Season 5 Overview (Part Two) · 8:42pm Dec 15th, 2015
Episode 14–Canterlot Boutique
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this, but Rarity is my third favorite pony, right behind Twilight and Fluttershy. What I loved about this episode was the simple fact that Rarity is expanding her business, so it’s nice to see that she’s finally achieving her dream of breaking out into the fashion world.
I also really liked Sassy Saddles. I wouldn’t consider her a villain seeing as how she didn’t really do anything wrong here. After all, she is a manager, so she’s going to concentrate on the long-term instead of the short-term. However, I didn’t much care for the way she basically treated Rarity like a one-pony dress factory.
“Rules of Rarity” was a catchy tune that had me humming the lyrics long after the episode was over. Damn you, Daniel Ingram! I’m envious of your ability to write such catchy and memorable lyrics with such great melodies. I liked that this song got not one, but two reprises in the same episode.
Like with “Amending Fences” we get a few new characters in this episode. There is one goth pony who I swear to God was voiced by Tara Strong reprising her role as Raven from Teen Titans, but it was actually Andrea Libman. This voice actress has got mad skills. She did Raven’s voice so well that I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. I found the design of the morbidly obese pony funny.
The ending was good as well. Rather than simply firing her, Rarity decides to keep Sassy on as an assistant. In any other show, she would have been fired on the spot.
Episode 15–Rarity Investigates
When I was a kid I was obsessed with Scooby-Doo. Looking back now, I really don’t know why. The show is really repetitive, which gets boring really fast. Why am I bringing up this bit of trivia? Because this episode brought me back to my childhood of watching Scooby-Doo. This episode also made me think of Turnabout Storm as well. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.
I was surprised to find Rainbow Dash and Rarity paired up for this episode. This is interesting as you would never think that a classy pony like Rarity would ever hang out with a brash pony like Rainbow Dash, but to the writer’s credit, they make this relationship work well in this episode. This episode is a shining example of what great dialogue you can get from two characters if you put them in the right situation. I have been pining for an episode featuring Rainbow Dash and Rarity ever since season one’s “Sonic Rainboom” where I felt they worked well as a duo. Not only that, but I was curious as to how they would work with each other if put in a certain situation.
The only thing that I didn’t like about this episode was that the bad guy behind the framing job on Rainbow Dash is pretty predictable. Just take a wild guess as to who it could be. Give up? I’ll give you a hint. His name rhymes with wing boner. His motivation and the way he goes about setting Rainbow Dash up is pretty weak, too.
But aside from that, this episode was still a lot of fun. As always, Rarity looks fabulous throughout the entire episode, no matter what she’s wearing, which is funny me saying that because Rarity is constantly changing outfits throughout the entirety of the episode. This actually gets pointed out by Rainbow Dash.
There were plenty of funny moments in this episode as well, from Rarity narrating out loud (yeah, she actually serves as a narrator throughout the episode) to the guards being distracted because of a cake. Who can blame them, though? Who doesn’t love cake? If I was bored out of my mind guarding a palace, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t mind taking a break to chow down on some yummy cake. And speaking of cake, I liked the bakery owner that Rarity talks to.
I also found Rainbow Dash’s dance silly and funny. I like it when the writers give these characters a chance to just be silly and do something funny. She does this not once, but twice. I couldn’t blame her for doing a dance. After all, she is somewhat finally getting to achieve her dream of flying with the Wonderbolts. I’m so happy for her.
Oh, and we also get to meet Spitfire’s mom. Is it any coincidence that Spitfire is basically the spitting image of her mother?
Episode 16–Made in Manehattan
Three Rarity episodes in a row? I must be in heaven.
Okay, so I really like the fact that Applejack and Rarity are going back to Manehattan, which we only saw a small amount of the last time they were there. Before they head off, Rarity brings up the Sisterhooves Social and clearly is saddened that she will miss it, as is Applejack, which I really like. What’s more, the plot of this episode is centered around Coco Pommel, a side character from last season that quickly became a fan favorite. What do I think of her? I like her, but she’s not as cute or as likable as Fluttershy, whom she has been compared to multiple times throughout the fandom.
