Friendship is Card Games: Queen for One Less Day and Applewood Follies · 1:11pm Feb 3rd, 2019
This week, we take a few looks back at where the cast has been before, one intentional, one arguably less so, and not in that order.
Queen For One Less Day
Well, this is awkward. On paper, this retreads the ground covered by “For the Pony who has Everything,” the B story of issue #50: Celestia spends a day among her subjects like a god of antiquity making sure the mortals are still upholding the laws of hospitality. In practice… Well, at minimum, there’s a full issue to work with rather than half of one, and we’re trading Jay Fosgitt for Andy Price. That’s already two points in this issue’s favor. Let’s keep going.
Those books on acting, this premise, and the fact that this issue came out just ten days before “Horse Play” premiered…
Yeah, I’m definitely inclined to think that Celestia was intentionally hamming it up during that episode, just to see if Twilight could bear to say a word against her to her face. A test of disloyalty, as it were.
Tiberius, you filthy cheat.
Hmm. A changeling artifact. Well, we know that Equestria’s hoarding the cultural artifacts of the rest of the world thanks to Season 8’s story arc, so it’s not like it’s that surprising that Celestia has something like this. Heck, even losing some of her powers as she takes on a new form makes some sense given the nature of Chrysalis’s throne. Old changeling magic clearly excels at draining its user, its surroundings, and everything else.
Real subtle cutie mark, there Sunbutt. Definitely doesn’t scream “Celestia in disguise” at all.
Heh. I do love these little sisterly moments between the diarchs.
Nice touch with the Rocky statue in Fillydelphia. Also, it’s a good thing everypony’s apparently having the same political conversation across the country. (Personally, I side with those who have to at least question the princess’s methods. “Point purple pony at problem” doesn’t seem like the most robust strategy for national security, no matter how reliable it’s proven to be.)
Also, horn or no, Celestia still has some truly incredible pegasus magic at her disposal if she’s able to criss-cross the nation of the course of a day. (That or Equestria’s a lot smaller than it looks. Given some of the travel times we’ve seen, that is a possibility.)
I don’t know why Andy Price keeps drawing ponies lapping up hot beverages, but it is adorable as long as I don’t think about it too much.
That billboard for Haysier Crane raises a lot of questions about Equestria’s communication technology. Not just radio, call-in radio shows. We’ve seen telephones on the show once, yes, but this implies a much greater level of network integration than using them as glorified speaking tubes for a single building.
Heh. For Angel, anger management is just a form of resource management.
Okay, everypony in this town may or may not be crazy, but the mare advocating for Pinkie Pie to rule Equestria? We’ve seen where that leads, and it inevitably ends in chaos, whether that means Discordian madness, a radioactive wasteland, or a tyrannical galactic empire. That’s just too many ponies for one mare to befriend.
Still, it’s somewhere between heartwarming and disquieting to think that Celestia really is considering passing the tiara to Twilight one day.
Huh. The Rent-a-Lizard booth from “Zen and the Art of Gazebo Repair” is still open. Good for them.
As is Spike’s figurine stand. Maybe this is another Summer Wrap-Up festival.
Ah, Hummus and Notary Public. Another fine business from Two Things Boulevard.
Flies across the country. Runs after a thief. Brilliant thinking under pressure, Tia.
Oh. Oh wow. That’s an abusive relationship in so many levels. This issue is getting surprisingly heavy.
Heh. The whole “something only I would know” thing doesn’t work quite as well when you’re the country’s biggest celebrity. Break out the embarrasing stories from when she was a filly, Celestia.
I’m not in the least bit surprised that Twilight has a copy of the DSM on hoof.
Ah. There we go. Though now I’m wondering the Spell of Promethea does even when properly cast…
“Unfortunately, in this pegasus form, I have no magic to share.” I’m just going to be over here gritting my teeth for a few moments at that.
If nothing else, I hope Celestia looks at the state of Equestria’s child care. You wouldn’t think this would be a society where Faginesque thieves would raise a cadre of cutpurses from the forgotten remnants of the next generation.
Aw. Nice bit of validation for Starlight.
Shadowfall was already in deep crap when threatening children in front of two of the most powerful beings in the world, but she just had to invoke another one. (Though really, what did she think she could do to Twilight and Starlight?)
Until I saw the smile on Celestia’s face, I thought Crimson Petal had just smacked her in the face with the thrown amulet, which made Twilight’s delighted expression all the stranger.
