Twilight's 7 reaction · 10:58pm Apr 23rd, 2019
Episode 200 has come... they grow up so fast ^^
*sniffles*
I held off a couple days on this one. I expected a sort of fast-paced mishmash of different ideas, as with episode 100, which, while quite fun... I found I have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy. The spoiler images without context suggested it might've taken a similar direction. So, Monday morning with breakfast in hand I watched... given the imagery in this episode, this reaction's gunna be long ^^
While signing forms at her desk with Starlight, Twilight sees Spike come in with a new scroll, bearing a symbol -- a silver crown that at first appears made of perhaps foil. Twilight immediately becomes excited along with Spike, and because Starlight is out of the loop, Twilight explains for the audience's benefit -- it is a symbol of the contest she and Shining Armor used to compete over when they were younger. Immediately it segways into a montage:
It starts with kite flying, Shining knocks young Twilight and Spike's kite out of the sky, playfully (little diapered Spike on her back is totes adorbs). Then it moves on to a pottery wheel, showing Twilight's skill at outdoing Shining in that field... who creates more of a crevice in the end than a pot. Naturally, to keep it fair the parents had a chart with gold stars whenever the siblings came out on top. Everything appears to be measured, which is kind of nice and somewhat believable -- Shining is shown sharing a bit more than Twilight an apple he divides in three, a quarter for himself and Spike, though Twilight's grades in comparison reflect a much more natural understanding of school work, though Shining appears to be much more funny than Twilight.
Shining: Funny how?
Wayward: You know... the way you tell the story.
Shining: I don't understand... maybe you can explain it to me. How exactly am I funny? Tell me, you said it.
Twilight: Yeah, good luck with that. His grades didn't always show that he understood everything he was being told. By teachers or even his peers, trust me!
Shining: Aww, Twilight, did you really have to say that?
Twilight: Hey... if it helps in the end you made captain of Royal the guard!
To anybody who's still following this... sorry, couldn't resist XD
So at the end of each week the sibling would be awarded the crown. Spike was too young to process it early on, even with Twilight winning, who was likely 5 to 8 at the time. He was tiny. drawing on the wall in the yellow the family used for the stars (and a few other colors). The sibling that won would get the crown of Sibling Supreme, and bragging rights until next time. That's pretty fair competition between the two ^^
Spike indicates that he always wanted the crown, which makes sense, because... well, it's something he saw his whole life, looking up at those ponies in wonder who were competing. There's an ending to the message saying to meet at Celestia's castle to get the crown for good, if you can. The two run off, leaving Starlight to exclaim: "Guess I'll watch the school...?"
Cue credits.
Right off this one got my interest... while I do miss Twilight's asocial personality of Seasons 1-2, where out of nothing but her experiences with others, learning and discovering, fostered the magic of friendship, the idea of rivalry between her and her brother is all kinds of awesome.
So the pair fly to the castle, into the throne room, where they find Luna, Celestia, and a rather cocky-looking Shining Armor, wearing the crown that appears to have seen better days yet is still quite recognizable and adorable. Shining and Twilight exchange words, since Shining is the last one to have won the crown, and Celestia steps forward, basically saying she's looking to test her castle's new defenses, since Sombra kinda surprised them last time. Ignoring the fact that they conveniently weren't there when Sombra attacked, Luna lets the pair know she's not happy with the decision, since it was her idea they could just do things themselves instead of involving Twilight, Shining and all this rigamarole. Celestia loses her composure for a moment, and the two make grumpy faces at each other (total adorbs). Moving on, Celestia allows Shining to speak about what he's done and he presents the plot point of the episode -- to have Twilight break into Celestia's castle to test it out. If she can do it, the crown is hers... forever. Cue a face similar to Twilight's pudding face from the holiday special.
This is a pretty awesome premise. Twilight can use any and all at her disposal, she just has to get in and out, with the crown, undetected. Shouldn't be too hard, since she's already welcome into the castle along with her friends. Celestia's hopeful that her breaking in will show any holes in their security... Shining's quick to assure them all there are none -- it's magic proofed so ponies can't teleport inside, they can't fly in either because of large portable fans which nearly obliterate a little birdy keeping everything flying from getting too close. Then of course underground entrances are bricked up, the security's been doubled, stallion and mare guards everywhere, and doors are now locked basically requiring magic access cards from the guards. Shining then stupidly shows Twilight the trap door before the thrones, then points out the geese on the top of the columns which will sound at the slightest noise. I can suspend my disbelief that they didn't sound when Twilight and Spike entered, but they look more like pink flamingo buzzards than geese... plus they've got teeth. Fairly unsettling-looking birdies, plus they seem to bite and freak out almost indiscriminately. That won't go poorly ^^
Twilight is shown thinking of all the possibilities, surrounding herself in diagrams, and with a simple sweep effect we're shown she's in front of her friends, talking about what to do. AJ indicates it's overwhelming, whereas Rarity can't get past the idea it's just for a foalhood competition. Twilight points out, with a simple, it is that, but also to protect Celestia's castle. They're all on board, and Twilight gives each of her friends a role:
