Redo review: Season 3

Let's continue looking back to the entire show. Remember, this review will assume you've already seen the show, so spoilers ahead. Shall we?

The Crystal Empire

Introducing a new place in Equestria of the same name, this episode has even told a detailed backstory about the empire itself, along with bringing back some other previous well-known characters (although they still carry the problems they had before). My biggest grudge with this though is the lack of character development for King Sombra (the laziest villain in the show) and for how partially unoriginal his appearance is, much like Nightmare Moon. The episode's songs, other than The Ballad of the Crystal Empire, were really nonsensical for me. The message about risking your future for somepony else's was also deliver properly, and really teaches even adults how to make sacred sacrifices worthy of others, and is honestly something even I can keep in mind when situations like it come up, also the action scenes are very cool to watch. The Crystal Empire is a well-paced episode that offers a great depth of story, along with some more memorably spectacular moments in the whole show in general. 4/5.

Too Many Pinkie Pies

The plot has never been rushed when it involved Pinkie Pie choosing between two friends to hang with and with great performances of the characters' acts in communication with Pinkie, it sure does stand out even more. Also with a great moral of choosing only one out of two friends to hang with, it definitely does teach fans of all ages to choose one whether or not one's better than the other on a personal level. The outstanding moments of determining who the real Pinkie is, besides the other two scenes I just mentioned were one of the best moments of not just the episode, but also of season 3 in general. It's not without moments of odd weirdness and a bit bogged down if only a little bit of weak writing in only some small moments but it positively makes for a wonderful if slightly imperfect Season 3 installment. 4.5/5

One Bad Apple

One Bad Apple has been given mixed ratings and reviews. It's been hated for its mean-spiritedness, which I honestly have to admit was a major flaw with this episode, and at times it's been loved (or at least liked). But I honestly really get why anyone would call this episode good. As for more me, I feel it’s more in my okay category nowadays. Flawed for its mean-spiritedness as I said, the episode does have other problems. The plot was terrible at first, and despite that it's still unbearable for me to sit through it's even more understand on the bullying aspect of Babs, Diamond and Silver Spoon. The message came across badly along with some of the writing. But the positives I do have to give it have to be the song of Babs Seed herself and the part of her becoming one of the Crusaders which was a great pleasure considering the fact that Babs is an underrated character in general. So I might understand some of it nowadays, but since I still can't stand most of the moments throughout its pacing, this is no longer bad, but is only worth listening to and not watching the song and the CMC clubhouse scene before the last minute or two is the only part in my eyes that is worth viewing at some points. 3/5.

Magic Duel

Improving upon the characters' personalities instead of recycling their showoff attitudes in Trixie's previous episode (which is not that impressive, considering she still behaves like that in the entire rest of the show), they positively have shown off that they're better at helping Twilight to take down an antagonist rather than showing the cocky parts of their personalities off. Easily one of my favorite moments of the episode and the season in general has to be Twilight's second duel with Trixie in trying to fake impressive yet impossible to pull off over-the-top spells in order to trick her into removing the Alicorn amulet. I must say that Twilight's training scene with Zecora was a pleasure as well. The moral of using the magic of friendship and not actual magic to trick Trixie was done and admitted magnificently too and I'm not going to say anything about the animation other than how it provided those superb moments of both Twilight and Trixie which was just spot on. 3.5/5.

Sleepless in Ponyville

The first of the dream-themed Cutie Mark Crusaders episodes. Sleepless in Ponyville's plot is exciting burst of entertainment for great moments like the camping aspect of Rainbow Dash saving Scootaloo from death, the so called "Olden Pony" (later revealed to be just an old mare looking for missing horseshoe), and Luna's scenes of teaching Scootaloo to confront her fears to get over them. The dialogue has been done great if a bit embarrassing from Scootaloo's nervousness in front of Rainbow Dash and a little flawed in the script of Rarity and her usual accent when asking Sweetie Belle for things like flowers after setting up her fancy larger than large tent. My only flaws with it have to how Scootaloo's frighten reactions can be cheesy at some points and that Luna appearing in Scootaloo's dream at random can be a little questionable at first but now I'm just fine with it. On the other hand the moral of learning to face your fears in order to overcome them is a great lesson to learn and even helps me at times understand it. So in the end, this is one of the finest installments of season 3 and if you love camping-themed TV episodes, this one is definitely for you to enjoy. 4.5/5.

