehensive when they set out on their mission. When Lapis created water duplicates that attacked them - and wrecked his van - he became terrified of her. This is later reflected in "The Message", where he sings a short intro of a song he has written called "Water Witch". The song initially portrays Lapis in a negative light as a villain, until Steven objects, and explains that Lapis wasn't mean at all; she only wanted to go home. It is unknown if Greg still sees her as a villain, but given her sacrifice in "Jail Break", he'll most likely come around.

Crystal Gems
"You, you three knew I was in there and you didn't do anything. Did you even wonder who I used to be?!"

Lapis is shown to have a deep-seated distrust of the Crystal Gems, going so far as to warn Steven not to trust them. She made water clones of the Crystal Gems in order to fight them. Her anger seems to stem from her being forcibly trapped in a mirror by them, preventing her from going back home and keeping her on Earth, a planet which she had no belief in. Her animosity seems to be aimed towards the Crystal Gems in general—suggesting she had knowledge of the Crystal Gems prior to her imprisonment—instead of just Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl specifically, as the trio apparently had no clue she was trapped in the mirror.

Peridot
Lapis was initially summoned to be Peridot's informant during her invasion to Earth and was held prisoner in her spaceship. She also seems to be highly terrified of her as seen in "The Message". In "Cry for Help", it is revealed that Lapis was her informant. The full nature of their relationship is unknown.

Jasper
When Lapis returned to Homeworld, she was forced into helping to defeat/capture the Crystal Gems. Jasper was made her superior. Jasper does not seem to care much for her, having no problems with imprisoning her after finding out Lapis withheld information from her. Jasper also called Lapis a brat after she tried to escape from the destroyed Gem warship. When Jasper asked for Lapis' help to stop the Crystal Gems by fusion, Lapis consented, forming Malachite. However, she double-crossed Jasper by using her power to control the water and imprison both of them at the bottom of the ocean. Lapis shows a lot of mistrust, hatred and fear towards Jasper, mostly due to Jasper's aggression towards Steven, projecting all her indignation on being a constant prisoner on her. She has no problem with being fused with her if it means the protection of Steven, sacrificing her freedom, taking Jasper underwater and mentally tangling with her for even temporary control of their unstable fusion in order to keep him safe.

Season 1

 * "Mirror Gem" (debut)
 * "Ocean Gem"
 * "The Message" (video message)
 * "Political Power" (mentioned)
 * "The Return"
 * "Jail Break"

Season 2

 * "Full Disclosure" (flashback)
 * "Love Letters" (mentioned)
 * "Chille Tid" (dream/telepathic message)
 * "Cry for Help" (mentioned)
 * "Catch and Release" (mentioned)

Shorts

 * "We are the Crystal Gems" (cameo)

Trivia

 * Lapis Lazuli is shown to be exceptionally powerful, being able to control the entire ocean, making it into a giant tower-construct and creating water-duplicates of the Crystal Gems to fight them off, all while in the midst her gem was cracked. She was also able to become the dominant personality when she fused with Jasper, and imprisoned them both, once again, using the entire ocean to her advantage by weighing them down. She was even able to stabilize her fusion-form, despite the Gems' lack of synchronization, whereas any forms of mismatch would usually cancel the fusion.
 * Despite this, Jasper was able to push her around effectively, though this could have been purely psychological. Lapis was unsure and lacking hope in herself when Jasper imprisoned her aboard Peridot's ship, while Lapis was hurt from the ship's destruction when Jasper caught her midflight.
 * There was a lot of attention to detail to her design/change during her introductory episode. When her gemstone was cracked, she did not have irises nor pupils in her eyes with her eyes being replaced by mirrors. However, after being healed by Steven, she gained dark blue irises with no visible pupils in her eyes. Another example would be the way she moves; compared to other characters, who have human-like, but still slightly jerky movements, her animation is very smooth and fluid. The contrast is seen best when Steven talks to Lapis atop her tower.
 * Lapis Lazuli is the only Gem with a color scheme that consists of only four colors, making her the simplest colored Gem thus far.
 * When Lapis' gem is cracked, her color scheme is a darker shade of blue.
 * Ian Jones-Quartey revealed in response to a fan that Lapis' hydrokinesis is her weapon, making her the first Gem shown to summon something other than a tangible item.
 * Lapis and Steven demonstrate that Gems are adaptable in the vacuum of space.
 * Similar to other Homeworld Gems (Peridot/Jasper), Lapis has a diamond pattern on middle of her clothing.
 * Hers, however, is large and dark blue, instead of small and yellow.
 * The diamond is also split in the middle, due to the style of her outfit.
 * This shows that diamonds are a symbol of Homeworld, as shown by Jasper and Peridot's outfits and their superior, Yellow Diamond.
 * Greg's drawing of Lapis Lazuli on the album cover for 'Water Witch' has a striking resemblance to Lapis' concept sketches.
 * According to Aivi & Surasshu, Lapis' instrument is the Celesta. Her secondary palette includes strings, piano, and timpani. Lapis' music is inspired by the Romantic era of classical music.
 * Lapis's imprisonment in the mirror may be a reference to the story of Echo and Narcissus from Book III of the Metamorphoses.
 * Echo was a nymph who was cursed so that she may only repeat what others say.
 * Echo was enamored with Narcissus, who had fallen in love with his own reflection.
 * A silhouette bearing a striking resemblance to Lapis appeared in "The Answer", however it is not confirmed if it is really her or not.

Gemology


Gemstone Information


 * Lapis lazuli, often referred to as just 'lapis', is a deep blue semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color.
 * Lapis lazuli is assigned to the planet Jupiter. Lapis may be given as a gem on the seventh and ninth wedding anniversary.
 * Today, lapis is common, carried out of the mines of Afghanistan in tin trunks from which it is exported all over the world. Lapis was much more expensive decades ago than it is now.
 * Smaller quantities are mined in Italy, Mongolia, the United States and Canada.
 * A soft stone, 5 -5.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness, lapis lazuli is one of the most valuable semi opaque stones.
 * Lapis usually forms in crystalline marble through the geological process of contact metamorphism and due to its composition, it is technically defined as a rock rather than a mineral.
 * It is primarily composed of Lazurite, while the remaining composition is made up of Sodalite, Calcite, Pyrite and other various minor constituents. The varying composition is what influences its exact coloring.
 * Lapis lazuli is normally associated with power and gods, even being found in statues of gods since Mesopotamian times nearly six thousand years ago. This matches with Lapis' overwhelming power as a single Gem who is able to fight three other Gems (one being a fusion) to a standstill even with her own gemstone cracked.
 * Lapis lazuli is said to stimulate the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding, and aids the process of learning. It is believed to strengthen total awareness, creativity, and helps to expand viewpoint.
 * A stone of truth, lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, and in the spoken and written word. It is also a stone of friendship and brings harmony in relationships.
 * The word, lapis-lazuli, comes from Latin. Lapis means stone; lazuli translates to blue. The Arabic word, l’azulaus means blue, heaven and sky.
 * When lapis lazuli is originally mined, it often has to be treated with water to reveal it's true brilliant colors.