Aug
8th
2017
Points of Canon: S2x09 - Sweet and Elite · 1:30pm Aug 8th, 2017
Another chronologically problematic episode…
We need to date this right, Twilight’s birthday is at stake. :)
- Is it just me, or that’s actually the first known time Twilight asked Celestia for a favor?
- It has been a while since anypony kissed Celestia’s hooves, otherwise she’d be much more used to this reaction.
- “Your luggage, mademoiselle?” The only time anyone ever used this word on screen, for some reason.
- Notice that Opal arrived without her pet carrier. At the same time, it does appear later in the episode when Rarity is out shopping.
- Rarity enters the guest apartment for the first time, and yet, the room already contains a ponyquin and a table with papers on it.
- “I may have been born in Ponyville, but I am a Canterlot pony at heart.” And not a Manehattan pony, at that.
- Twilight’s birthday party is “this weekend,” which means that the actual birthday date is within a week in either direction at most. Since later on in the episode, Rarity says “her birthday is in a few days” rather than “birthday party,” said birthday hasn’t happened yet by that moment either.
- Twinkleshine needs to dress up more often
- Apparently, large hats with outrageous decoration on them are the in thing this season – we see four ponies wearing them in the space of ten seconds, and one of them is Rarity, who wears three different hats of that description in this episode. Further episode contains at least six more ponies in vaguely similar hats, and there’s also the different hat Rarity sports in A Canterlot Wedding.
- Jet Set introduces Upper Crust as his wife. One more unicorn family that shares no name elements whatsoever.
- Upper Crust also plays with French: “Where did you get that simply marvelous chapeau?”
1. Notice that while he is one, his name does not contain the word for Apple nor any reference to apples, and even his cutie mark is about turnips. He still counts as part of the clan and turns up on family photos.
Hayseed Turnip Truck has met Rarity “at the big hoedown in Ponyville last month.” When was that? The only event described as “hoedown” in canon using this word exactly is the one described in Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair (Friendship is Magic #09-10) which is a summer-autumn transition festival. It could, however, conceivably be any sufficiently large party which involved dancing, that Rarity would attend. Since Hayseed is an Apple1 – he participates in the Apple Family Reunion – Applejack would have had to introduce him to Rarity, and Rarity would be unable to avoid it, so both Applejack and Rarity had to be there. Finding a likely date for this event can help with dating this episode. Notably, while both the transcript and the subtitles insist Hayseed says “month,” my ears hear “fall” instead, and if that were correct, this episode has to happen in Spring 1. Can anyone confirm or deny?
- Jet Set and Upper Crust know well where Ponyville is. They just don’t like it.
- Rarity wrote to Twilight at least once since her arrival.
- One of the bags Rarity wields has a Chanel logo on it. This logo keeps popping up a lot from here on out.
- Rarity recognizes Fancy Pants by sight.
- I think that’s the first time we see a handover from one unicorn to another on screen: Fleur levitates the bag with feathers towards Rarity, upon which the aura on the bag quickly changes color to Rarity’s blue.
2. Hey, some secondary canon says it’s Flaire di Mare!
Fleur, whatever the correct spelling of her name is,2 is literally hanging on Fancy Pants in a possessive manner. I don’t think we’ve seen any other ponies do that, even known married couples usually don’t. The annoyed look she throws at Rarity once Fancy leaves the frame is quite telling.
- “Fancy Pants is the most important pony in Canterlot,” at least in Rarity’s eyes. Unfortunately, we never know what the hell is he actually doing to make him so important.
- The entire Canterlot Friends team including Lyra are watching the Wonderbolts Derby from the non-VIP seats. They’re all wearing hats.
- Whoever Fancy Pants actually is, he is important enough, or hosts someone important enough, that the entrance to the VIP box is guarded by a Royal Guard. This is one of those very rare cases where a royal guard is found not being within shouting distance from known royalty.
- It’s a bit strange that Fancy introduces Rarity with only “she is staying at Canterlot Castle.” Though considering the immediate shocked reaction, this might have been what he was going for.
