Hearth's Warming Club, Pt. 2 - Holiday Sacrifice · 2:28am Jan 1st, 2021
Most of Hearth's Warming Club is spent exploring the wonderful traditions of the various creatures of Equestria and beyond, but where it really shines is its character development.
When the Young Six first showed up at the beginning of Season 8, I didn't have a problem with them per se, but the characters didn't feel quite as fleshed out and complete as the Mane Six had from Day One. (At least, not to me).
Here, the Young Six spends an entire episode waxing nostalgic for their respective holiday traditions, and in so doing, they each express their own intimate feelings in a believable and organic way. The characters really get into why these holidays are so meaningful to them personally.
The yak holiday of Snilldarfest, for example, involves rather a lot of stuff getting smashed (as one might expect), but it's also the occasion when Yona got her first braids - a deeply powerful rite of passage in her culture. Ocellus' story of Changeling Hearth's Warming traditions expresses delight at discovering the holiday season in the first place, even if they don't fully understand the traditions they are emulating.
Sandbar's story of The Hearth's Warming Doll That Almost Fell Into the Fire is more than a clever way to skip over explaining the meaning of Hearth's Warming, (which we, the audience, already know), it's a weird little peek into his mind. Sandbar is a lot more sheltered than his friends. He wasn't raised in an aggressive culture like the dragons, or a mercenary culture like the griffins, or an honor-based culture like yaks. He had never been subjugated by a tyrant like the hippogriffs under the Storm King, or the changelings under Chrysalis. Sandbar has enjoyed a very comfortable existence, (which makes his willingness to step out of that comfortable existence to save his friends in the Season 8 finale all the more powerful).
Of course, in the end, it is Gallus' story that steals the show. By the time they get around to him, it's no huge surprise that he's the culprit. When first I saw the episode, I had expected him to say that the griffins had no holiday, or that it was an awful one. What we find out, however, is that griffin families do, in fact, get together for winter holidays. It involves dinner, and all the cantankerous arguing you might expect (and frankly, a lot of us right here on earth can relate to that experience).
Gallus, however, doesn't resent the bickering of griffin dinner parties. He feels crushed by the fact that he doesn't get to participate at all.
He has no family. "Grandpa Gruff" is an honorary title of an elder, not a relative.
Suddenly everything about Gallus makes sense. His [insert sarcastic comment here] dialogue up until this point had always felt like something that was written purely for pacing or comedy or to add texture to the ensemble dynamic of The Young Six. But there's a strong character-based reason for it, and it's not just because he's a griffin.
Gallus' sarcasm is a defense mechanism. While every other culture sent one of their best and brightest to come and learn about the equine style of friendship, the griffins simply sent a kid with no connections, no family, and no role in the Griffinstone community or economy. They did it purely to get rid of him.
It's no wonder that Gallus is afraid of intimacy, even amongst friends! It's completely understandable that he would sabotage the tree just to spend a little bit more time with them. Last but not least, it's noble of him to come forward, and admit his misdeed. Simply put, he doesn't want his friends to get separated from their beloved traditions and suffer, and is prepared to pony up and accept the consequences of his actions.
The episode ends with all five of his crew deciding to stay behind voluntarily so that they can all spend their holidays together - to introduce Gallus to just a little bit of warmth and love.
At their core, that's what all of their cultures' holidays are about anyway (except the dragons' of course). I think this message is particularly timely, and more relevant now than it was two years ago when it aired. This year, millions of us sacrificed our normal holiday traditions, and instead, chose to have quiet celebrations with those in our immediate circles.
This episode demonstrates beautifully how that is not to be lamented. It's better to do the right thing. In the Young Six's case, it's better to make sure that those in need are cared about. In our case, it's better to make sure that those who are vulnerable are not endangered.
For me personally, Christmas 2020 was about finding new ways to express old traditions - to celebrate the same joy, albeit with a smaller circle.
Happy New Year. Stay safe.
-Sprocket
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I would argue that's not the case. We see plenty of hints that Grandpa Gruff does in fact care for Gallus, he's just such a cantankerous old bastard that he refuses to let anyone know he does and goes out of his way to hide it. While I can see him saying this, and maybe even putting this out as a reason to send Gallus, I would not be surprised if the real reason he wanted it to be Gallus is because he was the one who most needed it. It would give him a place to live, a secure source of food, shelter, pretty much the closest thing to a home Gallus had ever had.
Thank you for this pair of posts, and the analysis, insights, and reminders in them. :)
And a happy and safe new year to you too! Thanks. :)
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Right, Gabby dropped that knowledge, since Gruff isn't capable of expressing paternal concern like that.
(Press 9)
I remembered how adorable and nifty Gabby's feather-ponytail is.