Friendship is Card Games: A Little Horse · 12:02pm Jul 16th, 2023
Of course she is, but how’s her throat?
For a half-second, I thought the bushy-maned blue unicorn was a young Misty and we were in a cold-open flashback. Sadly, we aren’t getting something that interesting.
It’s honestly kind of funny to see Pipp’s fame be exactly as big as the plot needs it to be, no more, no less. Sometimes the entire known world waits with bated breath for her next post. Sometimes her entire fanbase is this generation’s Cutie Mark Crusaders. Consistency would be nice, but this honestly feels fitting for somepony defined by something as fickle and ephemeral as Internet fame.
There’s something tragicomic about a pegasus panicking about a low battery. Though it’s not like you can just blast it with lightning. That rarely ends well…
Careful, Pipp. You’re the one who has to pay to replace the store’s microphone.
Going by that “Together again,” this is after Bridlewoodstock… which is meant to be somewhere in Chapter 5. The tradition of inscrutable continuity snarls continues.
Also, did Pipp not do any vocal warm-ups before now, or is this hitting her completely out of the blue? I could believe the latter. I’m getting a sympathetic tickle in my throat just watching it.
Zipp’s fanfillying outweighing sisterly concern doesn’t speak well for her… but on the other hand, she may have seen this before and isn’t worried for Pipp.
Also, guys, I understand not wanting to contaminate the stream, but you could have watched live (in theory. In practice, there are probably guards posted outside to ensure nopony interrupts it.)
… Oh. Apparently the coughing fits and hoarseness weren’t enough for Zipp to conclude her sister was sick until dramatically appropriate. At least she doesn’t call herself the world’s greatest detective.
Sparky is no mood for these shenanigans. He’s the adorable, immature babbler around these parts.
Pipp. She can open the laptop. Unless you have that thing on a five-second lock, she’ll know. (Though I may be giving Zipp’s investigative abilities too much credit.)
Also, it does make sense that Pipp hates being unable to produce content. Inactivity is tantamount to death in her industry.
Sure, put the mercury bulb of the thermometer on the end opposite that of the bit that actually goes in the pony’s mouth. Great design, guys. (And it’s not like they couldn’t make it digital.)
Zipp knows her sister becomes very high-maintenance when ill. She doesn’t know how to treat her during those times. I can only conclude that she left Pipp in the hooves of the palace servants prior to this.
Also, I sure hope Pipp isn’t infectious.
“Did you just come here to be mean to me until I feel better?”
“No, not totally.”
I do appreciate this kind of sibling interaction.
Ah, they’re going for the “Read it and Weep” angle. Though I doubt it will work as well for Pipp as it did Rainbow Dash.
The Chronicles of Chevalia, eh? Definitely feels Narnia-inspired. Also interesting to see the themes of the spines. We have a wing, a tree, an apple, a unicorn beneath, a boat atop a tidal wave, a compass rose on the Chevalipedia…
There’s a lot to take in here. And I do appreciate Zipp nerding out like this. This series may have been what inspired her to work so hard to return flight to her people.
“Let’s hope it’s two days.”
Never mind that Pipp only delayed the Electric Blue collab to that evening. They can’t wait forever.
Impressive airtime on the book. And a nice catch by Sunny.
Sunny continues to be an exemplar of earth pony values, empathizing with frustration of not being able to go out and do things and offering to beat the problem into submission with food and folk remedies.
It’s sincerely heartwarming to see Haven caring for her sick daughter personally… even if a cynical part of me suspects they wanted to save money by not having to make a servant rig.
Yeah, Pipp doesn’t exactly have the world’s most distinguishing palate. And that was before all those powdered energy drink sponsorships. Sunny likely has Haven’s contact information (and can get it from Zipp if she doesn’t) but the queen actually being available…
Actually, she probably saw Pipp’s coughing fit; goodness knows most of the civilized world did. I wouldn’t be surprised if Haven were making (or ordering the making of) that soup as these two speak.
“I may have no idea how to make this soup, but that’s never stopped me from doing something before.”
This is true; Sunny does specialize in doing the impossible with at best vague instructions. But, again, primary source available. Do some research, History Horse.
