Friendship is Card Games: Summertime Shorts, Part 2 · 12:39pm Nov 12th, 2017
Hello all. Before I begin the back half of the Summertime Shorts, I must apologize for missing one of the better Easter eggs, not just in Equestria Girls but perhaps in all of G4: Sunset uses Mane ’n Tail shampoo.
Having atoned for that omission, I can begin this blog with a clean, silky, and full-bodied conscience.
Or the short that showed us that the Vinyl ex machina at the end of Rainbow Rocks led to a lasting friendship between her and Applejack.
At first blush, it’s rather odd to see Applejack having any kind of summer job at the mall. Summer isn’t exactly a quiet period for the average farm, and the latest batch of shorts shows that it’s a big enough operation to have at least one pig to its name.
On the other hand, if you think back to “Dance Magic,” you realize that this isn’t just any smoothie stand. This is likely the Aunt Orange smoothie stand. It may just be a brand name, or it could be a case of good, old-fashioned Apple Family nepotism.
That said, you know it’s bad when Applejack is complaining about the same old same old while chopping apples.
So, who else wants to see Applejack get a job as a bartender in college? She certainly has the trick pouring down, she’s got a sympathetic ear, and with her amulet, she can be her own bouncer.
I’m not sure how well the ponytail-accommodating hairnet works, but I do like the design.
What exactly is that grass, anyway? I’m assuming it’s human edible, though it may just be some kind of botanical fiber supplement.
Apparently this is one of those food court kiosks where you just take whatever’s on tap for today rather than ordering… and has dance club lighting.
Applejack, have you been delving into party person transcendence?
This was fun, but there’s not a lot to comment on. It’s too repetitious.
Ah, art class… or possibly a club, given that Apple Bloom’s there.
“Are you sure that these are the creative juices?”
And then Granny Smith had a flashback to the seventies.
Yeah, Pinkie doesn’t seem like the meditative type. Not conventional meditation, anyway. Zen baking seems more her speed.
Three species of birds sharing a nest. Hey, if they’re all consenting adults, I’m not judging.
Oh dear, she’s gone rogue again. Though it’s weird that Pinkie can get this into the groove without transforming. The Rainbooms have clearly formed; she’s using their drum set in her quest for inspiration. To say nothing of the bucket solo that registers on the Richter scale. Earth ponies. Go figure.
Sunset painting something that aspires towards the sun, that follows it and emulates its form. I’m sure there’s no deeper meaning we can read into that.
And this why you shouldn’t let Pinkie within arms reach of open buckets of anything.
Hmm. Sunpie. A rather underutilized ship; not sure how I feel about it. It doesn’t have the same interaction between sanity wavelengths that I like about Twinkie.
So, was anyone else expecting the Sunset portrait to wink when the camera panned to it at the end?
Nice bit of Pinkie antics, this, with Sunset acting as a fine straight man.
I’ll be honest, I’m not buying this abbreviation for the human CMC. After all, the first time we see them, they aren’t planning a trip to the cinema, they’re trying to become Internet celebrities. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve stuck with the acronym and have gone through dozens of different meanings for it.
I have the distinct sense that Scootaloo has memorized Rainbow Dash’s every appearance in the Daring Do movie. And she may have been kicked out of the theater the first time she saw her idol on the big screen.
“Thank jellybeans you three are here!”
This could just be Pinkie being Pinkie, but if anyone’s going to actually worship candy…
I do like the fluid motion on Apple Bloom during her “Are you thinkin’ what I’m thinkin’?” moment.
Nice reaction by Pinkie with the dramatic lighting.
“Yeah. I just ate a piece of popcorn. You gonna do something about it?” Sweetie’s refuge in audacity is amazing. And appropriate, given who the CMC are working for at the moment.
Do I even want to know how Gummy ended up in the crane game? I suspect he works similarly to Boulder.
Many have commented on it, but this is the most generous crane game ever made. Has there ever been one that offers multiple tries in one play?
Stay on target. Stay on target…
Okay, so Ahuizotl is a thing in the human version of Daring Do—implied by “Dance Magic,” but we never got the name—but why is he kidnapping animals?
Perhaps the most data we’ve gotten on the human Crusaders. I am curious to see what they make of themselves in world where destiny is a lot less heavy-handed.
