Doesn't Thor Use a Hammer, Though? [episode spoilers!] · 4:09pm Sep 2nd, 2017
In today's episode, it turns out all that whining Thorax was doing in Triple Threat was actually foreshadowing! How about a direct episode sequel?
All I know about this episode is that the first thing Trixie says involves "Starlight" and "not straight", and then they end up in a sack, and I was so into it, you guys.
Man, I used to think changelings sucked when everyone treated them like misunderstood snowflakes. No, they really suck now. And I have to assume Thorax leads them because he has the largest/most horns. I mean, Pharynx doesn't turn out too bad on that note by the end. But he's obviously #2 changeling. Also, they still refuse to use the word 'King'.
So, uh, I'm pretty sure this episode endorses bullying. <.< Like, seriously. Pharynx's only redeeming quality was that he cared about his brother... and showed it by driving off Thorax's bullies so he could bully him himself. Defeating the Great Mall Monster Thing involves application of techniques utilized to good effect while bully Thorax. And then everyone wants to hear the story of how Phraynx used to bully his brother when they were young. c.c Like, seriously? I think they fucked up.
Thankfully, the episode as a whole was tremendous amounts of fun. I will never get tired of Trixie being a dick to Starlight. This was like All Bottled Up, but even better. I continue to be impressed by where Starlight's character has gone this season, and the fact that I've actually started enjoying seeing her in episodes. The monster was interesting. The new changelings suuuuuuck. XD
I don't actually have a whole lot of things to say, other than I enjoyed it, and Starxie is best lesbian couple. :V Wait, no, what am I saying, Lyrabon is best! D: Lyrabon is best! I'M SORRY!
The Perfect Pear
A Royal Problem
Parental Glideance
To Change a Changeling
Fame and Misfortune
Honest Apple
All Bottled Up
Rock Solid Friendship
Forever Filly
A Flurry of Emotion
Triple Threat
Discordant Harmony
Campfire Tales
Celestial Advice
Not Asking for Trouble
Hard to Say Anything
Fluttershy Leans In
You're in My Head Like a Catchy Song
Best Friends Until the End of Time
We're Not Flawless
Battle for Sugar Belle
I kept comparing this episode to that one episode of Steven Universe where Steven's uncle comes in and it's like, "How will Steven face his greatest threat ever? A conservative!" :B
Shortly after the episode, based on what I know of insect biology…
Just remember to separate bullying behavior from dominance behavior and we're fine. (I missed the episode and am waiting on it to show on Dailymotion)
I HATE what they did to changelings.
I do love how Trixie still thinks that casting a spell she doesn't know means lighting her horn and shouting the desired result.
I also quite like Pharynx's new design. "Prince of Defense" has a nice ring to it.
I don't care what anyone else says. I love stupid gay Thorax and his stupid-ass gay-ass hive.
10/10 literally the gayest thing I've ever seen
4655816
It's literally "stop hitting yourself". It's bullying. :B
This morning, before the episode aired, I wrote down two fic ideas. The first one involves Luna raping people. The second is about Twilight discovering the joys of vomiting.
I may be out of fucks to give
4655833
It's just like "teacup!" She's so used to stage magic, she has an automatic vocal component to all her spells. :V
4655851
I love this comment.
Also obligatory "HA HA Starlight says she used to have a cult for the eleventy billionth time but everyone just kinda looks away awkwardly and wishes she would stop doing that now."
I'm just REALLY WORRIED that the new changeling empire has no economy, hospital, or at least some form of soldiers keeping them all safe.
When Chryssie comes back, she's gonna overrun the hive in seconds unless King Thorax and Prince Pharynx can build these up in time...
4656054
That is an episode I would watch about a dozen times in a row.
4655855
I dunno man, a really good chunder can make you feel pretty damn good if somepony holds your mane out of the way.
Pharynx actually says to the two "On the old days, I would have feasted on their love". Starxie is now officially canon.
