Afterthoughts: Celestial Advice (Season 7 Premiere) · 5:39pm Apr 25th, 2017
art by AssasinMonkey
Finally, after unfortunate delays, I bring my first Afterthoughts for Season 7 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Today, the first episode: “Celestial Advice”.
I should start by mentioning that this season kicked off with two episodes, as has become the standard, but not with a two-episode story. Instead, we received two very well-done episodes each with their own stories. Back at the beginning of Season 6, in my Afterthoughts for “The Crystalling”, I wrote this:
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is a show that isn't afraid to alter the status quo, to bring character and story arcs to a close and to start new ones. Season Five was particularly strong in this regard, from the very different season premiere to the drastic change in status for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. From Rarity and Rainbow Dash accomplishing show-long goals, to the expansion of the Mane Six into the new Mane Seven. Episodes like "Amending Fences", "Tanks for the Memories" and "Do Princesses Dream of Magical Sheep" dealt with surprisingly deep and mature themes for a show that is ostensibly for families including young children. In short, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic itself has matured. And it has been a beautiful thing to see.
"The Crystalling" starts off the new season in a way that reflects this maturity. Here, we have a two-part episode that isn't about a new, big arch-nemesis. Instead, we are treated to a crisis brought about by a series of unfortunate events. No new evil forces needed to be introduced. And the episode was grounded in things that were set up in the previous seasons, by episodes such as "Baby Cakes" and "The One Where Pinkie Pie Knows". While I still personally love "The Cutie Map" much more than "The Crystalling", I applaud this evolution.
I’m extremely pleased that Season 7 has continued this evolution. The writers didn’t feel they had to provide a new Big Bad or epic threat. This episode was entirely about characters, and sets up the new season in a very mature fashion.
Beyond that, “Celestial Advice” was a story about parenting, although couched in a mentor-student relationship. The children watching could enjoy the episode for Discord’s antics and because they love Twilight and ponies, but the gentle lesson of the episode is directed towards parents rather than the children in the target audience. This wasn’t even an episode for us; amongst the adult brony audience, it is those who have children of their own whom this episode spoke to most directly.
The staff of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic has a praiseworthy grasp of the diverse elements of their audience and a willingness to speak to them and create content that is beneficial for them.
art by MomoMistress
The message itself is simply one of learning to let go. There isn’t really a whole lot to be said about it (in fact, my “other bits” segment of this Afterthoughts might be longer than my observations on the theme and lesson), but when it comes time to let a child who has grown up and is ready to move out on their own, this is a difficult time for a lot of parents. Anxiety about the future of their child, worries about whether they as parents have prepared him or her enough, and the impending loss and loneliness all feed into a reluctance to take that step.
I am not a parent, so I cannot speak to this the way a parent would. But I was able to observe some of the same conflicts in my own parents. While they never held me back and were always supportive of my move forward in life, that didn’t mean this struggle wasn’t there. Just that they handled it better than some. My mother in particular had a habit of reminding me that if things went badly and I ever needed a place to stay, I was always welcome to move back home – gentle reminders that became more frequent after my father passed away.
Seeing that Celestia herself struggled with this was amazing. For many years, we have wanted a Celestia-focused episode, one that gave her some dimension and development. This episode, while also focused on Twilight, gave us just that. Celestia’s mother-figure role in the show has now been fully realized. (In fact, she reminded me starkly of my own mother in this episode!)
I love how she laughed… but more importantly, I love why she laughed. And the tale she told after was so touching (and amusing… God, I loved those guards!) that it made for a truly beautiful beginning of the season. Old arcs have closed, new paths forward have opened up, and we finally see the true, “human” reason behind the letters to Celestia.
And in that, I found the episode gave new light to Celestia’s reaction in “Lesson Zero”, giving her distress and anger over Twilight’s actions a personal core we hadn’t seen before. Bravo, writers.
art by RenoKim
Extra Credits:
Little story: Fallout 4, with its scrapping and crafting, made every bit of rubbish in the wasteland something you could break down for useful component parts, providing an impetus to collect every discarded soda bottle and old dishrag you came across. And this, in turn, drastically compounded carry weight limitation annoyances. Early on, playing my character Angel, I hit upon the idea of collecting everything in a zone until I was nearly overburdened, then backtracking and dumping it in a container near the exit or a convenient open space. This allowed me to collect everything without moving super slow, and at the end, I’d load up my absurd stash, become overburdened with potentially hundreds of times my carry capacity. I would then summon a Vertibird to fly me home, bypassing the no-fast-travel-while-overburdened problem. It was still incredibly tedious with a lot of backtracking, but it gave me a functional way within the game’s design that Angel could collect everything valuable in one run of an area.
