Pre-Season Wrap-Up (Pre-Season Wrap-Up), Let's Break Out Our Usual Jeer

Kinda messed up the cadence with that extra syllable up there. Anyway, season 7 is almost over, and with it just being the finale left, I figure I'll save on writing/reading effort and post up my reviews of the episodes I hadn't covered yet in my last review post and cover the finale in a separate post. Got that? Swell. Now, on to ramblings delivered straight from my brain to your eye holes. Enjoy!

Composaurus Stevex's Episode Reviews

Health of Information: You know, I've been noticing a lot more bloom effects in a lot of these establishing shots. Showing off that fancy cinematic budget a bit early, Hasbronies? Anyway, I do recall some commenters pointing out how off it was that there was a disease that Zecora didn't know about, considering that she lives, you know, IN THE MIDDLE OF A DISEASE-RIDDLED NIGHTMARESCAPE. And what's more, that it's a modern age doctor who tells her this. Isn't it usually the other way around, like with Poison Joke? Ignoring that, this episode was... okay no, I can't ignore something like that. I mean, seriously, why do the show makers keep hamstringing up these established characters to make the others look good? I'll coin this as the Dumb Rainbow Effect from now on; it's seriously gotten to that point! Still, not to dwell on it much longer, this was a rather wonky way to present a "don't overwork yourself" episode. Did it really have to be so high stakes? And again, why did Zecora have to be the victim here, instead of someone more likely to get afflicted by a disease they know nothing about? And there I go again. On positives: at least this wasn't another Starlight episode. And Twilight having to deal with a more assertive, stubborn Fluttershy was amusing. A fairly okay episode, but again the thing with Zecora ruins a lot for me. No doubt I'll be yelling about it at random in future reviews. Perhaps I'll finally let go of my beef over Rainbow Dash trying to SABOTAGE WINTER ARE YOU KIDDING ME HOLY S*** SHOW MAKERS HOW COULD YOU LET CINDY MORROW GET AWAY WITH THAT BULLS***? WHOEVER WAS IN CHARGE OF PROOFREADING THAT DAY WHAT WERE YOU THINKING GAAAAAH THAT'S SERIOUSLY MY BAT CREDIT CARD YOU B****RDS NOOO NO DOES NOT COMPUTE DOES NOT COMPUTE!!!

On a side note, why couldn't we have an episode about Twilight and Spike having a bake off, a plain slice-of-life story for characterization? It'd have been a golden opportunity to show the development between the pseudo-siblings, showing an aspect of Spike that's actually matured in, putting him in the position of mentor for a change. Those kinds of episodes contain a kind of heart that makes the show special, like the surprise empathy toward Big Mac in Brotherhooves Social.

Crisp Rat (nuff said): I find it kind of odd how casually the CMC just refer to their clients as Blank Flanks. Wasn't that a term of insult made up by (former) Little Queen Bitchenza and her handmaiden the (former) Bitchess of Smugton? Or is this one of those cases where they reuse a derogatory word as one of pride/identity? Also, is no one questioning the soundness of having a daycamp run by three kids who aren't even in middle school, with NO adult supervision whatsoever? Oh wait, silly me, they're adults now because they have their Cutie Marks. THAT'S HOW LOGIC WORKS IN THIS UNIVERSE, RIGHT??

Gotta say, a well done douchey song about wandering aimlessly in your life rather than be tied down to stability and stagnation. I say douchey because in context, Rumble is dismantling a simple daycamp run by kids because of his own insecurities, the little turd. Then again, he himself is just a kid who hasn't learned to see the big picture yet, so I can't be too hard on him. Though it would have been amazing if this was what led to the founding of Sunny Town; oh the good times to be had there, muahahahaha!

Sadly we don't get that outcome. Instead, we get an okay episode with a good lesson about being able to try out things other than what you're good at. Yeah the changes in Rumble's and Thunderlane's voices were weird, but I got used to them, and they make a good pair of brothers. Although, the early parts of this episode made me think of the story Ordem e Progresso, which dealt with the concerns of being stuck in a mandated lifestyle you don't want and never asked for. Course, that was long before this episode came around to say that having a Cutie Mark is nowhere as deadset and restrictive as earlier believed. Then again, there was that whole botched moral from the finale of season 3 about not having your right Cutie Mark, soooooooooooo... fudge. Anyway, I'd still recommend reading that story if you never have. Good characterization and personal drama at the very least.

Once Upon a Midnight Dreary: Ah, thank you, show makers! Give the dragon boy a backbone for once yes you did you did. The episode itself: pretty great, to be honest. Just the kind of slice-of-life story I dig, and focused squarely on the Sparkle family at that! Hot diggity dandy, how long was it that I've been wanting an episode like this where we learn the family nuances, and the dynamic shared by everyone, including Shining and Cadance? Great fleshing out of their interactions, real simple and natural. Odd to have Iron Will come back, but it's amusing for him to be the pilot of a zeppelin. Also holy crap we actually get to spend time on one of those things; I think the only time we saw one was way back in season two during one of Rarity's montages. A delight all around.

Secrets and Pies: "Going through a lot of trouble for Rainbow Dash's pie." Ohhh boy, the innuendoes the internet will have at with that one (well, really just the one, but you know what I mean. Or do you?). Anyway, what fresh insanity is all this? Is this supposed to be the next "Party of One"? Why was everyone going along with Pinkie's investigation? Why does Pinkie have to wait so long to outright confront Dash about her lying? Why was Twilight there? Why is this giving me serious fanfiction vibes??? Well, probably because of the whole "fresh insanity" thing: everyone is so over-exaggerated and goofy, especially in the case of Pinkie's rendition of Evil Dash. Nothing terrible; just a dumb fun little sideshow of Pinkie's zaniness and a chance for the writer(s) to just focus on comedy. Side note: PINKIEDASH CONFIRMED!!

Uncommon Bonds: Okay whoa whoa whoa whoa that whole time-manipulation spell really took a turn for the creepy I mean holy sheesh. You got nothing in common with your childhood friend so REVERT YOURSELVES BACK TO CHILDHOOD SO YOU CAN BE GREAT FRIENDS AGAIN?? Jesus that's some messed up mental Baby Doll s*** right there. Other comments about this episode: jeez, Sunburst, how tactless are you in constantly brushing off Starlight all the time? I mean sure she's Starlight, but still, very rude. It was cool though seeing how he interacted with Starlight's ensemble of friends; always great seeing these new dynamics pop up, especially with Maud. The montages of them doing things together got repetitive; those things usually only work once per episode. Apart from that age reversion thing, a cute little ending. Now, what's in that moldy old book?

...We'll find that out when the finale premieres and I watch it. Until next time faithful readers, stay spooky!