Friendship is Card Games: Tournament of Mysteries · 11:28am May 4th
We come to what may well be the last IDW pony comic. Nothing but themed compilations have been announced going forward, and those peter out in August. Let’s see what note the run may end on.
Most of the cast looks as unsure as I feel on the cover.
… Oh dear. We have a first-time artist (for pony, anyway) in this last issue. And her renditions have an unfortunate tendency to smile like they're about to devour souls. Also, flagrant rapid-fire character establishment in the second panel, to say nothing of the bald background ponies whose ears end up looking more like demon horns.
The third panel, meanwhile, raises some awkward questions. How many aerial records can Zephyr Heights have when flight became possible only a year or two ago? And before that, claims of flight outside of the royal family probably would’ve been met with incredible hostility in order to maintain the facade justifying their mandate to rule. And, of course, there’s the fact that Zipp performed a Rainboom in The Storm of Zephyr Heights…
Yeah, Airen’s existence is irreconcilable with the setting. A one-stallion Wonderbolts corps just doesn’t work, certainly not when considering the admiration of Zipp “reinventor of aerobatics” Storm.
Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about that too much. He vanishes in a puff of logic by the third page. (Or, you know, a flash of his own magic. 
)
It’s kind of frustrating. Asia Simone is clearly capable of more reasonable expressions, but she insists on pushing them past the point of horror. Also, despite the exaggerated hips, most ponies here don’t appear to have cutie marks.
Yeah, declaring a character being introduced in this story as the biggest celebrity in the city just does not work this late in a setting’s life cycle. It may have been a meteoric rise to fame over the course of a few months, but Airen explicitly wrapped filming “his first blockbuster just a couple of years ago.” And that was after the aerial competitions. Either we’re much further along the timeline than most G5 stories or they just forgot the initial premise. And it wouldn’t be the first time for the latter…
… So does Sky Scoop know who Hitch is, or is she just asking a random pony on the street for their take on the disappearance?
I’m honestly split on Hitch getting put on event security. On the one hand, it’s not his city. You know, the one where he’s the sole law enforcement entity. On the other, it does fit Haven’s continuing efforts to establish a Zephyr Heights-led cultural hegemony over Equestria. On Ahuizotl’s tail, what are these “new skills” Hitch is talking about?
Ah, an overbearing assistant. I think I see where this is going. Along with a pony sneaking out of Airen’s green room after an order to not disturb him for a few hours.
Okay, it took me a few minutes to process what I was looking at with the three golf carts. We have seen motor vehicles in G5 before, but the perspective was really wonky there.
So Sky does recognize the ponies who restored magic (and Sunny has her wings and horn, so we’re not dealing with some weird AU.) Her interviews are just acting as the framing device for a Rashomon setup.
Oof. Yeah, that’s some classic “human in pony suit” anatomy. Figuring out how quadrupeds move and manipulate objects is tricky, and not something easily figured out with a deadline looming.
Hmm. More of those strange golf carts. I’m sure it’s nothing.
Did we really need the full detail of each nostril expelling mucus like a face-mounted double barrel shotgun on the sneeze panel? (Also, might have been a good idea to actually fill the smoothie cup enough that the liquid was visible to the reader.)
And again, highly suspicious assistant… though apparently the stallion looking for his access badge had checked with Sunny first, so he may not be Airen in disguise.
Of course Izzy’s helping with cleanup. This is a supply run for her.
Asking Izzy for every detail she can remember seems… ill-advised.
Machine-spun cotton candy was invented by a dentist in our world, one William Morrison (along with the confectioner John C. Wharton.)
Huh. That panicking pony doesn’t appear to be the one who lost his pass. Curious.
Also, Izzy does have a mark where she shouldn’t, e.g. her left hip. Sigh.
The cotton candy stick looks unsettling like a unicorn horn without context. Also, of course Izzy made off with evidence for unicycling purposes. (Sorry, upcycling. The editor really didn’t care on this one, huh?)
Oof. Those massive rear legs make ponies look pregnant in a few panels as we go into Misty’s recollection.
… So are the hat and goatee meant to be a disguise, or is this stallion just uncannily similar in coloration to Airen?
Huh. Sky isn’t interviewing Zipp? Curious. Still, at least Pipp has footage of her time with Airen. The fact that he walked out on the question about a relationship is telling, to say nothing of the performance “unlike anything you’ve seen before.”
Ah, Zipp only got interviewed at Pipp’s recommendation… which feels all kinds of wrong when the interviewer is herself a pegasus. Going to both princesses, especially when their part of the larger group of world saviors, seems obvious… though Zipp does try to minimize her social presence, especially when compared to PIpp. Hmm.
