Updating Friendship - Part 6 · 9:47pm Sep 20th, 2020
Okay, I promise that this week will be the last time I post on Sunday instead of Saturday. My friends and I were wrapping up an RP we were doing on another site. This week we get into one of my favorite seasons of the show. Also as of this post, the seasons for Updating Friendship now have subtitles per suggestion by MLPFollower! So far we have the seasons as such:
Season 1: The Magic of Friendship- referencing the first time the Mane 6 came together
Season 2: Love of All Kinds- referencing the major theme of love shown in the season (romantic love, sibling love, pet love)
Season 3: Crystal Changes- referencing the focus on the Crystal Empire and the major theme of change in the season
Season 4: Keys to the Tree- referencing the Tree Key saga
Season 5: Cutie Mark Calamity- referencing the major theme of cutie marks this season
Season 6: Mapping Destinies- referencing the Map Mission saga and the staging of several plot points (the changeling revelation among others)
Now let's continue with Updating Friendship. Onto season six- Mapping Destinies!
Ep. 1 “The Crystalling, Part 1” – Same as canon. Time has passed since Starlight became Twilight’s student, and Shining Armor and Cadence’s baby is finally born. The mane cast plus Starlight go to the Crystal Empire to visit the new baby. Twilight reveals that she used her royal connections to track down Starlight’s childhood friend Sunburst, who has moved to the Crystal Empire since its appearance, and Starlight is given the chance to reconnect with him. The baby is revealed to be an alicorn like her mother, and her uncontrolled magic causes chaos while a Crystal Empire tradition is prepared to celebrate her birth. The baby accidentally shatters the Crystal Heart with her crying and causes the magic snowstorm that concealed the empire for centuries to return.
Ep. 2 “The Crystalling, Part 2” – Same as canon. While the mane cast and the royal family try to restore the Crystal Heart, Starlight struggles to reconnect with Sunburst. Celestia and Luna hold off the snowstorm as long as they can. Learning the urgency of the crisis, Starlight returns to Sunburst for help, and they reveal their respective truths to each other- he flunked out of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, and she started an anti-cutie mark cult. This transparency allows them to reconcile and contribute to fixing the Crystal Heart, which uses the baby’s Crystalling to repair it and repel the storm. In the end, Shining and Cadence finally name the baby Flurry Heart, and Starlight promises to keep in contact with Sunburst, who becomes an advisor for the royal family on Flurry’s magical education.
Ep. 3 “The Gift of the Maud Pie” – Same as canon for filler.
Ep. 4 “On Your Marks” – Same basic concept, but switch the focus from Apple Bloom to Sweetie Belle. With their cutie marks earned, the hunt is over and the Crusaders don’t know what to do next. They settle for a break and pursue their individual interests. Talented at singing but never having performed on her own for a crowd before, Sweetie Belle must take the stage if she wants to advance her passion to the next level. Might be a retread of Filli Vanilli, but whatever.
Ep. 5 “Gauntlet of Fire” – Same as canon to expand on dragon culture and introduce Ember as a recurring character. The episode also features the return of Garble and possibly a cameo from Smolder.
Ep. 6 “No Second Prances” – Same as canon to progress Starlight’s friendship lessons and establish the Starlight-Trixie friendship.
Ep. 7 “Newbie Dash” – Same basic concept to progress Rainbow’s goal of becoming a Wonderbolt, but edit the ending so the Wonderbolts learn a lesson about respecting members’ discomfort with certain nicknames and considerately change Rainbow’s nickname to something more acceptable for her.
Ep. 8 “A Hearth’s Warming Tail” – Same as canon for filler.
Ep. 9 “A Saddle Row Review” – Same as canon to progress Rarity’s goal of owning a store franchise.
Ep. 10 “Applejack’s ‘Day’ Off” – Same basic concept, but edit it to make it less boring.
Ep. 11 “Flutter Brutter” – Same as canon to expand on Fluttershy’s family, but actually give her parents names instead of Mr. Shy and Mrs. Shy.
Ep. 12 “Spice Up Your Life” – Same as canon to continue the Map Mission saga.
Ep. 13 “Stranger Than Fan Fiction” – Same as canon to progress the Daring Do plot and introduce Quibble Pants as a minor character.
