Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld — BrandWiki

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld

character name	Amethyst
publisher	DC Comics
debut	Legion of Super-Heroes #298 (April 1983)
creators	Dan Mishkin · Gary Cohn · Ernie Colón
real name	Amaya / Amethyst (birth name) Amy Winston (human name)
species	Cosmic entity (original) Homo magi (current)
homeworld	Gemworld
alliances	House of Amethyst The Banned Lords of Order Justice League Dark Young Justice
aliases	Princess of Gemworld
powers	Magic Crystal Manipulation * Crystal Generation * Crystal Empowerment * Dimensional Rulership * Reality Warping * Conjuration * Reanimation * Summoning * Energy Manipulation * Elemental Control * Matter Transmutation * Atmokinesis * Photokinesis * Telekinesis * Telepathy * Teleportation * Portal Creation * Weapon proficiency

Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld is a sword and sorcery superheroine published in American comic books created by DC Comics. Created by writers Dan Mishkin, Gary Cohn and artist Ernie Colón, she debuted in Legion of Super-Heroes #298 in April 1983. While considered one of DC Comics' "under-rated classics" for its female representation and strong fantasy themes, the character's eponymous series struggled to engage the broader contemporary DC readership.[1][2]

While subjected to various revisions in her history, the character is often cast as young Amy Winston who discovered on her 13th birthday she originates from the extradimensional realm known as Gemworld, a magical realm in which its twelve ruling families are themed after gemstones, has strong ties to the Lords of Chaos and Order, and grants her the body of a twenty year old. Born Princess Amethyst, she originates from the eponymous House of Amethyst, considered the most powerful of the ruling families, and is destined to be its ruler and protector.

Characterization

Amy Winston / Amethyst

In physical appearance, Amy appears as a 5'1" and 90lbs child with blond hair and violet eyes. While she retains the same physical features in a adult form within Gemworld, her height is instead stated to be 5'8" and 112lbs.[4] Following her appearances after New 52, the character is consistently 5'8" and 122 lbs as she was previously although she is depicted more teenaged in appearance.[5][6][7] While she is a natural blonde,[5][6][7] the character is designed to have dyed her hair lavender.[28]

During the character's publication in the first and second Amethyst series, she is described as having evolved in personality; beginning as a ordinary and spirited American child whose life revolved around her friends and family, this changed following her 13th birthday and discovery of Gemworld, where she learned of her potential as a sorceress and princess status. She would acclimate quickly into the role, eventually prioritizing it over her former life on Earth.[4] Amethyst is also characterized as being a potentially powerful sorceress due to her heritage as a Lord of Order;[3][4] A crossover with Doctor Fate implies she is among the most powerful beings in the DC Universe.[29]

In more recent publications, she retains a similar characterization but is more rebellious in personality and attempts to balance between the role and a normal human life on Earth.[7][30] She also retains her status as a Lord of Order in human form.[6] In the 2021 Amethyst limited series, the character is sixteen and is temporarily branded a rogue and while House Amethyst was officially dissolved, she is instead made princess of the Banned.[28]

Gemworld

The primary setting in which the character's stories takes place is the extradimensional realm known as Gemworld (also known as Nilaa or The Gem); a magical dimension once under dominion of the Lord of Chaos, In the realm, Gemworld simulates but is not bound by the laws of physics, with concepts such as gravity being dependent on the magical inhabitants' whims, and consists of one great land mass surrounded by a sea with several clusters of islands and is circular and around in a never ending falls, with what's below remaining unknown. Gemworld also features a sun as a living entity that that blazes its energy throughout the day in its orbit but becomes a moon when its energies wane, simulating day and night. The dimension came to house countless magical creatures, beings, humans, and homo magi following a exodus to the dimension led by a young witch known as Citrina to preserve magic and creatures (unicorns, imps, dragons, etc.) of magical origin when magic begin waning following a major supernova in space and its violent explosions affecting the physical and mystically plain, disrupting "zodiac alignments" and had major repercussions in which included the gradual waning of mystical energies.[31]

The ruling community, the twelve houses modelling and themed after gemstones (Amethyst, Aquamarine, Diamond, Emerald, Garnet, Moonstone, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire, Sardonyx, Turquoise, and Topaz), each rule a portion of Gemworld in which aligns with the properties of their respective gemstone, also form a Council of Houses that governs Gemworld. Throughout its history, several of the houses has assumed supreme rule; the first being the House of Ruby. Much later, the House of Amethyst became the supreme rulers of Gemworld, credited as had the longest and beneficial reign until the House of Opal, led by the villain Dark Opal and with assistance of Lords of Chaos Vandaemon, overthrew the House of Amethyst and its supporter from the Lords of Order, Pantagones, using underhanded tactics.

