Friendship is Card Games: Every Little Thing She Does · 11:33am Sep 25th, 2016
Bad news is my Sealed pool could’ve been better yesterday. (Five out of seven rares cast one mana. Two of which were Bomat Courier.) Good news is I was able to pull the episode off of YouTube before it got ContentID’d, which means I can do a quasi-live reaction.
Why is Twilight testing Starlight on magic? Yes, there’s the equivalence in the show’s subtitle, but it seems like Starlight proved her chops back during the whole “time battle” thing. Besides, isn’t she here for friendship lessons?
Dang. Twilight’s gotten a lot better at transfiguration. Especially if she created multiple viable eggs out of a single apple.
I’ll tell you what’s next, Starlight. Reshelving. Get on it.
“Accelero”? Between this and calling magical shapechanging transfiguration, unicorn magic seems unusually Potterish this episode.
… Oh. Well. She got on it.
I do love seeing Twilight lecture at CSGU. It’s a great way to show how far she’s come academically and personally.
At first I was afraid that Spike made that “twenty moons from now” comment as part of a desire to stay away from Starlight. Nope. Just a jab at the Princess of Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness.
Hmm. I think this is the first time we get to see Starlight’s room in the castle. I wonder where she even got all of that stuff. There are some nice touches, like the picture of Trixie and the “no equals” sign.
And this is why I didn’t want Spike to scorn Starlight. These two have such a great dynamic together. After all, Spike has years of experience helping unicorns stay relatively sane.
… “Relatively” being the operative word.
Girls, you are her superiors. I think you might technically be her parole officers. Someone tell her she’s doing it wrong
Really? A freaking Lazy Town reference? Granted, the tune’s completely different, but still, this may the least subtle reference since Twilight announcing that winter was coming.
Eighty moons worth of material. So four fifths of a reunion cycle. And if a moon is month, then that’s a lot of documentation for under seven years.
And yes, Starlight. Eighty moons. It’s almost as though each of these activities deserved your undivided time and attention.
Hmm. My patience is running unusually thin. Especially since I’m only about a third of the way through the episode. I suppose I’m just frustrated by Starlight’s total boneheadedness combined with absolutely no one having the nerve to correct her. The contrivances are as obvious as Pinkie Pie’s reference to the land of horrifying puppets and pirate song memes.
… Okay, all of them citing logistical difficulties isn’t too bad.
I’d think I was about to hit semantic satiation on “chillax,” but that would imply it was a word to begin with.
The hyperventilation is restoring a little sympathy for Starlight. Good way to show how out of her depth she is.
… Of course, her immediate turning to what are clearly mind control spells doesn’t help.
Given how Dash clearly said the castle is chillaxing-incompatible, I’m curious to see how this horrible mind rape Starlight has concocted will handle an impossible order.
Ohhh dear. Classic golem story. Starlight never told Pinkie when to stop.
Wow. It’s one thing to say “follow the recipe.” It’s another to tell Rarity to copy someone else’s design. It really shows how little Starlight understands her, even after all this time. (Well, long enough since “No Second Prances” for Twilight to be concerned.) That’s genuinely worrisome, even beyond the unconscionable crime against equinity.
Well, there’s a story prompt: What was the story behind the pig photo?
I hope some of the animals are going to get help. Getting the message across may prove tricky, but at least then there’s some hope.
Starlight confirmed for terrible programmer, if the failure to close Pinkie’s infinite loop weren’t evidence enough. There is no “obviously” in telling an automaton what to do. And that’s what you’ve reduced these mares to, Starlight. Automatons.
Seriously, at this point, the only way for me to come out of this episode fully satisfied is if they get Discord to take away Starlight’s horn for a while. (Ooh. Discord showing up. Now that would make for an interesting wrinkle…)
Oh. Darn. I guess Dash’s definition of optimal chillaxing conditions are more relaxed when she’s a mind slave.
Wait, who took the photo of Big Mac hiding from the quadrupedal Yautja? And was there a flash involved?
Starlight is questioning Pinkie. She clearly hasn’t spent enough time around her. That said, I do like the straining metal sound as Starlight forces Pinkie’s mouth shut. Also, just how well stocked is this kitchen?
Oh dear. How flammable is this crystal?
