• Member Since 24th Sep, 2015
  • offline last seen March 11th

Oliver


Let R = { x | x ∉ x }, then R ∈ R ⟺ R ∉ R... or is it?

More Blog Posts349

  • 107 weeks
    Against Stupidity

    I figure I’ll do some popular sociology. I’ve reached the limit of what I can do at the present time, and I need to take a break from all the doomscrolling, because there’s only so much war crime bingo I can read before I go do something emotionally motivated and ultimately useless.

    Read More

    16 comments · 1,649 views
  • 108 weeks
    Good morning, Vietnam

    My foreign friends often ask me – the very few that know I’m Russian – what does the average Russian think about Ukraine.

    You can see why I have always kept this private now.

    Read More

    34 comments · 1,263 views
  • 153 weeks
    Lame Pun Collection

    So I decided to trawl conversation logs for throwaway lines I spout on occasion. Because otherwise I’d forget them entirely, and some of them are actually good ideas. Granted, most of them are stupid puns… But I like puns, and I’m still not sure why you’re supposed to cringe at them.

    Read More

    10 comments · 1,333 views
  • 153 weeks
    Rational Magic

    I basically improvised most of this lecture from memory when talking with DannyJ yesterday, but then I thought, why not blog this, should at least be food for thought. It’s not directly pony-relevant, more like a general topic of discussion which one needs to meditate on when writing fantasy – but that includes ponyfic, so you might be interested.

    Read More

    24 comments · 1,583 views
  • 161 weeks
    A series of unexpected observations

    So I’ve been reading things.

    Read More

    15 comments · 1,509 views
Jul
30th
2017

Points of Canon: S1x22 - A Bird in the Hoof · 11:35am Jul 30th, 2017

This one is also weird.