Having thus solved the problem sufficiently, I actually played this way for about three dungeons before it started to annoy me. And since I knew what my character would be doing in-character to deal with the problem, I had no reservations about using a console command to increase Angel’s carry capacity by about two tons just so I didn’t have to deal with the busywork out-of-character and could focus more on the parts of the game that I enjoy.
Watching this episode’s bookends, it occurred to me that Pinkie Pie is the mistress of all things party, and has already worked out all the how-to’s of party prep and breakdown. And being Pinkie Pie, she too has gotten to the point where she just uses cheat codes to deal with the tedious stuff.
Also, that vacuum is in competition with Flurry Clock for this episode’s cuteness award.
I really like that Spike followed up “I don’t think the mirror will say all that” with a very nice “but I think she’ll like it!” In fact, Spike was awesome this episode. Not always saying the right thing (“Too soon?”), but showing the strength of his role and the dynamic he adds, including his wonderful sarcasm (“Wild guess: something’s wrong.”) keeping Twilight’s crazy from overwhelming her. Best Spike line: “Three, two, one.”
Cathy Weseluck, former Rarity voice actress, voicing Spike mimicing Rarity. 
It was great that they started right off with the aftermath of last season’s finale, wrapping things up even as they set up the new season. I like the Pink Hearts of Courage. Considering the stained glass windows that the Mane Six received in Canterlot, and the fact this ceremony is occurring in Twilight’s Castle, I’m operating on the impression that this honor is a new one created by Princess Twilight.
We have build turntables, but we haven’t perfected the idea of a ribbon clasp.
I loved all the ponies at the ceremony. Especially in that first post-awards pan: the changeling’s trotting dance, Sweetie Belle dancing with Spike, the return of the My Town ponies, and… I’m going to say Rainbow Dash about to teach Scootaloo how to table dance.
I can’t decide if Discord was just being an dick, if he was trying to help Twilight and Starlight in his own grating way, or if he really did just hope Twilight would set it up for him and Starlight to be roommates. Maybe all three, to various degrees? I do like that Discord is broadening the list of ponies he wants to hang out with beyond Fluttershy. (As a side note, I was relieved when Twilight dumped that tea!)
“Look at my horse. My horse is amazing!”
“You were me and I was Starlight. But for now, I need you to pretend that you’re you and I’m me.”
“There’s no wrong way to fantasize!” Holy wow! What a statement to actually get in-show. I could write a whole blog inspired by that statement… and maybe one day I will. Short version: so long as there is an absolute division between fantasy and reality, I agree with Celestia.
On that note, the whole Twilight Fantasies sequence struck me as an analogy to fanfic writing. Including Spike complaining that Twilight was portraying people out-of-character, and Twilight’s fandom-familiar “Who knows what their dynamic would be?” retort. And having written story segments that caused me to shed tears, I can empathize with crying Twilight at the end of the third fantasy. The sequence even ended with the appropriate reminder that fanfiction isn’t canon: “It didn’t happen.”
Likewise, the Twilight Fantasies also acted a bit like her own P.P.O.V. mini-episode, showing us a bit of how Twilight sees her student and the ponies around her. The results are expectedly skewed and not always flattering. There may be lessens for Twilight to learn here, but this was not the time.
It was so fun seeing Celestia teaching, and the fillies of her youth, including Moon Dancer.
Sunshine + Lolipops + Rainbows = 2
Notably, the vision in Ponyville didn’t give us filly versions of the other Mane 6… but for that matter, we know from the first season that while they knew of each other and some (especially Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy) had a childhood connection, they really weren’t a group of friends until Twilight Sparkle brought them together. But this is Celestia’s story and is representative, not a factual memory. The writers could have decided to show Celestia seeing each of them individually in a slideshow, but this condensing was better for telling the story. That’s fine in my book.
“I was not aware I was an expression.” I bet everyone who has read Fallout: Equestria knew the exact line in the story I immediately thought of when Celestia said that. 
art by AganNaga
Very nice review! It's always nice seeing your thoughts on season premiers. Very insightful and very honest, I think.