… I’m going to give the Braveheart reference a pass. Also, the “asking him to love her” line is probably a reference to something I’m missing.
Why are the animals afraid of a few arthropods? Some might see that as a free meal.
Okay, my goodwill with the references just dried up.
So… the entire weather team failed to question why Dash seems like she’s on drugs? And they’re entirely okay with stuffing Twilight’s castle full of storm clouds? Don’t tell me the entire town got hit by Starlight’s homebrewed Imperius Curse.
Oh no. The library just got flooded. Starlight may not survive.
And my goodwill just got restored. Spiderjack!
…How is she not in jail!? Twilight had better be deciding on her punishment.
Still, good to see that the books have been throughly waterproofed.
It’s not that ridiculous, Starlight. You’re an arcane scholar. Pinkie Pie should horrify you. That said, the montage at the end of “The Cutie Re-Mark” apparently hasn’t happened yet. Because someone had to break time. You are the cause of all of my causality headaches, Glimmer!
Oh, good heavens, it’s like if Zephyr Breeze had the powers of a Greek god. Seriously, haven’t we been over this already?
Huh. Magical hangover. Makes sense; subject the brain to that much arcane force and it’d probably be in a delicate state for a bit.
I’m really not happy about how quickly everypony forgave Starlight, but it is neat to see the Palace-Tree’s catacombs.
Yeeeaaah, NO. This went way too far. At least when Twilight used Want-It Need-It spell, she realized it was a mistake almost immediately. This only underscores the monster that Starlight still is. The attempts at humor largely fell flat against the sheer horror on display, and that horror is only underscored by how easily it could’ve been averted. Getting away with anything as long as you apologize used to be a joke in this fandom. I think I have a new least favorite episode of the series.
Still, that doesn’t mean I didn’t get card fodder out of it:
Cake Unending W
Sorcery
You gain 3 life.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if your life total is less than half your starting life total, rounded down, you may return Cake Unending from your graveyard to your hand.
”Go on.”
—Princess Celestia
Will-Stripped Cohort 1W
Creature — Pony
Will-Stripped Cohort can’t attack or block alone.
”Do I have to tell you to do everything?”
“Of course, Starlight Glimmer.”
3/3
Alicorn Aegis 3W
Instant
Prevent all damage that would be dealt to you and permanents you control this turn.
Twilight’s ascension allowed her to expand on Shining Armor’s lessons more than ever.
Arcane Acceleration U
Instant
Kicker 3U (You may pay an additional 3U as you cast this spell.)
Untap target creature you control. If Arcane Acceleration was kicked, for each creature untapped this way, create a token that’s a copy of that creature. Exile those tokens at the beginning of the next end step.
Overload 2U (You may cast this spell for its overload cost and any additional costs. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”)
Look Busy U
Sorcery
Draw a card, then discard a card, then draw a card, then discard a card.
”Yup. Definitely learning all about friendship over here. So many lessons. Wow.”
—Starlight Glimmer
Remove Context 1UU
Instant
Exile each permanent that’s the target of a spell or ability, then return those creatures to the battlefield under their owners’ control.
”And Fritter said, ‘If I hadn’t bought that monkey, I wouldn’t have had to spend that year at college.’”
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
Flawless Facsimile 2U
Sorcery
Create a token that’s a copy of target artifact or enchantment.
Even without her mind, Rarity’s body is still that of a skilled craftsmare.
Historical Appraisal 3UU
Sorcery
Target player draws X cards, where X is the greatest converted mana cost among artifacts that player controls.
”There’s a story behind every magical relic. Few ponies appreciate how fascinating they can be.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
Transfigure 4U
Sorcery
Put target permanent on the bottom of its owner’s library. That permanent’s controller reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a card that shares a permanent type with that permanent. That player puts that card onto the battlefield, then puts the rest on the bottom of his or her library in a random order.
Cream Gorging 3B
Instant
Target creature gets +4/+0 and gains lifelink until end of turn. Regenerate that creature.
Madness 1B (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
Master of Freakouts 2R
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
Whenever Master of Freakouts is dealt damage, each player discards his or her hand, then draws a card for each card he or she discarded this way.
”I’m pretty sure the horn grows out of the place where sanity should be.”