Ep. 14 “The Cart Before the Ponies” – Same basic concept with the derby race, but otherwise heavily edit so Rarity, Rainbow, and Applejack don’t look like jerks for not listening to their sisters.
“28 Pranks Later” – Delete because everyone hates this one and I despise zombie apocalypse references.
Ep. 15 “The Town Name Game” – With Starlight no longer in charge of Our Town and Double Diamond as mayor, he and his friends, Night Glider, Sugar Belle, and Party Favor struggle to rename the town as part of a fresh start for everyone living there.
Ep. 16 “The Times They Are a Changeling” – Same as canon to establish Thorax as a recurring character and set up the Changeling Hive’s redemption. Perhaps edit to focus more on Shining Armor’s struggle to accept a changeling can be good.
Ep. 17 “Dungeons and Discord” – Same as canon to progress Discord’s character arc of befriending others and establish Guys’ Night.
Ep. 18 “Buckball Season” – Same as canon to establish Buckball as a sport and revisit Appleoosa.
Ep. 19 “The Fault in Our Cutie Marks” – Same as canon to establish Gabby as a minor character and reveal that Griffonstone is improving since Rainbow and Pinkie’s visit.
Ep. 20 “Viva Las Pegasus” – Same as canon to continue the Map Mission saga and concludes Applejack’s rivalry with the Flim Flam brothers as they’ve found a legal way to get rich quick.
Ep. 21 “Every Little Thing She Does” – Same as canon to show Starlight struggling with her redemption arc.
“P. P. O. V. (Pony Point of View)” – Replace with new episode Pass or Fail.
Ep. 22 “Pass or Fail” – A new episode to replace P. P. O. V. (Pony Point of View), this episode focuses on Big Macintosh and Cheerilee’s relationship and how they break up to set up Big Macintosh falling in love with Sugar Belle. Perhaps in the end, he makes a delivery to Sugar Belle’s bakery and finds a new crush in Sugar Belle, setting up Hard to Say Anything.
Ep. 23 “Where the Apple Lies” – Same as canon to explore the Apple family’s business with the Rich family, and explain Big Macintosh and Applejack’s current personalities.
Ep. 24 “Top Bolt” – Same as canon to continue the Map Mission saga. This episode also shows off more of the Wonderbolts in action and introduces two of my favorite Map Mission guests.
Ep. 25 “To Where and Back Again, Part 1” – Same as canon. Starlight gets invited to the renamed Our Town’s festival, and is concerned with putting her bad history aside. While she and Trixie are away, the mane cast are kidnapped by changelings under Chrysalis’s command. She and Trixie discover the situation is the same in the Crystal Empire, with Thorax barely escaping and his wings different since he was last seen. Starlight informs an eavesdropping Discord that Fluttershy was kidnapped, and he joins the rescue team.
Ep. 26 “To Where and Back Again, Part 2” – Same as canon. The rescue team infiltrate the Changeling Hive, which is covered in magic-resistant stone. Discord and Trixie get captured, leaving Starlight and Thorax to save everyone. Realizing why Thorax’s wings are different, she appeals to the changelings that they can give love rather than take it. The changelings follow Thorax’s example, and transform into their species’ true forms, discovering their dark forms were corrupted versions of their true selves. Possible cameos from Pharynx and Ocellus. Starlight offers friendship to Chrysalis, attempting to redeem her, but Chrysalis refuses and escapes along with other rogue changelings that refused to transform. Though not transformed, Pharynx noticeably stays behind with the reformed changelings. Starlight decides to start anew with the renamed Our Town, and she and the rescued mane cast and royals attend the festival.
Movie 4 “Equestria Girls- Legend of Everfree” – Same as canon, but edit it so Timber and Sci-Twi don’t get closer than acceptable as a counselor and a camp guest. Possible subplots include finding the human Sunset in Camp Everfree’s small neighboring town and Flash struggling to keep Sci-Twi separate from Twilight in his head. Also give Pinkie a more defined power because randomly making explosions is NOT a power.
