When the Cutie Mark Crusaders are magically transformed into grownups,they discover that growing up the right way means gaining experience and wisdom that simply can’t be rushed.
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When another author releases his own version of the events in AK Yearling’s Daring Do books, Rainbow Dash is furious, while Fluttershy is curious to know the truth.
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Starlight decides to hire a Vice Headmare in preparation to take over the School of Friendship from Twilight. But she soon realizes that hiring the right pony for the job is going to be a lot harder than she thought.
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Twilight's hopes of keeping her Trivia Trot winning streak alive are waylaid when she's unexpectedly paired up with Pinkie Pie, who has never been to a trivia night before.
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A prank gone wrong ruins Hearth's Warming Eve preparations. When Twilight Sparkle tries to figure out which of her students is behind it, the students bond over shared memories of home.
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Man it's hard to keep up with this weird episode scheduling.
This episode sort of had that filler-clipshow feel to it which isn’t very popular with most fans. Nevertheless I felt it didn’t turn out bad since we got to see how each of the Student Six celebrate the holidays with their families in a different tradition. Ocellus’s had to be my favorite because of her misperception on what she learned about the holiday. It was just way too adorably funny.
Now to eagerly await Round Trip’s “in a nutshell” take on the episode. If others found this or any of the previous episodes bad; RT always seems to make them better. Probably because everything's directly to the point. Here’s also my best guesses for the silly names that RT is going to give for each of the students:
It was an interesting episode. Also interesting that, according to Gallus's story and flashback, Gilda and Gabby are related since we saw them together and how he talked about it being a family gathering (possibly only immediate family).
There is one thing that bothers me about the episode though: Ocellus's story about the changelings celebrating Hearth's Warming, with it being the first time last year. That would mean that a Hearth's Warming passed off-screen between when the changelings were reformed and the current season. That would mean months -- nearly a year -- would have to take place between Shadow Play and the movie. Because the season seven pilot picks up right after the defeat of Queen Chrysalis, and has no fall or winter episodes, but does seem to be set in the summer since the Crusaders and their sisters go camping. Granted, it does have "It isn't the mane thing about you," which jumps ahead several months, but not a whole year.
It was cute how they misinterpreted the ideas, and was my favorite of the stories told, but the timing of it nags at me a little.
The interaction between the students was easily the best part of the episode for me. Some nice character development for Gallus, insight into dragon culture of putting down the weak, and Sandbar's talent for dramatisation of the mundane.
Twilight sure has some questionable judgment in meting out punishment for the students, though... Punishing the whole group for the actions of an individual? It might work if there's reason to suspect collusion, but they had no evidence of that. This is school, not boot camp. At least in the army, there's good reason to enforce the lesson that screwing up can get your whole squad killed.
On another note... Gallus is an orphan who's named after a chicken. Scootaloo is an orphan who 'flies' like a chicken. Interesting parallel there.
4914035 Actually, we know that the premiere begins right after the movie, but who's to say there wasn't a passage of time between the concept of the school and it actually be open for classes? The school's construction had to have taken place over a period of months, to say nothing of the negotiations needed to get the students from other kingdoms. And then there's the possible passage of time between the school opening and "Friends and Family Day".
4914035 Why? The whole 'teach the Changelings about Hearthswarming' thing could have just taken place during season 6, why would it need to be between Shadow Play and now? Also 4914060 is right, the writers tweeted that there was a several month time skip between the start of the episode, and the school actually opening.
Finally a Young Six episode I don't feel compelled to ignore. Favorite story was Ocellus for the comedy of her misunderstanding what Twilight said, then Silverstream for the Storm King cameo by image.
I think Smolder was meant to represent people who love movies to have a dark or heavy tone, though in an exaggerated way. And, it's impossible to hate Gallus after we find out why he did that and was willing to make up for it.
4914066 It couldn't have been season six, because season six is the one where the finale was "To Where and Back Again," which is when the changelings were reformed in the first place. Season seven then picks up almost immediately after, with the awards ceremony for Starlight and the rest for their role in.
As the other part, as I said, it is a fair point, but still doesn't seem as though an entire year had passed between then and now.