—Spike
2/2
Starlight’s Tinkering 4RR
Instant
Choose target instant or sorcery spell that targets only a single permanent. Copy that spell for each other permanent with the same controller as that permanent the spell could target. Each copy targets a different one of those permanents.
Location Scouting 1G
Sorcery
Scry 3, then reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a land card, you may put it onto the battlefield tapped.
”Optimal chillaxation takes a lot of prep work.”
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Apple Family Mementos 2G
Sorcery
Shuffle any number of target cards from your graveyard into your library. Then you gain life equal to the number of cards in your graveyard.
Scrapbooking determines which memories are forever cherished and which are quietly forgotten.
Catacomb Spiders 2GG
Creature — Spider
Reach
If a creature dealt damage by Catacomb Spiders this turn would die, put it on the bottom of its owner’s library instead.
Few creatures venture into the depths of Sparkalon, so the spiders have learned to ration their meals.
3/4
Gather Vermin 3G
Sorcery
Create X 1/1 green Insect creature tokens, where X is the number of creature cards in your graveyard.
Delirium — If there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard, create X 1/2 green Spider creature tokens with reach.
Porcine Wader 3G
Creature — Boar
U: Porcine Wader gets +1/-1 or -1/+1 until end of turn.
”Sometimes I swear those pigs are smarter than some ponies.”
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
3/3
Everfree Predator 4G
Creature — Beast
Everfree Predator must be blocked if able.
R: Target creature can’t block Everfree Predator this turn.
Though frighteningly intelligent, their minds focus only by the hunt.
4/3
Reminder of Misdeeds 2
Artifact
T: Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
4B, T, Sacrifice Reminder of Misdeeds: Exile all cards from target player’s graveyard. That player loses 1 life for each card exiled this way.
A tastefully decorative bit of eternal regret.
Starlight’s Enthusiasm 1UR
Sorcery
Starlight’s Enthusiasm deals 2 damage to each creature. Whenever a creature dies this turn, its controller puts the top three cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Twilight made a mental note to practice somewhere less potentially messy next time.
Assert Dominance 2UR
Sorcery
Untap target creature. Gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn and doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
”Most ponies don’t use overcharged friendship spells, but I think that’s only because they can’t.”
—Starlight Glimmer
There was. Which is why it doesn’t matter who took it, they’re eaten now. Let’s hope they were a pig at least.
No, Rainbow is just too fast for them to do anything about it.
In fact, pretty much every single line aj had was a reference!
I liked this episode, but I can see where you're coming from.
These recent episodes are full of odd synchronicities with my stories. This time we learn that Twilight, like Star Swirl, clearly sees no point in keeping the mind control spells securely locked up
I think you accidentally a word...
Two things: I thing the end of season five montage is MEANT to happen throughout season six. Also, again, pony reactions to mental magic is quite different than human reactions. Think less "Mind-Rape" and more "Dude, you DRUGGED THEM WITH THREE DRUGS WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU THINKING?!"
I liked the episode.
Fan, you gotta be like me and open two Gearhulks. Magic's a lot easier that way.
Yeah, but not in the good way. She only realized it was a mistake when they wouldn't stop fighting and she was far more focused on the fact that Celestia would be dissapointed. She never once said she was sorry for what she did to CHILDREN, but that she was tardy. In fact, that never registered to her and she didn't have to apologize to her friends. Which is why I found that episode's ending aggrivating.
Here, Starlight had to apologize and the other ponies even showed frustration and even anger with her at least to a degree. Heck, even Pinkie still had some resentment until they started baking. As well, ponies don't seem to find mind magic nearly as bad as us since it's so 'fucking' much available in their world. As well, they care more about intentions then they do the results as long as the effects aren't permanent.
Different strokes for different blokes, but I found this episode to be hilarious and fun.
Oh hey, this review isn't really late after all!
That's some serious DNA-fu, if it's not just an illusion. It also lends credence to the fan theory I've seen about Twilight being Spike's actual mother.
I thought the same thing (well, my first thought was just cleaning up the library and fixing the gash in the floor).
