It's the little things... · 11:15pm May 4th, 2014
This. This scene is why I like this show.
Twilight emerges, baffled and befuddled, into the noise and light of the coliseum, and her first thought is finding the Princesses so she can properly genuflect. She finally notices them--behind her--and awkwardly turns to do so, only to have Celestia gesture to the vacant throne at her right hoof, which Twilight hadn't even noticed. Sheepishly and self-consciously she takes the place of honor that, even after all she's done, she hadn't presumed she's earned.
And as Celly and Luna resume their placid, hardcore regality, there's Cadance. She waves to her, and the unspoken line is clear: "Isn't this cool! We're on thrones!" We've seen Candybutt on the throne before, and she's not like this; she's deliberately putting herself on a lower level so that poor Twilight won't be totally peerless. Cady is deliberately making herself into the second juvenile princess just so Twilight won't be alone. Twilight smiles, her anxiety somewhat allayed... and then she looks down to see her friends, nowhere near her. Far, far below...
It's twenty seconds of screen time without a single word of dialogue, and it says more than I'd be able to with about two full pages of text. And that is one of the reasons I keep watching.
I couldn't stop imagining how much Twilight would have loved to just grab Cadance and float down to the seats besides her friends. IMHO this scene is a prime example of how showing can be powerful when done properly.
I noticed that too! I also noticed they way at one point she made a point of getting her head down below Spike's level when praising him, even though it looked terribly awkward. That kind of silent character building is really neat. This episode had a lot of little moments like that.
I can't stop looking at the horrible crown the first time I watched this scene...
2077497
Better yet, float the seats down!
This episode had an extreme amount of polish with things like this.
There was also some lovely Moonbutt in this scene right after Starbutt lights the fire for Scalebutt. While everybutt else is excited, she's the only butt that suspects something is afoot.
s22.postimg.org/3lkdilgy7/something_besides_my_hoof_is_afoot.png
Pun intended.
I agree. As an episode in its own right, this was certainly good. But it's not the episode it should've been, regardless.
"It's twenty seconds of screen time without a single word of dialogue, and it says more than I'd be able to with about two full pages of text. And that is one of the reasons I keep watching."
Hey, now! That's a visual medium. As long as we're stuck with our pitiful 21st century languages, you need, like, 167 words to describe everything that was presented there.
Still strongly dislike the ep overall, but little scenes like this are indeed in even the worst of episodes, and are a great reason to keep watching anyway.
Totally agree, even if the episode itself was one of the season's worst. Moments like that go up with the moment in the Nightmare Night episode where Luna pushes the piece of candy towards the NMM statue. Very subtle, and it's blink-and-you-miss-it, but wow. Just wow.
Yep. It's moments like these that make the show really shine.
Haha, according to the comments so far, I'm in the minority in loving this episode. It was moments like this one that really sold me on the whole thing though. Showing is so much more interesting than telling, especially in a show like this that tends toward the latter, it's a nice surprise.
I noticed that, too, and was struck much the same way. Twilight is so out of place amongst royalty.
I keep hoping that we get an episode coming up where Twilight's "image" as a princess and her desire to be with her friends comes into full conflict, making her choose between them. This little scene here makes me hope that such a scene is coming up.
2077542
Whoah, I didn't even notice Blueblood the first time around. Makes me wonder about the others on the "tier just below the Princesses". Who they are, what their ranks are, if they're all from Equestria, and so on.
Editing:
Now that I've re-watched that scene, it looks like a couple of Saddle Arabians, Blueblood, an unknown mare in an ornate headdress, an unknown stallion in a robe and hat combo on the first row below the Princesses, then Mayor Mare, Fancy Pants, Fleur Dis Lee, Cherry Jubilee (?!), a mare I don't recognize in an elegant dress, and an older stallion in a funny hat.
Further editing!: It's not Blueblood! Wrong cutie mark. A brother, perhaps?
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I hear a lot of how this should have been a two-parter; I disagree, because while I'm certain you could fill two whole parts with Ponies Doing Sports, we had exactly one (EDIT: sorry, Fluttershy, two) main cast member(s) in the Games, explicitly in one event, and this sort of paints the writers into a corner. I do agree there should have been a bit more Games going on; for instance, I would like to see why the magic neutralizer was needed, other than as a plot point[1]. Ponies seem like trusting souls, and such extreme security measures seem out of character unless there was a credible threat.
So: shave a minute off the
PonyvilleCloudsdale Anthem scene (which literally lasts for 10% of the non-credits running time of the entire episode), demonstrate a few more seconds of Ponies Doing Sports, throw in a tiny little mini-drama about a scurrilous throwing-event athlete with a scurrilous nameless unicorn confederate in the stands helping his discus land a few feet further down the pitch (which could be noticed and thus foiled by one of the elder Princesses, giving them a damn thing to do this episode), and then two scenes later when they haul out the neutralizer, it would seem perfectly coherent.[1] If you were to Ask Miss Harshwhinny about it, she would confidently tell you that "cheating" was a misdirection, and the actual purpose of the neutralizers was to prevent attacks from renegade North Unicorean mercenaries hunting for the Foundation Amulets. That's... just how that blog rolls.