1. Pinkie distracts the guards with a party.
2. Applejack will buck her way through the bricks, and... she massages her thighs with her legs out straight in a way that's probably going to make a lot of memes referencing something else.
3. Rainbow, if she can, will out fly the wind turbines, which... at the very least that would make a good distraction.
4. Rarity will make gaurd costumes to sneak past security
5. Fluttershy will, simply put, charm the geese making it so the alarm won't sound.
I've yet to see Ocean's 11, but I hear from a friend this episode's got a structure similar to it. I can also see a bit of Mission Impossible, maybe. At this point the episode is proving to have a very tight structure, which is not what I was expecting ^^
Spike burbs up a note from Shining Armor, which basically destroys Twilight's plan. He guessed everything XD
Rarity points out that no pony knows Twilight better than her own brother, so... he'll win no matter what, unless she can do something he can't expect. Cue Rarity volunteering to be the Mastermind (and cue commercial).
Rarity's idea is for them all to do their own unexpected thing... the opposite of what, I guess, they would normally do. The imagery in the following scene is awesome -- we're taken into her mind, where she and Rainbow Dash in a noir setting bust down the door of a bar where gangster ponies can be seen playing cards, mares can be seen flirting, and a couple can be seen enjoying themselves at a table with a bachelor stallion off on the opposite end of the bar staring at them with a smile on his face (seriously, it's up for 4 seconds but how the heck did this get past the censors!?!). In this fantasy Rarity is Shadow Spade and Rainbow is her Watson... very tough-looking, wearing a bowler derby, short mane. Everypony clears the bar and Rainbow starts interrogating the bartender, or "Juice jockey" XD
Before they can find the info they want about the secret entrance to the castle Pinkie interrupts suggesting she can be the look out IN SPACE, heading up into orbit, tickling Saturn by its rings.
AJ suggests a more realistic approach of bringing back her alter ego -- Apple Chord, to distract the guards with a song for her farewell performance. Flashback in sepia tone, showing AJ as a filly playing guitar for her family, then a larger crowd, and larger one, only to give it up as he just wanted to play for her family. What's neat about AJ's bit is... maybe she's yanking everypony's chain with a lil fantasy, maybe she really did these things. This is the type of guessing I love in MLP episodes, where you can suspend your disbelief and just giggle at the sentimental insanity. Rainbow Dash asks her if she's full of it, but Rarity interrupts before AJ can tell the truth... but it's likely so from her facial expression XD
Fluttershy's up with Spike and together they, much to Fluttershy's dismay, come up with an idea of being super spies. The imagery of the two is also quite striking -- crawling through the vent in masks and black rubber sneaking suits to see the crown below on the throne. Fluttershy gracefully zips down past red laser alarms, weaving in and out like Aeon Flux, to grab the crown, launching it to Spike, who then falls with it from the bent and uses the reflective surface of the crown to destroy all the laser alarms, throwing it one final time to have it land on Fluttershy's head. The two walk through the rest mist created by the destroyed lasers, mission accomplished. Prolly the best imagery in the whole episode, so un-Fluttershy it works for that reason.
Twilight is the only one with no plan, and Rarity's idea is that she... shall do nothing. That is, to her, rather horrifying of an idea... to be completely passive during this whole caper XD
In Canterlot the guards have been doubled, as expected. So has the fun. Shining Armor does his job atop a parapet as Apple Chord sets up her distraction before his men at the front of a door nearby. He is... quick to abandon his post to run up to her at the small stage she's pushed out to ask her what she's doing. She, of course, plays dumb and starts to sing. Her green country outfit is adorable ^^
Outside, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Spike are shown getting their parts ready... all but Rainbow in the famous balloon. Rainbow stresses the window to get in is small and there's no room for error... Fluttershy isn't made nervous by this, and it's clearly shown she and Spike are wearing Dangerous Mission costumes from years ago, which... from a distance could actually make them look like animals, plus black.