- Honestly, I don’t get the point or the mechanics of the Wonderbolt Derby at all, only current roster Wonderbolts are competing, between themselves, when they explicitly are a team…
- Rarity actually remembers things Rainbow says, far enough to know that Fleetfoot is more likely to win this kind of competition than Rapidfire.
- How did a pony acquire the name “Fleetfoot,” anyway? Do they use some kind of nautical foot as a measurement of distance in the Equestrian Navy or something?
- “Why… she’s… she’s the… the Wonderbolts’ trainer, of course.” I’m surprised this flies, considering that all of these ponies should be aware that Wonderbolts are at least technically military.
- Rarity is getting invited to: An art gallery opening, a charity auction and a dinner party. All of these turn up in the song montage, but when did she get invited for the yacht?
- Rarity’s diadem is surprisingly similar to the Element of Magic crown.
3. Go read some Bad Horse and try to reconcile his theory of the origins of modern art and Equestria, I dare you.
The gallery contains modern art3 and Photo Finish with flunkies. But no cameras or magics.
- Rarity, apparently, manages to start a bidding war for the vase nopony actually wanted and drop out early.
- The wait staff at the dinner party are unicorns.
- One of the dresses Rarity is wearing is her Gala dress.
- Canterlot has an opera house. Ponies use opera glasses there.
- Fancy Pants’ cap at the yacht has a symbol of an anchor, but isn’t this an airship? On the other hand, does Fancy Pants know?
- Someone noticed before, that when Rarity smacks the bottle into the ship, the bottle doesn’t break, which is usually considered a sign of bad luck. Where did the cloud of confetti released one frame before the bottle impacts the ship come from is anyone’s guess. The fact that Rarity is standing right next to unmistakable Prince Blueblood at the time is also quite suspicious. Notice also that the Canterlot Friends are watching the launch. Notice that Blueblood turns up twice, at two different events, one of which Rarity attends dressed, when she’s au naturel for the ship launching.
- That’s the only proper airship to make it to the primary canon so far.
4. Not mass.
The ship does not use propellers, but rather, some kind of wing-like surfaces. I am not entirely sure how that would work aerodynamically, and the gas bag is way too small to keep this aloft unless ponies have some kind of gas with negative weight.4 Which might as well be a thing.
- For the trip back to Ponyville, Rarity puts Opal on top of the pet carrier rather than inside.
- “Dearest Rarity, your presence is requested at the Canterlot garden party tomorrow afternoon. Yours, Jet Set and Upper Crust.” Notice, if anyone has noble titles at all, these two would, and yet, no titles on the signature. I’m pretty sure that noble titles are well extinct by now, this is one of the statements I’m basing this on.
- The invitation has been for “tomorrow afternoon,” Rarity sent her letter immediately upon receiving it, and the Mane 5 caught her just as she was going out the door. Which means that most likely, the letter got to Ponyville within the same day.
- Notably, when Rarity actually faints, the fainting couch is not there.
- “Listen to her. She’s so excited to see us, she can hardly talk.” Is it just me, or does it sound like Applejack already knows the letter is a lie?
- Fluttershy should recognize immediately that Opal is just wet, shouldn’t she?…
- “It’s so… simple. So practical. So me!” The expressions on Twilight’s face when she’s saying that are highly suspicious. Though to be honest, the sketch Rarity had in mind would be a good dress, but also, just about as anti-Twilight as they get.
- “When I told the Princess that I was moving the party to Canterlot, she was kind enough to offer us the Canterlot castle ballroom!” Notice that this has to be the same ballroom as in The Best Night Ever, but they aren’t identical – while there’s no surprise that the columns and the statue are intact, the windows at either side of the statue alcove during the Gala have abstract designs on them, while here, they’re transparent. Notably, windows were one part of the Gala ballroom that the Mane 6 did not wreck.
- “Isn’t it fancy pants?” “Fancy Pants?! Where?!” So “fancy pants” is a name and an expression? Poor guy.
- “Oh, I never leave home without my party cannon!” Which we never saw before, in the airing order that’s the first time.
- Pinkie’s party cannon is capable of rapid-fire decoration, rather than just shooting confetti.
