MLP Make Your Mark: Mane Smelody Review · 5:18pm Oct 16th, 2023
Alright...it's been a while...and, honestly, I'm not sure what my upload schedule will look like on here. Life has more important things than ponies, unfortunately, and I've been all wrapped up in that here lately. Plus, I've...kinda lost what I want to do with the current story. I've hit a bit of the ol' writer's block. In any case, here's another MYM review to tide you over. In this one, noses curl as Pipp accidentally creates the stinkiest hoof cream of all time! (There are also a number of cute moments where ponies react to it, but we'll get to that in a minute).
Plot: Pipp forages a bright yellow plant in the Bridlewood forest that shines hooves so brightly, she can see her own reflection in them. Unfortunately, they come with a rather rank odor. She decides to use them anyway and generates the smelliest, foulest concoction ever. The shine is wonderful, Pipp's sales pitch attracts customers, and the new product blows up. Though everypony loves what the cream does, they also turn their noses up at the stink. Jazz, who wants to support Pipp, stays silent...until everypony else turns it into a viral online challenge to see just how long they can stand the stench. It takes a pep talk from Izzy for Jazz to learn that she needs to stand up and be honest with her friends, even when it might be embarrassing. In the B-story, Sunny and Zipp scrounge up an old map from Argyle. They take it to the Breezies and to Hitch for various examinations, but come up empty hooved. On top of all of this, Opaline continues her evil plotting, revealing that she intends to infiltrate the Dragon Lands and enchant the creatures living there.
This was a tight little episode. A lot of the pacing problems have been resolved and the installments seem more digestible now. We're no longer rushing from set piece to set piece and from line to line. Ponies actually have the chance to speak, and that's what helps push this episode further. Some of their reactions to the stench of Pipp's new product are golden, and I could watch them on repeat over and over. That's especially true for Izzy, who comes in towards the end and has some of the more memorable moments. It's also nice that she's the one who gets to deliver the episode's lesson. The moment between her and Jazz is nicely done and it reinforces just what a sweet, innocent, yet somehow wise and direct pony Izzy can be. I enjoy it when she gets to have these moments where she's not a Pinkie Pie clone and she gets to dive into her psyche and come up with something great.
On the downside, the entire B-story feels somewhat tacked on. While the map is necessary to advance the generation's overarching plot line, it seems to play second fiddle to the hoof cream story. This seems like something that should have been put in play when the whole group is there. After all, they all found the Dragon Lands together. Wouldn't it make more sense to have them all find this map together? But, maybe that's just me. In any case, the B-story definitely takes a backseat in this one, which is a little disappointing seeing as how both of them could have worked on equal terms.
But, overall, this was a good episode, and it's definitely one of Chapter 5's stronger entries. It's funny, has some terrific moments of pony adorableness, and a solid moral. My only complaints were the, at times, shallow nature of the B-story and one or two elements that just felt off.
A 4...out of 5
