Afterthoughts: The Cart Before the Ponies · 4:06pm Aug 11th, 2016
art by tyuubatu
Season Six has brought us some of the most memorable episodes, some of the most complex and mature lessons, and some of the coolest surprises. It also brought us a few disappointments. ("Applejack's 'Day' Off", I'm looking at you.) This episode was neither. "The Cart Before the Ponies" followed on the quite impressive hoofprints of "Flutter Brutter", "Spice Up Your Life" and "Stranger Then Fan Fiction". The streak of profound and provoking episodes that the writers had created couldn't be sustained for much longer, and it is good that the episode which brought our expectations back to earth was a decent one. "The Cart Before the Ponies" has the kinds of strengths and weaknesses that would have made it a fan favorite back in Season One. It was, all-in-all, a fairly good episode. One that I can re-watch and enjoy, but that won't any top ten lists.
Unlike my normal reviews, I want to tackle "The Cart Before the Ponies" in a manner similar to the classic structure of "the good", "the bad" and "the ugly". I usually eschew this reviewing motif as I find it inherently negative: not only are their two negative categories to only one positive one, but by loading the good up front, the last impressions giving the reader are all negative ones. This biases the review in a way that the writer might not intend and that the material reviewed may not deserve. So I'm going to try to switch it up a little. So let's start with "the ugly".
"The Cart Before the Ponies" has solid morals that it was trying to teach, which I will speak about at more length below the page break. It also had excellent continuity and characterization, which I will rave about. Not to mention, it had a number of fun little things to enjoy. And yet, sadly, it hinged its conclusion on a random element completely separate from the lessons it was teaching... and one that not only required a level of coincidence that would make Quibble Pants froth from the mouth, but fed the entire population of Ponyville a heaping helping of idiot ball stew.
Sportsdrome Speedway
Clarksville, Indiana
We use tracks like this is the real world. But we only do so in order to drastically increase the likelihood of a crash. These tracks are used in races where collisions are not merely a possibility, but are expected and part of the thrill and spectacle. For the derby to use an even more insane, clover-shaped version of this track in a race where the carts were expected to have drastically different tiers of speed... the track is specifically designed to cause this crash. The actions of the ponies involved becomes irrelevant, which prevents responsibility from falling on our misbehaving older sisters. In the end, while Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity have much to apologize for to the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the latter two owe the other racers apologies for their sportsponyship, they arguably have no need to apologize for the crash itself.
In retrospect, that would account for the other ponies not being a lot more upset at them. They only really become a focus when the CMC point out their poor behavior. It also explains the relative lack of repercussions. To that extent, the episode holds a consistency in areas that may have never been given much thought. Still, I found it particularly annoying, and moreso in retrospect as I realized that simply giving them a normal track with multiple laps would have allowed for the same collision without being so overtly designed to facilitate a contrived plot event.
art by thediscorded
So, with the ugly out of the way, on to the good and not-so-good aspects of the episode... below the break.
"The Cart Before the Ponies" ranks with "Stranger than Fan Fiction" amongst episodes with the best use of wordplay titles, a play on the old saying "putting the cart before the horses". That phrase refers to having your priorities backwards, something which is very much at the core of the episode's conflict, making the title work on multiple levels. Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity are all invited by their younger sisters to help them build carts for the Applewood Derby. But instead of helping, the sisters each take over the project entirely, turning it into a vessel for their own priorities and wish fulfillment.
This is a conflict that is very relatable to children and grown-ups alike. How many of us have experienced having someone who is supposed to be helping us accomplish our vision instead override us with their own? This is particularly common for children to experience with older siblings or parents, often without any sort of malice but just because they believe they know best or get personally invested in the endeavor. It happens with school projects where the teacher assigns an advanced student to help, or in the workplace with overeager and overconfident employees or assistants. And in competitions or other group efforts where a teammate thinks they know better than the leader. Within the brony fanfiction community, I have seen writers allow their proofreaders or critics to take the creative reins, virtually always to the detriment of the work and definitely to the detriment of the author. I have likewise seen authors have to put their foot down and stand up for their own vision, even when that means losing the aid (or "help") of the person in question.
The lesson is twofold. First, the episode acknowledges how hard it can be to speak up for yourself, especially when the person taking illegitimate charge is older or more experienced. But that we need to be able and willing to do that, no matter how hard it might be. The people who are helping you need to be helping you, not in control themselves. Even if they might know more, even if they might be right, your project is your project.