Those ideas are gonna be there until there is canon confirmation that Scoots has parents or not (and to be honest, I'm not sure if the books that show Scoots is staying with aunts that are 'together' is enough evidence). Same thing with Scoots and flying--until she canonically flies, she's gonna be considered those terms that refer to flightless...
Sorry you feel that way, but it's there--it's not gonna die easily. A sea change is gonna have to happen to kill the ScootOrphan and ScootChicken meme/fan speculation....Mind you, there was the speculation of Spike being a drake instead of a dragon (i.e wingless), as well as Twilight turning into an alicorn (granted, we all thought that was gonna be a SERIES FINALE, not a season finale). The episodes Molt Down and Magical Mystery Cure blew those idea to pieces...So there is gonna be something significant to deal with Scootaloo.
Personally, I think when Lauren was in charge, we believe she was implying that Scoots is at least disabled, considered some pegasi her age already can fly (not to mention Pound Cake and Spike, both took a little time but learned quickly how to fly). Since Meagan McCarthy and crew took over after season 2, who knows what they have set for Scoots. Plus she has her cutie mark now, could look like she is almost a mare (more like a teenager) but still doesn't fly...
Punishing the whole group for the actions of an individual? It might work if there's reason to suspect collusion, but they had no evidence of that. This is school, not boot camp.
Schools handing out stupid punishments feels like the norm even in real life.
4914072 This chicken orphan nonsense came from a now cultist group, I'd say, that just had to go and interpret the series in their own way and possibly ruin it for other fandoms. It just never ceased and these cultists probably still don't have anything better to do. Let's not forget the cultists who threatened to murder Amy Keating Rogers. That's something you don't just let slide, especially not today.
4914074 4914068 4914056 4914031 Ocellus's family misinterpreting the holiday was definitely the funniest part - and would probably win a poll on it being a fav if the comments here are any indication.
They did say they suspected Gallus, but making every student stay and clean up allowed for him to fess up to the crime to his friends and apologize for ruining Hearthwarming break for every creature. And if the teachers and Twilight had no proof it was him in the first place, what else could they do but make them all stay? a good lesson for the young six in NOT turning against each other, but coming together...funny it was the instigator that taught them that.
Overall the episode kept my house guessing and was both entertaining, enjoyable and a great lesson learned.
Not going to lie, I loved this episode, we got to see a fair bit more into the lives of the students and their race's holidays.
Ocellus: happy to try new things, even if they misunderstood something, they still add their own unique flair.
Yona: they like smashing things, but they also have a tenderness for family.
Sandbar: the dudes chill, plain and simple.
Silverstream: I'm not really a party goer (ironic, due to who my fave pony is), but her three day festivities really does sound fun to partake in.
Smolder: ....erm, yeah. Not really my cup of jasmine, but I'm sure there are those out there that appreciate those kinds of stories.
Finally Gallus, I vote he remains in ponyville and make it his new home, give him a family through friends. The guy has probably suffered much and with people who truly care for him for the first time, I can understand why he did what he did, like a man in a desert taking a crisp cool gulp of water for the first time. Can you blame him for wanting more?
Unless "Hearthbreakers" and "A Hearth's Warming Tail" are supposed to take place during the same holiday, the show has already had a problem with too many Hearth's Warmings in comparison to the general passage of time throughout the series. It's easier to accept that this is cartoon logic and, like The Simpsons, characters can grow and change over the course of the series, but time itself isn't something to be measured.
As a mystery, this didn't do much for me, as I suspected Gallus from the get-go (it was his one line in the opening that did it... although going back and looking at it a second time, now it doesn't seem as suspicious). I've been indifferent toward the Student Six so far, so learning about new fictional cultures didn't keep me very captivated. Although I enjoyed Smolder's story -- it was very in-character for how the dragons have been established as a species, it was a needed change of pace from the other "these are all heartwarming in their weird ways" stories, and it even stayed on-message for the show (Smolder may act like a dragon, but you can see how friendship has changed her).
