Friendship is Card Games: Canterlot Boutique · 11:15am Sep 13th, 2015
This week, we have Rarity faced with a seemingly irreconcilable dilemma between her artistic desires and economic realities that threatens to crush her dreams.
Why does this sound so familiar?
Seriously, No Sale seems like this episode’s negatively charged counterpart, on the opposite end of the success spectrum. (Also, if you aren’t reading Estee, you really should be. The overall tone is more cynical than the show, but the character work and worldbuilding are incredible.)
Okay, enough gushing. Time to focus on the episode:
Going into this, I was hoping there would be a bit of bonding between Dash and Rarity, given that their ambitions are the most likely to take them out of Ponyville. I understand why the episode didn’t do that, but it would’ve been nice. Oh well; it's still a fun theme to explore in fan fiction.
Hmm. Twelve-hour clock in Rarity’s work room. I guess that bill to extend the day by eight hours passed.
Sorry, Pinkie. Not every bit of culinary alliteration will have the same outcome as the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness. (Though I wonder if Spike would like the SCCCs…)
I quite like the bit of continuity to explain how Rarity got the capital needed for the new boutique.
From the moment Sassy Saddles was introduced, I latched on to one specific detail: She worked in all of Canterlot’s boutiques. Emphasis on “worked,” past tense. If she were really so great, surely she’d still be working at one of them.
Wow. Ponies pay attention to royalty and celebrities? What staggering, earth-shaking revelations. Whatever would Rarity do without you, Sassy? (Though I admit, I wasn’t expecting the Princess of Neuroses to poll most popular.)
When Rarity unveiled Tripping the Light, I said “Fantastic” at about the same time as Fashion Plate. It’s always an interesting feeling to be able to predict the jokes, especially when you don’t mean to.
Sassy Saddles can talk circles around Rarity. Rarity, the most socially adept member of the Mane Six. Granted, some of that was Sassy dangling Rarity’s dream in front of her like a carrot, but that still speaks to Sassy’s sheer charisma. No wonder she’s always been able to get hired somewhere else.
Truth be told, “Princess Dress” is a better name than “Reign in Stain.” Stain is generally not a word one wants associated with clothing. Sometimes what can feel like compromising your creative vision really is good advice.
On the one hand, Rarity really should’ve asked for help on the orders. On the other, Sassy knew that she had a staff of one to manage. She views Rarity as nothing more than an equine resource that can pump out the guaranteed hit that was most popular with the focus group. No respect, no appreciation for the art, no willingness to share the spotlight. She knows business, I’ll give her that, but her plan is soulless. (And for that matter, Rarity really should’ve asked to see the full plan before signing off on it.)
The song is interesting. Shades of “Art of the Dress,” of course, especially with the more exhausted second verse. There’s also a similar bit of choreography to “I’ll Fly” with the twirl and focus on each twirler’s face (or lack thereof.) I liked it.
Hmm. Starlight was sighted in Canterlot, and then comes this unicorn pushing a single, homogenous style on everypony, to the point where any deviation from the baseline is seen as aberrant and undesirable. I’m not saying there’s a connection, but this may have very well been a battlefield in a cold war of memes.
Also, given the number of Princess Dresses already available, I’m not sure why the picky pepper pony demanded the one she ordered. Couldn’t she just take one off the rack?
Sorry, Sassy. This is why you ensnare them in a contract before they realize what you’re going to do to them. It’s all well and good to make them feel like quitting isn’t an option, but it’s best to actually remove the option.
In all fairness, Sassy did learn her lesson. Fashion is as much a service as a product. There’s more to it than mere sale numbers. Really, this almost felt like a key episode for what was originally going to be Rarity’s Element of Harmony, Inspiration. Combine it with teaching others and trusting them to manage on their own, and there’s a hint of a map episode as well. It does a great job of showing how the Mane Six are graduating from adventurers to mentors, enlightening others to help them save themselves. This is underscored by Canterlot Carousel still being open at the end of the episode. Rarity now has a second store and an employee. Her business is growing, and with it her cachet in the fashion world.