I do like how the title card font is straight-up admitting that Daring Do is pony (and technicolor human) Indiana Jones. You know, aside from actual pony Indiana Jones, who we saw in “Shadow Play.”
Dash’s room isn’t quite how I imagined it. There’s much less clutter. Heck, you can see the floor. Still, nice cloud wallpaper.
Ah, we get to see the Doomed Diadem of Xilati. Though I do wonder who this Slingshot fellow is, beyond one of Wheely Bopper’s relatives.
I do love the visuals on the animal monoliths. (Polyliths?)
I’m not sure I want to know how Dash got on top of her dresser.
Hmm. Seems like this one takes place very shortly before the girls go into the theater in “Movie Magic.” Sunset’s probably taking Starlight to the mall at the same time.
Nice demonstration of the parallel between the Dashes. One can only imagine what the pony one gets up to while reading Daring Do novels.
The only music video in the batch with a spoken dialogue framing device. A bit odd.
Even more odd is that the Rainbooms are apparently going on tour. To where? Where are they performing? How will people react to the magical part of the performance? A lot of questions that the short can’t and won’t address here.
This culture has the concept of miracles. Not guaranteed.
Also, Twilight’s blueprints incorporate the girls’ cutie marks, which continues to make me wonder how the blasted things work in this universe.
I love Big Mac leaning in for his thumbs up after the girls freeze in place during their “Yeah!” jump.
Very nice reuse of the welder Sunset asset from Friendship Games. And of the girls using their powers to expedite the bus renovation in general.
Ugh. The Nineties called. They want their gratuitous rap back.
Where’d they get the hood ornament? I know I could ask that question of a lot of the supplies that went into the reconstruction, but that stands out in my mind.
And Big Mac is entirely accustomed to the girls in their ponied-up forms. Not too surprising; they haven’t exactly been keeping the horse magic a secret.
Aside from someone thinking that Rainbow Dash rapping is still a good idea, this was fun. Though I do want to know more about the tour.
Hmm. Rara’s a music star in this world. I wonder if Applejack still went to summer camp with her.
Also, wouldn’t the photographer had to have started taking pictures of Coloratura before she nearly broke her neck to get that first one?
“Just imagine having your most embarrassing moment broadcast for all the world to see.”
This isn’t conclusive, but I’m going to choose to interpret it as evidence that the Anon-a-Miss debacle never happened. After all, if it had, everyone but Twilight wouldn’t need to imagine that scenario, and Sunset almost certainly wouldn’t be the one to bring it up. (Of course, Crystal Prep being what it was, this may have happened to Twilight anyway.)
Impressive. The chemical splatter almost completely missed the safety goggles.
A look at the Apples’ kitchen, which is pretty much how you’d expect it. Also, Pinkie apparently wears mascara.
Dash’s summer job seems entirely appropriate, both in terms of her having one and where she’s working. Interesting how theres a rainbow trim on the store.
Also, fun fact, they changed a bit between the broadcast and YouTube versions of this scene. Only in the latter does Dash take a ball to the face.
Hmm. No geode in sight, so Fluttershy didn’t know what these birds were planning. Still, interesting to see that they were comfortable enough around her to do what they did.
Huh. Lyra has a dog. A dog who apparently has very discerning taste when it comes to hairstyles.
Wow. Multifail from Rarity’s obliviousness. Next time, Sunset, just text her.
It’s funny. Saying “epic fail” like that is something of a failure on the part of the writers… but then we hit the Morissette Conundrum: Was that metafailure intentional? (So named because the song Irony ironically contains no valid examples of irony.)
All told, fun little montage.
That is an amazing design for a retro diner. There anything like that in the real world? It feels familiar.
Also, exterior shot of the Canterlot Mall. Another useful datum to have, especially since it helps emphasize how often the horseshoe shape occurs in this culture.
I can think of no better summer job for Pinkie than 50’s diner roller waitress.
Oh boy. Shipper on deck. At least Pinkie can’t lace anything with love poison… I assume.
Don’t try to pair them based on what you like, Pinkie. Try to pair up two Sci-Twis.
I adore how the chef is just trying to do his job during all of these shenanigans. That he eventually joins in only makes it better.