I really love the attention to the details and nods towards the previous seasons/episodes that the writers do ever since Season 5. It gives so much depth to the show now. It's so awesome to see that they are not afraid to explore the missed subplots.
E.g. The whole Moondancer episode was something terrific - she was just an odd name in a random voice line ever since S1E1 but so many years later she became a fully fleshed character in a really mature episode.
And now they explored the whole Celestia - Twilight relationship! I hope they'll continue this trend, it does lift a show to the whole new level - the level I always wanted MLP: FiM to reach.
Also, you made some really interesting points that I may have missed while watching the premiere - especially what was happening in the background of the party.
Thanks for this review, it was a really interesting read from a very interesting person.
P.S. The mare of the colourful swears yelling blasphemy about certain Goddess indeed appeared in my head, the whole scene made me laugh more than it should have.
It's nice to read a review that is detailed, thoughtful, and positive. All too often folks who like something don't feel the need to go into why. Folks who don't... well we've all read those sorts of reviews, and even when they're eloquent they just leave you feeling negative. Thanks for giving an uplifting and well-considered look; it brightened my day to read it. Celestia's flashback was definitely the high point for me... still waiting on a spotlight episode for her... someday, perhaps.
Speaking of days, enjoy yours!
Sunshine + Lolipops + Rainbows = 2 :).
But yeah! Finally some development for Celestia. It's not quite the "Celestia episode" but still very nice thing to have.
YAY! Back to best episdoe talky about thing that isn't over a season and a half behind the show and getting deeper behind!
But yeah, just, love these and you always get right to the heart of what makes each ep awesome. Pretty much what 4509591 said. It's so great the show will aim messages at everyone, parents, kids, Bronies, there is something for all to learn and they don't shy away from these kind of mature, complex things. Also helps they go for applicability over allegory. This was just beautiful, and I do love they don't feel the need to make an epic two parter, simply because that's how they did it before. Plus, we're getting a massive, epic movie later this year, we can enjoy some calmer SOL stuff now.
Ehhhh, do tend to agree with you the majority of the time... but here? Nope, gonna have to fight you to the death for the sake of the honor of the pinnacle of cutedorable that is Cuckoo-Cuckoo-Flurry. It is surpassed only by actual Flurry.
First watch, I just saw him doing his "Try to teach a lesson as an excuse to fuck with Twilight" shtick and as that.. it kind of fell flat. He was just being to direct, hammering it home too blatantly, it just felt, very poorly executed for that. However, rewatching with the mindset that he really is just trying to push Twi into making Starlight stay with him... it work surprisingly well and really fits. He's just excited for this and doesn't realize his hints aren't going through. So I'm fully down for that last option being true because that is the one that fits the best.
Oh the writers know what they are saying with this. THEY KNOW! But still nice sentiment. And yeah so much that could be said. Though first reaction is her sister's reply.
Luna: "Tia... thou has not been walking the dreams of ponies night after night and seen their deepest subconscious desires brought to life. Believe Us.. there very, very much is a 'wrong' way." Luna has seen some sh
Dangit 4509599 beat me to it.
Yeah, that makes the most sense, just Tia taking a bit of artistic/poetic licences.
The bigger reveal here is this means she knew of all of the mane 6 before Twilight even considered leaving for Ponyville. Intended for them all to meet, wanted them to get together... so she already had them pinned down as potential Element Bearers. She put way more thought then people think into the plan to free Luna, it wasn't just toss Twilight at the problem and let her deal with it, she made sure ALL the pieces were in place. Likely even being the one that made sure each of the Mane 6 had a role in the SSC that would ensure Twilight had to meet them all. (Except Pinkie, she just trusted Pinkie to be Pinkie.)
Momlestia really is a chessmaster. And yeah after this DWK's bit about Celestia is all the more spot on. For all her titles, all else she might be seen as... in the end, what she really is.. is Equestria's Mom. Might not always have all the right answers, but she's still older and wiser then anypony else, and you should still probably listen to what she says.
Ohhh there are so many to choose from.
But yeah, with Twi, she's just messing with her. Interesting to know if Littlepip actually managed to surprise her with her inventiveness at times.
Once again YAY! Glad these are back and you are feeling better!
God, I completely forgot about that meme!
I thiink what i liked most is that this realyl plays to my 'headcanon' about celestia too. she is a ruler, a teacher, a mother. she is wise but also a worrier whose emotions can get ahead of her.
