"The Slinker", or simply "Slinker" is a Gem monster and a villain in the Steven Universe. This creature first appears in "Reformed" as the episode's antagonist, and later reappeared in "Novelty Backpack" as a minor antagonist in the episode.
The Slinker is a plant-like corrupted gem with root-like tentacles and a square gemstone inside it. The Crystal Gems detected in Amethyst's room of the Crystal Temple. It slithers and scurries in Amethyst item piles and even manages to destroy her physical form multiple times. When it tried to consume her gemstone, Garnet knocked it into another item pile, never to be seen again. It's still at large.
Appearance
It resembles a dark, flowering plant. The monster consists of four dark-blue petals, which acts as its mouth, and are light-blue on the inside. Each petal also has five thorn-like projections nearing the tip. The petals are connected together by a darker-blue bulb that tapers to a point. The bulb is connected to multiple vines used as appendages, with two vines having a leaf-like structure at the end.
Powers and Abilities
- Physical Vigor: The Slinker is a very fast, limber, sturdy creature, able to withstand multiple hits from Amethyst and Garnet. It also has great physical strength, able to force Amethyst to retreat to her gem with a single bite from its "jaws" or a squeeze from its tentacles.
- Stealth: As its name implies, the Slinker is very good at moving quietly and hiding.
- Burrowing: It is able to move through the ground with ease, forming circular tunnels that lead into different parts of Amethyst's Room.
- Prehensile Appendages: Its vines are very prehensile, able to entangle enemies with a tight grip to the point of constriction.
- Projectile Goop: It can secrete a dark, ink-like substance that it seems to be able to shoot across long distances.
Appearances
Season 2
- "Reformed" (antagonist)
Shorts
- "Novelty Backpack"
Trivia
- It forced Amethyst to retreat to her gemstone four times.
- As such, it is the only known Gem Monster to have forced a Crystal Gem to regenerate.
- It is one of the few corrupted Gems whose gemstone was not seen on the show.
- However, its gemstone is shown in its model sheet.
- Steven coined its name. Amethyst disliked the name, but Garnet claimed that "the name stuck", and thus they referred to the corrupted Gem by this name.
- It resembles the flowering plant Hydnora africana.
- The Slinker is the third Gem Monster to have a name stated in the show, the first being the Centipeetle and the second being the Desert Glass.
- Throughout its debut appearance it seems to attack using stealth and the element of surprise when fighting.
- The Slinker is shown attacking the Gems in the Beach House during the short "Novelty Backpack".
- It appears to be able to squirt out a form of slime/ink.
Gemstone
The Slinker's gemstone is located inside the junction between the body and the head.
Gallery
.PNG "Reformed (8).PNG (47 KB)")
Official Artwork
