Steven Universe: Rose Quartz’s Abilities & Powers Explained

Rose Quartz is one of Steven Universe’s most important characters, but what kind of powers and abilities does she have? Thousands of years ago in the Steven Universe timeline – long before she shape-shifted into her alter ego and even longer before became she became Steven’s mother – Rose Quartz was known as Pink Diamond. As a member of the Gem Homeworld’s Great Diamond Authority, she ruled over the Gem race and led the establishment of one of its colonies on Earth, soon becoming fascinated by the planet and its lifeforms.

It was because of her love for planet Earth that Pink Diamond became Rose Quartz. When Pink Diamond realized that completing colonization of Earth would lead to its destruction, she pleaded with her fellow Diamonds to cease operations only for them to refuse. Consequently, Pink Diamond regularly began shape-shifting into her Rose Quartz alter ego and started disrupting the alien Gems’ colonization efforts in an attempt to save the planet. Under her Rose Quartz alias, she eventually led a full-scale rebellion against the Gem Homeworld along with other Gems who had grown tired of its rigid rule.

Luckily, Pink Diamond’s Rose Quartz form was equipped with a powerful set of abilities in Steven Universe that helped her and her fellow rebel Gems to win the war against the Homeworld. Like other members of her race, Rose Quartz had powers including shape-shifting, the ability to fuse with other Gems and superhuman durability, speed, and strength. She was also a masterful military tactician which made her especially proficient in battle.

Rose Quartz had other powers in Steven Universe – whose pilot isn’t considered canon – that helped turn the war in her favor like the ability to spin dash (curling herself into a ball and dashing at her target) and phytokinesis, which is the ability to grow sentient flora to act as protection. Combined with her extensive weaponry (including a sword, shield and laser light cannon), these abilities made Rose Quartz one of Steven Universe’s most powerful characters.

While many of Rose Quartz’s powers in Steven Universe make her seem like a ruthless warrior, other abilities show a more compassionate side. She also had the ability to heal broken Gems and other injured creatures with her tears and could even resurrect beings from death which she demonstrated with Lion – a once regular wild lion who was given magical powers in the process of being brought back to life by Rose Quartz.