I also like the fact that Applejack and Rarity are helping out with a play. It makes sense for Rarity seeing as how she’s a very classy pony whose character makes it seem as if she would really enjoy plays. Why Applejack is there is something that even the main characters are confused about, but at least she was able to help out with the mess that used to be the place where the play was held. I actually cried out in horror when Applejack accidentally ran over her signature Stetson hat with that mower.
As with the previous episodes, we get introduced to a few new characters, but, honestly, they’re not as memorable as the other characters that were introduced this season, probably because they have such little to do with the plot that you could remove them completely and nothing would be changed. Regardless, they do manage to put on a play that is able to attract the attention of pretty much the whole city. One of the bits that I really liked about this scene was the fact that Filthy Rich generously steps aside to allow another pony to see the play. That’s pretty nice of him, which is certainly more than I can say for his bitch-ass wife. (More on her later.)
I can’t say much else regarding this episode, so let’s just move onto the next one.
Episode 17–Brotherhooves Social
This episode was very touching. It’s been a while since Big Mac had his own episode. The last one, I think, was “Hearts and Hooves Day.” Big Mac has been a favorite among the fans since he first appeared back in season one’s “Applebuck Season,” and we’ve been pining for more Big Mac episodes since “Hearts and Hooves Day.” Did the writers succeed? In my opinion, they did.
First of all, I really love the fact that Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash are competing, even if they aren’t technically sisters. They get around this by way of Granny Smith saying that the Sisterhooves Social has already had a broad definition when it comes to what qualifies as a sister. Unfortunately for both Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, both Applejack and Rarity are still in Manehattan when the Sisterhooves Social is taking place. I really love episodes where we learn what’s going on back at home while the Mane Six are on their adventures. Because she can’t compete in the Sisterhooves Social, Sweetie Belle is still there to cheer on Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash.
Second of all, this episode stars Big Mac as a crossdresser posing as cousin Orchard Blossom. Of course nopony is fooled by this paper-thin disguise for even a minute. The instant Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle see him, they automatically point out that it’s him in a dress. However, Sweetie Belle decides to go along with it after Big Mac compliments her on how observant she is. She must get it from Rarity. The only pony fooled by Big Mac’s disguise is this elderly pony who serves as one of the judges, who apparently develops a crush on “her”, indicated that he showed up with a bouquet of flowers later on in the episode.
What also makes this episode great is not only is it entertaining, but it’s also very touching as well. We’ve seen time and time again what two sisters are like, but we’ve never seen what having a big brother is like. In all honesty, I kind of felt sorry for Big Mac. It’s never fun having to compete with a sibling for a family member’s attention. This is made even worse for Big Mac because Applejack is seen as a hero in Apple Bloom’s eyes, whereas he doesn’t really get to go anywhere or do anything or be heroic. This episode really changed the way that Apple Bloom saw him as a pony, leading to her realizing that she should take some time out of her day to spend with not just Applejack, but with Big Mac as well.
Episode 18–Crusaders of the Lost Mark
I have gone on and on about how much I love this episode. It’s one of my top favorite episodes of all-time. Like “Suited for Success,” this is one of those episodes that’s just perfect, and it’s a musical, very much like “Magical Mystery Cure.” Because I’ve talked about this episode so much, I won’t talk too much about it here.
Okay, so what do I like about this episode? Well, first and foremost, I loved all of the songs. Like the songs in “Magical Mystery Cure,” the songs here are all memorable and they all pack one hell of a punch. I especially love “The Pony I Want to Be”, which is the saddest song that this show has come out with so far. It’s like if Daniel Ingram said to himself, “I remember writing ‘I’ve Got to Find a Way’ and that was a pretty depressing song. Let’s see if I can’t take that up to eleven and make this song as depressing as possible.” Just because it’s sad as all hell doesn’t make it bad; if anything, it gives us some great insight into Diamond Tiara’s character. It seems that this poor little filly has been suffering from depression for sometime, as she has always wished that could trade lives with somepony else. For Celestia only knows how long, she’s been completely lost as to what she should do to turn her life around. This isn’t helped by her parents. It’s implied through the imagery that her parents aren’t very affectionate, which could explain why she was so mean in “Family Appreciation Day.” She was merely jealous of how close Apple Bloom and Granny Smith were because that’s something that she wants, because her parents aren’t like that with her.
