Episode Review: Equestria Games · 1:15am May 9th, 2014

Let's jump into it this time!

I find it interesting how Spike episodes tend to lean towards a popular consensus of good, or bad with no real middle ground in between. This one is no different, but if only because it is a contentions split between those who think it's good, and others who feel that it is a waste of time, or even garbage. Where do I fall? Well, let me say right out of the gate that I LIKED this episode. Now, before half of you leave in a huff, let me just say that I can see why you might hate it, but that's something for later. For now, let's look at the plot.

Let's face facts: we can all see that Throne belonging to Empress Eos. (For Want Reference)

Equestria Games kicks off with the Friendship Express barreling down the tracks towards the crystal empire with the Ponyville Team en route to the games. Rainbow Dash gives a very honest and compelling speech to the ponies, telling them to do their best and even admitting her relay team doesn't have the best chance of winning, but isn't going to let it get to her and do her best anyway. After the title, the train pulls into the station with Spike carrying and checking their bags when, all of a sudden, two crystal guards emerge and carry him off to the palace aloft a chair. Apparently, the crystal ponies have deemed the drake as something of their town patron since he DID save them all from ~~Emperor~~ ~~Grand Moff~~ King Sombraro and all. It's refreshing to see Spike get his moment in the sun and see that not EVERY pony forgets about their achievements. The games are set to open, ponies take their places and Miss Harshwhinney escorts Spike though the stadium because, by request of the ponies (and Cadance) of the Crystal Empire, they want him to light the torch to signal the start of the games, a duty to which he is more than happy to oblige.

The flag bearers come in and do their routines for their towns as the athletes enter and, eventually, it is time to light the flame. However, that fearsome beast known as stage fright grips the young drake and he finds he has some... *ahem* performance issues, if you know what I mean. Seeing things going south, Twilight stealthily gives Spike a little help and lights the flame for him from her royal booth, giving him the notion that he now is pyrokinetic. Thankfully, the episode doesn't go the way I think it does when Twilight stops Spike after signing an autograph to tell him what happened. Naturally, he is upset that he didn't actually do anything for the games. Not one to stop half way though, Spike goes to Miss Harshwhinney to see if there is something else he can do. She snidely makes a remark about him next wanting to put on a rock concert, which naturally gives him the idea to sing the anthem at the end of the next event, which just happens to be the Ariel Relay. Although she gives it her all, Dash only nets silver behind Cloudsdale. Spike offers to Shining Armour to sing, but Husbandhorse doesn't tell him until it's been announced that he has to sing the CLOUDSDALE anthem, which he doesn't know. It... doesn't go as well as you'd expect, it goes WORSE.

In his shame, Spike hides for the rest of the games with the CMC coming to try and get him to go to the Closing Ceremonies. He manages to avoid it, but can't avoid Twilight insisting on it. Before the closing of the games, however, there is the traditional Ice Archery contest. Shockingly, a pony slips while his arrow is pulled back and launches it at a cloud, causing it to turn into a jagged ice ball and descend towards the crowd. The pegasi can only steer it and unicorns have had their magic blocked because of an enchantment. Without hesitation, Spike bounds forward and uses ponies as springboards to get to the cloud and melt it with his fire breath, saving hundreds. But... he's still ashamed of himself and thinks he did nothing special until Twilight observes that the only one still disappointed in him was himself and that he shouldn't be so hard on himself. Ponyville ends up winning the overall medal count by one (with rival Cloudsdale in second), Spike learns not to be so hard on himself in what we assume is a journal entry and everypony is happy. The end.

Royal Face-hoof: for when you suck so badly, the rulers of the country take pity on you.

The Equestria Games, as a concept, goes back to episodes eleven and twelve of season three; that's a 27 episode gap (and a massive season drought) between introduction and the event itself which is even longer than the Grand Galloping Gala. Many people out there are upset that the pay off to all these dedicated stories is a SPIKE EPISODE. Not just that, but a Spike Episode where the games themselves are IGNORED. Among the negative comments, I have see that, if this was the resolution to the arc, then it should not have happened at all because it makes the rest automatically worthless! I personally think people like this hyped up the games a bit too much for themselves. I mean, what sort of plot would we have had if they focused on the events? Either being a good sport, which has already been covered, or not cheating for yourself or your friends, which has ALSO already been covered. So has taking defeat graciously.

So, what would you do instead? If you feel this way, I want to know what you would do while not rehashing an older episode moral or plot.

Congratulations, Spike, you're the new Pinkie Pie!

I think the thing that most impressed me about this episode is the fact that Rainbow Dash was both boastful, but not so full of herself that she would not admit that she did not have a good chance of getting gold. Even if it did sound a little backhooved to Fluttershy and Bulk Biceps. I also really liked (more than I disliked) the fact that the Crystal Ponies seem to be the only ones who give a buck about the actions of one of the main characters and it's nice to see that he's honoured in more than just the stained glass window in Canterlot. Then we have the singing part where Spike set a new world record for most simultaneous face-hooves in a single episode, if only for the reactions on everyone's face, from Dash blanking out to Spitfire visibly restraining herself from cringing. Not to mention the fact that the writers made spell-jamming fields officially a thing for us writers to play with. Oh, and then there were the griffons continuing to be a (background) thing!

Alas, there were some points that, naturally, did not sit so well with me. For instance, Shining Armour knew what was going to happen with Spike and did absolutely nothing to stop him or help him, but that can be understandable since he was so sudden and he probably doesn't know the Cloudsdale anthem either. *Shrug* Next, I think they should have had at least a match hanging around just in case something went wrong with the torch lighting, even if that is a bit of hindsight talking. Also, Miss Harshwhinny calling him 'Mr. The Dragon' just sounds... weird and awkward to me regardless of whether or not she was just making it up, or taking naming conventions far too literally. Finally, I was disappointed that Celestia and Luna said or did NOTHING for the entire episode. At least in Sonic Rainboom she talked to Rainbow Dash at the end! I think this might be the first time we see a muted sun-butt.

I loved the design of the torch too.

So, in conclusion, I found this episode enjoyable, especially on subsequent watches when I wasn't cringing and doing my best to not turn the thing off. But the fact it was able to do that shows to me that I care about what is going on, which is an achievement. To wit, if you were to make me play my Trumpet in front of a stadium of people, I would rate this episode a fiery 78/100.

Next week, season four comes to an end in a two-part extravaganza! Twilight has to cope with Celestia sending Discord out to find a villainous creature who has escaped from Tartarus and solve the mystery of The Box, NOW! Will she be able to crack the code in time? There shall be fire, there shall be tears, and there shall be change as Twilight's Kingdom rises! Until then, this is Ciroton saying, "I only watch the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics anyway."

So... What event did Derpy participate in? Fan fictions, go! >=D

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conantheimp

conantheimp #1 · May 9th, 2014 · · ·

Honestly, I felt the same about Celestia and the other alicorns. They wouldn't have been subjugated to the OFFICIALLY CANON ANTI-MAGIC FIELDS, so why are the ubers just sitting there watching their subjects be crushed to death in hi-def slow-mo?

Besides that, I loved the episode as a whole, but I do feel they could have been a bit more...liberal with how they showed the games. Perhaps replace the time they allocated to Spike's pyrokinesis for that?

Menelaus Redz