Episode reveiw: Princess Twilight Sparkle

This is my first review of an episode so let’s get rolling.

Summary:
We start off in Canterlot where Rainbow is giving Equestria’s newest princess a flying lesson (personally I think Fluttershy would’ve been a better choice for flying teacher). Twi expresses worry that she won’t be able to perform her part in the summer sun celebration if she can’t get her new wings under control and gets back to work; she starts to fly well only to crash a minute later.

An edited theme song begins which has Discord in Fluttershy’s house when she’s feeding Angel, a bigger group shot featuring the mane six, the crusaders, snips and snails, Zecora, Granny smith, the Cakes, Big Mac, Mayor Mare, and Spike being taken by Photo Finish and sent to Celestia who now has Luna right next to her looking at the picture as well.

The Mane six and Spike examine the newest stain glass in the hall which tells the story of Twilight becoming an Alicorn. Twilight is a little apprehensive of her new role and by the fact that she won’t be in Ponyville with her friends when it’s time for the summer sun celebration which is when she met her friends. The other ponies assure Twilight they’ll do something together after the celebration in fact they Pinkie promise.

That night, Twilight and Spike are going over the preparations with a checklist (of course) even though they’re ahead of schedule Twilight is worried something will go wrong and begins to go into one of her little rants while flying which causes her to hit the ceiling (literally). Celestia comes to calm her former pupil and assures her that even though she is no longer her student she’ll always be there to guide the young pony. Celestia also tells Twilight that for once she is looking forward to the Summer Sun Celebration as before it was always about the defeat of Nightmare moon but now can be celebrated for the return of Luna. At that moment a careful message arrives for Twilight which when opened shoots confetti (now who could of sent that?) and Celestia bids her student good night. Yes, all is calm in Equestria, but then a small black plant begins to grow and a scream is heard.

Later when Twilight wakes up she finds to her shook that the sky is both day and night with both moon and sun out! The Canterlot ponies are in a panic and the royal guards inform Twilight that Celestia and Luna are missing and that the Everfree forest seems to be invading!

Back in Ponyville Fluttershy’s animal friends are in a panic, those black plants seem to be growing out of control, the sky is now producing black clouds with spikes that Rainbow is unable to contain, and the plants are making a pollen that seems to be messing with Rarity’s magic!

Twilight files to Ponyville and does to rather well (but she needs to work on her landings) where she informs her friends of the situation and states her belief that they’ll need the Elements of Harmony to fix things. Now they have the elements, but the question is who to use them on? Using the magic of the elements they summon their number one suspect Discord (of course, personally I don’t know if I would’ve thought Discord right away, evil plants aren’t his style now if the plants were making chocolate milk, bubbles, or singing then yeah that would make me think Discord). Discord claims innocence, admitting he loves what they’ve done with the place but can’t take credit, no pony but Fluttershy believes Discord who suggests they talk to their zebra friend who seems to be moving out of the forest (not really surprising). Zecora presents Twilight with a potion which when combined with Alicorn magic will “turn the potion white and you (Twilight) will see why the sky is both day and night” Twilight uses her magic (which seems to be Sombra dark magic) and the potion takes her somewhere.

Twilight finds herself in the presence of Luna! At first Twilight is happy and asks why she and Celestia vanished. But Luna seems angry and says she wouldn’t stand by while they basked in the precious light! Twilight is confused, Luna says that there can only be one princess in Equestria “and that princess will be me!” Luna then causes an eclipse of the sun but what’s really scary is what happens after she blocks the sun, she turns into Nightmare Moon!

Nightmare Moon begins to destroy the structure she and Twilight are in when suddenly Celestia appears with a serious look! Twilight warns Luna that if she keeps this up they’ll have no choice but to banish her again! Celestia refuses to fight her sister “Luna you must lower the moon, it is your duty!”

“Luna? I am Nightmare Moon!” is the reply, a battle between Nightmare and Celestia ensues and the latter is blasted to the ground where Twilight finds her lying very still. Twilight weeps over her mentor’s supposed death only for Celestia to get up however then Twilight realizes that she isn’t responding to her, Celestia then realizes her has no choice and gathers the elements of harmony which look as they did in the story from the first episode, that’s when Twilight realizes she’s witnessing a vision of the past, the night Celestia banished Nightmare Moon! Twilight watches Celestia tearfully send Nightmare Moon to her prison.