While I don’t really have a problem with Filthy Rich seeing as how he goes out of his way to discipline her when needed, her mother is another story. Yeah, I don’t have anything nice to say about this pony. She’s basically one of those pageant moms who uses her daughter as a means of making herself popular. She is the reason behind all of Diamond Tiara’s brattiness. This pony basically brainwashed her child into thinking that it was not only okay to push others around to get what you want and do whatever is necessary to make it to the top, but that this is acceptable behavior.
Another thing that I like about this episode are the characters. All of them really shine in this episode, even if they’re barely given any screentime. Pip seems to have certainly become a popular character with the writers, seeing as how this is his third speaking role. (The first being “Luna Eclipsed” and the second being “Twilight Time.”) Of particular note is Silver Spoon, who gets cut off by Diamond Tiara during the song “The Vote.” This turns out to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, as not only does Spoon not vote for Diamond Tiara, but pretty tells her, “Screw you,” then goes on her merry little way. Miss Cheerilee even gets a special mention, if only for her deadpan expression as she says, “Trust me, Tiara. Pip won.” It’s clear that even Miss Cheerilee is fed up with Tiara’s attitude.
I especially love the Cutie Mark Crusaders in this episode. Despite all of the hell that Tiara has put them through, they still took time out of their day to make sure that Tiara was all right. She must have been feeling pretty crummy after she lost her election, then lost her best friend. To top things off, her mom verbally abuses her before walking off. When the Cutie Mark Crusaders inform her about this when she asks them if they were spying on her, poor Diamond Tiara looks like she’s about to start crying right then and there. Really pay attention to her facial expressions during that scene.
But what makes this episode really good is the fact that the Cutie Mark Crusaders finally get their cutie marks in the end, and I hope that this milestone isn’t the only thing that this episode is remembered for because there’s a lot to love about this episode. It has a great story, some great character moments, some great songs, and a great resolution. What’s not to love? When a writer can make you feel sorry for somepony who has done some pretty detestable things, you know that writer is doing something right.
Episode 19–The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows
Some people get on this episode’s case for the fact that Shining Armor and Cadence didn’t tell Twilight that Cadence was pregnant, but I can forgive that fact just for the expression on Twilight's face when she finally finds out. Trust me, that expression makes them not telling her completely worth it.
Some people also hate this episode for supposedly being boring. Someone said that this episode was boring as hell, nothing but Pinkie Pie doing a bunch of random crap for twenty-two minutes. I swear, it’s like some bronies will complain about anything just so they have something to complain about.
I found this episode very funny, particularly because Pinkie is basically having to go through what Twilight had to go through during “Green Isn’t Your Color.” For the most part, she pulls off not telling anyone until her friends pressure her into telling them. Some people may see this as the others being jerks, but I don’t think so. They were clearly worried about her and only wanted to help her with whatever problem she had. The bit where Pinkie envisions all of her friends as floating balloons taunting her, telling her to tell them was creepy; adding to the creepiness factor was the fact that this small scene was very reminiscent of how Discord brainwashed Pinkie in “The Return of Harmony, Part 1.”
I also like the fact that the Cutie Mark Crusaders make a couple of appearances. The first time we see them, they’re bored out of their minds. Looks like getting their cutie marks wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, as they’re begging Pinkie to tell them some sweet gossip if it means no longer being bored. The second time we see them is when Pinkie is entertaining the schoolfillies with balloon animals. During this bit, we learn that Sweetie Belle apparently likes flamingos and Apple Bloom likes goldfishes. Scootaloo ends up getting a baby bottle made out of balloons and Featherweight makes a brief appearance.
One other thing that I liked about this episode was the fact that we finally get to see Dinky Doo with Derpy Hooves, thus confirming the fan theory that Dinky Doo is Derpy’s daughter. We also learn that Spike’s love of comic books might have come from Shining Armor himself, which could explain why he was so horrified when he accidentally burned the rare comic book that Shining had placed in a plastic bag. Not only would he be panicking because he knows that Shining Armor is going to skin him alive, but also because he knows that the comic is very rare and thus, very valuable. For comic book geeks, ruining a rare comic is like destroying someone’s favorite Star Wars toy.
Of course this episode calls into question of whether or not we will be meeting Cadence and Shining Armor’s little foal next season. It’s likely. I just hope that Skyla doesn’t end up taking up too much screentime and isn’t a recolor of Sweetie Belle.
