On Season 5 Thus Far

The mid-season hiatus is upon us. So, how was the first half of the fifth season?

It was amazing. Definitely the best half season of the show so far. With a lot of early season episodes, even if I enjoy them I can see that they'll probably be largely forgettable as a season rolls on. This was the case with Castle Mane-ia and Daring Don't for the beginning of season 4. However, with season 5, that has rarely happened. The only episodes I can say I didn't particularly care for in season 5 are Appleoosa's Most Wanted and Princess Spike. Appleoosa's Most Wanted was okay, but it was just an average episode and didn't really have anything to make it stand out. Princess Spike, on the other hand, did have some great elements. The background ponies, Twilight organizing a diplomatic summit, seeing more of Canterlot; most of the episode was really good... except Spike. Unfortunately, the episode went in the predictable vein of Spike being unable to do anything competent in the spotlight. Unlike Equestria Games, however, there was no positive ending; nothing for Spike to grow on. It felt like the crux of the episode was that Spike did not get any respect and then proceeded to show why he doesn't deserve any respect. Considering that Spike has had four and a half seasons of character development and that he's been very competent as Twilight's assistant, Princess Spike really didn't do justice to his character at all. Because of that, it's my least favorite of the season so far.

The rest of the season has been phenomenal. I am really impressed with how far the show staff has gone into more mature themes with Tanks For the Memories and Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep. Tanks For the Memories is also good for how broad its interpretation can be. While the allegory of death is the most obvious, the episode could also be applied to, for example, and older sibling leaving for college and being gone for several months at a time. Additionally, there were several standout episodes in the first half of season five. The season premiere, naturally, was exceptional. All the dystopian aspects to Starlight Glimmer's society and the psychological warfare she used to quash dissent really took the episode in a direction I never expected MLP to go in terms of topics covered. Bloom and Gloom was a nice end to the Luna and CMC trilogy of episodes, and the topic of if a pony is unsatisfied with their cutie mark is one that is fascinating to explore. I'm glad the show went down that road with this season. Bloom and Gloom especially ties into the season premiere with Starlight Glimmer's ideology. While it seems strange to us that a pony would willingly sacrifice their special talent, it does make sense within the world of Equestria. If you had spent much of your life resenting your cutie mark, finding a way to "fix" it and would certainly be compelling.

Lastly, I'd like to talk a bit about Slice of Life. That episode was crazy, but very much a good kind of crazy. It was clearly a show of genuine appreciation to the fandom and I love that they went all out with the pandering, just for that episode. As for headcanons, I try to keep my headcanon flexible and not latch onto one thing in particular too much because I know that the author has the ultimate authority when it comes to a work. However, I felt that they gave just enough shout-outs that it kept most of the generally agreed fanon intact. That was great because it shows the writers not only are paying attention but also that to a certain extent they like the direction the fandom has taken some characters. It was especially nice to see Derpy (okay, Muffins, but she'll always be Derpy to me) talking again. But really, everything about Slice of Life was great. A very enjoyable episode with a nice moral as well.

I can't wait for the second half of the season! From what the SDCC animatics have shown, season five looks to be continuing its stride to be the best season yet!