Follow-up Fun Time: A Royal Problem, or, A Mile in Their Horseshoes · 5:04am Jun 24th, 2017
Finally! I get to actually do something again!
I remember when you hated doing these.
Hey, I need something to entertain me. You write at a snails pace. An you're not even working on my story!
Skipping... almost every episode in the season so far, me and Sunset are here to look at "A Royal Problem" because it was the only episode good enough to get me to want to make a follow-up while I was slumping.
I don't know if you're using that right, but whatever. Let's see what the Royal Sisters do when their not being nerfed by the writers.
FINALLY! A ROYAL SISTERS EPISODE! LIFE IS COMPLETE!
She hacked the map. It's the only explanation.
I don't know what to feel right now. Should I be happy that the princess is broken? Or miffed that the map thinks Starlight is important enough to get the only solo friendship mission. Stop treating her like she understands friendship! She doesn't! What friendship lesson has she actually learned so far?
Don't brainwash your friends?
The defense rests, your honor.
Yup, everything's fine here. Move along.
Why doesn't Luna have a throne. Maybe she'd be less mad if she had a throne.
Yeah, something is clearly eating them. And I'm pretty sure Celestia knows it. She almost never glares like that. So did she just lie to Starlight's face?
Celestia is a lot of things, but she's not a liar! Sure, she'll twist or hide the truth a bit... It's Starlight, it doesn't count!
Okay. Twilight has reached new levels of creepy stalker.
Isn't she a pretty ballerina though?
No. If she pulled that on me... oh God, she practically has. That stupid plush doll!
Hey look, you and Starlight have something in common! Except hers isn't a figment of her imagination.
Shut up.
We now know where Twilight gets her love of pancakes.
I miss Celestia's pancakes. The way she always made a smiley face on the top. Really helped when I was having a bad day. Starlight doesn't deserve those pancakes. Neither does Twilight.
Sunset, you—
I earned my redemption, okay! I earned those pancakes!
Good morning, sleeping beauty.
That can't be comfortable. How can she do that?
Alicorn?
Alicorn.
Seems Luna doesn't appreciate Celestia's good gesture as much as you do.
Then Luna doesn't deserve those pancakes either!
That's just a waste of pancakes!
Toss them threw the mirror! I'll gladly eat them!
"Uuhh, I can explain."
Remember when Spike saved the Crystal Empire by falling off a tower? Good times.
Luna puts up lavender all around the castle to help ponies sleep. That's really nice of her.
Yeah, but you can't eat lavender. I mean, you can, but I always thought it had a bitter aftertaste. I'm just saying, pancakes taste better.
You might be biased though.
Duh.
She's faking it.
Celestia can't stand most of the nobles. She's so faking that laugh.
She's also ignoring Luna's hardwork. Well, I can see where this is going.
"I'm not much help, am I?"
"No!"
Starlight, sometimes I want to like you. You just make it so freaking hard! Think of all the fun we could have antagonizing Twilight!
I love Twilight's reaction to Starlight telling her the princess aren't good at communicating. Way to break their pedestal, Star.
I mean, sure, they're not perfect but Celestia is pretty damn close. Like, 95%.
MY PANCAKES!
I... bu... wha... huh... okay.
There are nutrients in banana peels. I think? Man, she must be tired.
Is that a loose hair coming off her mane? I didn't it could do that.
"I will haunt you while you sleep. And not in the good way."
Do not talk to Luna before she's had her morning coffee. Or, goodnight tea? She's supposed to be going to bed, soo.... You know what I mean!
"You should send her to the moon."
"Plan B."
Starlight has the guts to do what Twilight could never do: confront the princesses and tell them what's what!
Is this gonna blow up in her face? Because I really hope it does!
"Please stop doing that."
That smile.
That is a wide smile. Nichole Oliver is also getting a lot of mileage out of Celestia's voice this season.
Making up for her... what, one line last season? Go princess!
Let's get ready for a royal rumble!
I've never heard Celestia sound so... condescending. It's new.
