Follow-up Fun Time: Celestial Advice, or, Filly Fantasy VII · 6:25pm Apr 21st, 2017
Why do we always come here?
I guess we'll never know.
It's like a kind of torture.
To have to watch the show.
When I first found pony during the hiatus between season 2 and 3, I craved more, needed more. I feared that I had just stumbled upon something that was already over. Then, season 3 was announced and I was over the moon! Same thing with season 4. A little less with season 5, but I was going to BABScon the same weekend it premiered, so my hype levels rose again. Season 6 was announced and I thought, 'hey cool, we're not done quite yet.' And here we are, season 7 with an eighth to follow sometime next year.
I won't lie, my enthusiasm for the actual show has dimmed with each passing year. That's not to say it's bad. There are good episodes, bad episodes, and everything in between. I just don't feel the excited enthusiasm that made it hard to sleep Friday nights. But, until they do something that really sours the show (like make Starlight an alicorn) I'll keep watching and keep follow-upping! And hey, I'm always on the lookout for new story ideas.
So, enough of dour thoughts; I just wanted to state where I stood. I'm still super excited for the movie. That's gonna be a long follow-up. But, one thing at a time! Season 7 begins not with a bang, but with...
Celestia! The most Celestia we've ever gotten! Best princess! Oh yeah, and Twilight and wanna be Twilight are there too. Get it below the break.
A brand new season means brand new follow-ups! For those of you just joining, I'm The Albinocorn, and this is Sunset Shimmer from Long Road to Friendship and Spectacular Seven!
Ours are not analytical reviews. He makes stupid jokes, I provide some snark, occasionally we provide some insight, all to screenshots from the episode. We have fun here.
Let's check in on our small, equine friends. What have they been up to since curb-stomping Chrysalis?
Swiggity-swooty, she lookin' at dat booty.
Joy. She's still here. We're off to a great start.
When we ended season 6, my opinions of Starlight were, eh. Yep, she's a thing that's still here. Guess we gotta live with her. I mean, if the show shoves her down our throats long enough, I guess we'll just get used to it.
God, I sound like a cynic now.
"Darling, darrrling, dahling!"
Well, if you spent six seasons crushing on one pony, you'd probably be great at imitating them too.
Aww, he's trying to act cute. It's adorable!
I've said it before, he and Twilight are indeed my favorite duo. They work well off each other. I also love that he calls her 'Sparkle' in this scene. Their relationship is adorable.
"Hey good lookin'. How's it cookin'?"
I always knew she was a narcissist.
Twilight's giving Starlight a 'thanks for saving the world' present in the form of a mirror with some pictures.
I hope she breaks it. That's seven years bad luck!
How'd she get the podium to drop from the ceiling?
Pinkie has this down to a science. Of course, she's been in Twilight's castle so many times, she probably has every room secretly prepared for a party.
Continuity!
Because we couldn't fit it in last season, the newest heroes of Equestria are being rewarded for their valor against Chrysalis!
But we ran out of Elements and stain glass windows, so they're just getting pink medals.
"We saved Equestria like, six times. How come we don't get medals?"
"Pinkie, we have rainbow-shooting necklaces."
"I want a fucking medal!"
Luna trying to fit the medal over Thorax's horns was all kinds of delightful awkwardness.
And then there's this dick.
Discord's progress in the series has been... a rollercoaster. He learns a lesson, forgets that lesson, and then proceeds to be a jerk all over again.
Here, after saving Equestria with three new friends, he's back to taunting Twilight enough to make her flip out.
"Just keep smiling, Twilight. Think happy thoughts. He'll be the first in your dark harvest."
While I'm not opposed to seeing Twilight have an aneurysm, Discord pressuring Twilight into rethinking Starlight's future is still a dickish move. Unless she planned on putting Starlight on a train to somewhere far, far away, in which case, Discord, shut up!
"I present this confused pony as an offer of appeasement."
The CMC are talking to Berry Punch back there. They're trying to help with her, ahem, drinking problem.
It's what her cutie mark tells her to do!
"Twilight, this is no time to be rereading your fanfics."
Twilight freaking out in a pile of scrolls. Hello, season 2!
But, instead of having a magical meltdown, Twilight does the sensible thing.
Call mother swan.
Eeeeeeeeeee! Celestia is getting actual screen time! Miracles do happen!
I have a gripe with Twilight though. Just because Starlight beat Chrysalis doesn't make her an expert in friendship. Sure, she used some friendship to beat her and offered a chance for redemption, but one victory doesn't make her a princess!
Let's not forget the time she relapsed and brainwashed the mane six! Hey, it's fun to bring up other's incriminating pasts!
