My Little Impressions: Season 9 So Far... · 3:35pm Jul 23rd, 2019
Naturally, spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen Season 9 of MLP. Don't read any further if you haven't seen these episodes and want to eventually, without spoiling anything.
Still here? Good, lets go then.
With the hiatus coming to a close very soon, I felt that it was a good time to step up and give my general impressions of Season 9 up to this point. This is, after all, the big tie-off to the series and is extremely important to the fandom and it's ideals. So, what do I think of Season 9 so far? Lets dig it apart, episode by episode:
The Beginning of the End - Part 1 and 2: Bravo. This is how a big episode of MLP should feel! The villains shone brightly here, even if Sombra's new voice was the silliest thing since Cheese Sandwich. That isn't an insult by the way -- I love how silly Cheese is. One of my favorite side characters. Grogar comes off as a real serious threat, being able to warp all the villains without being able to see them, raising the dead, and doing other magical feats that made one question just how strong he could really be. The dynamic between the villains was smooth and I loved it; it gave them even more personality and fleshed them out in new, unique ways. As for the ponies, excluding the little hellspawn Cozy, they're all wonderfully portrayed. I love how meta this episode got at points, without going completely overboard with it. The jokes were clean, got a laugh, and made me crave more. The conflict was smooth, and Sombra's fake-out was inspired. And that climactic moment at the end! Mwah! Gold.
Uprooted: *sighs* Alright, I don't hate this episode. Not one bit. It's an okay episode with a pleasant message. However, the restoration of the Tree of Harmony undid the biggest stresser of the season so far; the Dues Ex Machina tree was gone, leaving the Mane 6 to rely on their own powers. Albeit, now they basically have the Deus Ex Machina inside them, but that's a reasonable thing for the end-game of the series. The Young 6 were precious in this episode, and seeing their individuality brought out is a nice thing.
Twilight's Seven: I literally have no words for how amazing this episode was. It was nonsense, as I would expect the 200th episode to be, running with the themes from Slice of Life. It was silly, gave us some great memes, and was a solid laugh for everyone watching. No complains and no major critiques. Just... love. All my love.
The Point of No Return: This. This is what a last-season episode of the show should be like. It addresses one of Twilight's biggest problems: her crippling need for perfection in all things. It's always been a problem of hers, and this episode did a good job drawing that into the light again, while also giving it a solid, pleasing resolution. It was Twilight's biggest flaw throughout the series and, as is fitting for a final season, has been at least partially resolved. I was happy with how this one played out and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Common Ground: And this is how a returning side-character/guest star should be done. Mind you, I always hoped Quibble and RD would end up as a couple, but I'm not too surprised it didn't go that way. Similarly, I'm hoping this happens with Pinkie and Cheese, but I haven't heard the fandom exploding, even after the leak, so I'm assuming it doesn't happen. Again, I know why the staff and writers want to avoid tying down the Mane 6, but I think that would be a solid last-season event that would feel very final. And that's what a final season needs: finality. Quibble's resolution was adorable, and knowing that it was his real-life wife and step-daughter (or was it his actual daughter; I don't know...) made it all the sweeter.
She's All Yak: This one bothered me in some ways... Mostly because of the conflict resolution. I said it before in the discussion thread, but Rarity was the only one at fault in this episode. Where the other ponies were just teaching Yona how to dance and cook, Rarity was the only one demanding she be someone different. There's a world of difference between teaching someone new skills and overwriting who they are as a person. So when the whole crew decided to apologize, I felt like it was unreasonable; RD, Fluttershy, and AJ did nothing wrong. However, the budding relationship between Yona and Sandbar is probably the cutest thing I've seen in this season so far, so I can forgive a little opinionated disagreement. Still a very solid episode; so far so good.
Frenemies: Oh. My. God. Do I even need to say anything? This whole episode was brilliant. It characterized the villains in an entirely new light, built up to the grand finale, and gave us one of the best musical numbers in the entire show. I mean, I had a few qualms with how often they rhymed "bad" with "bad," but I can forgive that; the song is still wonderfully catchy, the animations were smooth, and the personalities of the three villains sang in the song, if that makes sense. The resolution was adorable and hilarious, and I can't wait for the moment when the three of them turn on Grogar and undermine his entire plan. Because I think we all know, Grogar has no intention of sharing his rule over Equestria... Wow, this season is doing good so far! No episodes I don't like, and... wait, what's that on the horizon?