Before I wrap this up, I would like to bring up the one thing that did bother me about this episode. Like back in “The Cutie Map, Part 1” Rarity refers to Pinkie Pie as “Ms. Pie.” Again, while Rarity is a prim and proper pony, she doesn’t seem the type to refer to her family members as “Mr.” or “Mrs.” Once again, Tabitha St. Germain is at least able to make the line sound natural.
Honestly, this isn’t one of this season’s best episodes, but I still really liked it nonetheless.
Episode 20–Hearthsbreakers
Back in season four, there was an episode regarding the fact that Pinkie Pie may or may not be related to the Apple family. Even though it was never determined that she was, the Apples still accepted her as a family member. This was one of the most heartwarming and entertaining episodes of season four, so it seemed perfectly natural that it would be followed up by an episode where the Apples get to meet Pinkie’s family.
I swear, I heard that G.M. Barrow was the one who would be writing this episode, so I was taken aback when I realized that it was by a different writer. This didn’t sour my liking for this episode. I really like all of the Pie sisters, but my only problem with them is that Marble Pie is too much like Fluttershy, while Limestone Pie is like if someone took Rainbow Dash and Applejack and merged them together. What’s even worse is that these characters never rise above anything but their one character trait, so we never get to really know them beyond that. Limestone Pie is a aggressive little bitch throughout the entire episode and Marble barely says anything at all. It’s even a bit tough determining whether or not I like Maud Pie. Yes, she’s monotone and her one character trait is that she likes rocks, so I guess you could say that she’s just as bland as her sisters, which is really odd seeing as how all of the other characters introduced in this season have been memorable and likable.
What I didn’t like about this episode was its story. This being a Christmas-themed episode, the story is of course about traditions being challenged. As you would expect, the Pie family doesn’t exactly do Hearth’s Warming the way the Apples do. They eat rock soup instead of a traditional dinner; they look for a picture of a rock and put it on this gigantic boulder that is lovingly dubbed Holder’s Boulder; they hide their presents, so no one gets a present for Heath’s Warming most of the time. This leads to Applejack forcing her traditions onto the Pie family. Understandably, they get pissed off and ask the Apples to live. Apple Bloom looks outside at Limestone while she’s packing her bags. Limestone points to her, then down the road. I like to think that this is the animator’s subtle way of having Limestone tell the Apple family, “Get the hell off my farm!”
Limestone was a character that took some getting used to. She’s aggressive and comes off as very mean at first. The first thing she does is threaten Apple Bloom, which of course pisses Big Mac off something fierce. It’s a good thing Pinkie stepped in when she did. Otherwise, there would have been a brawl break out. This taught me the valuable lesson of never, ever threatening Apple Bloom in Big Mac’s presence. She also seems to be extremely possessive of Holder’s Boulder for some reason, as anytime Pinkie is on it, she gets pissed off, and she makes it a point to tell everypony present to not touch the boulder. Other than that, really, the only line that I can remember out of this character is the very first thing she says: “Gaze into the eyes of Limestone Pie.” I don’t know why, but this line really stuck out to me. Maybe it’s because it rhymed, maybe it had something to do with the way it was said, I don’t know. I also didn’t much care for her expression as Applejack was struggling to eat her rock soup. It looked like she was getting some kind of sick, sadistic pleasure out of seeing Applejack having trouble eating her soup. She just seemed to enjoy that a little too much. To her credit, she does lighten up and appears to be much more cheerful near the end of the episode.
One other thing that I didn’t like was the fact that Igneous Rock and Quartz talked in Old English, despite the fact that they seemed to talk in modern English in the flashback during “The Cutie Mark Chronicles.” This is just something that was really jarring for me, but it at least lent itself to some comedic moments between them and Granny Smith.
One other problem with this episode is Applejack’s behavior. She doesn’t bother to ask the Pie family why they celebrate Hearth’s Warming the way they do. She instead chooses to force her way of doing things down their throats. At one point, Pinkie fears that she might have to choose between her family and the Apples and starts bawling because of it, making me feel sorry for her. This makes me wonder where in Equestria Applejack managed to get all of those decorations. Furthermore, how did she manage to get them all set up without waking anypony? Where did she get the money? When did she do it? What, did she get up in the middle of the night and start decorating?
