SPOILERS? Mariusioannesp Reviews: "The Gift of the Maud Pie" · 4:46am Apr 4th, 2016
WARNING!!! The following contains SPOILERS for today’s MLP episode “The Gift of the Maud Pie”.
Now, without further a-New-York-minute-do, here is my review of “The Gift of the Maud Pie”
Rarity and Pinkie Pie are on their way to Manehattan. Rarity is there to scout locations for yet another boutique. Pinkie is there because she’s meeting her sister Maud Pie! Yay! Maud Pie is here again! Anyway, Pinkie and Maud meet once every year to hang out and swap presents. Since Maud always gives Pinkie the perfect present, Pinkie plans to finally give Maud a present as perfect as the ones she gives her. However, when Pinkie’s initial plan falls through, she is forced to sacrifice something very dear to her to get that perfect gift. Will Pinkie Pie learn what truly makes a gift perfect?
So what’s the verdict?
Usually when the season premiere is underwhelming, the second episode has to pick up the slack. And this episode does that and more. It’s got Manehattan. It’s got Maud. What more can you ask for?
So yeah, I liked it! I really liked it.
We begin with Rarity and Pinkie Pie on a train to Manehattan. Pinkie is so excited to be visiting Manehattan again that she can’t help share that excitement with her fellow passengers on the train. 
Look it’s the pony dudes from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. The last time we saw them was in last season’s “Hearthbreakers”, the last episode with Maud Pie in it! Continuity.
Rarity in on her way to Manehattan scouting locations for another store. Wow, a third store. Rarity has become quite the baller in the fashion boutique industry. Rarity is much more reserved in her excitement. That is until she actually has Manehattan in her sights. This time though she doesn’t mount a lamppost like the last two times she was in Manehattan. And look who’s waiting for them at Manehattan’s Grand Central. M-A-U-D! You know what that spells? 
It spells Maud!
Pinkie celebrates by setting off her party cannon. You know she never goes anywhere without her party cannon, remember. Pinkie explains to Rarity that she spends a day with each of her sisters where they visit someplace, see the sights, and exchange gifts at sunset. Pinkie calls it PSSSD, pronounced like “pssst”, like you’re sharing secrets. It stands for “Pie Sisters Surprise Swap Day”. Oh those Pies and their traditions. She and Maud picked Manehattan this time because Maud is getting her rocktorate nearby. So that’s where she goes off to do that. Rarity is about to leave the Pie sisters to their PSSSD when Pinkie takes her aside and asks for Rarity’s help while grabbing her leg. Rarity agrees as long as Pinkie lets go of her leg. Come on. If Manehattan is anything like New York City in our world, that is the least strangest thing the ponies there have seen. Anywho, Pinkie needs Rarity’s help when it comes to Maud’s present. See, every year, Maud always gets Pinkie the perfect present that blows her away, but this time, Pinkie finally has a present for Maud as good as the presents Maud gets her. She plans on getting Maud a rock pouch for her pet rock Boulder from a store that sells nothing but rock pouches. Just as in New York, you can find pretty much find anything in Manehattan. The problem is that she still needs to get one and the store is all the way downtown. She won’t be able to get it without ruining the surprise. Rarity comes up with the plan of sight-seeing in a direction that will lead them downtown towards the store. Rarity will join them to distract Maud when the time comes all while she scouts locations for her new store. Pinkie is so excited for this plan and Maud’s upcoming surprise, she sets off her party cannon again.
And so their little sight-seeing trip begins. I like how it’s represented as a map with a line tracing their route from one place to another. First stop on their tour is their pony knock-off of the Statue of Liberty. You really can see everything from there though Maud is more interested in the glaciation of the sloping strata. Is she talking about the Palisades? They got their own too. Pinkie is excitedly flying by with some balloons and setting off her party cannon.
Then, they check out a possible location for Rarity’s store. 
And here we see a typical New York apartment.
In excitement, Pinkie sets off her party cannon again!
Next, they’re ice skating at a pony version of Rockefeller Center. I think that’s only available here during the winter, but this is Equestria. 
Look how good at ice skating Maud is. That’s surprising.
Pinkie also sets off her party cannon again!
