Friendship is Card Games: For the Pony Who Has Everything and Friends Forever #32 · 10:55am Jul 15th, 2018
Be advised, there may be a new episode coming this Friday at 2 PM. It’s clear that Discovery Family’s “Summer Surprises” is code for “lol what’s regular, predictable scheduling.” On a similar note, today’s comic took me off-guard during my scheduling.
See, the main comic line’s fiftieth issue was a forty-page spectacular that didn’t just wrap up the Accord storyline, but also threw in a whole other half-issue tale. Which, of course, lies directly between the middle of two three-issue storylines. Thank goodness there are still plenty of spinoff issues I can use to supplement it.
Now if only they didn’t both have art by Jay Fosgitt…
For the Pony Who Has Everything
To be fair, Discord works quite well in Fosgitt’s style. “Off-model” is hardly a concern for the avatar of chaos itself.
That said, it feels really weird to see Dash and Twilight pressing their packages between all four hooves. It works and it’s adorable to boot, but it’s like I’m looking at pony-shaped delivery drones made through some surreal partnership between Amazon and Hofvarpnir Studios. (Satisfying your values through friendship, ponies, and Prime membership!)
So… is this the first time the Bearers have been invited to Celestia’s birthday or what? Genuinely curious here, because either way, it leads to some interesting questions.
Genuinely fantastic character moment with Fluttershy posing an irresistible challenge to Discord. Especially the resulting Fluttersmug.
I see Sugarcube Corner has become Celestia’s personal choice for truly important baked goods. If the place wasn’t flooded with orders from Canterlot before she named it before a crowd of hundreds, it sure will be now.
Oh hey, continuity from the Luna/CMC Friends Forever issue… though I have several questions about this alleged griffon kingdom and its relationship with Griffonstone.
I also have questions about Twilight’s continuing interaction with dragons. I wonder if Ember called her in to resolve the matter in a way that didn’t involve immolation.
The birthday girl didn’t get the first slice of cake? That’s just wrong.
Took me a bit to realize that the magenta lumps in the left panel seen here were meant to be evening clouds and not a raspberry ice cream soda or the shoggoths Celestia invited from the South Pole. I suppose she’s shouting these goodbyes from her personal balcony.
“Is that me?” Do you know another alicorn with those proportions, Tia?
Discord, I know you’re new to this, but loading a gift with knockout gas is generally considered poor taste.
If I were Celestia, my first thought here would be that Luna took over raising the sun for me for today. Of course, if I were Celestia, Equestria would probably be unrecognizable, so there we are. 
When did Discord steal Celestia’s magic before? It might have happened before she and Luna first vanquished him, but I have the feeling that the comic is trying to blame him for Tirek’s actions. (And, of course, there’s the issue of Celestia charging at him with horn aglow when he’s apparently sealed her magic in the music box, to say nothing of her later flying, but this is Discord we’re talking about. One must take everything he says with a lick of salt. Which is to say several pounds of it.)
“[Your magic is] stored in the box for the next twenty-four hours. At the stroke of midnight tonight, you’ll get it all back.”
So, given that, we have five options:
• Equestrian days are significantly longer than twenty-four hours.
• It is currently midnight despite the sun being up.
• Discord doesn’t know how long days are normally.
• Discord doesn’t care how long days are normally.
• Jeremy Whitley doesn’t know how long days are normally and the editors are hacks.
I leave the conclusion to the reader.
I like both the “it only works if you want it to” failsafe—assuming Discord’s telling the truth—and how the other princesses are taking up the slack. We may joke about Celestia’s delegation skills when it comes to crises, but for everything else? She had a millennium of ruling alone to develop a habit of taking on everything by herself. It makes sense that she’s still adjusting to the idea of having others at the top with her.
“Being rude is fun!” There’s a great lesson for any impressionable minds reading this issue.
A story of Celestia disguised as a pegasus and walking among her subjects unnoticed is inevitably going to draw comparisons to Sunny Skies All Day Long. Discord forcing a day off on her is certainly a good way to distance the comic from the fandom classic, though her being the one to pick Ponyville brings it closer again.
A lightbulb and an electrical cord for cutie marks. If anyone asks, they’re electricians.
Very Discord take on consequences, giving no thought to the consequences anonymous pranks might have on the pranked. He’s still very much a work in progress.
Also, does the talk of cutting Rarity’s mane qualify as foreshadowing?
