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Gallifrey Gals Get Bubbled! S3, Episodes 19, 20, and 21

🕑 Added 2023-05-12 17:00:01 +0000 UTC

Comments

Mark Ten

I didnt get the impression there was much bubbling on the battlefield, that there were perfectly normal Homeworld gems being held by the Crystals as bubbled prisoners. I think most that we've seen were the corrupted in bubbles after the war. If they were bubbling gem soldiers it kind of lessens Bismuth's motivation to shatter (except for revenge?) since bubbling can take the enemy down permanently.

Matthew Zeidman

Pearl’s rewards-based system made me uncomfortable. It reminded me of positive behavior support, a form of applied behavior analysis that focuses on coercing compliance by showering children with tangible rewards and conditioning them to expect such rewards in exchange for doing any task. The task, itself, becomes irrelevant; all that matters is the reward. Disturbingly, this has become an extremely common (and government-subsidized) form of behavior modification being implemented in schools across the country. Children should be taught responsibility and respect, never manipulated into compliance. As for Bismuth fighting cruelty with cruelty, I think that’s a theme we, as humans, have been wrestling with for millennia. Do we have a moral right to inflict suffering on those who inflict it on us? Does doing so diminish us? Is there a better way? When does self-defense morph into something much darker? I believe inflicting cruelty on others does diminish us, even when it’s against someone whom we deem to deserve it. It’s no one’s place to deal out death, suffering and destruction, even when we or those close to us are victims of the same. What the better alternative is isn’t always an easy question; we can’t bubble away those who seek to harm us like Rose (although, as I mentioned above, I don’t think indefinite bubbling, if it existed, would be humane). However, it’s important we never stop searching for that better solution.

Matthew Zeidman

It’s disturbing how Rose bubbled Bismuth clearly with the intention of never setting her free, even placing the bubble inside Lion’s pocket dimension where the other Crystal Gems couldn’t find her. We saw the same behavior in Garnet; she clearly never intended on letting Peridot out; Peridot was only released by Steven. Is bubbling a humane way to temporarily remove an enemy from the battlefield? Yes. Is it humane, however, to place someone in suspended animation forever, even if they’re not aware of the passage of time? I don’t believe it is.

Tmatts

There's obviously no clear right answer. But, I have to say, sometimes the more important question to ponder is what do you lose by "winning" via certain means? If you become just like the thing you are fighting then what does that victory really achieve? If you must become a tyrant in order to end tyranny, have you really ended tyranny? That kind of thing. I admire a leader that is willing to go to more difficult means in order to stick to their ideals. Though, it may well depend on specific situations. But in this case, they only seem to "un-bubble" when someone from the outside lets them out. For the most part, "bubbling" seems like a fairly fool-proof way to completely remove enemies from the battlefield without killing them. Like an extremely humane POW camp I guess (since the gems bubbled basically just sleep).

Mark Ten

Question for the group: Worth 50% of your final report card grade. No spoilers. The Homeworld gems have no compunction about shattering Crystal Gems, ending the rebellion forever. The Crystal Gems only poof Homeworld Gems which means they regenerate and return to fight again. Was Rose's war hopeless? Answer Bismuth's question, What kind of leader doesnt give her army the best chance to win?"

Mark Ten

Great, Im posting my address for whatever single stuff I can scam off of you... And Im old too, does that get me any freebees? FYI - Bismuth is my favorite all time gem.