Even after a thousand years she has refused to let apathy bleed into her.
honestly though not having somehting like this earlier in mlp i feel has impacted a lot of stories negatively. I cannot count the stories i have seen that make celestia either shallow, an idiot, or heartless..... I feel her motherly attributes apply to most ponies, least to one degree or another.
Hell the best part is how you can retoractively apply this. It may well be that Celestia lost to chrysalis because she hesitated, because the entire room was full of ponies. She was overpowering chrysalis without effort before after all. Even her rather bad plan against Tirek, when he and discord teamed up, could be chalked up as her wanting to avoid a massive conflict.
IT is a weakness though. She needs to be confidant that her ponies can handle themselves even when she must fight.
Either way, it was a good start. Though i am still hoping we get a big event at the end of the season.
4509591 I'll admit i find myself being critical like that more often than not... Often to fanfiction.
Ironically my bigget critique is often portrayal of celestia. Less she is flawed and more that she is portrayed in a negative way for the sake of the plot. She becomes less of a character and more of an obstacle.
Something I thought of watching this episode: it basically confirms the version of Celestia you depicted in FOE. As in, a Celestia who is indeed old and wise and powerful but who is also still fallible. Not that she makes any in this episode, mind, but she's still shown as being unsure, wrestling with making a decision on what to do with a younger Twilight Sparkle.
I've heard other people cite FOE as having "predicted" several other plot points of the show, so I suppose you can add this one to the list, too.
4509845 I've done the same.. and while I try to be just as eloquent when I'm praising something, it still happens on both ends of that scale. I think Twilight is a stronger trigger for me. Some writers play up her foibles way too much and it'll get to me. You'd think Lesson Zero was her only screen time... You're definitely right about Celestia getting that same treatment, and it's just as bothersome to see it as any critically negative review heh. All the more reason blogs like this one are great.
That vacuum cleaner reminds me of Noo-Noo from the Telletubbies
4510036 Any character rather irks me honestl.y Thing is celestia being badly written kinda affect the world at large in a story. She is a thousand year old ruler.... And it seems a lot of people don't know how to work with that.
4510168
Show-writers themselves don't' know how to work with that. Twice so for fanfiction writers.
4510477 They at least get the idea of someone who is wise. Just they can't have her beat every scenario.
Times she does lose are often classified as abnormal. Unexpected power ups, vampiric centaur minotaurs, god trees having their energy stolen and turned into demonic vines that come after them
4510894
At some point of time people on Equestria Daily ask Big Jim about Celestia episode. And he answered that Celestia supposedly so powerful and wise that they have hard time imagining any problem that she cannot solve by "snapping her (nonexistent) fingers". So they don't have any troubles creating situations when Celestia get her plot handed to her but have hard time creating situations when she could shine?
4510902 think they are definitely exaggerating. but they have a hard time figuring something out that would challenge. her.
then agian we see her challenged in celestial advice.
Definitely an episode for those who have that parent or mentor relationship. I feel it quite well applies to the third episode in the season with the interaction with Twilight and Flurry. The bonding of family, something I unfortunately lack at doing sometimes, was most certainly a large part of that episode. I made me think about how I interact with my own niece and other family members.
I wonder if this is a hint at what this season is going to be about.
If it was. then an rather poor interpretation.
I don't Celestia was being a mom, she was over compensating for being a featherhead! Now, I'm a Tia fan from the first, but Twilight was a means to an end. Same with Sunset. And why do think Luna spit her bit way back when?
Although I detest the trope, but>>4509714 Momlestia really is a chessmaster is an apt scription. Some of Lunas rage may have been out if any mothers need to be loved and respected by their foals, but it was mainly how she was treated. Thousands of years old, still the lesser, the little sister. and probably shattered when she found out her own sister used her as some game piece. Even a queen would still resent being seen as a play thing
But at least Celestia seems aware of her own flaws. so of course to prove her tendency to do the equine blonde she double down. she sends a mare barely in her majority, a child, to face another of the two sealed evil in a can that suddenly popped the cork in a land colder then a well diggers belt buckle and risked her student and an entire tribe so she could later chuck a nonsensical word salad made by some hobo with bad fashion sense who saw friends as mere things to be used as steps in ones ascension.
Discord probably did more for Twilight in two seconds then celestia for an entire childhood.