It's not condescending. it's... taking the high ground that your job is just a little bit tougher.
That's being condescending.
She's the princess of Equestria! She gets to be condescending sometimes!
Nooo...
She's about to be OP again, isn't she?
No, no, no...
Well, Starlight, I hope you like stargazing. You'll see a lot of them on the moon.
MOTHERFUC—YES, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA! LET'S KEEP SOLVING ALL OUR PROBLEMS WITH MAGIC! YOU LEARNED THIS LESSON, WHAT, THREE TIMES NOW?! BUT NO, SCREW THAT, IMMA SWITCH THE CUTIE MARKS AND MESS WITH THE INNATE POWERS OF THE TWO MOST POWERFUL BEINGS IN EQUESTRIA! FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, SOMEBODY NERF HER!
"Five—
"TEN!"
"—Million years, moon!"
Yah, Glimmy, you done fucked up this time.
You don't deserve those pancakes! Unless this was your evil master plan all along and now you're going to try to take over Equestria again while the princesses are confused. If that's the case, then by all means, have at the pancakes.
Sunset!
I liked her as a villain!
Starlight, stop trying to dig a grave. You're going to the moon.
So, because for some stupid reason, Starlight can't switch the marks back, the princess decide to go along with her scheme and act each other's roles for the day. Didn't we already have a similar comic to this?
Yes, and it was awesome. But comics aren't canon. Kinda. It's confusing. Roll with it.
Twilight, stop helping.
*Slow Claps* Bravo, Starlight. Well done. I still hate you, but way to put the princess in her rightful place. When in doubt, lock her in a dresser.
Just smile and wave, Luna.
Why does Fleur always look so pissed now? She used to be all lackadaisical.
So, Luna begins her Canterlot tour. Seems pretty easy so far. What happened to the mountains of paperwork Celestia has to do?
Keep smiling, Luna.
Hold it. Hooold it.
Grumpy pone.
So close.
They got the money shot.
Guess smiling isn't as easy as it looks. Yeah, with a picture like that, stupid tabloids and TMZ would have a field day with you.Though to be fair, Luna is still proving her point. Celestia's job doesn't seem that hard. Luna just needs some smiling lessons.
Apparently, just the act of a princesses smile can determine if little kids can go on a field trip. Boy, that's power.
That is one smug princess.
She wears smug well. Maybe that's where I got it from. No, she's to good to be smug most of the time.
I don't know the full details, but I want in to Cadence's dream.
A rave hosted by Flurry? I knew Cadence was actually a party animal. Well, welcome to the dreamscape, Celestia. There's no one to talk to but yourself, so get used to that.
Forget Starlight, I wanna see Derpy's dream.
I dunno. Still not as bad as Rainbow's nightmare.
That's right, Starlight. You have displeased the pancake gods! You will now be punished!
And winner for best recurring villain goes to...
Ladies and gentlemen, the mare that just won't quit! No matter how many times you strike her down, she finds a way to stand back up again. The queen of darkness, the empress of the night! The one, the only, Nightmare Moon!
She's made some sort of appearance in six out of seven seasons, plus the comics! No other villain can say that, Discord not withstanding. Fortunately, Celestia knows how to handle her... get Twilight and co. to hit her with the Elements.
I know it's' a dream, but you think Celestia would have some hesitations about blasting her sister to the moon again.
Who's that ponymon?
Here comes a new challenger!
Holy shit, it's Vesper Radiance!
Why am I getting the weirdest sense of Deja Vu?
Seriously, if you just turned her coat blood red, you'd have Vesper. I approve! Self-references aside, meet Daybreaker! Are there cooler names? Sure. But Daybreaker is still pretty cool.
Starlight's nightmare is that the sisters fight enough that both of them turn evil? Intense.
"Anything Nightmare Moon can do, I can do better!"
She's also more hammy than Nightmare.
And that's saying a lot.
Yeah, not so easy guarding dreams, is it, Celly?
