Episode Review: Maud Pie. · 8:59pm Mar 18th, 2014
Get rid of the 'a' in the title and what do you get? A review after the break!
Not everyone in the world can be friends. Some people, no matter what happens, will just be too different or just have wounds that run too deep for them to ever like or understand each other. Thankfully, there are enough people in the world that we can just ignore these kinds of people and find others a little more receptive. But beware of making friends with people too much like yourself, or else you might make yourself out to be an a**hole. It would be cool if Friendship is Magic ever taught this lesson... but this is Hasbro we are talking about and this show is primarily aimed at little girls (not as an excuse), so of COURSE we're NEVER going to see a lesson like this because Equestria is all sunshine and rainbows! =D *Sigh* Let's just get the ball rolling, shall we?
Maud Pie giving exactly zero bucks.
Maud Pie begins in the wee hours of the morning, even before Celestia has had her coffee and brought about the dawn. Twilight and her friends wait outside of Sugarcube Corner because Pinkie summoned them. Her sister is arriving in Ponyville later that day, and the two have a tradition of sharing Rock Candy necklaces when they see each other and said sister is going away for a long time, so this will be their last chance for a while and, naturally, Pinkie wants the girls to make friends with her sister and make necklaces with her as well... but first they have to taste test them. After an inordinate amount of taste testing, the girls finally convince Pinkie that they have had enough and manage to get her to wait outside of the train station while they set up a welcome picnic.
Later that day, at the side of a pond, the girl have the picnic ready and... Rarity... what in the BALLS are you wearing!? That's too much, even for you. -.- Monstrous hats aside, Pinkie arrives with her sister Maud slowly in tow. As soon as she opens her mouth, I am reminded of Raven from Teen Titans; monotone voice and disinterested expression on her face practically all the time. Only, this time with a rock-obsessed twist and a streak of literalism. The girls, to their credit, give an honest try to be friends, but Maud doesn't seem to be giving the same effort. We also get to see her pet rock named 'Boulder' as the other Mane 6 brought their pets when Pinkie told them she had one... Anyway, to make a longer story short, the girls try to bond with Maud as a group and individually, but they just don't gel together.
When Pinkie Pie corrals the girls to get started on making their Rock Candy necklaces, Twilight is singled out to tell the unstable baker that, while they tried, they just aren't friends and don't want to insult Pinkie's tradition by making insincere gestures of something that none of the parities feel to one another. The depresses Pinkie slightly, and faster than you can say 'what the shale?', she has set up a dangerous bonding obstacle course using gimmicks of their personalities. Pinkie runs it first and gets stuck in a rock pile (call back to Spike at Your Service?) as a boulder thunders towards her. Before any of the mane 6 have time to react, Maud dons the costume and runs the obstacle course with speeds that would make Rainbow jealous and beats the ever-loving S*IT out of the boulder before saving her sister. Maud decides to cut her week-long visit short, but when they get to the rock farm, the others are there (?) and say that their mutual love is Pinkie is enough to make them friends. Necklaces are made and given (though Maud only gives one to Pinkie), the end.
Am I the only one who was disappointed that Boulder wasn't a... Rock Lobster?
Maud Pie is both Pinkie's older sister and a perfect foil to her antics all at the same time. She is like the rocks she obsesses over: unflinching, strong and firm. It would figure that living with Pinkie would give her a thick skin, that was kind of expected, but this mare is the REAL iron pony! She blasted a rock the size of a house to nothing with just her hooves in less than ten seconds flat, ate what looks to be a gemstone and hurled a boulder so far and hard that it made a mushroom cloud! But, she is really dedicated as the only times her stoicism is broken is because of her love or concern for her little sister. Personally, I think their bond might be stronger than that of Applebloom and Applejack and THAT is saying something. Oh, and we can't forget that Gummy seems to be a lot like Maud and/or understands her. It suddenly makes sense WHY Pinkie would have a pet like that instead of something with more... energy.
Now, if only we could see a bit of Fluttershy's family...