Entering new levels of OP here.
You know what I love to see? New magic. And this is pretty freakin' sweet! Displaying your inner thoughts for all to see. Now, I would never personally use it in public, but Twilight's found a great application for it.
Deciding where to ship Starlight off to! Yes! The time has finally come! Since she's so advanced in her friendship studies, Twilight has to pull a Celestia and throw her in a remote location! Hmm, I wonder if that's what Celestia secretly did with me. I outgrew my studies, so she sent me to the human world to learn about friendship! yeah, let's go with that, it's less painful!
Changelings: putting the 'hunger' in Hunger Games.
I wonder if they settle all disputes with a fight to the death. Despite the fact that they're drowned in paint, they still have a lot to learn about proper society.
And Starlight can spend years teaching them. Winning all around!
"There's no wrong way to fantasize."
So, that means all my fantasies about me and my Sci-twi are completely justified? Did I say that out loud?
And saved for posterity!
Starlight Glimmer: Kills bugs dead.
Moments like this are why I keep coming back.
Twilight being Twilight freaks out and starts dreaming up worst possible scenarios for Starlight. In this one, a changeling pretends to be her. He must be dedicated if he's willing to beat on his own kind.
Someone get me a gif of Starlight beating the hell out of the changelings with a fly swatter!
"So she gets mauled by a changeling or two. You had to deal with Pinkie."
I find it hard to believe that in Celestia's long life, no one's used her name as an expression or explicit in front of her before. She handles it very well either way.
Nope, this fantasy is totally legit.
Well, the fandom wanted more Ember. I don't think they expected her to pair up and be dude bros with Starlight.
Hey, after the last finale, anything is possible.
... I did say anything.
I like this fantasy!
Points to Twilight for getting Garble's intelligence levels correct. He couldn't even pronounce Starlight's name. But geez, diving into a pool of lava? Twilight's mind goes to some dark places.
It's ship o'clock!
Our third scenario brings us to the Crystal Empire where Starlight can help Sunburst 'make magic' if you know what I mean.
Should we close our eyes for this part?
Guys, when has this ever been a good idea?
Either they're trying to summon the devil, or bring one of their mom's back to life. Either way, one of them is gonna die.
Now we're thinking with portals!
Congratulations, you made a black hole!
Twilight, I feel like you have some issues you need to work out, sweetheart. All of your fantasies seem to end with Starlight dying in some fashion.
Nah, she's fine.
Yes, Twilight, she's laughing at you, not with you.
Oh my God, Celestia laughs and it's the best thing ever! This isn't just a giggle or a chortle, she's full on guffawing! Sure, it's at Twilight's expense, but it's so great!
I haven't heard her laugh this hard since I "accidentally" turned one of the noble's peacock hats into an actual peacock.
How the hell is Berry Pinch there?
You know how in our world 1+1=2? Yeah, no, screw that! In Equestria, sunshine+lollipop+rainbows=2! Who needs logic? Apparently, friendship is not only magic, it's also science!
Hey, when you have magic to move the sun and moon, you can do whatever you want/ Celestia could rewrite things so that 2+2=fish.
Anyway, Celestia tell Twilight and Spike a story of how she worried about Twilight the same way Twilight worries about Starlight.
Seeing this as not a custom vector for a comic is really weird.
She's such a mother hen! It's adorable! I demand more Celestia time!
I second this notion!
... I miss her wing hugs.
Celestia kept Twilight by her side because she was afraid of letting her go, and that Twilight wouldn't need her anymore. It's super sweet and cute. But, Celestia, you let Twilight go on the eve of your dark sister's return to power! Cutting it a little close, don't you think? You should consider yourself super lucky Twilight picked up on the concept of friendship super fast.
"I'm sending you to Ponyville."
"I'm already in Ponyville."
"No, I mean, get out the castle. You can't live here anymore, freeloader."
So, despite the fact that Starlight—
Barely knows anything about friendship and still solves most of her problems with magic?
Yes, that. Despite that, Twilight claims it's her graduation day and that she can do whatever she wants! If she had more episodes like 'No Second Prances' and the season finale that actually showed her learning about friendship, I might have believed this more.
But of course, she chooses to stay.
OH, WE WERE SO CLOSE!
Hmm, is this breaking the status quo, or adhering to it? At any rate, looks like we're stuck with her for another season. If they have more episodes about her character arc, then sure, why not? But honestly, if it ends with her becoming an alicorn too, I don't know what I'll do.
And that was the one part season premier. That's definitely a break from tradition.