Yeah, Zipp admiring this guy who came out of the woodwork just feels wrong. Bizarre that we’re getting a crowbarred-in ship for the athletic flyer two weeks in a row, in media that was published seven years apart.
Definitely feels like they recycled the pencil work for Zipp’s uncertain pose and colored it differently in the hopes that people wouldn’t notice. Hard not to when the two instances are on opposite pages.
Oh! An angry mob converging on the assistant. Didn’t see that coming. Good on Hitch for actually establishing order and de-escalating… a little. A one vs. many interrogation room isn’t much better than a group on the verge of violence.
Izzy and Pipp’s lines were definitely swapped in that group huddle. The unicycler is not going to suggest a hashtag.
… and the assistant cracks before the group can actually put together what they know. That’s honestly disappointing.
A secret passage the royal family doesn’t know about under the city’s coliseum…
Hmm. On the one hand, it feels contrived. On the other, this is a staple of stories about rebelling against the oppressive regime. It can work.
… Sorry, should we know who Airen’s paramour is meant to be? I genuinely don’t think we’ve seen her in the entire comic until now. Maybe once in the background during Izzy’s story. I do love the idea of ponies going out to explore the lost expanses of Equestria, but a mystery doesn’t work if a key element isn’t included before the reveal. Recognizing that it was left out doesn’t excuse that omission.
As much as I like everypony banding together to support the couple and give them a proper send-off, the way Izzy’s hoof bends around that crayon… Yeah, no. Give me sticky hooves any day of the week over that.
Ah. Bailey. At least Airen’s other half has a name. More than I can say for his assistant.
Oh! They’re going for circumnavigation? This is much more ambitious than I expected.
Oh goodness, those side smiles in the last panel. That’s just haunting.
In all, this is a weird one. The script needs another editorial pass for continuity and tightening the mystery. (Also the name. There was no tournament; this was a one-stallion airshow with a single mystery.) The art definitely distracts from the story more than enhancing it. And celebrating the start of something new rather mourning the end of the old would be a lovely metafictional message… if there were any indication that something new was starting for pony media at the moment.
Still, there’s always what we can create here. On that note…
Stormcutter Flight Suit 1W
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has vigilance.
Prevent all noncombat damage that would be dealt to equipped creature.
Equip Pegasus W
Equip 3
Weather should never stop a pegasus.
Event Security 2W
Creature — Pony Employee
Creatures attacking you and/or planeswalkers you control don’t cause abilities your opponents control to trigger.
“Okay, folks, nice orderly line, no shoving. There’s enough room for everypony.”
2/4
Sky Scoop, Reporting Live 2W
Legendary Creature — Pegasus Detective
Flying
Whenever an opponent commits a crime, investigate. (A player targeting their opponents, anything those players control, and/or cards in their graveyards is a crime. To investigate, create a Clue token. It’s an artifact with “2, Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.”)
2/2
Dazzling Departure 1U
Instant
Return target creature you own to your hand. Creatures your opponents control get -X/-0 until end of turn, where X is that creature’s power.
In a blinding flash, Airen’s greatest show turned into a panicked ponyhunt.
Promotional Balloon 3U
Creature — Balloon
Flying
This creature can block only creatures with flying.
When this creature enters, open an Attraction. (Put the top card of your Attraction deck onto the battlefield.)
Even after it broke loose, it wanted to see the rest of the show.
3/1
Questions from Beyond 3U
Sorcery
Draw cards equal to the greatest mana value among cards you own in exile.
In Old Equestria, a constant stream of commentary from unseen legions would be concerning. Now it just means you’re streaming.
Unhinged Grin 1B
Instant
Target creature you control gets +2/+0 and gains lifelink until end of turn.
Overload 4B (You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change “target” in its text to “each.”)
The magic of Laughter has always been the closest to madness.
Abrasive Assistant 2B
Creature — Pegasus Advisor
Flying
You and permanents you control have “Ward — Pay 1 life.”
Sometimes helping one pony means giving everypony else a hard time.
1/3
Answer to the Mob 4B
Sorcery
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for 1 or one mana of that creature’s color.)
Target player discards two cards and loses 2 life.
“How unprofessional.”
—Sky Scoop, investigative reporter
Contorted Craftsmare 1R
Creature — Unicorn Horror Artificer
Whenever this creature attacks, create a Junk token. (It’s an artifact with “T, Sacrifice this token: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. Activate only as a sorcery.”)
Metalcraft — 2R: Transform this creature. Activate only if you control three or more artifacts.