Ah yes. Everypony wants to help. The problem is that none of them coordinated to make sure they weren’t overwhelming Pipp with their aid. And of course Hitch refuses to even listen to her. Congratulations! You are being entertained. Please do not resist.
Hitch’s “We’ll be back” feels more like a threat than a promise. At least he’s sticking to dull nature facts and not horrifying ones.
Whoops. Tea potion, minus the potion. I can understand forgetting the actual enchanting; not something Izzy’s had a lot of opportunity to do, and she usually works in solids.
Sunny’s Google fu is weak.
And here’s our contrived rationale for why Sunny can’t ask the primary source. Again, everyone and their mother was watching that livestream. Does Zipp really think her mother was the exception? 
Zipp holding back Pipp with one hoof in midair is a delightful visual. Pipp calling her phone Bestie is also wonderful. And I do appreciate Zipp not wanting to involve her mother even as she exercises her own quasi-maternal authority. She’s a born ruler whether she likes it or not.
Delivery aside, Sunny actually has a clever cover story. Helping spread the Zephyr Heights cultural hegemony across Equestria appeals to both Haven’s ego and her political goals.
(Also, yes, Haven somehow has remained ignorant of Pipp’s live coughing fit. I can only assume the entire city is working to keep that knowledge from her given how she’d react to it, and from that I have to conclude that Zipp has the right idea.)
Wasn’t expecting to see an anti-mind control helmet again. Certainly not as an accessory on a tortoise. Likewise good reuse of Sparky’s mask from the ball.
Pipp does make for an excellent patroness of the arts. Kenneth, on the other hand, has no patience for critics who cannot understand his dramatic vision. Also, good to know Breezies are still remembered.
The nickname “Pipperoni and Cheese” raises some concerns about how unicorn cuisine has developed over the centuries. Or at least Izzy’s.
I wish we got more of this kind of trial-and-error magical experimentation as ponies rediscovered magic. Good on Izzy for not giving up.
And the following scene is just… completely forced. Apropos of nothing, Misty’s here. Apropos of less, Zipp decides now is the perfect time to discuss her investigation of Opaline with her still-ill sister. With Misty literally standing next to them. Because opsec is for commoners, and organic plot progression is for writers who didn’t burn half of the season on filler and the same scene of Misty feeling conflicted while watching conveniently doubt-reinforcing media.
Well, at least Pipp’s into it.
Zipp casually dismissing Misty’s suggestion is honestly kind of hilarious. Again, born leader, which means she rarely if ever listens to born henchmares.
Haven saying “For the love of Cloudpuff” is a delightful touch. And yes, it does seem like the entire city is conspiring to keep her from rushing away from her duties and to Pipp’s bedside.
“What other kinds of magic are there?”
A grim reminder of how many species have been lost and forgotten. Though I do like the idea that the G5 population are descended from banished malcontents. (Twilight’s message in the Unity Crystals was left in the hope that they could turn themselves around after several disenchanted generations.)
Misty, what are you hoping to accomplish? Zipp’s already come to the conclusion and you can’t cough over every single attempt she makes to share it with the others.
The newspaper wrapping paper on Misty’s gift is a nice touch. Not like she has any better options available. Likewise telling Pipp what it is before she opens it; Misty’s never had an occasion to get or receive a wrapped present before.
And Zipp has decided that, after confessing one secret to her, Misty is above suspicion no matter what else she does. Sigh. (Also, an older sibling misremembering something they inflicted on the younger as happening to themself feels… familiar. I won’t go into detail.)
Speaking of shameful secrets, I’m not even surprised by Haven’s confession. Compared to maintaining a facade of flight among the flightless, keeping up this soup charade would be effortless.
Also, Sunny, if that food cart’s been operating for the princesses’ entire lives, I’m sure more ponies in Zephyr Heights know where it is than just the queen.
Okay, magnetic hooves have been variably ridiculous over the course of G5, but seeing that bottle of nail polish all but glued to Pipp’s frog may be the most ludicrous execution of the concept I’ve seen.
I’m very late on commenting on this, but Pipp’s Spike plushie raises some fascinating questions. A gift from Sunny? A memory preserved in her home? Pure coincidence?
