TheBrianJ Reviews - Slice of Life, Episode 100!!! · 6:16am Jun 18th, 2015
You know what, no.
Normally I have an intro, then I launch into a discussion about the episode, and what it means to the show. But this time? I can’t friggin’ do that.
The episode was great. It made no sense, will likely not add much lasting effect to the story at large of the show, and honestly will just be remembered as a “the creators decided to have fun with episode 100” episode. And it worked! It was really entertaining and fun.
So instead, welcome to a CHARACTER BY CHARACTER BREAKDOWN. This may end up being my longest blog ever. We are going to talk about every single character who had an important role in this episode. There are plenty to talk about, so head on below the Twicane to get the full rundown!!!
I love that this is back, because it implies that it’s just been hanging around Ponyville for months.
Derpy Hooves: This is seriously up there as the most adorable thing in the history of MLP.
Back when this episode was first announced, I was sure that Derpy would make an appearance. What I wasn’t expecting was her to essentially be the main character of the episode. She had the biggest character arc, she had practically the most lines (it’s either her or Doctor Whooves), she was completely canonized.
And after the debacle that was her first appearance (well, TALKING appearance), I think they absolutely struck the perfect balance here. They made her a lot like the fandom, but they also gave her a fun and unique personality all her own, that made her instantly lovable on the show, beyond just “She’s clumsy/a ditz.” She felt like a legitimate secondary character in the show as opposed to a funny background cameo.
Plus, as I said, she got the big story arc of the episode, and it was a great one. She made a mistake, but she worked to solve it, and in the end, things worked out. Maybe it wasn’t a brilliant arc or anything that pushes the envelope, but it was fun to see a character who is often considered the mascot of the fandom get her own episode like this.
Also, look at the animation on that gif. It’s amazing how far the show has come since day 1; the animations are so much smoother. It’s really a testament to the talent of the people working on the show just how good it looks nowadays.
Dr. Whooves: Best Liquid Drinking Face 2015.
I was honestly not expecting to see Doctor Whooves be more Doc Brown than Dr. Who. He certainly referenced Dr. Who a lot (They even threw in an Allons-y for good measure), but he came across as way more kooky scientist than time lord.
And that’s what worked the most about this episode for me: while they used fandom to help dictate the character, but they took every one in their own direction as well, as best dictated by Lyra and Bon Bon (oh believe me, I have things to say about them). Doctor Whooves, instead of the calm, funny Dr. Who that he was based on, was more a scatterbrained genius, enthusiastic about science to the point of being a bit… well, off.
The part in the bowling alley with him analyzing the pins was such a small moment, but summed up so much for the character. Honestly, of everyone who appeared in this episode, Dr. Whooves is the one I want back the most! I want him as the go-to “SCIENCE!” character who can show up for brief scenes that need a bit of intellect beyond Twilight.
The Big Lebowski Ponies: Johnson?
Gonna be honest… while I liked seeing these guys back, they weren’t necessary to the plot. I would have loved it they did more with the characters and threw in more actual Lebowski references (although Walter Pony holding the coffee can at the funeral, without Donny there, was both brilliant and kinda creepy). Like, the carpet/briefcase cutie marks were cool, but that’s really all they did with the characters, aside from bowling.
Yeah, it’s probably hard to work the line “SHUT THE FUCK UP DONNY” into a kids show, but as it stands, all this was was bringing in a few characters to take up time with Doctor Whooves. I could have taken them or left them, to be honest.
Amethyst Star: THERE, RAZ, I’M TALKING ABOUT HER ARE YOU HAPPY?
This one really surprised me. Not her appearance, but the fact that it didn’t go anywhere. She mentions that she was the town planner before Twilight came, and then that was it for her scene. And, in fact, that was it for her entire appearance on the show. I kinda wanted her to come across as comedically bitter, have her be like “I was important before Twilight showed up!” I have a soft spot for Amethyst, and I really wanted more out of her.
The Flower Ponies: AKA The Apocalypse Now Trio
I love the idea of three insanely dramatic ponies. I just wish we could have seen more reactions to them. I want to see ponies who are totally used to them over-reacting to everything that happens and just waiting for them to finish their drama before continuing the conversations as if nothing ever happened.
Lyra Heartstrings: Oddly, the normal one of the pair. Prone to hoodies.