During this time Twilight runs into Shining Armor who tries to get some type of tell out of her... but, actuality she is up to nothing what so ever, except looking around the castle.
Immediately we see the balloon is out of control and nearly crashes into Applejack's stage... none of the gaurds hear Pinkie's screaming, despite being less than 50 feet away, until it zips right by them, and AJ takes advantage of this momentary distraction to use a suction cup on a string fired through her guitar's sound hole to get a guards magical door opener off his armor.
Good news is that, one the balloon is under control and Twilght starts talking to Pinkie, she finds that Fluttershy and Spike jumped out of the balloon before it went out of control... but maybe they made it in, maybe they didn't. Either way, Pinkie's filling her fishbowl helmet with spit just describing it, disappointed that she didn't make it into space.
Rarity's idea of going to Canterlot's seediest bar to shakedown the bartender has a fatal flaw... she went in not knowing the bar's hours. Instead, however, she's able to shakedown (literally) a very tolerant passerby, who is able to tell her where one of the secret entrances it located... maybe twenty feet away. Why, Rarity and Rainbow are in luck, the entrance is even changing guards to a newbie Luna has to show the entrance to... Zephyr Breeze.
Despite Rainbow's objections, the situation is perfect... she can charm him. Rarity dresses Rainbow up in a way that... makes her look like a glitterati, pushing her into Zephyr. Rainbow's facial expression could be ready as severe and coy, or... like she's about to puke. As an aside Zephyr is a lot taller than I remembered. While he flirts with Dash, and Dash grudgingly reciprocates via a motion from her friend in the bushes, Rarity removes a few brickes from the wall... and Zephyr causes Rainbow to trip. He gets a tiny bit too much for her, but Rarity has removed enough bricks and it's time to leave. She leaves him talking about himself... typical Zephyr XD
Zephyr's one of those characters I hoped I'd never see again because of how irritating his portrayal was, but here... he's fricken adorable, and so is Rainbow's reaction.
Meanwhile Spike and Fluttershy, cutting through the castle's stain-glass window, make an entrance. All the flamingo geese are shown sleeping... yay, a possible success. The pair silently glide down to the throne, but the geese are too sensitive to the sound and Fluttershy accidentally triggers the trap in the floor, sending the two to a stone oblete where the door closes above them. Luna comes in, sees nothing, and proclaims “another false alarm from Shining Armor's guard geese”. The way she says it... wow, she really does not want to do this.
With lookout and distraction down, and no communication, Twilight realizes a lot must've gone wrong , and is naturally in panic mode.
Back in the throne room the geese are uncontrollable and beneath it Fluttershy and Spike are in a panic. Fluttershy brings up how being in small spaces is terrifying to her since the Castle of the Two Sisters, I realize how different the animation looks now. It segways into Spike talking about what it's like taking a backseat to Twilight and her brother, and Fluttershy can relate. Just as the two begin to calm down Rainbow Dash accidentally opens the door to the chamber they're stuck in... and they all reunite, realizing their plans aren't working and they should exit, but it's not so easy to get outside quickly in a dungeon full of spiders and rats. Somehow they make it out of the castles cellar and talk to Twilight through a swinging window... the plan is a dud. Spike comes up with an idea – perhaps to try again, the Twilight way... and everypony agrees. Spike opens up for a hug, but Twilight is too focused... poor Spike.
So the air balloon is inflated inside the castle and pops immediately, decorating everything with Pinkie Pie flair and balloons in seconds. That certainly distracts the guards and Pinkie Pie, the living, suspended pinata, taps a present and Rarity comes traipsing out in a guard's uniform. They were able to get a charm from the guard earlier on to unlock the door and Rarity manages to convince the guard it's time for shift change and break. It's kind of adorable hearing Rarity try to have a deep raspy voice but fail. Rainbow is shown flying through the air holding on to Fluttershy, past the fans, while Zephyr is fired from his job of being a castle guard. He even manages to piss off the soldier firing him. Missed opportunity for Rainbow to have, a-hem, modeled and borrowed his uniform and for Dash to look like a patrolling guard with Fluttershy, though that's minor.
Mere feet away Twilight is shown with Applejack telling her to buck through solid rock... AJ is skeptical, until Maud is revealed. She marks the right place and with one kick AJ probably feels like the strongest mare in Equestria getting through the stone with ease.
Rarity is shown dismissing the guard as Fluttershy and Rainbow get in. She unlocks the door, and they're greeted by screeching birds that Fluttershy manages to calm almost immediately. It looks like everything's set.
