This Tell Your Tale Episode Was Just Beautiful | My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale Episode 58 Review/Discussion + Quick Misty Saga Update · 11:53pm Aug 10th, 2023
You guys want to know why I love Misty so much? Okay, you guys probably already know, but seriously, I think she’s a character we can all relate to as her story is one of G5’s many high points. Never did I expect a Tell Your Tale episode to tap into Misty’s insecurities in the way that I did as the exploration of her character was for the longest time relegated to Make Your Mark exclusively. But I love the new direction that this series is going in. The more I see TYT embrace the more heartfelt and emotional side of its story, the more I feel confident in its future. The news that Make Your Mark is ending this year has honestly been rough on me as you all can probably tell, but with banger episodes like “As The Misty Clears” and this one coming out, I’m getting to the point of acceptance, where I trust Tell Your Tale to carry G5 into the future of 2024. It still has a lot to prove if it wants to be MYM’s sole replacement for the next year, but it maybe, just maybe up to the challenge if this episode is anything to go by.
So what’s the story for this one? Well the source material from that leaked clip I posted on my channel that marked my first venture into a video passing the 1k view mark has finally been revealed as we finally get the context. Misty wants her cutie mark to glow like the rest of her friends, so Izzy offers to show her the ropes! Shenanigans ensue and Misty runs off crying once she can’t get her cutie mark to work. Sunny finds her in the forest and the two have a heart-to-heart about their own experiences. Misty graduates “Sparkle School” and that was the episode.
Not much to it on the surface, but the way it adds further dimension to Misty is just fantastic. Now, I personally thought that her arc was over once “Missing The Mark” was released, but I was dead wrong. And boy, am I glad to be. Just because Misty left Opaline doesn’t mean that all her problems are over. She still needs to find her own identity separate from Opaline’s slave and fit in amongst the ponies. It’s clear that this era of G5 is primarily focused on developing Misty and it’s one of the reasons why I’ve come to terms with Make Your Mark ending, as it’s clear that this is Misty’s story first and foremost. As long as a new CGI series or special takes its place after 2024, I’m cool with it as that’s where this generation belongs. What makes G5’s structure really cool to me is that it’s structured more like a shared universe than one show, with multiple projects taking place in the same continuity. And I really like that. Seeing TYT tackle Misty’s doubts about her place among the ponies was something I didn’t think I’d see from this series, and I love that it is Sunny that talks with her in the woods and not anypony else. Out of all the Mane 5, Sunny would be the one to really understand what she is going through, and it really manages to reframe Sunny’s arc throughout this generation in a fresh and clever way. Having her open up to another one of our core characters and relate to their experiences gives her further agency as a protagonist and you understand her more. I really hope that Chapter 5 of Make Your Mark expands on this development as Sunny and Misty really go well together. Misty being unsure of her place amongst her newfound friends is very sad and her not knowing what friends do for one another in that one bit really goes to show how isolated she was for her entire life.
The humor was on point, particularly during the montages and no gag outstays its welcome unlike some of the very early episodes. You can really feel a huge growth on the part of the writing team here and that is fantastic to see. I love seeing the G5 writers come into their own and evolving both shows as we progress. In the same way MYM Chapter 4 is virtually unrecognizable from Chapter 2 and even Chapter 1, New Tell Your Tale feels a lot different from Old Tell Your Tale and that is awesome to see. I love this series now and part of the reason is fantastic episodes like this. There’s this sort of refinement with the humor that makes it an organic part of each story instead of tonally obligatory like it was at the beginning. Good job, guys!
Now were there any problems with the episode? Well, I had only two and they’re really just super minor nitpicks. For one, I don’t think we really needed two montages. The one with the song in the second half was enough to convey what was going on. Normally, I don’t have problems with these sorts of things, but it’s a case of less is more, especially when that 5-minute time-limit is very brief and forces a very brisk pace for these episodes. It’s not a huge problem by any means, just a minuscule pacing nitpick from a writer’s point of view. The second thing is it’s not really explained what that swirly thing at the end is. It does allow for a neat sky trick with the cutie marks (plus a tear-jerking thumbnail, ngl), but I would’ve liked to know what exactly that swirl was as a pony’s sparkle couldn’t really do that before. Maybe it’s just what happens when you discover it for the first time, I don’t know.
But all in all, this was just excellent! When the series focuses on Misty nowadays, it really is at its best. She really is the gift that keeps on giving as her story has elevated both shows into seriously well-written territory. So I’m going to give this episode a 9.5/10. If Tell Your Tale keeps this up, then it’ll be more than ready to carry G5 and I will take back everything I’ve said in a previous blog. We’re still not there yet, but it won’t be long now before we are. Just keep up this great momentum, writers, I believe in y’all.
