Season 6, Episode 8 Thoughts and Review · 1:29am May 17th, 2016
Spoilers below the cut!
OK, so I know that I've expressed annoyance in the past with how the scheduling for holiday episodes have been off these past two seasons, but I gotta say, I really enjoyed this episode. Say what you will, but Charmony loves musicals, and this episode was a pretty good one in my opinion.
I ain't even mad that they aired this during May.
The episode opens in Ponyville as ponies decorate the town and Castle of Friendship for Hearth's Warming while singing a merry tune. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash oversee the delivery of snow clouds, Applejack distributes baked goods to everyone, Rarity makes decorative hats, and there is a general feeling of happiness all around.
Also, Derpy appears once again and sends the fandom into a tizzy with her adorableness.
Twilight Sparkle is excited for Starlight Glimmer to celebrate her first Hearth's Warming Eve in Ponyville. However, Starlight doesn't share her excitement and would rather skip the holiday. She considers the day no different from any other and "just an excuse for silly songs and fun".
Something I admire about this is how Starlight's feelings towards Hearth's Warming is pretty tame and not all-out like we've seen in the past.
When Twilight tries to explain the holiday's importance, Starlight says she already knows the story of how Earth ponies, Pegasi, and unicorns came together to vanquish the windigos. So Twilight decides to read her a different story: her favorite holiday story titled "A Hearth's Warming Tale".
A Hearth's Warming Tale is told using various ponies in Ponyville portraying the story's characters, with Twilight acting as narrator. The cast is as follows:
-Starlight Glimmer as Snowfall Frost, the main character.
-Applejack as the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Past.
-Pinkie Pie as the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Presents.
-Princess Luna as the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Yet to Come.
-Rainbow Dash as Snowdash, Snowfall's loyal assistant.
-Rarity as Merry, one of Snowdash's friends.
-Fluttershy as Flutterholly, one of Snowdash's friends.
The story tells of Snowfall Frost, a powerful yet bitter unicorn who hates Hearth's Warming Eve and values studying and magic above all else. She lives alone in her Canterlot home applying her knowledge to the betterment of Equestria, and her only company is her loyal assistant Snowdash. Viewing Hearth's Warming as a "menace", Snowfall doubts the holiday's origins and believes singing songs and being nice are a waste of time.
When you get out of work early.
After she unwittingly excuses Snowdash to leave early and enjoy the holiday with her friends, Snowfall voices her disgust and desire to skip Hearth's Warming altogether. Singing a sinister song, Snowfall gathers some ingredients and prepares a magic spell to erase the holiday from existence.
CAN WE ALL TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD STARLIGHT IS AT SINGING?
Just before Snowfall Frost casts her spell to erase Hearth's Warming Eve, her actions draw the attention of the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Past. The spirit expresses her opinions on Snowfall's spell by taking her on a trip back in time. She explains—through song—that every choice one makes in life has its consequences, no matter how small.
I AM SO HAPPY THAT GOT TO SING AGAIN, SHE HAS SUCH A GOOD VOICE.
In the past, Snowfall sees her younger self, bright-eyed and happy to be celebrating Hearth's Warming Eve. However, when her magic instructor Professor Flintheart finds her decorating the classroom, he voices his displeasure. He tells Snowfall that if she wants to become a powerful unicorn, she must cast aside all notions of fun and focus solely on hard work and studying.
GET OVER YOURSELF, SNAPE FLINTHEART
Shaken by Flintheart's harsh truths, Snowfall takes his advice and changes her point of view, thus sowing the seeds that cause her to grow up to be the pony she is now.
Upon returning to her house, Snowfall is then visited upon by the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Presents, who explains to her the thoughtfulness that comes with exchanging gifts with others. She takes Snowfall on a tour through present-day Canterlot and—through a musical number—shows her all the presents that the present has to offer.
The songs were on point throughout this entire episode.
Meanwhile, as Twilight is telling the story, she slips into her "Pinkie voice", which Starlight points out to her. Which, made me laugh because Tara Strong originally tried out to be Pinkie Pie! Faust liked her better as Twilight, though, but it makes me laugh to think of how that was referenced, even if was unintentional.
Twilight has no clue how close she touched the fourth wall with that...
At Snowdash's home, Snowfall sees a party being enjoyed by everyone in town. She also overhears Snowdash and her friends talking about her behind her back and criticizing her motives. As the ponies inside enjoy the party, the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Presents remarks to Snowfall that this is the last Hearth's Warming Eve party that Equestria ever has. Before Snowfall can ask what she means by this, the Spirit vanishes.
Suddenly surrounded by snow and fog, Snowfall Frost encounters the Spirit of Hearth's Warming Yet to Come. Snowfall believes this spirit intends to show her a future Hearth's Warming Eve, but the spirit says there are no more Hearth's Warming Eves to show.
THIS SONG WAS SO DANG SCARY AND GOOD, GAH.
In this future in which Snowfall Frost succeeds in erasing Hearth's Warming Eve from existence, as the Spirit ominously sings, Equestria is blanketed in deep snow and plagued by windigos. Realizing the cold nightmare of a future that she could potentially create, Snowfall Frost finally understands the holiday's importance and pleads with the spirit that these events can yet be altered.
Snowfall is returned to her home once again, and she sees that there is still time to change the future. She goes to Snowdash's party bearing gifts and a new appreciation for Hearth's Warming Eve, and the ponies openly welcome her.
Upon finishing the story, Twilight excuses herself to join the party downstairs and tells Starlight Glimmer that she can join if she wants to. A short while later, Starlight accepts Twilight's invitation and joins the party as well. Learning to let go of the past and enjoy the present, she leads the other ponies in a reprise of their song from earlier.