YOU ARE DATING BON BON. YOU TWO ARE TOTALLY A COUPLE. I don’t care how many times they said “Best Friend,” you two are absolutely dating and this was on purpose. I honestly think it’s a shame that revealing a gay couple in the show would have likely caused an uproar and stupid controversy, but sadly that’s just the way things are with the media right now, especially children's media. A part of me sincerely hopes that by the time the show is over, they can actually move forward to having them be a couple, given that social change vis-a-vis gay marriage/gay acceptance in the media seems to be moving EXTREMELY quickly in the US at the moment.
Okay, apologies for the soapbox. Lyra served her purpose in the episode. Lots of "We are Best Friends wink wink nudge nudge," lots of confusion, and an adorable wrap-up to her tiny story arc. Really, she was just a foil for somepony else.
Bon Bon: Okay be honest… not a single one of us saw this coming.
I once had an idea for a story called "Agents of O.R.D.E.R." This would involve a team of four characters—Lyra Heartstrings, Iron Will, Zecora, and Gilda—being secret agents, working for Princess Luna to wipe out threats in Equestria. This story would have two running jokes: Lyra hiding that she’s a secret agent from her partner Bon Bon, and constant talk of Agent 65, an unseen but incredibly effective agent of O.R.D.E.R who nopony in the organization knew the true identity of (any time they were brought up, stories would be different… one pony says it’s a male pegasus, another says it’s a female unicorn, etc etc)
Well obviously, the twist was that Bon Bon was Agent 65. That’s right, I HAD THE IDEA FOR SECRET AGENT BON BON FIRST AND I WANT ROYALTIES. DHX/Hasbro, please send a check for $500,000 immediately. Just put the cash in an envelope marked “BRIAN” and put in the mail. They’ll know.
But seriously, this was something about the episode that really stuck with me: BON BON is the weird one. All the fandom has always had Lyra be the weird one and Bon Bon the normal one, but the writers basically swapped them around. And I think that’s what made the episode work the best: the fact that the writers didn’t shackle themselves to fanon. They took ideas from the fandom, sure, but they went their own way with everything, so they could stay in control, as it should be.
There’s no way we’re gonna see Secret Agent Sweetie Drops in a prominent role again, but I certainly wouldn’t mind some sort of tongue-in-cheek toy of her in full James Bond attire.
Steven Magnet: The first time Youtube Captions have ever done anything worthwhile.
Steven is a character who I honestly am surprised hasn’t been in the show more often. He was kinda important in the first episode, then completely vanished. There is such potential for a giant, over-the-top Sea Monster as a character who can dole out advice and occasional comedy. Also, just the fact that we have all the toy-esque names, then a sea monster essentially named Steve.
Octavia and Vinyl Scratch: Hey, those two look familiar. Has anyone written a fic about them?
Aw yeah, now we’re talking. I don’t think anyone was surprised to hear Octavia be British, that just seemed like a natural fit. And honestly… I kinda like the idea of Vinyl Scratch being mute. Something about that just makes her character seem more appealing, more than just “that DJ pony.”
Unlike Lyra and Bon Bon who are TOTALLY DATING YOU CANNOT FOOL ME, SHOW, there was no hint here; Octavia and Vinyl just seem like friends. Back when I was writing Exit Through Canterlot, I did consider having them be a couple (I also considered a late-story twist of them being sisters… obviously not at the same time as them being a couple), but I felt that with just how different the two characters are, close friends/roommates was the most appropriate, and it looks like the show went that way too.
They also went WAY over the top with Vinyl. She literally has a music-powered vehicle (that I absolutely refuse to call The Wubmobile and you can’t make me) and is able to pull huge speakers out of seemingly nowhere, so she almost comes across as Background Pinkie Pie in a way. Just with how much merchandise seems to go towards her, I can see Vinyl getting a more prominent role in the show as time goes on, a silent part-timer who shows up whenever.
Certainly wouldn’t say no to more Tavi, though.
Jumpy The Shark: Yes that’s his name.
I fucking see you there, being jumped over. Don’t think I didn’t see you.
Gummy: Basically like Nietzsche, but more alligator-esque
… the only thing surprising about this is the fact that I wasn’t surprised by this in the least. Somehow, it makes sense.
Celestia and Luna: But what was the gift?!
Celestia and Luna are basically gods. One raises the sun and has seemingly omnipotent powers, the other visits dreams to dole out advice. They have also been alive, in seemingly the exact same state, for thousands of years. And yet this is one of the few times we’ve really gotten a hint about their life. Yeah, it was a sisterly argument that was quickly resolved, but god it really left me wanting more.
