Updating Friendship - Part 1 · 3:12am Aug 16th, 2020
So as we all know, Friendship is Magic is not without flaws. Some characters don’t get enough focus, some episodes don’t go the way people think they should, and other stuff like that. This is my attempt at taking what we know happened in the show, and trying to make it all flow better. Here's how it'll work, I'll give an episode number and title, followed by whether it would remain the same as canon and/or whether there would be any edits for continuity or logic fixes. The season premieres and finales will include longer descriptions because they hold the most significance. A few episodes will be removed from the roster and replaced with either a later episode bumped up earlier in the timeline or a whole new episode due to fandom reaction. Alright, let's go!
We start with Season One!
Ep. 1 “Friendship is Magic, Part 1”- We begin with the book like in canon, and Twilight deduces Nightmare Moon will return soon. She goes off to warn Celestia, dismissing Moondancer’s party. Celestia dismisses her worries and sends her off to Ponyville, the year’s location where she will appear for the Summer Sun Celebration. Before she and Spike leave for Ponyville, they are seen off by Shining Armor, their older brother, to establish him earlier. The rest goes as canon, with Twilight meeting her future best friends and Spike gaining his precocious crush on Rarity. Nightmare Moon interrupts the celebration, and Twilight enters the Everfree Forest with her future friends to find the Castle of the Two Sisters.
Ep. 2 “Friendship is Magic, Part 2”- The second part goes the same as canon. As the Mane Six travel to the Castle of the Two Sisters, the others perform the acts that later lead Twilight to deduce they are the Elements of Harmony. Nightmare Moon is confronted, and is restored to Luna by the Elements of Harmony’s friendship beam. The Mane Six and the princesses return to Ponyville, where the Mane Six are hailed as heroes for saving the day. For the first time in over a thousand years, Celestia is able to hold the Summer Sun Celebration with her sister at her side, and Twilight decides to stay in Ponyville to learn about friendship.
Ep. 3 “The Ticket Master” – Same as canon to establish the season’s end goal, the Grand Galloping Gala. Rainbow wants to hang with the Wonderbolts, Rarity wants to romance Prince Blueblood, Pinkie wants to experience the famed ‘top party of the year’, Applejack wants to make money for Granny Smith’s hip surgery, and Fluttershy wants to explore the castle gardens. Twilight learns her first lesson about friendship when trying to decide who to give the extra ticket.
Ep. 4 “Applebuck Season” – Applejack’s first focus episode, showing how hardworking she is and how it can be a flaw of hers. She finally learns to ask for help.
Ep. 5 “Griffon the Brush-Off” – Same as canon to establish Gilda as a character from Rainbow and Fluttershy’s past, and setting up Gilda’s return when Griffonstone is brought into the story. Gilda attending flight camp while Griffonstone is revealed to be in ruin can be handwaved as Griffonstone’s economy crashing after Gilda attended it. This episode also establishes Pinkie and Rainbow’s love for pranks.
Ep. 6 “Boast Busters” – Same as canon to establish Trixie as a rival to Twilight. Though the ending is changed to properly punish Snips and Snails for causing the Ursa Minor attack. Twilight learns the difference between being humble and being a showoff.
Ep. 7 “Dragonshy” – Fluttershy’s first focus episode, showing how easily spooked she can be and that harm to her friends can cause her to stand up for them. This is also the first episode that shows a fully grown dragon.
Ep. 8 “Look Before You Sleep” – Same as canon to establish how Applejack and Rarity’s differing lifestyles cause them to bicker.
Ep. 9 “Bridle Gossip” – Same as canon to establish Zecora as a recurring character through the series and as a mentor to Apple Bloom in non-cutie mark related interests.
Ep. 10 “Swarm of the Century” – Same as canon to establish the fact while Pinkie is the go-to comedy relief character, she has moments of brilliance and learned things from living on a rock farm.
Ep. 11 “Winter Wrap-Up” – Same as canon to expand on Ponyville traditions. In this episode, Twilight finally feels accepted as a Ponyville resident once she finds a role in being taskmaster.
Ep. 12 “Call of the Cutie” – Same as canon to establish the Cutie Mark Crusaders and their conflict with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Twist moves away, adding to Apple Bloom’s conflict and explaining why they never hang out as friends after Apple Bloom forms the club with Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.
Ep. 13 “Fall Weather Friends” – Same as canon to establish another Ponyville tradition and establish Applejack and Rainbow Dash’s competitive rivalry.
Ep. 14 “Suited for Success” – Rarity’s first focus episode, showing her passion for fashion and teaching her friends to trust her instincts when it comes to designing. This episode also progresses the season towards the end goal of the Grand Galloping Gala, with the Mane Six getting their gowns for the party.
Ep. 15 “Feeling Pinkie Keen” – Same as canon to establish Pinkie Sense. Twilight learns that not everything can be explained with science.
Ep. 16 “Sonic Rainboom” – Same as canon to establish Rainbow Dash’s ability to perform the Sonic Rainboom and the Wonderbolts she’s performing for.
