Season 5 Overview (Part One) · 12:43am Dec 15th, 2015
Season four premiered in November of 2013 and ended in May of 2014. We bronies had to endure for over a year without any new episodes. It wasn’t until early 2015 that we finally got some information regarding the new season, and the fifth season finally premiered in April of this year. There was a, thankfully, short hiatus during the summer, with the show returning to airing new episodes in September. The fifth season finally ended near the end of November.
There are a lot of people who regard season four as being one of the show’s best seasons, so how does season five stack up against it? Let’s find out.
Episodes 1 & 2 The Cutie Map–Part 1 & Part 2
If you wanted to start this season off right, what better way than an exciting adventure? I will say that this premiere was certainly better than season four’s. Not that season four’s premiere was bad or anything, but the writing was all over the place.
We get introduced to some interesting new characters such as Sugar Belle, Double Diamond, and Party Favor. The one who stands out the most is definitely Party Favor–with his over-the-top reactions and his bizarre ability to take balloons and transform them into anything he wants. He could seriously give Pinkie Pie a run for her money, and I feel that Cheese Sandwich now has some competition as far as the shippers are concerned.
Sugar Belle and Double Diamond are interesting characters as well. It seems that Double Diamond was quite the accomplished skier before he met Starlight Glimmer (we’ll get to her in a minute) and became a citizen of her village. As for Sugar Belle, she more than likely ran her own bakery, very much like Pinkie Pie, before she too was branded as a citizen of Starlight’s village.
Finally, we have Starlight Glimmer. Honestly, this character didn’t leave much of an impression on me. I just didn’t find her all that interesting. Her methods of persuading ponies to join her cause, however, were. They’re very reminiscent of the methods that religion and cults use to persuade people to join their cause. After stealing the cutie marks of the Mane Six, she locks them in a room with her voice blaring over a loudspeaker repeating her philosophy over and over again. The captured are left with no food or water. They are forced to listen to Starlight drone on and on about how they’re not special and that they should be equal.
Characters aside, there were some things that I did like about this premiere. Being a lover of weight gain, I especially liked Pinkie’s weight gain sequence in part one. This marks the third time the animators have done a weight gain segment with Pinkie. (The first being in “Swarm of the Century” and again in “Mmmystery on the Friendship Express.”) I found her chubby appearance really adorable, but the fact that not only has she eaten cardboard, but she’s specifically eaten cardboard to determine whether it tastes good or not is something that I find bizarre.
Another thing that I really liked about this episode was the song “In Our Town,” which is reminiscent of patriotic songs that you hear during wartime. One of the lines that stuck out to me was, “You can’t have a nightmare, if you never dream.” I want you to remember that line, because it will become extremely important later on.
I really loved that it’s not the Mane Six who save the day in the end; it’s Double Diamond, Sugar Belle, Party Favor, and the rest of the villagers. This is to be expected seeing as how they have their cutie marks and are using their talents to help the Mane Six get their cutie marks back. It’s just so refreshing seeing other ponies getting put in the spotlight and helping our heroines instead of the other way around.
Fluttershy was another good thing about this episode. The others enlist her to act as a double agent of sorts in order to get their cutie marks back. Without hesitation, she agrees. True, she goes about the mission in a cowardly way, but at least she isn’t blubbering about how she wishes she was back at home cuddling with her teddy bear like she was in “Magic Duel.” This goes to show how much this character has matured since season one. I just wish this character trait of hers was consistent. (More on that later.)
About the only thing I didn’t like was the fact that Rarity refers to Pinkie Pie as “Ms. Pie.” I understand that Rarity is a prim and proper pony, but she hardly seems to be the type who refers to her family members as “Mr.” and “Mrs.” I don’t know why, but this really irked the crap out of me. It was just such a bizarre bit of dialogue that we’ve never heard Rarity use to address her family members before, so it was kind of jarring. At the very least, Tabitha St. Germain delivered the line so that it sounded natural for her character.
Like every other premiere, as well as finale, this episode is riddled with plot holes. For example, Spike could have easily solved this entire crisis because he doesn’t have a cutie mark. Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders could have been a valuable asset in this episode. Furthermore, if trouble should arise, he could have easily sent a letter to Princess Celestia. I at least like that the writers came up with a plausible reason for him being left out of the adventure. As “Princess Twilight Sparkle” showed us, the little guy is pretty much useless when in a dangerous situation.
Overall, this episode was a good start for the new season.
Episode 3–Castle Sweet Castle
While I did like this episode, I feel like it could have benefited had the two stories been reversed. Twilight and Spike’s story should have been the A plot, whereas the girls fixing up the castle for Twilight should have been the B plot. I say this because Twilight’s battle with Tirek left her so traumatized that she completely avoids her new castle at all costs. In all honesty, I can’t blame her. While I don’t mind the castle, it just sticks out like a sore thumb. It looks like something that would be better suited for the Crystal Empire. At least there it would fit in. Furthermore, like Twilight and Spike, I became attached to the Golden Oaks Library. It was Twilight’s home, where she shared a lot of happy memories with her friends. The fact that she’s having a hard time getting used to her new castle shows that the library meant an awful lot to her. Being a bookworm, I imagine getting the chance to live in a library was like a dream come true for her. So you would think that the writers would have dedicated a large portion of the episode to Twilight’s internal conflict about how she felt losing her home and trying to get comfortable with her new castle, right? That would have been the smart decision, but, sadly, it’s not the episode I got.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not bashing this episode. For what I got, it was an enjoyable episode. I just think that the episode would have been a lot better had it been more about Twilight and Spike than about the girls fixing up the castle. That in and of itself is extremely heartwarming, but the problem with making this episode about the girls and the castle is the fact that the audience doesn’t really get to connect well with Twilight’s conflict and understand how she feels about it.