I love Pinkie’s face just before the explosion. “Oh right. I can do that. I have made a terrible mistake.”
Suitably for a Pinkie-focused music video, this is pure fun. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a huge sucker for this musical genre.
The use of color saturation in this one is brilliant, showcasing the power of good inspiring good.
Trixie may not have horse magic, but she’s clearly packing some kind of supernatural potency. That or she’d kidnapped Angel for her own fell purposes.
Very interesting to see Pinkie’s powers interact with life. While Bulk’s hair gets vaporized, his scalp is merely singed. I don’t think Pinkie’s explosions can actually harm living matter. At the very least, any damage is greatly reduced.
I’m not sure what I like more, Twilight as tech support or her circuitry-themed outfit. Knowing Twilight, she’s probably made it into actual wearable computers.
Don’t think the telekinesis was really necessary there, Twilight, but that’s your choice.
Rarity. Now Rarity is a curiosity. After all, she seems to have a full-time position based on “Life is a Runway.” A full-time position that isn’t in this mall. Nor does it seem to be in later shorts. I’m really not sure what to make of what’s going on there, though the mystery did make for good story fodder in After a Fashion.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that canoe isn’t going to help with moviegoing.
And then Sunset Sushi was canon. Didn’t see that coming, even after the food truck toy.
And I do like her reaction as she leaves work. “Great. Raw fish for lunch. Again. Woooo.”
I have absolutely no issue with Sunset completing the cycle with Flash. Heck, it’s nice to see something unambiguously nice happen for the guy. Plus, the message of the song—and the fact there’s a message is in itself an unexpected bonus—is on point: Be good to one another. The positivity can spread further than you may ever know or expect.
All told, these were a lot of fun. The next batch is in progress, but I plan on tackling what’s there. There should be enough for one or two weeks before I return to the comics. For now, let’s see what the last taste of summer for the year has to offer:
“Good Vibes” 1W
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Good Vibes”.
1W, Sacrifice “Good Vibes”: Bolster 1 X times, where X is the number of verse counters on “Good Vibes”. (To bolster 1, choose a creature you control with the least toughness among creatures you control and put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Avian Aspirant 2W
Creature — Human Druid
As long as you control a Bird, Avian Aspirant gets +1/+1 and has flying.
Humans have longed for the sky ever since they first saw birds in flight. Some tried the most obvious approach.
2/2
Nest Crown 2W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When Nest Crown enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Bird creature token with flying.
Whenever enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, populate. (Create a token that's a copy of a creature token you control.)
Tech Support 2WW
Creature — Human Artificer
Flash
When Tech Support enters the battlefield, return to the battlefield all artifact cards in your graveyard that were put there from the battlefield this turn.
”That’s why you always make backups.”
2/3
Divine Restoration 4WW
Sorcery
Return target permanent card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Miracle 1W (You may cast this card for its miracle cost when you draw it if it's the first card you drew this turn.)
Everything deserves a second chance.
Seal of Failure 1U
Enchantment
Sacrifice Seal of Failure: Return target spell or creature to its owner’s hand.
”I am the critic, the measurer who finds all wanting.”
—Seal inscription
Ringtone Parrot 1U
Creature — Bird
Flying
Metalcraft — When Ringtone Parrot enters the battlefield, if you control three or more artifacts, scry 3. (Look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)
1/2
Lab Partner 3U
Creature — Human Citizen
Soulbond (You may pair this creature with another unpaired creature when either enters the battlefield. They remain paired for as long as you control both of them.)
At the beginning of your draw step, if Lab Partner is paired with a creature, draw an additional card.
1/4
Chakra Imbalance 2B
Enchantment
Whenever a creature becomes untapped, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
Yoga is a way to bring oneself into inner harmony… or to nearly break one’s neck.
Mortal Peril 2B
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
When a creature dies, enchanted creature’s controller sacrifices it.
Any good story needs high stakes.
Garbage Fumes XB
Instant
Delve (Each card you exile from your graveyard while casting this spell pays for 1.)
Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn.
”Humans are nearly nose-blind, but some things still come through all too well.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
“Get the Show on the Road” 1R
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Get the Show on the Road”.
