{Episode Spoilers} Surf and/or Turf · 10:35pm Apr 24th, 2018
I have finally watched this episode. I put it off for a bit to write some more for my final papers which are coming along just fine. As well I'm not a big fan of the CMC. I have liked some of their episodes, but I don't believe I've ever really loved them. Maybe I'll look them over again, the ones I liked that is. Now for this episode I was actually pleasantly surprised. I really did like this one. I dare say I think this is the best this season has made thus far. That isn't saying much sadly. Since most of them have been 'meh' with the exception of The Maud Couple, but even then I felt that episode's opener was weak. This surpassed that one.
So the episode starts with the CMC being called to Twilight's castle because they were picked by the map for a friendship problem. Nice to see more of the map. I would question why it would pick the CMC, but it chose Spike once so anyone is fair game. So Twilight tags along since she needs Silverstream's parents to sign a permission slip for her brother so that he can go on field trips. While Twilight really doesn't do anything in this episode I did like the fact that the CMC weren't just allowed to go on this journey all the way out there on their own. Adult supervision is important and those three get in so much trouble.
So they go and intermingle with Terramar and the Hippogriffs. Said Hippogriffs are celebrating 'Proud to be a Hippogriff' Day.... That is simultaneously the worst name for a holiday as well as really forced when it comes to celebrating your heritage. It doesn't help that Terramar states this happens every weekend. So they have fun and Sweetie Belle falls in love with this musical green expanse near the city. Then they go to the seaponies who are honestly way more laid back then the Hippogriffs.
Before I go further, there is something I want to address. Apparently every Hippogriff and Seapony has a shard of the pearl with them so they can freely change their forms whenever they want. I wonder if that is literally what they are which makes me wonder how big was that pearl really since I doubt it could break into that many shards or were these stones just enchanted by that big Pearl of theirs. This isn't so much a problem but now that I know that the entire population has those things it just makes me think it would be easier for any villainous group to just snag some of these necklaces for whatever purpose they want. Just a thought.
I'm also surprised by how happy everyone is to see Twilight Sparkle. Pleasantly so. I had dreaded any sort of idea that the general population may have hated her for what happened in the movie. Given the events, Twilight was sort of justified to do it and won in the end despite the fact that the Seaponies (and I mean fucking Nova) was all too happy to just let Equestria rot.... So no, I find them to be cowards. I wouldn't trust them to plug up any military or such position because I know they'd run for the hills at the first sign of danger. I know this is unrelated, but talking about Nova just pisses me off. Anyways, it's nice that they all like her and it isn't made to be a big deal.
Lastly, I want to say that before the conflict arises, we get to see Silverstream and her brother's parents interact and honestly, they do seem to be amicable to each other. While they both seem to like to stay in their own world, they do seem to enjoy each other's company. So that was nice. The episode seems to have this undertone of a kid torn between two homes and between his parents, sort of like a divorce. If it was divorce, it was one that the duo seemed to leave as friends. Or I'm just reading too much into this and they just prefer to be one species.
So anyways, they visit the mother. The seaponies are much more chill and Ocean Flow is a great mother (milf). Though I have to wonder with names like hers, they were destined for the sea... did she change it? I mean, ponies have changed their names in the past so maybe she did when she decided to stay as a seapony.
While that's going on, a heartwarming spectacle happens when Scootaloo finds out that swimming as a seapony is like flying... I'm glad I kept myself calm or I'd have cried in the school's library when I saw that. Given her disability, this was an honestly nice scene that really did touch upon an aspect of Scootaloo the writer's don't often showcase. Between this and the separated parents, this is a pretty deep episode.
So then the trio has to help Terramar choose which place to live in because he feels he has to choose one and not the other. Cue Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo arguing and honestly, if I just listened to these two give their positives to their viewpoints, I'd choose Scootaloo. Don't get me wrong, I'd ultimately choose being on dry land but Scootaloo's examples and the general love and appreciation she has for her side really sells it. Sweetie Belle's reasons were honestly rather shallow and didn't really sell what she was trying to say. Also, she seem to be rather antagonistic about this choice. It wasn't a bad thing, but still. Sweetie wasn't sweet this episode.
So that goes nowhere except for having a catchy song. Then Twilight comes over and talks to the CMC as she explains and helps them see what they did wrong. Glad to see Twilight or any adult actually reasoning with the CMC in their own episodes. That often doesn't happen since most adults in their episodes are written as idiots or in the wrong.
So they come up with a plan to get Terramar to come back. This plan is having the hippogriffs and seaponies having a party of sorts. Honestly I'm surprised that this worked. Oh it's a good plan, but earlier in the episode, both sides eagerly greeted and intermingled. Of course this time it seems that they are changing too and from each form at whim so that does make it different, but still the impact isn't as strong as it could be. Terramar and their parents reconcile when they realize they may have unintentionally caused their son to doubt where he belonged. They have some cute family bonding and the episode is over. The CMC were successful in their first map mission.
So what did I think of this episode overall? Pretty good. It wasn't really that funny, aside from a few chuckle worthy gags. However I think that is a good thing. A few of the episodes thus far in the season seemed to be more concerned with being funny then they were with telling a story and thusly the stories took a hit. I'm glad this episode didn't suffer from that. The show has done both well together so I hope to see that more so in the future. As is, it was a pretty good episode and my favorite thus far in the season. I hope you all enjoyed it as well.
Thank you for another wonderful review Evo. I always like to read your opinion on things.
You know, that's a good point about the Hippogriffs being cowards. Remember when they threatened "retribution" in the Season 8 opener? I wish one of the other races had laughed in their face over this.
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They'd have run screaming the moment someone brought out a sword or the dragon's roared. The only one I'd wager would do anything is Princess Skystar since she seems like the only one with a spine and is willing to change. Let's just hope she can take charge of them soon enough and get them to at least stand their ground.
4847396 Well, what's interesting is that the Pearls are split up "between Kingdoms." To me that means the Hippogriffs and Seaponies might actually be splitting into different nations. If Novo is going to lead the Hippogriffs, perhaps Skystar is leading the Seaponies (she would never abandon Shelly and Sheldon below the ocean!)
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I still say having them for the entire population is a security risk but maybe over time they won't need them as much. As for Skystar, I honestly would wager she'd prefer to be a HIppogriff. She didn't seem to really enjoy being underwater and seemed to like being her Hippogriff self more. I see Nova staying underwater more so then her daughter. So perhaps Terramar or Silverstream will take over for their cousin as the leader of the Seaponies.
OK, three things: 1. Scootaloo has gone swimming before, in The Show Stoppers. Why is she making such a big deal about it here? 2. Does this mean you don't think the whole thing was an Idiot Plot? After all, the whole conflict would have been resolved if Sky Beak and Ocean Flow just told Terramar there was no pressure in choosing and that he could live on both land and sea at the beginning, or if Terramar had told them he thought he was supposed to choose. 3. How come it didn't bother you that we weren't told what the legend of the Harmonizing Heights?
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1: Yes she has, but she has never had the versatility a seapony has underwater. There is a big difference in, say, how well a horse can swim compared to a dolphin.
2: No it was not an idiot ball. Neither of the parents thought Terramar had a problem with how things were and Terramar was too nervous to say anything. He is a kid and his parents didn't pick up on anything since he hid it from them.
3: You mean for a place that didn't pop up until now and hearing about the legend wasn't needed for plot reasons or important to the story till this episode? No, it didn't bother me.
I really enjoyed this episode.
PS. Terramar is named after a neighborhood in Carlsbad, California.