And I assume I'm not meant to ruminate on why Sandbar is the only pony who didn't leave with all of the others (besides the obvious answer of "he's one of the Student Six, so he has to be in this episode"). Sure, he probably lives in some far-off section of Equestria, but all of the other pony students at the school can't possibly be from Ponyville. Like the problem of too many Hearth's Warmings, it's best left to the viewer accepting that the writers needed it to happen, so it happened. (That's also a good explanation for why Twilight was going to punish all six of them.)
That was a very interesting story. I liked the insight into the cultures of the dragons, griffons,hippogriffs/seaponies, yaks and post-Chrysalis changelings. I particularly liked the changelings' 'best guess' interpretation of Twilight's Hearth Warming instructions and the little touch of Yona's receiving her first hair braids was especially heart-warming. The weird pseudo-songs were very funny too!.
Even Smoulder's story gave us a cool insight into how the pre-Ember dragons tended to think and the things that their culture values. After all, by cunning and strength, Scales, the dragon with nothing, became Dragon Lord! That's a real Klingon fable there!
I also liked how the story ended. The identity of the perp and the reason for their action was 100% believable and logical.
For me, this was hands down Season 8's best episode so far.
I wonder if anyone saw they put Gabby, Gilda, and Grandpa Gruff in the same family.
4914058 I agreed, I don't know why people like to make Scootaloo an orphan. Especially when there is no evidence of her being one, not like Apple Bloom.
But I kinda disagree on the chicken one. The show have shown that different degree/level of strength or magic exist amongst the earth ponies and unicorns. So the pegasus tribe could be like birds in real life, having different degree/level of flight capability. The chicken is able to fly but for short duration. Scootaloo, to me, kinda fit this description.
Okay Twilight, I know that you're trying to narrow down who the culprit can be, but punishing everyone at the same time isn't the right way to go about this...
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/3/1797199/medium.png Kind of find it humorous that the Yaks manage to work smashing into everything... and it still manage to make it cute adding braiding to the end of it.
I mean, I know that you came from a race that values strength over all else, has a very "survival of the fittest" mentality, and has had that kind of attitude drilled into you for generations and generations to the point where it's pretty much natural for your kind, but-
... I completely forgot where I was going with this.
(Sigh) Sandbar, I really like you, but you're coming dangerously close to enforcing the stereotype of Earth ponies being boring. That's never a good thing.
Also, this is one of the few times I see Gabby genuinely angry in this show, and it’s during the holiday where everyone supposed to be nice to each other… really puts things into perspective when you think about it.
So were Dash and Twi bluffing about the "everyone gets punished" part?
Ok, this was a pretty good episode. We got to see how certain races outside of Equestria celebrate their holidays, not to mention some development and insight into the lives of the student six.
I was actually worried this episode was going to pull a cop-out and have the prankster be a completely unrelated party (like Chancellor Neighsay trying to drive a wedge between the races, another student to didn't have anyone to go home to for the holidays, or Discord just being a dick again), but they actually had one of the characters show some development and empathy. derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/4/1797387/medium.png I give this episode a 8 out of 10!
4914190 Except Gallus then said that 'Grandpa' Gruff isn't actually anyone's grandfather, and he's just called that, meaning he wouldn't be related to Gilda, unless this is taking place the year before and Gilda is working on that 'kinder, gentler, more caring' thing and is having the feat with Gruff and Gabby just to be nice to them.
4914185 How can a series that was design to help promote strong independent woman be misogynistic? This was the main reason that Lauren Faust along with her husband, creater of Powerpuff Girls, work on this series. To give girls a realistic cartoon that teaches good morals, like you don't have to follow the crowd, and doesn't fall into the fairy-tale trap that other girl cartoons have fallen into.
4914185 and yet most of the characters are female, powerful in some way/shape/form, and rely on themselves to solve problems instead of a male character. I honestly don't see how you came to your conclusion of the writers pushing a misogynistic agenda... In short, your statement confuses me.