Yeah, if the recourse for orphans is the diarchs’ castle, the infrastructure there really needs an overhaul. (That or its part of the apology.) Still, it can be seen as a shot at the “
orphan Scootaloo” concept, which I always appreciate. (Yes, we know about her aunts, but that doesn’t stop some people. Granted, neither will this. 
)
Heh. Luna should just start a support group for dealing with post-villainous guilt.
I’m not sure how to feel about the resolution. I can’t help but feel that other methods in addition to the disguised walkabouts would do a lot more good than throwing them out entirely. This was definitely a fun little adventure, but it only scratched the surface of what could be done with this concept… which makes sense, given how many others have explored it. (Obligatory Sunny Skies mention goes here.) It’s also nicely distinct from the previous IDW take on the tale… and all but completely incompatible with it. 
Ah well; it’s been clear for a while that the comics deal with a bundle of closely associated worldlines rather than a single continuity.
Applewood Follies
Ah, “Fame and Misfortune.” Say what you will about writers breaking into the Larson family crypt and reanimating an abandoned idea, to say nothing of the episode itself, but it did give a very interesting plot hook in the form of the widely published friendship journal, and thus giving the Bearers the recognition we’ve often said they deserve.
Daring Do having a horseshoe on the Walk of Fame raises some very interesting questions, especially considering that it’s in Daring’s name and not. A. K. Yearling’s.
Nice continuity nod to the AJ/Rarity Friends Forever comic, especially given the discontinuous previous issue.
Huh. I mean, the horse puns a lot easier with Palomino Pictures, but now I find myself wondering if the local equivalent of TriStar is run by an actual pegasus.
Nice as it is to see buffalo in Applewood, I do hope they’re not being typecast in stereotypical roles for their species. Or maybe that’s a changeling.
I see that clearly taped-on cutie marks really are the professional standard. You could say that my opinion of the Method Mares went up… if you went by the reference frame of my opinion of the rest of the Equestrian entertainment industry. 
Also, wonderful taped-on Sparkle hair. And black-and-white (or shades-of-purple) filiming does nicely address the whole “The actor’s the wrong color” issue without having to bring in fur dye.
Wow. I know it’s a pun, but still, dare not imagine what kind of pregnancy leads to naming your child “Wormer.”
Huh. At the time, I thought Applejack referring to magic lanterns was a folksy turn of phrase, but I suppose that is how Equestrian projectors were developed. For the purposes of the comic, anyway.
Also, ha. “Huge crossover appeal” is certainly an accurate way to describe Friendship is Magic. This blog series is evidence of that.
I think Wormer forgot whatever meds they have him on if he thinks these five directing is a good idea. At the very least, he forgot the bit of the journal detailing “Suited for Success.” Too many amateurs spoil the artistic endeavor.
“Eh, I didn’t have any plans for the next few months, anyway.” There are so many things wrong with that sentence, especially Applejack saying that sentence, that I don’t even know where to begin, especially if this is set after the founding of the School of Friendship.
Shouldn’t Wormer have announced the change in directors yesterday? The crew seems genuinely surprised.
Hoo boy. Yeah, “one unified vision” is about the one thing this stable of directors won’t provide.
Ah. The journal might not have included some of the earliest friendship lessons… or Rarity’s spinning them to be unrecognizable. Or putting in fat back in where the the scriptwriters had cut out.
I do love the stilt-greaves worked into the Nightmate Moon costume.
Five filming sessions… Yikes. Talk about going over budget.
Very interesting to see the state of pony cinema, given the live narrator and orchestra. Especially given the glimpse of a theater we saw in “Babs Seed.” I suspect Horsehooves insisted on silent film for more gravitas and that was one of the decisions the Bearers couldn’t change.
Also interesting to see the directors are dressed in outfits that are almost but not quite their Gala dresses. Which, given the themes of the issue, is rather appropriate.
I immediately like Pinkie’s scene. I suspect some lasting chaos contamination went into it.
You might be that innocent, Fluttershy, but you still birdnapped Philomena.
Much as I love Applejack’s self-portrayal, I do have to think that her cows would object to being characterized as “the forces of evil.”
“Cinema canape” actually does describe the little bites of film quite accurately… though I suspect that part of the length issue was indeed budget.
Heh. When you manage to match the Crusaders’ talent show performance in terms of incompetence and the audience cracking up over it, you know you failed. And if that’s sincerely how these mares remember all of that, then it’s a very good thing Twilight was writing it all down. And it’s no wonder they’ve had to relearn some lessons.
Wait, Yearling also has a shoe on the Walk of Fame? 