Oh, and apparently comically obese ponies are a thing. Well, she seems comfortable with herself.
Also, what was with the exclamations in this episode? From Sassy’s alliterative interjections to one mare’s “Bats in the belfry!” it seems like everypony in Canterlot is trying to coin a catchphrase.
In any case, I liked this one. An interesting exploration of how creativity and business interact, and how they don’t. Now, for my own offerings:
Sunny Shopper WW
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
Protection from black
As long as Sunny Shopper is equipped, it gets +1/+0 and has first strike.
”It’s so bright! So vibrant! So me!”
2/2
Added Flair 1W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant Equipment
Enchanted Equipment has “Equipped creature gets +1/+1.”
Enchanted Equipment’s equip abilities cost 1 less to activate.
There’s always room for a little something extra.
Creative Control 1U
Enchantment
If an opponent would draw a card except the first one he or she draws in each of his or her draw steps, you may pay 1U. If you do, instead that player skips that draw and you draw a card.
”Just leave the thinking to me.”
Sweeping Trend 1U
Instant
Each other Equipment becomes a copy of target nonlegendary Equipment until end of turn.
Some ponies will go to any length to get the latest must-have item.
Inspiring Spires 2U
Enchantment
Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
”Every sensation is a work of art waiting for a receptive mind. It would be quite rude to pass them by.”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
Focus Group 3U
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
At the beginning of your upkeep, if an opponent has more cards in hand than you, draw a card.
”I mislike them. They speak with forked tongues and no wisdom of their own.”
—Princess Luna
1/4
Plan of Action 3U
Sorcery
Scry 5, then draw a card.
”It’s adorable. They tell themselves a little story about what’s going to happen, and they think the world will actually go along with it.”
—Discord
Relentless Replicator 3UU
Creature — Unicorn Spellshaper
1U, T, Discard a card: Put a token that’s a copy of target artifact onto the battlefield. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Some ponies are born without creativity. Some have it stamped out of them.
1/1
Mass Production XXU
Sorcery
Put X tokens that are copies of target nonlegendary artifact onto the battlefield.
”What good is anything if there isn’t enough of it for everypony?”
—Starlight Glimmer
Gloomy Soul BB
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
Protection from white
As long as Gloomy Soul is equipped, it gets +1/+0 and has first strike.
”It’s so dark. So solemn. So me.”
2/2
Appalling Alliteration 3B
Sorcery
Choose a letter. Each opponent loses X life and you gain X life, where X is the number of nonland permanents you control whose names begin with the chosen letter.
Consistency is the hobgoblin of hollow souls.
Glory Hog RR
Creature — Unicorn Rogue
While choosing targets as part of casting a spell or activating an ability, you must choose Glory Hog if able.
Standing above the herd isn’t a good idea when there’s a lightning rod growing out of your skull.
3/2
Canterlot Big Shot 3GG
Creature — Unicorn Citizen
Trample
Cutie mark magic occasionally has bizarre physiological effects. Talents for confidence or narcissism can make a pony too big to ignore.
5/5
Celestial Couture 2
Artifact — Equipment
Whenever you gain life, put that many +1/+1 counters on equipped creature.
Equip 2
Inspired by Celestia’s brilliance and compassion.
Wearable Dream 3
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each tapped creature on the battlefield.
Equip 4
Inspired by Luna’s duty and mystery.
Commemorative Dress 4
Artifact — Equipment
Imprint — When Commemorative Dress enters the battlefield, you may exile an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may copy the last card exiled with Commemorative Dress. If you do, cast the copy without paying its mana cost if able, then exile an instant or sorcery card from your graveyard.