Why is this feeling less like Starlight's dream and more like Celestia's?
You two wanna chime in at some point? Feel free to join the fight anytime. We all know how OP you are, Starlight.
If this wasn't a kid's show, that horn would have gone through her neck.
I have conflicted feelings about this. On the one hand, Daybreaker Celestia is kicking all kinds of flank. On the other hand, she's totally evil. I mean, Celestia could never really become like that. She's too nice, too caring. Right?
...
Right?
"We get it, you're sad."
On the other other hand, I wouldn't be opposed to following our new shining leader with snark like that.
Daybreaker used flamethrower!
Yep, totally Vesper! And you're right, Sunset, this really feels like Celestia's dream now.
Meanwhile, in an actual nightmare...
Yeah, no. I'll take the celestial demigods gone mad over whatever the hell this is any day.
The teeth falling out is what really got me. The creepy chanting kids is unnerving too, but it doesn't rhyme! It's more scary when it rhymes!
"Please tell me there's dental in the next dream!"
For all the teeth she's lost, Luna still has a lot left.
Season 1 flashbacks.
So I guess Starlight's batshit insane, morally unfounded, and let-me-totally-forget-the lesson-I've-learned-three-times plan worked. The sisters have a better understanding and appreciation of each other. Now they just have to get out of the dream alive.
How does that work? If they die in the dream, do they die in real life? Is there any real consequence here? Once Starlight wakes up, Daybreaker and Nightmare go poof, don't they?
Maybe, but where's the fun in that?
Welcome to Hell's throne!
Bow before your new goddess, mortals! Nightmare is dead, long live Daybreaker!
The pillars of fire are pretty cool. Why am I still getting Deja Vu?
Celestia has had enough of your shit.
Time for a time out! Show them why you're best princess!
"I'll be back in Twilight's fanfiction!"
Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle.
... I'm suddenly not hungry.
Luna made victory pancakes to celebrate! Don't they look... like something? I'm sure they taste... like something too!
I admire Celestia for trying to eat them. She's a braver pony than I.
And with that, our favorite sisters are reunited again. And they finally said 'I love you' to each other! I have so many feels! I can't believe they've gone this long without saying it! of course, this is their first episode together, but still. But what about Starlight?
What about Starlight?
"Good job. A plus. We learned our lesson. Do it again, and you're getting a one-way ticket to the moon."
Well, she's still here. And she still gets rewarded for doing something that almost caused an absolute disaster. Woo.
Bam! Twilight in your face!
This just keeps getting better.
Going on a mission means giving a friendship report. Have fun, Starlight.
You know, that face almost makes up for everything. Almost. Maybe she didn't get punched in the face by a rainbow, but at least I don't have to deal with the princess.
So, this episode was GREAT! Sure, Daybreaker was spoiled for me weeks beforehand (I am seriously sick of all the fucking spoilers from early episode releases) but I didn't know the how or why, so it was still a nice surprise. And we finally got an episode focused on the royal sisters!
Even if Starlight was in it.
Yes, but, despite her OP magic, this was one of the episode that makes me want to like her. And it does show the differences between how she solves a problem compared to how Twilight would have done it. All in all, this episode reminded me of old times. I was smiling through the entire thing. Except the Luna's nightmare. That shit was freaky.
Yeah, Starlight aside, I had fun. It's nice to see Celestia get some much needed limelight. And even though I hate her, Starlight and I have a lot of things in common. Too bad we'll never meet.
Yep. Shame.
Albi?
I give this episode a 10/10!
I feel like you're not telling me something.
With the hiatus starting, maybe I'll go back and do some episodes I missed.
You know something, don't you?
In the meantime, I'll see you guys later!
Albinocorn!
"By the way, I left you a political shitstorm!"
"Luna!"
Come on, Sunny. Let's go make some pancakes.
Don't think this is over...
You accidentally a word, I think
Great review! I enjoyed this episode as well!
And as usual with Sunny.....
douglascountyfederation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Salt-Shaker.jpg
Espiritu Salty. (or Saltset Shimmer?)
