Episode Review: The Road to Friendship/The Washouts

1; The Road to Friendship

Well as a Starlight fan, I have to say I did rightfully enjoy this episode. However, I don't have a ton to say about this one (or the subsequent episode.) Not to say they are bad, it's just that I feel these aren't episodes that give me a lot to talk about. This is especially so with TRTF. It's basically a roadtrip episode and it has some of the usual fare that you see in typical road trip specials/movies/episodes. So it's not really breaking new ground.

I will have to say that I did enjoy this episode for one really big reason. Trixie and Starlight DO NOT spend most of the episode arguing. A lot of these types of episodes pit together more confrontational characters or have the arguing happen earlier and spread out through the run time. Not here. Oh they are get on each other's nerves now and again, but they are quick to apologize and move on. Which is nice. It shows that they are close friends and aren't mean spirited people. I mean, the major argument doesn't even happen until over half way into the episode. So I felt it was done better to build up to it then have us slog through a ton of mean spirited arguments. Trixie and Starlight's friendship has always been a great thing in my opinion, mostly because it made Trixie an actually enjoyable character. (I'm sorry Trixie fans. I didn't think Trixie was all that enjoyable or written that well in her first two episodes.)

I will have to say that I thought the Saddle Arabian fellow was a bit of a jerk. While he was a nice guy overall, he seemed overtly willing to trade for Trixie's wagon... with Starlight. Given how agitated and tired she no doubt was, he basically swindled them out of the wagon WITHOUT talking with the actual owner. And don't give me the 'Starlight probably lied that she also owned the wagon' or 'he just assumed they both owned it'. No. Trixie was the owner and had said no previously and she is the head magician. She's in charge of the show so going behind HER back like this was sleezy. Yeah, he gave it back to them after seeing their state, but doing it in the first place was wrong.

Still though, it's a good episode. Nothing really made me laugh but the episode made me smile as we explored more of Starlight and Trixie's friendship. I did like the song. Not one of the best in the show's run, but good enough. (Also nice teaser with 9 seasons Starlight.)

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2: The Washouts

Oh.... Oh, hmmm. You know, in most seasons this would be one of my least favorite of the lot but since I've come to not care for most of this season, it's one of the better ones.

Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad episode. The message about safety and whatnot was done well enough. It was a serviceable moral and showed in the episode. My major issue is the Washouts themselves. Well it's mostly because... it feels like they were barely in it. We never really get to know them. They were more there to serve the moral then be actual characters.

Why do you ask? Well the tall mare with the scar who sped through thunderstorms? After her initial introduction, she doesn't get to say anything after that. She's done. No more explanation. The other guy has anger issues and shouts most of the time. It's not really hard why he got kicked from the Wonderbolts. Actually, that's a major thing in this episode. You see CLEARLY why these people got kicked. Heck, they even scoff at 'safety' rules. I know that's going towards the moral but still. One would think Rainbow would take MORE of an issue with this. She does but she plays back into her narcissism. (Which felt a bit played up in certain scenes. It felt frustrating when RD seemed to care more about the club then Scootaloo at points.)

I'm not knocking stunt people or people who do these things for a living. It's just that it's quite clear who's in the wrong so it makes Scootaloo look a bit foolish. (Or maybe I'm not just a fan of her because the writers seem to have forgotten how much of an RD fangirl she is. She doesn't seem to even want to listen to RD.)

And Then Lightning Dust ties her to a giant rocket... Okay, I thought they were going to make LD at least more likable here. I'm one of those people who ACTUALLY did like her in Wonderbolt Academy. Who thought she could easily turn around because she wasn't a bad person. Reckless? Yes, but a lot of that went more down to Spitfire encouraging this behavior and allowing it to happen instead of stepping in and telling LD to hold off. Having LD come back and be so... this? It feels off and them more playing up her negative qualities without really getting us to know her and why she came to this choice. I mean, they sort of do at the beginning but then... a giant rocket. That she has not tested before...

To a child... I'm sorry, is it legal in Equestria to employ a child? Especially in extremely dangerous jobs?

Look, the interactions between RD and Scootaloo were great (aside from RD's narcissism being played up a tad too much at at times). Addressing Scootaloo's inability to fly and RD's wish of her following in her hoofsteps was something great and I did like it. Just sort of wish the Washouts got more fleshing out instead of being rather one note.

Also, the Spitfire scene was utterly hilarious and made me laugh. I can't hate this episode especially with that in place.

So overall it's an okay episode that has a few problems. Still serviceable.