Twilight’s internal conflict is visited all of once throughout the entire episode. She and Spike go to the ruins of what used to be their old home and have a moment of sadness as they discuss what the library meant to them and how sad they are to see it completely destroyed. Twilight comforts Spike as a single tear rolls down her eye. This moment should have been the center of the episode. This could have been a really emotional, touching episode involving Spike and Twilight. I know that a lot of people wouldn’t have wanted that since they would feel that it was forced, but I don’t think so. It actually angers me that this internal conflict was briefly discussed, then quickly swept aside for some comedic moments with these two.
Another problem that I had was Spike. Why didn’t he just tell Twilight that their friends needed a little more time to work on the castle instead of dragging her around a department store? Yes, the fact that she’s more than willing to buy a bed for him to make the castle feel like home for him as well is heartwarming, but I didn’t like the fact that he was stalling for time when he could have easily just told Twilight that her friends needed more time.
Story aside, I found this episode kind of funny. Twilight snuggling with the pancakes was adorable and her yelling, “I’m pancake!” was humorous as well. The way in which her mane is styled when Spike gets back to the spa was also not only cute, but kind of funny too. Another humorous moment was the Mane Six are eating pancakes. (This in itself is also very heartwarming.) While the others are eating as you would expect from ponies with hooves, Rarity is the only pony eating her pancakes like a proper lady, using utensils. Meanwhile, the others are just chowing down like there’s no tomorrow.
Aside from the problems with the story, I liked this episode. The only other thing that I didn’t like was the song. The reprise was good, but the first one wasn’t all that good, lyrically speaking. I felt as if the characters were basically describing what was happening onscreen. I understand that the songs and music are all done before the animation, but I don’t think the song was all that memorable. It’s not bad or anything; it’s just not something I would find myself humming any time soon.
Another minor problem that I had with the episode was the way the girls acted as they were fixing up the castle. They concentrate solely on the throne room and each one decorates according to their own personal tastes and interests, not Twilight’s, trying to make themselves feel more at home. I also didn’t like Fluttershy’s behavior in this episode. When Pinkie complains about Fluttershy’s animals popping her balloons, Fluttershy comes off with a rude remark with her smart mouth. Again, I’m all for character consistency, but there’s a time and place for it. Fluttershy being a bitch here is uncalled for. I’m at least happy that they finally came to a compromise and each concentrated on one particular room.
Episode 4–Bloom & Gloom
Apple Bloom is my second favorite Cutie Mark Crusader. (The first being Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo being the third.) With how poorly received “Somepony to Watch Over Me” was received from fans, I was hoping that this episode would be better. Was it? Well, kind of.
Babs gets her cutie mark, leading Apple Bloom to wonder what will happen if she actually does get her cutie mark. She worries that maybe her cutie mark will be something that she doesn’t like, or maybe her friends will abandon her if she does, or her family will disown her if she gets a cutie mark that’s not apple-related. These are legitimate concerns regarding childhood and growing up, and these are probably the same concerns a child would have if they were going to get a cutie mark. Getting a cutie mark is basically like going through puberty, making the transition from filly to mare, or colt to stallion in Button Mash’s case. The only thing that I didn’t like was the fact that Applejack brushes these concerns aside as if they’re nothing, but at the very least she sings Apple Bloom to sleep with a pretty lullaby. Is it just me, or am I the only one who would really like to hear full versions of the songs that last for only about thirty seconds?
Anyway, the episode then goes into a Groundhog Day plotline, where Apple Bloom wakes up every morning with a different cutie mark. This wouldn’t be so bad if her cutie mark was something that she liked, but her fears seem to be coming true. In the first time loop, Apple Bloom ends up getting a cutie mark that specializes in her exterminating creatures called twittermites. Think parasprites, which do get a callback in this episode, but if they were like lightning bugs with electrical powers. One of the things that I found funny was the extremely serious expression and pose that Apple Bloom makes before she prepares to suck up those twittermites. You know she means business. I can just imagine someone taking that image and giving the headline, “Let’s kick some ass.”
The second time loop involves Apple Bloom getting her cutie mark, but her friends abandoning her as a result. At one point, she ends up in a dark forest, where a mysterious voice takes away her cutie mark. This wouldn’t be a problem, except that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle got their cutie marks, abandoning Apple Bloom as a result.
The third and final time loop involves Apple Bloom getting a cutie mark that her family doesn’t approve of, thus resulting in her effectively getting kicked out of the house. What’s interesting is that as Big Mac, Granny Smith, and Applejack are talking, you can notice that there are pictures of Apple Bloom in the background with her completely removed from them, which I found disturbing.
Fed up, Apple Bloom demands that the voice remove whatever hex it put on her. What’s interesting about this scene is the fact that the camera rotates around Apple Bloom, just as it did with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle in their dreams. I love nice little touches to detail like that. This leads to Princess Luna comforting her and eventually, Apple Bloom wakes up and the episode ends.
