Season 5, Episode 15 Thoughts and Review · 11:41pm Sep 19th, 2015
Spoilers below! You've been warned!
Part Two in the Rarilogy and the writers are still batting strong with this episode. Rarity was amazingly on-point and her interactions with Dash were amazing to watch altogether. I mean, we never get to see them together alone all that often since Rarity and AJ are usually the opposites of each other. But, watching headstrong Dash and quaint Rarity interact was just so much freaking fun. Now, onto the episode!
Rarity visits Sassy Saddles at Canterlot Carousel, which was great to see since it showed immediate continuity and showed some the new dynamic between Rares and Sassy. She arrives to show off her new line of "femme mystique chic" clothing, which was inspired by literary detective Shadow Spade. Who, I really want to know more about, now that I think about it... I expect fics about her within the hour.
That hat reminds me of Agent Carter... *GASPS* SOMEONE MAKE A CROSSOVER WITH RARITY, OMG.
Rainbow Dash enters the boutique and, after briefly toppling all the dress stands, mentions that she will be attending Princess Celestia's royal garden opening the next day. The Wonderbolts will be giving an aerial performance at the opening, and Rainbow Dash, being a member of the Wonderbolts Reserve, is a backup flyer in case one of the Wonderbolts cannot perform. In addition, both she and Rarity are attending a royal dinner at the castle that evening, where Rainbow is excited to hang out with the Wonderbolts personally.
OK, I thought it was really great for Rainbow to barge in like she did because it was an IMMEDIATE and HARSH contrast against how Rarity usually is. Dash is clumsy; I mean, VERY clumsy. She can be precise and accurate when she wants to be, but a lot of the time, she is very destructive without meaning to be. She's awkward and unwieldy with most of what she does, and I think that it's so great that the writers added that detail into this episode about Rarity's abilities to notice details and be precise with everything she does.
Dash and Rarity in a nutshell.
There's also the bit where Rarity convinces a delivery pony to get her correct order with her sweet-talking, amazingly without making it inappropriate for children. That was fun, too.
OK, I'm really getting a Peggy Carter vibe now. Please, make that crossover.
That night, at the castle dinner, Rarity and Rainbow Dash meet retired Wonderbolt Wind Rider. Rarity picks up on his particular scent of cologne, and Rainbow Dash is starstruck to meet such a decorated flyer.
She has literal STARS in her eyes.
When Spitfire approaches and praises Rainbow Dash's flying, mentioning that she could eventually beat Wind Rider's long-distance speed record, Wind Rider laughs a bit awkwardly and suddenly excuses himself.
Rainbow Dash is disappointed that she might not be able to perform with her heroes, but Rarity offers to watch the performance with her. Later on, Rainbow retires to her suite in the castle's east tower with Spitfire as her neighbor.
The next day, the Wonderbolts practice for their aerial performance, but Spitfire has been unexpectedly called away by a note sent from her sick mother. Soarin offers Rainbow Dash to take Spitfire's place, and Rainbow eagerly accepts.
Lol, the Raridash shippers are losing it now.
But, as Rarity watches, Spitfire's mother Stormy Flare appears to watch as well, perfectly healthy. She reveals to Rarity that she never sent a note to Spitfire and that she hadn't seen her.
This causes confusion among the Wonderbolts until Wind Rider suggests someone sent Spitfire a fake note to remove her from the performance, causing all suspicion to fall upon Rainbow Dash. Though Rainbow is open about her desire to fly with Wind Rider, she pleads innocence. After a brief discussion, Soarin gives Rainbow a chance to prove her innocence, but if she cannot, she will be kicked out of the Wonderbolts. Inspired by the literary works of Shadow Spade, "Detective Rarity" steps in to investigate the crime.
SHE IS SO FREAKING CUTE, I CAN'T EVEN.
In a black-and-white parody of 1940s film noir, Rarity and Rainbow Dash inspect Spitfire's castle suite. Rarity discovers a piece of Rainbow's mane on the envelope that the note was sent in, and she finds that some of the corridor curtains have been moved.
Her external and internal monologues made this episode hilarious, oh my god.
Reasoning that whoever delivered the note to Spitfire had to have passed the royal guards on duty, Rarity and Rainbow Dash interrogate them. After some pressing—
and through Rarity's feminine charms
—the guards eventually admit that they took a short break when someone left them a very specialized cake. Lol, that one guard looks like Flash's older brother.