1R, Sacrifice “Get the Show on the Road”: Creatures you control get +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the number of verse counters on “Get the Show on the Road”. If X isn’t 0, until end of turn, noncreature Vehicles you control become artifact creatures and get +X/+0.
Building Steam 2R
Enchantment
Whenever you attack with one or more creatures, put a momentum counter on Building Steam.
Attacking creatures you control get +1/+0 for each momentum counter on Building Steam.
At the beginning of your end step, if you didn’t attack with a creature this turn, remove all momentum counters from Building Steam.
“Shake Thing Up!” 2RR
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Shake Things Up!”
RRR, Sacrifice “Shake Things Up!”: Each player puts X permanents he or she owns on the bottom of his or her library, reveals the top X cards of that library, puts all permanent cards revealed this way onto the battlefield, and puts the rest on the bottom of that library, where X is the number of verse counters on “Shake Things Up!”
“Coinky-Dink World” 3R
Enchantment — Song
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a verse counter on “Coinky-Dink World”.
2RR, Sacrifice “Coinky-Dink World”: Repeat the following process X times, where X is the number of verse counters on “Coinky-Dink World”. Draw three cards, then discard two cards at random. If two cards that share a card type are discarded this way, “Coinky-Dink World” deals 2 damage to each opponent.
Ground Pounder 3R
Creature — Human Band
Finale — Whenever you sacrifice a Song, Ground Pounder deals 2 damage to each creature without flying.
The world is her drum set.
2/3
Caloric Overload 4RR
Sorcery
Kicker 2B (You may pay an additional 2B as you cast this spell.)
If Caloric Overload was kicked, it has lifelink.
Caloric Overload deals damage to each player equal to half that player’s life total, rounded down.
Pinkie’s still perfecting her fried ice cream recipe.
Squirrel Guide G
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
When enchanted creature dies, create a 1/1 green Squirrel creature token.
Druidic traditions adapt surprisingly well to suburbia.
Onward to Adventure 2G
Enchantment
At the beginning of your upkeep, target creature you control explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
Smoothie Mixmistress 2G
Creature — Human Band
Finale — Whenever you sacrifice a Song, distribute two +1/+1 counters among one or two target creatures.
The customer is always right, but she only has an audience.
1/2
Howler Troop 4G
Creature — Monkey
Flash
When Howler Troop enters the battlefield, untap all creatures you control.
Their ear-piercing shrieks make a more effective alarm system than anything civilization can create.
3/3
Raccoon Gaze Trap 5GG
Instant — Trap
If an opponent activated an ability of an artifact that wasn’t a mana ability this turn, you may pay 2G rather than pay Raccoon Gaze Trap’s mana cost.
Create three 2/2 green Beast creature tokens.
Creative Juices XG
Instant
You gain X life.
Draw a card.
”If you want destructive juices, you’ll need to ask Rarity’s little sister.”
—Applejack
Salvaged Wreck 4
Artifact — Vehicle
Tap any number of untapped creatures you control with total power 6 or greater: Transform Salvaged Wreck.
Crew 3 (Tap any number of creatures with total power 3 or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)
4/5
Rainbooms’ Tour Bus
Artifact — Vehicle
When this artifact transforms into Rainbooms’ Tour Bus, it becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.
Menace, trample, vigilance
Crew 4
7/8
Virtuous Cycle 3GWU
Enchantment
Whenever you cast a spell, you draw a card, gain 1 life, and may untap up to one target land you control.
Positivity feeds upon itself, spiraling outward in an uplifting wave of benevolence.
Volcano Fortress
Land
T: Add C to your mana pool.
T: Add B to your mana pool. If you played a land this turn, add R to your mana pool instead.
The perfect lair for the mastermind who can think around both meddling heroes and periodic eruptions.
Slingshot is -- and I could find this out by looking up my review of the Daring Do books, but that is just so hard -- either one of Caballeron's goons or, more likely, part of the gang Daring Do fought at the beginning of... Whatever book it was she fought a gang. <.< He's actually from the books, is what I'm saying.
The simplest explanation is that she works for a business with multiple locations.
Most of the ones I've seen are for candy and rather clearly labeled "Play 'till you win!"