Well, they know that the six students are good friends. They know that there had to be a reason, so they play with it. If the guilty sees that he's ruining the Christmas equivalent for the rest of them, it's very likely that he will feel shameful. (and bad for the innocent friends) And indeed, that's how it worked in the end, although it took a few stories to get there. If the threat was never there, nothing would be at stake, no one would confess, and everyone would leave. Twilight knew exactly what she was doing, and the strategy worked in the end.
Finally Gallus, I vote he remains in Ponyville and make it his new home, give him a family through friends.
Well, the purpose of the friendship school is to teach friendship stuff, so the foreign student could share it among their kind. What you propose goes directly against that idea.
Sure, he (Sandbar) probably lives in some far-off section of Equestria, but all of the other pony students at the school can't possibly be from Ponyville.
This bothered me as well. I think there was a mention of Sandbar coming from Ponyville somewhere in the season premiere, not sure though. Probably he just wanted to tag along? To assist his friend(s)? Seems logical to me. (inb4 someone makes a fanfic about him wanting to stay with his "friend" for NSFW reasons, LUL)
4914194 He said that griffons spent the holiday with their family. I can't see Grandpa Gruff join the other unless they were his family. Even though Gilda is trying to be kinder I doubt she would spend the holiday away from her family. And I doubt that Gabby is such a masochist that she would spend the holiday with griffon who weren't her family. The student six though that Grandpa Gruff was Gallus's grandpa but Gallus said he wasn't his grandpa. Like how everypony call Granny Smith granny although she not their granny. Granny Smith still have a family though and so doesn Grandpa Gruff.
But I kinda disagree on the chicken one. The show have shown that different degree/level of strength or magic exist amongst the earth ponies and unicorns. So the pegasus tribe could be like birds in real life, having different degree/level of flight capability. The chicken is able to fly but for short duration. Scootaloo, to me, kinda fit this description.
Huh. Well, I was clamoring for a Student Six standout episode. I just didn't expect them to pull an early Hearth's Warming episode again.
This was a very nice world-building episode. The mystery served as a good backdrop, Ocellus is still an adorable cinnamon roll (seriously, her holiday flashback was just so cute ), and it really expanded on Gallus's character in particular. I really would like to see more episodes that explore the Student Six like this.
The ending felt a bit weird, with all of the creatures changing their mind. One minute they were literally crying from not being able to be home at Christmas, the next minute (when they were given the chance) they just threw it away for nothing but a few feels. It's a bit anticlimatic, because the issue present throughout the episode just vanished in the end, which basically made Gallus have his way, despite destroying a tree and making a mess.
Still, for me this was a superb episode. Overall very heart-touching, humourous (changelings' traditions, the plot twist in the dragon story) and simply well executed. Despite being it the weaker of the two episodes the author made, it's still among my favourites of season 8. And my favourite heart warming episode in the series.
I loved this episode but I need to talk about the Gryphon culture just a bit. It sounds like families are a rarity and that's kinda sad. Its no wonder their community is so small. Procreation is probably made through a one night stand I am willing to bet. The fact that he hasn't heard of cousins before really makes you wonder doesn't it? Poor Gallius, he just became my favorite of the student six.
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This episode sort of had that filler-clipshow feel to it which isn’t very popular with most fans. Nevertheless I felt it didn’t turn out bad since we got to see how each of the Student Six celebrate the holidays with their families in a different tradition. Ocellus’s had to be my favorite because of her misperception on what she learned about the holiday. It was just way too adorably funny
.
Now to eagerly await Round Trip’s “in a nutshell” take on the episode. If others found this or any of the previous episodes bad; RT always seems to make them better. Probably because everything's directly to the point
. Here’s also my best guesses for the silly names that RT is going to give for each of the students:
Slipperstreak - Silverstream
Smoker - Smoulder
Yoda - Yona
Octopus - Ocellus
Gassus - Gallus
Sandcar - Sandbar
I could be wrong on all accounts since I don’t think I can ever have the same level of comedy genius RT has… but it was still fun to try
.
#whatthehay
Interesting seeing Gilda and Gabriella at the same table. Wonder if Gabby's been adopted.
We have dorm room floor plan, finally!