Twilight comes out of her vision and her friends tell her they were worried as her body was mimicking all she was doing in the vision, Discord found it entertaining and suggests Twilight take it on the road. After another sip of potion Twilight finds herself in an Equestria with checkered grounds, flying fish, and flying chunks of ground. Celestia and Luna approach a very familiar looking throne where who else is sitting but Discord!

“Oh this is so much fun, how about a game of pin the tail on the pony?” asks Discord as he holds up a familiar looking rainbow tail, Celestia looks back and finds that it is indeed her own tail.

“Playtime’s over for you Discord” says Celestia.

“Oh I doubt that” says Discord as he begins to eat something.

The sisters reveal that they now wield the Elements of Harmony and plan to use them to defeat Discord who only laughs at them, only to become a laughing statue a moment later!

Now Twilight finds herself in a cave where Celestia and Luna gather the elements from (pause for dramatic effect) The Tree of Harmony!

Returning to the present Twilight understands that the tree of Harmony is in trouble. The Mane six rushes to save the tree in the Everfree forest (of course) but they run into some trouble. Here there’s a bit of a rift when the rest of the gang decide that Twilight should go back on the grounds that Equestria can’t afford to lose another princess. Reluctantly Twilight goes back to Ponyville where she finds Discord lazing around as two ponies are wrapped in a vine when he sees who’s coming Discord sets the ponies free and they run off.

“You’re welcome!” says Discord. Twilight explains the situation to Discord who accuses Twilight of “protecting her precious princess self” realizing Discord is somewhat right Twilight runs back into the forest.

Meanwhile the rest of the gang arrives at Celestia and Luna’s old castle where it turns out the tree is hidden. However they can’t stop the vines from attacking the tree and have no ideas how to stop it.

Fluttershy sadly states “I know who would know what to do, and we sent her home.”

Now it’s the blame game for the ponies until Spike arrives and tells them Twilight is having trouble with some of the plants. After helping Twilight and apologizing having realized that “Equestria may need it’s princess but we need our friend” the Mane six returns to the tree, Twilight realizes there’s only one way to save the tree; give the elements back. It’s not an easy decision but the Mane six return the six magical gems to their home and the tree instantly expunges a magic wave which destroys the plants and releases Celestia and Luna. Suddenly the tree begins to glow and sprouts a magical plant which reveals a magic box!

“Six locks, six keys” says Luna. Celestia says she doesn’t know where they are but it’s a mystery Twilight won’t be solving alone. Arriving back in Ponyville the gang is greeted by Discord who congratulates them but when he realizes the elements aren’t in their possession anymore he begins to plot until Fluttershy straitens him out and convinces him to help clean up. Discord then admits that he planted the seeds, back when he fought Celestia and Luna he planted the seeds to kidnap the two and destroy the two but the trees magic prevented that until recently. Twilight scolds him for withholding the information but Discord claims to have done so to teach her something about being a princess.

Twilight is presented with a new crown and participates in the Summer Sun celebration and we fade out.

(Wipes sweat from brow) now for review which will be much shorter:

I remember when I was showing this episode to my friend a few days ago I told him “this episode is all about Twilight’s new role in Equestria and it also has some history and trust me when I say history is very exciting.” With each season opener the writers seem to try to out due themselves, with the first they established Twilight’s beginnings when both she and the villain underestimate friendship, with the second they have a villain who’s pulling them apart, with the third you’ve got a villain who seems to be pure evil and is only interested in destruction, here you’ve got mystery as to what’s up with the plants and going into that I find it hard to believe that after thousands of years the tree would suddenly lose power and the seed’s would start growing I think something had to have been helping them. As to the box I can’t wait to see what’s inside! I think the ponies will unlock each lock when they prove themselves to be worthy of what’s in it or prove themselves as the true bearers of the elements. Over all this episode earns a big A+!