Izzy, your safety goggles are not boosting anyone’s confidence in this latest cup of tea.
… Oh. If it’s just chamomile, then why the goggles? (They do nothing, obviously, but still.)
Loyalty is a wonderful, sometimes terrifying thing. Like when it makes that stallion’s eyes all but pop out of his skull. Or assume an inexplicably French persona.
“I’m just stir-crazy from being inside today!”
So… how often does Pipp actually spend the day working at her salon? Though I suppose in that case, she actually has things to do.
No, don’t montage this. I’d legitimately like to hear Zipp’s thought process. It might restore some of the investigative credibility she lost in basically every scene she’s ever shared with Misty.
The Tim and Eric “mind blown” gesture was a bit much.
“I hope she’s not getting sick too.”
You mean like she already claimed she was? Zipp really needs to work on her observational skills.
So… if Opaline assumed ponies already knew of her, why did she disguise herself while trying to advise Sunny? Heck, why hasn’t she marched into town, head held high, assuming all ponies present will bow their heads with due reverence and voluntarily surrender their magic? That line just makes zero sense.
(On the other hand, if she is an ascended Trixie gone mad, as the “great and powerful” bit suggests, that would explain potentially everything.)
There is no reason why Misty would know the local history curricula, Opaline. (Also, way to undermine the growing doubt. She feels really bad about this… but the moment her friends know too much, it’s back into the forelegs of her abuser. In the end, Misty’s a mercenary. If Zipp had offered to investigate ways to get her cutie mark, things might have gone differently.)
Should’ve said this earlier, but Sunny, just because someone likes something doesn’t immediately make it magical. Also, you probably should’ve gotten that in a to-go container. (Unless she poured it into the bowl in the kitchen.)
Of course Pipp knew it wasn’t homemade. She was already in on one palace conspiracy; what’s another?
I feel like Misty missed her cue and Opaline decided to just roll with it. Also, credit to Zipp for forcing the plot into greater action…next episode.
Hmm… Yeah, I can believe Pipp can produce a professional-grade livestream from the Brighthouse. Why wouldn’t she have all the accoutrements on hoof?
In all, this was a good character study and plot catalyst, but it’s one of the most lightweight Make Your Mark episodes yet. This feels like a Tell Your Tale episode stretched out to twenty-two minutes. On a rack. And I’m not just saying that because we had something similar in Tell Your Tale. And it really does feel like Misty got thrown in because they realized there had to be some setup for the finale. (Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised if they settled on episode concepts first, then figured out how to weave in the narrative through line.) There are enjoyable components here, but it never feels like more than that.
It’s possible that this was designed with binge watching in mind, that it was deliberately made to be an appetizer for the finale and not meant to stand on its own. Too bad. If I’m giving half an hour of my life to this thing, I have a minimum expectation for the return on my investment. 
In any case, let’s see how I can make use of what it did provide:
No Results 1W
Instant
Target player can’t search their library this turn.
Draw a card.
Sometimes you just entered overly specific search terms. Sometimes the palace doesn’t want you to get an answer.
Aslan’s Roar 3W
Sorcery
Choose one —
• Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. Those creatures gain vigilance until end of turn.
• Tap all creatures your opponents control.
Entwine 1W (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)
Courtly Flatterer 3W
Creature — Pony Advisor
This spell costs 2 less to cast if another player is the monarch.
When Courtly Flatterer enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.
A kind word in the right ear opens many doors.
2/3
Attend the Queen 6WW
Sorcery
Assist (Another player can pay up to 6 of this spell’s cost.)
Target player creates four 1/1 white Pegasus creature tokens with flying. Another target player creates two of those tokens.
Haven calls. The herd answers.
Breezie of Wishes 1UU
Creature — Pony Faerie Wizard
Flying
When Breezie of Wishes enters the battlefield, search your library for an instant or sorcery card with mana value 3 or less, exile it, then shuffle.
When Breezie of Wishes dies, you may cast the exiled card without paying its mana cost.
2/2
Mnemonic Crystal 2U
Artifact
T: Add U. Put a charge counter on Mnemonic Crystal.