As far as Cutie Mark Crusader episodes go, I really enjoyed this one. I think I’m one of the few bronies still around who really likes these characters. However, the only problem with this episode that I had was the fact that Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo both have dreams about what their special talents are. If you’re having a dream about what your special talent is, shouldn’t that be an indicator that that’s what you should be doing with your life? Well, seeing as how we forget 90% of our dreams, maybe I can be forgiving on this slight hiccup in the writing.
While I did enjoy this episode, some people have cried foul on the writers for them supposedly changing how cutie marks work. Luna says that a cutie mark is nothing more than a representation of one’s self, and some people have said that that’s not how cutie marks work and that’s not what they mean, that the writers are contradicting what “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” taught us about cutie marks. I don’t think so. I think that’s what a cutie mark has always been, a representation of who a pony is. Just look at the cutie marks of the Mane Six. Twilight’s cutie mark reflects her love of magic. Fluttershy’s represents her love of animals. Rarity’s reflects her love for fashion and ability to find beauty in almost anything. So, where is this theory coming that “Bloom and Gloom” is contradicting what we already know about cutie marks? A wizard only knows.
Episode 5–Tanks for the Memories
For the life of me, I cannot understand why people hate this episode. Yeah, there are people who not only hate this episode, but some people have gone on to declare it one of the worst episodes of the entire series. Why? I don’t understand it. I for one found this episode to be brilliant as far as the writing is concerned. As long as I’m talking about this episode, I’ll try to see if I can’t understand where people are coming from.
Basically, Rainbow Dash is excited to be spending the winter with Tank. This marks one of the first problems that people have with this episode. They claim that this contradicts the events of season two, as Rainbow Dash got Tank before “Hearth’s Warming Eve” and call into question where he was during that episode. To these people I say that these episodes are in no specific order. For all we know, the events of “Hearth’s Warming Eve” could have taken place before “May the Best Pet Win.”
Unfortunately, Rainbow’s plans are dashed (no pun intended) to pieces when she realizes that Tank must hibernate during the winter. Again, people point out that the fact that hibernation has to be explained to Rainbow Dash is stupid. Just the fact that she pointed out that Tank isn’t a bear should give you the impression that she knows what hibernation is. There was no need for Fluttershy to explain it to her, if only to let Rainbow Dash know that tortoises do in fact hibernate during winter.
Upset over the fact that she and Tank won’t be able to spend the winter together, Rainbow Dash does everything in her power to stop winter from coming. (Am I the only one who got flashbacks to How the Grinch Stole Christmas because of the synopsis? It doesn’t help that Rainbow Dash pulls a smile similar to the Grinch’s, which I found funny.)
It seems this is why so many people seem to hate this episode. They can’t stand the fact that Rainbow Dash gets away with trying to stop winter without any repercussions whatsoever. Honestly, I don’t think these people understand the subtlety on display here. Tank hibernating is basically a metaphor for death. The entire episode is a metaphor for death. Just imagine if one of your loved ones was dying from cancer. Wouldn’t you do everything in your power to find a cure for them? As if the metaphor didn’t hammer in the message that this episode is about death, Rainbow Dash “buries” Tank at the end of the episode. Before that, she was rolling around on her bed, bawling her eyes out, and blubbering about how she doesn’t want Tank to hibernate. I have to give props to Ashleigh Ball (the voice of Rainbow Dash). It didn’t sound like she was acting or fake crying during this scene; she sounded like she was actually crying. I would also like to point out that once again Fluttershy’s character growth is on display here, as she assertively tells Rainbow Dash point blank that her winter is going to be spent without Tank whether she likes it or not. Yes, she could have gone about it in a much nicer way, but, like Fluttershy said, Rainbow Dash wasn’t going to get over it until she let all of her emotions out.
Honestly, I think the only reason why people hate this episode is because it’s an episode focusing on Rainbow Dash, and for some reason some people can’t stand her. She’s not in my top three favorite ponies (she’s actually ranked as number four), but I like her. As far as Rainbow Dash episodes go, this is probably one of my favorites. Rainbow Dash’s behavior here is certainly better than it was in “The Mysterious Mare Do-Well.”
Am I the only one disappointed that the animators didn’t do an inflation/weight gain scene involving Rainbow Dash and all that water? Thank goodness for fanfics, huh?
Episode 6–Appleloosa’s Most Wanted
As far as Cutie Mark Crusaders episodes go, this one was kind of weak. Not that it was bad or anything, but it didn’t leave that much of an impression on me. I did like that we got to see Appeloosa again, as well as Braeburn and the sheriff. It would have been nice had we gotten a cameo or two from Strongheart and Chief Thunderhooves, but what are you gonna do? These writers only have twenty-two minutes to tell a coherent story and they need to get it done in three seven-minute acts.
I also really liked the character of Trouble Shoes, as I felt his conflict was relatable. Speaking of the conflict involving Trouble Shoes, it’s the reason why some people don’t like this episode. Like with “Bloom and Gloom’ they claim that the conflict of the episode is changing the way that cutie marks work. I don’t think so. Trouble Shoes merely misinterpreted his cutie mark. I imagine that this kind of mistake is commonplace, especially when there are some fillies out there who don’t even understand what the heck their cutie marks are supposed to mean, like Diamond Tiara. (I’ll get to her later on.)