For numerous reasons, this season is one of my favorites in the show. We have the introduction of several supporting characters I love (Flurry Heart, Ember, Thorax), the season features my favorite set of Map Missions, the changelings get their new colorful forms, and Spike has one of his best focus episodes in the Gauntlet of Fire. Obviously major changes to the season include the deletion of 28 Pranks Later and the inclusion of an episode focusing on the breakup between Big Mac and Cheerilee, those two changes give more depth to Sugar Belle and smooths over any confusion the series generated regarding the CheerMac ship. I'm partially iffy on including the human counterpart of Sunset in Legend of Everfree, and have second thoughts whether or not to make up an extra Equestria Girls movie just to focus on the plot point of meeting her. I also shut down the Timber-Twi ship because it felt icky to me on my first watch and still does. Speaking of Legend of Everfree, if anybody has ideas on what to replace Pinkie's random explosions not-power with, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
So yeah, leave your thoughts on the changes I would make to the season below and I'll see you next week for the post on Season 7- Friendship Legends!
As much as I don’t like the Changelings colorful forms, I always wonder why aren’t there more pony villians (Not counting Nightmare Moon)? In many pony archives, it shows many villians attack Equestria and ponies but never the opposite. I mean what if the ponies hide their crimes by never recording it as the other species suffer? I mean don’t you find it suspicious that race had over a 1000 years had never attack, steal, curse or conquer another kingdom of a different species?
For Equestria Girls Pinkie, I'm guessing that controlling reality is out of the picture, since she technically can do all of that before? For the extra Equestria Girls movie, I'd say go for it. Other than that, thanks for mentioning me!
5359912
If the tenth season comes along, we might (ironically) have the minor pony antagonists (Lightning Dust and the Washouts, Suri Polomare, Gladmane, Svengallop, Wind Rider, Zesty Gourmand, the "Expert" Ponies, and even Blueblood) be the final villains that the Mane Six will face off against.
I feel like things were looking up for Spike in season 6 of the show with how he got two amazing episodes.
Sadly it sort fell flat on its face for him with how Spike got robbed big time in To Where And Back Again.
I mean.. HE was the one who befriended Thorax, but instead the writers had Starlight take the spotlight(and essentially FULL credit of the changelings reforming with how Chrysalis focused too much on her and not even acknowledging that Spike befriending Thorax is what ultimately sown the seed that foiled Chrysalis).
If it was so important for Starlight's development, would it kill the writers if they had Starlight AND Spike form the rescue team?
The writers could have had Luna be in the rescue team too since she was a reformed villain too. And.. well it works due to she was awake at night, so she could have escaped from getting captured(which made her capture more humiliating than the other characters due to she was clearly awake at night and yet she still got captured). It would have also let her redeem herself for the Canterlot Wedding where she was apparently asleep while the changelings attacked Canterlot and her sister was in serious danger.(But now any chance for Luna to redeem herself for that is gone due to the changelings reforming. I know there's some rouge changelings in your version but the fact is it won't be the same anymore. As in now the enemy changelings will never be at full force anymore due to its only some stragglers left rather than facing off against the whole hive). Heck.. Luna warning Starlight via a dream wasn't even acknowledged/appreciated there.
Wished the writers could have explained how the Mane 6(and Spike) and royal family got easily captured like that. Before someone says "That doesn't matter, the rescue part is important", nope.. the capturing part is equally as important due to how many fans felt like it was confusing and bs on how everyone got easily captured, it contributed to how many fans were mad at Starlight due to they felt like the others got screwed for the sake of her like that.
The finale did had a neat concept of the Mane 6 are the ones that get taken out and needing someone else to save their flanks and the day but.. that concept gets shot in the foot due to the very ponies(like the Royal Sisters) that usually gets shafted in favor of the Mane 6 being the heroes also gets captured. Like at least let Luna escape getting taken out and help save the others there.
Sorry about the um.. rant , To Where And Back Again was really one of my least fav finales due to how Spike got shafted there(and well.. Luna too..). Like I really felt like Spike got robbed there
I agree with most of what you've said here. Except for deleting "28 Pranks Later." That's actually one of my favorite MLP episodes. Though I will admit that it seems like it would be better of in an earlier season than Season 6. Like maybe Season 2 or Season 3.
And as for changing Human Pinkie Pie's power? Ehhhhh, I think the explosions fit her to a tee. And they're not really random. She can direct where they blow with some practice and direction. If she doesn't have the explosion power, then what would she have?