  • There are extra bunnies around Fluttershy’s cottage, and birds have eggs in their nests. You’d think it would be useful for chronology, but it’s hardly definite.
  • Fluttershy uses her mouse-sized wheelchair. I wonder, though, does she have a cat-sized one anywhere? Why do mice get special treatment?
  • It is particularly notable that Angel Bunny doesn’t talk to Fluttershy in the next scene, being instead completely limited to pantomime. Notably, Philomena behaves herself the same way throughout the episode.
  • According to the clock on the tower, it’s 16:00 exactly at this moment, – notably, this time the clock is clearly a standard 12-hour clock – but Fluttershy calls the event she’s missing “The big brunch for Princess Celestia at Sugarcube Corner.” Isn’t 16:00 way too late for brunch? And 04:00 would be way too early.
  • The geography of Ponyville was and remains murky, however, the location of this clock tower, visible from Fluttershy’s house, is strange. You’d think it would be somewhere in the central square, but it’s definitely not.
  • The bags of bird feed and rodent feed seen in Fluttershy’s living room turn up again. Notably, both bags are here. See Swarm of the Century and Stare Master when we saw them before.
  • Fluttershy dips into what has to be a closet and contains the final forms of the Gala dresses. Twilight’s and Pinkie’s Gala dresses, in addition to her own. How exactly did that happen? Did Rarity give them to her for some kind of finishing touches embroidery work or something?
  • Rainbow goes out of Sugarcube to pester the royal guards. She’s been here already for long enough to get bored.
  • “Is the pay good?” Well, at least Rainbow believes the royal guards get paid.
  • It takes Twilight to notify the guards that Fluttershy is on the list. They did not know in advance.
  • Spike uses his breath flame to flash-fry food. Notably, the flame is green this time. Also notably, you wouldn’t get something to cook so quickly with a regular flame above it, rather than, say, below.
  • Ponies who got on the list include what has to be Carrot Top / Golden Harvest, Berry Punch, Amethyst Star and Sea Swirl, but with the way many of them are wearing cutie-mark concealing saddles or minidresses, they’re difficult to reliably identify.
  • The Cakes prefer to carry trays on their heads rather than backs this time.
  • Twilight stresses that this is the first time ever Celestia had an opportunity for an in-depth conversation with the Mane 5, as far as Twilight is aware. This can be important for chronology.
  • All the Canterlot Friends also got on the list. How did Twilight miss that?!
  • Rarity is the only one wearing her own Gala dress for the occasion.
  • This here is where the infamous shot of a suspicious pink substance inside a sandwich that Applejack is eyeing comes from. Considering that the other components of this sandwich are lettuce and tomato, frankly, it can be anything.
  • It’s interesting that Pinkie actually goes out of her way to make a mess, starting with deliberately smearing pie across her face, but nobody seems to notice until she’s next to Celestia.
  • It’s also interesting that clearly, the Cakes meet Celestia for the first time and are not yet aware of how relaxed she actually is. And they both insist on addressing her as “your majesty.”
  • Celestia says, “And what about you, dear? Fluttershy, is it?” So she doesn’t know Fluttershy’s name very well yet? This is actually really odd. Many of the phenomena later in the series, notably the seeming anonymity of the Mane 6, are only explainable if their names are protected information. Celestia not being able to identify the rest of them would make it considerably more difficult for her to make this information protected.
  • This is the only time Philomena turns up in primary canon. She does turn up a lot more in secondary canon, but the primary canon would prefer to pretend she doesn’t exist. Nobody is sure what a princess would want to do with a phoenix.
  • “I’m afraid I have to cut the party short. The mayor has requested an audience with me. Royal duty calls.” Would she really have to interrupt the party for this? Something’s fishy here.
  • Fluttershy uses an alcohol-based thermometer to take Philomena’s temperature. The boiling point of that is usually around 78°C. To get the thermometer to explode, Philomena has to get considerably hotter than that, almost enough to set the bed on fire. Notably, most organic brains would get fried well before that.
  • The capsule with whatever medicine Fluttershy is trying to feed Philomena is ridiculously big.
  • “Here comes the choo-choo train. Chugga-chugga, chugga-chugga, whoo-whoo!” For Fluttershy to use that, railroad had to have been available for quite a while – at least twenty years: She’d have to have heard something like this from her own mother.
  • Philomena eats the rodent feed, rather than bird feed, while Fluttershy is away.
  • Fluttershy is once again singing the series opening. She’s the only one who ever does this. She knows something…
  • Fluttershy’s bathroom is interesting in that it includes most amenities you would expect – a sink, a bathtub – but instead of any kind of porcelain or enamel, the said implements are made of wood. And there are two more birdhouses in there…
  • Fluttershy owns a humidifier. The device looks nothing like a humidifier should, though – more like an oil-based electric heater than anything else, really. However, it is unquestionably a humidifier.
  • For aromatherapy, Fluttershy employs numerous candles, and additionally, incense sticks, which turn up on screen very rarely. Ponies have aromatherapy.
  • In her last ditch attempt, Fluttershy uses a scalpel and surgical tape. I am not entirely sure what did she need a scalpel for. Was it to cut the tape?…
  • Twilight comes in to say “Hi, Fluttershy! I just wanted to drop by and say thank you so very much for making such a good impression on the princess today…” Did she go around all of the Mane 5 dwellings saying that or did Fluttershy distinguish herself in some other way? We certainly did not see Celestia comment on Fluttershy making a particularly good impression on her. Looks like a missing piece.
  • Twilight only refers to Philomena by name once. The guards who came looking for Twilight to notify her that the “pet is missing” never do.
  • “She might banish you from Equestria. Or throw you in a dungeon. Or banish you and then throw you in a dungeon in the place that she banishes you to!” As we later find out, this list of fears is both unfounded and irrational, but it’s very telling of how terrified Twilight is of Celestia in general.
  • “I’ll write to you when you’re banished. Unless I’m banished too somewhere there’s no post office. Then you’ll have to write to me. Deal?” I wonder how exactly would that work.
  • Guards use a drawing of Philomena to ask around about her. I wonder who drew that.
  • Philomena uses a bushy mustache and newspaper to hide from Twilight and Fluttershy. They don’t recognize her. No comments.
  • …And then Philomena draws on the portrait of herself that the guards posted, presumably to prevent identification.
  • There’s water in the fountain.
  • Everyone is surprised to see a bird burst into flames, including the guards.
  • Fluttershy was not aware phoenixes exist, and neither was Twilight.
  • In conclusion, it’s Rainbow Dash who whispers something to Philomena, convincing her to tickle the guards’ noses with the intention to make them laugh and drop their stone faces.