One other thing that I liked was the fact that we once again get to see Sweetie Belle using her magic. Like Apple Bloom said, “those classes with Princess Twilight have really paid off.” It’s always a joy to see this little filly using her magic, as it always brings a smile to my face. It’s like watching a child finally do something flawlessly after they’ve struggled to do it over and over again, like riding a bicycle. Not only does Sweetie use her magic to shut the door as the Cutie Mark Crusaders enter Trouble Shoes house (it’s a blink and you’ll miss it moment), but we also get to see her using her magic to levitate the keys to the cell that Trouble Shoes is being held in. (Again, this is one of those moments where you have to keep your eyes peeled or you’ll miss it.)
I liked the way Applejack behaved in this episode. As soon as she learns that there is a wanted criminal on the loose, she immediately decides to pack up the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ belongings and send them home, looking out for their safety before her own, which I find admirable. One thing that I did find funny was how Applejack points out that she used to do rodeos all over Ponyville, but then the town stopped doing them, and Applejack doesn’t understand why. Apparently, she’s so good at this rodeo thing that the town of Ponyville has had to stop doing them because they’ve become boring since everypony there already knows that Applejack is going to be the winner in every competition.
However, one of the things that I did not like about Applejack was the ending. I don’t have a problem with her punishing the girls for disobeying her. That’s to be expected. What I didn’t like was the fact that Braeburn got away with letting the girls run off in the first place. Seeing as how he was supposed to be watching them, shouldn’t he get some kind of comeuppance for not doing his job? Also, why was he faking a leg injury? I can’t remember if that was ever explained or not.
This wasn’t a bad episode. It was just kind of meh, at least as far as I’m concerned.
Episode 7–Make New Friends But Keep Discord
When it comes to Discord’s reformation, some fans are divided about it. Some of them feel that this was a turn for the better, whereas others feel that it would have better had he been a recurring villain. I’m indifferent to Discord’s reformation. Regardless, I do like him.
One of the things that I did like about this episode was the fact that Fluttershy points out that Discord and Celestia are friends. Even if Celestia doesn’t get letters from Spike and the others anymore, it’s a comforting thought that perhaps she and Discord are writing to each other the same way he and Fluttershy write letters to each other. Some people even speculate that perhaps Celestia and Discord were lovers at one point until the relationship turned sour. Again, this is merely speculation.
Once again, we get introduced to a couple of new characters in this episode. First, we get introduced to Tree Hugger, and, yes, this character is exactly what she sounds like. She’s basically a pony hippie if The Truth from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was female and a pony. Honestly, was I the only one expecting a ton of pot-related jokes regarding this character to start popping up everywhere? Probably not, as I think I recall a thread on MLP Forums asking the question as to whether or not Tree Hugger was a stoner. If this weren’t a kids’ show, she probably would have been, but it’s not hard to see that it was implied in the episode. She talks about vibes and auras. She also seems to have no recollection of ever meeting Discord while at the Gala. Regarding her relationship with Fluttershy, I’m pretty sure that the shippers are having a field day with this character and her.
The other character we get introduced to is the Smooze. For those of you not aware, this actually isn’t a new character, as the Smooze was a character from the My Little Pony movie that was released back in 1986. I found the design of this character lacking in the creative department. He basically looks like every other blob of green slime you’ve seen before. However, he does lend himself to a lot of interesting visual gags with Discord. I couldn’t have been the only one tempted to write a weight gain fanfic where one of the ponies eats this thing, could I?
As much as I don’t like Pinkie Pie, I will say that she does have her good moments from time to time. I found her quite humorous in this episode. I especially love the part where she shatters the fourth wall by grabbing the camera and shaking it, complete with rattling effects. Though, I did feel sorry for her when Discord canceled his order, leaving her stuck in a room full of cakes. Not that she couldn’t quickly take care of them, though.
I was disappointed that the Cutie Mark Crusaders weren’t used more in this episode. We get a literal callback to “The Best Night Ever” as they’re getting ready for the Gala, which I always like. While Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are yelling about how they’re excited to be going to the Gala, Applejack gets annoyed and tells them that going to the Gala isn’t a big deal. Okay, so I guess we’re just going to ignore the fact that she bribed one of her best friends for a ticket to the Gala, huh? In any case, all three fillies look absolutely beautiful in their dresses, especially Sweetie Belle, but that’s to be expected as she always looks nice. I would have really liked to see what kind of adventures these three and Spike would have had at the Gala, but like their counterparts, they probably would have gotten bored, especially seeing as how they’re kids.
Episode 8–The Lost Treasure of Griffonstone
When I first heard about this episode, I knew for a fact that Gilda was going to make an appearance and I was totally right. That alone makes this one of my favorite episodes of the season.
It seems as if the writers deliberately go out of their way to make sure that we fans have plenty of fuel for our fanfics. I say this because we get a very interesting backstory regarding the Griffon Kingdom. This explains why Gilda was such a grump in “Griffon the Brush-Off,” and that helps make that episode all the more tolerable for me, especially as far as Gilda’s behavior is concerned. She grew up in a place where greed and selfishness are the norm, so it’s only natural that she would get pissed off when Pinkie would try to get in her way of spending time with Rainbow Dash.