In your endeavors, it is your responsibility to listen to good advice from good critics and advisors, and to chose what advice to take and to implement. If your advisor has the proper mindset of assistance, then they will be able to accept your judgement calls, even when they do not agree with them. If that person feels that you have ignored too much of their advice, or otherwise finds that the project has moved in a direction they can no longer support, then they have the ability and the right to leave. But the only time they have a right to take control away from you is if your decisions create a real risk to health or safety. Applejack had no right to decide "We're not adding a spoiler!" but she had every right to demand, "We are building in seatbelts, and that's final."
This even applies in a group project where no voice is more important than another's. In such circumstances, you need to be able to work within a team, and you need to be able to compromise. But you also have to make sure that there is something within the project where you can say that was you. Everyone needs to work together to make sure everyone gets to shine a little.
art by luminaura
The second half of the lesson was overtly stated with Rarity's advice, "You mustn't think older ponies automatically know best." And I will admit that I was not entirely comfortable with this moral, despite being absolutely correct. The reason is that this moral could too easily be twisted into an excuse to not listen to the advice of older or more experienced people. And that is just as much a road to disaster as ceding control to them that should belong to you. Children need to have a healthy respect for their parents (so long as those parents do not behave in a way that undermines or destroys that respect). They should understand that parents often do know better, and that they usually have both the experiences and perspective to make better decisions.
Likewise, people in superior positions have often earned that position, or at the very least are privy to information because of that position that you do not have. Even peers often have perspectives that offer critical understanding you would be best to heed. In short, this moral isn't a blanket excuse for disobedience to authority nor is it a reason to simply ignore or dismiss anything you don't want to hear.
However, this episode is addressing the other side to this. People who are older or more experienced are expected to be wiser and make better and more informed decisions. But not only is that not always the case, it is regularly not the case. Just because someone is older, that doesn't mean they have applicable education or experience. A mature adult who has lived their whole life in a small town likely does not have a better understanding of city traffic than a teenager who has been driving in the city for two years. I suspect many of my readers have parents whose understanding of computers and the internet is dramatically less than their own. (I cringe at the lack of understanding of technology shown by many of the elderly politicians who are in charge of making policies regarding it.) People tend to know what they are interested in or passionate about, so your older siblings are probably not going to have the grasp on your hobbies that you do.
Likewise, age and experience lends itself towards cementing of opinions, and the ingraining of behaviors and mindsets that could be outdated, inappropriate or downright detrimental. Personally, I will always and forever use the historical convention of the double-space after then end of a sentence. Despite what many of you may have been told (and what a few essays on the internet incorrectly but adamantly insist), this is not an invention of the era of the typewriter. Double-spacing has been the historical convention of the printed word for centuries. Observe this page of The History and Art of Printing (London, 1771) written by Philip Luckombe which speaks on the subject:
The writing convention of the single-space after a period is extremely new, something that has only been invented with the proliferation of proportional fonts. But that doesn't make it wrong. In fact, it has become the standard in nearly all modern writing. It would be easier to argue that the classical double-space is wrong; yet I continue to write using the method that has been ingrained. I acknowledge that it is not the modern style (and yet laugh at those who froth and rant that it is some sort of abomination). And so, while I may have a greater amount of education in the art of writing than many newer authors, and more writing experience, I am probably not someone you would want to type up your homework essay for you.
"Embracing the Joke"
art by SilFoe
In addition to the moral, one of the highlights of the episode for me was the characterization. The episode didn't have much wow-factor, and all the real surprises happened in the first few minutes. But one of those was the way the Cutie Mark Crusaders swapped what medals we expected them to go for. And they did it so smoothly that I found myself surprised that I hadn't considered them to want those goals when the prize categories were first revealed. Apple Bloom's desire to race and win hearkened back to her desire to win back in "Brotherhooves Social" (and even her enthusiasm for her sister's inevitable winning in "The Last Roundup"). When Sweetie Belle started waxing about how she adored the traditional carts, it was so in-character that I was thinking "well, of course she does." And while Scootaloo surprised me with her cavalier attitude towards speed, she has never been as obsessed with it as Rainbow Dash. But she definitely has a passion for being awesome, and the competition to stand out with style and flair would certainly appeal to that. I had flashbacks of "The Show Stoppers". And to top it off, trying new things has been the CMC's modus operandi since day one.