- Rainbow Dash starts a food fight for no observable reason other than the scriptwriter needing Fancy Pants to smell cake frosting on Rarity.
- Ponies play croquet. Which is at least a better fit for the equine form than cricket…
- One piñata wasn’t enough for Pinkie. She put up six of them so that nopony would feel left out.
- Usually, in earlier episodes, punch was served from a glass bowl, but this time, both the bowl and the cups are wooden. Huh.
- “And with the Grand Galloping Gala coming up, I bet you could totally get some of them to buy your dresses.” So which Gala Twilight is referring to – the one in Best Night Ever or the one in Make New Friends But Keep Discord? This question is a lot more difficult than it sounds and is very chronologically important.
- The way everypony rushes out the moment Rainbow announces the intent to crash the nearby party really makes me think they planned this.
- It’s very strange that Rainbow can’t handle the croquet mallet. But it might be because she’s half drunk already…
- Lyrica Lilac is actually maneless, for whatever reason.
- “How come y’all aren’t doing any gardening? This is a garden party, isn’t it?” What Applejack is doing at the moment she says that is weeding, though. Weeding the lawn that had to have been weeded recently. Not sure how exactly did she manage that.
- “This lovely filly from Ponyville was just about to tell me who made her charming dress.” Fancy Pants can only say this about Twilight if they were never introduced before she moved to Ponyville, or if cahoots are involved. Which I’m not discounting at all.
- And this is also the moment where we realize the Mane 6 are actually completely anonymous, despite saving Equestria from at least one apocalyptic threat by that point, not counting other, less important incidents.
- Fancy Pants takes Rarity’s side for no observable rational reason or, for that matter, for no known gain. Which, I think is what endeared him so much to the fandom… This very action is sufficient for the opinions to rapidly swing in Rarity’s favor. He is bloody important.
- The relationship of this episode to Lesson Zero is strange. On one hand, Rarity writes a letter to Celestia, which she wouldn’t do before this episode. On the other hand, she starts writing it even before she leaves the apartment Celestia provided her, and is surprised by Celestia walking in on her. If anything, that fact alone suggests she planned to send it at a time different from the actual writing.
Just when the hell did this happen?…
Airships might use anchors if they had to make emergency stops, but that is odd.
The lack of titles on Jet Set and Upper Crust is certainly telling. Indeed, I'm pretty sure the only non-royal nobility we ever hear of are the Duke and Duchess of Maretonia in "Twilight's Kingdom." Curious indeed.
Assuming this is in the ballroom—haven't seen the episode in a while, so I'm not sure—Pinkie might have brought both bowl and cups with her and opted for less fragile materials for them. (Indeed, even with party pony powers, glass and cannons don't seem like they'd mix well.)
4627612
The way the Duke talks to Twilight, and the way they’re all dressed, I’m also pretty sure they’re foreign nationals. Which leaves Equestria completely sans non-royal titled nobility that we know of.
I did write at length about all that. :)
Yes, that’s in the ballroom, and I suppose that’s as good an explanation as any.
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4627620
From the internal details of the reception of the Duke and Duchess, I got the impression that they were sovereign in their own right - like a HRE elector or the dukes of Savoy and Tuscany.
It's rather difficult to surmise whether Fancy Pants knew Twilight beforehand. Mostly because A) the lack of familiar language between them, and B) the fact that Twilight has perhaps the worst track record of recognizing ponies from Canterlot.
Horses have feet. The hoof is only the largest and most visible part of the foot.
Airships have anchors for the same reason ships do. They function the same way whether or not they're under water. To my knowledge, only canal boats make a distinction, probably because they have both anchors and "ground" anchors.
Some Apples arrive in one at the Apple family reunion, and we see one in the distance over Manehattan in the Power Ponies story.
4627624
The Duke and Duchess of Maretonia show up on the VIP platform at the Equestria Games... so foreign nobility or rulers of a client state would fit. Notably, Fancy Pants and Fleur are there as well, on the same level. So my guess is that he is Prime Minister or holder of some office of equivalent rank.
4627737
Ok, maybe, but they don’t seem to use the word quite the way we would…
Of course. However, airship anchors would by necessity be a rather different shape, because they are far more likely to end up on the ground than in water. And notably, this yacht doesn’t appear to stow the anchor where a sea ship of this size would likely keep it, or anywhere else visible for that matter…
Ah, right. But, well, reclassify “so far” to mean “since episode 1” then.
Chief Whip of the Conservative Party! :)
I got lots of opinions on this one!
First and foremost: I've said this before elsewhere, but this is the place to say it: Count the horns on the members of the Canterlot Elite during the montage, and you will notice that almost half of them are earth ponies. If half your elite are earth ponies, it makes the idea that the average unicorn of Canterlot looks down on earth ponies really unlikely.
So we know Celestia kept the identities of the Bearers secret for a while. Fluttershy probably preferred this, but Rarity probably did not. I feel like this luxury sweet that Rarity is staying in as long as she wants is partial recompense, in Celestia's mind.
Give her time. People who grow up in Lincoln, Mississippi probably described themselves as a St. Louis person when they wanted to be cosmopolitan, until they've visited NYC.
Unless they never leave Canterlot or only travel by air, they have to, at least hearing the train conductor shout "Ponyville" now and then.
We see him seated with other mayors at the Equestria Games, and he introduces himself as the Canterlot representative during Princess Spike. I think he's the Mayor of Canterlot.
For all the talk we have of Fancy Pants being just a nice guy, remember he starts paying attention to Rarity only after he finds out that she is friends with Celestia.
Working class unicorns seem more likely to gravitate towards service jobs than earth ponies or pegasi, since they probably demand less money to touch something disgusting.
Again, give it time...
Equestria probably does have Upsidasium.
Agree 120%.
Estee has recently advanced the idea that given Applejack's knowledge and background, this has to be a deliberate prank. Whether it is on Rarity or the rest of the guests is up for debate.
...except that she still has the favor of Princess Celestia, who even Fancy Pants wants to suck up to. This is the same stallion who in Princess Spike tried to leverage his status to gain extra meetings with the Princess. Writers: If you want a non-OC to play the "scheming noble," Fancy Pants is a much better choice than Blueblood or Jet Set & Upper Crust.
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But he's the Canterlot representative in Princess Spike, so I doubt he could hold a national title simultaneously.
4628123
Mayor of Canterlot would work, but that means the mayors of other Equestrian cities are not his equal... which could be true.
4628129 Probably being mayor of the capital gives you special prestige. In the UK people treat the Mayor of London very differently than any other mayor.
4628144
That makes sense.
4628123
I thought this was really obvious by now, but yeah, needs to be said.
The legacy of season 2 fanfiction…
Notice also that Rainbow, contrary to all expectations, apparently did, because her crazy parents don’t seem to know.
I think the moment it starts properly leaking out is Twilight’s coronation: At this moment it becomes really difficult and counterproductive to conceal just how did Twilight get her wings. But even then, before that they’re all largely anonymous ponies, and after that they’re “cohorts of the princess of Friendship” - and it still leaks much slower than could have been expected.
Jet Set’s name does imply he travels a lot, though, if it is as literal as it could be…
That’s one option. We actually have quite a few good options. I just wish we got some information permitting us to decide between them.
Estee’s Applejack has her own title, though. :) But yes, I do very much suspect that the Mane 5 knew Rarity lied to them and were seriously looking for a chance to prank her for that.
Jet Set and Upper Crust are amateurs. Fancy Pants is a professional. :) And Blueblood plays this sort of game internationally as Celestia's chief negotiator and doesn't really care for little league games.
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I imagined you shaking your pseudopods in rage.
But canon Applejack, who apparently spent enough time with the Oranges in Manehatten attending fancy dinner parties to learn enough makeup and styling skills to turn herself into Applejewel, definitely knows what a real garden party is.
I agree with your interpretation, but then they look kind of like jerks for trying to ruin a party for everyone else. Then again, they may have some resentment stored up from the GGG.
I don't know if Blueblood is in a whole 'nother league, international and domestic politics are two entirely separate sports. (Though under Celestia, domestic politics are probably easier). Might explain why Blueblood was attending all those events with Rarity, if he was studying Fancy Pants' latest move. I kind of like the idea of them as political and social rivals, really.
