Comic Review - Friends Forever #26 · 6:03pm Mar 30th, 2016
Shining Armor and Prince Blueblood. Not a pairing I'd have ever thought of, but why not? It makes sense in a lot of ways, and we haven't seen Blueblood in any capacity outside small cameos since Season 1. I know he's almost universally despised, but perhaps this comic can win him some fans.
Writer is Jeremy Whitley, the guy who thinks his half-braindead OC is a better character than Twilight, colorist is Heather Breckel the Rainbow Lady, and art by Tony Fleecs, who is okay. When the artist is the best-looking credit on your issue, that is not a good sign.
We open at the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor is off to a diplomatic mission to Yakyakistan, and Twi is helping him prepare for their cultural traditions. Shining is nervous about the mission, but Twilight has confidence in him, and besides, he's going with Cadance. There's also a nice nod here to worldbuilding and continuity, and it's explained the mission is to establish trade with the yaks, who were impressed with the summit Twilight held for them and particularly loved the crystal corn they tasted. The two bump into Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, and the former two say there is an urgent business that needs all the Princesses to deal with it. Five bucks says the comic never explains what that business is and this is just an excuse to not let Cadance go. Fortunately, Celestia has a new pony to accompany Shining Armor.
Blueblood arrives as doves fly buy carrying ribbons, and he already puts in a better showing than The Best Night Ever, giving Shining Armor a proper greeting and appreciating the beauty of the Crystal Empire's castle. But he's still a shallow, narcissistic fop, mistaking a guard for a servant and admiring his reflection in their armor. As Blueblood checks out the throne, Shining tells Celestia he doubts this is a good idea, but Celestia assures him that Blueblood is very charismatic and a good negotiator. The four Princesses fly off and Blueblood makes a comment that they're beautiful. Especially Cadance, and he snarks that Shining is lucky the orphan he hooked up with turned out to be a Princess. I immediately frown at this remark because we had an issue showing Cadance and Shining Armor meeting, and she was already an alicorn by that point.
Blueblood has arranged a palanquin and servants to go with them, and I reluctantly agree this is a good idea. Ambassadors to another kingdom should arrive in style, shouldn't they? Shining Armor is carrying a couple of saddle bags and apparently planned to walk. They set out, Shining insisting on walking through the snow on his own as Blueblood rides in the palanquin with a roaring fire. I question this design choice for the obvious reason. Blueblood is reading the book Twilight provided Shining about yak culture, and also calls him "Shiny," saying he's getting a tense feeling from him. Blueblood feels that, as they're both princes, they ought to be friends, and Shining tells him this is a serious mission and the yaks are notoriously ill-tempered. Blueblood sniffs and slams the door shut, and Shining realizes this is all going to be on him.
At the gates of Yakyakistan, Blue Blood smoozes up to the guard and handles it well, and he and Shining head inside. Shining convinces Blueblood to let him handle negotiations, and Blueblood accepts. At the throne room, Shining does as Twilight told him and announces himself as being from the tribe of Night Light, since this is how yaks announce themselves and most tribes use the family name. Rutherford though knows ponies don't have tribes and thinks Shining is mocking their culture. Blueblood talks him down and Rutherford tells them to go rest and they'll discuss the trade stuff later. Shining wants to explain himself, but Blueblood gets him to let it go and leave.
In their room Shining is wondering how to make the yaks like him, and Blueblood points out Shining's ideas are in the same vein as Twilight's back in Party Pooped, and look how that went. Shining heads off to meet with them, once again brushing off Blueblood's offer for help. In a montage, all of Shining's attempts to talk to the yaks blow up in his face as Rutherford demonstrates his expected level of charm and tact. Shining returns to their room where Blueblood is getting a hooficure, and admits he's failed. Blueblood dismisses his attendant and says it's time for him to fix this. A page long "Blueblood's guide to displomacy" offers some tips - make friends with their friends, so even when you aren't around you're spoken of highly; bring food but not theirs, something they'll be intrigued by, and if they like it fine, if they hate it then act like you do to bond over it; and use their name often to show you care about who they are.
Shining goes to check on them and finds the two getting a hooficure. Last tip - talk business in a place they can't get away. Blueblood smooth talks Rutherford into a trade agreement, crystal corn for Yakyakistan's famous sour potatoes. Shining goes to bed and wakes up to a grand feast with the yaks. He narrates a letter to Celestia, admitting that, while Blueblood is spoiled and selfish, he's spent his whole life being a prince, and knows a lot of social protocols Shining Armor doesn't. The comic ends with the two returning, Blueblood walking since his palanquins is now full of gifts, particularly for Cadance.
This issue isn't bad. But I do have some problems with it.