Likewise, the CMC's idolization of their older sisters (or "sister" in Scootaloo's case) is well-documented. Even when Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle have had issues with their sisters, they have always come out with a greater appreciation of them. How hard would it be to be assertive with them when the girls idolized them so? Especially when they are these sisters.
Apple Bloom:Applejack, you are the most awesome sister ever! ... It's not opinion! It's objective fact! You saved Equestria like a gazillion times, you're smart, funny, strong. Why you're the best sister of all time! Probably the best Apple of all time! Right, Big Mac?
Likewise, the episode's circumstances played directly to the established desires and flaws of Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity. The latter two have a long history of becoming self-absorbed. Rainbow Dash doesn't merely love racing and winning, she got her cutie mark it it! Likewise, Rarity's cutie mark is a symbol of her creativity and style. And Applejack's is a symbol of her strong familial ties. Applejack is a firmly-established family pony who takes the Apple traditions seriously to a fault. Of course she is going to want to preserve them. This is not the first time she has had issues with this.
The older sisters have never learned this particular lesson, although they have certainly learned many lessons adjacent to this one. This is natural. Personal character traits that cause one set of behaviors usually cause others. And even when you learn a lesson about one, and change that behavior, doesn't mean you will automatically change other behaviors stemming from the same core. Nor does change come easily. We may have to relearn the same lessons. That's just the reality of people.
Now, I want to take a look a some of the bad, before finishing off with a few more good points. The biggest complaint that I have, aside from the insane track design, is the time constraint. Even allowing for my personal headcanon of industry and Earth Pony Magic, a single day to build carts from scratch is ridiculous. And I don't think they would have lost anything if they had made it a weekend instead. This show has had a habit of creating ridiculous time constraints for their characters, and often to no valuable narrative effect. This may be a minor nitpick, but I find it annoying.
art by DimFann
Now for something I didn't have a problem with, but I hear some did: the carts are apparently motorized. Diamond Tiara's cart is designed to look like the pony equivalent of a Rolls Royce. My least favorite episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is "The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well". One of the problems I had with that episode -- the least of that episode's problems, in my opinion -- was that it created a bizarre divergence from the technological level and motifs of Equestria. In a world with pony-pulled vehicles and wind-up hair dryers, suddenly we had hydro-electric power plants and construction machines.
Over the course of the last several seasons, however, the show has created a very technologically eclectic Equestria that I am more able to accept than I could then, and that part of that episode no longer bothers me like it originally did. "Super Speedy Cider Squeezy" introduced powered vehicles, and I have regularly voiced how much I wished I had that episode to draw from while writing Fallout: Equestria. By this point, the introduction of powered carts is actually completely in line with what we have already seen. It follows well from episodes like "One Bad Apple" with the mechanically-powered parade floats, and the magically-powered flying device worn by Tank.
This is a progression, not a divergence. And it is a progression I welcome with only a little hesitation. If anything, this makes all the roads and parking lots filled with carts in Fallout: Equestria make a lot more sense.
And finally, a few minor, positive points:
"Cheerileader"
art by cheezedoodle96
Cheerilee was awesome in this episode! Not only is she best troll...
...but she tries to gently point out to the older sisters what they are doing is wrong...
...and she ensures all the kids get to have their derby. Adult-free, the second time. She is easily the most mature character in the episode. Plus, Cheerilee in a cheerleader's outfit is adorable.
The flashbacks were fun, especially getting to see little Derpy as the winner of "most creative".
I enjoyed seeing the other racers. Snips is racing with a pony I presume to be his father. I couldn't help but notice how the stallion's mustache looked very similar to the one Twilight conjured up for Snips in "Boast Busters". That is a sweet touch of continuity. And the barber-pole derby car suggests hair styles might be a family passion. Maybe Snips and Babs could start a salon together when they're grown up. (Aaaaand.... there's already a fanfic for that, isn't there?)
And I am sure a lot of people are wondering who that pegasus colt with Derpy is. Whoever it is, they chose well. Derpy is a former derby winner, but she didn't try to make the cart "her way". (Or, for that matter, attempt to drive it.)