I hadn't read this intention into the action when I saw it. Thanks for pointing this out. It adds a delightful new dimension to the scene. After all, Cadance is doing this in her own kingdom. She's willingly sacrificing her dignity in comparison to that of the visiting diarchs in the eyes of any of the world leaders who might have seen the exchange, all so Twilight can feel a bit less awkward. That's friendship.
(Also, I kind of hope Twilight got to keep that throne. If nothing else, I'm sure Spike would get a kick out of it.)
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I know; it's completely unfair. Just look at the numbers!
Twenty seconds of screen time.
Thirty frames per second (I assume.)
Six hundred images.
Six hundred thousand words.
And that's using the idiomatic conversion! Don't get me started on going by data size...
2077608 Or just not make the episode about Spike's confidence issues. My main peeve is that I wanted the episode to be about the main horses; not Spike. It really didn't need to be a two-parter, sure, but I would've liked more focus on the CMC doing their flag routine or Rainbow Dash doing the race. I know that couldn't have filled up all the space, but there are ways to make the episode about these things without resorting to filler. Spike wasn't apart of the buildup. I didn't want him to be the focus of the climax.
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Just for fun, what would your idea for an in-episode plot be?
2077640 Don't challenge me, yo. I make no pretense for providing my own suggestions. I just didn't like how this one turned out.
Great scene. I noticed this too and felt such a warmth of emotions. You gotta love this show sometimes.
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It wasn't a challenge! Literally, it was just for fun. I was trying to think of hypothetical plots for an actual Games-based Games episode, and I wanted to see what other people thought of. I wasn't saying that you needed to have a formalized counter-plan to level a criticism, as I've always disliked that strategy of debate.
2077762 I swear, without emoticons, I'd be living in constant paranoia.
I was amused and enjoyed it, but am still surprised it was a Spike episode. It's like "Best Night Ever" skipped the gala and focused on Spike touring his favorite bits of Canterlot. It works as an episode but doesn't justify the set up.
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I'll make a few attempts.
Focusing on the events, Rainbow, could have problems losing gracefully. Or winning gracefully. Or helping manage Ponyville's other teams. I think she has grown past the first two problems, but this is a high stakes affair and the problems are evergreens.
The venue allows world building in a variety of ways:
External threats threaten; ponies must be kept calm so those can be dealt with and the games proceed.
Diplomatic wrangling and unintended insults; a surprising callback to "Games Ponies Play".
And, more a young adult plot, Cadence cannot decide if a gifted crystal pony athlete, and unrepentant member of the Sombra Youth Brigade, should be allowed to compete.
I thought the episode was grand for a lot of reasons, and I completely agree with
2077608.
Also, if Fancy Pants, and Ms. Jubilee are sitting in the same row with Mayor Mare, are they all mayors of their respective towns?
I enjoyed the episode myself, and especially that scene of Twilight's discomfort at being raised above her friends (who looked to be having a ball without her... Shades of the season opener). I also enjoyed her unrestrained cheer at the entry of the Ponyville team, and Celestia's reaction.
As for the focus on Spike, I didn't mind as almost the entirety of it still took place within the stadium anyway. They simply focused on the pageantry of the games more than the events... But they still covered (albeit briefly) the opening ceremonies, 2 competitions, getting to seats through security, the dignitaries watching, a medal ceremony and anthem, the closing ceremonies, and the medal count competition (how the hell did little Ponyville become the sports capital of Equestria?). Hell, they even had a hotel room scene (although apparently the hotel rooms there didn't have the issues with them that reporters love to point out about other Olympic sites). That's pretty good for 22 minutes.
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It's Blueblood. You can't tell at first glance, but he's wearing a pair of white Fancy Pants brand "Fancy Tights". I dare say all the gentlemen in Canterlot will want a pair.
2077786
I so hear you. I get so much mileage out of that grinning Pinkie.
2077822
Good suggestions! Almost makes me want to fanfic 'em.
Getting back to the original point of this blog (and simultaneously summing up some of the previous discussions), I do agree that that scene was brilliant. So much nonverbal communication and care is on display there - it's what the show is meant to be best for. As a counter-argument, yes, this episode wastes a lot of time and could be a lot more interesting.
As a matter of fact, I find much of season 4 to be quite sub-par to the original first two seasons. There are some good episodes, but as a whole, this season seems to show off an awful lot of unnecessary awkward scenes compared to earlier ones. I personally really don't like it when characters make fools of themselves, so I'll notice an awkward situation (or the potential for a situation to be awkward) very quickly and often dislike it. And that's happening with disappointing frequency in season 4.
Yes, there are brilliant moments in MLP, but I'm of the mindset that the show is definitely on the decline.
AIP§
P.S.: Which, truth be told, is why I'm enjoying FimFiction so much right now - freakin' AWESOME!
2077845
Holy smokes! Fancy Pants is mayor of Canterlot?!
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Also, the other princesses were concerned when Spike took so long. La Lune was just bored.
2077647
I thought you were supposed to provide answers, not questions, Mr. Trebek.
