“When I first saw this episode [The Test], my interpretation was very different from Pony's. It seemed like one of the show's big questions was the extent to which Steven could or should be like Rose. I also got the impression that Rose was the character who supported the other gems emotionally and kept them out of the various pits of despair they tended towards. Combine the two, and this episode is Steven taking his first step towards being a Rose-like figure towards the gems, which is a pretty scary position for a kid to be in towards adults. My aunt used her young daughter as a confidant and emotional pillar, and it was terrible for the kid's emotional health. My first thought upon finishing the episode for the first time was ‘this kid's going to get eaten alive.’”
Well, I called that one!