Equip 3
“Rules of Rarity” WU
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Rules of Rarity”
WU, Sacrifice “Rules of Rarity”: Reveal the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of verse counters on “Rules of Rarity”. You may put any number of artifact and/or enchantment cards from among them into your hand. Put the rest into your graveyard.
Fashion Reporter 2WU
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
1: Reveal the top card of target player’s library. If an artifact or enchantment card is revealed this way, you may play that card this turn.
It takes a true journalist to discover the next hot trend before its creator does.
2/2
Compromised Values 3UB
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to activate an ability of enchanted creature.
Hollow Dream 3(ub)(ub)
Sorcery
Target player draws two cards, then discards five cards.
”Rare indeed is the pony who longs for what is best for her.”
—Princess Luna
At first I assumed she was still working in them, because hey, what's a little conflict of interest between friends? Later on, when she says "I can't be part of another failed boutique!" I figured all her past employers had closed down and that she had no idea why (she has the talent! Her plans work exactly as she predicts! Ponies flock to her stores! And yet they keep closing down!
), and was terrified of it happening again.
I've been deeply reluctant to say anything at all about Starlight Glimmer for fear of getting into a debate on politics or culture war issues through ponies
but yeah, Sassy is unambiguously big-business capitalist, and yet her policies end up creating a situation where everyone wants to be exactly the same and any difference is bad. If there is a best option, everyone will want exactly that. If we want variety we have to start by accepting that different things can be equal in value.
It's Canterlot, of course they are.
3389569
Job Reference for Sassy Saddles
We are delighted to say we used to work with Ms Saddles. Since she took over the management of our boutique there has been a transformation in the fortunes of our business. She brought a unique aproach to the job with unbelievable results. Her work was consistent and we understand she made a similarly exceptional impact in all her previous posts. We recommend you waste no time in making her a job offer.
I like the reference to White Knight and Black Knight in Sunny Shopper and Gloomy Soul.
I do feel like the episode was a bit of a missed opportunity to see Coco again, but I think it worked out in the end.
Also, I'm going to have to defend Reign in Stain's name over Princess Dress. I'll take My Fair Lady puns over something that sounds like a cheap costume from party city any day.
3389569
Sassy is an optimizer. The problem is that she doesn't know what values her employer wants optimized, and she clearly has communication issues. At least she isn't trying to satisfy human values through friendship and ponies.
3389628
Victory goes to whoever can get her catchphrase to define an era. (Ironically enough, this time period in Equestria would be best known for "Great whickering stallions!")
3389634
That is some beautiful doublespeak.
3389665
Contrasting light and dark dispositions? How could I not do a white/black mirror pair?
Between you and Kkat, I swear to Celestia...ok, where in the show is an 8-hour clock? I want pictures darn it!!!!
Comically Obese Pony had such a strange character design, with her lack of a neck and her disproportionately small legs. I almost wasn't sure what I was looking at for a moment there. I wonder what her story is? How does a pony grow to that size? I want to say that she's some kind of confectioner that just doesn't get as much exercise as Pinkie does, like Mrs. Cake if she had zero restraint, but that doesn't jive with her cutie mark, which actually appears to be of her own face somehow.
I want to write a fanfic. This character and the implications of her existence are fascinating to me.
I rather enjoyed this ep.
However it seemed long over due. I expected something like this in S4. All the talk at the end of S3 start of S4, gave the impression that the mane 6 would be going there separate ways. Actually pursuing their dreams. Only now do we some indication that this is happening. Raritys new boutique would see her being in Ponyville a bit less though not as much as they seemed to imply a season ago.
Gloomy Souls pnoy reminded me of some character but I cant place who.
Obese pony's ( while I have never seen adventure time) art style reminded me of that.
Rarity seems to be the driving pony for this half of season 5. All the episode titles for the next few episodes, if they dont outright have her name in it, have a Rarity feel to them.
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Well, one excellent example would be the clock around Ponka Ponk's neck in "Testing Testing 1-2-3." There's also this alarm clock seen in "Owl's Well That Ends Well" and the clock tower from "Putting Your Hoof Down."
