Uncommon Bond review

This may come as a shock to most of you, but this episode.....

GOT ME TO RELATE TO STARLIGHT GLIMMER!!

DUN

DUN

DUUUUUNNN

If that didn't scare you off, allow me to explain.

Starlight was expecting to have a good time with Sunburst, who is visiting Ponyville in this episode. For as much Starlight bragged about how she and Sunburst are two peas in a pod and have a lot in common, once he arrives the first thing he wants to do is go antiquing. Something that Starlight isn't interested in, but tries to pretend she does.
When they come across Twilight, who also likes antiquing, Sunburst and Twilight start to bond over their common interest. Starlight however, feels very left out. Starlight ended up finding a game that her and Sunburst used to love when they were kids called Dragon Pit which they end up playing for a bit... remember this for later.
The next day, she tries to hang out with him alone, only to find Trixie nearby. Soon enough, Trixie realizes that Sunburst shares a lot in common with her. Much to Starlight's chagrin.
Later, Starlight and Sunburst end up meeting by the Mirror Pool (from Too Many Pinkie Pies), suggesting that they use it. They don't. But they do come across Maud Pie, who tells them the cavern is connected to hers. Huh.
Sunburst bonds with Maud, sharing common interests... Same thing as before.
Rather than stick around, Starlight goes back to the castle. She tells Twilight that Sunburst seems to have more in common with her friends than her. When Twilight reminds her that they both like magic, Starlight gets and idea.
Considering this is Starlight, you probably know what she intends on doing: using magic to try to solve her problem. Her way of using magic here is... a little off putting. She transforms Sunburst and herself as foals in their old childhood home... to play Dragon Pit like they used to. Just be thankful that's the only reason. *shudders*
Sunburst lashes out that he doesn't want to play, and Starlight undoes the spell. She runs off after telling them that she just wanted to do the one thing she and Sunburst had in common.
Sunburst consults with Twilight on the situation and claims, even though he gets along well with Starlight's friends, they still have plenty in common. He goes to Trixie and Maud, asking them what they have in common with Starlight. He learns that he doesn't have same things in common with Starlight that they do, like how her and Trixie had troubled pasts and Maud's shared feelings about being different from others.
Sunburst gets an idea to show that he Starlight are still friends and still have something in common: by making a giant-sized version of Dragon Pit. She's touched by the gesture and joins in.
In the end, everypony sees Sunburst as Starlight delivers the message of the episode: It doesn't matter what you have in common with friends, as long as you both enjoy each other's company.
Also, the end teases us with the final two episodes. I don't need to say anything more.

So, now to answer why I relate to Starlight in this episode: I know what it's like to feel left out whenever a friend has something in common with someone you know. More times than I can admit. From her expressions to her movements, it's like I was looking in a mirror. No episode has done something like that since Amending Fences, my favorite episode of this show.

In conclusion, since this review was a long one, this is without a shadow of a doubt my favorite episode this season. At first I thought The Perfect Pear would be it for sure, but nope. This episode came along and changed that.

9/10 Great

Note: The music that plays in the montages sounded an awful lot like this song: