The Best of Season 5

Another season of pony has come and gone. And what a bucking season it was The Crusaders got their Cutie Marks, Discord learned two friendship lessons, Derpy Hooves spoke, we got to see all our favorite old villains again, Diamond Tiara got redeemed, and Big Macintosh became BBBBFF (Best Big Brother Best Friend Forever). Not to mention the massive feels train the writers seemed intent on pummeling into the fandom every five episodes or so. Our little ponies (get it?) have come a long way from Season 1. There were a few duds this season, but for once it's not even worth complaining about the bad episodes because the good ones completely overwhelm them. When this season struck the mark, it struck it HARD

But enough gushing over how Season 5 was the best season of MLP ever. Here are my Top 5 picks for the entire season (not including the premiere and the finale) Note: These aren't based on consensus. It's just my personal opinion, which may or may not be horse crap (get it?).

5. Tanks for the Memories

The best Rainbow Dash episode in the whole series. Rainbow is in character, everypony else is in character, Tank gets put in the spotlight, and we get the best face Rainbow has ever made. And that's without even touching the moral. Despite all the awesome things in this episode, the concept and the way it was presented is what makes this such an amazing episode. It reminds me of the many cartoons that attempt to talk about drugs and/or addiction by using something more child-friendly, like candy or junk food, because parents' groups would riot if a childrens' show mentioned cocaine. This can easily be done horribly, with the issue either being "dumbed down" too much or the metaphors not being subtle enough for it to be entertaining. But this episode does it almost flawlessly. It's still child-friendly, yet it evokes the exact same emotions it would have if it wasn't forced to be subtle. Never thought I'd see the Five Stages of Grief on a show about talking ponies. And Rainbow Dash's first solo performance of the series was the icing on the cake.

4. Brotherhooves Social

First Princess Big Mac, now Orchard Blossom. The amount of theories spawned from that yellow wig and those wings could fill up the Grand Canyon. My personal theory? Big Macintosh......loves his little sister and wants to be seen as someone important by her. Hence Princess Big Mac AND...this episode. I know for a fact a lot of people were cringing their eyes out over Big Macintosh cross-dressing. There was even a big (and by big, I mean worth a short paragraph) controversy over this episode, created by agitated Tumblr uses who think they can speak on behalf of a group of people they're not even apart of, even though said group of people chiefly has no problem with the episode. Since I don't want to rant for six paragraphs, I'll just get to the meat of this review. This was a hilarious episode with a surprisingly emotional ending. Big Macintosh dressed as Orchard Blossom didn't make me cringe. In fact, it just made me laugh until I could barely breathe. His rather bumbling attempts to pass himself off as a female were comedy itself, straight out of classic Bugs Bunny (as well as a great deal of other cartoons that have utilized the cross-dressing trope). The best part of the episode, other than the scene between Big Mac and Apple Bloom in the end? Not one single pony laughed at Big Macintosh or made fun of him for dressing up like that. Everypony was just surprised, and who the buck wouldn't be? Sorry, Rebecca Sugar. You're no longer the only Queen of Progressive Thinking.

3. Make New Friends, But Keep Discord

We need more Discord episodes that are filled to the brim with references just like this. Buck, we need more Discord episodes like this in general! Possibly the most downright hilarious episode in the entire series. If you need a break from the constant barrage of feels in Season 5, look no further than this gem of a Discord episode. The best part is that Discord isn't even the only funny one in the episode. Tree Hugger is hilarious to just listen to and Maud's dead-pan humor is one of the reasons we all love her to bits. If there was ever an episode perfect for showcasing Discord's character (and proving that him being reformed hasn't "ruined" his character), it's this one.

2. Amending Fences

At long last, we have discovered a pony even more adorkable than Twilight Sparkle. And her name is.......MOONDANCER! Seriously, just look at that hair. It's almost unfair how completely adorkable Moondancer is. And her introduction episode (remember, she had a short cameo in the season 5 finale, so perhaps she'll be back in Season 6), was great. The underlying messages of this episode, along with the moral and the continuity, are worth being amazed over all by themselves. In essence, this episode is about how one's experiences shape their personality. Moondancer is literally what would have happened if Twilight's life had gone differently. It's tragic, relatable, and in the end very sweet, albeit a little rushed. Also...unexpected pink pony is the best type of pink pony.

Let the Moondancer x Sunset Shimmer x Twilight Sparkle fan fiction commence!

1. Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?

A Luna episode with a great lesson and tons of feels? I don't think anyone expected this out of Season 5. Or just...MLP in general. Out of all; the episodes on this list, I chose this one as my absolute favorite because it has everything I want out of an MLP episode: A non-generic and very realistic moral, character development for a character who doesn't get a lot of it, splendid use of background ponies, and a pleasant fantasy-adventure feel. There's not much else to say, honestly, even though this is my favorite episode of the whole season. Its got some flaws (why couldn't they have done a little more with Applejack's dream?), but it's an episode that fully exemplifies everything MLP:FIM is. At its heart, MLP:FIM is a fantasy-adventure/slice of life show that frames its life lessons with unforgettable characters we can empathize with in their various struggles.

Honorable Mention #1: Crusaders of the Lost Mark

Bet you thought I forgot about this one! But who could forget Diamond Tiara being redeemed AND the CMC getting their Cutie Marks in one single episode? And, as a nice bonus, the return of Button Mash and Pipsqueak. It's not in my Top 5, but I don't dislike the episode either. I love it when villains are redeemed and character development is brought to the forefront. So why is it just an honorable mention? Well, despite there being more good than bad, it's not necessarily worth that vital re-watch like all the entries on my Top 5 list. Other than Diamond Tiara's redemption, the CMC getting their marks, and the subtle confirmation that AJ's parents are dead, there's not much else there that would make me want to go through the whole episode a second or third time in my leisure. But as I stated, it's definitely not a terrible episode.

Honorable Mention #2: Slice of Life

I talked about this episode in one of my older blog posts, therefore there's no need for me to review it again here. I'll just say that it's nice the staff appreciates the fan base enough to make a tribute like this.

Honorable Mention #3: The Mane Attraction

I'm gonna miss Amy Keating Rogers. She was a fantastic writer for the show. I hope she does well at Disney. And what an episode to end off on! In all honesty, the "main attraction" ( ) of this episode was the music. Lena Hall has a gorgeous voice. And "Just a Pony" is one of the best songs the talented Daniel Ingram has ever written. There's so much passion in Lena's voice when she's singing that it almost brought me to tears. Other than the music, this episode has only a few little things going for it, including the fact that it's an Applejack episode. Normally this would be a good reason to complain for several hours, but who could possibly complain? Amy Keating Rogers left on a high note and that's all anyone could have asked for at the end of the day. If nothing else, she left a song in our hearts that will endure for years to come.

Comments

[Loganberry]

I don't think I've yet come across anyone who dislikes "Amending Fences". I ran a straw poll on the UK of Equestria forums in which people were asked to rank the S5 episodes, and of the 23 people who responded, all 23 placed it in their top nine. Not one other episode was so universally popular. Even "Magic Sheep" has one or two detractors, but not "Amending Fences".