What About Discord Review · 5:11pm Nov 7th, 2015
What About Discord? What about him, indeed? Fittingly for a god of chaos, Discord stirs mixed feelings in me. This episode does not: I'm rather secure in stating my feelings about it.
The problem with Discord is that, while he's very funny and John DeLancie is awesome... Discord is an ass. Discord never really reformed, I've done a blog post on that. He just stopped being evil, but he's still an irresponsible, selfish, power-abusive troll who annoys the cast to get his jollies. Season 4's finale made sense to me: Discord never really became a hero, he just had a choke chain slipped over his neck with the Elements, and once they were gone friendship wasn't enough to enforce good behavior. His character arc made me wonder if true reformation would come in Season 5... then came his first episode of S5 and those hopes were dashed.
Discord is funny, but I really don't care for him as a character. I share the cast's annoyance with him whenever he's around, he only ever comes around to cause trouble and only fixes his mess and/or helps the cast when browbeat into doing it. Discord is that guy you knew in school that never took anything seriously and was always making jokes, even though no one is really laughing at them and you've asked him to knock it off three times.
This episode unfortunately has that same problem. The idea of Discord actually spending time with the cast and bonding with them, and Twilight being the odd-mare out, had potential, and the opening of this episode with Rainbow Dash was good. Then Discord does his little leer and sinister voice, and I slap my forehead. "Oh hell, he's working an angle again." I watched the rest of the episode knowing the twist was coming, growing increasingly annoyed at Twilight's poor characterization.
I find it ironic this is coming in the same season as Tree Hugger, where Discord had to deal with being left out of other events and his friends having other friends, and now he's going and turning it back on Twilight. Not really to teach Twi a lesson, just to have fun with her. To the surprise of no one, Discord was again, just being a dick troll to Twilight for no reason but his own amusement. The karmic ending is satisfying, but again, we're seeing Discord get put in his place for, what, the third or fourth time, now? Do you really think it'll stick or change anything after this? You know it won't.
Additionally, Discord's humor is really bad in this episode. I didn't laugh much, and with the predictable and dull plot, I wasn't very invested, either. This episode rates in the lower half of the season for me.
I also find this episode being similar to an even EARLIER one. Griffon the Brush Off. Only with Twilight instead of Gilda.
The key problem for me is that there were no surprises. Everything was literally announced ahead of time: The attempt to recreate the scene, Twilight's attempt to break the spell, Twilight's jealousy... The biggest surprise was that Zecora got involved. The humor being thin on the ground and overplayed didn't help either. I do enjoy Discord playing the trickster mentor, teaching lessons in his own unique style, but this episode managed to make him everything he shouldn't be, predictable and dull.
You know, you could've saved yourself a lot of typing by shortening this to "Discord is Q."
Because that would've said everything you said about Discord in this entire post with just one letter.
I liked this episode until the VERY end, when it just fell apart.
3527599 I've never watched Star Trek, however.
The ending could have saved this; if the twist was no, Discord isn't up to anything, he's just being a bit sly because that's how he is, it would have been fine. But we have to have him play an angle.
Yeah, I was kind of hoping Discord would be more reformed at this point. The annoying thing is, apparently he can be genuinely charming and friendly enough to closely bond with 5 of the Mane 6, but we're TOLD that, rather than shown it.
Please stop reminding me that this episode also exists :(
3529744 Dude, you're really bumming me out.
3529825
This was my life goal. I feel so accomplished right now.