4655885
She actually seems to be taking more enjoyment in her backstory. Which is strange. And I'm not sure I disapprove.
Also, I figure mentioning that is what fired her up to give the speech she did.
I want trixie to never ever stop being this trixie-ish.
Is this what it's like to be Sethisto? Because Trixie is very best pony-ing right now.
Also Pharanx is best changeling.
God this color thing is a bullshit problem. As are most of the feeling forum things. Soup guy's cool though.
This delayed reaction to the speech is super dumb. Also it turned out they didn't need the whole hive after all, making the entire thing pointless.
4655833
"It's my process." XD
4655885
On the plus side, they're acknowledged that her plan was crap! :D However, they failed to mention that while manipulating people and sabotaging them is perhaps better than controlling them with magic, it's still a bad thing to do in a lot of the same ways. D:
4656816
Yes pls.
In conclusion, Trixie remains great especially when paired with Starlight, whom she actually makes fairly enjoyable (I'm not yet on board with her as a whole, and I don't know how much credit to give for the okay performance in the "Flaws" episode where she was basically Spike and may have been a copy-paste replacement). The new changelings suck hard, but Pharynx is super great, and though the outline design is still pretty bad with him at least the color palette is pretty good.
What do you like about where Starlight's character has gone this season?
4655885
Annoying, but at least the term iron hoof is canon
4657027
I should probably write a whole blog post about this.
So, people complained at the end of season five that Starlight's reformation was rushed. I agree, but at the time, it just seemed part and parcel of the show's oeuvre: you sing a song, the villain's your friend, the end.
But season six spent its time sending Starlight through the emotional wringer again and again, and all that ever came out was her bad side. Instead of starting off with "Starlight is everyone's friend now", it should have been "everyone is willing to give Starlight a chance, let's see how she uses it". This season, we've been getting to know more and more of her as a person -- c.f. "I like kites" -- which is what should have been happening with her last season. Let her lapse back into villainy once, maybe, to show she's not perfect, but season six should have been focusing on Starlight getting to know the mane six and coming to understand friendship in its fullness. Then, savior of Equestria or not, this season could have been throwing her through the emotional wringer and letting her fuck up, and then overcoming those fuckups to emerge as someone we actually want to be friends with the mane six.
tl;dr: They went the wrong way with her character and got us off on the wrong foot with her, which they are making up for now by giving her an actual personality beyond "has made mistakes in the past".
Need to watch the episode today (was out hiking all day yesterday), but if you missed Friday's drunkwriting, Bradel, Not_A_Hat and I prewrote a fixfic for the episode!
(KwirkyJ did an epic livereading for it that I'm trying to get some help creating a YouTube version of.)
4657235
I'm planning on reading that soon! :D
This is where we, the fandom, start making it all better by writing new!changeling fanfics that are actually thinly disguised social commentary on intentional communities.
Because I actually kind of liked the disparity between the changelings' new philosophy of sharing love and still having trouble accepting the odd one out and realising that his concerns are actually valid.
I'm not sure it counts as bullying? Sibling relationships tend to be weird and unique. My sister and I used to brawl alot when we were younger but I'd like to think we're quite close now.
My god, the changelings are metrosexual fabulous hippies and I love it. And Pharynx is an emo edgelord internet commenter and I love it. And Thorax played with dolls as a kid and I love it. And Thorax is finally balancing being kind of wishy-washy and being a leader and I love it.
And Jesus Christ, Starlight and Trixie of all the heel-turns saying "Yep, Pharynx is hopeless"...
Didn't love that.
Good use of Starlight as the dumber, more impulsive Twilight. Good use of Thorax actually being caught in a believable conflict of interest and working through it. Good use of Trixie as Starlight's comic foil, although I swear to god the S8 formula will be "Trixie makes people hate her, conflict will come, Trixie will apologize, Trixie will not change, rinse and repeat." The episodes write themselves.
Very enjoyable, and greatly endeared the new Changelings to me.
4657139
Got it, thanks.