Applejack also says at the beginning of the episode that Hearth’s Warming isn’t just about presents, then proceeds to contradict herself when Pinkie tells her that most of the time nopony gets a present due to her family hiding them all. Why not? Because they’re Pies, they probably simply get each other rocks as presents, which is why they can never find them.
While this episode is flawed in terms of story and characters, it is by no means a bad episode. It’s heartwarming and it has a good message. It also has shout-outs to Home Alone and Planes, Trains, & Automobiles in there, so that automatically makes this episode suck a little less.
Episode 21–Scare Master
I always love episodes that are fun, and this episode was no exception. Some people may find it odd that a Christmas-themed episode aired in October, but seeing as how some people start celebrating Christmas as early as October, it didn’t bother me all that much.
One thing that did bother me about this episode was Fluttershy’s character. It seems as if the writer backpedaled on Fluttershy’s character growth just for the sake of a story. Also troublesome is the fact that Fluttershy goes out to get Angel some carrots, then immediately afterward decides to spend Nightmare Night with her friends. It’s as if the writer was changing plots in the middle of the episode, but seeing as how it was early in the episode, I didn’t mind too much.
I really liked all of the costumes that the Mane Six wore. Special mention goes to Spike, whose costume seems to be a little redundant seeing as how he’s a dragon already. I’d also like to make a mention to Rainbow Dash’s costume. First of all, are these characters even aware of astronauts?More importantly, how in Equestria is Rainbow Dash able to breath or be heard through that helmet? There aren’t any holes in the helmet from what I can tell. I remember back in “Luna Eclipsed” there was a filly that was dressed as an astronaut and even then I questioned how the filly was able to breathe.
Dismantling of Fluttershy’s character aside, I did enjoy her in this episode. I liked her attempts to scare her friends. What I liked about it was the fact that she was playing off their individual fears. Remember back in “Party of One” where Pinkie Pie went crazy and got depressed because she thought that her friends didn’t like her parties and didn’t want to be her friends anymore? It turns out that Fluttershy took that experience to heart when she was coming up with ideas to scare her friends, as she uses this idea in a futile attempt to scare Pinkie. She also uses Rarity’s fear of not looking her best to scare her, to no avail.
Fluttershy’s second attempt at scaring the jeepers out of her friends is a lot more effective. This is easily the highlight of the entire episode. It was great seeing Flutterbat again. As much as I hated “Bats,” I will say that Fluttershy as a bat was the highlight of that episode, and it’s the highlight of this episode as well. It turns out that Angel Bunny was the one who came up with all of the ideas to scare the others. Who knew that bunny was so smart and creative? Remember also from “Party of One” where Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy said that they were house-sitting for a bear named Harry? It turns out that this excuse wasn’t a complete lie as there is an actual bear named Harry that Fluttershy is apparently friends with. I thought this was funny.
In spite of Fluttershy being a bigger coward than Chuckie Finster (seriously, her fear causes her to think that something bad is going to happen at every turn), I still found this episode fun and entertaining. I just wish Fluttershy’s character growth hadn’t been sacrificed for the sake of the plot. It would have been so much better had she been assertive and decided to join in on the holiday despite her fear instead of having to be talked into it.
Episode 22–What About Discord
My God, was this episode dull as a rock! It’s episodes like this that have me worried about Discord as a character. What made “Make New Friends But Keep Discord” so great was the fact that Discord learned a valuable lesson about friendship. Here, the writers sacrifice the story for visual gags involving Discord. It’s like the writers have no idea what to do with him, so they instead opt to use him to shoehorn in as many pop culture references as possible.
In spite of the lackluster story, it was nice seeing Discord and the others bonding for a change instead of both parties being antagonistic towards each other. Twilight's dilemma in this episode was identifiable and anyone who’s ever missed something great because they were too wrapped up in something else can relate to it.
Aside from some funny moments with Discord and the others, I’d suggest skipping this one. Trust me, you won’t be missing much.
