Follow-up Fun Time: The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone, or, Fifty Bits to View This Blog · 10:46pm May 28th, 2015
Boy, have I been slacking in my follow-up duties. Blame school! And writing! Mostly school! But, we're back now, and ready to bring some cringe-worthy comedy to your lives!
Helps that we have a three week break in between episodes. Maybe we can go back and do the others?
Anything's possible!
Pinkie's thinking about the five kinds of diabetes she's going to get from this cake.
And here we go! Pinkie leading in the best face contest (even though she and everyone else already lost for this season thanks to Fluttershy). Pinkie really is a natural at facial expressions.
Conformation that Gummy is still alive.
I'd ask what's going on in his head, but I'm sure the answer is nothing.
D'aaww, that's adorable.
I hope we get to see interactions with each of the mane six and their pets. Rainbow's fierce protection of Tank, and now Pinkie's cute mothering of Gummy. Reminds me why I love this show.
I am your god now! Bring me your books!
Even in this frame, you can tell how excited she is. All the power has finally gone to her head!
Well, after like, three seasons of begging, we finally get to learn about griffon culture. Where do they live? What's their kingdom like? Are they all jerks? Do they love war and eat ponies like so many fanfics depict?
"W-what? I never wrote a fanfic like that! Haha, you so silly, Dash!"
She totally did. Rainbow read it. It was horrible.
"Look, something shiny!"
So, how do you get greedy griffons to come together? You get the prettiest, shiniest object you can find and make them stare at it until they think it's important. They are part bird after all.
Not just the prettiest, shiniest object thought, it was made from the dust of golden sunsets.
Yeah, that was cool, not gonna lie.
"You go have fun. I'll stay here and write my fa—do princess things!"
Poor Twilight. Looks like the map only picks a few ponies at a time for certain missions. Pinkie and Rainbow are flying solo on this one.
Though I am starting to have conflicts with this world-building. Twilight said Griffonstone was the coolest kingdom in Equestria. But isn't Equestria a kingdom already? Dammit, it's the Crystal Empire all over again! What is Equestria?
Tis a silly place.
Since Spike is the new Rainbow, Rainbow is the new Twilight.
At this rate, we'll screw up the whole order! But it seems, Rainbow is less than excited to be visiting griffon territories after her incident with Gilda. Wooow, that was a long time ago, huh? Though I guess not so much in Equestrian time, since their years make no sense!
Deep breaths. Deep breaths.
Nice hats.
After a long and hard journey, Rainbow and Pinkie arrive at Griffonstone only to find...
It's a complete dump!
I think Twilight's history book/fanfiction was off just a little bit.
Well, can't say I didn't see this coming...
Hooray, Gilda's here. I mean, I like Gilda, I have nothing against her. But do we need to reform every villain and antagonist? I get the message of the show is friendship, but... I don't know. Maybe it's the part of my brain telling me she's only here because fan service that's making me less than excited.
Cuckoo, cuckoo!
Grandpa Gruff. Headcanon accepted, all griffon names start with a G. Maybe this old geezer will tell us why this place looks like a twister hit it.
He will for ten bits.
Dammit. And you people wonder why there's a charge fee on this blog. Seriously, pay up.
You shall not pass!
So yeah, Arimaspi is totally Grogar. He only has one eye in this incarnation, but I see all the resemblances. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong. That's right, you can't!
So no comment on the Abysmal Abyss and how redundant it sounds?
Nah, I'm trying to think of another Lord of the Rings joke.
"Fly my trusty steed!"
So, next question. If Griffonstone has been like this since King Guto, which has to have been a while ago, why hasn't Celestia sent any sort of relief effort? The kingdom's in Equestria right? And she rules Equestria right? That would make sense, right?
Just... this world-building hurts me.
Pinkie's in to historic figures.
Whoa there, Pinkie! I know you come from rock farmers, but I don't think it'd work between you two. Besides, he's got a heart of stone... I can't believe I just made that joke.
Looks like I'm rubbing off on you.
Someone save me.
Whoever banned spontaneous musical numbers is a very smart bird.
Well, that answers the question if ponies are aware that they break into musical numbers. But if there's no singing, what do they do to pass the time? Musical montages are the best way to make the day go by.
Welcome to Hell, Pinkie.
No, singing, no parties, no bakeries? This is the ultimate prison for Pinkie. At least on the rock farm she had her family.
I love all of Gilda's snarky answers. If she wasn't jerky gang member in my world, we could get along pretty well.
Griffon scones.
Are they... suppose to have sticks in them?
Because all of that was hilarious. Colgate/Minuette is going to make a fortune off of her.
Poor Pinkie. Always ending up with the baked bads.
Let's check in on Dash.
"Don't you griffons ever talk about anything but bits?"
"Gimme some bits and I'll answer."
We'll come back later.
"Yes, burn! Burn like the houses I will soon set on fire!"
Master chef/pyromaniac Pinkie Pie is here to sing and bake scones. And there's no singing allowed.
Hey, Gilda was trying to be nice!
Well, now we know why Gilda turned out the way she did. When everyone around you is a jerk you tend to become, well, a jerk.
Fifty bits will only get you halfway down the abyss.
So Dash is out of bits and outta luck. Who can possibly save her now?
I'll give you a hint, it's not Pinkie.
The sad thing is, I saw that coming a mile away.
And somewhere, Kyo died with delight.
Not gonna lie. Young Gilda is adorable. Just look at those eyes. You can't be mad at those eyes.
...Dammit that was cute.
So... where does Fluttershy fit into the picture?
What happened next? Well, in Griffonstone they say, Gilda's heart grew three sizes that day.
Sorta.
Such tsundere. Reminds me a lot of someone else.
Shut up.
It's okay, Sunset. We all know how you really feel.
Not even going to ask how she did that.
Super Gilda!
And her competent sidekick.
Pinkie wait! Eh, screw it. She'll be fine.
Gilda's only pulling Pinkie up because she's attached to Rainbow.
In a stunning act of heroism, Gilda saves Pinkie and Rainbow instead of snagging the idol. For an extra hundred bits, she'll even pull them out of the chasm.
Slow down there, Pinks. She's not ready for hugging yet.
So that's two antagonists and three villains reformed. Tell us Pinkie, what is your secret?
Baking powder!
Again, no surprise.
That fastest way to friendship is through the stomach.
So Pinkie and Rainbow leave Gilda to fix all of Griffonstone by herself. Friendship! I know I'm exaggerating a bit, but that's kinda what it felt like. Though, I doubt they could actually stay there long anyway to help, they do have lives.
Overall, this episode was... okay. Not sure how I feel about Gilda returning, but her performance was good, and reformation believable. Pinkie and Rainbow were spot on again, and all the character interactions were solid.
The world-building, however, sucked. Period.
So, ignoring my feelings that Gilda is only here because the fans asked for it, I'll give the episode a 6.5 out of 10.
Anyone else expecting a fifteen layer cake?
Tirek's brother confirmed.
sp.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HQ.143327692234&pid=15.1&P=0
You really didn't like the world building? That really surprises me, actually, as I though the griffon culture was really well imagined, and very faithful to classical sources as well; I hadn't expected them to go for the 'stand guard over gold' thing and run with it the way they did.
Regarding what Equestria is: I suppose you could say that Equestria is like a federated state, with principalities like the Crystal Empire, Griffonstone or Maretonia from 'Twilight's Kingdom' all existing under the rule of Celestia, who is a sort of High Queen over them and direct ruler of the big bit in the centre, Equestria proper.