It is both endearing and sad that Diamond Tiara is doing the derby with Randolph, her butler. I suspect nobody else in her family had both the time and inclination to do such a project with her. But at the same time, I have to believe that Diamond Tiara is treating him much better than she used to, and their relationship is much better than in "Twilight Time".
It is a small thing, but I also liked hearing Apple Bloom greet Sweetie Belle with "Hey, Crusader."
I also liked seeing Scootaloo apparently "embracing the joke" (see picture somewhere above). And the final design of her cart was awesome! Apple Bloom's and Sweetie Belle's were likewise very impressive.
The final surprise came at the end. I must say, I'm happy that they didn't show the end of the do-over race. We can easily imagine that the CMC won. But we are also free to imagine some of the other kids won this time. It really wouldn't have added anything to the episode to show the victors, and may have even detracted from the moral of the story and our enjoyment of it. It was better this way.
And as a final note, I will admit that the song was fun but didn't really do much for me the first time I watched this episode. However, I make a point of watching these episodes multiple times before writing up my Afterthoughts. And with the second viewing, the song sunk it's hooks into me. I've had this delightful, damnable thing stuck in my head for three days!
art by AssasinMonkey
This episode frustrated me immediately because there was an obvious solution all along that really could have created an interesting dynamic and unique character situations:
Switch sisters.
Apple Bloom wanted speed? Fine, she can work with Rainbow Dash. Let Sweetie Belle hang around Applejack, and Scootaloo with Rarity. As far as I remember, none of this combination has been seen in any sort of meaningful, personal way, (with the exception of Belle/Jack in Sisterhooves Social) and of course even if they want the same thing, how they go about doing it could have been vastly different, resulting in a much more interesting conflict. Instead what we got was a conflict that felt forced, especially considering the christmas episode where Applejack had already learned to eschew family tradition when asked to in order to stop butting heads with the Pie family. And there were no specific rules which stated you must have a family member participate, so they weren't tied down by plot convenience.
But hey, I'd be the one who chooses Twilight. What better way to win a derby than with an Alicorn at your side?
Was a yucky episode for me. Not only our "paragons" are out of it again, but others are not doing much better. You (and the show) make a great point of how hard it is to speak up against someone you respect. But the whole episode I was haunted by question: what prevented CMC from just swapping for the adult that shared their vision?
4143915
4143923
That wouldn't have solved the problem. They would have gotten the type of cart they wanted, but they still wouldn't have gotten their cart. They would still have been saddled with the design created, implimented and even operated entirely by the adult.
4143936 Yes, but it could have been presented as a solution, like an "aha!" moment, but as it goes along they see that, even if they share the same desire, the ideas and execution can be different, which in itself is a good lesson to be learned, alongside the message already presented to us.
4143936
Exactly. It wouldn't remove the conflict. But it would make more sense and bring the point across more strongly.
As for the writers and editors, let's remember Somber and Project Horizons. If it wasn't for editors - there would be so much more inappropriate anime reference induced facehooves. The tank fight scene was outright horrible, and everyone told him so, and he left it anyway. I totally agree that artist should let no one to divert his piece from their vision. But when you have several editors pointing at the same problems - they're likely the ones speaking from the common sense.
You know, this whole situation reminds me of my scouting days. Specifically, the time I brought home the gold in my chapter's Pinewood Derby. To this day, I don't really know the moral to this story, but hell if I didn't get reminded after watching this one particular episode after it got hyped to me.
Once upon a time, I was a mini-fridge, and I was trying to be a cool guy that knew how stuff worked and so I tried to be a boy scout. I felt like I was being used for being cute after a while and decided to leave it, but not before the annual pinewood derby. My family has a history about being around cars and racing, and although my interests are more on the lines of working with drinks and computers (not at the same time), I still wanted to win this one. So, I go to my uncle's workshop, and I sketch out the design for my little car. It looked like a door wedge with some bits missing and a racer guy stuck on top painted a garish red and blue (because they were my favorite colors). Everyone warned me that it would be rear-heavy and the balance would get messed up while going down the curve, but nobody else had any better plans, so I just went with it. Later on, just before the race, we had to measure it to make sure it was in compliance with the rules. And it turned out to be too light, and needed some more weight put on. The only easy place to put these square weights would be this small indentation made near the rear of the car. So, it was even more rear-heavy. I was assured, this would lead to some bad aerodynamic properties. I didn't really know what people were talking about, so I just went with it.