Sweet and Smoky: Yeah. I had to open my big mouth. So, I have some issues with this episode. Namely, the idea that Garble is Smoulder's brother and secretly isn't such a bad guy. We don't need to redeem everyone. Sometimes, a bully is just a bully, and that's a message I think the show should've gotten across at some point. But no, we need to forgive Garble, because reasons. Let me line up a few facts, just to solidify this... Garble; the dragon who promised to go to war with ponykind if he got the Scepter. The same dragon who tried to kill Spike on at least one occasion. The same dragon who tried to kill baby phoenixes. See, here's a fun little fact: I've seen representations of the Phoenix where they are vulnerable in their eggs. This means that there is a brief window for Phoenixes to die for good, shortly after their deaths and rebirths from the ashes. In the original mythology, when a phoenix dies, it leaves an egg in it's ashes, which hatches shortly thereafter. However, this isn't the case in MLP, as seen with Philomena. So, wouldn't that mean that, after hatching, phoenixes are entirely invincible? I'd argue that yes, perhaps they are. So, how would they not have overpopulated Equestria? They need some way to be culled... And the answer, I presume, is their eggs. The eggs that Garble smashed for fun. So... we've got a murderous, genocidal, baby-killing dragon here... but he's a poet and misunderstood, so it's all good. No, I'm sorry, I hate that. Garble has never once shown us any indication that he wasn't a terrible dragon and the worst his kind had to offer. Magically being "deep" and "sensitive" doesn't undo all he's shown us. We don't need to redeem everybody. With Diamond Tiara, her explanation was believable, because her personality matched that of her mothers. Furthermore, even her own friends couldn't tolerate her by the end, forcing her to redeem herself or be alone forever. But Garble? Can you really sit there and tell me he deserved to be forgiven? Well, one bad episode doesn't spoil the bunch... Let's just look forward to the next one with--
Going to Seed: OH, COME ON! Now, don't get me wrong here. Going to Seed is an adorable episode that made me smile all throughout it. However, it's a final season episode, which means we should expect more from it. It should deliver more to us. Instead, we got an episode that focuses solely on one of the Mane 6 that doesn't really resolve any of her major character flaws. You could argue that it taught AJ to be more childish and embrace the mystical in the world, but I don't think that's a very serious issue she's had throughout the series. Maybe the writers wanted an episode that focuses on each of the Mane 6 individually, which I can understand and respect, but give us something with substance, like Common Ground or The Point of No Return. How great would it have been to have AJ confront Flim and Flam again? I can imagine an episode teaching about forgiveness; AJ confronts the Flim-Flam brothers in some conflict and admits that, while she won't ever trust the two of them and still doesn't like how they operate, she forgives them for all the wrongs they've done up till then. She wipes the slate clean and gives them a chance. Now, I don't think Flim and Flam should be redeemed either -- they're snake-oil salesman, through and through -- but a message about forgiving even the longest-running enemies, regardless of how they act from then on, could be a solid one if delivered in an intelligent way. However, I couldn't come up with a solid story in my brief time writing this, so I won't blather on like I'm superior... Going to Seed was a good episode of MLP... for any season other than the final one. If they had even put this story in Season 8, I would've been more appreciative of it. But I feel like this episode could've been better spent touching on other, broader topics...
Student Counsel: Like this! Starlight's portrayal in this is fantastic. It shows how far her character has come... and how far she hasn't. Consider, Starlight never thought she was doing wrong when she made Our Town. She made it with the sole purpose of helping others, driven by the belief that her actions were making their lives better as a whole. She was proven that she was wrong, however, when the Mane 6 opened the eyes of her followers and she saw how much happier they were without her ideology. The rage she felt at being so wrong fueled the Season 5 finale, which ultimately led her to accept that she'd been mistaken all along. Now, in this episode, Starlight is flipping the script. She still wants to help others, but now it's a detriment to herself, rather than to the people she wants to help. She's digging herself a hole, trying to help as many people as possible... and that's something I think a lot of people overlook about Starlight. She wants to help others; that's her biggest goal. It shows in her actions, not her words, so many people overlook it. But it's a trait I've come to appreciate about her. I'm happy to see it on display again in this episode, and her get a better understanding of how to be a better pony.