The map transition to the next location suddenly has a crayon drawing the line, and then it turns out it’s actually Pinkie drawing a line with a crayon on an actual map. Rarity chides Pinkie for it because they’re at a restaurant called the Cantering Cook, and it isn’t that kind of restaurant. You know, the kind with place mats that you have solve the map on. Anywho, Rarity and Pinkie hide behind the menu to discuss their plan to get the pouch. The pouch store is only a block away so Rarity is going to distract Maud while Pinkie goes off to get the rock pouch. Pinkie then feigns going to the bathroom to wash her hooves, while Rarity asks Maud the story of how she met Boulder. Meanwhile Pinkie makes her way to the pouch store and sees the perfect pouch in the window. 
However, she discovers to her horror that the store is closed. There’s a note in the window that the owner went on a sudden vacation to Canterlot and will be back in a few moons. There they go using moons as a unit to measure time again. See, this is why you need to call ahead to check. Wait, do they even have phones in Equestria? Never mind. Despite this, Pinkie still tries to get into the store, hoping against hope that perhaps the owner is already back. 
Her commotion attracts the attention of a nearby police pony officer. 
You see that. It’s a pony cop! This is like the first time we’ve seen some kind of police on the show itself.
Pinkie returns to the restaurant dejected. Rarity orders a large ice cream sundae to hide behind so they can surreptitiously discuss what happened. Pinkie explains how the store was unexpectedly closed so she couldn’t get the rock pouch, and now she doesn’t even have a present for Maud! Rarity assures her not to fret because they still have time, and she’ll help her find a new present for Maud.
First, they hit up what I am certain is supposed to be FAO Schwarz. 
Look it’s the Big Piano! And they’re playing the MLP theme! At least until Pinkie interrupts them.
Rarity tries to gauge Maud’s interest in a large stuffed giraffe. 
Maud is unimpressed.
You know they closed that store. Now, I’m sad again. Are you sad? It’s sad. Be sad.
Next, they hit up a jewelry store with a large assortment of gems. What is this supposed to be, the Diamond District? Rarity figures since Maud likes rocks, she might like the most spectacular rocks in Manehattan. Maud merely says that Boulder says they’re too stuck up.
Up next, they hit up an open air tent market. Hey, I’ve walked by those. Here, Rarity has a rather amusing Western-style showdown with Maud where she just chucks random objects at her to see which ones she likes. These objects include the spellbook from “Inspiration Manifestation”, the Twilicane, and a Smarty pants doll. Continuity! Maud is interested in none of these things; only in a crack in the sidewalk that she actually takes a photo of. Rarity is ready to give up. Maud is impossible to shop for. She doesn’t need or want anything. Maud just happens to misplace and find Boulder and wishes aloud that she had something to carry him in. Only the rock pouch would have been the perfect gift for her, and there’s no way to get one. Fortuitously enough, Rarity spots a gentlecolt with the exact same pouch Pinkie originally spied in the pouch store window. 
Yes, he certainly looks like a trustworthy individual. He’s got an earring and a gold chain and a gold tooth. You can practically hear him screaming, “I'm a hustla, I'm a, I'm a hustla.” Still, Pinkie asks this… “gentlecolt” if he’d be willing to part with his pouch and how much she needs it and goes into why in detail. All things you should never say to a con artist. Of course in her excitement, Pinkie sets off her party cannon. She sure does love that party cannon doesn’t she? Well, the pouch pony seeing the party cannon says that he’ll trade the pouch for Pinkie’s party cannon. Her party cannon! She can’t give that up! But he points out it’s the only way to get Maud a perfect present. What’s Pinkie to do?
A despondent Pinkie returns to the market to Rarity and Maud. Rarity distracts Maud by having her back up really far away to take a picture of her and her favorite crack. Pinkie did get the rock pouch, but Rarity can’t understand Pinkie’s sudden lack of exuberance. She expected something more like this. 
Okay, Rarity has spent far too much time with Pinkie. But yeah, she expected something like that followed by Pinkie firing off her party cannon for the upteenth time. Aye, there’s the rub! Pinkie had to trade her beloved party cannon for the rock pouch. That doesn’t matter though. All that matters is that Pinkie finally got the perfect gift for Maud and how excited she’ll be when she sees it. Rarity thinks she understands. She is known for her generosity after all.
So now the time has come to finally swap presents in what looks like Central Park. After they spend a few moments just examining each others’ gifts (Pinkie even licks hers), Rarity can’t take it anymore and demands they just open them. Maud opens hers, and she is indeed quite happy to get it. It’s all over her face. 
See.
Pinkie opens hers, and Maud explains that it’s cupcake-scented confetti. You know, for her party cannon.
The irony is quite palpable.