But, it gave us the most Celestia we've seen in a long time and fleshed her character in spades! We got unexpected appearances from Ember and Garble, and got to see filly Twilight and Moondancer again. Other than Discord being a prick and Starlight graduating way too early, this episode was pretty good. 8/10.
Will we review 'All Bottled Up?' Maybe, if we have time this weekend. If not, we'll see you next week with some baby shenanigans!
Yeah, Pinkie, writing follow-ups is hard.
wai u tease meh?
Same, why I dislike his centric episodes, they all have the same basic plot: "Discord is a dick to his friends, friends yell at him, Discord realizes he shouldn't be a dick to his friends."
Take your pick, https://derpibooru.org/tags/flyswatter
So by the logic of that equation, "2 = what I feel when we're together.".... huh. Actually, yeah.
Some fries for your salt Sunny?
Starlight what I say about antagonizing?
Only do it to my enemies or to make a point?
Uh...well I mean that's not...
fuck it if sunset zaps you and you two get in a magic duel I'm staying out of it.
Whatever go back to pretending to be Batman on your PS4
-is already dressed as batman- I AM THE NIGHT!
Hey, at least we know what happened with Sunset becoming Twilight's student at the end of Rainbow Rocks now. The act that got Sunset accepted had her graduate with high honors, if Starlight's graduation is anything to go on.
As for the episode itself, it beat the season 6 premier for me, but that's about it. The Celestia bit was kind of undercut when she practically says that she planned on sending Twilight to Ponyville to make friends with her exact friends and basically orchestrated the friendship, partially for Luna's return. Not only was her friendship with them (the one that got her to turn into an alicorn) destiny, it was also guided by Celestia...
As much as I love Celestia, this episode rubbed me the wrong way. I felt sad that it was the most screen time she has ever have, and still the episode was not about her, but about Twilight. It was fun, and I agree that it deserves an 8, it's just not my cup of tea... which is shame because I NEED more Celestia!
I personally enjoyed All Bottled Up a lot more.
I love Trixie, I love to hate Starlight... Trixie torturing Starlight with her bare personality, now that was what I call entertainment. 10 out of 10. 
Thanks for another great follow up Albi and Sunny.
You two are going to love getting screenshots for "all bottled up"
It was a good opening season episode, even if I was taken aback from it not being a two parter.
Yes Discord still a prick and Twilight is falling so easily in. We had a nice little character improvement from Celestia. And alas, we ain't seeing Starlight leave.
Here you go.
derpicdn.net/img/view/2017/4/17/1413580__safe_screencap_starlight+glimmer_celestial+advice_spoiler-colon-s07e01_abuse_animated_changedling_changeling_%3E-colon-d_evil+grin_fake+starli.gif
4504530
Thanks for the gif stash!
4504548 Oh no, next episode will give me all the salt I need.
You wanna question Pinkie?
But unlike with most, it works, and he's still funny.
Yes.
I think she's kidding.
And then is gonna be put into a suit of armor and the other will lose an arm and a leg. If it's the latter.
"2 + 2 = fish" - I understood that reference. ^_^
I immediately recognized this from The Muppet Show. I love Statler and Waldorf!
It makes me so sad when I see people say this. Even though I do understand the sentiment...personally? Every time the airdate for the next season (or the end of a mid-season hiatus) is announced, I'm filled with excitement and anticipation. Even when we have seasons like season 6 with its incredible mixed bag, my excitement never wavers. If the show goes another ten seasons, I imagine I'll be right there waiting for every new episode.
Admittedly, I feel much the same about Starlight. I...honestly wish she had not been crammed down ou throats the way she has? I mean, her "redemption" was handled clumsily and the end of her villain arc was...unsatisfactory, and I have never quite forgiven the writers for that.
Yeah, no. She was trolling Twilight.
NEEDS MORE SPLORCHING!!
Thirded!!
Ditto.
I really hope the writers aren't that fucking retarded.
Oh no something's wrong with her!
Espiritu Salty
I knew it! Something IS very wrong with her!
It's fine, because yours was worse.
Espiritu Salty.
WAYY too much salt.
Espiritu Salty
Once again.
In the name of the Princess
The Crown
Espiritu Salty.
Twilight Sparkle Jr., go in peace and may friendship be with you. Amen.
Oh, and great review btw!
4504754 Espiritu Salty.
4504754 which one? The episode about me and my Trixie or the one about the raging alicorn baby? Because either way I detect a lot of sodium in your blood sun-butt jr.
That got really sad really quickly.
I loved this episode way too much. Even though it wasn't really focusing on Celestia, it can still count as the Celestia episode we've been waiting for, for seven years.
I fear they may never do something like it again though. Only the comics really delve into the long backstory of Celestia.