Wonderbolt Academy

The best Rainbow Dash episode in the entire series for its wacky pacing of the plot around the academy. My favorite thing of the episode may very have to be just how much of her personality that Rainbow Dash shows of to audiences via the intense scenes of the powerful tasks she and the pegasi take in the academy. The writing has been greatly done and say for some of Pinkie's dialogue which made her a bit cheesy in character. Even Lightning Dust's personality is a great contrast to Rainbow Dash, a mere reflection of what she could have become. All and all though, with great plot, memorable character traits and a well delivered moral about a big difference between pushing yourself as hard as you can, and just being reckless, Wonderbolt Academy is one of the best episodes of the season. 5/5.

Apple Family Reunion

Applejack is an underrated character in MLP, and the same can be said in my eyes for some of her Apple Family episodes which at times I can call underrated, but this is an arguably nice addition. Sometimes Apple Family Reunion has been called one of the worst episodes of the show, but in my case, it's really not. The plot is good what with the Apple Family in a huge reunion with each other and includes great moments for me like the other main characters and even the moment of AJ's realization of the things that the whole reunion was truly for. The only problem I had with it though were how much Applejack showing off her acts of exhausting the whole family dragged on a little too much which was a bit of a filler if you ask me. The episode's song "Raise This Barn" though has to be one of my favorite tracks in the entire show. The moral of doing just the simplest of activities with family and not pushing it too far to make the time memorable was a great lesson to teach and really does have an effect on my own life when comes to hanging out with family. All of the spot aspects added with the good story and wonderful message, this is definitely an enjoyable season 3 chapter and one of the best of the Apple Family episodes if not the entire series. 4/5.

Spike at Your Service

Sometimes a much hated episode just needs to be view at least decently when you look only at the pros. For this one, I have honestly been changing my thoughts way too much on it. I found it to be rather interesting back when I first saw it that I could re-watch some of it, although granted it does get a bit corny at times. So while some might hate it for Spike being at his stupidest and just being out of character, I'll view it as he was at least trying to be of good assistance to Applejack. Ignoring how cheesy it still sounds at times, for the most part, I could listen to it while I sit through the episode, not to mention find it humorous when Spike sometimes goes out of character. He may not be my favorite character of the series, but for this episode, he wasn't that bad to me now that I change my view on it and view it most positively than I do negatively when people kept ranting about it in their own reviews of it. So I do understand people's hatred for this episode, but in all honesty, I could keep on watching it. 3.5/5.

Keep Calm and Flutter On

This episode has great depth of and fantastic development for each and every character included. Not only provides some good humor moments, but also some heart-melting ones at that. Like when Fluttershy calls Discord her friend and refers to him as a real sweetheart by the end of the episode. That being said, the episode is not flawless. The pacing is too fast, the plot is rushed, the ending feels forced to some extend and one thing I can't forgive to this episode is that it failed in something the show never disappointed me before: the animation. For the show standards it's bad, really bad (basic animation movement, blurry backgrounds and disordered pasting are the top of the iceberg ONLY). I can understand why everyone likes it and, to be fair, it’s a good episode, but calling this an amazing masterpiece... I don’t think so. 3/5.

Just for Sidekicks

Spike very much brings the problem of needing gems upon himself since he snacks on them whilst baking a gem cake. And then he's back to square one at the end with no gems. The humor is hit-or-miss most of the time. That being said, taking the Mane 6 away was a great movement so everyone, from Spike and the pets to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Zecora, can shine. It has a bit of a slow pacing, but at least Owlowiscious and the other pets seem to agree about Angel being awful. Overall, there's honestly very little to talk about, but I have a more positive perspective towards this episode in comparison to the rest of the fanbase. 3/5.

Games Ponies Play

Too many people despise this for being stupid in its elements, the predictable story or even for how bizarre it felt for the most part. Despite this, I must give it a break because I find it watchable if it was ever one of the last episodes that's left of the show. After all, it's more humorous when you compare it to Just for Sidekicks, so there's not much else I can say other than that to say the very least. 3/5.

Magical Mystery Cure

The plot is great, the concept is great, the animation is great, the music is great, the ending is great, Twilight grows as a character. But there's one little big problem with this episode: the script itself leaves so much to be desired. If feels like the series jumped the shark because every episode involving Twilight’s new princess role is one that Cadance could fill (to finally do something with her) and, honestly, it’s more interesting to see a unicorn stand out between goddesses and demons rather than she ascending and being at the same level as them (but with no choice because we need a toy commercial from the producers). You can watch it without seeing the previous seasons and nothing would change because it did whatever it wanted with the concept of the show, it has a crass amount of plot holes and incoherencies for a 20-minute episode, the spell is a misused MacGuffin, the main problem is weak and confusing and the solution is quick and forced. But... did I like the episode? ...Yes, because it proved that the writers can do any spontaneous plot the best they can to patch these errors. A musical episode that exalt the virtues of the show to levels never imagined before, they take something from us, but they give us something in exchange. 3/5.

Overall season ranking: 3.6/5