Smolder - Silverstream
Sandbar - Gallus
Ocellus - Yona
Also, what the hay was that last line from Yona to Gallus? It *sounded* like "Gallus want Yona break feathers?" "Ehh. Pass."
I can’t even see this yet caused it hasn’t aired yet
It was an interesting episode. Also interesting that, according to Gallus's story and flashback, Gilda and Gabby are related since we saw them together and how he talked about it being a family gathering (possibly only immediate family).
There is one thing that bothers me about the episode though: Ocellus's story about the changelings celebrating Hearth's Warming, with it being the first time last year. That would mean that a Hearth's Warming passed off-screen between when the changelings were reformed and the current season. That would mean months -- nearly a year -- would have to take place between Shadow Play and the movie. Because the season seven pilot picks up right after the defeat of Queen Chrysalis, and has no fall or winter episodes, but does seem to be set in the summer since the Crusaders and their sisters go camping. Granted, it does have "It isn't the mane thing about you," which jumps ahead several months, but not a whole year.
It was cute how they misinterpreted the ideas, and was my favorite of the stories told, but the timing of it nags at me a little.
You guys have Gallus as the Orphan character.
Leave Scootaloo alone.
Hooray for a play on The Breakfast Club. Don't you forget about them.
Yeah, these filler episodes always seem to be off-season. But eh, what can ya do?
4914026
Braid feathers. I thought she said 'break' at first, too, then remembered that last part of her story.
4914049
Ah. That makes more sense, although knowing Yona, she'd help Gallus punish himself by smashing him a good one.
The interaction between the students was easily the best part of the episode for me. Some nice character development for Gallus, insight into dragon culture of putting down the weak, and Sandbar's talent for dramatisation of the mundane.
Twilight sure has some questionable judgment in meting out punishment for the students, though... Punishing the whole group for the actions of an individual? It might work if there's reason to suspect collusion, but they had no evidence of that.
This is school, not boot camp. At least in the army, there's good reason to enforce the lesson that screwing up can get your whole squad killed.
On another note... Gallus is an orphan who's named after a chicken. Scootaloo is an orphan who 'flies' like a chicken. Interesting parallel there.
4914056
SCOOTALOO IS NOT AN ORPHAN!
SCOOTALOO IS NOT A CHICKEN! 
THIS IS NOT FUNNY ANYMORE! IT'S OLD AS FUCK! 
So drop it!
i.imgur.com/CoWZ05t.gif
4914035 Actually, we know that the premiere begins right after the movie, but who's to say there wasn't a passage of time between the concept of the school and it actually be open for classes? The school's construction had to have taken place over a period of months, to say nothing of the negotiations needed to get the students from other kingdoms. And then there's the possible passage of time between the school opening and "Friends and Family Day".
4914060
That is a valid point, but it still doesn't seem to me as though this would all cover an entire year.
4914035 Why? The whole 'teach the Changelings about Hearthswarming' thing could have just taken place during season 6, why would it need to be between Shadow Play and now? Also 4914060 is right, the writers tweeted that there was a several month time skip between the start of the episode, and the school actually opening.
New episodes would come out August 4th, they said.
Finally a Young Six episode I don't feel compelled to ignore. Favorite story was Ocellus for the comedy of her misunderstanding what Twilight said, then Silverstream for the Storm King cameo by image.
I think Smolder was meant to represent people who love movies to have a dark or heavy tone, though in an exaggerated way. And, it's impossible to hate Gallus after we find out why he did that and was willing to make up for it.
4914066
It couldn't have been season six, because season six is the one where the finale was "To Where and Back Again," which is when the changelings were reformed in the first place. Season seven then picks up almost immediately after, with the awards ceremony for Starlight and the rest for their role in.
As the other part, as I said, it is a fair point, but still doesn't seem as though an entire year had passed between then and now.
4914058 Really, now. There's no need to take this so personally.
4914058
Those ideas are gonna be there until there is canon confirmation that Scoots has parents or not (and to be honest, I'm not sure if the books that show Scoots is staying with aunts that are 'together' is enough evidence). Same thing with Scoots and flying--until she canonically flies, she's gonna be considered those terms that refer to flightless...
