SPOILERS? Mariusioannesp Reviews: "P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)"

WARNING!!! The following contains SPOILERS for the latest MLP episode “P.P.O.V. (Pony Point of View)”. Try saying that three times fast.

Now, without further a-she-said-she-said-do, here is my review of “P.P.OV. (Pony Point of View)”.

Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie return from a boat trip completely infuriated and unwilling to have anything to do with each other. Twilight Sparkle and Spike seek to get to the bottom of what happened during this boat trip that led to this falling out among their friends. However, their investigation runs into a bit of a problem when Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack each have significantly different stories about what happened that lays the blame for literally sinking the trip on the other. Twilight has to unravel this tangled skein of biased storytelling to figure out what actually went down on this trip. Will Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie be able to understand what went wrong and keep their friendship afloat?

So, what’s the verdict?

Well, this was certainly interesting. I think there was definitely more good than bad here.

So yeah, I liked it…. I guess.

We begin this time after the events in question at the heart of this episode. Twilight Sparkle, as adorkable as she has been in quite some time, is making her way to the train station with Spike. She’s excited to find out about the time Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack had on a boat trip they went on at Seaward Shoals.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy didn’t join them because they had to go to their Cloudsdale flight school reunion. That kind of sounds familiar. Isn’t there a Friends Forever comic about that.

Indeed there is.

Anywho, Twilight thinks this was for the best as Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie were looking to get out of their element, you know trying something new. Twilight is very excited to hear about the trip. So, the train arrives with Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack on board, but they’re not exactly in the mood to talk.

Twilight is determined to find out what happened on this boat trip so she invites Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie to a tea party. However, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie send their pets Winona, Opalescence, and Gummy in their stead.

Opalescence and Winona bear letters from their respective owners stating to the effect that they don’t want to partake in Twilight’s gathering with the other ponies present. I like how their letters perfectly match their manner of speaking. Pinkie also has a letter to the same effect scrawled on Gummy’s belly. Given this unfortunate turn of events, Twilight decides that if her friends won’t come to her, then she will go to her friends.

Twilight and Spike go to Rarity at Carousel Boutique to get the story of what happened on this boat trip.


Rarity found a crab. You know there was a meme once of Rarity fighting a giant crab based on one of the comics of the “My Little Pirate: Friendship Ahoy” arc. Perhaps this alludes to that and/or the comic itself.

Rarity though is rather reluctant to share the tawdry details given how traumatic it all was.

Oh, there’s the fainting couch again.

Either way, Rarity relents far too willingly and begins to tell her tale of woe. All the while, Twilight has Spike take some notes.

It all started on the docks of Seaward Shoals.

Since Rarity knew that the others wanted to get out of their element, she wanted to surprise them by giving them a luxury cruise experience. Rarity makes a point of noting that she only brought with her a small bag with a few key essentials.

Since when does Rarity only take a small bag with her anywhere. Nevertheless, I digress. Then, Applejack shows up.

Yeah, for some reason in Rarity’s story, Applejack acts like a pirate. Rarity acknowledges Applejack getting into the the maritime spirit, but she’s determined make this boat trip as fancy for them as possible. She puts out some cucumber sandwiches she brought for them to enjoy. Pinkie also brought copious amounts of candy, which Rarity appreciates though she’d like them all to try her sandwiches. Applejack however tosses the sandwiches overboard for some reason.

Back in reality land, Twilight points out that Rarity’s characterization of Applejack in her story doesn’t sound like Applejack at all. Back in Rarity’s story, Pinkie tries lightening the mood by setting up a piñata. She invites Rarity to participate, which she willingly accepts. However, a storm suddenly comes out of nowhere, and Applejack is determined to sail them right through it!

Why does Applejack suddenly have a cloth around her eye?

Anywho, Rarity tries to consult the map and convince Applejack to choose a more cruise-worthy route. Applejack doesn’t budge though because this is apparently the only route to someplace called Thunder Cove. Rarity struggles with Applejack over the map, and then Pinkie gets into as well, declaring herself the captain!

Rarity claims Pinkie has succumbed to the same sea madness that got Applejack. With that, a giant wave comes and sweeps the boat away!


This looks familiar.

Ah, The Perfect Storm. That’s a movie I’ve never seen.