Now, the fun part about this ramp was that it was supposed to be a nice, even, exponential-looking curve. The thing was, nothing man made is completely perfect, and especially not something made for a rinky-dink boy scouts chapter. It wasn't a nice, clean curve. It was two slight slants with a sharp curve near the back. Roughly everyone went for an evenly distributed weight for their cars, except for me who was sitting there with a very-rear heavy car. So, the moment that the tournament began and I put it down, I felt like I was going to lose and lose badly because I didn't comply with everyone else. And when I first let go of the car, things seemed to go around as I expected. Mine was notably slower than the rest. But the thing is, when it hit that sharp change, the red and blue door wedge suddenly rocketed off, hit the end of the track before any of the others, jumped over the railing, and /kept going/.
I walked out of there with a first place trophy and my little jank car. Other than the lesson in physics, I'm not entirely sure what the moral was, but I still keep the car on my shelf for when I need a smile.
Hmmm....
Now to watch season 6 so I can understand anything in this blog post.
Oooh, if only I could have the house to myself for a few hours! Then I would be caught up!
Now that I look at the race track for a bit more time. I wonder if the writers were going for a more artistic fashion for the race track rather then a functional design?
It makes me think of a flower or a for leaf clover.
My opinion of the episode: Didn't much like it. I could guess the plot in the first few minutes and rest of the episode became just waiting for them to fix things. (while admiring the animation.) I'd rather be kept guessing what happens next. I did like the moral though.
I'm also reminded of a group project I was a part of that's pretty much the opposite of what happened in this episode. I was team leader and tried perhaps too hard to make sure everyone had a say. The end result was a mess of things that didn't go together well.
I am 9 chapters until I'll be done with reading your Fallout Equestria. Any recomendation as to which F:E to read next? Aside the main 3 sidestories - you know of any good continuation?
4144050 Ration it, mate!
While I applaud the idea that we as a civilization will always be constantly evolving and progressing as we go further (I mean, grown ups always used to say that "Cartoons are for kids" crap, but look at works like Legend of Korra, MLP, and Steven Universe in how much they've progressed us), this makes me wonder how future generations would look back on the mediums we have today?
Like, compare cartoons like Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry compared to cartoon mediums today: Blatant references to alcoholism, sexism, racism, and violence that normally wouldn't be seen in today's medium, unless it was maybe geared towards young adults.
Will the shows that have inspired us and moved us today have the same level of inspiration and love when the future looks back on them?
I think you done missed a word in there that kind of reverse the entire meaning of that sentence.
Yes the weird "one day" stuff really is odd and... after this episdoe I have developed a new headcanon that explains how they do this much in that little amount of time. Equestrian "Days" are far far longer then "Earth" days. They don't go 24 hours/day but maybe something more like 50 hours in a day or something. Maybe 48. It would explain a lot of the time crunch oddities and how so much happens in seemingly so little time.
That was actually my biggest issue with it the first time around, just how not like Equestria it felt, so much was different, so many random things, the whole tone of the story felt different. Now I just dislike it for being a very poorly executed story in and of itself.
Regarding the carts, I don't like it either. For one, soap box Derby carts aren't supposed to be motorized, second we saw no hints of any gears, motor, anything to even hint of it being there. Then there is how little sense it makes for foals to be expected to make and place fully functional drive trains and engines into their carts as well, even with an adult, how many adults could do that? Then, is the fact this whole thing was carved out of a block of solid wood, how do you put an engine in that? Just, it simply made no sense at all. Not for being in Equestria, though that would still be odd, but it made no sense for how the carts were built for them to have motors in them.
Yes she was awesome.. though I prefer Cheerleaderlee. Also is it just me, or is she getting snarkier and more "I am so tired of dealing with this [buysomeapples]" when dealing with other ponies hijinks?
Derpy is most creative pony, this is canon now.
And yeah the song is very catchy, very fun.. not some big, deep, feels heavy and meaningful track, but.. just upbeat, catchy fun. Do kind of love we got the instrumental version first for a change.
But yeah overall this was a solid ep, mostly. Just good, decent.. only real issue was just how fast the adults got into "take over" mode and how forced it felt. I do agree them doing this was natural and makes sense, just, the way it was executed felt a bit to forced about getting them there, not like a natural progression. Idea was fine, execution could have been smoothed out a bit. Other then that, agree with this, it really was just a fun ep. And yes, whoever designed that track had been playing far far to much Super Pony Cart.