There are quite a few oddities about this episode. Twilight’s strange visit to Fluttershy that starts with a contrived reason, the way Twilight was not aware of what phoenixes are, the gala dresses in Fluttershy’s closet…

But the big one is that we have consistently been assigning Fluttershy the power of talking to animals, understanding them and being understood. However, in this episode, everyone talks to animals, animals understand them, and mime answers. That includes Twilight and Rainbow. In fact, it’s Fluttershy who has the hardest time understanding them, when talking to Angel Bunny. Just where did we pick this notion up, again…?

Comments ( 23 )

How exactly did that happen? Did Rarity give them to her for some kind of finishing touches embroidery work or something?

Best Watsonian hypothesis I've heard.

All the Canterlot Friends also got on the list. How did Twilight miss that?!

Celestia-induced anxiety, most likely.

Notably, most organic brains would get fried well before that.

To be fair, Philomena's brain can apparently maintain continuity of identity after being reduced to ash. Thermometer-bursting temperatures wouldn't be a problem.

Fluttershy is once again singing the series opening. She’s the only one who ever does this. She knows something…

Decades after Twilight's ascension, she planned a series of semi-autobiographical dramatizations. Fluttershy composed the theme song.

Combination banishment/imprisonment is an accurate description of conditions in Tartarus.

As for talking to animals, there is plenty of evidence on Fluttershy's part. "Friendship is Magic" and the bird choir, "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" and coaxing the animals out of hiding, "Hurricane Fluttershy" and the critter pep talk, "Flutter Brutter" where a bird—somewhat ironically named Constance—tells her of Zephyr Breeze's new living conditions, and so forth. Heck, she even extends it into universal translator capabilities in "It Isn't Easy Being Breezies." Maybe she was recovering from some manner of talent-suppressing disease in this episode?

4617687

To be fair, Philomena’s brain can apparently maintain continuity of identity after being reduced to ash. Thermometer-bursting temperatures wouldn’t be a problem.

Phoenixes are obviously special. Though I wonder, what happens if you cook one by boiling…

Combination banishment/imprisonment is an accurate description of conditions in Tartarus.

It is, I suppose. So who else is held in Tartarus?…

Maybe she was recovering from some manner of talent-suppressing disease in this episode?

Possibly, but Rainbow expects Philomena to understand her when she starts whispering, yet she’s just as surprised to see a burning bird as everyone else.

Is bird. Is fiery bird. Is fiery bird with awesome character design that's also very easy to reproduce.

Yet somehow, in all other episode, is no more firebird.

Owlowiscious (or however you spell his thrice-damned name) gets more screentime than royal bird of fiery burnytime.

I require Watsonian explanation for loss of phoenix.

4617692

So who else is held in Tartarus?…

If you believe the fandom, literally everyone, even the people you'd normally only lock up in a conventional prison.

4617694

I require Watsonian explanation for loss of phoenix.

She is out hunting lava monsters. You don’t expect the firebird to eat birdseed, do you?

4617697
...

Moriarty accepts this.

Moriarty doesn't know why he's suddenly talking in third person.

4617704
Moriarty should adopt the royal first-person plural, as We have.

Regarding the tower clock... What other times are specifically shown in the series? Do we know there're twenty-four hours to a day (and not just twelve)? Do we know the day starts at midnight? Considering how the sun can be raised on an irregular schedule, it'd actually make a lot more sense for the clock to start at sunrise - which would make this brunch four hours after dawn, which makes a lot of sense.

4617756
We find this to be a most pleasing way of speaking. We approve.

4617898
Do we know the clock tower actually works at all? Do we know the clock tower contains a clock at all, and not something like a barometer?

4617898

What other times are specifically shown in the series?

That question would take a long time to collect all the answers for. Most of the time they are not readable, to be honest, but they do turn up. See Friendship is Magic for example.

Do we know there’re twenty-four hours to a day (and not just twelve)?

I believe we do. See RTAC #13.

Do we know the day starts at midnight?

Not really. However, I am betting that the moment a reference to time of someone waking up at sunrise does turn up, you will find that the day starts at midnight, because that’s what the writers appear to assume.

4617924

Do we know the clock tower actually works at all? Do we know the clock tower contains a clock at all, and not something like a barometer?