(On another note, I'd love to see, one day, fanart of Maude dressed up like Mad Mod. I have no idea why.)
Rarity having that moment when you realize 'what the f*ck am I wearing!?'
Like Maud, this episode is all about subtleties. For instance, when Fluttershy is listing off 'pocket pets' one can notice Angel getting more pissed off the more excited Fluttershy sounds. And then there was Gummy doing what he does best in the background. Oh, and the poetry; I don't think Twilight found a poem or book she didn't like... until Maud came about and threw her off of her game. Take that, best pony. x3 Also, Pinkie Pie demonstrates, once again, how she tends to think less, or not think at all, when her friends disappoint her and really needs their approval no matter what, as evident with her very dangerous obstacle course. I also like Maud. She was a pony. But seriously, I liked her contrast with the rest of the characters and the environment, though, I can't say she's the best character ever.
The one thing I didn't like about this episode was the moral. Taken at face value, it can mean that so long as you have a mutual friend/acquaintance, you can get along with anyone, even if you have nothing else whatsoever in common. That stopped this episode from really shining, that and the stilted whay in which it was delivered. The rest of it was great but the moral wasn't. I also didn't like Maud at the beginning, especially her 'game' of 'camouflage' since it translates from older sibling to be 'distract the annoying one for long enough with a tedious game and hope they get bored and bother someone else'. It's like playing hide-and-seek with the younger sibling hiding while not actually seeking.
Stuff like this is why you don't get Pinkie Pie upset. Not if you can help it. Or may Celestia have mercy upon your soul!
So, despite the failing of the moral, this was a very good episode. Not one of Pinkie's finer moments, but it gives us a little insight to her family and that is always welcome. Ignoring the moral, I would say this was an okay start for new writer Noelle Benvenuti. So many new writers. x.x Anyway! If you were to trap me in a room with nothing but Rock Poetry for days on end, I would give this episode a rock solid 83/100.
Next week... well, I'm not sure. I am pretty sure it will be Trade Ya, in which the mane six learn just how valuable their friendship is when they go to Rainbow Falls again. Or, it could be For Whom the Sweetie Belle Tolls, in which Sweetie Belle sabotages one of Rarity's dresses and Princess Luna appears in her dreams. Either way, looks to be fun, so, until then, this is Ciroton saying, "That pony is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an igneous."
Fun Fact: Igneous is a volcanic rock! Do you know what that means? Possible volcano near Ponyville!
You know what the two of them remind me of? Mai and Ty Lee from Airbender. All they need now is a crazy person (preferably one who yells that cupcakes aren't for breakfast!!!!!) in charge of them and we're good to go.
I'm not entirely sure if Maud and the Mane 6 became friends at the end, but they seem to have at least come to an understanding. So I give props in that even though they tried, they didn't become friends.
Maud Pie is great. She is a pony. A pony who likes rocks. A lot. And is a pony.
Only thats what it is not saying, It makes it very clear that whilst they dont get along they still appreciate Maud and can be friendly with her.
( I basically hate my mother, im mostly only friendly with her for my sisters sake.
My ex had an obnoxious father... A good person, but he made me want to kill myself but I remained friendly )
I've had some good times with both of them, much as i want little to nothing to do with them.
Even if you cant really connect with someone and become a friend for whatever reason, that does not mean you cannot be friendly with them. This is especially good a lesson for children to discourage children from bullying the odd rock of the class, let the oddball be odd. All whilst lifting the hat to Autistic savants.
For us, Its a reminder not to dismiss that awful inlaw you had that incredibly awkward and boring beer with but join up with him to make that really special thing for someone special to you both. Not only is it likely to be all the more appreciated, but its likely to be enjoyable for you both and a different kind of bond is made.
anothe interesting review dude.
with the lesson, i wll say that no, they are not super duper best friends. and their bond comes less of just knowing the same person, its that they all love her equally. a bit of a deeper connection than just mutual knowings, like pinkie thought would work out to begin with.