Follow-up Fun Time: Bloom and Gloom, or Nightmare Fiction III · 5:43am Apr 22nd, 2015
So this is what we're going for now?
I don't see you coming up with anything!
Well, I guess you've had worse ideas.
Thank you! Yesterday was filled with homework and take home tests that took too long, so the review comes now!
Follow-up.
Tomato tomato!
"I did the decorations myself."
Hero-worshiping Scootaloo is back. Just look at all the Rainbow paraphernalia! I'm surprised Sweetie and Apple Bloom let her get away with so much of it.
Actually, this is her being moderate.
Cutie mark not accurately portrayed... hopefully.
Those scissors can't cut.
Yeeah. Poor drawings aside, Babs got her cutie mark! Yaaay for show progress! Sort of. It was off screen, but it's the thought that counts... or something. Only now, Babs isn't a Crusader anymore; nice to know that's how the club really works. Cutie mark=banned for life!
Have fun putting that in the return letter, girls!
Sweetie Belle being adorable.
I concede that she is cutest Crusader.
Growing up is fun, huh AB?
So the Crusaders stumble onto the stunning revelation that the future might not be all sugar and rainbows when they get a cutie mark. What if it's something they don't like? A legitimate fear, but is that actually possible?
Cutie marks represent a ponies special talent; something they're good at or have a passion for. So, wouldn't that mean everypony should get a cutie mark in something they at least have a little interest in?
Again, unless it's extremely vague like mine, that should be the general idea. But, if cutie marks are representations of destiny then... well, not everyone has a good destiny.
Important questions!
And this is before the opening credits!
"Watch, I can touch my nose with my tongue."
Joking aside, Applejack shows off her sweet sisterly side and reaffirms her position of second best pony! And her singing voice is totes adorable! Admit it, you daaawd!
I'm not admitting anything... but she does have a nice voice.
This season's running theme is: pancakes!
Dammit, now I'm hungry. And my ominous feeling meter is starting to go off. Why can't we see Apple Bloom's flank, huh animators? You can't fool me!
Dear God... it's happened...
Hallelujah! Break out the cider and cupcakes! One of them finally got their cutie mark! It's a joyus day! We must party until dawn! We must throw a cutecenera! We must—
How do you get a cutie mark while you're sleeping?
... Aw nuts. That's why my ominous feeling meter is going crazy.
This was easy... too easy.
Why can't things be easy for once?
Why, Applejack, why!?
She may not have an answer, but she has best face.
"Apple Bloom, I am—"
Nope, don't say it!
What, why not?
Even I know that joke is old and overplayed.
Uggh, killjoy. Fine... Something, something, something... Fallout.
"Comes with the special talent."
Ominous lightning? Well, that's an oldie but a goodie. I lol'd at the cheesiness.
Behold the next evolution of instant communication!
Twittermites, ha, more Twitter jokes. It's still funny 'cause I don't use Twitter.
Who ya gonna call?
Twitterbusters. Yep, that's now a thing. Excuse me while I go write a theme song for it.
You know, in a weird creepy way, it's kinda cute.
You're not keeping one.
Aw, c'mon! It'll only cause minimal damage.
Great, Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Well, no Crusader episode is complete without an appearance from the dastardly duo. I wonder if they have any identity crises over their cutie marks?
Probably not, they're rich.
It's by this point I'm trying to figure out if its a dream or not, or if this is actually happening. Because these two seem... well, as nasty as usual. There's nothing out of place to tell us it's a dream. Pretty good on the writer's part to make us keep second guessing ourselves.
That won't come back to haunt anyone.
I hope they zap the hellspawn twins first.
Raise your hand if you thought this was Starlight Glimmer.
Honestly, I still think it is. You can't prove it wasn't! I'm not crazy, you're crazy! Though I was going to be genuinely surprised if they brought her back this early.
This is what Twitter will do to us, people!
Alternate caption: It's Tuesday.
Why are they panicking? This happens every week, you'd think they'd be used to it.
...You all see it too, right?
First of all, ouch. Second, why is there an apple in her ribs?
They come from apples! It all makes sense now! They don't have parents because Granny Smith planted them and they grew from apples! That apple in AB is going to be another Apple Family member in the future! Yes, everything makes sense!
I'm not crazy, you're crazy!
Applejack looks like a sheep and is still adorable.
"Not again!"
Again, why are you upset? This happens every month.
All right, we could probably show a little sensitivity.
Nah.
And it was all a dream. The end.
First, that's a rooster. They don't lay eggs. Second, I lol'd anayway. Third, Apple Bloom looks adorable pressed against the window.
"You cannot stop us! We are legion!"
Also, the apples are lemons.
...the Apples are lemons.
And AB technically let the Twittermites loose.
And they burned Ponyville, and the barn.
So you could say they burned the hose down... with the lemons! Haha...hahahahaha!
...
I'M NOT CRAZY, YOU'RE CRAZY!
Wait, wat?
Time loops! It's the only explanation!
Well... at least Zecora will be happy. And it's a nice shout out to her time learning with Twilight.
Cute and sad is a lethal combination.
Apple Bloom saying she was hoping they'd get their cutie marks together strikes a chord with me that I will examine at the end. In the meantime, we have a prime example of friends trying to be happy for one friend, while secretly feeling jealous, and or sorry for themselves.
Been there, done that.