I didn't fully understand the biggest problem with Starlight as an MLP protagonist until I watched this episode and read the comments afterward. Starlight has a serious mental disorder. She has no empathy and either doesn't notice or just doesn't care when others are acting unnatural or creepy, and Twilight has to tell her that mind control is morally and ethically wrong. Maybe it's sociopathy, maybe something else. I'm no psychiatrist, but something is seriously mentally wrong with Starlight and mere friendship lessons aren't going to fix her. In a show for an older audience (even for tweens), this would be fascinating. But sociopathy is not an age-appropriate subject for the 4 to 8 target demographic, and it's obviously not a topic that the MLP writers are capable of writing well. Besides, with the M6 and Spike, kids are supposed to relate to them and learn along with them. Anyone who finds themselves relating to Starlight needs professional help.
The key to being good at Sealed is to open six decent flying creatures and two Auras that shut down things that annoy you, and also an Authority of the Consuls that shows up in your opening hand like it's stalking you. In this way victory is achieved, and the big stack of prize boosters can be yours.
4226046
)
Yeah, not necessarily a good thing. (Though it probably says something about me that I recognized the reference to Lazy Town before the one to Forrest Gump.
4226051
Given the damage Starlight did with mind control compared to what she managed with time travel, I'd say Star Swirl had a point. And to be fair to Twilight, Starlight did have to put the mind control spell together from presumably more innocuous components.
4226056
More a case of not being able to decide which word would be best, telling myself I'd come back to it, moving on to the next piece of flavor text, and forgetting to complete this one. The issue has been addressed.
4226071
True, but I can't help but react to it like a human, especially moments after seeing it, which is when I wrote most of this.
4226074
And I'm glad you did. I sincerely wish I could say the same.
4226116 Yeah as you said, Starlight has some real issues, to the point I wonder why Twilight is teaching even more advanced magic. Then again she's also been trying to teach morels and empathy as well so I guess it wounds out. But yeah, her leash needs to be a tad bit shorter, until the lessons start to sink in.
4226111
Fair points, though I'd argue that Twilight did realize she'd goofed beyond upsetting Celestia by the time Big Mac got enraptured by Smarty Pants. And I'm glad you enjoyed the episode.
4226116
I don't think I've ever actually been late following a blog where I warn I might be. Still, best to keep people appraised of the possibility.
And yeah, Starlight has some rather age-inappropriate issues.
4226094 4226117
For the record, I still went 2-2. My opponent in Round 2 had Skysovereign and a shiny Rashmi. (I actually won Game 2 of that match, in part thanks to a Bomat Courier. The game ended with the mail-bug having five cards on board, and it was still alive!) My opponent in Round 3 had a disgusting amount of +1/+1 counter synergy. Longtusk Cub, Thriving creatures, Fairgrounds Trumpeter... I got utterly trampled.
However, I did pull together some decent decks: White flicker-tech with a splash of black for Make Obsolete and two Dhund Operatives, and red-green energy aggro featuring Voltaic Brawler. Round 1 had me up against enough Vehicles to fill out Jay Leno's garage, and Round 4 had a similar, though thankfully less synergized deck to Round 3. The last game of the day, my Aerial Responder finally decided to show up, put on a Torch Gauntlet, and beat my opponent to death before he could find an answer. Even his last alpha strike didn't matter, since I was sitting on thirty life.
And yes, turn one Authority of the Consuls is a wonderful feeling.
Ahh, but notice how Starlight didn't have a "friendship lesson card" for Twilight? That's because spending time doing magic stuff with Twilight IS her secret friendship lesson with Twi.
Alicorns confirmed for "create life" ability.
After Tirek, they've probably been everything-proofed.
4226035
You can see the other pegasi immediately pushing the clouds toward the castle, though. I think this is more a case of Rule of Funny + time constraints.
I figured you'd have a lot to say about this one.
So, yeah, my biggest qualms with this episode are twofold. One, mind control spells are available in a public library. And two, Starlight used some on her friends and got off scot-free. To say nothing of the obvious moral questionability of revoking the free will of sentient beings.
To put things in perspective here, I cite our old friend Jace as an example. His alignment was certainly not 100% good for a large portion of his life, working to serve his own ends. He was even in the interplanar illuminati at one point. And yet he, as far as I can remember, has never used straight-up mind control on another person. Because he knows how terrible it can be to have the sanctity of your own mind invaded by another.