Powers and abilities

Original version

The original version of Amethyst is the result of a union between a human and a Lord of Order. Her heritage has led her to possess a myriad of powers through magic, including spellcasting, flight, energy manipulation, energy constructs, eldritch blasts, matter transmutation, magic resistance, atmokinesis, chronokinesis, chlorokinesis, elemental control, life creation, reality alteration, crystal enchantments, crystal generation, conjuration, summoning, size alteration, divination, hypnotism, emotion manipulation, telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, dimensional travel, invisibility, illusion casting, invoking spirits, necromancy, healing others, and hyperawareness, as well as the ability to tap into other mystical sources so she can amplify her own capabilities to near-incalculable levels. She is capable enough to engage in battle with the Spectre and survive.[37]

In addition to her magical abilities, she was trained in the art of war and is adept in several forms of weaponry (lances, swords, shields, etc.), archery, and strategy.[42] She is also credited as having strong leadership abilities and courage despite her young age.[4]

New 52 version

While the New 52 version of Amethyst features a different histories and depiction, both share core abilities around being a expert swordswoman and wielding magical powers in which is shared by House Amethyst.[5][6] Alternatively, however, the magic of House Amethyst were expressed to be a form of magic carried by her bloodline, usually carrying a third of Amethyst bloodline's complete power (the remaining others carried by her mother and corrupt aunt) and can enhance her physical abilities, create constructs made up of light-esque constructs, and could act as a catalyst for other magical powers. Her Turquoise bloodline grants her some abilities in transformative powers.[43]

Like prior, in addition to her expertise as a swordswoman, she is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and also similarly is skilled in several different weaponry.[43]

DC Rebirth onwards

During DC Rebirth, much of the character's history and characterization resemble more closely to her prior version in Pre-Crisis on Infinite Earth albeit with differences; having faced Dark Opal and Lords of Chaos in the past, her history omits her ascension as a Lord of Order and roughly continue from her second series, wherein she has since come into frequent conflict with the Council of Houses due to her rampant disregard for their rulings as a rebel but is protected due to her heroic and legendary status in Gemworld.[41][6]

In the 2019 Young Justice series, the first storyline showcases her teaming up with Young Justice when Dark Opal's chaotic and dark magical abilities grow more powerful to the point of being able to alter reality and being great enough to intimidate the Council of Houses, in which some members are reluctant on frequently challenging and decline Amethyst's plea to come together and discuss on ridding of House of Opal altogether. As Dark Opal conspires to once more take dominion of Gemworld and to destroy Amethyst and her kingdom, the team assists in defeating him. She later leaves to return to Earth to aid the Young Justice team, unaware the Council had used the opportunity to banish and exile her from Gemworld unbeknownst to her.[41]

In the 2021 Amethyst series, Amethyst returns to Gemworld on her sixteenth birthday to find her kingdom in ruins and subjects vanished. Coldly received by ally Lady Turquoise and shunned by the other Houses, she suspects Dark Opal's manipulations but learns of the House of Diamond's involvement. Aided by Maxxie of Aquamarine, Phoss, and Prince Topaz, she uncovers the House Diamond's culpability in a confrontation with their court: the court learned her birth parents were alive and preserved in amethyst and also discovered her parents' failed conspiracy to seize Gemworld's throne. Provoking Dark Opal in hopes his tyrannical reign would instill loyalty, they faked their deaths and plotted a triumphant return via Citrina's aid but this effort was thwarted when the amethyst preserving their body was stolen. Illegitimating House Amethyst's claim as a supreme house, the court dissolve it, trap her subjects in amethyst, and brand her a rogue from belief she was aware of the conspiracy. Breaking free and with help from Aquamarine and the outcasted Banned, Amethyst defeats Dark Opal's bid to annihilate her birth parents, liberates her subjects and family (destroying all amethyst crystals in the process and depowering her kingdom, to her parents' chagrin), and accepts the Banned's offer to become their princess after realizing her birth parent's power hungry and selfish nature.[28][6]