Sorry you feel that way, but it's there--it's not gonna die easily. A sea change is gonna have to happen to kill the ScootOrphan and ScootChicken meme/fan speculation....Mind you, there was the speculation of Spike being a drake instead of a dragon (i.e wingless), as well as Twilight turning into an alicorn (granted, we all thought that was gonna be a SERIES FINALE, not a season finale). The episodes Molt Down and Magical Mystery Cure blew those idea to pieces...So there is gonna be something significant to deal with Scootaloo.
Personally, I think when Lauren was in charge, we believe she was implying that Scoots is at least disabled, considered some pegasi her age already can fly (not to mention Pound Cake and Spike, both took a little time but learned quickly how to fly). Since Meagan McCarthy and crew took over after season 2, who knows what they have set for Scoots. Plus she has her cutie mark now, could look like she is almost a mare (more like a teenager) but still doesn't fly...
4914056
Schools handing out stupid punishments feels like the norm even in real life.
Who here saw the cameos of The Storm King and Queen Novo in Silverstream's Story? :D
4914072
This chicken orphan nonsense came from a now cultist group, I'd say, that just had to go and interpret the series in their own way and possibly ruin it for other fandoms. It just never ceased and these cultists probably still don't have anything better to do. Let's not forget the cultists who threatened to murder Amy Keating Rogers. That's something you don't just let slide, especially not today.
4914073
And this change can't come soon enough.
Sandbar’s sister is fucking adorable.
Intresting how the Dragons story starts Littlest Match Girl and ends up Population Control.
This one wasn't that bad. 😊
4914070 Right, wrong number. The passage of time has always been utterly bizarre in this show.
4914074
4914068
4914056
4914031
Ocellus's family misinterpreting the holiday was definitely the funniest part - and would probably win a poll on it being a fav if the comments here are any indication.
They did say they suspected Gallus, but making every student stay and clean up allowed for him to fess up to the crime to his friends and apologize for ruining Hearthwarming break for every creature. And if the teachers and Twilight had no proof it was him in the first place, what else could they do but make them all stay? a good lesson for the young six in NOT turning against each other, but coming together...funny it was the instigator that taught them that.
Overall the episode kept my house guessing and was both entertaining, enjoyable and a great lesson learned.
Not going to lie, I loved this episode, we got to see a fair bit more into the lives of the students and their race's holidays.
Ocellus: happy to try new things, even if they misunderstood something, they still add their own unique flair.
Yona: they like smashing things, but they also have a tenderness for family.
Sandbar: the dudes chill, plain and simple.
Silverstream: I'm not really a party goer (ironic, due to who my fave pony is), but her three day festivities really does sound fun to partake in.
Smolder: ....erm, yeah. Not really my cup of jasmine, but I'm sure there are those out there that appreciate those kinds of stories.
Finally Gallus, I vote he remains in ponyville and make it his new home, give him a family through friends. The guy has probably suffered much and with people who truly care for him for the first time, I can understand why he did what he did, like a man in a desert taking a crisp cool gulp of water for the first time. Can you blame him for wanting more?
4914056
They did the group punishment thing in primary school and high school, never worked in either of them.
I wonder if Spike would feel uncomfortable listening to Smolder's story.
Unless "Hearthbreakers" and "A Hearth's Warming Tail" are supposed to take place during the same holiday, the show has already had a problem with too many Hearth's Warmings in comparison to the general passage of time throughout the series. It's easier to accept that this is cartoon logic and, like The Simpsons, characters can grow and change over the course of the series, but time itself isn't something to be measured.
As a mystery, this didn't do much for me, as I suspected Gallus from the get-go (it was his one line in the opening that did it... although going back and looking at it a second time, now it doesn't seem as suspicious). I've been indifferent toward the Student Six so far, so learning about new fictional cultures didn't keep me very captivated. Although I enjoyed Smolder's story -- it was very in-character for how the dragons have been established as a species, it was a needed change of pace from the other "these are all heartwarming in their weird ways" stories, and it even stayed on-message for the show (Smolder may act like a dragon, but you can see how friendship has changed her).