The boat ended up sinking because of this, and Rarity lays the blame squarely on Applejack. Though Spike is curious as to how they even got back if the boat sank, Rarity is too emotionally drained to continue her story. Twilight questions whether Rarity possibly exaggerated parts of her story. Rarity takes umbrage at this accusation.

Rarity assures Twilight that everything happened just as she said. If she needs further confirmation she can ask Pinkie. Rarity is certain Pinkie’s story will line up with hers.

Twilight and Spike then go to Pinkie at Sugarcube Corner to get her take on these events. Pinkie disagrees with Rarity’s claim that Applejack sank the boat. Pinkie claims that it was Rarity that sank the boat. Pinkie starts her own story of the events in question while Twilight has Spike take notes.

Since Pinkie knew that her friends wanted to get out of their element, she wanted to surprise them with the funnest, silliest, boat party ever.


To that end, Pinkie packed all kinds of snacks and games for them all to enjoy.

Pinkie thought she overpacked, but then Rarity shows up.


I admit, this seems more like the amount of luggage Rarity would bring.

Applejack also greets them with a bit of sailor talk. That must be the reason Rarity depicts her as a pirate in her story. But back to Pinkie’s story. Of course, Pinkie brought along a lot of fun snacks for her fun boat party. She offers Rarity some freshly-spun cotton candy, but Rarity balks at this as a proper snack for their luxury cruise. She insists they all try some of the cucumber sandwiches she brought.

There are the cucumber sandwiches again. These are apparently important. Rarity then throws the cucumber sandwiches over the side of the ship, declaring that the cucumber sandwiches are now so ten seconds ago. Back in reality land, Twilight points out that Pinkie’s characterization of Rarity in her story doesn’t sound like Rarity at all. Back in Pinkie’s story, Pinkie tries lightening the mood by setting up a piñata. Pinkie asks Rarity to participate, but she balks at this too.

This is in stark contrast to Rarity’s version of events.

She invites Applejack to participate to which she willingly obliges.

So that’s how Applejack got the cloth on her eyes from Rarity’s story.

Then, the storm sets in! All of Pinkie’s stuff gets swept away by a wave.

Pinkie sees Applejack and Rarity struggling over the map and takes it as them playing tug of war to decide who’ll be captain and joins in herself.

However, she relents when she sees the giant wave coming towards them. Rarity trots to the bow of the ship and declares that they shouldn’t worry because luxury cruises never sink.

With that, the giant wave comes and sweeps the boat away!

The boat ended up sinking because of this, and Pinkie lays the blame squarely on Rarity. Twilight questions the veracity of Pinkie’s story given how extraordinary it was, but Pinkie insists that is exactly what happened. The only thing she exaggerated were the number of porter ponies carrying Rarity’s luggage. She says there may have been even more of them, but Applejack should know how many exactly there were. Spike is still curious as to how they even got back if the boat sank, and Pinkie is about to tell them when she notices her muffins are burning and runs off.

Twilight and Spike go to Applejack at Sweet Apple Acres in hopes of straightening out what exactly happened on this boat trip. Of course, Applejack disagrees with Rarity’s claim that she sunk the boat and Pinkie’s claim that Rarity sunk the boat. Applejack claims it was both Pinkie and Rarity’s doing. Applejack starts her own story of the events in question while Twilight has Spike take notes.

Since Applejack knew that her friends wanted to get out of their element, she wanted to surprise them with rip-roaring, sea-faring adventure.

To that end, Applejack brought a treasure map. Wait. Where does Applejack get a treasure map from? But then Rarity and Pinkie show up.


Pinkie brought a stick.

Applejack greets them with a bit of sailor talk and tries to explain to them the adventure she’s got planned, but they seem rather uninterested.

Hey, Rarity is doing that whole “King of the World!” thing from Titanic.

Not only that, but the dress Rarity is wearing in Applejack’s story is apparently the same as the dress Rose wore in that movie.

Titanic. That’s another movie I’ve never seen. But my sister has. I think she saw it when she was eight or nine or something.

Anywho, Applejack finds that Rarity and Pinkie are more concerned about snacks than the treasure-hunting adventure she had in mind.

Rarity balks at the party snacks Pinkie has brought, insisting that they all try her cucumber sandwiches. Oh, the cucumber sandwiches again.

I love how much Rarity says “darling” in this scene because that’s how pretty much anyone would exaggerate it. Rarity says "darling" quite a bit.