So now, we’re onto a quick Misty Saga update. I am considering making a Misty Saga sequel series under the Elseworlds brand if Redeemed does well. Now with the way Redeemed is set to end, making anymore stories under this continuity will be impossible with the new status quo (no spoilers!!), but there is a way around this. With Izzy Moonbow: Beyond The Multiverse of Randomness set to open up the multiverse, basically anything is possible. I may introduce an alternate ending to Redeemed after Part 2 if I decide to commit to this, but it really depends. Similar to how I previously mentioned a possible Sunny Saga in the past and then nothing happened with that, this idea may not come to fruition considering the LLU is entering the mainstream. But never say never. Tell Your Tale episodes like this and what we appear to be getting with Make Your Mark Chapter 5 give me so many ideas to work with. The most likely thing that will happen is that Redeemed will be left untouched to avoid any confusion and this sequel series will be a soft reboot in which only Worthless is canon. Considering how little that story impacts the status quo compared to its follow ups, this might be possible.
But again, it really depends if I’m feeling up to it. The one drawback to this idea is that this series isn’t even done yet and it’s been the better half of a year since it started. I’m very reluctant to commit because my schedule may not allow it. Between a second year of college looming on the horizon and trying to keep the channel afloat post-defense video, things aren’t as simple as they used to be. If stories take this long to come out, this may not be such a viable option. But in the end, it all depends on feedback. Similar to how James Cameron said that the future of his Avatar franchise all depended on Avatar: The Way of Water’s box office success and reception, the same applies here. If Redeemed can surpass readership expectations and become a hit, then that will prove that there is a demand for more and I will add that to the plans. But if it “flops” per se, then the Misty Saga ends and short term future G5 stories will focus on something else entirely. So it all depends on you readers! You want more? I’ll give you more. But for the purposes of a continuity, treat Redeemed like an ending because it most likely will be. The G5 Universe is set to be rebooted into the Lunar Literary Universe and anything further past Beyond The Multiverse of Randomness won’t be canon. Even if the Misty Saga does return, it won’t be the same as I stated above. It would most likely move beyond the gritty Snyder tone and become something more lighthearted to avoid confusion with the LLU. So this is an ending for all intents and purposes. But that doesn’t mean we should close the door on a potential continuation under Elseworlds. As I stated before, you all shall be the judge.
With that being said, that’s all from me at the moment. Okay, now I’m getting back to work on my stuff, I promise. Bye!!
Maybe there's a lot of possibilities for Misty now especially she's going to help us with Opaline and everything and whatever the leak is going on
I think Redeemed's finale should be an open one: For the way the entire thing was settled up to reach that climax, it's a good ending, but it also should let the door open for any kind of continuation.
Also, the Multiverse is bast and has lots of stuff to offer. If you know, you know!
I already had high hopes for this episode, and it exceeded them.
Question is should I adapt this into either of my continuities somehow.
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Oh, I certainly know. The way the reset is going to work is that Izzy Moonbow: Beyond The Multiverse of Randomness will adapt the “Flashpoint” comic from DC. Basically, Izzy travels back in time to undo one of her friends’ deaths and…you probably know the rest. Somepony is going to die in Redeemed that eventually leads Izzy to do this, but I’m not revealing who. You’ll find out when the time comes.
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Oh you definitely should. Personally, I vote for the “Letting Go”/“Path To Peace” continuity as the way you ended it really leaves things open for further development on Misty’s own journey to recovery that certain elements from this episode could help with, but it’s up to you. Better yet, put it in its own continuity. I’d personally love to see a story based on this episode either way.
Edit: The “Seaside Confessions” continuity could also work as that story actually puts the two in a budding relationship and this is something Zipp could help her with. Whatever you decide to do is fine with me. I’ll be there to read it the moment it comes out.
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Definitely.
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I actually had an idea of a Flashpoint kind of story myself, but it's scrapped for now since I still need to finish my "Sonic x MLP G5" saga.
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I probably will go with the former over the latter as I can see more moments happening there, especially considering the different way Misty gets her mark, and the last few chapters will also be more Misty focused as they take place after Letting Go.
Seaside Confessions could still work, but I’d need to figure out more how that story plays out.
Whatever happens with Misty next, it’ll certainly be worth watching. My own idea is that she may also have an identity crisis since Opaline apparently just “found” her as a filly and she has no idea where she really came from or who her real parents are. That would be interesting.
Especially if a certain new fan theory that’s been going around is true.
Yeah, I really like what they're doing with Misty at the moment. I always knew that there was more to explore with her character beyond her redemption. And with this episode as well as the sneak peak of MYM Chapter 5, I'm very hopeful that there's more to come.
I'd love to see her have more moments like this with the others too. Especially with Sunny and Zipp. I can really see these two being supportive figures and helping her overcome her insecurities.
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And Izzy too. She was the first of the group she met, after all.
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Yeah, of course. But we already know they get along well. I just meant that if there's anyone else in the Mane 5 I'd like to see Misty build her relationship with, it's these two.
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Right. Perhaps the three of them could even help her try to find her parents if my idea comes to fruition (which I doubt it will, but still).