Keep Calm & Flutter On - Issues · 11:26pm Jan 20th, 2013
Episode is currently available here or on iTunes.
Comments are available here. To quote from Yuk with a +429 rating:
Besides, he had never experienced friendship before, hence why he'd never acted in such a way, or similar. Once he experienced it the first time, he acted that way. It's not like he was evil, as I said, he simply did what he wanted. Acting friendly wasn't against his principles or anything like that. So he didn't change.
Um... So Discord, who is thousands of years old, and ruled all of Equestrian, never had a friend before? Right. And not to be too fine a point on it, but doing whatever you want without regard for the feelings of others kinda IS the definition of evil.
Now see, this is why I call myself a furry, rather than a Brony. It's much less embarrassing when other bronies bend over backwards to insist, "It's a feature, not a bug!" No, seriously. It really is a bug. It's a bug that was almost designed in when Hasbro decided this would be a 13 episode season and would contain no complex story lines, and only one two-parter. Children TV can tackle complex themes. Fraggle Rock proved that. Sesame Street proved that. And so did MLP Season 2. All season three proves is that Hasbro is uninterested in such things.
How to make this episode better?
1) Discord respects Fluttershy for annoying him way back when.
2) Discord is *Fluttershy's* friend, and all those other ponies can go to Tartarus.
3) Princess, why would you want us to...? Hey! Wait a minute! Celestia's magic isn't green! Grrrrr!!!!
4) Have it be a test for Twilight, and it was actually Luna all along.
5) Have them FAIL! Not everyone makes a good friend. Discord is content to back to stone and try again after they have all died, and he's Still Alive.
6) Finally: Make sure (in future episodes) that Discord's good turns always has side effects. Have him point out to Twilight how much the Princess uses her. Have him casually give ponies what they want. "Am I not being nice?" Decide it would be 'good' for the Princesses to go on a vacation, whether they want to or not. Etc.
Discord was called DisQord for a reason. If they want to make him even more like the lighter and fluffier version from the latter seasons of ST:TNG, DS9 & VOY, then fine. But don't do it in thirty seconds, and please make it clear it's not a complete turnaround.
This. All of my this.