With Twilight and Applejack, having been able to map out some of the underground dungeon of Canterlot Castle, they're able to find a secret passage, entering the throne room just in time as Pinkie Pie lowers herself to the rest of the party still in the pinata costume. Everything went off without a hitch... all Twilight has to do is fly up and get it. Problem is, Shining and the two sisters wait for her. Being a good sibling, Shining rubs in his victory. However...
Somehow Spike managed to get the crown while Shining was gloating. Granted, he's not outside of the Castle, but he managed to get it. Everyone is shocked, and Spike reveals he had Luna's help... who sits on her throne stroking the pink flamingo goose with a severe stare like a Bond villain. That is truly a meme-worthy pose. But... why did she do it?
Luna was mad not being listened to by Celestia, so she undermined the plan to test everything... putting irresponsible Zephyr in charge of the catacombs and keeping Celestia away from the hallways. Spike just had to go to plan, because Twilight's plan is so perfect and he knew Shining would wait until the last second then go on and on, it just a matter of using that distraction to have Luna teleport him the crown. He says float, though that is not what happens. Celestia is embarrassed, concedes to Luna that working on security for inside castle threats as well as out would be beneficial, Luna makes a quip back and they exit... and considering that both Shining Armor and Twilight technically lost, the crown is forfeit... to Spike. They all hug and the episode ends to mystery music with tribal drums that might be more fitting to the jungle, but still works for it's atmosphere.
So that was Twilights 7. What I was expecting, possibly, was a Magnificent 7 reference in the structure, but... the episode got taken in an unexpected direction. A number of my friends call it a goldmine, and in many ways it is, it's also just fun. In many ways the imagery is what really sells the episode, as well as the moral, which seems multi-faceted. Just thinking about it, I took a few things away from the episode which I think could make it very enjoyable and good for children to watch:
1. Listen to each other and consider each other's thoughts and feelings when making plans if you're in a team.
2. An attempt at something, even even failed, can still net you something to try again with later. The ponies got info and an items from their first venture.
3. An expected plan with uncontrolled twist can surprise the opposition; There are a few minor things to suspend the disbelief over, but they are minor. Totally worth a rewatch or two, or three... if not just for the surreal, over the top moments.
4. Make sure the smallest parts of your team know they're appreciated, too, especially if they've been there since the beginning.
5. Don't alienate or anger those you're working on a team with... they can work against you.
It's possible that last one comes from... let's just say experience working for a corporation (I feel we might tend to get one or two of those episodes each season). It is still a worthwhile message that works on a number of levels.
I took a lot of stuff having to do with teamwork from this one, which is lately where my mind is. I believe that, a lot of the time, people pull bits of themselves and situations they know from the moral of stories they watch. It's part of where you're at and how people can express it.
Peace 
Oh, golly! This was definitely a hardcore "Ocean's 11" reference. I never saw the very original one but the one that came out around 2000 was really good. It won't take you long, should you watch the 2000 one, to see exactly how the punified episode name is definitely on the mark. :)
D'aww! Spike actually seen in a diaper as a little hatchling? Too cute!
Thanks very much for all the descriptions. I missed out on A LOT of visuals.
What I took away was, at long last, there being an episode that acknowledged exactly what Spike had been to Twilight and Shining's family.
Unless I missed something, we never saw Spike at Night Lite and Twilight Velvet's house. Even Comic #40 didn't acknowledge Spike really leaving Canterlot Castle when Twi started at the school For Gifted Unicorns.
For me, the payoff was Spike. I got the satisfaction I've wanted from the show for years. Sure it wasn't my theory of the Mother & Son bond that I had gone with, but being a sibling certainly makes it a lot more special. :)
I'm so glad that cathy Weseluck will be at the final BronyCon. I heard it was her idea to make Spike's affiliation to the Sparkle family official. At long last, Spike is no longer just a 'friend' or '#1 Assistant'.
Thanks for allowing me to make my next watch of the episode far more visual. I didn't understand a lot. Now I do. Particularly when Fluttershy talks about 'Tight Spaces' and why it sounded watery inside Pinkie's space helmet. I also had wondered who Pinkie was tickling. Go Saturn!
5048705
Sure. Glad it was able to help
I'll have to check out Ocean's 11. It's one of those movies it pop culture that's I've interested in but have yet to see.
This episode is quite visual. Knowing what went into the scenarios now, however -- that the VAs were able to give input on what their characters were doing -- is kind of awesome. Gives the episode somewhat of a surreal feeling ^^