Twilight Sparkle Jr., go in peace and may friendship be with you.
Amen.
Yeah that's the biggest problem with this episode for me too, Starlight jumps onto the 'Solve my problems with morally questionable magic' button again. Though the real issue I have with it is that she didn't get consent to swap them. I might have taken it better had she actually ASKED PERMISSION to do the swap this time.
Thing is, I'll cut Starlight slack for how she reacted differently here. She did not immediately resort to magic, she tried to talk it out with them. And then she clearly regretted her decision and helped the princesses through it.
Honestly, getting rewarded for fixing a problem by switching cutie marks is.... Well... At least they didn't give her WINGS for it! Even though unlike with Twilight it wasn't a problem SHE'D caused.
Hate to be a Grammar Nazi here Sunset, but that should be replaced with 'Through'.
Uh... Spearton? Turn around.
O.K.? Don't see why you say that Penelopea, but-
(Sees lit stick of dynamite)
Well... that stinks...
BOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!
Man, Sunset was on fire in this one. XD Love your recap blogs, mostly for Sunset's snark. And yeah, this was a great episode...sadly, it's only the SECOND best episode of the season now.
...it's not a bad thing at all that an episode this awesome is only second best of the season, right?
Woohoo! Albi and Sunny Follow-up!
That was an amazing episode. Imho much better than Celestial Advise. I'm with Sunset here, Starlight should be sent to the moon. But at least it is fun when the writers find ways to torture her, specially when it's by means of Twilight.
Yay, new follow-up. Though yeah, I'm a bit annoyed about how the Map calls Starlight (first non-Bearer pony) and I forgot this was the first solo mission too (Twilight is really bored in her castle apparently).
Still, awesome to finally see a Celestia and Luna episode. I liked the comic better, but this one was great as well.
That makes two of us. Especially considering this and next week's episode if we go by American scheduling. Which I have to, because none of the channels on my TV air MLP, so I have to wait for them to come online, and if I want to watch them in something above 360p at best, I need to wait. Fucking dammit Australia/Canada.
Always nice to see an Albino and Sunset episode recap.
This was a great episode, a long awaited one about the daily life of the Princesses.
I also got spoiled about Daybreaker, but also without the context, so learning now that she is a construct of Starlight nightmare still give legitimacy to the Nightmare Star, Solar Flare or Magmare Sun out there.
And oh Sunset, how do I understand you. I also prefer Starlight as a villain. I want to like her, but the OPness, the "Still don't understand her lesson" scenario and the still present feeling of her being forcefully shoved down our throat still doesn't help her case.
Until then I'll be waiting to see both of you on your next episode recap.
I can just picture the map being all "Okay, these two are going to be stubborn as hell. Who would be sufficiently arrogant, shortsighted, and amoral to take the kind of radically psychotic action it would take to actually get through to them?... Hey! Glim Glam! Get your pink butt over here!"
I really wanted to like this episode more, but there were just too many annoyances for me. It was really funny and well animated, with a few nice bits about Celestia and Luna, but the story irritated me to no end. As a standalone, it's perfectly fine, but in context with the rest of the show it made no sense. First was the unnecessary Starlight wanking, having her casually and irreversibly switch the cutie marks after being called over on the first solo mission in the first Celestia and Luna episode, something fans have wanted since the series premier. Seriously, they gave her Trixie, Maud, and now this, not to mention something Albino hinted at. Starlight didn't feel like the logical choice, just another way to try and make people like her instead of just giving her normal episodes to grow. This was after the look how great Starlight is premier which was followed up by her trying to use magic to solve all her problems, twice, only she gets praised for it this time. Also, family issues =/= friendship problem.