Rarity takes the sandwiches when Pinkie tries to get them all in her mouth. Applejack slips on a beach ball Pinkie has brought and crashes into Rarity who ends up throwing the cucumber sandwiches over the side of the ship. Applejack is apologetic over this, but Rarity will have none of it and harrumphs at her.

For some reason, Pinkie also harrumphs at her too. Back in reality land, after Twilight and Spike decide that he should do it, Spike points out that Applejack’s characterization of Rarity and Pinkie in her story doesn’t sound like Rarity or Pinkie at all. Back in Applejack’s story, Pinkie tries lightening the mood by setting up a piñata. Pinkie asks Rarity to participate, but she balks at this too.

Pinkie then sneaks up behind Applejack, blindfolds her, and spins her around, sort of forcing her into playing with the piñata.

This is a bit different than in Pinkie’s version of the story.

Then, the storm sets in! Applejack tries consulting the map in order to change course, but Rarity tries taking the map to use as a tablecloth for her cheese board.

Of course, Applejack still needs it to find the only way to Thunder Cove. Oh there’s this Thunder Cove again. Applejack and Rarity start struggling over the map, but then, Pinkie starts struggling with them for the map as well.

The map is lost in the struggle, and Applejack tries to regain control of the ship.


With that, a giant wave comes and sweeps the boat away!

The boat ended up sinking because of this, and Applejack lays the blame squarely on Rarity and Pinkie. Twilight isn’t sure about this either. Applejack is apparently waiting for an apology from Rarity and Pinkie before she considers talking to them again. Spike’s not sure how they’re going to get them to talk to each other again if they all blame the other for what happened, and Twilight isn’t sure either.

Back at the castle, Twilight is trying to figure out how to get Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack back together again. She’s concerned that if they don’t talk to each other, they’ll forget what good friends they are. Spike’s concerned that they won’t be able to figure out what really happened on the ship given they have three contradictory accounts of what happened. Twilight notes that their stories are more similar than one would think. After scribbling some things on a chalkboard and staring at it, Twilight suddenly figures out what actually happened and how to get Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack back together again.

How does Twilight figure it out based on that?!

Soon enough, Twilight and Spike are at the docks of Seaward Shoals with their own little dinghy.

Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie come running to the dock having received messages from Twilight about a friendship emergency delivered by their respective pets.

Where did Pinkie come from?

Of course, they’re not happy to see each other. Twilight apologizes for her subterfuge, but she admits that they are the friendship emergency. Applejack doesn’t see it that way; she just wants an apology. Pinkie balks at this; she doesn’t need to apologize because it was Rarity’s fault. Rarity of course disagrees because she believes Applejack sunk the boat and stranded them in the middle of the ocean. Spike can’t take it anymore! He demands to know how they got back after the boat sank.

Well, it turns out the boat sank in the shallows not too far from the docks that they started this excursion from. It’s rather underwhelming isn’t it.

Anywho, Twilight convinces them that if they join her on her boat they’ll find out what exactly happened on their boat trip. Though they’re all pretty certain when it comes to what happened on the boat, they agree to come with Twilight just to prove to the others wrong. On the boat, Twilight explains that while their stories were different, they did share one key detail. That is cucumber sandwiches, and Twilight demonstrates this point by throwing a cucumber sandwich over the side of the boat. Turns out, cucumbers are favorite food of the tri-horned bunyip. The sandwiches that fell overboard attracted one into the shallows, and it sank the boat. They think this is a bit of a stretch, and frankly, it is. But then, the tri-horned bunyip shows up.


While Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack acknowledge that the bunyip was the likely cause of the boat sinking, they feel that doesn’t excuse the other ponies’ behavior. Twilight has an explanation of that as well. Rarity, Pinkie, and Applejack were each so preoccupied trying to provide the others with the particular vision they had for this boat trip that they didn’t even realize that the others' were doing the same thing. Once they realize this is what they were all doing, they’re actually appreciative of the others efforts, and they reconcile. Twilight notes that sometimes even long time friends need to learn how to properly communicate with each other. Really. That’s this episode’s lesson. Well, it is a lesson I can stand behind, I guess. You know, the past couple of episodes, we’ve had some pretty subtle lessons. I’ve always taken that as an acknowledgement of maturity on the audience’s part because they don’t have to have spoonfed for them. But I don’t know about this though. It's really on the nose, you know.

Anyway, with all that out of the way, they start having their own luxurious adventure boat party, even with the bunyip joining in. Applejack finds that treasure she wanted them to look for.