4144128
The same question I have for everyone who uses this or "To predictable" as some kind of detriment in and of itself for the show. So you never, ever watch anything again? Never reread a story, never re-watch an episdoe? It is always nothing more then one time ever? Since, after that, everything is 'predictable'. So what would be the point if being 'predictable' is some fatal flaw?
4144144 IB4 obligatory FOE: Hooves of Fate recommendation. and/or simply adding a Hooves of Fate recommendation.
4144144 I shall quote "The Right Man in The Wrong Place" as my reply. Why? Because i'm bored to tears and am currently listening to it.
Ill leave you to decipher my reply.
4144198
4144198 To your response to me: Even when the ending is known, how it happens is still interesting. But in this episode, for at least my point of view, it was just dragging out the problem that was revealed to me early on. Let me also add that I am no critic. I only know what I like. What I know is that I was bored while watching because I already knew how it would go.
Your argument might be going against you here because yes, I do normally only watch episodes once for this reason. I watch for the thrill of finding out what happens next.
There are always exceptions though, and I'll use Fallout Equestria as an example. I've read it before and know what happens, but I returned to it years after I first read it because in that time I had forgotten a lot of it. I knew how it ends, but how it got there was forgotten and almost new again.
There are more exceptions as well. In cleverly made stories there are hidden details that you'll only find through a second viewing. Some plot points and foreshadowing take on new meaning to the reader/viewer when they know what will happen.
It wasn't the case with this episode though. I felt like I got the full story with just one viewing. Even if my attention was divided with a game on my phone that I opened while watching because of my boredom.
Through almost the entire episode, I fully expected the resolution to be the entirely predictable "just swap partners". It was nice to see that they had the adults break out of their comfort zones instead.
I found that very annoying. I liked the episode, not my favorite, gave me several good laughs but some things just left me doing this.
I found myself questioning how they could build these carts with motors in a day.
I absolutely love that picture with Apple Bloom working on her cart with a nitrous bottle next to her. My only complaint is that the bottle isn't bigger.
She needs one of the big ones.
Now I really want to see a picture of Rainbow Dash trying to drop a supercharger into Scootaloo's cart.
4144820
Personally, I assumed the motors were built from kits. They probably weren't terribly complex, with anything of significant complexity pre-made, not unlike some motorized model planes my dad used to build.
4144201 You are addicted to this song. I propably am to addicted to a song, but I change it evry day.
4144198 Hooves of Fate - planted on the to-read list!
4145468 Nah, not addicted.
I just get bored real easily and that makes this summer hell for me.
4145596 Maybe go read something?
Also - I don't like psycological thrillers. You know what I'm talking abaut...
4145609 Whatever, mate. Exam was a good movie. It sure made me think and cringe when people started getting eliminated... a few in some gruesome ways.
I want to tell you what the fuck the question was but it would spoil the whole ending.
And what do I have to read? I read all the Saxon Tales I own and I can't find the one I didn't read. I read all the interesting books I got, from Service to True Blue. And Netflix isn't all that great right now.
Ehh, ill find something to do. Eventually... with time... and patience.
First off, good joke. Seriously, I give it... a three out of five. It had progression a movement, keep it up. Popping idiot balls like breath mints has the not coveted by anyone five out of five, so keep up the humor
Also, why is the first thing I see on this blog horse ass? Has JJ REVIVED MOLESTIA!
<One google search> No... he hasn't. Phooey.... But a man can though, a man can dream....
Back to the pony brannigan at hand. This episode... was silly. Silly silly ponies doing silly things. Its more suited.... to season one or two really. It wasn't bad at all. But... it seemed a little out of place to me.
And much of this episode was really three young people trying to relive their "glory days" (a term that makes me want to retch) or try to make up for percieved failures. AJ remembered how much she loved her family and how important tradition is to her ( I prefer not to think her parents dead, because frankly the dead parent trope sucks ass and is used solely as an emotional ploy, but are rather something else... hippies. Yes, AJ's parents live in a commune getting baked off their worthless while their horrible awful children tear apart precious Gaia with their horrible capitalist ways to feed the stallion centric patriarchial tyranny of a country run by a mare. Granny Smith has given many an eye roll and face hoof in her life.) Rainbow is obvious, but Rarity...