Pretty sure Celestia was about to say “my little pony.” She’s really not good at this whole “incognito” thing, is she?
“Listen, I’m the lord of chaos and I don’t understand Pinkie Pie.”
This pleases me. Though I am curious about the capitalization on the title.
Sigh. Fosgitt was doing so well with keeping things largely quadrupedal, and then we got that parade.
“Y’uns.” ”Y’uns.” I can honestly say that I have neither heard nor seen Applejack utter anything that could be represented as “y’uns.”
Hey, if Rarity can manage a one-apple buck, I can see Celestia managing it on a slip-up. (Also, her falling in the mud at Sweet Apple Acres isn’t helping the Sunny Skies comparisons either…)
“My back has needed to pop for centuries!”
Really not good at the whole “incognito” thing.
The bit with Dash has me very confused. As far as I can tell, they were apparently doing stunt flying inside? Or at least in the Elemental Plane of Brown. Either way, Celestia somehow ended up embedded in a ceiling… and pushing her up through that ceiling resulted in her falling onto Carousel Boutique’s inexplicably brown show floor. Pretty sure this is Fosgitt mangling what was supposed to be Celestia impacting the Boutique’s roof from outside.
And where’d that pink shirt come from? It just inexplicably appeared between the literal bear hug and talking to Dash.
Self-care is essential, and Discord is well-qualified to teach that sort of lesson.
We’ve seen Discord handle the actual sun before. Why bother with the lava monsters? And where’s the actual sun?
This was a nice little side story that paired well with Discord’s triumphant return, though it does fall prey to some classic fanfic cliches, especially a character going to Ponyville and meeting each of the Mane Six in quick succession (except Twilight, who was accounted for earlier.) No surprise given its resemblance to Sunny Skies. And that one moment of warped spacetime was a pretty major stumbling block.
Friends Forever #32: Fluttershy & Daring Do
Oh, Fluttershy. You’d think by now she’d have learned that adventures don’t come according to anyone’s schedule.
Also, wow, the bipedalism is out in ridiculously full force in these first few pages.
On the one hand, Daring just leaping into somepony else’s house and drinking their tea is more than a little rude (to say nothing of the absurdity of walking about as Daring in the literal middle of Equestria. Cosplay doesn’t make for a good excuse outside of a convention.) On the other, at least she rinsed out the teacup afterwards.
I suppose Daring doesn’t recall Fluttershy from the time they first met. Which actually does make sense; between the fangirl, the alicorn, and the whole Rings of Scorchero situation, I can see Fluttershy slipping her mind.
What are those “exotic animals” even supposed to be? They’re like some nightmarish blend of “Duck Amuck” and Dr. Seuss.
I wonder if Ponyville’s vet is related to Professor Fauna.
Callobius is indeed a genus of spiders, one whose members occur almost entirely in the US.
I quite like Queen Parabola’s design. It’d be easy to make a zebra alicorn look absurd, but she makes it work.
Yes, Daring, discuss the sensitive information on the crowded train instead of the isolated cottage. Brilliant plan. Part of me wonders if she’s doing this deliberately to amp up the later drama.
I see Equestria’s railways continue their tradition of having stops wherever the plot needs them to.
The map spiders are quite cute, though I suppose those of you with arachnophobia wouldn’t agree.
Go around the brawl, Fluttershy, not through it.
Once again, Caballeron shows an inexplicable talent for traversing great heights with no wings or other means of vertical transportation. Though given how this issue predates “Daring Done?”, I suppose this is the first time. Still, pit. Spiders. Earth ponies. HOW!? Were there stairs somewhere?
Coming back to arachnophobia… though at least it isn’t snakes.
Daring, you have wings. Why are you swinging on a vine? Don’t tell me she got her wings hurt again. (They weren’t, as quickly becomes clear later on. She’s just doing it for the style points.)
Always nice to see both characters in a Friends Forever comic get a chance to shine, and nothing says Daring Do like a crumbling ruin full of suspiciously well-maintained traps.
It’s interesting. Ahuizotl either looks amazing or really goofy in this style depending on his pose. There isn’t any middle ground.
If Ahuizotl knows about Daring’s arachnophobia, I’m surprised he’s never exploited it. Though, thinking about it, spiders were part of that one over-the-top Bond villain death chamber in “Read It and Weep.” I suppose when one’s life is on the line, lesser phobias don’t register. (Or Daring’s arachnophobia was invented for this issue, but I always prefer Watsonian explanations.)
It’s a bit overplayed, but it’s no less true: Bravery is not the absence of fear but the will to act in spite of it. Fluttershy is stronger than she may ever truly appreciate.
So… how does Fluttershy know her knots? I’m going to guess it’s through working with Applejack, but it still feels like an odd area of expertise for Yellowquiet.
The spider untying the knot I don’t mind. Fluttershy can talk her through it.
Interesting to see that Caballeron has tried to double-cross Ahuizotl. I imagine he only ever attempted that once.
Going by the even rougher than usual last few pages, I have the distinct sense that Fosgitt got this one in just under his deadline.
I do appreciate Fluttershy correcting Ahuizotl when he called spiders insects. If she didn’t, I would have.
In all, this is a rather frantic but still enjoyable adventure, and while Fosgitt’s art occassionaly results in some ridiculous faces and bodies, it doesn’t lead to full on gravity defiance as with the other story.
Now, let’s see what collectible riches these vaults hold:
Tummy Rub 1W
Instant
You cast this spell without paying its mana cost if it targets a Cat.
The next time target permanent would deal damage this turn, prevent that damage. You gain life equal to the damage prevented this way.
Whip Strike 2W
Instant
Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to each attacking creature.
”I may not be able to do a Sonic Rainboom, but I still have ways of breaking the sound barrier.”
—Daring Do
Arsenal Trap 2WW
Instant — Trap
If three or more creatures are attacking, you may pay W rather than pay this spell’s mana cost.
Arsenal Trap deals 2 damage to each attacking creature.
3: Put Arsenal Trap from your graveyard to the battlefield transformed. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
Scavenged Ammunition
Artifact — Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+0 and has first strike.
Equip 2
”If they’re good enough for ancient empresses, they’re good enough for me.”
—Daring Do
Solar Mote 3WW
Creature — Elemental
Flying
When Solar Mote enters the battlefield, tap all nonwhite creatures.
Evoke 2WW (You may cast this spell for its evoke cost. If you do, it’s sacrificed when it enters the battlefield.)
3/3
Griffin King 4WW
Creature — Griffin Soldier
Flying, first strike
Other Griffin creatures you control get +1/+1.
Battalion — Whenever Griffin King and at least two other creatures attack, create a 2/2 white Griffin creature token with flying that’s tapped and attacking.
3/3
Grand Procession U
Sorcery
Whenever you cast a historic spell this turn, draw a card. (Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)
“It’s flattering, but after a thousand years of them, I just wish I could visit somewhere without everypony making an event out of it.”
—Princess Celestia
Dimension Slam UU
Instant
Put target attacking or blocking creature on the bottom of its owner’s library. That player draws a card.
”Have you ever tripped on a wrinkle in the fabric of space and time? It’s exactly as fun as it sounds.”
—Ditzy Doo
Ruin Maintenance Crew 2U
Creature — Kobold Artificer
When Ruin Maintenance Crew enters the battlefield, return target Trap card from your graveyard to your hand.
Preservation spells only do so much.
1/2
Knockout Gas 3UU
Sorcery
Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast this spell. Each artifact you tap after you’re done activating mana abilities pays for 1.)
Tap all creatures target player controls. They don’t untap during that player’s next untap step.
Discord could think of only one way to get Celestia to relax.
Crawling Cactus 2B
Creature — Zombie Plant
Crawling Cactus has menace as long as you control a Desert or there is a Desert card in your graveyard.
For each of Fluttershy’s fears, there is something in the Multiverse that justifies it.
3/2
Æthercloud Engineer 1R
Creature — Pegasus Artificer
Flying
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you get E (an energy counter).
T, Pay EEE: Return an instant or sorcery card at random from your graveyard to your hand.
1/1
Vault Door Collapse 2R
Instant
Vault Door Collapse deals 3 damage to any target. Create a colorless Treasure artifact token with “T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
”I figured ‘get clear’ went without saying.”
—Daring Do
Opportunistic Goons 3R
Creature — Pony Warrior
When Opportunistic Goons enters the battlefield, you may attach target noncreature artifact you control to it. As long as Opportunistic Goons is on the battlefield, that artifact is an Equipment in addition to its other types and has “Equipped creature gets +X/+0,” where X is its converted mana cost.
2/4
Flamestream Trap 3RR
Instant — Trap
If a spell you cast this turn was countered by a spell or ability an opponent controlled, you may pay R rather than pay this spell’s mana cost.