Ep. 17 “Stare Master” – Same as canon to expand on the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ first activity together since forming their club and establish Fluttershy’s ability to use The Stare.
Ep. 18 “The Show Stoppers” – Rework this episode so that the Crusaders do the parts of the act they are skilled at, but still establish the Crusaders’ treehouse as it becomes their main meeting location. They do not get their cutie marks for their act, indicating their tasks are hobbies but not what they’re meant to do with their lives.
Ep. 19 “A Dog and Pony Show” – Same as canon, except maybe establish the Diamond Dogs’ origins as them being from Klugetown from the movie or them being from a nation near Abyssinia.
Ep. 20 “Green Isn’t Your Color” – Same as canon to expand on Fluttershy’s depths and her friendship with Rarity while also establishing the Pinkie Promise.
“Over a Barrel” – Delete because everyone hates this one and add a second part to the Best Night Ever. Braeburn and Appleoosa can be introduced later.
Ep. 21 “A Bird in the Hoof” – Same as canon to establish Philomena as a character and expand on Celestia’s personality as a prankster type. Unlike canon, Philomena reappears later as a background character to show she is not forgotten.
Ep. 22 “The Cutie Mark Chronicles” – Same as canon to explain the Rainboom connecting the Mane Six and throw a hint out to Spike’s origins (raising the question of how his egg wound up at the School for Gifted Unicorns).
Ep. 23 “Owl’s Well That Ends Well” – Same as canon to establish Owlowiscious as a recurring character, and expand on Spike’s siblinghood with Twilight along with his insecurity of not being needed.
Ep. 24 “Party of One” – Same as canon to explore Pinkie’s insecurity of being lonely. If possible, slip in the fact that Mrs. Cake is pregnant with the twins.
Ep. 25 “Best Night Ever, Part 1” – Same as canon, but add in a subplot about Princess Luna being afraid of attending her first gala in centuries and her concerns about the guests not liking her because of Nightmare Moon. Also have Shining Armor show up as a guard, perhaps Spike finds him and they enjoy some bro time while Shining Armor works. Cadence doesn’t appear because Shining is working and she is probably babysitting some noble’s children like she watched Twilight and Spike years ago.
Ep. 26 “Best Night Ever, Part 2” – The party continues, but the Mane Six discover everything they dreamed of isn’t what they thought. Blueblood turns out to be a jerk, the animals won’t come out for Fluttershy, Pinkie’s definition of party doesn’t match that of Canterlot’s elite, Applejack can’t make money, and Rainbow can’t get the Wonderbolts’ attention. With help from Celestia and Twilight, Luna gathers the courage to appear at the party. After she appears, everything goes wrong, and the main cast, along with Celestia and Luna, where Celestia reveals she knew Twilight’s friends would make the night eventful. Shining Armor is last seen trying to get the party under control with other guards.
That concludes my first post for this. I'm hoping to post the rest over the next several weeks. For example, next Saturday is when I'll post the next part for season two. For this first part, I wanted to get Shining in early to avoid Remember the New Guy, and have Luna appear earlier than her Luna Eclipsed episode next season. Also, I wanted to clarify Spike's relationship with Twilight, that they are brother and sister, to avoid any confusion about their roles to each other. What does everyone think?
This looks pretty nice, like some of the plot changes you've made. Can't wait to see what season 2 brings!
5340527
Can you tell me what changes you liked?
5340533
Shining Armor being introduced earlier, the CMCs using their hobby talent in the talent show, the hinting to Spike's origins, and Luna appearing at the GGG. Btw, why did everything go wrong after Luna made her debut at the Gala?
5340538
Unfortunate timing. Celestia and Twilight finally get her to appear, and she's able to enjoy it for a bit before the rest of the Mane Six's plot lines collide. I wouldn't be so cruel as to make everything go wild the moment she appears, I'd let her soak in the attention for a little bit first.
5340541
I see, got it. Will your rewrite of season 3 have 26 episodes instead of 13?
I feel like there's a few problems in the show's season 1 there honestly.
Like how Luna was forcibly purified instead of her resolving the darkness within her(I mean.. it felt like the actual issues that led her into becoming NMM weren't properly resolved). In fact Nightmare Moon felt pretty wasted due to the show didn't use Luna's darker half good enough since she was just a "starter villain".
And the fact Celestia acted like Luna alone is at fault even though I am pretty sure its Celestia's fault too due to not being there for Luna.
Along with the whole Summer Sun Celebration basically adding salt to Luna's wounds while she was stuck on the moon as NMM with how it showed so much love of day over night(even if it celebrates Luna's return, it still shows preference of DAY over night).
What also bugs me is how Spike got left out like that too. Just establishes that he isn't allowed to have the same kind of bond with the girls due to not being a "chosen one" like the girls are. It just bothers me.
Those were my issues from the show's season 1 premiere.
About Winter-Wrap Up, did the part of the girls causing Spike to fall into that cold lake still happen? Cause that part was not really cool for the girls to do that to him.