As does a WW2-era sniper from the Metal Gear games, assuming that’s The End we’re talking about.
“That time we formed a rock band and toured Equestria!” Wrong species.
“Or that time we sailed to the moon!” Close, but not quite the Nightmare Rarity arc.
“Or that time we traveled back in time and…” Theoretically possible if their actions rewrote the timeline such that that adventure never happened.
In any case, this was some thoroughly entertaining fluff. Though I can only imagine how Twilight reacted when she heard about this. Or worse, if she heard about it only when she saw the movie.
Now, let’s see what the boys in post have put together:
Solar Bubble 2W
Enchantment
When Solar Bubble enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls until Solar Bubble leaves the battlefield.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you gain 1 life.
Wormer Horsehooves 2WW
Legendary Creature — Unicorn Advisor
At the beginning of combat on each opponent’s turn, for each creature that player controls, you choose whether and who that creature attacks this combat unless that player pays 1.
Directors are used to being obeyed.
2/3
Innocuous Traveler 3W
Creature — Pegasus Citizen
Flying
1W: Transform Innocuous Traveler. Activate this ability only if Innocuous Traveler is enchanted or equipped.
”Excuse me, have you seen my necklace? It’s rather important.”
2/3
Celestia Unmasked
(W) Legendary Creature — Avatar
Alicorn (This creature is also a Pony Pegasus Unicorn.)
Flying, indestructible, vigilance
2W, Sacrifice an artifact or enchantment: Exile target nonland permanent.
”Ah. I see you already found it.”
3/4
Misremember U
Instant
Counter target spell cast from a graveyard or from exile.
”I could’ve sworn that’s how it went the first time…”
Free Press 1UU
Enchantment
Players play with their hands revealed.
At the beginning of each player’s draw step, that player draw an additional card.
“Every day, the cost of such an institution mounts.”
—Princess Luna
Blackout Swarm 3UU
Creature — Pest
Flash
Flying
When Blackout Swarm enters the battlefield, all creatures gain shroud until end of turn. (They can’t be the targets of spells or abilities.)
Their numbers grew until they swallowed the sky.
3/2
Opossum Card Shark 1B
Creature — Beast
B, Discard a card: Opossum Card Shark gains indestructible until end of turn.
“Of course he cheats. I taught him how.”
—Princess Luna
2/1
Ponyville Cutpurse RR
Creature — Pony Rogue
Whenever Ponyville Cutpurse becomes blocked, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.
Even the friendliest town in Equestria has those society forgot.
2/2
Heavyweight Contender 2R
Creature — Pony Warrior
Renown 1 (When this creature deals combat damage to a player, if it isn’t renowned, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.)
Heavyweight Contender has double strike as long as it’s renowned.
2/2
Peregrine Phoenix 4R
Creature — Phoenix
Flying, trample, haste
At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice Peregrine Phoenix.
You may cast Peregrine Phoenix from your graveyard.
Some phoenixes burn so hot that they spend most of their time as ash.
3/1
Applewood Cockatrice G
Creature — Bird
B: Applewood Cockatrice gains deathtouch until end of turn.
“There ain’t nothing real in this town. Even the monsters are just special effects.”
—Applejack, Bearer of Honesty
1/2
Autograph Collector 1G
Creature — Pony Citizen
Whenever a legendary creature enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on Autograph Collector.
Some fans go big. Others go wide.
2/2
Browsing Guardian 2G
Creature — Pony Dinosaur Scout
Vigilance
2G: Adapt 2. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put two +1/+1 counters on it.)
“One time this nice gooey elf lady asked me for a blood sample.”
—Pinkie Pie, Bearer of Laughter
2/3
The Battle of Appleoosa 3G
Enchantment — Saga
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I, II — Create a 3/3 green Ox Warrior creature token.
III — Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control. You may repeat this process.
Village Flatteners 4G
Creature — Ox Warrior
Riot (This creature enters the battlefield with your choice of a +1/+1 counter or haste.)
Village Flatteners can’t be blocked by more than one creature.
Only fools and heroes stand in the stampede’s path.
3/3
Fury Lenses 2
Artifact — Equipment
Whenever equipped creature attacks, tap target creature defending player controls.
Equip 2
Nopony wanted to actually capture the Stare on film, but the prop department had a viable substitute.
Chain-Me Ganglia 3
Artifact — Equipment
1: Untap equipped creature
1: Equipped creature gains your choice of flying or hexproof until end of turn.