5359912
I'm not entirely sure, myself. Maybe it's like the old saying 'history is written by the winners'?
5360047
You're welcome. And making Human Pinkie's power reality warping might work, it's just understated because she and her pony counterparts have been doing stuff like that since day one.
5360069
To be fair, I don't think Chrysalis even KNEW Spike had befriended Thorax and set up the changeling redemption. If she did, she likely would've been furious with him alongside Starlight.
I can see where you're coming from on the Luna thing. She works in the dream realm, but as A Royal Problem showed, her physical body would be vulnerable because it's her mental self doing the work.
As for the capture, I didn't really focus on that part of the finale because I thought it was interesting that they were the ones that needed saving for once instead of being the ones doing the saving.
5360102
You could keep 28 Pranks Later in your version, but I would personally scrap it because like I said, I absolutely hate zombie apocalypse references.
I didn't say that Human Pinkie's explosions were random, I said that the power itself was random. As I said above, I'm asking you guys what you think her power should be instead of that. MLPFollower had a good idea with the reality warping suggestion. It wouldn't be nearly as powerful as Discord's usual shenanigans, but the way she and her pony counterpart are able to do the cartoon gags would work.
5360381
Its just aggravating on how apparently Chrysalis never realizes Spike befriending Thorax is what ultimately caused her to lose her hive like that.
Spike got robbed big time in this finale..
Even if Luna was "busy" in the dream-world, most likely she would have "wake up" the moment the changelings try to do anything and could have fought back. Or just happen to not be in the dream-world when they attack her.
Really.. it was just embarrassing for her to get captured in the night compared to the others' cases.
And wasting her big time
The concept of the Mane 6 getting captured instead of the ones saving the day was interesting but like I said, it gets shot in the foot when the very ponies that gets captured(like the Royal Sisters) gets captured too. This finale could have been Spike's spotlight and/or for Luna's too at least, but instead they end up getting taken out along with the mane 6.
It just hurts so much..
5360387
Chrysalis never finding out Spike ultimately caused her control of the hive to fall apart is just like in real life. Everybody has their own perspective on things and are bound to make incorrect assumptions unless told point blank the truth. Plus, given how insane Chrysalis was at the time, I doubt any of the Mane Six would want her going after their younger brother figure.
It's really not that embarrassing. She was doing her life's purpose- helping ponies with their dreams. It was just unfortunate timing that they caught her right as she was warning Starlight about her friends.
I don't think the concept was ruined when they contributed to getting far enough into the hive for Starlight and Thorax to finish the job. Pretty much a rule of writing plots like going into enemy territory to rescue friends is for one or two members of the rescue party to be captured.
5360394
Really prefer Chrysalis does find out, like so Spike has to help out Starlight and such in stopped her.
Like Chrysalis being his nemesis too instead of Starlight apparently having FULL credit of the changelings reforming.
Its still embarrassing for Luna since she got captured in the night, where she was clearly awake. She could have escape capture and help out in the rescue team. In fact this is like what happened in the wedding where Luna was unable to help due to apparently she was freaking asleep while the changelings were wrecking havoc and her own sister was in danger.
I am talking about the very ponies( like Luna) that usually gets captured during crisis stuff ends up getting captured here where the usual heroes got captured. Not Discord and Trixie there.
Like since the Mane 6 got captured, it would be better if one of the ponies(talking about like the Royal Sisters, not Discord and Trixie) that usually gets captured during crisis stuff would get to have a turn in saving the heroes, but instead they just get captured off-screen like the Mane 6.
Like it could have been at least of the Royal Sisters' turn to save the Mane 6 in return. And/or Spike saving them too due to how its usually he gets sidelined while the girls where saving the day, like now it could have been his turn to save the mane 6 in return and save the day.
5360384
Maybe also having the ability to shake off injuries that would harm a real human as well? Also, would Human Pinkie's reality warping powers be like Genie's from Aladdin or toned down?
5360473
I think they would be toned down. Think more along the lines of the cartoon gags that Pinkie regularly does like using her mane as a drill or walking on the ceiling as if she was still on the floor.
5360381
So Spike still got robbed in this finale?