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I’m not that kind of alien.
I’m pretty sure the Grand Galloping Gala hasn’t happened yet. It depends a lot on what Hayseed actually said, which is why I’m asking people for clarification, but – Twilight refers to the Gala as “coming up.” Only two galas can possibly be coming up, but since Twilight is wingless, and galas are in spring, either we’re missing a year or it’s the first one that is coming up.
If Hayseed said “fall,” Sweet and Elite happens in early Spring 1, and the order is Sweet and Elite The Best Night Ever The Return of Harmony. (Yes, this could mean Rarity wrote a letter to Celestia about a friendship lesson before Lesson Zero. But notice that she otherwise was leaving without an audience, leaving a note for her host would be normal.) If he said “month,” it happens in Autumn 1, and that particular order remains undefined.
And if you need an explanation for why the Mane 6 are acting maliciously, just assume they’re all half-drunk. They have every bloody reason to be, after all.
Has been done on occasion, sometimes with success.
Jet Set's name etymology is also curious.
Any Canterlottian who doesn't is ridiculously shut-in, given the view.
They don't even get any Washington Senators or Green Team to showboat around.
I feel that this is due to social level. What would they gain by gainsaying she-who-is-staying-at-the-palace, particularly without hard counterevidence?
They strike me more as nouveau riche to contrast old-money Fancy Pants. They, at least, desperately desire being recognized as …Upper Crust Jet-Setters.
Also likely to recognize a kindness in believing a cover story relating to "I don't want to be around people now"
They can be suspicious of "wait, Rarity did something simple and practical?"
Nigh-all names are meaningful, so it's not surprising.
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Spike would probably be more likely to recognize him, really…
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I'm just going from the wiki-gallery at the moment, but count the wings among the élite. I don't see any. Might watch it tomorrow and see if I can spot any.
I also see a dress saddle being worn at the party, so those aren't completely out-of-fashion yet.
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A stone. A set thereof.
Then they would definitely acquire a title if that were at all possible, wouldn’t they? Also, even if they are nouveau riche, it’s they who send the invitation, not Fancy Pants.
It’s just there’s literal meaningful and the idiomatic….
That’s Royal Ribbon. She’s always wearing that. Sometimes I think it’s a maid cosplay.
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Which means that, of course, titles are either Not [feasibly] Acquirable or Do Not Have Social Currency.
4630330
Excellent point! Pegasi do not seem to be part of the Canterlot elite. And since the Manehatten elite are all earth ponies, it does seem like Pegasi might be the poorest of the tribes.
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Las Pegasus…?
I'm pretty sure pterippi are just above it all… ;) Their integration seems to be less than the other tribes', simply because it really is impossible to set up interdistrict busing into their schools without having skilled wizards by the bushel on tap, even disregarding the transportation issues.
Also, of course, the bit where any cloud city is a mobile aerial bombardment facility sheerly by dint of being cloud.
4630487 Las Pegasus is a great example. Probably built by Pegasi, filled by rich earth pony and unicorn tourists, with the profitable hotel business squabbled over between earth pony and unicorn businessponies.
Yeah, I think you're right, Pegasi are less integrated because their main cities are harder trade with. If you're not in the weather business, Cloudsdale is a pretty bad place to export from.
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I see animation artifacting everywhere.
Okay, watched it to count. As a side note, there are four Celestia statues at the Wonderbolts stadium, one in the ballroom, and one out in the garden, at the least. So, who's got wings in Canterlot this episode who's not a statue?
It is possible some may be hiding wings under suits that prevent flight, too, but unlikely. So it's not quite zero, but …very nearly nopony of note in Canterlot. I paused every group shot, too, and nopony has wings outside of the above. Nopony in the Wonderbolt stadium audience, not even the hornless ref standing on cloud.
♪"last fall" is what I heard.
Other minor notes:
That's a crescent-looking moon there.
Rarity tail-flicks her design into the wastebin to hide it from Twilight. Probably too weak to call tailikinesis, but an instance of use.
(Are deer sapient?)
♪"not just any Jane Doe" who's Jane Doe?