Based on the evidence, I think 4226116 is right on the money. Starlight seems to be straight-up incapable of feeling true concern for others. Twilight may have gotten through to her, but she's still going to need medical help. I prescribe a healthy dose of Rainbow Power.
That said, I wouldn't go so far as to say this is the worst episode of the series. It got us thinking, and was entertaining to watch. Meanwhile, Spike at Your Service was so inane and boring that I couldn't bear to watch the whole thing the first time I saw it.
I kind of like how broken Starlight is. She means well, and she wants to be a good pony. Only there's something seriously wrong with her baseline empathy or socialization or both, and thus she can easily slip into villainous mode.
Which makes her rather distinct from Twilight, who despite having similar traits as Starlight (the whole "I'm sure this time using magic to brute-force a solution will work out perfectly!" thing, along with her obvious tendency to feel like she's surrounded by idiots), does have all the mental bits and bobs to be a perfectly good pony; all she needed was a crash course in friendship that shook her out of her comfort zone as a friendless solitary ultranerd.
Similarly, Starlight is very clearly not Sunset, who seems like a normal, fully-functional pony who got swept away by a mix of ambition, hubris and desire to Show Them All, Mwa-Ha-Ha. Even during her Queen Diamond Dog phase, Sunset clearly had limits she wouldn't cross. (All that went away once she put on the Big Crown Thingy and turned into Sunset Satan, of course.)
So I think that Starlight is going to need close oversight for a good long while, possibly the rest of her life. Because if she has good ponies around her she can crib her moral calculus from (and said ponies can keep an eye on her anxieties and desire to Solve All The Problems Right Now), I think she's going to be a good pony. But I don't think she can be trusted to handle her own reformation, like Sunset.
Okay...This is getting ridiculous. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE AN EPISODE FOCUSED ON CELESTIA!? Seriously, we only bits and pieces! There has to be a lesson that can be learned while she's present and active!
Not very. The confections and furniture, on the other hand...
I wonder if the reason we got multple eggs was because the apple had multiple seeds.
But seriously, I haven't seen this much debate over ethics and mental health since "No Second Prances". Sociopathic? I don't know if I'd go as far as to say that, but Starlight definitely does seem to show difficulties with empathy, but I wouldn't say its completely absent.
That said, it is difficult to gauge what was the source of remorse, messing up with her "friends" or letting her spell go awry.
Fan, I absolutely love magic's way of showing the complexity of characters or actions. From this installment's and "The Fault in Our Cutie Marks", on display is one of magic's core storytelling assests, that color identity can lead to negative or positive results. We had Gabby, an enthusiastic character representing UR, and now we have spells showing UR's detached and careless side.
It's a Nothing Hill reference.
What I want to know is if this means AJ has an offscreen coltfriend, perhaps one with a charming Trottingham accent.
Yeah, this episode was disturbing to me. Why is Starlight free again? She's a very emotionally fragile sociopath with godlike powers. Even Discord is more aware of his own actions than she is. I pretty much only like her when she's hanging out with Spike, but that's not enough to justify her being around.
I dunno, I kind of just want her to go full bad again and end up getting banished.
Ooh. Harsh, FOME. Not entirely unjustified, though. I enjoyed the episode myself, because I accept pony society as having different mores and morals than us, and I just take these things how the ponies would. If Starlight's own victims don't have that much of a problem with mind control, then I don't feel like making a big deal out of it myself. But it does definitely reflect negatively on Starlight, and I completely understand why people don't like her. She doesn't really make a good protagonist. Makes me wish all the more that Sunset had come back to Equestria instead.
This episode actually didn’t go the way I was expecting (which was nice, being surprised). I thought she was going to use her duplication/haste spell to try and hang out with all five of them at once and get exhausted and mix up who she was talking to until Pinkie realizes that Starlight’s doing the same thing Pinkie did in "Too Many Pinkie Pies."
As for Kaladesh, I didn't do to terribly. Built a Simic Energy deck (with a small splash of Red) and went 2-0, 0-2, and 1-2. I managed to get my Architect of the Untamed to go off within a turn or two practically every game I got her out.
And then I put the Panharmonicon I got in one of my prize packs in my Ally Commander deck. Can't wait to have it out alongside Kazuul Warlord.
