Probably completely wrong but I have a little theory under the cut.

I’ve been wracking my brain trying to figure out
A. Why was Amethyst poofed?
B. Who the hell is Smokey Quartz?

Alone at sea however made me remember a parallel…

“Malachite was bigger and stronger than both of us!”
“Together we’ll be unstoppable!”

With the episodes “Gem Hunt”, “Crack the Whip”, and “Steven Verses Amethyst,” what if they find and capture Jasper, the two realize they have similar feelings on fusion and…Smokey Quartz is Sugilite 2.0 and THAT’S why Amethyst gets poofed.

….tho personally I want Amethyst and Peridot to fuse really bad;;;;;