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As I posit on the card Canterlot Big Shot, I suspect that her cutie mark magic has resulted in a physiological response meant to make her impossible to ignore. It actually goes well with a bit of my headcanon, that unicorns have constant low-level telekinesis reinforcing their musculoskeletal system. In her case, it's enough to permit her ludicrous body shape.
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If the Mane Six ever do drift apart, it will probably happen in the series finale, or as part of a two-parter. When the show is all about the magic of friendship, the friendships central to it are probably going to stick around.
Yes, waiting for the Pony Trio fanfiction. Goth, Fat, and Sunny.
That flavortext on Plan of Action. Also, holy crap, have you seen Void Winnower?
She's the newest one and ponies have the most delightfully short attention spans.
3389736 What I expect to happen in the series finale is the ultimate Friendship Lesson: while friends might drift apart physically and even emotionally, it's still worth it. Consider where Twi would be if she'd returned home after Nightmare Moon was defeated and where she is now. Consider where they all are.
Literally the first thing I did after watching the episode was leave a comment on No Sale about the contrast. Go figure.
Anyways, this was actually a pretty good episode. The plot was simple, but entertaining, and Rarity episodes (where she's not being stupid and/or a jerk) are always good.
When Twilight explained how Rarity got the capital, I couldn't help myself but to comment aloud (to an empty room) about the awkward exposition dump. So I guess our tastes on continuity differ.
The thing I immediately latched on to when Sassy Saddles showed up was that she merited a nonstandard body type--extra tall and thin, just like Fleur. Since both are involved in the fashion industry, I have to assume tall and thin unicorns are considered the height of pony beauty. (And since their model looks more similar to the princesses than normal, this grants credence to that theory someone-or-else posited that "pretty" is defined as "similar to Celestia".)
I think it kinda makes sense that Twilight's very popular--she's new, she has several acts of heroism under her belt within the last few years, she's friendly, and she makes a lot more of an effort to be approachable than the other two. And whatever fanfics may say, the show has actually shown ponies to be willing to interact with her like a normal person while also deferring to her judgement unquestioningly, usually--I'm especially thinking of the princess summit episode since that was a lot of ponies she doesn't usually interact with. I'd kind of expect Celestia to still have her beat due to incumbency and basically being a religious figure, but I guess not. I'm at least not surprised she beat Luna and Cadence.
Also, whether she was actually the most popular or not she was definitely the most available to ask to model one of the dresses. And that dress happened to match her colors.
The name for the dress was definitely one of those instances where it's best to listen to your editor, because your editor knows what's best for you. It's just that such conversations should happen privately, and well in advance of presenting it to the public.
This assertion that Rarity's element was originally going to be Inspiration. Did you just make that up, or is there a source?
I liked how the episode ended with her NOT closing the boutique, even if she isn't running it personally. Take that, cartoons with stuffy status quos! (Actually, saying no to "you have to choose whether X or Y is important to you, you can't have both" endings in Rarity episodes seems to be a trend in this show, and one I am quite happy with)
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Speaking of creativity, all of your cards for this episode just... spoke to me! Simply marvelous, every one of them!
Sunny Shopper/Gloomy Soul: I love pairings like this. And that I could predict the pairing as soon as I saw the first one.
Added Flair: An enchantment for equipment? What is this madness? (I like it! Also it might lend itself to an infinite combo with something that detatches itself as a cost, though it's not half as bad as Training Grounds.)
Creative Control: Very evil. Play it with stuff that lets all players draw a card (such as Temple Bell or Howling Mine) to seriously annoy all your opponents.
Sweeping Trend: Oh, that has the potential to be a surprise game-ender in the right deck. Especially since you can turn equipment that makes people unblockable into equipment that makes people big after blockers are declared.
Focus Group: Cool effect, seems like a fun card. Of course that's not an effect that control wants and its stapled to a body that mostly only control wants, but you can't have everything.