Either way, Pinkie is still quite happy with her present; Maud knows her so well. She’s going to love it five-ever! That’s longer than forever. Four-ever. Five-ever. Get it! Soon after, Maud has brought Boulder to a playdate with one of those giant rocks you can find in Central Park. Rarity accidentally lets slip that she’s glad Maud likes the rock pouch given what Pinkie had to do to get it. Rarity tries to avoid Maud’s further questions on the matter, even trying to walk away, but Maud just pops up right in front of her. Seems Maud is a lot more like her sister than we previously thought. After Maud gives Rarity a look that isn’t any different than what she usually looks like, Rarity cracks and confesses that Pinkie traded her party cannon for Maud’s rock pouch because she wanted to give her a present as perfect as the ones she gives her. After confirming all this with Pinkie, Maud walks off, determined to get Pinkie her party cannon back. They somehow find the hustler pony with the party cannon because Maud has “Maud Sense”. It apparently runs in the family. So, Maud goes up to the pony and asks politely if she could exchange her pouch for the party cannon. He tries walking off after declaring that all sales are final, but Maud pops up again right in front of him and asks him politely again. That’s when Rarity jumps in and takes advantage of Maud’s unreadable expression by reading into it the potential for threat. The fire in her eyes! The clench in her jaw! You don’t want to know what happens when she clenches her jaw!
Gaze your eyes upon a face that knows no mercy!
The con artist pony is so thoroughly conned that once Maud asks him again, he demands in utter fear she take the party cannon back. 
Now, that Maud got Pinkie her beloved party cannon back, she realizes that Maud’s gotten her two gifts she really wanted today. Pinkie’s going to really have to step up her game for next year. That’s when Maud shares this nugget of wisdom. Maud tells Pinkie that gift giving isn’t a competition; it’s an expression of love. Pinkie always makes sure to give her presents with love, and that is why Maud will always cherish them and her five-ever. Awwa. And that is a lesson I can stand behind! Rarity shows up again so she can show them the location for her new store “Rarity For You”. When Rarity asks them if she picked a good spot, Maud assures her that it’s not a good spot, it’s a perfect spot. That’s nice of her. Pinkie declares that this PSSSD has been so great that she and Maud have created a new tradition to start next year called PSSSDWR. That is “Pie Sisters Surprise Swap Day With Rarity”. They’re going to include Rarity in their tradition now! Rarity is flattered, but then she becomes concerned over having to come up with perfect presents for both of them since they’re both good gift givers. Pinkie assures her though that that as long as she gives her gifts with love, it will always be perfect. She shared the lesson she learned! Pinkie does suggest more confetti as a good gift. She goes through a lot of it. Then, she fires off her party cannon again.
One of the best things about his episode is the depth given to Maud Pie. Here, we scratch beneath Maud Pie’s stony surface to see the precious metal ore beneath. I mean, we’ve seen that Maud was a dutiful and loving older sister, but here we see it even more. She is willing to forgo a gift that was indeed exactly what she needed so that her sister could hold on to her beloved party cannon. She really does love her sister. Though this is very much an extension of what we have seen before, particularly in Maud’s introductory episode, Season 4’s “Maud Pie”. I do enjoy seeing these kinds of sisterly relationships because I too have a sister. I really like how the writers have chosen to do this with Maud Pie. In the past, others among the fan favorites don’t nearly get this much attention or development.
Amazingly enough, this appears to be the first episode to focus primarily on Pinkie Pie and Rarity. It’s almost mind-bogglingly that in six seasons this is the first time we’ve seen Pinkie and Rarity together like this. I know last season we saw a number of episodes that threw together characters we hadn’t seen together in some time. This is a continuation of that of sorts. It makes me wonder what other never before seen pairings we might be seeing down the line this season.
This episode was written Michael P. Fox and Will Fox. Who the heck are Michael P. Fox and Will Fox? Well apparently, this is their first auteurial outing on MLP. Considering that, this was quite a splendid debut for them. And this won’t be the last apparently. Equestria Daily has already confirmed that the “Fox Brothers” as they’ve taken to calling them will be writing a number of episodes this season. If they’re as good as this one, then I very much look forward to that.
The plot of this episode bears a certain similarity to the classic O. Henry short story “The Gift of the Magi”. It’s even alluded to by the title. However, given how classic the story is, it’s been done over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. Nonetheless, this episode doesn’t quite do it another over again. Instead of sacrificing their prized possessions to get each other presents that go with those prized possessions, Maud sacrifices her present so that Pinkie doesn’t have to sacrifice her prized party cannon. It’s a rather nice twist on what has become a rather trite concept. That’s another point in favor of the Fox Brothers.
