Friendship is Card Games: The End in Friend · 11:28am Aug 19th, 2018
This week’s forecast: A drama front is sweeping into central Equestria, escalating minor conflicts and bringing long-simmering issues to a boil. Everyone is advised to stay as far from Castle Canterlot as possible. Maybe visit Ponyville for a while. It’s not like the Bearers will be—
Breaking news, I have some words to eat.
It’s funny. The opening moments of the show acknowledge the biggest thing Rarity and Rainbow Dash do have in common: Their ambition. They may strive for greatness in very different areas, but both still strive. Of course, it’s hard to plan a day of fun around the drive to excel in one’s chosen passion. Indeed, the egos that fuel those ambitions—“I am the best and everyone should recognize that”—are what drive the conflict in this episode. Despite what Twilight might claim, these two both struggle with compromise.
That said, the fact that they never actually made any concrete plans on what to do together… Okay, it kind of works for Dash, but I’d expect some degree of structure and forward planning from Rarity.
Also, Wonderbolts practice is erratic? Not sure if that’s an attempt to explain why Dash hasn’t had to move to the barracks or just a bit of weirdness.
I’m not sure why Dash is surprised by Rarity’s utter failure to care about buckball. She didn’t even consider asking Rarity to try out for the unicorn position when she and Applejack were putting together Ponyville’s team.
Speaking of which, I have to feel kind of bad for the Appleoosa team. They came all this way for depressingly little.
It feels really weird to hear… well, just about anypony use the word “horse.” Dash is just the one saying it this time. Followed immediately by Rarity making horse noises.
Also, it is nice to see ponies opting for shoes that don’t have to be nailed on. I’ve never been very comfortable with the idea of ponies developing horseshoes as we know them.
Dash, you’re in a cavern where gems are literally growing out of the walls. How is this not already a treasure chamber?
My word. If those crystals are that fragile, then Dash did Rarity a favor by breaking them before they ended up lacerating some unfortunate customer.
I suppose if I have to be thankful with the contrivances of this episode, it’s that they aren’t repeating “Non-Compete Clause” and having the members of the Mane Six bend over backwards to get along with another. Instead, they’re repeating “Surf and/or Turf” and the conflict their little sisters faced. Now with more risk to national security!
Interesting to hear that Rarity’s been looking into expanding into Cloudsdale. Though it’s not like she has to deliver the dresses personally. Also interesting to hear that Cloudsdale doesn’t seem to have any accommodations for wingless species beyond spells, especially given Las Pegasus.
I’ll be honest, when Starlight talked about experiencing things from the other pony’s perspective, I thought she’d be swapping their minds and/or cutie marks. I’m mildly disappointed that we didn’t get the former. Still amused by her basically being forced to act as the angry couple’s marriage counselor, and the book club idea is a good one, at least on paper.
I am far too amused by Rarity pronouncing the double-l in Caballeron as Spanishly as possible. (Also, G. M. Berrow making a reference to one of her books? Take a shot.)
Girls, please. You’re ruining Lyra and Bonbon’s date.
Interesting callback to “A Matter of Principals,” though apparently Celestia’s been holding on to all of these artifacts from other civilizations. I have to wonder how they feel about that. Granted, international tensions were a lot tighter before Twilight took her throne as the Princess of the Diplomatic Corps, but at this point I expect a few people to wonder when their new ally will give them back treasured pieces of their culture.
(Also, wow was I wrong about what the Amulet of Aurora did.)
Azurantium apparently isn’t affected by gravity. I suppose it’s in the same periodic family as cavorite.
Oh hey, Froggy Bottom Bog. Haven’t been here since… well, “A Health of Information,” actually, but it’s still neat to see the place again.
Aww, Dash goes to Filly Guide meets with Scootaloo. That’s adorable.
Yikes. What’s in those geysers if they’d burn Dash’s feathers off? Also, I don’t suppose she could just slow down a little and watch where she’s going?
Oh, right. Rainbow Dash. “Take it slow” is the last thing that would occur to her. And she can’t fly too high or she’ll lose the trail. (At least, that’s what she thinks at the time.)