Wait, isn't that Apple Bloom's clubhouse?
And now, I'm back to believing it's a dream, because, boy, did they turn on her pretty fast. Cutie mark=banned for life rule sucks, doesn't it?
I swear, it's freaking Starlight!
Nothing you say can tell me otherwise. Nothing!
Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon Version 2.0
So now the horseshoe is on the other hoof. Except Apple Bloom still loses.
Why couldn't the animators show us their cutie marks? They made up ones for Apple Bloom.
Aaand now, they're just cakes.
That cake is a lie! And why are there fish in the punchbowl?
I changed my mind, Apple Bloom is cutest Crusader again.
And Big Mac gets his biggest share of lines, ever! Savor it, because it will probably never happen again.
And I imagine this is what it feels like to not live up to your parents expectations. Yikes, that's nightmare fuel.
...We have to go deeper.
That sound you just heard? That was me facepalming.
I regret nothing! I will make all the references and stupid jokes I want! I'm not crazy—
Yeah, I know, I'm crazy for working with you.
... Pinkie's a chicken.
Yeah, this is about where I lost it.
She's either really confident, or a narcissist.
I'm neither and I want one.
Not best pony, but still best princess.
Perhaps I was too engrossed in the episode, but the fact that Luna could totally make an appearance since we're in dream world completely escaped me. So I was presently surprised upon seeing her.
There's a song about blowing grey skies away, and I can't think of it.
Tabitha has changed Luna's voice again. It's closer to how it was in Luna Eclipsed though, I think, and I prefer it this way. When she appeared in For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils, she sounded far too serious. This tone sounds less grim; still serious, but with plenty of room for joyful humor.
Also: now Luna has visited all three Crusaders! It was foretold by the fandom!
At least she didn't give her own sister a zero.
Ouch, tough crowd. Also, isn't Luna showing Apple Bloom other ponies' dream some sort of invasion of privacy?
Not more than the ones she's breaking by 'guarding' them.
Time to clean up your act, Sweetie.
Ugh.
I just want to point out they gave her a broom and a bucket of water. A broom.
Tony Hawk, eat your heart out!
I'm surprised Rainbow isn't anywhere in this dream sequence.
Go, Scoots, go!
Excuse me, I have to go pick my feels up.
I'll come with you.
"I just remembered, Babs is a thing!"
So they finally come to the realization that, just because Babs has a cutie mark doesn't mean they can't associate with her. Though, they still kick her out of the club, so that's a mixed bag.
Yep, she's the cutest.
Well, that was fun.
Indeed, best episode of the season so far. Really high episode overall. I thought it was freaking hilarious. It also gives me some food for thought on why the CMC haven't gotten their cutie marks yet. Apple Bloom said she had wished they all gotten them together, and by this point, they must have gone through the entire alphabet trying to get them.
Scootaloo has to know what her talent is by now, especially after Flight to the Finish.
Sweetie probably knows what her talent is, but judging by her dream, she may just lack confidence in her abilities to sing in front of people.
Apple Bloom, however... I don't think knows what her talent pertains to yet. Way back in season 1, we got a glimpse of what they were all good at, and for Scoots and Sweetie, those talents have been founded on and mentioned. Apple Bloom's hasn't.
Think about it, what has she built since the club house?
I think the reason they haven't gotten their marks yet (aside from the writers wanting to drag it out) is because deep down, they all want to have that revelation moment at the same time so none of them has to leave the others behind.
In short, AB needs to hurry up and figure herself out.
Pretty much. All things considered, 10/10, one of my all time favorites now.
Agreed. They nailed the disjointed, nightmarish aspect of this really well. In fact, I'd say this is MLP's first genuine horror episode. Although they did delve back into childrens morality show at the end, for the most part this was pretty high concept. Not to mention that it's the closest to a timeloop story I think I'm ever gonna get in the show. :)
The thing that really sold it for me was the fact that AB actually realized how weird things were getting, and was starting to become terrified to face the day. Now that's scary stuff!
I think I figured out their marks! They do have a shared interest... getting marks for those that don't have them. So maybe all they will need to do is get a new blanky a mark and poof they'll get theirs! Or something really horribly wrong will occur and I'll take that dream to the graves of head cannons everywhere.
That whole "cutie mark = banned for life" thing still really bugs the hell out of me because all three getting their cutie marks at the same time is highly unlikely. Plus, it confirms that AB shunted Twist off for new friends. In my opinion, that actually makes the CMC worse
3006109
I thought the conclusion of the episode was that the CMC wouldn't abandon each other even if one of them got their cutie mark?
3006172
they said that Babs still wasn't a Crusader, but they'd send a care package.
It took me reading this for the second time after watching the episode to realise that those scissors are an apple.
3042099 Woooooow, I didn't notice that.
3042102 Is that sarcasm? I honestly can't tell.
3042122 No, i seriously didn't catch that.
3042164 It goes to show the quality of the animation this season, that even things on screen for a few frames can be deeper than we think. I remember watching the episode and wondering why Babs didn't get an apple themed cutie mark, but the tiny detail the animatiors snuck by me shows... something. That i'm unobservant?
Apple Bloom also built the float back in Babs' debut episode. I will be immensely disappointed if she gets a lumber cutie mark and Diamond Tiara doesn't immediately call her "plank flank".
And sheep-AJ up there totally has two ponytails.