And I assume I'm not meant to ruminate on why Sandbar is the only pony who didn't leave with all of the others (besides the obvious answer of "he's one of the Student Six, so he has to be in this episode"). Sure, he probably lives in some far-off section of Equestria, but all of the other pony students at the school can't possibly be from Ponyville. Like the problem of too many Hearth's Warmings, it's best left to the viewer accepting that the writers needed it to happen, so it happened. (That's also a good explanation for why Twilight was going to punish all six of them.)
4914080
You need to cool your toots. You are hopped up on crazy.
That was a very interesting story. I liked the insight into the cultures of the dragons, griffons,hippogriffs/seaponies, yaks and post-Chrysalis changelings. I particularly liked the changelings' 'best guess' interpretation of Twilight's Hearth Warming instructions and the little touch of Yona's receiving her first hair braids was especially heart-warming. The weird pseudo-songs were very funny too!.
Even Smoulder's story gave us a cool insight into how the pre-Ember dragons tended to think and the things that their culture values. After all, by cunning and strength, Scales, the dragon with nothing, became Dragon Lord! That's a real Klingon fable there!
I also liked how the story ended. The identity of the perp and the reason for their action was 100% believable and logical.
For me, this was hands down Season 8's best episode so far.
BenRG's Rating: 8/10
4914121
no i cant. I do feel for gallus. I totally see how at home he felt at school.
This was way better than that surprise episode 18
I wonder if anyone saw they put Gabby, Gilda, and Grandpa Gruff in the same family.
4914058
I agreed, I don't know why people like to make Scootaloo an orphan. Especially when there is no evidence of her being one, not like Apple Bloom.
But I kinda disagree on the chicken one. The show have shown that different degree/level of strength or magic exist amongst the earth ponies and unicorns. So the pegasus tribe could be like birds in real life, having different degree/level of flight capability. The chicken is able to fly but for short duration. Scootaloo, to me, kinda fit this description.
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/3/1797164/medium.jpeg
Wait, did everyone just AVOID breaking into a musical number!? WHAT SORT OF BACKWARDS PARALLEL DIMENSION IS THIS!?
Spike, I'm all for getting presents, but knowing Twilight, it's probably going to be another book...
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/4/1797317/medium.png
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/3/1797208/medium.png
.... I immediately blame Discord.
Okay Twilight, I know that you're trying to narrow down who the culprit can be, but punishing everyone at the same time isn't the right way to go about this...
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/3/1797195/medium.png
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/3/1797196/medium.png
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/4/1797341/medium.gif
derpicdn.net/img/2018/8/3/1797197/medium.png
Ocellus, I think you and the other changelings might be taking things a little too literally...
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Kind of find it humorous that the Yaks manage to work smashing into everything... and it still manage to make it cute adding braiding to the end of it.
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So adorable!
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GEEZ SMOLDER! THAT WAS JUST DARK!
I mean, I know that you came from a race that values strength over all else, has a very "survival of the fittest" mentality, and has had that kind of attitude drilled into you for generations and generations to the point where it's pretty much natural for your kind, but-
... I completely forgot where I was going with this.
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We get to see Sandbar's family! Neat!
(Sigh) Sandbar, I really like you, but you're coming dangerously close to enforcing the stereotype of Earth ponies being boring. That's never a good thing.
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Huh, that's quite considerate of Novo to make sure anyone new to their customs are brought up to speed.
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I have to admit, the Seapony/Hippogryph's holiday is the most creative one.
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Also, love that we finally get a cameo from both Novo the Storm King! Just because they can't afford the voice actor doesn't mean we can't get a cameo here and there!
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So Griffins are so grumpy and angry that they only have one day out of the entire year where they can be nice to each other?
That's just downright depressing...
Also, this is one of the few times I see Gabby genuinely angry in this show, and it’s during the holiday where everyone supposed to be nice to each other… really puts things into perspective when you think about it.
So were Dash and Twi bluffing about the "everyone gets punished" part?
Ok, this was a pretty good episode. We got to see how certain races outside of Equestria celebrate their holidays, not to mention some development and insight into the lives of the student six.