Rarity building a fan boat out of scraps actually does make sense. Probably drawing on her experience from applewood derbies.
The bufogren is interesting for a number of reasons, not least because as far as I can tell, it’s a completely original species. It’s almost G1-esque in both its ugly-cute aesthetic and lack of mythological basis. (Also, I’m pretty sure an omnibian got lose in Froggy Bottom at some point.)
Ooh, on-screen cloudweaving. Neat.
Heh. Ancient unicorn explorers developed a recipe for breath mints. I am not in the least bit surprised.
So… they could’ve looked up at any time in this exchange. Wow. 
There’s something amusing ironic about Rainbow Dash overthinking a puzzle as Rarity provides a simple solution.
I see the diarchs provided some pointers when Twilight designed the School of Friendship. Maybe Luna refused to sign off on the place unless it had a set minimum number of secret entrances and inbuilt pranks. (“A school is naught but a fortress of learning, and a fortress without a trapdoor leading to sealed cells is no fortress at all!”)
Heh. The artifact scavenger hunt worked this time.
I admit, I’m a little disappointed that the camera didn’t cut to Starlight when Dash talked about how boring friends sharing all of their interests would be.
In all, this one is a bit contrived, and the moral’s been done several times already—“Maud Pie,” “Uncommon Bond,” even “The Cutie Map”—but overall I found it harmlessly entertaining. Pretty much what I expected from Berrow.
That drama system looks to be headed out towards Manehattan. I’ll tell the locals to prep positively charged ectoplasm. In the meantime, let’s look at this week’s cards.
Ponyville Reconciler 1W
Creature — Unicorn Advisor
When Ponyville Reconciler enters the battlefield, you may pair target creature with soulbond with another target creature with the same controller.
”You’d think the friendliest town in Equestria wouldn’t need me. At first, so did I.”
2/2
Rarity’s Hypocrisy 2WW
Enchantment
You may cast Aura spells as though they had flash.
Your opponents can’t cast spells during combat.
”Rarity has high standards. Sometimes she doubles up on the things.”
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
Menthol Cleanse 1U
Instant
Target creature get -3/-0 and loses all abilities until end of turn.
Much of ancient unicorn fieldcraft is devoted to taking local flora and turning it into useful tools that double as hygiene products.
Azurantium Trail 1UU
Enchantment
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, proliferate. (You choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there.)
The sparkles act as a testament to a successful mission.
Steady Strider 2U
Creature — Unicorn Scout
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 end step, if Steady Strider is paired with another creature, untap those creatures.
2/3
Friendship Observer 3U
Creature — Advisor
Alicorn (This card is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
Flying
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent’s control, draw a card unless that player pays 1.
”Don’t mind me. I’m just watching.”
1/4
Tidal Inversion 3U
Instant
Return any number of target nonland permanents with total converted mana cost X or less to their owners’ hands, where X is the number of Islands you control as you cast this spell.
The Amulet of Aurora sculpts seas as easily as it refines flesh.
Hungering Morass 1BB
Enchantment
Cumulative upkeep B (At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent, then sacrifice it unless you pay its upkeep cost for each age counter on it.)
All creatures get -1/-1 for each age counter on Hungering Morass.
Find a Solution 2B
Sorcery
Search your library for a nonland card with converted mana cost 4 or less, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top. If you control a blue or red permanent, put that card into your hand. If you control a blue permanent and a red permanent, you may cast that card from your hand without paying its mana cost.
Caustic Geyser 3BB
Instant
Target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn.
Swampcycling 2 (2, Discard this card: Search your library for a Swamp card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.)
Irreconcilable Differences 3BB
Sorcery
Destroy two target creatures that share no colors.
”And ponies wonder why I tried to mind control my problems away.”
—Starlight Glimmer
Quicksmith Salvager 4B
Creature — Unicorn Artificer
2B, T: Return target artifact creature or Vehicle card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. If it’s a Vehicle, it becomes an artifact creature. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.
”Broken” is relative.