The first is that it's very predictable. Of course Blueblood is going to turn out to be a good ambassador, if he was a total load to Shining Armor than what insights would we get on his character? Shining Armor in turn seems to have a chip on his shoulder by the very idea of Blueblood. And it's not hard to see why, Shining grew up dealing with snobbish brutes who think they're better than others because they have money and looks, and he worked hard to get where he is, something Blueblood doesn't seem to appreciate, thinking that they're both princes and thus are equals. Except, nothing like that is ever brought up. I know why Shining Armor wouldn't like Blueblood, but he never says why except that he sees Blueblood as a spoiled brat. Yet, Blueblood shows himself as much nicer than in the show from his first scene in this comic, so Shining's dislike of him is unjustified. It's even worse when they arrive at Yakyakistan and Blueblood shows he knows how to charm folks well, but Shining seems ignorant to that and brushes aside his offers for help.
We do get a much better look at Blueblood here, and it makes sense. Yes he's a prince and is spoiled and selfish, but he knows social protocol. He knows how to schmooze, he can deal with people, and while he has no problem making use of servants, he treats them fairly well. When you think about it, The Best Night Ever really went overboard with his jerkishness. This issue is a much more moderate and believable take on a pony who has lived their life at the top of the pyramid and knows a thing or two about what is expected of him being in that spotlight. However, he doesn't learn a thing here. The issue is all about Shining Armor learning about and from Blueblood; Blueblood learns nothing about or from Shining Armor. And that shouldn't be. Friends Forever issues should focus on both parties working off of each other to build character. Here, it's all one-sided.
But, the issue does have its high points. Again, this is a much more likeable and interesting Blueblood we see, and there's a lot of worldbuilding to be had. Blueblood even manages to tame Rutherford a bit, which is nice. And, as in the Gilda and Rarity issue, the yaks here are funny in their dickishness, not annoying as in Party Pooped. How is it the comic writers seem to handle the yaks better than the show? Well, they do. Overall this isn't isn't amazing, but worldbuilding and the redemption of Blueblood as a character makes it worth at least one read.
P.S. - No, we did not find out what that event that needed the Princesses was. I win 5 bucks. Not sure from who, though.
Five bucks that the princesses had to deal with a severe need of a hooficure. Celestia brought them all to get a discount.
I had high hopes for this comic and I will say I came out mostly satisfied. Sure, Blueblood pretty much steals the spotlight here and saves the day, but after how he's been treated in the fandom since season 1, I'm kinda glad that was the case. HA! Take that, fandom!
Kinda disappointed that Shining Armor comes across as a bit of a dunce. He's had so few chances to "shine" that I'm worried he's never going to grow out of his rut. He's just so... not interesting. Considering all the air and comic time he's had, I still find him dull. Especially when paired with a character like Blueblood.
Maybe next time Shining Armor will impress and not just live in his sister and wife's shadows.
I think you're right about most points. I think we're supposed to assume that Shining Armor knows Blueblood a little from his time as Captain of the Royal Guard, and that Twilight told Shining Armor about how Blueblood acted at the first Gala. I think at the beginning its not so much that Shining Armor thinks Blueblood could never be diplomatic with anyone, its that he is venturing up a mountain pass to deal with hypersensitive Yaks, and even at his best Blueblood still comes off as insensitive and annoying (which is what he really is when he's not putting on the diplomatic mask). I agree though, they should have codified that a little more, like have Shining take Celestia aside and say that he's worried the Yaks will be offended by some prissy fop.
The larger point you brought up is something I hadn't thought of before though: Yes, both friends are supposed to learn a lesson in Friends Forever, that Blueblood didn't learn or grow is the biggest weakness of the comic.
Also, just realized something skeazy from your review: Blueblood remarks on how beautiful Cadance is, and how lucky SA was to snatch her up. At the end of the comic Blueblood informs SA that the palenquin is full of gifts for Cadance. If Blueblood is the one saying this, that suggests he bought the gifts, not Shining. Would you want a guy like that buying a carriage-load of gifts for your wife?
To me, this comic was their way of giving the fans the finger. Blueblood is a, for lack of a better term and avoidence of swear's, burro, but he is an burro that works well as a diplomat. I find that hilarious.
I liked this version of Blueblood- still arrogant and annoying, but at least he's competent at something. Actually, his foppish behavior works quite well as a diplomat, much more tolerable than Best Night Ever (although almost everything in that episode was exaggerated).
I am disappointed Shining Armor is still stuck as the one who has to suffer. From contrived vague event to write the Princesses out of the comic, to repeating all the mistakes from the Yak episode (do NOT try any yak culture, they find it insulting). Even worse is that Blueblood even directly references the original episode and what Twilight learned from it, but Shining just stubbornly keeps trying (and failing). As you said, its basically "Shining messes up, Blueblood succeeds, Shining learns something". The issue tries to present as one of Celestia's roundabout/trolling lessons, but still, not the best "lesson". Oh well, still a decent FF issue at least. If Blueblood ever shows up again, hope they follow this example rather than his one show appearance.
I liked this issue, but you're right that Blueblood doesn't learn anything. Still, it's a fairly good comic for Shining Armor, but I think his Friends Forever with his sister better capitalized on his intelligence and personality.