I was actually worried this episode was going to pull a cop-out and have the prankster be a completely unrelated party (like Chancellor Neighsay trying to drive a wedge between the races, another student to didn't have anyone to go home to for the holidays, or Discord just being a dick again), but they actually had one of the characters show some development and empathy.
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I give this episode a 8 out of 10!
4914190 Except Gallus then said that 'Grandpa' Gruff isn't actually anyone's grandfather, and he's just called that, meaning he wouldn't be related to Gilda, unless this is taking place the year before and Gilda is working on that 'kinder, gentler, more caring' thing and is having the feat with Gruff and Gabby just to be nice to them.
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How can a series that was design to help promote strong independent woman be misogynistic? This was the main reason that Lauren Faust along with her husband, creater of Powerpuff Girls, work on this series. To give girls a realistic cartoon that teaches good morals, like you don't have to follow the crowd, and doesn't fall into the fairy-tale trap that other girl cartoons have fallen into.
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and yet most of the characters are female, powerful in some way/shape/form, and rely on themselves to solve problems instead of a male character. I honestly don't see how you came to your conclusion of the writers pushing a misogynistic agenda... In short, your statement confuses me.
That carol was some of the bets parts.
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Well, they know that the six students are good friends. They know that there had to be a reason, so they play with it. If the guilty sees that he's ruining the Christmas equivalent for the rest of them, it's very likely that he will feel shameful. (and bad for the innocent friends) And indeed, that's how it worked in the end, although it took a few stories to get there. If the threat was never there, nothing would be at stake, no one would confess, and everyone would leave. Twilight knew exactly what she was doing, and the strategy worked in the end.
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Well, the purpose of the friendship school is to teach friendship stuff, so the foreign student could share it among their kind. What you propose goes directly against that idea.
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This bothered me as well. I think there was a mention of Sandbar coming from Ponyville somewhere in the season premiere, not sure though. Probably he just wanted to tag along? To assist his friend(s)? Seems logical to me.
(inb4 someone makes a fanfic about him wanting to stay with his "friend" for NSFW reasons, LUL)
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??????????????????????????????????????????
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He said that griffons spent the holiday with their family. I can't see Grandpa Gruff join the other unless they were his family. Even though Gilda is trying to be kinder I doubt she would spend the holiday away from her family. And I doubt that Gabby is such a masochist that she would spend the holiday with griffon who weren't her family. The student six though that Grandpa Gruff was Gallus's grandpa but Gallus said he wasn't his grandpa. Like how everypony call Granny Smith granny although she not their granny. Granny Smith still have a family though and so doesn Grandpa Gruff.
But it's not yet Christmas...
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And your point?
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I don't know. I'm just commenting what I was thinking.
Huh. Well, I was clamoring for a Student Six standout episode. I just didn't expect them to pull an early Hearth's Warming episode again.
This was a very nice world-building episode. The mystery served as a good backdrop, Ocellus is still an adorable cinnamon roll (seriously, her holiday flashback was just so cute
), and it really expanded on Gallus's character in particular. I really would like to see more episodes that explore the Student Six like this. 
It's not even the Hearth's Warming/Christmas season yet in our time.
The ending felt a bit weird, with all of the creatures changing their mind. One minute they were literally crying from not being able to be home at Christmas, the next minute (when they were given the chance) they just threw it away for nothing but a few feels. It's a bit anticlimatic, because the issue present throughout the episode just vanished in the end, which basically made Gallus have his way, despite destroying a tree and making a mess.
Still, for me this was a superb episode. Overall very heart-touching, humourous (changelings' traditions, the plot twist in the dragon story) and simply well executed. Despite being it the weaker of the two episodes the author made, it's still among my favourites of season 8. And my favourite heart warming episode in the series.
I loved this episode but I need to talk about the Gryphon culture just a bit. It sounds like families are a rarity and that's kinda sad. Its no wonder their community is so small. Procreation is probably made through a one night stand I am willing to bet. The fact that he hasn't heard of cousins before really makes you wonder doesn't it? Poor Gallius, he just became my favorite of the student six.