[SPOILERS] A few quick thoughts on S6E16 [SPOILERS] · 4:47pm Aug 20th, 2016
Ready for this?
I liked it! I liked Thorax, although I will probably always secretly think of him as Kevin. I don't know what he's going to do when he makes the "BLAH" face, because it's freaky, and I suspect he's going to remain the Dobby of changelings, but it ties in the lone changeling at last season's wedding. It fits in with this season's themes of expanding the world and meeting new species, it gave a nice role to Spike, who still gets to be Spike the Brave and Glorious of the Crystal Empire in a new way. Little dude is maturing! He got a cute little song.
And changelings appear to be some kind of insectoid/pod thing, and that's ok too. Weirdly enough, Kevin Thorax reminded me of Finn from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He's born and bred to do a certain thing, but seeing his first battle makes him recognize that this is not him.
The episode also called back to the friendship lesson of Starlight Glimmer and Trixie.
Now, I'm seeing a lot of complaints about how terrible it is that everyone can accept anything with a song, blah blah blah. Friendship, rr rr rr.
This is the show! This IS the show. It's a show called Friendship is Magic. It is always going to privilege friendship over war, hugs over fighting, and cupcakes above all else (mmm. Cupcakes). This is the way it works.
And if anything, I find it more difficult to believe that Starlight Glimmer can be forgiven. She really did some scary and damaging stuff. But if you think about it, Glim Glam needs to know about friendship, because Equestria runs on the Magic of Friendship. That much power unhitched from friendship is a bad idea.
Kevin didn't do anything. He doesn't even seem to have fought in the battle. He's just a member of a scary insectoid-looking race that eats friendship and love. My only problem with the song is the idea that "a changeling can change," because he seems to have come out of the pod looking for friendship and love. He didn't need to "change." But that's only a nitpick.
So, basically, I liked it, it was a good way to bring a changeling into the story, Spike gets some development, etc.
FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC.
I agree there. The episode honestly is now another favorite for the season for me.
Pretty sure Kevin and Thorax are different people, though I could be wrong. But hey, that opens the possibility of a team-up!
But yeah, this was a triumphant demonstration of the show's philosophy in action, made all the more powerful because a non-pony sapient was the one promoting friendship and acceptance. Spike is living proof that this can work.
I loved it. Beyond words.
I like that they didn't change the crystal ponies admiration of Spike, that they gave him so mature characteristics and that he got to be a hero of sorts once again. Not to mention, the classic lesson of judging a book by it's cover is timeless and it's brought about in a fresh, new way here.
I'm so happy.
Exactly! I happened to adore today's episode, even if it wasn't perfect, and it often baffles me that people expect an alternative to friendship, kindness, generosity, and so on in a show titled Friendship is Magic. Why would I expect anything different? At least that's how I see things.
As for your thoughts on the episode, I agree with many of the points you listed. Definitely enjoyed Thorax and Spike's relationship, and it was admittedly nice to see Starlight and Sunburst again. Both of them are underrated in my opinion.
The episode didn't overly land with me, but I didn't hate it. I know the streamer I was watching started ranting about how fbadword terrible it was after it finished, and I was like... wait, did we even watch the same show?
I will admit, I was surprised they went as, uhhh, hateful towards the changeling as they did. I also owe my buddy a beer, as he picked the whole "protect my daughter" thing weeks ago. Damn.
Actually, what really surprised me is that changelings can look like rocks or dragons. I'd actually kinda thought changelings would only be able to look like ponies, and only ones around the same size they were.
I guess if we ever see someplace that has a whole lot of big rocks, we might have found where the changelings live, and they're hiding?
--Sweetie Belle
THANK YOU.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS, TOO. I was pretty resolute against Starlight's reformation at first, but she's grown on me and I'm more OK with it.
Also, this one detail was just perfect to me:
67.media.tumblr.com/01e0df96da47aa2aa1d32763edd6bf45/tumblr_inline_oc7w5m0QFt1sdmv3r_500.gif
That right there? This was such a subtle detail, but I loved it so much... It really added more to Starlight, and I love that the animators put it in. All in all, a good episode.