Speaking of Rainbow Dash, I liked her in this episode. She shows off her adventurous side as she decides to go look for the lost treasure of Griffonstone herself, but ends up getting herself in quite the pickle when she ends up facing death as she clings for dear life on a slab of rock overlooking a gorge. This is why I really like this series, because the writers aren’t the least bit afraid of putting their characters in danger. Granted, they would never get away with killing off one of the main characters, but, still, it’s nice knowing that the writers aren’t afraid to put their characters in perilous situations.
Once again, I have to comment on Pinkie, as her talking to the statue of the kingdom’s befallen king and imitating his voice to talk back to her was something that I found funny. She refers to him as “you old charmer,” which makes sense considering the fact that she grew up on a rock farm. I was disappointed that we didn’t get to hear “Smile Smile Smile,” but her freaking out over the rules of Griffonstone was funny. I’m pretty sure that if she had to live there, she would be saving up as much money as she could to get out, very much like Gilda herself. Despite Gilda’s hatefulness towards her, Pinkie was still nice enough to help Gilda improve her scones.
We get a flashback to when Rainbow Dash and Gilda were kids and how Rainbow Dash stood up for Gilda when Hoops and Dumbbell made fun of her. This is very much how Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy became friends. This scene is easily the highlight of the episode and it’s nothing short of adorable.
If I had anything to nitpick about (not that there’s much to nitpick about anyway) it’s that Gilda’s reformation was a little rushed, but I’m not going to hold that against the episode since I understand the time constraints that these writers are placed under. It was nice seeing her reconnecting with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, and Rainbow Dash pointing out how sappy Pinkie was being near the end was funny. I love it when this show makes fun of itself. With the promise that Pinkie and Dash will visit Gilda again soon, here’s hoping that Gilda makes more appearances in the future.
Episode 9–Slice of Life
If there was any episode that the fandom is surely going to be divided over, it’s definitely this one. Very much like episodes such as “Magical Mystery Cure” or “Feeling Pinkie Keen” or “Putting Your Hoof Down” this is one of those episodes where you either love it or hate it for the same reason: all of the fan pandering.
My views on fan pandering are that I don’t mind it as long as it’s not a constant thing. As long as it’s done every once in a while, I’m okay with it. With episodes like this, you know that the writers had to go all-out in terms of fan pandering. I don’t think this series would have gotten as far as 100 episodes if it weren’t for the fans.
I pretty much loved everything about this episode. While there may not have been any songs, that doesn’t hold this episode back from being great. While the premise had the unfortunate side effect of giving me flashbacks to “A Friend in Deed” (an episode I consider to be one of the worst in the series), I’m not going to hold that against this episode, because it’s just too good of an episode for me to begrudge it for that.
The most popular background characters (Octavia Melody, Vinyl Scratch, Doctor Whooves, Derpy Hooves, Lyra Heartstrings, and Bon Bon) all come together to help Cranky and Matilda get ready for their wedding. While I found the premise to be a little stupid (they couldn’t wait one day to get married?), I still really enjoyed this episode. Every single character plays a role and every single one of them is memorable. What’s more, you can tell that the voice director really worked hard to get these voices as right as they could. Every voice for the background character fits, with the possible exception of Octavia Melody, who sounded a little too British for my tastes.
It’s not just the background characters that make an appearance, but other characters such as Steven Magnet and Lotus Blossom and Aloe make an appearance. Again, these cameos, short as they are, are memorable. Even the Lebowski ponies make a reappearance and even they play some sort of role. They agree to help Doctor Whooves get his suit fixed if he bowls with them, which Doctor Whooves at first declines due to too many variables.
Despite this being one of my favorite episodes of this season, there are a couple of problems with it. For example, Steven Magnet tells Matilda that the wedding is everything, though she thinks that the only thing that counts is the marriage. This comment seems to put her in a bit of a panic, but things go on as normal as if this conversation never happened. So, why did she have a worried expression on her face when Steven said that? Another problem was the fact that I didn’t like how the Mane Six were locked out of where the wedding was taking place. I understand that it was an accident on Derpy’s part, but they couldn’t have waited until the Mane Six arrived to get started with the wedding?
I was very disappointed that Vinyl didn’t get to speak in this episode. This is odd because, according to M.A. Larson, the first draft of this episode had her speaking until an executive told him that she wasn’t supposed to speak. Jessica Nowacking has pretty much been dubbed the official voice of Vinyl Scratch, and I think this is why Vinyl didn’t have any speaking lines. While it would have been really cool had Jessica gotten a guest spot on the show, I don’t think the creators had the time to get her. Or, maybe they just didn’t feel going through the trouble of getting her.
One other thing that I liked about this episode was the interactions between Celestia and Luna. We finally get to see them interacting like actual sisters, as the two of them are busy having an argument over who was supposed to get the wedding present for Cranky and Matilda. When Spike shows up to put his present on the table, they immediately shut up, only to continue arguing as soon as Spike is out of earshot.
I also really enjoyed the interactions between Lyra and Bon Bon. They’re portrayed as being best friends, but I don’t think best friends usually do booty bumps together, which is actually something that I enjoyed seeing. I found Bon Bon’s backstory of being a secret agent hilarious, which of course does nothing but lend itself to more ideas for fanfics. I also loved Lyra’s confession that she ate all of Bon Bon’s oats. At the very least, the two of them made up in the end.
This episode proved that the background characters could carry an episode on their own. With this fact proven, maybe we’ll get to see more episodes with them in the future. Personally, I’d love to see an episode involving the schoolponies and Miss Cheerilee.