I don’t think the show is going to end before we get a Celestia/Luna episode. It has to happen. An episode that just discusses their day-to-day life, their relationship, how they handle the pressure of basically being immortal gods who rule over an entire world… it’s amazing that for characters so important to the show, we really don’t know a whole lot about them.
Mr. Waddle: That old one in the back row.
Oh! Hey Mr. Waddle! You just sit tight, something big is coming for you on my fimfic page. I promise.
The Mane 6: Who?
GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE THIS EPISODE AIN’T ABOUT YOU.
The Changeling: Apparently canonized as a friend of Matilda.
… wait WHAT? What the fuck, hang on. No, we gotta know more about this. Changelings are awesome characters, especially since they can work as the “Evil Minions For An Evil Overlord,” but it appears at least ONE is okay with everypony. This I hope we hear more about.
Cranky and Matilda: Shortly after this, there was ass-kissing. Thank you, thank you!
I saved this for last because my god I want these two to become a regular thing on the show. There’s something about the two of them that can bring something, and I think after watching this episode I know what it is: the adult presence.
There’s a reason that I want to see more of The Cakes, there’s a reason I want more Cranky and Matilda. It’s because the characters on the show, for the most part, are young adults. But Cranky and Matilda (and The Cakes, but we’re only talking about donkeys here), they’re not. They’re up there in years, they’ve lived long lives and are settled down… maybe they haven’t had as much adventure as the Mane 6, but they probably know more about life than them.
And it’s that presence that I think the show is seriously lacking. Celestia and Luna don’t really count because they’re sorta above that, but Cranky and Matilda would fit the role perfectly. I loved the ending to A Friend in Deed and finding out that they spent their lives looking for each other, and this episode sealed the deal with a really adorable ending of them getting married, but now I really hope we get more. These two could really, REALLY add something to MLP that it’s lacking right now, and I hope the writers capitalize on the potential that they have.
Mr. Cake seems to have this handled.
You know what episode 100 was? It was the Caddyshack of My Little Pony. It was less a coherent, plot-driven story, and more a series of skits with a pony theme. And sometimes, that works, like in this case. I really enjoyed episode 100. It’s probably not gonna have many references in the future, nor will it be remembered as one of the best episodes of the series, but instead it felt like a chance for the writers, animators, everyone working on the show to just have fun with an episode they knew wasn’t going to really be brought up again. A way to unwind. Like FLCL but not as robotic.
Here’s to 100 episodes, and here’s to heading back to normalcy for the rest of the season. We had our fun, we made our references and laughed at them, time to get back to horse business.
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PS: Watch this blog space in the next few days.
Happy, yes.
Sad that her appearance was cut short, however. Shows me for thinking the show would try to make something straight with an episode like this.
Random just made up headcanon, ponies are constantly helpfully bringing it back to Twilight. She politely accepts it, waits for them to leave, and then goes mildly crazy and teleports it away in a random direction.
I've seen the 'Wubbernaught' elsewhere, how about that?
More random headcanon, Pound Cake regularly picks him up and flies around, so he is used to unexpected flight.
I never noticed Jumpy. I want one now.
I prefer "Wubbernaut" for Vinyl's mobile speakers.
And yes, this was a glorious bit of nonsense with best pony at the fore and insights into many of the fan favorites.
Also, Gummy has gazed too long into the abyss. Good thing the abyss loves him so much.
Honestly, after watching the episode this is where my attention was most drawn. If I do come up with a fanfic in the next couple weeks it's going to involve this guy. Clearly there was some prejudice or at least discomfort, hence the row of empty chairs (I refuse to believe otherwise) but there's a changeling just THERE and it's no big deal.
Add to that the distinct color difference: this one is blue VS the previously (as I recall) only green ones, and we might get some ideas for differing changeling groups/structures or relationships with Equestria. No way I can NOT want to know more about this though.
yo, don't call us nonverbal people "a mute." saying "I kinda like the idea of Vinyl Scratch being mute." or "being a pony who's mute." works. but calling an individual who's mute, "a mute," is sorta like reducing us to be only recognized by our disability. and as a person who's mute myself, it really does bother me.
3163462
Huh, honestly didn't think about that. No offense intended by it, and thanks for letting me know!
3164434 your welcome, and thank you for understanding!
I don't know about you, but it really breaks my heart to see Celestia and Luna argue in this episode, which is why I'm glad they were able to reconcile later:
Also, if you're interested, I made a video which not only pays tribute to this episode, but also to a good friend of mine who passed away this year:
(sings) And when I grow too old to dream
Your love will live in my heart!