1: Equipped creature gets +1/-1 or -1/+1 until end of turn.
Equip 3
Manehattan Skyscraper 3
Artifact
2, T: Target creature gains flying until end of turn. Put a brick counter on Manehattan Skyscraper.
2, T: Target creature gains flying, first strike, and vigilance until your next turn. Activate this ability only if there are three or more brick counters on Manehattan Skyscraper.
Cleansing Flame RW
Instant
Exile target artifact or enchantment.
“As much as I hate to admit it, some magic is best left unused.”
—Princess Twilight Sparkle
Shadowfall, Thief-Mother 1UB
Legendary Creature — Pony Rogue
Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, look at a number of cards from the top of that player’s library equal to those creatures, exile one of them face down, then put the rest into their graveyard. For as long as that card remains exiled, you may look at it, cast it, and spend mana as though it were mana of any type to do so.
1/2
Bequeath 1RW
Sorcery
Target opponent gains control of target permanent you control. You gain life equal to that permanent’s converted mana cost.
“The best gifts enrich both sides.”
—Rarity, Bearer of Generosity
Greta Gumball 3WB
Legendary Creature — Pony
When Greta Gumball enters the battlefield, destroy all creatures. If Greta was cast, destroy all other creatures instead.
”Please. I want to be left alone.”
3/3
Walk of Fame
Land
T: Add C.
T: Add X mana of any color in your commander’s color identity, where X is the number of times your commander has been cast from the command zone this game.
Every step memorializes a new legend.
Note: Chain-Me Ganglia continues the trend of its predecesor, Pemmin's Aura, which is an anagram of "I am Superman." Naturally, the Ganglia is an anagram of "I am a changeling." Plus, a gilded nerve cluster seems like an appropriate changeling magical item.
Well, now I want magic cards that do not exist.
I usually think Equestria is actually about the size of France or so, maybe a bit bigger but not much. They don’t exactly have many major cities after all.
Ugh, I'll join you.
I'm going to chalk this up to the comic writer falling into the "it's only magic if unicorns do it" trap, similar to some fanfic writers.
Maybe she had the book because she sucks at acting and was trying to learn.
Maybe she just never got around to reading it.
On magic lanterns: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_lantern
5007237
It's actually not as much of a faux pas as you might think. In "Twilight's Kingdom", Tirek was unable to steal magic from pegasi or earth ponies until he had acquired sufficient power from unicorns. This suggests that although pegasus flight and earth pony strength are indeed forms of magic, they behave rather differently in terms of how easily they can be channeled or transferred. Think of it like batteries with different voltages and similar capacities.
5007412
Perhaps, although I still question the phrasing. I would have worded it as "In this pegasus form, I cannot share my magic."
5007412
It actually suggests that Pegasus and Earth Pony Magic is MORE innate and closely tied to them doesn’t it...
Queen for One Less Day was a definite improvement over the last 'Celestia in Disguise' story IDW did. This one at least examined the idea with a little more stakes, really showing how this method to know her citizens might actually have drawbacks. That's actually pretty interesting and something even Sunny Skies didn't always do as well. I also enjoyed how Luna, despite ostensibly being the sister who probably needed this tradition more given her long absence, has connected with her subjects more through one-on-one interaction at Nightmare Night and other events. It allows Luna to have some wisdom in the conflict that doesn't knock Celestia down a peg or make Luna herself overly forlorn.
Applewood Follies...I don't know. This is situation that practically gives a great conflict: having five different friends portray the others (and especially themselves) in radically different ways for a public that, going by Fame and Misfortune, was quick to judge and ready to devour them for any perceived wrongdoing. It could be a really interesting examination of how they view each other and may even force them to confront their own perceptions, with a possible spoof of the Hollywood biopic. But nope, by the end, it's just 'Well, that was wacky, but that's friendship!' Even just looking at it as harmless fluff, I find it rather insubstantial; the characters make a wacky movie in predictable ways, then move on down the road. If you're going to make fluff, at least make it eye-catching fluff. In the end, I can understand why some would like this issue, but I just couldn't get into it.
I stopped regularly following the comics, and now only selectively read the issues/arcs that look interesting to me, and Queen for One Less Day was one of the ones I did pick up. Again, I have to criticise that Sunny Skies already did this concept better over half a decade ago. I acknowledge that it's better than the previous effort by Whitley and Fosgitt, but that was a low bar to clear in the first place, and I'm not very forgiving of rehashing story concepts or continuity mistakes, and especially not continuity mistakes in your rehash story with the story you're rehashing.