4226194
And look how well that worked out.
While starlight resorting to mind control is worrisome, I don't think it depicts her as being outright monstrous. Instead for me it highlights just how far she has to go in her redemption, and how easily she can resort to villainous methods without even meaning to. Also, this lends credence to Alarajrogers head cannon that ponies don't regard mind control like this terrifying boogyman like we do. Probably a side affect of living in a heavily white based society that values harmony above all.
Shouldn't Arcane Acceleration give its targets (or at least the clones) haste? It would fit the flavor (though it might require changing the card's base mana cost to R from U, making it Izzet), and it would make the tokens it creates useful for more than enter-the-battlefield effects, surprise extra blockers, and effects that benefit from a higher headcount.
I like how Remove Context effectively says "counter all spells that have targets, whether they're normally counterable or not. And hey, blink all targeted creatures as well."
I'm kinda sad that you couldn't enjoy the episode like I did, but I can understand getting hung up on the mind control and the issues surrounding that.
4226194
That's... genuinely brilliant.
In all likelihood, yes.
4226243
"Spike at Your Service" was embarrassing for its titular character, but at least it didn't actively horrify me. Also, the alpha timberwolf was pretty cool.
As for Jace never using mind control, that's not entirely true. Still, we've never seen him control something sapient. While meaning to. That he can remember.
4226261
Agreed. Starlight is going to need handlers for a good, long time. More importantly, she'll need handlers who can say "No" when necessary. I can only hope the Mane Six have learned that lesson.
4226278
Hmm. Flesh to nest, seeds to eggs. That would make sense. The question is whether there are five of them.
Given how when Twilight asked her what she did wrong, her first answer was magical mechanics, I'm leaning towards the latter. Still, you're right about how the amateur diagnoses being bandied about might be a bit much.
Indeed. It's a question of whether you see those around you as people or just potential data points.
4226292
Given how Applejack doesn't use a first-person pronoun and is in no condition to be coy, I'm guessing the mare in question was one of her cousins or aunts.
As for Starlight, I know she's getting involved in the finale. At this point, I'm kind of hoping she gets put on a bus after that. It's not that I hate her that much; it's just frustrating to see the writers struggle with her as they are.
4226335
I have difficulty holding that alien a frame of reference when it comes to something like violating someone else's free will. Too busy being horrified by Starlight's actions.
Sadly, I doubt we'll ever see the show reference movie continuity. On the other hand, "The Mane Attraction" did reference one of the chapter books, and we've seen IDW creator avatars in backgrounds. I suppose we'll have to wait and see.
4226377
Hopefully, in the end, Starlight learned that magic doesn't solve all problems. Though I'm skeptical over whether one application of that lesson will be enough.
And I also opened a Panharmonicon in a prize pack. It's probably going in my Ezuri, Claw of Progress deck, though it may find a home with General Tazri...
4226429
As long as you cast Arcane Acceleration during the end step before your turn, the tokens will live long enough to attack.
4226760
I am aware. That's why I specified another person. The card is good.
Seventeen separate temporal violations. The mare was a menace.
Can't say I'm surprised by Starlight Glimmer's actions this ep: she has the qualities of a control freak on some level and, if she never experienced actual friendships in her life (save for her time with Sunburst when she was little and spending time with Trixie on and off), she likely has no clue how to act around normal ponies. Hence the regression: if she can't do it their way, she'll make them do it her way.....whether they want to or not -__________-
Neglecting friendship lessons in general makes me feel like she's afraid to try, though, so it might be a mixture of inexperience, control freakiness, and plain nerves. "shrugs" Time will tell...
This was one of the most disturbing episodes of the series.
It was funny, but freaked the hell out of me.
Interesting combination of Kicker and Overload on Arcane Acceleration, I like it.
I'm curious as to many such abilities we could get onto one card, that's not silver bordered that is.
I think it is safe to put "If that enchantment is an Aura, you may attach it to a permanent it can enchant." on Flawless Facsimile, give it just a bit more use.
You need to move the power and toughness above the flavor-text on Master of Freakouts.
I'm kinda surprised you didn't work energy counters into this group somehow. I applaud your restraint.
4226094
Oh, which one? Or was it two different ones? I opened two Verdurous Gearhulks myself.