Relentless Replicator: At last, my dream of spitting out a Darksteel Colossus token every turn for 2 mana is realized? (Yeah that thing's hella impractical between the costs and the fragile body, but just imagine what it could do if you cheat out one expensive artifact. Or imagine if on every turn you could duplicate a lord).
Mass Production: My Darksteel Colossus Token dreams are all coming true on the same day! Actually this card seems much better for most Jhonny purposes than the previous one, though it's a lot less flexible.
Appalling Alliteration: Oh god, "goblin" is a valid choice for this card. Also "Saproling" if that's the way you swing. Are you sure you don't want to exclude tokens?
Glory Hog: It's a reverse flagbearer. I suspect a very, very narrow range of decks this could fit in. (Probably most of those decks are primarily green).
Celestial Couture: Makes me want to build a lifegain deck just looking at it.
Wearable Dream: Luna says Sleep. (Obviously quite intentional). Also note that it benefits from itself and other attacking creatures.
Commemorative Dress: There's a lot of veeeey expensive instants and sorceries that will win you the game if you can shove them in your graveyard and then copy it every turn. (Twice per turn with double-strike). My top picks: Enter the Infinite (hilarious since you keep replacing the card you drew), In Garruk's Wake/Plague Wind, Curse of the Cabal, Clone Legion, or best of all Soulscour on an artifact creature (with that one you just win the game period).
Oh, and let's not forget: ANY spell that lets you take an extra turn. How would you like infinite turns in a row? And you can actually hard-cast Time Warp in the course of a normal game, unlike most other super-combos with this card. (For best hilarity though, Time Stretch for exponentially growing extra turns).
Fashion Reporter: That is a powerful (and cheap) ability in the right deck, and the decent body doesn't hurt it. Also, would this allow you to play artifacts on an opponent's turn?
Compromised Values: You can play this on your own creature if you want to guarantee the ability to Channel all your life into a specific ability. And unlike Channel it's not a one-turn effect. In the right deck, the game should end no more than one turn after you play this. (Even if you restrict it to opponents' creatures it'll be an improved-but-2-color Mind Control)
Hollow Dream: Oh god, Liliana's Caress will deal 10 damage off of this card if they have at least 3 cards. Imagine having two Caresses out (and an opponent too dumb or unlucky to empty their hand) and swinging for 20.
Did you intend for Glory Hog to only make the owner of the card forced to target them instead of all players? I would think it'd want to be the target of any spell or ability, not just the ones its controler is casting.
I feel that Fashion Reporter should have the "activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery" rider clause, because as it is now it can be used at instant speed but would not allow the activating player the ability to actually cast the revealed card at a time they could not do so normally.
The reminder text on Act on Impulse spells it out but it is also card rulings on a bunch of the other cards that enable you to play a card that has been exiled or is being revealed though some means.
Then again none of the cards I looked at had the rider on them though so eigh. I guess enough players are used to this sort of ability it doesn't need it.
Not a lot to comment on this week... huh.
3391177
Remember that after you cast the copy of the spell you exile a new spell from your graveyard and that will be what you get next time. Easily played around, by not having any viable spells in your graveyard, but potentially problematic.
And if double strike is in play and you do have a viable spell in your graveyard, unless it was the same as the spell just cast, you'd get two different spells. Which is viable in some cases, such as casting something that boosts creature damage and then a second spell that get you an extra combat phase. And then you'll get another combat phase and say a straight up extra turn as you said and then... well, the point has been made.
See my above comment on timing issues. Short answer; No it would not.
Unless that artifact naturally had flash or if you has something that made everything act like it had flash.
3389964
Actually, I have a story idea for the picky pepper pony. Mostly so I can call her Picky Pepper.
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I think my favorite part of Void Winnower is how its converted mana cost, power, and toughness are all odd numbers.