👨⚕️ The injury seems to be a rather severe burn.
Thinking about the whole Canterlot Movie Club, considering who we're dealing with I can totally imagine that the CMC will watch a movie and then try out something cool that they saw in that movie.
Art is an elective, and electives are generally not grade-specific. I took electives as a freshman with seniors in the same class.
It looks like a very pastel version of a blend of Johnny Rocket's and Denny's, with a little bit of Hard Rock Cafe and Sonic Drive-Thru thrown in for good measure. Basically, every American diner that pays homage to the 50s, but with a heavy layer of pastels laid over the top.
4723665
I figured as much. I probably should read those books, if only so I'll understand all of G. M. Berrow's references to them.
4723672
Not really. That just leads to the question of why a single sales associate is getting shuffled between multiple locations in rapid succession.
4723700
Huh. Can't say I've ever seen one of those generous candy claws.
And with Sweetie Belle, the question you have to ask about juice burns is whether they're thermal or chemical.
4723705
I would hope that by fourteen, they have a stronger grasp on reality than that... but we see what they get up to in the short. How many bones do you think they've broken by this point?
4723721
Good point about the electives; I'd forgotten about that despite having been in the opposite situation. (I had to fill my senior year schedule and drama seemed fun. Which it was.)
As for the restaurant, again, good points. I can definitely see the Johnny Rockets influence. Really, I was just wondering if this world was blessed with a restaurant with a giant pink Cadillac lodged in it...
Thanks for jogging my memory.
And only now do I recall the Hard Rock Cafe in Disney World. Wow, I really spaced on that one.
4723773
Drama seniors are awesome, because they're just so chill and don't give a fuck. Drama's an easy A so they can just sit around being the biggest, craziest turds the whole hour. Had this one senior in my drama class (when I was either a freshman or sophomore, I forget which) who was so totally chill and into alt rock and college rock--he's how I got into those things in the first place actually. Come to think of it, my brief interactions with that one really cool, chill dude had a profound influence on my life that's lasted to this day... O_o;;
Diners are kind of a thing in the Baltimore area (see also: the Barry Levinson movie Diner (my dad was an extra in it.)) There's a local chain called The Double T Diner that's pretty awesome. I don't think there's one in the city, but they aren't far outside. I had breakfast with my sister at this one before Sunday BronyCon last year:
doubletdiner.com/restaurants/images/diner_ellicottcity.jpg
Also:
I assumed it was lemongrass. I think that's pretty common in fancy smoothies.
I'm all for bartender Applejack.
Excuse me for a moment while I pick up the blown pieces of my mind after reading "Coinky-Dink World." If printed, this card would go down as one of the beautiful meta-chaotic red cards like unto Warp World.
I am a little disappointed you did not take the chance to use "mare" instead of "man" here, since Sunset is the only one you could really apply it to.
I like Seal of Failure, but I like any card that gets around "can't be countered" clauses on spells.
I feel that “Coinky-Dink World” should read "If two cards that share a card type are discarded at the same time this way" so you only have to track the two cards as they are discarded and not all discards. Though I think if you word it that way it'd deal 2 damage every time a matching set was discarded which is a bit more powerfull but still within range of the cost (both in mana and in the random discard).
I kinda want Virtuous Cycle to be an "I help everyone!" card. Cost it at just GWU and be "whenever a player casts a spell" and "that player" so everyone can enjoy the good vibes.
You didn't mention the most important thing about the "Coinky-Dink World" song: it is the most tenacious ear worm in all of G4. Seriously, you listen to it once and it's still in your head five days later.
4723672
4723773
Actually it looks like Rarity was debuting her clothing line, or just a clothing line and it looks like it wasn't going well till Miss Scratch showed up.
Is "Get This Show On The Road" intended to give vehicles that are already creatures +X/+0 twice, or am I misinterpreting?
I mean, it's not that different, but it is an easily missed perk.
5091520
Sadly, it specifically calls out noncreature Vehicles for the second part.
I'm surprised nobody mentioned the visual pun on "drop the beat [beet]" in "Shake Things Up!"
Perhaps the reason she didn't pony up is that this was Equestrian Pinkie doing a swap with her human counterpart. She gets into drumming, too, but it's not her thing in the same way.