Thoughts on Rainbow Roadtrip (and ep 13): Slow Burning Success · 1:42pm Jul 1st, 2019
Well, here we are at another of the final moments. The last hiatus, and it's gonna be a short one if the little I've heard is any indication. So far this season has been up there in terms of quality. One or two bumps in the road as always, but certainly challenging S7 for the best season so far. Bonus, we got an even longer special to go with it (Yep, somehow I completely failed to realise that this one really was an hour long). Here's hoping they can both round out the first half of the season on a high note!
As always, once more for a few weeks, there's a chance of unmarked spoilers present.
Episode 13 - Between Dark and Dawn:
So, it's been a little over a week and I'm still curious about the chain of events that led to the opening. Mainly what that giant turtle is and how it got to Sweet Apple Acres. Also why, after years of being content to sit on the sidelines, one outing convinced Celestia and Luna to go all Mare-Do-Well on us. At least it ultimately resulted in the swapsie that everyone had been waiting for, the princesses finally getting a spotlight episode while the mane 6 take a shot at running Equestria.
Sadly, the main result was another panic relapse from Twi. I'm not as hard on her as near anyone else, but if I'm noticing it then it's becoming a problem. Not the mention the glares the others were giving her (Applejack in particular looks like she's getting real sick of this shit) and quite possibly making Fancy Pants stop being cool as a result. Couple that on with the obvious solution and the episode ending with Twilight still struggling with the solar amulet, and it almost feels like this plot was added in to fill time, only for the episode to run out before they could fully resolve it.
At least Celestia and Luna more than made up for it. Between their adorable moments of bonding and simply behaving like civvies, the new aspects of them that were revealed (Though you do wonder how Twi ended up like she did when Twilight Velvet and Celestia were both thrill seekers), the fun song Lotta Little Things and all that tension earlier in the season finally behind handled, it was a breath of fresh air for both of them. One I hope gets expanded on a little more in the few remaining episodes, even if it's just to up the gutpunch if/when they play the 'Celestia or Luna are removed' card.
All in all, this felt very similar to All Bottled Up. A needed spotlight on two secondary characters (though ABU was one primary) that was highly enjoyable when focused on them, yet was scuppered by the Mane 6 B-Plot. I can cut this one a little slack since it's Gail Simone's first shot at writing an episode (first new writer of the season too) and it's still a good episode, but it's maybe just not quite what I anticipated for the final mid-season finale. Hopefully we can get back onto the Grogar plot soon.
Rainbow Roadtrip:
This one couldn't have had an easy time before release. The divisive movie animation style, trying to make a plot work for an hour, and then the revelation that the writer was none other than Kim Beyer-Johnson. I'll admit that last one worried me too. So, can this one turn it around and give us another great special? Can Kim finally redeem herself as a writer? Can I keep dragging this out in a lame attempt at tension?
Yes, except for the last one. Then maybe.
I expected quite a few things from this one as it went along. Rainbow slipping to her old cocky self for most of the special, it turning out that either Sunny Skies or Petunia Petals were directly involved with Hope Hollow being drained of colour, the Mane 6 being drained as well after Twilight's attempt to repair the generator. I've never been so pleased to be completely wrong. There was no high adventure or real danger this time, just a small town that needed help finding itself again. The actual culprit was a magic that seems like a deus ex at first glance, then you realise that it's been around since the S2 premiere! Small wonder Twi recognised it once she gave AJ a chance to talk (reeeaaal sick). We all saw the ship hints between Sunny and Petunia as well, but I sure didn't call him straight up proposing to her during the ending. I'm sure they'll get along perfectly, they're both a little...Weird.
Elsewhere, RD got herself back on form once she was dealing with Barley Barrel and Pickle and training them up. Applejack and Torque Wrench played off each other well once they warmed up and I only wish she could be in the main show (plus, some personal vindication for repair ponies). Rarity was being Rarity in a good way, but was also completely outshone by Kerfuffle, such a delight to watch that it took me almost half her screentime to realise she had a prosthetic leg. Fluttershy was in full cuteness mode and I could have taken or left Moody Root just to watch her keep going. Twilight was back on her game, playing to her strengths (really they all did), working through to the solution, and her rainbow wing attachments were pretty cool. Pinkie...Provided nightmare fuel, let's leave it at that.
The animation was as on point as it was during the movie, possibly moreso. The music was decent enough, the songs kind of hit-and-miss. An exposition song can work if the words and melody match, like in A Kirin Tale, but End of the Rainbow was something of a failure there. At least Living in Colour evened it out, even if it did sound more at home in EQG. The pacing felt somewhat off, as it was rather slow for most of it yet worked up for the perfect pace for the last 20 minutes. That just about sums up the whole thing.
Starting out somewhat rough and slow, this one build itself up with a plot that went against the mlp standard but worked, a bevy of likeable characters (plus two or three waifu-grade), full redemption for a writer and a whole slew of other plus points I've mentioned. It doesn't quite hit the same lofty heights as Best Gift Ever, but it's still a worthy special to close out the first half of the season in style. Final 13 episodes, your bar has been set!
Episode Rankings:
1 - Frenemies
Rainbow Roadtrip (Not actually eligible, but a rough marker of quality)
2 - The Last Crusade
3 - Sparkle's Seven
4 - She's All Yak
5 - The Beginning of the End
6 - Between Dark and Dawn
7- Student Counsel
8 - Common Ground
9 - The Point of No Return
10 - Sweet and Smoky
11 - Uprooted
12 - Going to Seed
S9 Bingo: 8/25 (Capper appeared in the background during Lotta Little Things, would have preferred anyone else but it still counts for checking off Movie Character Cameo)
I actually liked both of these.
It was fun seeing the sisters just be sisters, a reminder that they're just regular ponies, too. Though, it would have been nicer if we got this earlier in the series.
I put off seeing Rainbow Roadtrip for a while and finally saw it yesterday. I often found myself asking "why wasn't this the mlp movie?".
5082425 I liked them both too (For context, the first episode in my rankings to drop below 'good' is Sweet and Smoky. Heck, the All Bottled Up comparison is a plus to, that's one of my all-time favourite eps). I liked the movie too, not sure if I prefer it or Rainbow Roadtrip though.
As an aside, thank you for literally being the first person to comment on one of these.
5082431
"All Bottled Up" was a good episode. Though, I would compare this more to "On the Road to Friendship".
My main issue with the movie was pacing. I think they wanted to get so much done and show so much of the world that something had to give, and sadly it was the story.
"Rainbow Roadtrip" felt like a regular episode--just longer, and I think that's what everyone was hoping the MLP movie would be.