Discordant Harmony

Friendship is Magic first impressions review: Discordant Harmony (s07e12)
by Obake
(SPOILERS!)

Curious that an episode starring Discord has so little to talk about. This is like Asking For Trouble all over again, only this time the moral is more clear, and there a few small things that made me smile. Discord decides he wants to hold a tea party for Fluttershy at his house for a change, but becomes enamored with the idea that it has to be perfect, or else Fluttershy will no longer be his friend. He makes himself and his surroundings “normal” to not offend her, which has the consequences of making him gradually fade from existence. Fluttershy convinces him to be himself, which is what she wanted all along, and he appears back to his old self. The two enjoy a chaotic tea party.

The story is incredibly thin, with little driving force. Most of the episode is spent on Discord shopping for supplies, though he does interact with a glasses-wearing doppelganger from time to time. The actual tea party is a non-conflict. Him starting to disappear feels tacked on, with no real reason behind it other than to have some sort of drama. Once Fluttershy convinces him to be his old self, the two play around for a bit, then the credits roll.

I do not hate Discordant Harmony. It has a number of amusing moments. But it is no way anything special. Make New Friends But Keep Discord is a much better vehicle for Discord and Fluttershy, and that episode is by no means perfect. Discordant Harmony is simply too benign to warrant much of a reaction.

Extras:

• With the title, I was hoping for a Castlevania reference. Nope. In fact, references are few and far between this time. Admittedly, references have been overdone in the show before, but I give Discord episodes more leniency, considering he's a dimension hopping chaos lord.
• What references are there? Discord dresses as a rapper (whose baggy pants fall down), what I assume to be King Henry the viii, and...Mr Rogers. Oh, and possibly Stanley Ipkiss from The Mask, again.
• Discord uses the term “besties” non-ironically, something he would never, ever say.
• To Discordant Harmony's credit, there are a few standout moments. I like when Discord summons a ram to use as an automatic hand dryer, and how he causes trouble for shopkeepers, yet pays them handsomely. Some of the banter between him and his doppelgangers is cute, as is his appetite for eating sandwiches with the middles cut out. But unlike better Discord episodes, the story is too weak to give breathing room from his antics. In turn, the chaos (which is not outlandish enough to stand on its own) grows tiresome.
• Pinkie's cameo in the party shop is fine, and her asking where to find the flying, glowing napkins is an okay gag to end the scene.
• One last point of credit to Discordant Harmony is that it is better than What About Discord. That episode was a failed pseudo-comedy. Discordant Harmony at least gives a touch of sincere bonding between Discord and Flutters. Though to be fair, much of this bonding, like them celebrating at the end, is there to pad out an otherwise short story.