You can call me cheesy, but I love a happy ending.
Also, some cute RariShy bits, too
Alright, so let's talk about this episode. Was it a bit odd for it to play during the middle of the year, since it's very obvious that this is a winter-themed episode that takes place during the holidays? Yeah, totally. Was it a bad episode? Eenope!
Sure, this a basic retelling of "A Christmas Carol" with a dash of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", but the story was enticing, the animation was spot-on, and the songs were wonderful. This was definitely one of the best episodes of the season (both for the show and for the holiday), and it was just so good to watch.
However, this doesn't mean I don't have a couple of nitpicks... So, while I adore the choices that the writers made for the spirits individually, when you look at all of them together... It kinda throws me off. I mean, I was actually almost expecting for the Spirit of Hearth's Warmings Yet To Come to be Twilight, which would have driven home her point about how really important Hearth's Warming is.
Now, don't get me wrong, I love Luna. I love all the princesses (though I am not fond of how they are mishandled in the hands of certain writers and are pushed aside in favor of simplifying the plot). However, it seemed really weird to have all the members of the Mane Six involved in the story like that and to just randomly have Luna in it. I actually saw someone I follow on Tumblr bring up how cool it would have been to have Celestia and Cadence play the spirits alongside Luna, and I can't stop thinking about how neat that would have been. It also would have allowed for more screen time for Tia and Cadence, which is well-needed and well-deserved in my opinion.
However, I can't say I hated Pinkie and AJ getting to play such awesome roles in this episode that gave them the chance to sing so wonderfully.
Can you blame me? She's my favorite pony, after all.
And I love me some Applejack.
Another nitpick of mine is... well, Starlight and Twilight. Starlight just said she doesn't particularly care for the holiday, not that she outright hated it. In the past, the character that has to be convinced to enjoy the season of giving has extreme opposition towards it (the reasons differing, but mostly relating to a personal reason involving the holiday). While I adore that Starlight isn't falling into the trope of Scrooge/Grinch, I don't like how Twilight takes her light dislike as "OMG THIS IS THE WORST THING EVAH I MUST RECTIFY THIS."
Twilight, stop being so pushy.
OK, so maybe that's just me exaggerating. To be fair, she was certainly a lot more tame in this episode than she was back during "No Second Prances". I think Twilight was more concerned with Starlight shutting herself away more than she was about her having any negative feelings about Hearth's Warming. She was certainly a lot more patient with her whenever Starlight would interrupt her reading and she even offered Starlight the option of not partaking in the activities when she read the story.
Overall, I really thought this was fantastic episode, and those were only a few nitpicks. Also... Remember how I said I really loved this villain song in this episode? Well...
WE GOT TWO MORE COMING OUR WAY AND I AM SO NOT READY
Now, what can we expect for next episode?
Episode 9: Saddle Row & Rec
When Rarity opens her flagship store in Manehattan, a tell-tale article threatens to expose how her friends almost ruined the grand opening.
Hmmm... Rarity episode or Mane Six episode? Either way, I'm intrigued, and wondering how this is gonna go for Rares and her business...
Anything you feel like I missed? Comment down below and we'll discuss!
"Say Goodbye to the Holidays" is the best song of the season currently. I'd compare it to Luna's part of "You'll Play your Part", both of which I consider to be a Platinum song. My only problem is my spell didn't work! Maybe a Lantern Chant will do?
From the Slice of Life days to the Adventure nights,
Other ships cower in it's sight!
Prepare yourself for my OTP's Might!
BEWARE IT'S POWER, BUTTONBELLE'S LIGHT!
I think that should do. Hopefully sometime this season.
I actually think that the ponies who were chosen to represent the spirits make perfect sense.
AJ is very traditional, and is directly related to arguably the most important pony in the founding of Ponyville.
Pinkie Pie is a very "in the now" pony, and loves making others smile.
Luna has had experience showing other ponies the future before.
Plus, Twilight was narrating the story to Starlight, so she's already involved in it.
Also, my pick for best song of the episode goes to "Say Goodbye to the Holidays", with Luna's Future coming in at a close second.
Overall, this is both one of the best episodes of the season and of the series as a whole.
When I first saw this episode, I absolutely loved it. I, too, am a huge sucker for musicals. And, the singing was actually pretty good, the one that I loved the most was Starlight's and Luna's (especially Luna's). Yet, I can't help but agree about the cast being a bit off...It would have been really cool to have Celestia and Candance be involved. And, HECK, a part of me also sort of thought it would have been cool if the stallions got a chance to do the roles as the spirits.
Yet, another little thing I had about this episode is that I wished that maybe someone else told Starlight the tale? I understand that the show is trying to develop the relationship between Starlight and Twilight (friendly, mind you), but we hardly get any real good bonds between Starlight and the other Mane 6. We explored a bit between Twilight and Starlight, teacher and student. But, the student needs to learn to listen to her friends, which so happen to be the other mane 6, much like Twilight learned lessons from her friends too. Kind of like the season 1 dynamic, if you think about it. But, this is just me thinking...
Anyway, I enjoyed reading this review, and I got nothing really bad to say about the episode, it was a rather good one!
Yet, that Grinch comment sort of made me have a mental picture of King Sombra, who seems the type to want to steal Hearth's Warming.
I like how this episode went a bit more in depth to the Windigos. Luna's song is a new favorite.
Fun fact: The writer confirmed Discord was going to play the role of Jacob Marley, but got cut due to time constraints. That would've been amazing to see!
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It would've! I still enjoy the episode, nonetheless, but it's fun to think about that!