Should they really be eating ice cream out of old cups you find in a chest at the bottom of the sea.

Twilight even lets Spike finally have a snack.

And that’s pretty much it.

This episode was written by the Fox Brothers, Wil and Michael P. This is their third episode this season, and pretty much their third episode ever. As of yet, I still don’t notice anything about their particular writing style standing out among the other writers. However, all their episodes so far include some combination of Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Twilight Sparkle, and Spike. It’s possible they focus on these characters because they’re the ones they’re the most comfortable with. (Recall that Rainbow Dash’s appearance in their last episode “Applejack’s “Day” Off” seemed a bit off. Then again, Applejack was pretty off in that episode too.) It looks like they don’t have any further episodes this season, but so far they haven’t impressed me too much. If they come back for the next season, which as I understand is happening, they’ll have work very hard to change that.

This episode is an example of what has become knows as a Rashomon-style story. This, of course, alludes to the classic Japanese film Rashomon, which was the first film to feature stories depicted from various characters’ perspectives that have an implicit bias towards them. Rashomon. That’s another movie I’ve never seen. Either way, apparently this is a kind of episode M.A. Larson wanted to see done. (Honestly, it might have been better if he had been able to do it himself, but now he’s off doing…. Something else.) Still, one the things I liked about this episode was that even though each version of events are very different, you can understand how it came to be seen the way that particular pony saw it. For example, Applejack’s bit of sailor talk in Pinkie and her own story as well as the stated intention in her story of a treasure-hunting adventure is probably why Rarity depicted her as a pirate in her story. Applejack’s mention of trying to get to Thunder Cove appears in Rarity’s story and her story, but not Pinkie’s story because she didn’t witness that conversation. Each story has the cucumber sandwiches thrown overboard, but Rarity’s story has Applejack throw them overboard, Pinkie’s story has Rarity throw them overboard, and Applejack’s story has Rarity and herself throwing them overboard by accident.

Generally, these Rashomon-type stories reveal at the end what really happened. This episode doesn’t do that. However, the original film Rashomon doesn’t reveal what really happened either. MLP should get props for that. (It’s also possible that they just didn’t have enough time to include that.)

I feel though that there was a missed opportunity to be really creative with the stories from each pony’s perspective. They could have depicted each story in a different animation style that’s sort of reflective of the storyteller’s personality. At least that’s what I was expecting. I was looking forward to how bat-flipping insane a story from Pinkie’s perspective would be. (You know, kind of like in Season 2’s “MMMMystery on the Friendship Express.”) But that didn’t happen. Despite how extraordinary Twilight says Pinkie’s story was, it’s just as mundane as the others.

Surprisingly enough, we got a few additions to the canon in this episode. There’s the new locale of Seaward Shoals. I’ve always wanted to see what a seaside town would look like in Equestria and the kind of boats they’d have and stuff. It seems they have old fashioned sailboats. Anyway, I always do enjoy seeing environs in Equestria. And there was this tri-horned bunyip. Bunyips are real mythical creatures from Australian Aboriginal mythology. Interestingly enough, there is no definitive description of what a bunyip looks like. Just many contradictory ones. (Perhaps that’s the reason a bunyip is in this episode.) One of the more common ones though is that it’s some combination of a dog, a crocodile, and a walrus. That’s kind of what we see here. Also, we see what might actually be the flag of Equestria.

Apparently, it’s very similar to the flag of the Canadian province of British Columbia.

Why British Columbia though? Well, British Columbia is the Canadian province where Vancouver is located, and Vancouver is where DHX Studios has its headquarters.

Does that make Equestria like British Columbia? If Equestria is like British Columbia, does that mean Equestria Girls could take place in British Columbia?

As for what I didn’t like, the ending ends up exculpating everypony’s guilt. Many times the truth behind a Rashomon-style story usually reveals that all those involved are at least partially guilty. Here, it is revealed that this tri-horned bunyip was responsible for sinking the ship. On top of that, there is almost no hints in Rarity, Pinkie, or Applejack’s stories that the bunyip was responsible for sinking the ship. It just comes out of nowhere!

Overall, “P.P.OV. (Pony Point of View)” was a somewhat decent episode. It was pretty cool seeing MLP do a Rashomon-style episode. The ending left much to be desired, but there is rest of the episode is very good.

What did y’all think of “P.P.OV. (Pony Point of View)”?

God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless Equestria.