3390702
It's good to be the flavor of the month. Cadence probably went through something similar, though Luna was probably too busy catching up on her missed millennium to be much of a media darling.
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You know, I think that might be one of the deepest and most meaningful notes the series could end on. Tearjerking, seeing them drift apart, but poignantly so.
3391177
Rarity's original element is Word of Faust. And this was Lauren being serious, not like the "pegasi fart helium" thing.
The actual change to the status quo was very welcome. Certainly not the first time the events of an episode have had a lasting impact on this show, but still nice to see. It's the same reason I appreciate even the most flagrant continuity drops; they acknowledge that other episodes happened and had a lasting impact.
Added Flair: It's not the first Aura with enchant Equipment, or even the second, but it is the first one that you'd actually want to put on your own Equipment.
Appalling Alliteration: Given that Flame Fusillade can just about the same thing with greater flexibility in most situations, I'd say this one's fine.
Commemorative Dress: Remember, the dress only casts the last card it exiled, and that follow-up exile effect is mandatory. The only way to keep it casting the same spell over and over is to have no instants or sorceries in your graveyard. (Or you could just use a Spellbinder, but that isn't sorcery-compatible. Or as pretty.)
Fashion Reporter: Since the opportunity to play the card isn't part of the ability (as opposed to, say, Commemorative Dress,) you'd need flash in some form or another, whether through the card having flash or a Vedalken Orrery-stye effect.
Hollow Dream: Add another Caress and Wistful Thinking lets you live that dream for two less mana. (So, the cost of the Caress. Funny how that works out.)
3391290 Picky pepper?
3391290
So in your story, does Picky Pepper pick a peck of pickled peppers? Because she should.
Appalling Alliteration has a lot over Flame Fusillade if your deck is built for it--you're swinging for twice as much, target each opponent instead of just one, and it leaves the creatures untapped so they can still attack that turn. It's a tradeoff since Flame Fusillade can target creatures and isn't as picky about names, but I'd say that's a pretty favorable trade.
I'll admit to misreading Commerative Dress. That's a bit more exciting and less obviously broken, but it's still easily abusable into a game-ending combo. Spellbinder lets you skip one step in the combo (putting the card in your graveyard) but it can't use sorceries, and most of the really game-breaking cards I just listed (including, most importantly, Time Warp) are sorceries. Being able to cast a free Time Warp every turn is worth bending over backwards for, even if that means ensuring no other instants or sorceries in your graveyard.
Fashion Reporter: The way I read it, "you may play that card this turn" is part of the ability. I think it'd save a heck of a lot of (hypothetical) players (of your hypothetical un-)set a lot of debates if it instead said "you may play that card. Play this ability only as a sorcery". Even if requiring you to play the card right away and blocking flash antics makes the ability slightly weaker in edge cases.
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Havengul Lich did it before Fashion Reporter. It may be complex, but I stand by it. (Plus, you can always use it just before your turn to see if it's worth using the ability during that turn.)
And I'm pretty sure no pickled peppers will be picked. Though I can't completely rule it out. Still in early planning.
3391290 The idea would be to put a full stop on the story while not killing everyone off. After all, Generation Five is going to take place in a different setting that has no connection to the current world so having the story end on a high note would be a smart idea.
I, for one, thought Rarity's hesitance to use her friends as emergency slave labor was a nice callback to "Rarity Takes Manehattan."
Also, I hope I'm not the only one who's stoked that we're starting off the second half of the season with at least three Rarity epiaodes.
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Fashion Horse is part of my four-way tie for third best Mane Six—Science Horse and Fun Horse share first—so I'm not exactly over the moon. Still, I'm not opposed to the idea either. It would've been nice to open the Month of Rarity with an appropriate card blog, but the closest thing Season 3 had to a Rarity episode was her struggle with Cadence's mane in "Games Ponies Play."
I now have the delightful urge to use the term 'Picky Pepper' as that unsatisfied customer's real name :3