Episode 10–Princess Spike
Out of all the episodes from this season, this is one of the weakest. First and foremost, it’s a Spike episode, so you know that the poor little guy is going to get dragged through the mud. However, I don’t think it was as bad as some other Spike episodes like “Dragon Quest” or “Owl Well’s That Ends Well.” Despite my dislike for this episode, I found Spike’s conflict relatable. How many of us have wanted to have our say about something, but nobody was interested in hearing what we had to say? That can really hurt and be very bothersome for some people. Does my relating to Spike’s conflict make this episode any better? Absolutely not.
Spike could have easily avoided the trouble of having to deal with a bunch of friendship problems had he simply put a “do not disturb” sign on the door and locked it. If he did that, though, then we wouldn’t have an episode. As far as the writing for this episode goes, I found it appalling how predictbale and cliché it was. I don’t think there was one plot element that I didn’t see coming from a mile away. That really disappoints me because I know these writers are better than that. They can write better stories than this. One of the strong points of this series is the writers’ ability to take old ideas and do something new with them. Sadly, we don’t get that in this episode.
I will say, though, that we got some more cute moments with Twilight, from her snuggling with her books to her waking up and stretching. Her comment while she was half-asleep was hilarious. I really liked how she handled the dilemma with Spike. She doesn’t scold or yell at him. Like her mentor, she calmly tells him what he did wrong and tells him what he can do to make it right, which brings me to another problem that I had with this episode.
The moral of the story is, “don’t use your friend’s position to build yourself up and make yourself more popular.” This is the same moral that was in “Twilight Time”, except there it worked better because the lesson was being taught to a bunch of schoolchildren who didn’t know any better. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that the writers were reusing the same morals. Again, I don’t fault the episode for that as there are only so many morals that you can teach, and you’re bound to end up repeating the same morals repeatedly when you’ve been working on a series for five years.
Episode 11–Party Pooped
I liked “Pinkie Pride” for the fact that Pinkie wasn’t annoying as hell and that her problem was kind of relatable. I liked this episode for the same reasons. Pinkie Pie wasn’t annoying and I felt that she was written well here.
One of the things that I liked about this episode was the simple fact that Pinkie has what’s known as a secret party cave, where she stores all of her party supplies and has a file cabinet that is full of files on ponies and what kind of parties they like. Twilight's especially is pretty humorous, especially the fact that she enjoys dancing, which I would have never guessed, and that she’s afraid of quesadillas because of all the cheese. Again, it’s like the writers are feeding us fuel for our fanfics. The only thing that had me perplexed was that Twilight looks down at something, jumps, and backs away slowly after saying, “No, I’m not. They’re just so cheesy.” What exactly was she reacting to? What, did she spot a quesadilla on the ground? That’s the only explanation I can think of.
The only thing that I didn’t like about this episode were the Yaks. I just found them to be extremely annoying, However, if you look at it as the writers poking fun at the bronies, then it’s quite humorous. There are some bronies out there who, like the Yaks, will throw a tantrum if anything before G4 is referenced. You know the type. The ones who bash anything MLP-related that’s not G4, saying that anything before it was absolute crap and all that jazz. Yeah. If I look at the Yaks from that angle, then I find them kind of humorous. A lot of people didn’t like this episode because of the Yaks specifically, because they were destroying whatever they didn’t agree with. While I can understand, I didn’t really have a problem with this as the Yaks aren’t specifically targeting anypony. They’re not looking to harm anypony; they just really high standards and when those standards aren’t met, they get pissed off, the same way a parent would when their kid doesn’t follow the rules and regulations that they set for them.
Pinkie Pie was easily the best part of this episode. It was especially nice to see Cherry Jubilee again after she’s been gone for the past two seasons. She and Pinkie should count themselves lucky that the Wonderbolts were there to save them when they fell into that ravine, otherwise they would have been dead.
Episode 12–Amending Fences
Remember back in the very first episode of this series when Twilight was asked if she wanted to attend a party being held by Moon Dancer and she declined, saying that she had some studying to do? Well, it turns out that the writers decided to take that one incident and turn it into an episode. After Spike points out that Twilight didn’t really have any friends back in Canterlot, she makes it a point to go to said location and apologize to her Canterlot friends for being such a bad friend. She meets up with her old friends, who try to get Moon Dancer to come out of her shell a bit.
I didn’t know what to expect with this episode, so I was pleasantly surprised. This episode was one of the episodes that was the most well-received among fans, and it’s easy to see why. We got introduced to a bunch of colorful new characters. We get a story that’s believable and a character that shows us what would have happened had Twilight never been sent to Ponyville to study the magic of friendship. She would have stayed in her room studying day and night without realizing how great it is to have friends.
The major problem that I had with this episode was the fact that Moon Dancer held it against Twilight that she never showed up at her party. Did Moon Dancer and the others forget that the day of Moon Dancer’s party was the day that Twilight learned that Nightmare Moon was going to return? I think the “Easily Forgiven” trope could have been used and nobody would have complained.
The other problem that I had with this episode was the fact that Moon Dancer was basically a recolor of Twilight Sparkle, same thing with Daring Do being a recolor of Rainbow Dash, and you could consider Maud Pie a recolor of Twilight as well. I realize that Moon Dancer thought a lot of Twilight, so much so that the two of them were very close as fillies and Moon Dancer styled her mane after Twilight's, but I still would have liked an original design for this character.