3UU, T, Sacrifice Mnemonic Crystal: Draw a card for each charge counter on it.
The Bridlewood is filled with historical records that nopony remembers how to read.
Passionate Reader 3U
Creature — Pegasus Citizen
Flying
Whenever you cast a Story Spotlight spell, draw a card.
“It makes total sense if you read the web serials. And the comics. And the head designer’s blog.”
2/4
Regal Xenomancer 5U
Creature — Noble Wizard
Alicorn (This card is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
When Regal Xenomancer enters the battlefield or at the beginning of your upkeep, Regal Xenomancer gains another target creature’s abilities until your next turn.
Mana of any type can be spent to activate Regal Xenomancer’s abilities.
5/5
Debilitating Illness 1B
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Whenever enchanted creature attacks or blocks, put a -1/-1 counter on it.
Enchanted creature’s activated abilities cost an additional “Put a -1/-1 counter on this creature” to activate.
No rest for the wheezing.
Bridlewood Butcher 2B
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
At the beginning of each upkeep, if a player sacrificed a nontoken permanent last turn, create a Food token. (It’s an artifact with “2, T, Sacrifice this artifact: You gain 3 life.”)
Visitors are assured the cleavers are just for tough roots.
2/3
Forgotten Legacy 2B
Sorcery
Exile all cards from target player’s graveyard. For each historic card exiled this way, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)
Twilight’s greatest blow against Opaline was having both fade from memory.
Ruthless Investigator 4B
Creature — Pegasus Rogue
Flying
When Ruthless Investigator enters the battlefield, sacrifice any number of nonland permanents, then draw that many cards.
“If you want answers in this town, you can’t be afraid to get your hooves dirty.”
3/2
<2UU Sorcery
Rigorous Interrogation 2UU
Sorcery
Investigate for each creature target opponent controls. (To investigate, create a Clue token. It’s an artifact with "2, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”)
“Just a few more questions and we can all go home.”
<4B Rogue
Charging Bolt 1R
Instant
Charging Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature, planeswalker, or battle. You get a number of E (energy counters) equal to the excess damage dealt this way.
Equinity’s relationship with electricity has changed much since the Twilit Era, but pegasi remain its masters.
Fleeting Fame 1R
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Vanishing 3
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each time counter on Fleeting Fame and has trample.
When Fleeting Fame leaves the battlefield, enchanted creature’s controller sacrifices it.
Difficult Patient 3R
Creature — Pegasus Noble
Flying
Whenever a player gains life, you may have Difficult Patient deals 3 damage to that player.
1B: Another target creature gains lifelink until end of turn.
The only thing worse than a smug princess is a whiny one.
3/1
Warmonger Dragon 4RR
Creature — Dragon
Flying
Whenever a creature deals combat damage to one of your opponents, that creature deals that much damage to each of your other opponents.
Morph 3RR (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for 3. Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.)
4/4
Bounce Back 1G
Instant
Remove all -1/-1 counters from target creature. Put that many plus one +1/+1 counters on that creature. It gains trample until end of turn.
The Brighthouse is a place of miracles. Pipp’s recovery was only the latest.
Holistic Healer 1G
Creature — Unicorn Druid
Holistic Healer enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each card type among cards in your graveyard.
Whenever Holistic Healer attacks, you gain life equal to its power.
Bridlewood medicine, like everything else there, is based on what you can scavenge.
0/0
Miss the Obvious 1G
Instant
You may cast this spell without paying its mana cost if it targets a creature with power 4 or greater.
Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. That creature gains hexproof until end of turn.
Some things are simply too big to notice.
Insightful Ranger 2G
Creature — Pony Ranger
Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may pay 2. If you do, draw a card.
Everything you wanted to know about the wilds of Equestria… and everything you didn’t.
3/2
Loading Screen 4
Artifact
Whenever a player casts their first spell from their hand each turn, exile it.
At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, that player may cast any number of cards they own exiled with Loading Screen without paying their mana costs.
Please stand by.
Desperate Diva BR
Creature — Pegasus Performer
Flying, haste
At the beginning of your end step, if Desperate Diva didn’t attack this turn, sacrifice it.