I swear to God, the first thing I thought was, "FLASH?!" when I saw this guy. His coat's a different color, but he looks similar.
Rarity and Rainbow track the cake's origin to a Canterlot cake shop. The owner Cinnamon Chai tells Rarity that whoever purchased the cake had concealed their identity, except for having a deep, raspy voice and wearing a scarf that got stained in chocolate.
Rainbow Dash becomes increasingly worried when all the clues point to her and frustrated by Rarity's constant diversions to talk about fashion, but Rarity is confident her investigation is leading them toward the true culprit.
Back at the performance grounds, the Wonderbolts have yet to locate Spitfire. When Rarity and Rainbow Dash return, Rarity accuses Wind Rider of framing Rainbow for Spitfire's disappearance.
Dash's face is priceless.
Rainbow is appalled by Rarity's accusation, but Rarity explains her case:
1. The hairs they found on the envelope in Spitfire's suite did not fall out naturally—they were cut with shears and planted.
2. The envelope itself gave off the same scent as Wind Rider's cologne.
3. The castle corridor curtains were unfurled, indicating someone was hiding behind them.
4. Most incriminating of all, Rarity undoes Wind Rider's tightly-wound scarf and discovers a chocolate stain.
In the face of this overwhelming evidence, Wind Rider confesses to sending Spitfire the fake note, saying he did it to preserve his long-distance speed record. He states that sometimes playing dirty is necessary to win, but Soarin and the rest of the Wonderbolts disagree and scorn him. Upon learning where Wind Rider sent Spitfire, Rainbow quickly flies off to retrieve her in time for the performance. Upon their arrival, Spitfire strips Wind Rider of his Wonderbolt status for his crimes, and Rainbow Dash takes his place in the show.
The episode ends with the Wonderbolts giving their aerial performance while Rarity and Stormy Flare watch from the stands.
This was a good episode. Sure, it played on the noir trope, but it was a great use of it because it both parodied it and honored it, something that is always fun to do for tropes. Also, it showed some other allusions to other mystery shows:
Sherlock... Sherlock everywhere.
This episode was really fun and really, really good for a second part of Rarity's arc. I can't wait to see how they end it next week!
Season 5, Episode 16: Made in Manehatten
Applejack and Rarity have to make a trip to Manehattan to solve a friendship problem, and they find themselves helping Coco Pommel with a major project to help her neighborhood, but the three find out their project may be too ambitious for them.
And we're back on the RariJack train, y'all. Also, Coco Pommel's coming back! I wonder how things have been going for her and if we'll learn what she's been up to!
Oh, and do you know what ELSE comes up next Saturday?
MOTHER. FUCKING. FRIENDSHIP. GAMES.
GET READY, Y'ALL.
Rarity took that Michael Jackson pose early in the episode, which was really great. I also liked how her outfit later on was pretty much Carmen Sandiego.
As for Friendship Games, I'm watching that shit at Stl Crystal Fair! Woo, convention time!
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I can't wait until Friendship Games. Only one week left! Also, have fun at the con!
Can't wait for the movie next week! I hope Human Twilight talks down on those berating teammates of hers, quits Crystal Prep School, and joins Canterlot High with the Mane 5.
The fact that the Benedict Cumberbatch/Sherlock pony's Cutie Mark is a bumblebee amuses me to no end.
i.imgur.com/O1QviDM.png
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I DIDN'T NOTICE THAT. THAT MAKES THAT A HUNDRED TIMES MORE FUNNY, HOLY CRAP.
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SAME. I love it when characters who have been beaten down and ridiculed for no good reason get a chance to stand up to their abusers.
I kinda like that there are hints to Rainbow Dash's hidden strength. She claims she isn't very good at long-distance flights but when she returned with Spitfire at the end, she doesn't show any signs of fatigue while Spitfire does. Only a little sweat.
Also I'd like to point out the fact that Soarin eats pies when stressed.
Definitely an episode that gives you that classic detective movie vibe.
This was a wonderful RariDash episode. Can't believe it's taken this long to see the two interact in an entire episode. Now, can we get a RariPie episode, please? It, PinkieShy, and RariLight are the only mane six pairings that we've yet to see in considerable detail.