Episode 23–The Hooffields and the McColts
The story in this episode is nothing new, but that doesn’t mean that this episode wasn’t enjoyable. We haven’t had an episode involving Twilight and Fluttershy since season one’s “A Bird in the Hoof.” However, unlike episodes like “Rarity Investigates” or “Putting Your Hoof Down”, the problem with these two characters being paired up is the fact that they’re so alike that it’s hard for them to work well off each other. The reason why Rainbow Dash and Rarity worked well as a pair was the fact that they were so vastly different, which made the pairing not only funny and entertaining, but also very interesting.
I like the new characters in this episode. Ma Hooffield and Big Daddy McColt were both humorous. However, as entertaining as these two characters were, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever see them again, but you never know. They could make an appearance in season six.
Twilight was also likable in this episode. She doesn’t use her magic to solve the problem. In fact, she uses every method that she can think of that doesn’t involve magic, but to no avail. Meanwhile, poor Fluttershy isn’t given much to do other than protecting animals. If it weren’t for her, she never would have learned the real reason why the two families were fighting in the first place, and she only gets to do something near the end of the episode where she tells the two families this piece of information.
I liked the callbacks to previous episodes during the hot air balloon ride as well. Other than that, I really can’t say anything else.
Episode 24–The Mane Attraction
Watchpony listed Countess Coloratura as their favorite character from season five. It’s easy to see why. Not only is she adorable as a filly (no surprise there), but she’s also voiced by Lena Hall, a Broadway star. That automatically makes her one of the best characters this season. It also helps that she has an exquisite singing voice. Very lovely.
Like the previous episode, the story in this episode is nothing we haven’t seen before, but the writers do their best with what they’re given. I don’t think this is the first time a singer’s manager has been portrayed as either being gay or being a selfish jerk. Sometimes, like in this episode, it’s both. However, this doesn’t make Svengallop a bad character. He’s just doing all he can to make sure that Countess gets as much publicity as possible. If you’ve seen this type of story before, then you should probably know where this leads.
One thing that I liked about Ra-Ra was the fact that despite being one of the most popular singers in Equestria, she isn’t stuck-up. Usually in a story like this, you would have the old friend being snubbed by the singer. However, in this story, Ra-Ra is delighted to meet Applejack. She also carries a trait that a lot of celebrities have: caring deeply about children, a trait that is very admirable about her.
For those who don’t like Applejack for some reason, they may see Applejack’s persistence to prove Svengallop of being a bad guy as being rude and inconsiderate. I do not think the same as they do. I see Applejack looking out for the best interest of her friend. I have no doubt that she would do the same for her other friends if they were in a bad situation like this as well.
One thing that I would have liked was to see more interactions between the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their former enemies. I’m pretty sure there will be a fanfic written about what happened while the events of this episode were going on, though.
However, one thing that I really did like about this episode were the songs. Once again, I really would like to hear full versions of the songs in this episode that were really short. With “The Spectacle” it’s as if the writers and animators are begging the bronies to do a remix of this song, and this is one song that I would like to hear a full version of.
Episode 25 and 26–The Cutie Remark–Part 1 & Part 2
I tend to not much care for the premieres and finales due to them being riddled with plot holes, inconsistent character moments, and a lot of the characters being reduced to being helpless and powerless for the sake of the plot or so Twilight can swoop in and save them all.
I didn’t get any of that with this finale. What I got was a highly entertaining story that went back to the season one episode “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” and made a story out of it, very much like how “Amending Fences” was made out of an incident from “Friendship is Magic–Part 1.” I love it when these writers do this and I hope that they do more of it in the future.
While Starlight may not have left much of an impression on me during the premiere, she certainly left a lasting impression with this finale, and quickly became one of my favorite villains. Why? Well, aside from Discord, she was the only villain who managed to tear the Mane Six apart. What’s more, she managed to take a spell that Starswirl the Bearded had created and improved on it. Whereas Starswirl’s spell only allowed a pony to go back a week, Starlight’s improvement of it allowed her to go to any place in time. Of course, one could argue that perhaps Starswirl knew the unfortunate implications of time travel from experience and deliberately created the spell with such a short time span on purpose.
What really makes this episode work is the fact that the story is very simple. It’s also interesting seeing the various alternate realities that result from Starlight’s meddling in the past. It really goes to show you that even the tiniest change in the past can have devastating effects on the future.
I do agree that Starlight’s motivation for why she’s doing what she’s doing is kind of weak, but I think that this might have happened to Apple Bloom had she not met Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. She might have grown to hate cutie marks because the lack of one made her different.