Some ponies lack object permanence once they’re out of the public eye.
2/1
Review the Case 1(gu)
Sorcery
Shuffle any number of target cards from your graveyard into your library. Investigate.
Gathering evidence is only part of the process. Bringing it together into a cohesive whole is what solves mysteries.
Dedicated Videopteryx 1WU
Artifact Creature — Dinosaur Drone
Flying
Whenever a creature with flying you control becomes the target of a spell or ability you don’t control, draw a card.
Pipp’s fans send her all manner of unprompted and improbable gifts.
2/2
Forced to Act 1UBR
Sorcery
Set two schemes in motion. Skip your next turn.
Zipp’s investigation made Opaline try to bring centuries of scheming to fruition in a matter of hours.
The Tree of Fortunica 4GW
Legendary Creature — Plant Avatar
Defender, reach
Adamant — The Tree of Fortunica and each other creature you control enters the battlefield with a hexproof counter on it if at least three green mana was spent to cast that spell and an indestructible counter on it it if at least three white mana was spent to cast it.
2/12
Aerial Superiority
Conspiracy
Hidden agenda (Start the game with this conspiracy face down in the command zone and secretly choose a card name. You may turn this conspiracy face up any time and reveal that name.)
Whenever a creature you control with the chosen name attacks, you may pay U. If you do, that creature gains flying until end of turn.
Sick episodes can be effective, but this sounds like it's all over the place. Oh well.
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Passionate Reader gets an acorn stamp because all copies of a card must be treated identically by the normal rules. FoME has done more openly Un-cards before so this isn't actually a problem.
Inside Baseball Alert: Theoretically, a butcher is only supposed to be preparing meat killed by someone else. The Bridlewood ones seem to be following this instead of what you'd normally expect from a "butcher" that costs black mana. (Seriously, WH40k did not need to translate it into Latin to achieve the desired effect.)
Stupid Complicated Game Alert: Spells that are cast go to the stack and then the graveyard, so the Loading Screen won't let you cast a given spell more than once. Nice try though.
As a sick episode – which do have an audience, I admit! – this really is all over the place. The hopscotch nature between the plotlines of everypony helping Pipp have obligatory check-in syndrome settle like five minutes in, and the cross-cutting makes such an absolute hash out of a narrative skeleton or escalation that it beats the Chapter 1 opening special on that front. It's schizophrenic, and that's before you get to the ponies' insensitivity being the same as ever, and the impossibility of getting an actual moral or thematic takeaway from all this. Plus, them repeating the same “I appreciate what you’re doing, but what I need is x” line from Pipp over and over, with a touch of “Aw, you did this from me? You’re the best!” to go with it.
Plus, you know, it's starring Pipp, and you'd need a pair of talents like Daniel Ingram and Amy Keating Rogers to make us care for a character previously loathed like her, the way they did for Diamond Tiara in "Crusaders of the Lost Mark". You don't need to watch this to know that G.M. Berrow and this episode's writer Dave Horwitz don't come within a mountain's throw of that. But, for those that haven't… they didn't. Not helped by AJ Bridel's sick voice for Pipp grating fast on the eardrums (it's just inflecting sickness into a different voice, possibly her natural one), enough that I was glad to be back to her regular “inflect singing notes and terrible modern slang” voice at the end.
When watching this, right before Misty showed up, I was actually thinking, "wait… are they choosing to not have overarching plot elements for the penultimate episode of this Chapter? Bad time to do so…" Given said elements coming in brought some of this series' most blatant character idiocy and inorganic writing, so much so that even you are exasperated, I wish they had done that, even with this being the penultimate episode.
…It's a sign of how much the Tell Your Tale shorts blend together that I'd totally forgotten about that early short from half a year ago. To the point that, upon your above comment, I thought, "That was one of the first twenty… right?" Nope, from last December!
Irony is, for Netflix audiences who don't watch TYT on YouTube, it'll seem like the copycat, at it's #41 and thus just barely missed migrating to Netflix a few days ago.
Looks like there were some copy-paste glitches or something to either side of Rigorous Interrogation
Chevaliers were also French mounted knights. So yeah, more horse puns.
Yeah, they'd never do anything like that