The Last Crusade: So... This one... Let me be completely honest here. This is my least favorite episode thus far. This is how to resolve a plot thread poorly. I wrote an entirely new synopsis for this episode here, on how they could have resolved this episode right, but my biggest complaint is this... Scootaloo's parents aren't neglectful. They aren't ambivalent to her achievements, as previously stated, but they just aren't there physically. It's confirmed in the episode that they write Scootaloo regularly, so how did she not have their support, as stated in Parental Glideance? I was never a firm believer in Scoota-orphan; one doesn't need to be orphaned to be neglected. There are many routes they could have taken to make Scootaloo's trial with her family more believable, more impacting, and more meaningful for both the children and the parents watching the show. As I said in my comment above, a far better message would've been if Scoot's parents were ambivalent towards her, not respecting her opinions or cherishing her accomplishments. Then, Rainbow confronts Scootaloo's parents and points out how much their actions are harming their daughter. Then they step up and become better parents. A message of "just because you believe your parents are dismissive and not supportive, doesn't mean they don't love you" would've been a great message for kids! And a message of "show your children you love them; don't just expect them to know it" would've been a solid message for parents who were watching with their kids. A double-whammy that would've wrapped up Scootaloo's arc, sent a strong, meaningful message, and felt like a real Final Season episode. But instead, we got wordless cameos from characters we all wanted to have speaking roles... Don't get me wrong, I was happy to see Best Griffon Gabby again, but a few brief lines from them, each wrapping up their arcs with the CMC would've been more than appreciated. But instead, we basically got confirmation that the griffon who's name literally means "talkative" wouldn't be having any speaking lines this season, which is a real shame. In fact, this whole episode is wasted potential... On a side note, I love Scootaloo's aunts. A same-sex couple in MLP is something we've been rooting for, for a long time and I'm both amazed and pleased that the writing staff delivered. For all my qualms about this episode, I adore those two and think they're a sign of good things to come.
Between Dark and Dawn: Out last episode before the Hiatus! And what an episode. I've always loved the Royal Sisters. While I'm a bit more of a Luna fan, I also know she'd be nothing without her big sister. And this episode just... Hawaiian shirts! And Goth Celestia! Thrill-seeker Celestia! Come on, how can you not appreciate this! It also let us see the sisters outside their royal roles; they abandoned the mantles of rulers for a short time, and we got to see them as a pair of normal, everyday ponies. Their personalities popped and we were treated to a site that I'm sure many of fans have been waiting for; the sisters being casual for once and just living life. The sub-plot about the Swans and Twilight learning about ruling Equestria wasn't super interesting, but it still delivered a powerful lesson to the Princess of Friendship that ultimately will make her a better ruler -- and that is most appreciated. I like that the staff is showing Twilight grow throughout the season, and come to be the ruler that Equestria needs, not just the one it deserves.
Overall Opinions: Laying the episodes out like this, I've come to realize that I'm actually happier with Season 9 than I thought I was going in. Episodes like Sweet and Smoky, The Last Crusade, and Going to Seed were few, but they stood out so strongly that they overpowered a lot of the good this season has given us so far. And there is a lot of good to be seen. I can't say that I'm disappointed with what I've seen of Season 9 so far, but I do hope that this trend continues and we see more and more positive episodes that feel grand and final. We need more resolutions that feel natural, not contrived. We need more grandness, not simple episodes with needless filler. I will continue to watch the show till the end -- and beyond -- that much I don't doubt. This series is still very important in my life and continues to be a source of immense joy in my world. I can't be the only one who feels that way, nor can I be the only one who hopes the series is given the sendoff it deserves. I will continue to watch with bated breath, enjoying every second of this show full of pastel-colored ponies and their adventures in the world of Equestria.
- Quillian B. Inkheart
Anything your forgetting?
5092953
Am I?
5092954
I'm not watching the leaks; I'm sticking only to official releases.
Sweet And Smoky tells us that laughing at people who have different interests makes you a hero. What a great episode!
5092963
Not watching the leaks when they're thrown into your lap is silly. Especially when they are/were all on Youtube in English... with and without Chinese subtitles. Their consistency in what they wreeeeeeeeeeeeeee about and what "falls through the cracks" has become beyond contemptible. Not that I have any issue with taking advantage; it's still the best place on the internet to find something safe to access if you know what to look for and how to locate it.
5092964
I know, right? On the flip side, we got some adorable Fluttershy faces/moments, so... That's something.
5092965
Eh, I've never liked leaks. It's not a matter of what Hasbro feels; I just think it's disrespectful to the creators and not really my style. I prefer to have a weekly schedule for my episodes, enjoying them on my own time. I know that's not everyone's view and I can respect that.
5092978
Meh. Hasbro and the creators let the "leaks" happen. If they'd done more to "prevent" it China might've listened. Or maybe it's China's business; I haven't bothered to look up the legality and don't care to. Not that it matters; six episodes and we're done.
I do a little to support the franchise. I've given them plenty of iTunes moola since 2011. And they'll get a little more once they release the last 13 episodes. The comics have always been hit-or-miss but the .700 batting average they collectively sit at is more impressive than anything in baseball. And my Glimmy/Trixie rocket enjoys a place on my office shelf between my sugarbeet cross-section and a bottle of Tuzemák I picked up on a research trip.
5092984
Only through leaks though. Official releases start again on August 3rd.
5093028
But are still leaks. Look up the official release dates; the episode That's a Laugh wasn't supposed to air until August 3rd. Those are leaked episodes, and I wait for the official releases.
5093020
I look forward to that then. XD
5093030
As I said, it's really just my preference. I know it isn't for everyone, but I like supporting the official release.