Speaking of fillies, that’s one other thing that I loved about this episode. I always love seeing filly versions of the Mane Six and other characters, especially Twilight, whose love of learning and magic was as strong back then as it is now. She was so absorbed in her books that she didn’t notice that Lemon Hearts had accidentally gotten her head stuck in a beaker. How she managed to do that is anyone’s guess.
I found Moon Dancer’s conflict in this episode both believable and relatable. I’m pretty sure that most shy people will tell you that getting rejected after you make an effort to go out and make friends can be really hurtful. This is probably why Fluttershy is as isolated as she is. Have you ever noticed that anytime she goes to speak up, she gets shot down? No wonder she’s so afraid to speak up.
With a great new cast of lovable characters, this is easily one of my favorite episodes of this season.
Episode 13–Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that Luna is my favorite of the Princesses. I don’t know if it’s due to her colors, her design, her voice, or just the fact that she’s a night owl like myself. In any case, I really do love this character.
Now, to be fair, the idea of going into peoples’ dreams isn’t an idea that’s exactly original. SpongeBob SquarePants had this plotline, as did an episode of American Dragon: Jake Long. Regardless, I think the reason why this idea is such a popular one is because most people, like myself, find dreams fascinating. They’re a window into our subconscious. They’re like movies. They can be dramatic. They can be terrifying. They can be happy. They can be sad. So, going into this episode, I was already preparing myself for an episode that was fun and entertaining.
Like a lot of episodes this season, a lot of people seem to really hate this episode. Why? Because, according to them, Luna was acting like a spoiled brat and whining and complaining and all that jazz. I don’t think these naysayers really understand the conflict at hand here. Luna feels terrible about the things that she did as Nightmare Moon, so she’s found it very hard to forgive herself. She feels extremely guilty for putting her subjects through such hell and has decided to punish herself for inflicting any kind of suffering on her subjects. It’s implied that she’s been doing this for years, probably ever since she was reformed with the Elements of Harmony, or maybe since the events of “Luna Eclipsed,” as that episode was about nothing but Nightmare Moon. In any case, people seem to dislike this episode due to Luna’s conflict, which I found interesting.
Another thing that people didn’t like was the fact that Luna didn’t bother to tell the Mane Six not to dream about anypony else, as this would give the Tantabus the power to infect that pony’s dreams as well. She doesn’t tell them this until after Pinkie dreams about everypony in town. The reason why this wasn’t a problem for me is due to the fact that I’m pretty sure the Mane Six can deduce through common sense that since Luna dreamed about them and they were suffering from nightmares, then they should try their best not to dream about anypony else to prevent the Tantabus from growing in power.
I try not to pay attention to the sour pusses that infect this fandom, as I think they’re overly cynical and simply looking for anything to complain about. What did I think about this episode? Well, seeing as how Luna is my favorite Princess character, I was looking forward to an episode centered on her, something we haven’t gotten since season two’s “Luna Eclipsed.” Sure, she’s made appearances here and there, particularly in the dreams of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, but she hasn’t really had much of a role in the series. What got me excited to see this episode was also the fact that it was all about dreams, which isn’t much of a surprise seeing as how Luna is the Princess of the Night.
I’ve always wondered what the Mane Six dream about. Due to their character traits, what they dream about should be obvious. Rainbow Dash dreams about beating the stuffing out of changelings. Twilight dreams about reading books. Applejack dreams about . . . well, apples. And Pinkie Pie is so random when she’s awake that I’m not at all surprised that her dreams are as random and spontaneous as she is, which leads itself to some comedic moments with Luna, who accidentally slams into the Crystal Heart as she attempts to follow the Tantabus to another dream. All of the characters’ dreams match them and are interesting to watch. Of special note goes to Fluttershy’s dream, which is her being groomed by a gigantic Angel Bunny. I would also make note of Rainbow Dash’s dream, as it seems to contradict Hasbro’s views on violence. Okay, so let me see if I understand this: it’s perfectly okay if the animators show Rainbow Dash beating the crap out of changelings and punching them in the face, but it’s not okay to show Twilight punching Tirek? Is it just me, or does that not make any sense whatsoever?
One thing that I would have liked to see was Celestia in action. I don’t know about anyone else, but I would love to see what Celestia is like in battle. However, Luna says that her sister has no power in the dream world, which seems to get contradicted later on when all of the citizens of Ponyville are able to do anything and everything to stop the Tantabus. Wouldn’t Celestia be dreaming during this time, too, so shouldn’t she be aware of what’s going on in the dream world?
I would have also liked to see what the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike dream about, you know, when they’re not being bombarded by nightmares. I like to think that all of them have a bit of a sweet tooth with them being kids and all, so maybe they dream about eating cake and ice cream or something like that.
I don’t know why, but Twilight's letter to Princess Luna bothered me. I don’t know. Something about the way it was worded didn’t sit right with me, maybe because it sounded like something out of a fanfic. I understand that Twilight's tired and she doesn’t exactly know how to describe what she and her friends dreamed about, but I just think it could have been worded better. For those of you curious, this is the first time Spike has delivered a letter since season two. I don’t recall him ever sending a letter in season three. The instant he sends it, Luna barges into the Carousel Boutique, demanding to know who saw the blue smoke. This I found funny, especially since I know that Luna has to be tired.