2/3
Shockwave Strike 2R
Instant
Target attacking creature gets +3/+0 and gains trample until end of turn. Shockwave Strike deals 1 damage to each creature defending player controls.
The sound barrier has become Rainbow Dash’s favorite plaything.
Mare of Action 3R
Creature — Pegasus Warrior
Soulbond
Flying
As long as Mare of Action is paired with another creature, both creatures have menace.
2/2
Tale Untold G
Instant
Exile target enchantment. If the exiled card is a Saga card, search its controller’s graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them, then that player shuffles their library.
Bargeback Cragadile 2GG
Creature — Elemental Crocodile
Islandwalk, swampwalk (This creature can’t be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island or Swamp.)
Whenever Bargeback Cragadile attacks, another target attacking creature gains islandwalk and swampwalk until end of turn.
3/2
The Razor of Dreams 3
Legendary Artifact
3, T: Exile the top card of target player’s library.
You may play cards exiled with The Razor of Dreams and may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast those cards.
Sequin-Shedding Boots 3
Artifact — Equipment
Whenever equipped creature attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on target attacking creature.
Equip 2
”That stuff gets everywhere.”
—Rainbow Dash, Bearer of Loyalty
Throes of Inspiration 1UR
Sorcery
Creatures target player controls can’t block until your next turn. That player draws a card for each of those creatures, then discards that many cards.
Rarity was far too enraptured by the future to notice the buckball headed for her in the present.
Froggy Bottom Bufogren 3(bg)
Creature — Frog
Deathtouch
Any stench that stands out against the background of Froggy Bottom Bog should be avoided at all costs.
2/4
Mossy Mire
Land
Mossy Mire enters the battlefield tapped unless you have two or more opponents.
T: Add B or G.
”Don’t think of it as a swamp. Think of it as a fragrant escape room.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
You're forgetting, Pinkie also helped design the school.
This was maybe the only part I really appreciated. It was a good gag. :)
This episode was ok, but I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if it had taken place in Season 2. Twilight could've easily filled Starlight's role as mediator and the students weren't strictly necessary. I don't know, it just feels like the past few seasons have reused scripts from the first two seasons. It seems like Rarity and RD should be past this by now.
On the other hand, it raises the question of why ponies would want shoes with toes -- the shoes in that shop looked very clearly like shoes meant to fit a foot. If anything, you'd expect horse shoes to be tubular, or otherwise molded to fit a hoof.
Was it Froggy Bottom Bog? I mean, it looked fairly different from how it appeared in "Leap of Faith", and no one actually called it that. There's nothing really saying there can't be more than one swamp in the general area of Ponyville and the Everfree.
Then again, this swamp did have a giant frog monster living in it, so there's that.
(Also, I believe the other episode was named “A Health of Information").
I quite liked the bufogren. I really like how the show takes the time to include traditionally ugly or gross animals among its roster of friendly creatures and woodland critters -- there are the snake and spider in Fluttershy's usual roster of animal friends, the crowd of frogs, snakes and baby alligators that Fluttershy needed to help reach the water in "Shadow Play", and now the helpful if foul-smelling six-eyed frog monster.
All in all, this episode felt a bit odd for me. The adventure bit was enjoyable and fun, but the ending and beginning fell a bit flat. If nothing else, Twilight's little scheme for getting Rarity and Rainbow to get along again felt... well, a bit manipulative.
Then again, one thing I've been appreciating lately is how continuity-heavy this season has been. FiM's episodes are usually very self-contained and, well, episodic, so that you don't need to know the plot of prior episodes (short of major ones like the finales and premiers, obviously, or others where major changes are made) to understand what's going on. This season, though, has had several points where you'd be at least somewhat confused if you, say, hadn't watched "Rarity Investigates" and learned who Shadow Spades is, or met Peewee in "Dragon Quest", or seen the potion mix-up in "It Isn't the Mane Thing About You".
4922609
I thought Twilight didn't really have a good showing in this episode. I don't mind the whole manipulative intervention so much, but what did bother me was that she deliberately teaches false information to her students by making up excuses for Rarity and Rainbow Dash's behavior. Not cool!
4922609
This, on the other hand, was cool.