2/2
Anomalous Animator
Creature — Eldrazi Unicorn
At the beginning of combat on your turn, any number of target noncreature artifacts you control become 3/1 Eldrazi Construct artifact creatures with trample and haste until end of turn.
Whenever this creature attacks, create a Junk token.
3/3
Cantering Cambion 2R
Creature — Pony Devil
Haste
Hoofcraft — When this creature enters, if you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns, you may discard your hand. If you do, draw two cards.
It’s best not to ask how House Glow has stayed in power all these years.
3/1
Ominous Implication 2R
Sorcery
Creatures target player controls gain menace until end of turn. Suspect up to one target creature. (A suspected creature has menace and can’t block.)
“Today’s performance will be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.”
—Airen, inspiring aerialist
Circumnavigate 3G
Sorcery
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card, then reveal cards from the bottom of your library until you reveal a land card. Put the revealed land cards onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.
Garbage Collection 3G
Sorcery
Mill four cards, then return up to two permanent cards from your graveyard to your hand.
“For a second there, I thought I had finally gotten Izzy into coding.”
—Princess Zipp Storm
Limit Break 3GG
Sorcery
Creatures you control get +3/+3 until end of turn. Then creatures you control with power 7 or greater gain trample, hexproof, and indestructible until end of turn.
“I don’t know where the dolphin came from. Frankly, I’m afraid to ask.”
—Hitch Trailblazer, Maretime Bay sherrif
Incriminating Collage 3
Artifact — Clue
X, T, Collect evidence twice X, sacrifice this artifact: Draw X cards. (To collect evidence twice X, exile cards with total mana value twice X or greater from your graveyard.)
Fortunately, the judge didn’t mind Izzy’s interpretation of presenting evidence.
Air Show Arena
Artifact — Attraction
Visit — Target creature you control gets +3/+0 and gains flying until end of turn. If that creature didn’t already have flying, sacrifice it at the beginning of the next end step.
Volunteers get a parachute made from the extra waiver they have to sign.
(3 lights)
Lost and Found 1BG
Sorcery
If there are four or more creature cards in your graveyard, return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Repeat this process for artifact, enchantment, land, and planeswalker.
Everything finds its way back to… someone.
Airen, Inspiring Aerialist 2WU
Legendary Creature — Pegasus Performer
Flying, ward 2
Other creatures you control with flying get +1/+1.
Whenever Airen attacks, another target attacking creature gains flying until end of turn.
“The sky’s not a limit. It’s a start.”
3/3
Lost Current Reclaimer 2GU
Creature — Pegasus Scout
Flying
Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, draw a card. If that land has the same name as another land you control or a land card in your graveyard, discard a card.
“Equestria once stretched from coast to coast. We have a lot of work to do.”
2/2
Maybe look up the editor it lists in the credits, you know, make sure it's an actual person who exists.
I keep telling you, even in the actual show, even in G4, that has never been a thing. If a two-parter manages to properly keep continuity with itself, it's only by coincidence.
"Whenever an opponent commits a crime, investigate" is the best line of rules text since "Cowards can't block Warriors" and it's almost a shame that it's only realistically going to be triggering once. From someone removing Sky Scoop, because that will run away with the game if anyone's dumb enough to let a 2/2 with no protection and that ability live. And she's legendary too, thank Celestia.
Yeah, the artstyle’s oddness was for sure what most leapt out at me. At first because of the day-go colour scheme, then for the way they draw faces, like the pony’s bean-mouths are about to burst out their faces from straining the muscles to breaking point. Soon after, the nothingburger-ness of the story (not helped by it not being the story of any of the main cast) on top of the fast-and-looseness took over as the dominant impression. To an even greater degree than the last released TYT short, much of it being unfulfilling is because it’s the last one… but it is unfulfilling.
And now we enter an era where FiCG has no new official content to delve into, leaving just the handful of remaining chapters books, other odds and ends of older G4 media, and presumably a greater emphasis on fandom content to fill in the gaps. Be interesting to see where that goes.
Finally got a hold of this issue today. If this is the last of the g5 comics that's a disappointing note to go out on
this was a strange one, unfortunately more notable for its flaws and oddities than its merits. The art is... certainly something, but the lack of understanding of the world is striking even though I try to not mind such things on principle. But the biggest problem is just that the story doesn't hold water. A mystery where the investigation doesn't mean anything and may as well not have happened at all.
By coincidence I've been rewatching Poirot lately, a show that was always on in the background of my childhood, so I've been thinking about mysteries a lot :p the show is... Well, the early seasons haven't exactly aged well, but I enjoy its unintentional comedy.