Then there was the actual conflict of the episode. Why is Celestia suddenly condescending and smug? Luna went crazy and tried to create eternal night because she was under appreciated, but now Celestia is blowing her off like that? That's pretty out of character from everything we've seen of her, not to mention Luna was also acting weird. Then there was the smiling thing, which was stupid, especially compared to the solitude and nightmares Luna faces. Plus, the exhaustion was never addressed (Luna went from barely able to grab something off the table before bed to staying up and doing Celestia's schedule with no sleep issues). Didn't help that both were way too dense to realize the other didn't have a super easy job...
The conflict felt forced and out of character. Starlight felt like she was there to try and get fandom points by being in the first Celestia and Luna episode when she could've easily been paired up. We're dealing with both princesses feeling under appreciated and neither one understands how much work the other does. Why not have Spike feature in the episode? He could've easily been sent along with Starlight, giving extra perspective and following the pattern with the previous missions. Heck, this could've been a Discord episode. Starlight has nothing to do with the conflict character wise. She doesn't deal with under appreciation or not understanding what others do and has the closest she's been involved in that sort of conflict was with Sunburst. She was just there to switch the cutie marks, which wasn't even really necessary for this story to happen and to get fandom points. Spike, Discord, Fluttershy, Rarity, and even Trixie would've been more appropriate, at the very least having one of them go with Starlight (she doesn't need the added glory of the solo mission). I guess the best way to sum it up is this episode felt very unnatural and a bit manipulative.
I maintain that this was a Starlight-Twilight mission, but the map specifically didn't indicate Twilight should go to ensure her involvement was at the precise level necessary. No more, no less.
They have to share that one in shifts. Celestia's still paying off the Everfree castle's mortgage.
But if Celestia did that, they'd probably turn into prepackaged granola bars or something.
I'm pretty sure she outright lied about that given her later reaction to the switch back.
Agreed.
Yeah, but if Celestia doesn't confront the worries brought up Daybreaker's existence now, she may end up seeing her darker side in her own dreams. That'd be bad. And technically Starlight's fault.
So yeah, great episode. A few holes in the premise, but overall greatly enjoyable.
Oh don't you worry Sunset Salt I'm sure in time we will be best friends... Oh and by the way? Those Pancakes were AMAZING... Does Celestia on the other side of the mirror cook? Doubtful...ah well your loss Sun-Butt 2.0...see? I can do snark too
Starlight are you antagonizing Alibi and Sunset again?
SHE STARTED IT!!
4581646
You mean the EG specials "Dance Magic" and "Movie Magic"? Because S7 is presently on hiatus in the US.
4581767
No, I mean Discordant Harmony and Perfect Pear. Finding them in decent quality online is even harder than usual. I saw the EQG specials a couple weeks ago.
4581768
The point, missed it, you have. Episodes past "Not Asking For Trouble" won't be airing on Discovery Family in the US yet. The show's on hiatus here right now. Those two episodes aired early in Australia. YOU said:
Which, in fact, are "Dance Magic" and "Movie Magic", since the EG specials are premiering in the US presently, and season 7 is on hiatus.
4581778
Oh. My bad.
4581779
Sokay. It's a bit of a confusing season with Canada, Poland, and Australia all running game on us. >.>;;
4581790
Yeah, it's even worse for me as I don't really watch TV and what channels I have don't show MLP so I have to wait for them to come out online in a quality that's preferably more than jut 360p. I'm just glad they've not been spoiled for me yet.
According to some Internet sites written by psychiatrists, if you dream of your teeth falling out, it could symbolize change, fear of losing something important, or, if you're Freudian, sexual repression or the desire to be nurtured (isn't it always about sex with Freud?).
Lessee, cutie marks get switched... I'd say that's a pretty big change, and the way ponies value their marks, it would also be a loss of something very important.
Another very funny Albi/Sunny commentary. The only criticism I'd have is you might want to let someone take a crack at proofreading first.
I'm pretty behind, but Starlight seemed a bad plot device from day one and this really didn't convince me otherwise. It seems like the writers are rather weak as water on dealing with bad actors. Twilight and friends get a stern talking to for the smarty pants incidents in lesson zero but Starlight seems to walk away scot-free every time. Please tell me it's not that that tacky...