This was a really fun episode and a nice example of the show switching up its style, which doesn't happen very often. And I liked that it allowed the writers to explore what the rest of Beach City thinks of the Crystal Gems and all the magical happenings; those candid perspectives would be difficult to get from a…

In the fog!

Pearl changing roles after learning about the knight concept seems to be what the episode was implying, though I think the most popular theory about her past occupation is some sort of scientist/engineer/pilot, rather than a kind of aristocrat.

Well, technically Lapis is able to summon some water from her gem, enough to form wings and potentially to make into a weapon (though maybe not a very large or effective one).