4226766
Not to come off as a Starlight Apologist or someone who just wants to stir trouble (since, yeah, I was reasonably horrified once I found out about the mind control plot too), but... considering some of the actions of ETaSB -- whom the narrative tells us are heroes and government approved -- in your own verse (especially in regards to Lyra), might want to watch out for the glass when you're throwing those stones, FoME.
4227288
I pulled the blue and green ones in my Saturday pool. Because there weren't really any amazing instants available, the blue gearhulk ended up just being a fat dude who I could slam down to ruin combat for my opponent.
4227288
Flawless Facsimile: Auras automatically enter the battlefield attached to something, even if they weren't cast. That's how enchant works, and why Warp World has enchantments come in after everything else.
I've put P/T under the flavor text of literally every creature card I've made that has flavor text, including Will-Stripped Cohort in this very blog. Why is this an issue with the Master in particular?
Nothing seemed especially ætheric. (And just because Wizards isn't using ashes anymore doesn't mean I'm going to stop.)
4227350
The thing is, ETSAB sleeper agents give informed consent. Granted, they don't remember having done so while inactive, but they still know what they're getting into. Starlight's actions are directly comparable to Chrysalis enthralling her bridesmaids during the royal wedding. The only differences are that Starlight had better intentions and wasn't drinking her friends' minds.
4227608
Eh, once you start messing around with someone's mind to the point you're creating an entirely separate personality and locking away memories, informed consent rings hollow at best for me. Especially since they can just tell you that you gave informed consent when you didn't, and there really isn't a way to prove whether they're lying or not.
Honestly, I think the only difference between Starlight and the ETaSB is the latter is more subtle about pulling the puppet strings they weave.
I assume Gather Vermin creates the spiders instead? As worded it's in addition.
4227608
I blame everything on lack of sleep. I knew Auras automatically got attached as part of entering the battlefield but it slipped my mind at the time. And when I went back to look when I posted I would have sworn that power and toughness was above the flavor text on Will-Stripped Cohort and normally in that location in other posts.
Insomnia is one of the worst things to have, it just wrecks everything you try to do and I react... badly to most sleep aids.
What do you mean by "ashes"?
4228105
There's no "instead," so it is in addition. If you make sure Fluttershy's extra-crazy when you send her, she'll find a lot of new friends.
4228145 Then some reminder text might be in order.
Yeah, by now I'm just resigned to characters not getting anywhere near the punishment they need. That aside, I kinda liked the episode. I found it entertaining when summed up as "Starlight Glimmer is still kinda autistic and gets so freaked out at the idea of social interaction that she tries to brute force it with enchantment magic, sorceror's apprentice shenanigans ensue."
4226243
Do we know that the Crystal Castle Library is Public? And Starlight didn't precisely know what the combined spell would do? Else she would have known better how to control the automatons?
4226141
Although, some of the spell names make them seem a bit grey-dark... "Fiducia compellus" = "Compels Trust", "Cogeria" = "Oblige", "Persuaderi" = "Persuade" ... But then again, those are just names, not precise definitions of spell mechanics, and I'm not sure how good my translations of those are...
***
... Has anyone brought up the idea that Twilight might have allowed Starlight free rein over her library and didn't think of the consequences or something?
Oooof, has it really been over 3 weeks already?
Really, they dumped three episodes plus a season finale plus a movie on us in just two weeks. Bit too much at once if you ask me, not enough time to react to everything.
4226116
I was a bit shocked myself. What are the rules of transfiguration in MLP?
They turned household-items into food. Would that be edible? Or would it turn back later? Eating transfigured objects can't be good for one's health.
What, if Spike came in and ate one of those? There's a reason why one must "never transfigure anything that looks like food or anything else that goes inside a [pony's] body".
(Quote "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality", which goes into more detail on how liquid or an inhaled gas turning back into, say, wood inside your bloodstream is bad.)
On the flipside of the coin, if they wouldn't transfigure back ... Then they basically can convert magic into any substance, any object. I suppose this isn't a common enough skill to warrant ushering in a post-scarcety economy. I suspect there are laws against transfiguring certain goods, detectable by magic residue and the like. (I'm just going to assume "Manifestation Inspiration" and Discord's summoned objects to have notable, and potentially harmful [?] amounts of dark- and chaos-magic respectively.)