Seeing how it is explicitly a prop in the “conversation” between Angel Bunny and Fluttershy regarding her being late – yes, we do.

4617932
Sorry, sometimes I take "Don't presume Western cultural constants" a bit too far.

4617929

However, I am betting that the moment a reference to time of someone waking up at sunrise does turn up, you will find that the day starts at midnight, because that’s what the writers appear to assume.

Yep (sigh). But if we go too far in following that principle, we'll get into an absurdly-precise replica of Canadian-American culture, because that's what the writers seem to be copying ever since Faust's influence evaporated from the show...

4617948

But if we go too far in following that principle, we’ll get into an absurdly-precise replica of Canadian-American culture, because that’s what the writers seem to be copying ever since Faust’s influence evaporated from the show…

We’d be wrong, too, because they occasionally deviate from this pretty hard. However, regarding something as fundamental as the daily timekeeping cycle, I think assuming that it is identical is the only reasonable conclusion.

The geography of Ponyville was and remains murky, however, the location of this clock tower, visible from Fluttershy’s house, is strange. You’d think it would be somewhere in the central square, but it’s definitely not.

It's where Dracula's clock tower goes during the off season. The medusa heads vacation in the Everfree.

Many goods points. In general: Celestia is probably lying about not knowing Fluttershy's name, perhaps thinking it would make her feel at ease.

I wonder if this whole Brunch thing was a cover for a secret meeting Celestia had with SMILE. It might explain why she was acting so off in this episode.

Perhaps Fluttershy's talent doesn't function when she is very nervous, like when she thinks she will be banprisoned?

4618568

Celestia is probably lying about not knowing Fluttershy’s name, perhaps thinking it would make her feel at ease.

Possible.

I wonder if this whole Brunch thing was a cover for a secret meeting Celestia had with SMILE. It might explain why she was acting so off in this episode.

Unlikely. For one, it doesn’t make a good cover. For another, this meeting would not be held in Ponyville, and she could have it in Canterlot under any circumstances she pleased.

It could be something clandestine, though…

Perhaps Fluttershy’s talent doesn’t function when she is very nervous, like when she thinks she will be banprisoned?

Possible, but I’m worried we’ll find a lot of counterexamples when a highly nervous Fluttershy still talks to animals with no issues. The problem with this and all other theories that suppose temporary inability on Fluttershy’s part is that they don’t explain why Rainbow, who apparently sees a phoenix for the first time in her life, decides to whisper to communicate a pretty complicated prank idea to Philomena, and expects to be understood.

It could be something clandestine, though…

Celestia evaluating just how good Twilight's friendships are before she starts testing with things like the return of the Crystal Empire?

Rainbow, who apparently sees a phoenix for the first time in her life, decides to whisper to communicate a pretty complicated prank idea to Philomena, and expects to be understood.

I wonder if Phoenixes are considered generally sapient as magical beasts rather than animals (and yes, Celestia can keep a sapient being as a pet and no one would question it).

4619360

Celestia evaluating just how good Twilight’s friendships are before she starts testing with things like the return of the Crystal Empire?

That would fit everything except Celestia suddenly running away for an audience requested by the mayor.

I wonder if Phoenixes are considered generally sapient as magical beasts rather than animals (and yes, Celestia can keep a sapient being as a pet and no one would question it).

…and so can Spike.

4619519

That would fit everything except Celestia suddenly running away for an audience requested by the mayor.

Maybe it's a SMILE thing and evaluating Twilight?

…and so can Spike.

Look, if no one questions the Princess's student about having a pet dragon, no one should question if that dragon can have a pet phoenix, ok. Fluttershy apparently had a talking deer, Applejack has sheep and cows, life in Equestria is more of a sliding scale than a free/owned dichotomy, apparently.

4619528

Maybe it’s a SMILE thing and evaluating Twilight?

No reason to combine these, because likewise, the friends can be invited to the castle for a myriad good reasons…

Actually, here’s a potentially good reason, which is, tangentially, connected to SMILE: Something needed to be done in Tartarus, and Celestia needed to do it herself.

Gates to Tartarus are not portable and won’t come when called. :)

4619589 if you're right and Twilight knows about it, that may tie in to her referencing Tartarus obliquely.

Login or register to comment