For Owl's Well, did Twilight realizes that the whole mess could have been avoided if she had just told Spike on why she got Owlisious? I feel like she needed to be called out on that part. In fact it kind of parallels with the NMM fiasco in a way, with one of the main factors of Luna snapping is due to Celestia wasn't there for her(as in lack of communication), Twilight not telling Spike about why she got the owl is what led to the huge misunderstanding and caused Spike to give in to jealousy like that.
For The Best Night Ever, I liked the changes you made and how Luna got included(it was pretty dumb how she wasn't literally in the episode of the show for some reason). Wonder if Spike would have helped her out too? I feel like she and Spike got quite in common and such in a way. They seem to click pretty good.
Sorry if this was pretty iffy/lengthy or something.
More of these are "same as canon" then not - you can just note the differences, you know, especially if you're gonna do all the seasons.
And speaking of differences...
On the one hand it probably won't hurt, but on the other the opener is already establishing a whole lot of characters.
I'd do something to make Princess Celestia seem less like she totally overlooked the problem till the last minute.
What punishment would you suggest?
If you're rewriting the whole show, couldn't you just have them hang out sometimes?
I presume Pinkie Sense will be used more consistently in this version?
What's the point of introducing them at all? They exit for this episode's sake. (And not everyone hates it, BTW.)
5340559
Yes. That season being so short stood out like a rusty nail, so I added a bunch of episodes to it.
5340560
Sorry to hear you had so many issues with the original series premiere. I can't say about Winter Wrap-Up, but I think the lapse in communication between Twilight and Spike is necessary for strengthening their slblinghood. Spike helping Luna in Best Night Ever? I think he'd be busy spending bro time with Shining Armor since they didn't get much of that after Spike moved to Ponyville with Twilight.
5340569
I'm going episode by episode to explain why an episode would be kept and what would be changed if I thought necessary.
Fair edit.
Clean-up duty on the damage the Ursa caused? Help out at the library for two/three weeks? Something like that.
To be honest, I have zero clue when I would squeeze her in. If I had remembered her when I wrote up the season 3 extension, I would've included an episode where Apple Bloom checks on her. Still writing out season 9, so maybe an episode reuniting Apple Bloom with her could be slotted in.
Most likely, yes.
Continuity, mostly. I've bumped Braeburn and Appleoosa back to Troubleshoes' episode and the debut of Buckball. (Really? I thought people hated it for Pinkie's song and the whole feud between the town and the buffalo?)
5340626
Though Twilight does needed to be called out on that too.
I hated that in the episode on how Twilight just got after Spike like that but not exactly realizing she is at fault too for not telling Spike why she got the owl. The whole mess could have been avoided if she did, so she's kind of to blame too.
Why not have it so while Spike was hanging out with Shining Armor, he ends up encountering/meeting Luna there during that? And some sort of interaction and probably help. I mean, it felt like the episode would have been a good way for him being fully introduced to Luna for interactions there.
5340645
I agree that she should probably recognize her fault in the situation. As for Best Night Ever, I feel like Spike might clutter up Celestia and Twilight's plot with helping her.
5340650
I don't think he wouldn't clutter that plot up.
Like not wrong with adding one more character in there.
Besides, it would be pretty fitting with how Spike and Luna are "younger siblings"(who are both "out of place" in a way) with the older siblings(Twilight and Celestia) are involved in the whole thing.
5340654
Okay, I could see how that might work.
5340639
Well maybe you'll be changing more in the future, but most of the words in this blog are just telling us how the show already is.
Continuity with what? Later episodes only used the settings and characters from this one because they existed.
And like most episodes, there are those who hate it, those who love it and those in-between. I think it's pretty decent.
5340678
I did it this way because it kept my thoughts in order, and there will be changes. Season Three is the big one with it being given all new episodes to make it as long as the rest of the seasons.
Okay, maybe continuity isn't the right word. Perhaps more like consistency. Appleoosa just adds a bit more to Equestria as a newly established town.
I meant that I thought Over a Barrel was hated it on the same level as The Mysterious Mare-Do-Well or Non-Compete Clause. That's how hated I was under the impression the episode was.
5340879
Do you personally dislike the episode? You seem to like Appleoosa enough to bother keeping it at least.
5340927
It's an okay episode. Maybe a six or seven out of ten.
5340931
But less important than expanding Best Night Ever, or any other episode?
5340986
Yeah, I wanted to keep the season premieres and finales consistent with the two-parters.
Hmmm... I like one change for episode 6. Twilight stands up for Trixie because the citizens of Ponyville blame Trixie for the Ursa Minor and say she’s not to blame for the bear. She was just being a Solo Performer and was doing her talent to entertain everypony. Twilight should also say that some had no right to criticize her because of her performance and the ones who didn’t like it should have leave because it was their choice to stay (Even if she was talking about her friends). No one has a right to judge others for their talents.
5341029
Yeah, good point. Though it would probably affect the episode's running time.
5341036
It could spare a minute or seconds depending on the length of the credits