If anypony with a profit-oriented mind ever made Mirror-Pool clones of somepony with the skill - cloning ethics taken aside for the moment - Equestria's economy would be turned upside down.
Plus, once you have enough skilled casters to mass-produce... well, anything ex nihilo, it would come into question if any laws against it would even still make sense anymore. Is it right to prevent a post-scarcity economy?
. . .
"Applejack versus Starlight Glimmer's Post-Scarcety Economy"
Eh... Twilight, you might want to not let Starlight turn that stack of books into a tea cup.
"Spike, have you seen The Complete Thesis on Transfiguration?"
"It's in the sink with the dishes."
or:
"Ah, so nice of you to invite me for a nice cup of---"
*POOF*
*tea-soaked books falling to the ground*
And of course we can't forget the
elephantbaby-birds in the room. Did Twilight just... casually create life? For a magic warm-up with Starlight?? And again, wonder if those will transfigure back into an apple later....Or maybe they're just "come to life automatons". It's a bit hard to tell with baby-birds, unlike the Pinkie Pie clones capable of emotion and thought that Twilight blasted into oblivion without a second thought.
4226243
4238457
Keep in mind, this isn't the first time we've seen reference to mind-affecting spells on the "good guys"-side.
From Twilight casting spells on parasprites and bats, to giving love poison instructions to children, to want-it-need-it, to having multiple books containing "reformation spells" in Golden Oaks library - until Discord ate them during "Keep Calm and Flutter on".
Plus, this bit from s06e02:
Sunburst seems more sensible, at least. I suppose it isn't said if he actually has access to those spells or merely knows of them.
But yeah.
Equestria, land of the mind-altering spells.
4226335
I have a feeling a human in Equestria, even after coming to grips with being in technicolor-wonderland would have a complete freakout at this point... right up until some "helpful" unicorn casts a "mind calming spell".
Makes you wonder about how the exactly the Elements purified Luna.
4226116
That sounds like some very intriguing fanfiction idea.
How would Twilight react to learning of this?
Going from "let's teach my very own student happy friendship lessons" to dealing with somepony who lacks the ability to empathize with others would be a bit of a slap in the face.
How would she deal with Starlight? How would Starlight react to the change in how Twilight acts around her?
If written from Twi's perspective, this could easily become a thriller-story. We don't know how Starlight is gonna react next... For all we know, she's been casting little mind-altering spells here and there to tweak ponies in her favor. Nothing much. Just a few "leave me alone"-s, "you might feel inclined to do this task for me"-s, or "you will give me these cherries for 1 bit a piece"-s...
...What's next?
4261052
The apple-to-nest bit isn't quite as impressive as you may think. I double-checked, and there are exactly five eggs in the nest. Guess how many seeds there are in an apple? (And remember, plants are alive, including fetal plants.)
4261052
Pretty common trope in HiE, actually. ARTICLE 2 is the example that most springs to mind. Fluttershy tries to use the Stare on the main human character, and he reacts badly to it, to say the least.
Oh, a reforming spell of some kind was almost certainly involved. Probably something similar happened with Sunset Shimmer, too. If nothing else, it would explain her sudden personality 180 at the end of the first movie.
4261083
There still is something disconcerting about turning a decidedly less sapient plant into an animal, especially considering the sliding scale of animal intelligence in MLP.
Admittedly, the baby-birds did not display any particular feat of intelligent behavior - the one out of the egg just flapped its wings and chirped a bit - so perhaps they'd still have the basic "intelligence" of a plant-seedling.
Though come to think of it, this reminds me of that coughing flower Applebloom made during Twilight Time.
Combining that with AJ talking to the trees like they're foals (see Bloomberg)....
Hmmm... It's a bit of a stretch, but... how "intelligent" are the plants?
4261823
Depends on the plant. I recall one story positing that timberwolves are actually highly advanced seedpods that use the carcasses of their prey as fertilizer. Poison joke clearly has enough intelligence and awareness to have a sense of humor. And, of course, there's the Tree of Harmony and its palatial offspring; if they count as plants, then they're definitely more perceptive than any of the characters on the show.