Rarity is interesting... I suspect that was the first time time she wasn't the shining star, and no one taught her to accept a so called loss with grace. She got a little to being a wunderkind I suppose.
Well... her dad probably was busy providing for his family being the evil cad he is,, and her mother is a bitch who needs to get the taste slapped out of her mouth, and ergo was off busy doing bitch in need of an ass kicking things, thus preserving her title of c
nt of the year for another year. So... yeah, Diamond is probably better in the long run... Look at poor Randolph though... that is the look of a man doing an evaluation of his life.
So.... this episode is... okay. I didn't much care for the last one because I know archeologists and all the work they do, and don't much care for hollywood mockery, and Daring doo annoys me. Its endearing that at one time ponies made fiction just because they living in a land full of knights and dragons still dreamed of adventure in far off lands... or sat around playing their version of dnd
4145623 Isn't an obvious? You're on FiMfiction - go read some pony!
You have tons of this stuff here, so why not to pick something that fits your tastes?
4145833 Thats just the thing. I have been putting off every story I have found since I returned to FIMFiction.
Hell, I've even been putting off FoE because I just... don't feel like reading something on here. I just kinda feel blank.
Its like... Its like I got "Readers Block" if that even exists.
4146549 It's like how I feel too. But it's because of beeing thorn between on what to do with my time. And when you start reading Fo:E, then you will slowly inflate again and by chapter 5 you'll be hooked and happy! I tell you!
4146556 ....
I have been stuck on chapter 22 for two fucking years.
Two fucking years.
4146560 I have a friend stuck on Chapter 32 for 12 months. It's the game's fault - not the player's. Chapters get consequently longer the more into the story until the infamous Chapters 35 and 36 with 23k and 51k words respectively. Good that later they drop to under 20k...
4146579 The longer chapters are the best chapters, mate.
Dunno whatchya talkin about.
4146631 ...
4146647 You heard me.
The reason is because the longer chapters have the most detail and bring in more story, leaving me wanting for more. I applaud authors who write a chapter with 50k words.
4146655 I know and I love them too but reading anything above 18k words is a technical pain in the rear for me...
4146670 More than 20k words is just an excuse for me to pop a bag of popcorn, and buy a two liter of coke.
Then, I read the story and enjoy every word. Especially if its from a talented author.
I agree with Artimae, it was disappointing that the obvious solution attempt of switching sisters wasn't tried. I also agree with kkat that it wouldn't have solved the underlying problem, but it was a little bit infuriating that the obvious wasn't tried. In fact, they didn't even try to do anything about their disappointment until things went horribly wrong for everyone. I found myself feeling sad during the the entire first race, even as upbeat fast-paced music was playing.
The way I was hoping the episode would end is that they finish the race and win the ribbons, but the crusaders tell their sisters to keep the awards. It would have nicely matched with the maturity level of the crusaders that they displayed throughout by allowing themselves to be trampled by the vicarity of their sisters. They could have still had a second race that the 3 older ponies do as a way to make up for their mistake. I think that would have been a much better ending than the crash.
4146677 I just go to bed, turn my tablet on and storm the damn thing.
4147377 Yeah, well for me, I can either turn on my phone and sit on my bed and read at an uncomfortable position, or I can get on the computer, (which is in the same room mind you) and sit in a nice comfy chair and read.
Now, excuse me as I go play Planetside 2. There are some TR and NC pigs that need their asses kicked.
4147396 I'm a more of a strategy person. Time to crush some hertics...
4147402 Mmm.
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This conversation has gotten severely off-topic. Please take it to PMs.
4147867 Righto. Sorry for any problems caused. When me and Dragon talk it can get off-topic real easily.
Might be something we need to control..
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The topic dried out anyways.
I enjoyed the episode, and the character flaws and lessons it used were fitting, but I think it would have been more believable if Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash were a bit more mature.
It seemed odd that the adamantly shot down the CMC's vision, and it could have maybe been more believable if they never put their hoof down on overriding them, but the CMC just had trouble turning down overeager "suggestions."
As-is, for better or worse, the older three behaved like little foals.
Anyway, I also liked that there were three different prizes rather than just a first, second, third speed race one.
It's not that uncommon, but it was a fun acknowledgement that people can have different goals in the same activities.