I thought that this was great episode to end on the halfway mark of this season. It only made me curious and excited to see what was coming next.
I personally don't see the whole "Hibernation is a stand for death" thing, the show is way better than that. If they really wanted to tackle death, they would do it. Sesame Street and Rugrats both talked about death, and both were well recieved as a result. Rugrats especially, seeing as the main characters were babies and thus you wouldn't expect them to understand the concept of death. Plus, the five stages of grief can be triggered by more than just death. Implying that only death will make someone go through those five stages means that other problems people may have will get swept under the rug and people will just tell them to get over it because it's not death. Also, the crying scene to me felt way too over the top to be taken seriously. Rainbow Dash was balling her eyes out like a little kid, and Rarity and Pinkie Pie didn't have a good reason to start crying. I probably would've been like Twilight in that situation, I can't bring myself to feel anything because everyone else is acting like a five year old. Just like with "Look Before You Sleep" there's a difference between acting childish, and acting like a child. And seeing a fully grown adult act like a child for something trivial or not very important is just uncomfortable and groan inducing. Many of today's politicans act like big babies. If they don't get their way, they cry, whine, throw a temper tantrum, and do anything until they get the attention they desire. And it's pathetic. Parents teach their children not to act that way, so why do we tolerate it from fully grown adults who should know better?
Sorry, I just had to get that rant out. I don't think "Tanks for The Memories" is bad, but even though I don't think it was trying to tackle death, its premise worked against it. And the comedy wasn't very good, though that's to be expected with Cindy Morrow stories. It's not as bad as her Season 1 works, but it pails in comparison to stuff like "Sisterhooves Social" and "Hurricane Fluttershy".
I hated Applejack's potrayal in this episode, it was the same bad potrayal we got in "Bridle Gossip" and "Somepony to Watch Over Me" with her and Apple Bloom. When Apple Bloom does nothing wrong, she gets punished, but when she actually does something stupid and dangerous, the episode puts her in the right. And Applejack becomes too stubborn to listen, and here she refuses to take responsibility for the CMC by just passing them off to her cousin first chance she gets, and then somehow convinces the sheriff that Troubleshoes is a foalnapper despite there being no evidence to prove it (any criminal investigation would've found no signs of forced entry and no signs of a struggle). And yet the episode never bothers to answer the big question of "What's Applejack's bigger priority? Looking after the CMC, or replacing Braeburn in a rodeo?" Whichever came first would be the priority of importance. And Braeburn was handled poorly, he deserves a much better potrayal.
Whoa! First of all, the Yaks complain the instant something isn't just the way they want it, and even threaten to declare war if their insane demands aren't met! So you're suggesting that a parent should expect their child to obey every command without question, even if it's wrong! And if they show any sign of defiance, even for a good reason, they should be punished! Even if that's not what you intended, it's kind of what you're implying.
Well, Jim Miller actually admitted Princess Celestia was supposed to be in the episode, so I have no idea why that wasn't carried into the final draft. I hope it wasn't because Hasbro felt Celestia would be too perfect and boring for the conflict.
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I think the whole "hibernation equals death" thing is hard to miss because it's so subtle. I do agree that the writers should really tackle the subject of death, especially in Apple Bloom's case. I think the reason why so many kids' shows are afraid to tackle death is because it's a very sensitive subject for a lot of kids. Then again, this show isn't exactly Arthur. It's not meant to tackle serious subjects like that show or As Told By Ginger. I think the show's first and foremost priority is to entertain first, then get what they're saying second, very much like the writers behind South Park.
I can't remember Apple Bloom ever being punished for not doing anything wrong. I do remember "Somepony to Watch Over Me", thogh, and I didn't agree with the way the moral was handled. In her defense, the others weren't any better than Applejack in "Bridle Gossip," but it was still highly entertaining. I think the only reason Applejack handed responsibility of the CMC over to Braeburn was because she was busy competing int he rodeo. I do agree that it was stupid that she managed to convince the entire town that Trouble Shoes was a bad guy. i also agree that Braeburn should've gotten some kind of repercussion for letting the girls sneak away. The way he was portrayed made it look like a lazy pansy.
Hence, why I had such a problem with them. They were annoying and rude. But, again, I think that this is the writers poking fun at the way some of the brony extremists act.
Unfortunately, that's the way a lot of people think, that kids should obey their parents without question. I do agree that kids shouldn't argue or talk back when given a command. If kids do get defiant, they should indeed be punished because they are being disrespectful. If they disagree with what their parent is asking them to do, then they should do so in a respectful and reasonable manner.
Celestia's character is something that I've had a problem with for a while now. For the past few seasons, she hasn't really done much. Then again, even going back to season one, she didn't really do much, but since Twilight became an alicorn, she has more or less been reduced to a background character. I didn't much care for the way she was portrayed in "Make New Things But Keep Discord." I like that she invited Discord to liven things up, but she didn't seem to care whatsoever that he threatened to send Tree Hugger to an alternate dimension. This is supposed to be the caring, loving ruler of Equestria? But, yes, I do think it would have been nice if she made an appearance in "Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?" Maybe have a scene between her and Luna discussing how Luna feels about the things that she did as Nightmare Moon? Given Celstia, it wouldn't surprise me if she was dreaming about eating cake.
3620110 I suspect that Celestia would've intervened if Discord actually followed through on his threat, she likely just didn't get the chance to act before Fluttershy talked him down.