The other thing that I really love about this two-parter was the song at the end, as well as the shot of all the characters from the series just before the credits begin to roll. I actually have it as my desktop background.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There was a common theme throughout this season. The theme for this season seemed to be the loss of friendship. There were a ton of episodes this season that explored what it means to lose a friend and what happens to a pony if they should lose a friend. We’ve seen characters go through heartache, pain, and a lot of hurt from having lost their friends whether through a misunderstanding or through poor decisions. At the very least, these lost friendships were repaired in the end or were at least on the road to being recovered.
Overall, what did I think of this season? Compared to season four, which had a few episodes that I didn’t like, this season was very good. In fact, I’d call season five one of the best seasons this show has ever had. To quote Watchpony, "the hiatus took a while, but the payoff was well worth the wait." Almost every episode that came out this season I really liked. There was only one episode that I outright hated, that being “Princess Spike.” Yes, there were some dull episodes that I didn’t much care for, but I wouldn’t call these bad episodes. None of these episodes offended me or angered me. They just weren’t as good as some of the other episodes this season.
The new writers that were brought in to write this season I think are very good. I look forward to whatever new episodes they come up with, which is more than I can say for some other writers. Hopefully like Merriwther Williams did with “Wonderbolts Academy” and Amy Keating Rogers did with “Crusaders of the Lost Mark”, these writers can redeem themselves in the future. I am really looking forward to season six, but like I have said multiple times before, I hope that season six is the last season we will get out of this series.
I’m honestly baffled at what the writers plan on going with the series from here. I just hope that adding Skyla and Starlight to the cast doesn’t turn out to be a grave mistake that ends up ruining the series. I’m also curious as to whether we’ll be getting more episodes with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I imagine that they, along with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, will be reduced to the role of Spike, meaning that the writers will have no idea what to do with them. They’ve fulfilled their purpose, so I’m confused as to what the writers plan on doing with them from here. Season five may have been the best season we've had since season one. Unfortunately, this may be the last good season we get. I have this sinking feeling that it's all downhill from here on out. Hopefully, season six will be the last season we get and the film will serve as the series finale. Unfortunately, I've heard rumors that Discovery Family has already ordered a seventh season for the show. I really do hope that these are merely rumors, as I feel that the show has run its course and should just end already before the creators end up running this thing into the ground. This pony fad was fun at first. Now it's starting to get old, very quickly.
I just want the show to go until the staff feel they've done all they can, without completely rehashing old ideas. I still think there's plenty of room for CMC episodes without them trying to get their cutie marks, it happened in episodes like "Hearts and Hooves Day", "Flight to The Finish", "Twilight Time", and "For Whom The Sweetie Belle Toils", and we got to see them interacting with Diamond Tiara in "The Mane Attraction".
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Behind the scenes, Hasbro is the one calling the shots. This is why Twilight became an alicorn and why the Equestria Girls films were made, so I have reason to believe that season six won't be the last season of this show. Even after the film gets released, it's a certainty that Hasbro will keep the show going. Personally, I feel that the writers have done all they can with these characters. They tied up a lot of loose ends in this season, so, to me, that leaves very little room to do anything new with these characters. I feel that they have rehashed old ideas, especially in the case of "Princess Spike." And the moral to "What About Discord" was pretty much the same as "Make New Friends But Keep Discord." I feel that the show has run its course and its time to end it. However, I have hope that the writers are able to do something new and creative in the next season. I just hope them adding Skyla and Starlight to the cast doesn't turn out to be a big mistake. I'm hoping that Starlight will be reduced to a recurring character like the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
Not really. She was present, but it at least seems that her reformation has stuck. I do hope that we get more episodes of her in season six.
3620936 I hope so as well. I'd like to see her join the CMC.
3621043 I'd take an individual episode regarding her and Silver Spoon. I'd love to see what the inside of her house looks like. I really liked that we got to see Sweetie's bedroom in "One Bad Apple." I understand that this is a kids' show, so the most the writers were able to get away with was Tiara being emotionally abused by her mother. If this weren't a kids' show, i'm willing to bet that the writers would have gone all-out and implied that Diamond Tiara was being sexually abused at home.
3621068 That went dark pretty fast.