Back from losing internet, and thoughts on the last three episodes · 2:56am Aug 23rd, 2016
So, I've been without the internet for like two and a half weeks. That sucked. Anyways, I wasn't around to see the reactions to the last three episodes, and it seemed like people had some strong reactions to the last two. All three were actually pretty cliche. Though one did the old trope well, one was just really forgettable, and one was kinda bad.
The Cart Before the Ponies
This was the forgettable one. Like, I legit forgot what happened in it for awhile because of how bland was. Not bad, per se, but very by the numbers. Could have been interesting if they switched sisters when trying to do it right rather than having their sisters work on carts that don't fit their know-how. Still, as I said, not bad. Just kinda meh. Rarity's bird cart was amusing.
28 Pranks Later
This was the best of the three. I know, old trope and all, but the pranks were actually pretty amusing to watch. Especially the Rarity cake prank. Apparently some have compared this to MDW, but the context was a lot different. Rainbow was actually bothering everyone rather than just being a bit too cocky, and it wasn't about showing her up in front of unwitting bystanders. I'm a pretty huge Rainbow Dash fan, she's easily my favorite character, but some of you need to chill with coming to her defense constantly. She's not an abused little woobie. In this case she was pretty much asking for it after some of those pranks. Season 6 has actually been a fairly decent season for Rainbow Dash episodes.
As a side note, this isn't the first MLP episode to do the prankster going too far and her friends getting her back thing. My Little Ponies Tales did an episode with this same setup, The Impractical Joker. It was one of the better episodes of that series. The prankster, Patch, is basically an earth pony fusion of Rainbow and Pinkie.
The Times are a Changeling
Yep, this is the one I actually dislikes. "We hate changelings." Spike sings. "We love this changeling; here's our baby." It just felt like the bad, phoned in type of writing that gives cartoons a bad reputation. The worst part is that it was actually only a little off the mark. You don't need to match the 100k long fanfics about changelings for this to work. Okay, push Spike's motivation as the fact that he's from a belligerent race that doesn't have the best reputation. And rather than a song, Spike uses his status and says he'll take personal responsibility if Thorax does any damage. End it with everyone being a bit distant and cautious towards Thorax as he's somewhere in the empire, except for like one or two ponies that give him a chance. Maybe Sunburst, or, I don't know, the old librarian pony takes a liking to him after he straightens up some books. Showing a step in the right direction is just a better ending than the instant switch. Being a bit lowkey and subtle rather than beating the audience over the head goes a long way.
I did kinda like the flash back with the baby changelings (nymphs, as they're usually called in fanfics) and Chrysalis being nice to her evil babies was a nice touch. And I'm glad they didn't try to redeem the whole race or give them too much of a sob story.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2016/8/21/1230551__safe_screencap_princess+cadance_princess+flurry+heart_spoiler-colon-s06e16_the+times+they+are+a+changeling_implied+vore_thorax_call+me+maybe_carly+rae+jepsen.jpeg
Yeah I didn't really get Cadance readily presenting her baby to him, and I'd like to think Shining still has some lingering reservations about changelings after everything they did to him and his wife.
I thought the episodes were decent personally, the cart one was meh, the zombie one was okay, and at least thorax was adorable. I do agree on people needing to chill though, most of the reactions I see after an episode airs is 'the need to go back to season 1/2 writing!' or 'This episode offended me!' or some variation of those two. It's honestly a little annoying seeing that all the time.
Still, glad to see you back.
I really thought The times are a Changeling was a cute episode with some good stuff in it. Cart before the ponies could've been improved upon, and so could 28 Pranks Later.
And all the while Thorax alias ... Chrysalis was thinking " All according to the plan ... "