SPOILERS! Thoughts on 405. · 8:10pm Dec 14th, 2013
Spoilers ahead.
Spoilers.
Spoilers. Got it?
Okay.
YES!
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Gosh, I'm just so pleased they pulled this one off. I was getting concerned after 403 and 404 (and knowing what 406 will hold) that we were moving into uncreative territory this season, and just relying on gimmicks and pop culture parodies to get us through the 26 episodes.
But here we have a classic-feeling, slice-of-life, hanging out in Ponyville, getting into real FRIENDSHIP conflict-type episode! It felt like a call back to Season 1 (and some of Season 2), and made me grin.
I actually laughed out loud twice during the episode. Once at Silver Spoon's, "We already called them Blank Flanks!" (The showrunners are now acknowledging how old that's getting, and I couldn't be happier about it.) And again when the animators totally went for the gag with Granny Smith for the third time in the series. It just gets better each time they do it! I love that they slow-mo'ed it for this go around, too. I need that gif'ed.
As for the story itself, I thought it was handled really, really well. I much prefer this Scootaloo episode to "Sleepless in Ponyville" (maybe an unpopular opinion). I loved the pacing, the mutli-layers of conflict, the fact that Rainbow Dash got to teach the CMC about LOYALTY, and the lesson that accepting who you are and working with the skills you've got is completely "acceptable". ;)
I give this an 8.5/10, which is pretty high for a CMC episode that doesn't feature most of the Mane cast. To be honest, it was going to be an 8/10, but there was a SONG! And while it wasn't the catchiest we've ever had, it hit a really emotional note when it came into its reprise at the end. So an additional .5 for that! I've been waiting ages for a new song. So excited to hear the soon-to-be endless stream of remixes.
Finally, I've never had much headcanon about Scootaloo...basically my only headcanon was Faust's mention that she never intended for Scootaloo to be able to fly. All the random orphan stuff was never anything I'd internalized, so I had zero headcanons destroyed by this episode. It felt like it was in context with the MLP universe I know and love, it had continuity, and it had a real friendship lesson.
THANK YOU, new writer person! You really pulled it off.
I will say this, however: if at least ONE of them doesn't get their cutie marks by the end of this season, Imma smackahoe. Seriously, they are at their very best when they are not CUTIEMARKCUTIEMARKCUTIEMARK.
ah, it didn't really nail me as hard the Rainbow Dash taught them a friendship lesson in loyalty. Now that you pointed it out, I can't believe I missed it. That's actually a REALLY good touch. I think there should be more of these, where the elements teach others about friendship like this.
also: Rainbow Dash key acquired
... or at least it should have been.
1606301 Yes, but what will they call themselves if the do get their cutiemarks?!!!!
CMC episodes are kind of hit or miss, I liked this one because I like watching imperfect character screw up and grow from it. It is just more believable when kids do it, rather than them having to dumb down a main character to force them to learn a lesson.
It was part of the reason I liked 'Ponyville Confidential'. I mean when Rarity confronts Sweetie Belle, that line.
Rarity: "Do you really think that writing nasty things and making everypony feel horrible is your destiny?"
Fucking OW Rarity! But there is no way you could get away with any main character falling into that trap without them being massively OOC. The CMC are really good for those lessons, and when the writers treat them with respect it comes out great.
-Lumino
I've always kinda liked the whole premise of Scootaloo as an orphan, but I never really believed it as anything more than simple fanon. Actually, my one bit of semi-headcanon for Scootaloo is that her father is that bulky pegasus with the tiny wings, often referred to as Snowflake. And then he was IN the episode, directly interacting with the CMC.
I've even been meaning to make a comic about that ever since Hurricane Fluttershy aired, but it was one of the many I never got around to, and now wish I had.