2078188 Give the mare a cookie.
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Well, she is up either pretty late or pretty early.
I think you might be reading a little too much into this.
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Possibly with the Cady stuff? I still think there's no mistaking that mournful look from Twilight when she looks down at her friends, though, and that's what really gets me.
Excellent observation. That scene definitely leapt out at me as well. This episode definitely used the expressiveness of the animation to good effect, and that attention to the characters is what keeps me coming back for more. Sure, Ponylimpics may have been glossed over, but it's Twilight and friends that I care about.
2078172
Boom, headcanon'd.
2077608
It gets better if one takes Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell into account -- going by that, Cadance was in Twilight's shoes not too long ago, so that's a huge thing both can relate to. Scene makes all the sense.
And yeah, chalk me up as another one who loved the hell out of this episode.
2077608
There are few episodes where something couldn't be made better, but yeah, it worked out well enough. Hearing those who are in a tizzy over it just leads me to conclude that they brought wildly unrealistic expectations to a competition that, as you said, only had main characters in one event.
I love that bonus Harshwhinny perspective,
2077627
So Spike isn't a main character?
2078639
...
I'm not sure what you'd call that other than a brain-typo. Fixing.
UPDATE: On further reflection, what does it mean when I make this error when typing fast? Is it that when proposing plots of a hypothetical Games-based two-parter, I literally can only think of sports plots surrounding Dash? This seems like a weakness of mine. Or is it that I have completely unconsciously de-head-canonized Flutters being part of the Games? I have no idea.
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A believe that the commonly used term for this is 'brain fart'.
In addition, it sounds like you are type-casting both Rainbow Dash (as the Games-level athlete) and Fluttershy (as non-athletic).
Which makes me wonder: why aren't rodeo-style events standard at the Games? It seems to me that Applejack should have been competing as well.
2079283
One might ask that of the actual Olympics as well. In the end, I suspect it's that the Rodeo has its roots in an exhibition of working-class skill, not of "sport."
2079320
Yes, but the Olympics has dressage, show-jumping and similar equestrian events. I would have thought that the rodeo-style events would be as commonplace as standard human track-and-field Olympic events. Though you may be right: rodeo is "common" whereas the Games are for elite athletics.
Still, AJ is commonly acknowledged as one of the top athletes of Ponyville - surely she could have represented her town in something?
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Yeah, the equestrian (small-"e") events in the Olympics are upper-class horsework events, derived from upper-class pursuits such as hunting. I think there's just an ideological divide there.
I also bet A.J. could have competed in something, but perhaps the same ideological divide is firmly fixed in her own mind, and she never really even wanted to bother. It's great to win a shiny medal for doin' practical stuff, but what good is a shiny ribbon for sporting? Never mind that the tasks themselves are equally abstract. I can't tell if I'm making sense or not...
2078172 Looks like Fancy Pants is mayor of Canterlot, Cherries Jubilee is mayor of Dodge Junction, and presumably Blueblood is some sort of Equestrian equivalent of Secretary of State, since he's sitting with the diplomats.
Also, anyone else notice that it looks like the Griffons don't have their own country, they're just a city-state in Equestria? I guess all those fanfic writers who wrote about dumb Griffons getting in a war and losing to Equestria hundreds of years ago were right.
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The definitions of where the actual national dividing lines lie are incredibly vague. Does the Crystal Empire have sovereignty, for instance, or is it too an "Equestrian" province? And as for Ponyville/Cloudsdale, why are two cities in the same nation competing against each other? Harshwhinny complains in her first appearance that every "city and empire" wants to host the Equestria Games which further muddies the issue. Presumably the whole setup works practically on a Greek city-state level from day to day, with a little more unification than the city-states had by dint of a single figurehead ruler; but each is functionally treated as a separate nation.
That was a sweet scene.
Another scene I love occurs a few minute later, when Twilight applauds Ponyville in the opening ceremonies. Celestia gives her a look - one of equal parts amusement and annoyance - that just screams "princesses don't have favorite teams". Twilight's sheepish grin says she got the message.
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It's a little heartbreaking to see, actually. Twilight is not a comfy alicorn yet, not at all. But for the More Princesses = Better philosophy of Hasbro, it almost makes me wonder if she's going to make a choice to sacrifice the wings at some point and return to non-princesshood. She doesn't seem to be enjoying it much.
2080021 No she doesn't. The ironic thing is the cloistered bookworm of the pilot episode would have been thrilled with her current situation - but the same friendships that earned her the wings are what make them so uncomfortable. Hopefully she can find a way to be a princess that won't make her miserable.
2080021
I think she, and the writers, are just still exploring her role and place. The finale may help a lot with that, I hope.
And yes, that was lovely and well done moment. It's easy to get so used to how good this show is, that you stop noticing all the deft touches and subtle things like this!
I would've liked seeing more of the Equestrian Games, but on the other hand, what we got instead was good too, and now we have the opening for all sorts of sports-related creativity and worldbuilding!
Finally, my take on who participate in the Games: different Equestrian teams, maybe by town or by province, who cleared the qualifying rounds, and a number of extra-Equestrian teams invited to participate.