This spell can’t be countered.
Flamestream Trap deals 4 damage to any target.
Chaos Trap 4R
Instant — Trap
If an opponent searched their library this turn, you may pay R rather than pay this spell’s mana cost.
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then shuffle your library.
Magmatic Hulk 5R
Creature — Elemental
When Magmatic Hulk enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to each other creature and planeswalker.
Magma elementals make no effort to hide their displeasure when called to the cold surface.
4/4
Map Spider 1G
Creature — Spider
Reach
When Map Spider enters the battlefield, look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a land card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control six or more lands, you may transform Map Spider.
1/2
Queen Parabola’s Castle
Legendary Land
T: Add G.
2G, T: Destroy target creature with flying.
Parabola claimed dominion over the jungle’s skies, her fortress ensuring that none would rise higher than she.
One Thousand Legs 2G
Instant
Kicker 2G (You may pay an additional 2G as you cast this spell.)
For each creature attacking you or a planeswalker you control, create a 1/2 green Spider creature token with reach that’s blocking that creature. If this spell was kicked, those tokens gain deathtouch until end of turn.
Sunny Disguise 1(wu)
Instant
Exile target creature. That creature’s controller creates a 1/1 white Pegasus creature token with flying. At the beginning of the next end step, exile that token and return the exiled card to the battlefield under its owner’s control.
The best gift for a princess is time off the throne.
Parabola, Queen of Silk 3GW
Legendary Creature — Zebra Shaman
Alicorn (This is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
Flying
Whenever one or more creatures deal combat damage to you or a planeswalker you control, create a 1/2 green Spider creature token with reach for each of those creatures.
Creatures can’t attack you or planeswalkers you control unless their controller pays X, where X is the number of Spiders you control.
4/4
Wallow in Your Failure
Ongoing Scheme
(An ongoing scheme remains face up until it’s abandoned.)
Spells your opponents cast cost 1 more to cast.
At the beginning of your opponents’ end step, if each of them cast a spell this turn, abandon this scheme.
Fosgitt issues are always rife with these sorts of problems, though in these ones it seems that the writing was just as wonky. That twenty-four hour thing in particular really bothered me, to say nothing of the fact that the whole backup story was a poor man's version of a concept that fanfiction already did better over five years prior.
I love Chaos Trap, and I swear I did almost exactly One Thousand Legs years ago, but it was 1/1 fliers and called Release The Bees!.
I enjoyed this a bunch
Maybe Fluttershy learned about knots while learning medicine? Knots just sounds like something she'd need in her practice, for some reason.
4901434 I've always liked Jay Fosgitt's style, even though it is distracting and I keep wanting to nudge it closer to show standards. I think it all revolves around Bodie Troll, which seems to be the character he likes best to draw and all the rest are reflections of some sort.
The one good thing about Friends Forever ending is that we don't have to put up with Fosgitt's style seemingly every other month. I'm not sure if he still works on MLP stuff but it's been awhile since I've seen him draw anything for it and in my opinion that is a good thing.
4901459
Fosgitt's style may well work fantastically with other characters and franchises. I don't know, because I don't read any of his other stuff, but if he maintains a career as a professional artist, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that. But I truly believe that his style is horrible for MLP. It's a series about a race of quadrupeds, and he can't even keep them on four legs most of the time. Mostly, I believe that's for a lack of trying. As wildly different as his normal style looks from the show, I'm sure he could find a happy middle ground between them and make it work if he applied himself, but most of the time, he simply doesn't. All the copy-pasting, wildly inconsistent models, and lack of detail in certain elements is evidence enough of that. Fosgitt's problem is that he's lazy and he doesn't care. Probably because he has no interest in MLP and no passion for working on it.
I agree that Discord actually looks good in Fosgitt's style.
My headcanon is that it was her favorite stop when she was in Ponyville preparing for the Summer Sun Celebration.
Caballeron is like Pinkie Pie, except he's not limited to the “only when it's funny” restriction.
4901526
Instead, Caballeron can only do it when it's dramatically necessary.
Ah, For the Pony Who Has Everything. A good enough story despite the many glaring errors (including Fosgitt) and a much better story than the preposterous Accord conclusion. Why, it was so good they decided to repeat the exact same premise (Celestia pretending to be a regular mortal) several issues later!
My first thought when I saw those protrusionous clouds was a carpet of skin tags (not for squeemish).