Gauntlet of Fire S6E5 Recap · 7:54pm Apr 16th, 2016
Insert your own Harry Potter joke here because I'm not into that series.
So pretty much from the set-up I knew how this ep would go. But, as pony tends to do, it took this stock plot and gave it some twists. The golden-armored dragon is obviously Ember, so I'm glad that lasted about ten seconds before they just revealed it. It was very satisfying to see Garble abused repeatedly after the events of Dragon Quest. Also a funny running gag with Rarity and Twilight following them unseen. The ship tease aside, I do find it funny that Spike talking about Ember after she abandoned them is like him talking about his ex-girlfriend. Ember was a bit of a cliched character as the rebellious princess, but she made up for it with her repeated jokes about friendship and ponies.
Overall, a very good, solid episode. Not awesome, not a classic. But it was very enjoyable, and far and away the best Spike episode they've ever done. That itself is impressive, since Spike episodes usually suck. But at long last the little guy was done justice. He got to be a hero, he got to stay true to his values, he made a new friend, and it came among more worldbuilding for dragons. What more could we ask for?
It had dragons, and dragons are cool.
Thumbs up from me!
How about Spike getting wings? Seriously, when he started to glow I thought that was about to happen. Some representation of his growth both in character and maturity, an ascension into the next stage of his development. But eh, it was a nice thought. Liked the episode, though I thought that Princess Ember was forced.
Let the shipping begin.
3875187 I feel like this episode means Spike may never get wings. It sounds like all the other dragons have wings normally, and nobody treats them like something that comes in with age.
Best Spike episode since Secret of My Excess. That's all what I have to say.
Even before this episode, I've disagreed with the idea that Spike's episodes usually sucked.
Aside from the occasional lackluster one (which almost all of the mane cast (except for RD)), his episodes have usually been pretty good.
The problem is that the episodes that the rest of the cast have received tend to be even better.
Definitely the best Spike episode in the show, and probably the best episode of the season right now. It could've very easily bombed, but it took the high road and gave Spike the respect he deserves.