The Incredibly Metal Journey [episode spoilers!] · 2:09am Sep 19th, 2017
If you haven't heard, this season is completely fucked as far as release dates go. A Health of Information, this coming Saturday's episode, was leaked in Russia, and you can now find it on Dailymotion with English subtitles. So while I can't say I've seen the final version of it, holy shit.
If not for Twilight's Kingdom, this would be the most metal episode of MLP:FiM ever.
First of all, is this season one? Because that's the last time we had back-to-back episodes with Zecora as a central character. c.c It doesn't help that I can't remember any of her roles past about season four, but still. Dang! It's good to see her alive and kicking, for all that she almost died.
Because second of all, what Zecora catches is a terminal illness with no known cure. Think about that. For all that Fluttershy has a chance to at last become the tree she's always wanted to be, Zecora was basically on death's door by the end of this episode. It makes that zinger with the sick doctor considerably darker in hindsight!
Third of all, is this our fourth Legends of Magic episode? I mean, Mage Meadowbrook was a one-note, throwaway line from fucking Cutie Map. (Remember? Starlight claimed the Staff of Sameness was one of Meadowbrook's relics. Continuity!) So she's kind of a random figure to pop into an episode like this. The reason I ask is because it's not like the previous episodes, where someone was telling a legend of an ancient figure; this was more like Family Appreciation Day's story of the founding of Ponyville. I mean, I'm guessing it is, but not having read the comics yet, I dunno what to expect. If it is, then I guess we have one to go?
Anyway, I do rue having seen this in Russian first. I mean, yes, I got to experience the joy that is Russian Fluttershy. (Seriously, her VA is fucking adorable, and apparently also voices Twilight, aka Iskorka or "Sparkle".) But given Cattail's design and where he lives -- sidenote: I'm glad they're doing something decent with the Hayseed Swamps/Neigh Orleans, see also Somepony to Watch Over Me -- I am dying to hear what he sounds like! Dude better be Cajun as fuck is all I'm saying. (Apparently he's voiced by Trenderhoof!)
Other than that, man, I had a great deal of fun watching this episode. A good turn for Fluttershy like she hasn't had recently (the digging just about killed me), higher stakes than anything we've seen outside of a two-parter or, like, Inspiration Manifestation, and a real turn of events for Zecora. I mean, she's always been the one you go to for healing! Physical, heal thyself. (Yes, I liked seeing her with wet mane.)
Oh yeah, and I love flash bees. They are the most hardcore motherfucking animals in Equestria, and they are cute as shit. Did you see the way that one cuddled with the mask? Just, "Hello, giant wooden beemom, I love you!" I want a dozen.
This was a solid episode. Good job, new writers! :D (Well, new-ish, they also did Flurry of Emotions.) I can't wait to hear it in English!
The Perfect Pear
A Royal Problem
A Health of Information
Parental Glideance
To Change a Changeling
Fame and Misfortune
Honest Apple
All Bottled Up
Daring Done?
Rock Solid Friendship
Forever Filly
A Flurry of Emotion
Triple Threat
Discordant Harmony
Campfire Tales
It Isn't the Mane Thing About You
Celestial Advice
Not Asking for Trouble
Hard to Say Anything
Fluttershy Leans In
You're in My Head Like a Catchy Song
Best Friends Until the End of Time
We're Not Flawless
Battle for Sugar Belle
I actually laughed out loud when the flash bees stung the shit out of Fluttershy! (Yes, I'm a bad person.)
Yep, Meadowbrook is a tie-in to the Legends of Magic comics, mask and all. Kinda cool that she's a "mage" even though she's an earth pony.
4672395
Okay, good. :) Also yes, holy shit, when's the last time we saw a pony being actually injured on-screen like that? D:
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Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise. Actual stabby stuff! Not to mention the body-horror of branches growing out of pony skulls!
I just wanna add that Russian is seriously the most beautiful language. Next in line is Japanese.
And Zecora with wet hair is the hecking best.
4672489
Don't talk to me about Russian. >:| I have studied Russian. Russian a shit.
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Well, you're certainly Russian to conclusions
what the what
And can I just, again, be extra super fricking salty about the fandom's mad dash for leaked episodes? Watching new pony on Saturday mornings is a ritual, people! Rituals have value! Abandoning that for the hedonic rush of getting new pone a few days early is like ripping open your Christmas presents the instant they're set down underneath the tree!
And aside from my umbrage on principle, having a steady rhythm to new content is useful for us as fan-creators. Fanfics take time to write, and it's useful to have the weekend to do that with rather than wrestling with work/school. Episode reaction videos, etc., take time to make, and being able to plan that on a regular schedule is a big boon for producers. Dropping two episodes in a week wrecks the rhythm of secondary content, too, and leads to some episodes getting overshadowed. And it leads to longer droughts without fresh pony — for example, when the Canadians were doubling up earlier this season, and everyone watched two episodes a week, it led to like a month when there wasn't anything new coming down the pike.
tl;dr Fuck everything about leaks.
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The only thing that has true value in this world is BUY OUR TOYS RECKONING
4672762
That this leak I don't think I ever would have watched an episode of pony in Russian, which was kind of a fun experience.
What I'm confused about is I think at the end during the credits the subtitles said they were from the episode script? How did the person who made the subtitles get the script?