In the end, this episode is just funny, which any good Pinkie Pie episode should be. How excited Pinkie is throughout the episode is just so amusing. Rarity was also great in this episode. I especially enjoyed her attempts to find another perfect gift for Maud. And then of course there’s Rarity doing an impression of Pinkie Pie! That was just nuts! I also enjoyed all the references to New York City stuff. They got their own versions of Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the Diamond District, and FAO Schwarz. Many of these places I’ve actually been to. This is pretty much the third time we’re fully seeing Manehattan. So naturally, we’re going to see some more of it. And this might not even be the last time in this season.
I feel this episode also sets up things we’re going to see later on this season. I think this is going to be a thing now where I attempt to predict the future this season towards the end of my review. Either way, we see Rarity find the perfect location for a third store that she’s opening that she will call “Rarity For You”. I sense there will be an episode later this season titled “Rarity For You” about the grand opening of this store that will feature another trip to Manehattan. I think all the Mane 6 (and maybe Starlight Glimmer) will be on this trip, but the episode will focus mostly on Rainbow Dash and/or Pinkie Pie. Why would I think that? Remember that teaser image with the swan boat
We did see the swan boats in this episode, but Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be found. I believe this image is from this possible “Rarity For You” episode. Maud Pie is there because this episode established that Maud goes to school near Manehattan, and Rarity obviously invited her because she was there when she found the location. At least that’s what I think. I could always be completely wrong.
Still though, the seventh episode of this season will apparently feature Rainbow Dash finally becoming a Wonderbolt. And now Rarity is opening a third store. It’s really starting to feel like I might be right about this season being FIM’s last season. Well, I’m already enjoying the ride. I'm ready for it to be the last if necessary. Ride or die.
As for what’s wrong with this episode… I got nothing. This was a very well put together episode that was perfectly paced despite how much was going on.
Overall, “The Gift of the Maud Pie” was a delightful episode that had pretty much everything going for it. It was a great auteurial debut for these Fox Brothers, and I look forward to seeing what else they put out this season.
What did y’all think of “The Gift of Maud Pie”?
God bless you all. God bless America. And God bless Equestria.
Twilight ascended to literal godhood over three years ago now and the show's still going strong exploring her character and adding new things for her to do in her new circumstances. I don't see why Rarity having a successful chain of stores or Rainbow Dash becoming a Wonderbolt would hinder their continuing stories either. It just opens up new opportunities, IMO.
3846986 Well, that is true. I don't know. I've just had this feeling in my gut that FIM is beginning to wind down and bring things to an end. If you have, don't misconstrue this as a belief that MLP is ending because it has declined in quality. I think if they are ending, it's ending on a high note as it should. In 2017, there's going to be a movie. So, MLP will certainly be continuing in one way or another. I'm just not certain FIM will be.
But you know, I could still be wrong.
3847341 The movie is actually one reason I think we might be getting another season after this one - to keep the momentum going right up into it. The TV series is already a toy commercial, it can be a movie commercial too. The movie's release date is November 2017 so if there isn't a seventh season there'll be a full year without pony before it comes out.
Sure, FiM will end someday. It's not the Simpsons. But I've heard lots of predictions that it would end *soon* over the years, I'm not so quick to think of that any more.
Anyway. I also liked the episode in question, BTW. Just didn't have a specific comment on your review part since I basically agreed with all of it. :)
Since you've already read my review, you know that I enjoyed this episode as well.
We've discussed this before but it does feel like the end could be drawing near. But, if Gen 4's end is truly near, I think it would be best if we got one more season after this leading into the 2017 movie, which would act as the series finale. Think of it as the Turtles Forever of MLP. While I'm still definitely up for more pony (we still have a least the rest of Season 6, the 2017 movie, and the 4th Equestria Girls movie to look forward to), I would much rather have MLP end on a high note similar to that of Gravity Falls. Gravity Falls ended on the creator's terms. It ended when it was still good. I'd much rather see MLP end on a high note than drag out like the Simpsons or Fairly Odd Parents and watch its quality slowly die down. Though, granted, opinions of the show nowadays are so all over the place that it can be hard to tell what the fanbase as a whole thinks. But I still think the show's going strong for now, and I hope it keeps going strong until the very end.
Just spotted this searching for something else and picked up on Maud Ice skating. Ah the reason I never want to leave her!!
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